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 Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 2:28 am
Ukene was pretty sure that she, at the very least, had a crush on Badiri. This realization had come after a lot of soul-searching, getting in touch with her emotions and, most importantly, after asking her family what the bugger was going on. She giggled, she smiled and she felt like complimenting him every time they saw each other (which might or might not count as flirting, she wasn't entirely sure), she talked and she rambled and she was pretty sure that no-one had ever listened to as many of her rants as Badiri had by now. And he really had. He really did listen attentively to everything she said, and he always, always took her seriously when she needed it. They'd talked about everything, from a pebble she'd seen on the ground to her latest worry for the pregnant lionesses she oversaw and talking to him always, always made her feel better - like she could take on the world, much less her duties as a midwife. He was quickly growing to be her support column, and though she still relied on her family for love and affection, she was more and more starting to seek out Badiri's opinion and company instead. Which was what she was doing now, because he'd said he'd be patrolling around here today and, well, patrolling alone might get a bit boring. No-one'd mind if she just.. tagged along for a bit, right? She wouldn't distract him too much, really! So here she sat, patiently waiting and humming a happy little tune to herself. Even if the schedule turned out to have changed or something, it was still a very nice spot.
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 5:17 pm
And so, he made sure that Ukene knew where he would be the next couple days he was on duty. He had a plan, a vague one, but he had refused to ask for help so he was winging it. He would figure out what the say when Ukene showed up. If she did.
And then, she was there. He spotted her from a distance, as he often did, and headed her way.
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Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 7:42 pm
"Badiri!" The happy smile on Ukene's face could have brought dead puppies back to life, that was how powerful it was. She'd remembered it right and he was really here! Though there was always the possibility that she'd remembered wrong and he just happened to be in the right place at the right time, but that was a possibility she quickly swept out of her mind - the other was much nicer, after all. Though it could have been a sign from the Great Lion if it was serendipity..
Well, never mind! She bounced up to meet him, swishing her tail as she went and getting no less elated the closer she got. "You're here! Hi! How are you? Did you have a good day? You're going for a patrol, right?"
She visibly restrained herself from asking more, practically shivering with excitement as she was.
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Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 8:45 am
His stomach fluttered, though he would never admit it. His happiness to see her showed very clearly and he couldn't help but puff up a bit. Especially since he had specific intentions this time, he had to be impressive. Not that Ukene seemed particularly hard to impress, but it still mattered to him. Her visible excited shivering made him deflate and shake his head a little bit, though still smiling. More and more he was finding it hard to be nervous around her.
"I'm very good, especially now that you're here," he answered, answering the questions in order, "I head over around by the mountains, I assume you're coming with me, right?"
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Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 10:29 am
Her happy beam changed into a more bashful smile, though the happiness didn't diminish one bit - on the contrary, the fluttery feeling that she'd started to associate with Badiri came back full force. He always said the sweetest things that'd make her go all silent and shy and happy.
"Of course! Well, if it's okay, but it's okay, right? I mean, since you told me you'd be here and all. No-one'll mind, right? Because I already made sure that I'm done with my duties for the day and all and I've really, really been looking forward to spending time with you!"
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Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 11:21 am
"Of course it's alright," he said confidently, his mood improving and his nerves eased by Ukene's words, "Besides, not many could really argue with you if you said you wanted to come along. There are only a couple high class guards and Nyota isn't one of them." Unnecessary logic but perhaps Ukene's talkativeness was rubbing off on him a bit- or maybe he was still nervous, despite what he thought.
"And we shouldn't run into anybody," he added thoughtfully, trying to recall who else was on duty at the moment. He certainly hoped it wasn't his brothers, especially if they did see any other guards. Ugh.
"Let's go, come on!"
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 10:07 pm
"Oh, right. But I'd never hold status over them like this, I mean, if it's your job you know best, right? It's not like I know a whole lot about it, so that'd just be stupid of me." She only knew what Badiri had told her about being a guard, and Ukene was pretty certain she wouldn't have made a very good guard - which just served to make her all the more impressed with him and his job.
"So, do you usually patrol this strip alone?" She looked as thoughtful as he'd sounded a moment ago, ambling alongside him as they started walking.
