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BlackFireKitsune Vice Captain
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 Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 1:24 pm
Everyday was busy on base - especially if she was working - but lately Claire had been especially busy due to the holidays. New Year's would be in roughly a week, which was fine; the agent had spent the majority of her free time thinking of potential presents, but opted (to save her limited budget) for baked goods instead. This had resulted in many cookies and colorful cupcakes being delivered to just a few people, her close friends, by her as well as Azdeif Claus. The little Jirachi had seen pictures of fuzzy Santa hats on Claire's computer and had gotten so excited that her owner relented and purchased one on her next trip to Camphoreon. The Jirachi hadn't stopped wearing it since.
A wrapped gift rested in one of her bottom drawers at the moment - for Aulus - while the agent brushed her hair after her shower. She had been too busy to really see him for a substantial amount of time until now - or in a few minutes - so she hastened to get ready, while Azdeif sat on her bed, kicking her tiny feet and eating a cupcake. Claire tried to ignore the fact the little legend had frosting smeared all over her face the same as the hat she still wore.
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Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 4:53 am
Every bloody day it was something more. Do this with a group of trainees, help out with that, write this report, go out there and do the other. Ugh. Some of it was fun but damnit he wanted some free time when he felt capable of doing more than going and collapsing into bed. If it wasn't for living across from Hayes he doubted he would have had much social interaction at all over the last several weeks. Much though he enjoyed hanging out with his partner however he missed spending time with Claire; their mutually busy schedules had been cheerfully clashing more or less since the night of their date. Still, right now he was free and from the passing conversation they'd had some days ago he thought she was too.
Outside Claire's room Aulus came to a halt and wondered if he looked okay; he was out of uniform, wearing his familiar old combats and a plain dark blue t-shirt. He probably looked fine. He pushed his fingers through his hair and shifted the thin oblong package he held under one arm. No problem! Look fine, have present, all well. Right.
Stomach vaguely bubbling with jittery excitement Aulus raised his fist and knocked on the door.
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BlackFireKitsune Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:25 am
Claire cursed inwardly as she hurriedly finished brushing her hair, then tossed the brush into the bathroom. Before she could go to the door though, she doubled back and made sure she looked alright - hair not a total mess, comfortable pants (she'd change if they went anywhere) and a t-shirt - then moved to the door. After one last check to smooth down her shirt (and her nerves), the agent opened the door with a nervous smile and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Aulus, come in," she said as she pulled the door open further to admit her guest, then closed it behind him after he'd come in. She was too busy being nervous and worrying over multiple things to notice what he'd had in his hands. "How are you? Besides busy, that is. All healed?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 5:03 pm
Hehe. She looked a mess. Not unpleasant or ugly - Arceus no! - just... scruffy. Comfortable. It was nice. "Yea I'm good," Aulus nodded, smiling as he stepped inside. "Most days contain dealing with way too many bloody idiots but..." I'm here with you now, so I'm happy. "But I don't have to deal with any more of them until tomorrow, so I'm happy." Humm, where could he put his parcel down? Frowning (this being one of his thoughtful frowns rather than a grumpy one, you you had to know him that he hadn't abruptly become pissed off) Aulus cast around the room before shrugging and just leaning it against a wall.
"So, uh, how're you doing?" he asked, pushing his fingers through his hair, a slight air of nervousness about him. He'd been in her room before... but not really since asking her out. It felt different somehow, probably was different. "Oh, and I'm not interrupting anything am I?" She hardly looked like she was going out anywhere but she might have been going to do... he didn't know; girl things. Dying hair or filing nails or... or something. He didn't know.
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BlackFireKitsune Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 9:31 am
Claire smiled back when he offered her one. It was nice when he smiled. "That's good," she said, but then hurriedly added, "not dealing with idiots all the time, I mean, but it's good you don't have to deal with anymore until tomorrow..." What was that he brought? It looked suspiciously like a present - mostly because whenever Aulus came into her room, he never brought anything but himself or his pokemon. Sometimes food, too, but never extra.. stuff. She wouldn't immediately assume it was a present except for the time of year, and also the fact she was hiding a similar thing in one of her dresser drawers.
