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 Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 2:16 pm
Paris didn't really get the point of stores setting up their Christmas stuff before Halloween, considering Christmas was still two months away and there was plenty of time to shove the holiday down everyone's throats. It almost seemed like no one even cared about Halloween or Thanksgiving anymore, what with how little attention the two got in comparison. Which was rather sad to Paris, who enjoyed both, but there had to be a reason they were so casually overlooked these days.
It probably had something to do with sales and money. It was always about money, wasn't it? Money made the world go 'round, and all that jazz.
“At least I can go ahead and get my Christmas shopping done,” she said as she and her companion ambled around the shopping center.
What started as another French lesson had progressed into less of a lesson and more of hanging out—which tended to lend itself to shopping, even if “shopping” just meant looking around and making comments back and forth about the merchandise. Paris didn't mind terribly much. She didn't often like shopping alone, and she didn't always have a lot of time to hang out with any of her friends these days, what with school and dance and Chris taking up most of her time (and Senshi things, but she never spoke about that to her friends if she could help it), and Alex, being stylish himself, was wonderful company.
“Quick, vocabulary practice!” she said at random, skipping over to one of the store's tables to hold up a pair of pants. “What are these?”
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Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 4:12 pm
A reason which Alexandre only half understood and saw. Thanksgiving wasn't as marketable as Christmas was but Halloween was highly marketable in his opinion. Actually he'd already gone and bought more candles, in autumn scents, and Halloween themed candle holders than he knew what to do with. He had set them up in his room and about the small home he lived in, he'd been burning enough candles the house smelled of pumpkin, pumpkin spice, apples, and other things one associated with autumn. But really, with costumes, candy, and all the themes and fun to be had with the holiday it shouldn't be forgotten about like it was. It was a shame. But Alexandre did not over look nor forget it, especially with his new job.
So when the French lesson had turned into a shopping trip Alexandre was more then happy to go with the flow. He could use some new sweaters anyway and Yankee candle had another sale going on, another excuse to stock up on even more candles (they only made the autumn scented ones this time of year so he needed to stock up).
With a wallet full of money and a shopping bag, filled with sweaters and scarfs, Alexandre was well on his way to having what he considered a good shopping trip.
Laughing as Paris went to get the pants he shook his head at the other. "Pantalon." That one he'd needed to know when he'd gone to France last winter; he really should look into some sort of vacation this winter...but where?
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 4:05 pm
For a minute Paris considered taking the mini vocabulary lesson a step further and continuing on with a little role-play by making Alex pretend to purchase the garment entirely in French, but she got a bit distracted when she actually looked at the pants and held them out in front of her to examine them better.
“These are actually pretty nice. I wonder how Chris would feel about these,” she observed.
Digging around inside until she found the tag to check the size, Paris considered getting a pair for her significant other, whether or not he was as huge fan of jeans. He tended to wear whatever she encouraged him to wear, in any case, particularly if she went out of her way to buy things for him. Even the sizable price tag didn't put her off too much—which was new. She used to be so frugal.
Well, she still liked to think of herself as pretty frugal. She certainly didn't toss money around left and right, even if she had quite a bit at her disposal now, but she'd gotten better at learning to indulge every once in a while.
It was always easier when she was buying things for other people.
“Kinda pricey, though,” Paris said, though she fished around for a pair in Chris's size and held onto them anyway.
“Do you need anything else?” she asked. “We're out and about, so we might as well make the most of it, right? I probably shouldn't spend too much, though. There isn't really a lot of things I need at the moment. Maybe a new coat? You'd think I'd have enough of those, though. But Chris needs more t-shirts, and I should probably start figuring out what I want to get him for Christmas. He's so hard to shop for. What do you buy guys? Especially when they already have everything...”
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 6:00 pm
"I'm sure he'd like them - especially if you like them. They are rather nice actually." He stated with a light shrug of his shoulders. Alexandre was comfortable with wearing jeans, khaki's and more formal to semi casual dress pants. He wasn't too picky with his pants, at least he didn't think himself to be so, and he had to admit the pants Paris was holding up were nice. He didn't think of them for himself however, they were nice but not his look.