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 4:14 pm
"Maybe you wouldn't but you could," he responded with a slight grin, not entirely displeased with her response but still defending his decision to say she could do it if necessary, "I might 'know best' but that just means there's less reason for having someone so distracting around." He glanced over to her, knowing his words could be taken a couple ways but he was smiling. He didn't mean it as a bad thing, it was a compliment. And a possible lead in.
"Sometimes I'm alone, sometimes I'm not," he responded with a shrug, "It depends on the moon, largely. We usually work in pairs on the nights when the moon is smaller, it's just safer that way. But it can depend on if you want to work with someone, too."
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 8:49 pm
A silly grin spread over the lioness' face at his words. Distracting, was she? If they'd been anyone else but Badiri and Ukene she might have taken his words another way, but Ukene never thought the worst about people and Badiri.. well, Badiri was just awesome and she was fairly certain that he didn't have a mean bone in his body.
Except if you were like, threatening the security of the pride. Or an angry raging hippo. Or being mean yourself.
"Do you, then? Want to work with someone, I mean?" The words sounded innocent, but there was a flirting lilt to them. She nearly let out a nervous giggle, but managed to hold it in. Barely. Flirting was always.. well, still not her strongest suit, but practice had made her at least a tiny bit better.
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 9:03 pm
"Just with you," he said brightly, encouraged by her reaction to his previous comment and feeling increasingly confident, "Let's go." He led the way, heading in the direction he had indicated but now totally unaware of any plans he had previously had as far as where to go. He wasn't even sure he had plans anymore. Really, he had been distracted. Just like he said. His attention was more on her now than where they were going. But it didn't matter, he knew the route well enough he could walk it blind- he didn't need to focus if he didn't want to.
"Have you been having a good day?" he asked, glancing over. He could forget his plan of where to go but he needed one for what to say but it didn't seem to be happening.
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 9:13 pm
The giggle was out, and it was as high-pitched and breathy as she'd feared it'd be How did he always know the right thing to say to make her all floaty and happy and pretty sure she wouldn't even have minded if the sky fell down, as long as he was there?
"Oh, yeah! I did some check-ups and looked for some herbs, and then I went to visit Utunzo, but he was kind of busy with some stuff - you know, Historian stuff? - so I wandered around for a bit and then I went here." She'd been sneaking glances at him as they walked, and the smile had never wavered from her face. "How about you?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 9:36 pm
"That sounds exciting," he commented, though he didn't really know just how exciting it was he was willing to believe that Ukene found it very exciting, "I haven't done much today but having you around certainly brightens it up. Thanks for coming." He grinned. He was being genuine but was also feeling kind of silly.
"I was looking forward to talking with you," he said lamely but getting closer to his intended conversation.
Hmm.
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 9:40 pm
"You're welcome," she bumped her shoulder against his, grinning all the while, "I was looking forward to talking with you too! But you're always nice to talk to, so I always do that, but I did it today too. Don't you usually look forward to talking to me too?"
She'd definitely gotten better at this flirting thing, she thought as the grin slid into teasing territory.
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 9:49 pm
Baddie wrinkled his nose as Ukene turned his little comment back on him, very tempted to just stick his tongue out at her in response but controlling himself better than that. He needed a good answer.
"Of course," he started with the obvious, glaring back at her with a grin of his own, "I look forward to it more every day, soon you just won't be able to to get rid of me."
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 9:59 pm
"Who said I wanted to? Because if someone said that, you need to unleash your awesome fighting skills on them for being a total liar." She laughed, pleased with the ease of their little banter and his company. She really was a total goner, wasn't she? But then again, there were worse guys out there to be total goners for than Badiri - he was nice and they were friends, and even if he didn't feel the same way, he'd still be nice to her about it.
And, secretly, she'd vowed that even if he didn't feel the same, she'd work her hardest and change his mind. She could, right? Not if he had someone else, obviously, that'd just be mean, but she was pretty sure he didn't - even though he was totally handsome and it baffled her to the core that someone hadn't made a move yet - because he'd definitely have told her something like that. Or she'd have heard it through the gossip ranks. Either way. So it was all good, and worrying didn't help anyone.
Ukene approached love in much the same way she did everything else; with a smile and good intentions, and just a tad of obliviousness.
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