|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2011 4:10 pm
Harmony liked to think she was a girl in touch with most things. She liked to think she knew about love and life even though she’d never had a boyfriend before and had her first kiss with Bobby Ridgeway when she was twelve and she never spoke to him again. She knew how things were and how they should be because of her hard upbringing. And because she blended in with so many people and so many different groups she liked to think she was up to date on all the latest romances in and around her school, not to mention celebrities and such too. So, yeah, Harmony was a woman in the know.
And now it happened to her. She was in love.
Not that she expected it to last forever. It wasn’t one of those kinds of loves. It was more like a temporary thing. But love nonetheless. But the object of her budding romance happened to be none other than her personal knight in shining armor and she thought it was high time he knew it. Now that she was healed and free to roam she went off to find him and tell him so.
Harm spotted him up ahead and burst into a jog to catch up, Grecian dress fluttering out around her. Much better than blood stained clothing. It made a much better impression, she thought. Her hair was tucked up in a mass of curls on top of her head. She looked like a muse from the mythology books.
“Hey! Camelot!” She slowed as she caught up to him. “Can I talk to you for a minute…alone?”
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2011 5:43 pm
Camelot was simply walking along, his mind preoccupied with various things, mostly pertaining to the situation here. It was hard not to think about it, considering. Things were getting so bad, so quickly, it was overwhelming and rather scary.
And he was a knight. He could barely fathom how the civilians were feeling, considering the recent events.
When he heard Harmony's voice he turned, remembering her name and tone easily enough. He had been trying to make sure he remembered names and faces around here, just to be friendly and approachable, but Harmony's was a different case. As the daughter of one of his friends, he was obligated to keep an eye on her.
"Oh, hello Harmony. Sure." He arched an eyebrow. There was no one else around, so he imagined they were about as alone as they were going to get? He tilted his head at her, offering a smile. "Are you alright? What's the matter?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 10:43 am
Ignorance is bliss, so they say.
Harmony was very well wrapped up in ignorance right now of all the bad things happening in the other outposts. Hell, even in her own. She kept to herself allowing time to heal and then mostly went where she pleased between her own space and the main house. It was good that she kept away from danger. She didn't seem to have much luck with it and wasn't ready for any kind of commitment. Maybe they could just be friends...very far away long distance friends. Penpals, even.
When he stopped she smiled and blushed, leaning against some convenient nearby surface. She wasn’t exactly shy but blurting out that she loved him seemed a little…I don’t know…juvenile. It didn’t occur to her, of course, that she was still a child. It also didn’t occur to her that he was much too old for her and any sort of romance between them was not only inappropriate but illegal as well. Naturally she considered Camelot an immortal and in much the same way as Dracula’s conquests were above scrutiny so were his.
If she thought about it which, of course, she didn’t.
“So. I think I love you.” she started, letting the words simply run away from her. “But it’s not one of those forever things. I don’t think. It’s just that, you know, you’re my hero and you saved my life and…”
This was not going as she hoped. In her mind she was suave and sophisticated and he was hanging on her every word. He did not look amused now. If only she realized how much she and her mother were alike it would shock her. She and her mother didn't agree on much of anything but Tony, apparently.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 11:31 am
Camelot stared at her for a moment.
If he had a dime...
"You don't love me," he said, offering her a smile that was desperately trying not to be condescending. And he succeeded, in his own right, but any smile in this moment might not go over as well as he hoped. He shook his head slowly as she explained herself, though she was making the same point he was about to make.
"You're just overwhelmed here. You think you love me, but you've hit the nail on the head. I saved your life, and I really do want you to take comfort from the idea of my being here. I will protect you, and do everything in my power to get you home. And maybe my attire... the knight in shining armor thing... that doesn't help."
He took a breath, handling things oddly well for someone who was generally a socially awkward disaster zone at the drop of a hat.
"I will save your life time and again if you need me to, but hopefully you won't. I'm a knight at your service, and even if you have a crush on me... don't love me. You and I both know it's not what you think it is, right?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 1:09 pm
Harmony frowned. Was he really going to tell her how she felt? How would he know better than she would? It was one thing to politely decline and say he didn’t feel the same way. It was another entirely to try and tell her she wasn’t sure how she felt. She hadn’t asked anything of him but understanding and though he likely wasn’t trying to be Harmony found it really condescending.
“How do you know what I’m feeling?” she retorted, crossing her arms over her chest and putting herself in a defensive position. Sure, he was probably right and she’d know that as time went on but it was hard to confess how she felt and hearing him tell her otherwise, no matter his intentions, felt like a bit of a slap in the face. “Just because I know it’s not going to last doesn’t mean it’s not real. It just means…”
What did it mean?
She didn’t know but she was willing to bet it didn’t change her feelings now. Only her feelings later on. And right now she was a very scared nearly seventeen year old girl blurting out her feelings to a man twice her age. He was right, the knight in shining armor getup didn’t help his case. In that way, too, her mother and she were very much alike only Harmony hadn’t considered the archetype before she met Camelot.
At least Kyn would be a tiny bit relieved if she knew about this. Liking men. Not men this old but men in general. Harmony considered herself bisexual in as far as any teenage girl liked to experiment. Kyndall wanted to hold out some hope of grandchildren and wasn’t sure where her leanings tended. But that was neither here nor there.
“You can’t tell me I don’t love you.” Tears began to swim in her eyes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 1:21 pm
Camelot looked at her, feeling a sting and realizing he had done a very terrible job of letting her down gently. So terrible, in fact, that now she looked furious and hurt. How had he managed that? It was exactly what he had been hoping to avoid, and now he had walked right into it.
He was hopeless with women. All of them.