While Paris was frugal, and he did considering her to be such, Alexandre had no issues in spending money - especially since most of it wasn't even his own. He might have a job but with his hours sorely lacking he still spent a lot of his parents money. Once he could focus more on school and work, pick up more work hours, he would spend more of his own money. For now though his parents didn't mind supporting him; as they always had. "Yes, but they do look good and they aren't for you. I say you splurge a bit and surprise him with a nice pair of pants which you like." He stated with a smile. He didn't talk much, or at all really, about his own dating life. He listened to Paris though talk about Chris. He was happy for them, no reason not to be, but he was sure what they had he could also never come close to. Too busy with work, school, the Negaverse. Dating wasn't...it was far from easy or simple. Keeping secrets didn't do well for a relationship and having his time split all over the place and balance in dating - it wasn't easy at all.He hadn't been able to do much with Quenton at all.It felt like it was time to perhaps talk to him about it; it wasn't some sudden feeling either.
"Candles. Yankee candle has a sale for today and tomorrow. I'd like to stock up on the autumn ones they have." He stated as he was pulled away from his less then pleasing thoughts, the very idea of talking to Quenton about such a thing had his stomach clenching in a most unpleasant manner.
"We should also get you a new coat, or two, and shirts for Chris. As for a gift I don't know him well enough to begin to properly help with that. I don't know him and I don't know much about him. If you told me more about him I might be able to help? And really...it's not always about the big things but rather the little emotional gifts. So there will be something out there you can get him - something which will mean a lot to him." Especially since it wa from Paris.
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Posted: Tue Nov 05, 2013 7:45 am
Alex's support cinched the deal. Paris nodded and kept the pair of jeans at hand. Then she looked around to figure out where they kept their t-shirts and picked up a couple of packages for Chris on her way to the register to check out.
“I think I can wait on the coat for a little longer,” she said. “It's not too cold yet, and I still have a couple from last year, but I could use some candles, too, maybe. I love the pumpkin smells. And apple. Apple's my favorite.”
As for what to get Chris for Christmas, Paris was still not that confident in her abilities to find something good enough. That may very well have been because she tended to look at gifts and judge their merits by their usefulness. She liked to buy things for people that she knew would actually be used (preferably more than once) rather than more sentimental items that might sit on a shelf somewhere and, yes, invoke some pleasant memories, but had no other use besides that.
It made holiday shopping very difficult. Some people, of course, were easier to shop for than others, especially if she knew there was something they were lacking in their lives, but Chris, as far as Paris knew (and she was in a position to know these things, of course), wasn't lacking anything.
“Hmm, I don't know,” she said. She paid for the t-shirts and jeans and took the bag as it was handed to her, and continued to weigh this vexing problem as she began to lead the way to the candle store. “He plays baseball. Pitcher. I think I've told you that before. I know he's planning on being drafted, and he's definitely good enough to, although what round he ends up getting picked in or what team he ends up playing for... I can't really guess that yet. But he likes music, too. That was sort of how he and I first met. We were at a party and he was playing his guitar for a couple of girls and I just kind of forced my way into the circle. 'Cause he was cute, you know? And he was good. Silver Springs. That was our first song.”
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Posted: Tue Nov 05, 2013 9:01 pm
Following Paris, watching her grab the packages of shirts, he followed her to the register and eyed everything along the way; as if he might find something else to purchase. "Your sure you can wait on a coat? Perhaps just one and get another later on? You do have the ones from last year, I'm sure, but it's always nice to have another one which is new." Ok so Alexandre was like that, always going for the latest thing to come off a runway, but it really wasn't a bad idea. You never knew what you'd be matching to or what would happen to a coat or two. You never knew when you'd get rained on and a coat soaked through, another drooled on by a dog or attacked and mauled by a dog, and whatever else could possibly happen. Really though those were just excuses he could come up with on the fly.
"Mmm, I think I prefer the pumpkin and spice ones as well as autumn leaves. Apple is nice but I like it more when it's combined with cinnamon or spices." Or both, apples with cinnamon and spice was nice also. Oh, he definitely needed to get to the candle store, he had little candles dancing through his head right now. It was nice to find someone to shop with and enjoy a day out with, away from everything.