"Oh, I'm good, thank you," she said as she walked over to her bed, shooing Zeus to one end of it so she could sit down. The Pikachu grumbled about it, but grudgingly obliged... and went and laid down on her pillow. "..been busy lately too," she said after she aimed a displeased look at the electric-type, but then smiled at Aulus again. "No no, I'm done working until tomorrow morning, so you're not interrupting anything." Besides maybe a training session or something, but that could wait.
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Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2012 11:06 am
Good. She was good, he was good, everything was good. He shifted awkwardly and looked away. "So uh.... So I brought you a present? And I've got Char making lemonade and nachos... I don't know if you're hungry but I am, but you can share them and if we're still hungry he'll do something else too...." When had he turned into such a babbling idiot? How was he going to ask when she wanted to go on another date, if she still did? Should he have worn something different? What if she didn't like her present?
The main question, however, was 'why am I such a paranoid idiot?'
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BlackFireKitsune Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 10:35 am
"You did?" It was obvious now that he had, but having him verbally affirm the fact made it more... Real. Sweet. Nerve wracking. It made a dark blush creep into her cheeks, too. Aulus had brought her a present! "I got one for you too," she said after a moment, nervously twisting her fingers. She hoped he liked it, she really did. The agent was so nervous she nearly missed everything else he said. "Oh, he is? I'm not that hungry.. But I like lemonade," she finished quickly. Why was she so nervous? Why was she acting like a ridiculous, twitterpated little idiot? Claire made an effort to rein in her nervous emotions, then scooted over on the bed. "You can sit down if you'd like." She'd almost forgot to invite him to sit -- plus having him stand there awkwardly made her more nervous.
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Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 10:40 am
Well he couldn't eat nachos and do presents at the same time. Bugger. He hoped Char took his time. "Oh, thanks," he flashed a smile at Claire's offer and picked up the parcel again before moving over to sit down on the edge of her bed. "Well, here then," he passed over the large thin package, still feeling unaccountably nervous. She would like it, he was sure... fairly sure. Maybe he should have chosen a different one, though this one was lovely and the light was just right and everything but... well there was no help for it now anyway, he'd picked this one and so this one it was. Obviously. Anyway, he could always offer her a different print if she didn't look keen.
"Sorry there isn't a card," he added, "I sort of forgot all about cards until this morning so... yeah, happy holidays and stuff. I hope you like it." He was an idiot. Total. Utter. Idiot.
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BlackFireKitsune Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 10:47 am
"Oh, I um, forgot about cards too, actually." Well now she didn't feel quite as silly since he didn't have a card either. She accepted the gift with a nervous, fleeting smile, her blush darkening a shade or two when her fingers accidentally brushed his and she immediately focused entirely on the present just so she wouldn't have to look anywhere else. After a short pause to inspect the paper it was wrapped in, she drew in a silent breath and held it as she carefully opened the gift.
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Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 10:53 am
Aulus gnawed on his lower lip, succeeding in catching a bit of dry skin and pulling it off. As this was slightly gross he hoped Claire hadn't noticed. He hoped she liked the present.
Perhaps unsurprisingly it turned out to be a large framed photograph. The subject was Claire herself riding on Odette's back, lit by an orange red sunset. Her hair and the bird's crest streamed out behind them, and in the background stretched miles of desert with the ocean gleaming on the horizon, the sun just sinking into it.
Aulus shifted awkwardly on the edge of the bed and waited for Claire to look at him again.