"Harmony, I don't mean to tell you how you feel. I... I mean that I understand what you're feeling better than you do. I mean, not that I'm talking down to you or... just... listen." he took a breath, composing himself. He was losing his edge and starting to babble awkwardly, which he always did when he felt embarrassed and in over his head. Which was more often then he cared to admit.
Particularly with the Rosen's, it seemed. What was up with that?
"N-no, don't cry. Oh, please, don't cry," he shook his head frantically. He had no cloth to offer her, to dry any tears that did spill. He had certainly not intended to make her cry, and if she ever told her mother... some knight he was, making ladies cry! That was distinctly unchivalrous.
"Okay, how about this. You and I both know that this crush is just because of this place, and the things you've suffered. I was there for you, and I will be there for you. You know I can't love you, and I know I don't. These are things were know. I don't know if you do really love me, I was wrong about that. I can't tell you that, you're right. I just mean that... that there are far more important things for you to put so much attention in to. And plenty of people near your own age to make friend with. I just... I don't want you wasting your feelings on me. Does that make sense?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 3:06 pm
He was right about one thing – there were plenty of young men her own age that would have leapt at the chance to be with her. She’d made plenty of boys crazy dangling her affection in front of them and never committing herself one way or another. She’d heard herself called a vixen in certain circles and rather than being offended by it she was actually rather pleased. Burlesque was about teasing, taunting, giving the illusion of giving up everything when really, it’s all just a show. She knew plenty about that, experimenting with it and her budding feminine wiles.
This was decidedly different. She didn’t want those things from him. She didn’t want him falling at her feet or professing his devotion. Those sorts of things seemed unbecoming of a knight and out of place in her vision. Then it occurred to her she didn’t know what she wanted from him. That made her pause, and frown again.
It also didn’t occur to her that they wouldn’t call it a crush if it weren’t both tragic and painful so likely he was probably right. Fortunately, hormonal teenagers don’t work with or on logic. She was no exception. She was not her mother who tended to rarely allow herself the weakness of being lead by passion or emotions. (not that that habit was helping or even prevalent with her daughter missing. Some things transcend logic. Like a mother’s love.)
She wished she knew he cared about her mother’s opinion so much.
“How can love ever be wasted?” she question, for once not sounding bratty as she could be. She understood that he didn’t love her. He should have lead his reply with a speech like that. Would have saved time and tears. She sniffed. “Maybe it’ll fade away soon and you won’t have to worry about me anymore.”
Wouldn’t that be a mercy?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 3:36 pm
Camelot looked like a mouse stuck in a trap. It had his metaphorical tail, and he was not smart enough to open it and release himself. He was at the mercy of a trap he didn't understand, then, and he had to figure out a way to get out unconventionally. What he didn't know was how cutting off his own tail would transfer from metaphor to this reality.
He watched her thoughtfully for a long moment. Maybe a moment too long, but only because he had no idea what to say. It felt dangerous, being in command of something so delicate as a teenagers feelings. It had happened before, he remembered the few girls who had discovered him at the library and developed their own feelings for him.
None had lasted, though one had been more difficult to deal with then the others. It was common, he knew, for people like teachers and he supposed librarians to have students admiring them for various reasons. Doctors, firemen and other heroes had the same problem. It wasn't too surprising, then, that a knight would have to deal with things like this as well.
He was trying to be as delicate as he could. He didn't want to get himself kidnapped again, first off, or stalked. Something told him, though, that Harmony was not that kind of a girl.
"You'll figure it out when you're older, I promise. You're a strong, smart young woman. You're beautiful and you're very well loved by your mother. You have so much going on for you. And your future," dangerous ground, as he did not know what future she had, "will be just as bright. Trust me, you don't need to love someone who can't love you back. You deserve to feel it returned, as well."
He smiled at her warmly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 7:42 pm
If Harmony saw him as a librarian she probably wouldn't look back twice. She liked a darker, more dangerous kind of guy. Not real danger, especially not after this, but the illusion of danger. Motorcycles. Leather jackets. Earrings. You know, the kind of guy her mom would pitch a fit about. Tony didn't fit the bill, obviously, at least not as he was. Maybe if she knew about his past...but she didn't. All she saw was Camelot.
Eventually calm won through and Harm calmed down. She usually did when up against his soothing tone and calm demeanor. A hint of a smile drew the corners of her lips up ever so slightly. It was still all very Leave it to Beaver. Him, the stern but loveable father type and she the impressionable young girl.
Ok, when she thought about it in those terms...ew.
"Ok." she finally conceded, moving to hug him. "I'm pretty sure it won't last. I won't get to see you much when I'm out of Wonderland, will I?"
There wasn't any weirdness on her side when she hugged him. Just a simply hug, kinda like family. Maybe she wasn't in love with him. Maybe it was just that familiar close kind of love. He had a kid, after all. She sighed, letting him go. As an afterthought, not meaning to add insult to injury she added while running a hand through her hair.
"I guess you're too old for me after all."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:06 pm
Camelot smiled and nodded his head slowly.
He was glad to have found some form of common ground, coming from a place of dangerous feeling tearing as he had. He hadn't wanted to hurt her, and to think he had been so close to her walking off in tears had worried him. It was never his intention to leave people upset: part of saving and protecting them was keeping them happy, wasn't it?
As far as he was concerned it was.
"I hope we don't run into each other. You'll see me if you need help, I mean, but I'm hoping trouble won't follow you, at least for a little while." He chuckled, knowing that life in Destiny City was not quite so simple. There would always be danger, youma and people trying to drain energy. But he would do his best to keep her safe.
He bowed slightly, laughing at her comment about his age. Always his age.
"Take care of yourself, Harmony." He said, excusing himself because he felt it was as good a time as any to escape from the conversation now that he had a chance, before she burst into another fit of rage or love. This would have made an interesting story for Kyndall, but he could never tell her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