"Yeah, you told me about him and baseball, your rather proud f that." He said as he followed at Paris' side. Running fingers through his shortened hair, reminding himself to get a trim from Caleb when he could, he turned his head toward the other. Slate eyes focused on the other and he shook his head after a moment. "I hope he does well with being drafted - but won't he have to move?" If so then Paris would surely follow, perhaps that was a good thing as it would take two people away from the war raging in the city. He didn't for a single moment think either of them involved in it, why would he? It was, he supposed, rather had to tell who was or wasn't involved in it. There was no physical way of knowing and unless they told you then anyone could be involved, aside from the little old lady eyeing the two of them with some supposed knowing look. Rolling his eyes at the lady as they passed he fought the urge to comment, to inform her that he was not dating Paris, and managed to win the battle of the tongue.
"The one who's living with me, Alois, likes to play the piano and write out the music for the pieces. I'm thinking of a binder filled with blank sheet music for him. If that helps any with your decision. It's something small but it plays to a small little thing he enjoys very much." It was something Alois could get, and could even do without, but Alexandre was being thoughtful of the other and wanting to get him something small and simple.
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Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 9:18 am
“I am really proud of him,” Paris said.
She smiled wistfully and felt really warm—without the benefit of a new coat; gross as it was to say so, love had a way of warming someone that a new coat could never hope to accomplish. Paris sighed lightly as her mind carried her away on thoughts of Chris.
She was proud of him for many reasons, proud to be his partner, proud to be a part of his life, proud to share a life with him. She was proud of Chris's achievements, of his good grades as well as his many wins from the pitcher's mound, the no-hitter he'd pitched (even in college it should be a notable achievement, shouldn't it?), the loyalty he felt for his teammates. She was proud of Chris's dedication, his determination to follow a dream he'd had for many years, while still cultivating other interests and passions on the chance that those dreams fell through. She was proud of Chris's kindness, his generosity, and the peaceful, hopeful manner in which he faced the war (even if it might place him in danger from time to time).
Paris had never been prouder of anyone else in her life—not even of herself.
“He... yeah, he probably would have to move,” she said, and sounded sad. “At least for a while. And... I mean... depending on what team, he could end up staying in town. Maybe he'll get to play for Destiny City.”
That was the best care scenario, and one Paris hoped for desperately. Worst case, he'd end up somewhere on the West Coast and they'd have to sort things out then.
“I don't think I've ever seen Chris look at sheet music,” Paris said, grasping on to the topic of gifts again as they kept walking toward the candle store, as it felt safer and less distressing than the thought of determining a future in or out of Destiny City. “That's a good idea, though. I've always wanted to learn how to play the piano. Chris grew up with one at his house, and we have two at our house now, but he doesn't know how to play them well. He's got his guitar, though, and for his birthday last year I got him a ukulele. I wonder how he'd feel about a banjo.”
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Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 9:32 am
"I would hope he'd play for a team which would keep him from moving." As he didn't think Paris would like the idea of moving, though he also felt fairly sure that Paris would move to be with him. He'd watched Paris sort of drift off, likely into thought of Chris, and felt a smile tugging at his lips over that. Paris was in love and it was easy to tell - the two must make a good couple.
"I think my housemate would prefer most to not know he plays, I don't even think he wanted me to know, but he's allowed me to sit and listen after I first caught him playing. So I know he writes down the notes to whatever he listens to so he can play it." So sheet music, in this case, was a good idea. He just hoped Alois would appreciate the small, thought thought out, gift and approve of it. Why did he worry so much? It really was simple, at least in his min, he didn't like the idea of not pleasing the other in some manner, and he didn't like the idea of being on egg shells about the dark haired German.
"That would work and perhaps some music to go with something he plays? A gift set of sorts?" He offered while looking to Paris. Moving to avoid being hit by some female, arms over loaded with shopping bags, and her child who clung to the hem of her coat. The blond nearly pressed himself to Paris's side in order to avoid collision; as he also didn't have the time to move to the women's other side and avoid her. Once they'd passed her he stepped back to where he had been at the others side; but not pressed to her side. "As for learning to play the piano you could always take up lessons. I'm sure you could find someone who gives lessons - perhaps at a music store. If not there then find someone online? Maybe their is a site where you can find people for that." He would say craigslist but he really didn't know if people teaching that offered their services there, he had never actually gone to that site.
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Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2013 10:31 am
“I could probably get Chris's mom to teach me,” Paris said. “I think it's just a matter of finding the time to do it. And the patience. I'm not usually a very patient person.”
She halted a bit as the crowd impeded Alex's steps and waited until they could both walk unobstructed again before continuing on her way to the candle store. This time she made sure to try and weave a better path around as many people as she could. It seemed the mall was crowded today; it would likely continue to be until well after Christmas.