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BlackFireKitsune Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 11:17 am
Claire was initially surprised by the gift - as evidenced by her raised eyebrows and slightly parted lips - but then she remembered who the man was that sat next to her, and the present didn't surprise her at all anymore. The lighting was just right, the setting sun gave everything a subtle, warm orange glow, and it all just looked so... So... Perfect. It was perfect. A bright smile lit up her face as she finally turned hazel eyes on him. "Thank you," she said, turning to look down at it again. Even the frame was pretty. While she didn't normally like having pictures of herself, flying was her all time favorite hobby. It was beautiful. "Odette looks pretty too," the agent said with a sidelong glance at the bird.
Said bird immediately whipped her head around to look at the pair. What? What were they talking about? With a bewildered coo she moved closer and craned her neck around for a better look at the picture, which Claire turned around for her to see it easier. Odette immediately cooed with delight, then twisted around and stretched out her wings a bit. She did look gorgeous, didn't she? No surprise there, of course.
Claire giggled a tiny bit at her Pidgeot's behavior, then set the frame down to the side and hugged Aulus as she planted a kiss on his cheek. "It's perfect. Thank you," she repeated. She stayed like that for a moment until she was suddenly acutely aware of just what she was doing, so she pulled away with another blush darkening her cheeks. It was another moment until she remembered her gift for him, and she got up with an "oh!" before she knelt in front of her dresser. She opened the drawer, pushed unimportant things aside and pulled it out, and when she returned to the bed she nervously offered her own present to him.
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Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 12:04 pm
...Eeeeeeeeee!
Ahem. Aulus flushed and tried to remember that he was twenty three and actually very experienced with girls rather than a dazed thirteen year old who'd only ever held hands until the pretty girl kissed him on the cheek. It was a lot more difficult than it sounded. "I uh, I'm glad you like it. Both of you, come to that." Oh! And her present to him. "Thank you! It looks very mysterious." Aulus accepted it carefully, not sure whether or not it might be delicate, and started to undo the wrapping paper.
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BlackFireKitsune Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 12:14 pm
"A mysterious present of mystery?" She quipped, sitting more on the edge of her bed now that it was her turn to hope that he liked her gift. ...wait why had she said that? It was a ridiculous thing to say, she was acting ridiculous, and all of that needed to stop. Now.
...as many times as she thought that, it was much easier said than done.
Inside, Aulus would find something not quite as beautiful as the gift he'd given to Claire, but something much more functional than a picture to hang on the wall. It was a tripod - not a cheaply made one, but one that looked and felt like it was of a higher quality. It also looked like it was made to survive rough handling, perhaps a brand that would do perfectly well being strapped or shoved into a bag to bring on hikes or camping trips.
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Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 12:41 pm
Aulus perked up visibly as the tripod came out of the wrapping paper, and it was a sign of his enthusiasm that he started peering at the instructions and fiddling with it rather than looking back at Claire. "I used to have one made by this company, but it had a bit of an accident with my brother's car," he murmured, "kept meaning to get myself a new one but I never did! This is a newer model, it's more compact and seems a lot lighter but all the joints and foldy-bits look more robust.... Oh!" At that point he did look back up and shot Claire a broad grin, a if slightly embarrassed one. "Thank you! It's brilliant, really, just what I needed." Well not really needed as the tough life of Team Rocket was beginning to make distinctly middle class Aulus begin to understand the word but needed in the sense of really wanted and would make excellent use of.
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BlackFireKitsune Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:29 pm
She was still nervous at first, but when he immediately began to play with it and even said he'd once had a similar one - until it presumably broke when run over by a car. That was good. Well, not for the old tripod, but good for her. "I'm glad," she said, relaxing enough to lean back, propping herself up with her hands a bit behind her. "Well, uh, not glad your last one got mangled by a car, but I'm glad you like this one. I wasn't sure if you had one or not, so I'm glad you didn't. I don't think you really need more than one, right?" Or maybe he did? Though why would he need more than one..?
"Anyway," she politely cleared her throat, "do you have to work today? If you don't then maybe we could.. I don't know, watch a movie or something...?" She suggested hesitantly. Was he busy today though? She really hoped not, she enjoyed watching movies with Aulus and just spending time with him in general. Crap, what was she getting herself into?
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