Regardless, Alex had some good ideas, and Paris found herself seriously considering a gift of a banjo and music. Chris had taken to the ukulele she'd bought him as soon as he'd had it in his hands, and though she was not entirely certain as to what his thoughts might be on a banjo, she was at least fairly confident that he'd give it a try (whether or not he'd ever thought to before). It didn't solve all her problems, as she felt she should present him with more than that on Christmas, but it was a good starting point. She started to feel better about the idea of shopping.
Finally they came to the candle store. Paris slipped inside around a few people lingering in the doorway and made sure Alex was still close as she began to look around.
“I didn't know you had a housemate,” she said conversationally. Then again, there was still a lot about Alex she didn't yet know. “So you don't live with your parents? That must be nice. Sometimes it's such a relief getting out on your own. What's he like? Your housemate, I mean. Did you know him before or were you just looking for a roommate? How come he doesn't want anyone to know he plays the piano? Seems like kind of a hard thing to keep secret. I mean, considering it's kind of noisy.”
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Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2013 10:42 pm
The patience needed to learn something like piano, or any sort of instrument, he knew he lacked. He would just become frustrated with it and give up; it was a wonder he kept at learning French. But he supposed it was because he liked the idea of knowing and speaking French, it sounded very pleasing to the ears.
"You could ask her, if you can find the time. I honestly don't think I could manage it. So if you can - kudos to you." He said with a smile as he followed at Paris' side, weaving around people. He almost, almost, feared for those who were here on Black Friday. No doubt the mall would be in utter chaos.
"No, I haven't lived with my parents in a while...over a year. Lily moved me in with her and then she went and moved out. So I moved one friend in..." Trailing off he kept his gaze from the other and rather on everything else. Moving to inspect some of the winter scented candles he spoke a little quieter, though he was close enough for the other to hear. "He died...Johnathan was a good friend. His mother sent him to move in with me; asked me to take care of him." Eyes downcast, head tilted down, a candle cradled between his hands and nose posed over it. "It took a while but I brought someone else in to live with me...I didn't want to remain alone and didn't want to ask Lily to move back in." Even now, all these months later, it still hurt speaking of Johnathan and what had become of him. It was a pain he knew he'd never lose, how could he? But it had dulled with time and for that he was grateful.
"I suppose I was just looking for a room mate. I certainly wouldn't have picked him at first but I didn't know him so hadn't a clue as to his personality. Alois is..." Trailing off as he thought to collect his ideas, think on how to speak of the other before speaking, he felt a smile forming as he thought of the dark haired German. "He's brilliant. I mean he speaks well and he's deep when he speaks; he's not like the people I went to school with. I'm not sure how social he is but I know he liked to harass me with pranks involving spiders when he found out I have a case of arachnophobia. We didn't get along at first - far from it in fact. I think we got on each others nerves; I still slip up and say or do something to upset him. I think he likes to keep some things to himself, such as playing the piano, and I've learned to respect that. But we've gotten closer...and further apart and then closer." It was no simple relationship that they had, that was for sure, but it seemed Alexandre cared for him.
"Alois can also be a bit difficult to understand at times - he's not from here so he has a thick accent." He didn't mention the others sweet tooth, something he'd discovered. He didn't mention a lot of things he could have. But there was just so much to say and he didn't want to ramble about the other; doubting Paris wanted to hear everything about the other.
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Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 11:25 am
“Oh, I'm sorry. I.. I know it's not easy to lose someone,” Paris said, and looked toward Alex in sympathy.
Death was not a subject she was at all comfortable with. It was one she wished she'd never had to experience, and one she was often reluctant to discuss. Her father's death had changed her in a lot of ways—in some ways she'd learned from it, but mostly it sat heavy on her shoulders and in her heart. Even after all the months that had passed since that (had it really almost been two years?) the memories of it, and all the ones that passed before, often overwhelmed her.
So even though she was mildly curious as to what had happened to Alex's first roommate, she could not quite bring herself to ask. It might release some of the hurt if they were to talk about it, but in the middle of a candle store was certainly not the place for that.
Instead, Paris let that conversation pass and focused instead of what Alex said about the other people in his life. The name “Lily” in particular stood out to her, as it was a name Alex had mentioned before and one Paris could associate with someone in her own life. That they could possibly be talking about the same person seemed such like such a coincidence, but stranger things had certainly happened in Destiny City.
“I know a Lily,” she said, and pulled the top off of a red apple candle to smell it. “Hmmm, this Alois person seems like he's got you interested. Rambling about him like that, it's sweet.”
Paris didn't know that it was right to tease Alex about such things after she'd just learned that his first roommate had died, but the way he spoke about Alois certainly left a wide opening, in her opinion.
“Is he cute?” she wondered, smiling lightly.
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Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 2:05 pm
Waving a hand, in a sort of dismissive manner, the blond shook his head. "It's ok...it's been awhile." And while he wasn't over it, and doubted he ever fully would be, he would mention or refer to it but little more then that most of the time. He'd discussed it with other officers, Bischofite, but he tried to keep the talking about it to a minimum for his own emotional health. It wasn't something he wished to think on or relive any more then he had or would already.
It was, he found at least, easier to accept his own potential death then the death, or youma...splicing, of others. He formed bonds with other people and got emotionally involved and invested. It was because of this weakness, as it was something of a weakness, that he could handle his own death easier than that of others. He let his pain show and he let depression settle in before becoming a hallow person who wandered about looking half dead, he'd done it after the incident with Bazzite, and hoped he never went through it again. He wasn't sure if he could handle it again; there was only so much loss a person could take.
"I'm sure their are many Lily's in the city. Mine is a red haired Lily with the last name of Jacobs." he said with a smile at the other as he caught sight of the other sniffing an apple scented candle. In his own hand was a Balsam and ceder scented one. "Your Lily?" He asked with a raised brow before he ducked his head, shoving his nose into another jar candle.
"I don't normally ramble. But he is...different and not at all like people I've dated." He was nothing like Michael or Quenton though maybe he had something in common with Dustin, not that he had dated Dustin. But there was that screw the rules thing that both seemed to have.
"If you have a thing for heavy accents, a wardrobe of all black clothing, and an emoish haircut. If that's your hing then yeah. And that's the thing. It's not normally anything I would find attractive. I think it's him and then the looks." But it was lust between them. He could feel it when he was around the other, or maybe it was just his feelings of such around Alois. There was also the way he could talk with the other and the way in which Alois spoke of things and the way his mind worked. "There is no love there though." He said, deciding it needed to be said.
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Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 12:10 pm
“That sounds exactly like my Lily,” Paris said and grinned widely. “We met a while ago. A few years maybe? We were at an audition together.”
And though the audition had not ended well, at least for Paris (though not for lack of talent), at least she'd come out of it gaining a friend at a time in her life when she'd had so few of them. It seemed like such a huge coincidence to her that she and Alex had been talking about the same person after all, but now that she was sure she thought it only made sense. She could certainly imagine Lily and Alex being friends. She was friends with them both, after all.
Paris recapped the candle she'd only recently picked up and kept it in hand while she perused the displays for more. She was somewhat interested in Alex's comments about Alois, but thought it better not to tease too much more for the time being. There'd be other openings for that at some point, she was sure.
“There doesn't always have to be love there,” she said and picked up a candle that supposedly smelled of snowfall (though Paris had no idea how one was supposed to accomplish capturing a smell that didn't really exist). “Sometimes it's nice to just not worry about those things and do whatever you want with whoever. Kinda liberating. No strings, just... I don't know, sometimes it's easier.”
And lonelier, in her experience, but everyone was different. Everyone experienced things in different ways.
“Sometimes it's the people you don't think are your type who end up being exactly what you're looking for, too,” Paris continued. “It was like that for me and Chris. Before I was mostly with guys who... well, there were some emo-ish guys in there, choppy hair all in their face, eye-liner, that sort of thing, and then there were the lazy couch potatoes who spent most of their time in the basement playing video games and just wanted me around 'cause I guess they got some sort of sexual validation out of it. Some virgins who didn't want to drag their virginity around like baggage. A few jackasses looking for a good time. A couple of frat boys here and there, but I kept quiet around those sorts of guys about my... uh... situation,” she said, and made a vague gesture with her hand that was meant to denote her identity. “Or I did after one of them came at me and punched me in the face at a party. Good thing he was drunk off his a**, or that could have ended much worse.”
She spoke about it and laughed over the memory as if it amused her. It didn't, but she'd rather people think it did than get further into that conversation. “So, like, some sweet guy like Chris wasn't really what I was looking for, but as it turns out that was exactly what I needed,” she said. “That doesn't mean there ever has to be love between you and this guy, but sometimes trying something a little different can be... exciting.”
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Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 10:48 am
"It seems we know the same Lily, perhaps if you haven't done it yet we should shop together for the holidays for her." Since they knew the same person he didn't see the harm in the idea, it could be a lot of fun actually. "I'm not surprised you met at an audition - knowing you both. I met her when I was still a baby, an infant. My mother is her fathers business lawyer and has been for so long it's like our two families are one large one." Her parents like his and his parents like hers. The trouble they'd gotten into and the messes they'd made together, it was a wonder their parents didn't have heads full of gray hair from it all. "We met because my mother used to take me everywhere with her, I never had a babysitter or nanny." If he was watched by someone else it was another family member, an aunt or uncle or grandparents. Never some hired person.
As the subject changed, and so did the candle his nose was buried into, he listened to Paris with a light smile in place. No, he was sure there was no love between himself and Alois. There was something, without a doubt, but love wasn't it - he was sure of that. What Paris spoke of was easier but it certainly wasn't what he'd ever pictured for himself or wanted, he'd wanted something more stable. Never marriage, it wasn't that he didn't believe in gays getting married, it simply wasn't his cup of tea. He'd never seen the point in paying money to announce to people, people who you already know, that you're in love with someone as if they didn't already know this. And then to pledge yourself to that person? Something which could be done in private, and recite words said already how many times? It had never made sense to him..it all seemed pointless. And then to pay for it all and a piece of paper with some writing on it? No, not his cup of tea certainly.
But the stable relationship was what he'd wanted and didn't have, he'd thought he might have at one point and with someone else. But that wasn't to last and he was over it; so it really hadn't been important to him had it?
Focusing back on Paris he smiled, laughing. "I don't think I've seen him with eye liner." Although there was that metal claw like ring he wore. Alois was an interesting person, to speak to and to try and figure out. Not to mention that Alois was Bischofite - his General. He was proud of the other and felt it each time the other accomplished something; which was fairly often.
"I don't see why people would feel like their virginity is anything other then a simple word." Although some could say he'd given it some worth but that was a while ago; what felt like a life time ago. "It's only what we make of it." Shaking his head he opened another candle, this one smelling of holiday wreath, and offered it to Paris to smell.
"It is exciting with Alois though I prefer the conversations." And the night time work they did as officers of the Negaverse.
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Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2014 1:37 pm
“Yeah, we should look for something for her while we're here,” Paris said. If she had trouble thinking of presents to buy Chris, naturally she had trouble thinking of presents to buy the other people in her life—though some of her friends were, admittedly, easier than others. Particularly when it came to someone like Lily, whom she had hobbies and activities in common with, there seemed to be more possibilities open to her. If she happened to like something, she was a little more confident that Lily would, too.
“That's nice that you guys've been friends for so long,” she continued. “I've never had the same friend for that long.”
She had her cousin, who'd been her best friend in childhood and a frequent companion for the first ten years of her life, but that companionship had ended around the time Paris's mother had left, and though Paris had apologized for the distance she'd placed between the two of them, she doubted they'd ever be that close again. Other than that, she had few long-term friends. Most had come and gone long ago for one reason or another. Now, after so many lonely years with so few people who truly cared, Paris was doing her best to hang onto the friends she'd managed to make in the last three or so years.
“A lot of people still look at their virginity as something that defines them,” Paris said, testing a few more candles before finding another one she liked enough to hold onto. “To be honest, I don't even remember much about the first guy I was with, and it wasn't even that long ago. Well... five or six years ago maybe, but that's not that long, is it? I was disturbingly young. I didn't think so at the time, and for a while after I thought I had everything all figured out and knew exactly what I was doing, but... now that I'm a little more grown up and with Chris and doing the whole married-couple thing I look back and I realize I had no idea what the hell I was doing. I was trying to grow up too fast, with the result that I didn't do much of any growing up at all.”
She frowned lightly over the memories, but managed another friendly smile as she and Alex continued. “Anyway, Alois seems like a cool guy. I figure he has to be if you like him even just a little. A while ago I'd've probably laughed that you prefer talking to him over anything else, but that's probably the most important part of a relationship, whether you're just friends or whatever. If you can't even manage a good conversation with someone, what's the point in trying much else, right?”
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