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 Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 3:20 pm
Harland combed a hand through his wavy hair, a towel around his waist. His skin was scrubbed clean, even exfoliated because he didn't actually use the beach soap any more, not since Lilac had explained there were different kinds of soap and he should really stop using the gross kind they found on the beach. Harland's only argument had been but it's cheap. Needless to say, he had lost.
He couldn't control his heart rate, couldn't seem to calm down, and had a hell of a time trying to get to sleep the night before. On the 16th, all the details in place and all the reservations long since made, Harland had only one thing left to do.
Actually go on the date.
He was, naturally, pretty worried Alistaire would be overwhelmed or unhappy to be seen in public with him or something, but it wasn't on Deus. For this one day, maybe they could act like they were normal people doing good things with their lives. As if something had't ruined them in a way that might never be repaired, as if they weren't likely going to die on every mission they went on. Harland had created one afternoon and evening safe from their hectic lives.
One evening. An entire evening with Alistaire.
It was 3PM, and Harland had only just showered, so that he could be completely and totally clean for the date. He took the towel off his waist and used it to dry his hair off a little extra. He then hung it up beside his door, and found some clean boxer-briefs from the hanging shelving he'd put up in his closet. The rest of getting ready was incredibly normal: white dress shirt, bright blue vest and tie, a rust coloured fringed bandana, black jeans, his red cowboy boots (which never matched anything, okay) and a leather jacket just in case. Not in case he got cold, but because it rained a lot where he was hoping to take Alistaire, and he didn't want his date to get all damp and cold. The chill could be easy to underestimate.
Harland folded his leather jacket and draped it over one forearm, grabbing his cowboy hat from the hook and slipping it on over his damp hair.
He went to try to eat something small in the cafeteria, and then waited by the portals for like a half hour, so anxious and elated that he could hardly sit still.
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 3:35 pm
"A date."
"Get out of my room, Ian."
"You're going on a date?"
"Ian."
"Are you kidding me?"
"Ian."
Alistaire was starting to sincerely regret opening the door. It was almost time to leave, he still hadn't figured out what he was going to wear, his hair wasn't brushed, he needed to was his face, and Ian was acting like it was the apocalypse happening all over again.
His brother was sitting on the foot of Alistaire's bed, looking very worse for the wear. Bandages cris-crossed his chest and wound up his neck, and his hands and fingers were bruised to the point of being a dark purplish black. Dark circles under his eyes clearly indicated a lack of sleep, which was the only reason Alistaire had let him in in the first place.
And then of course he'd had to go and accidentally let slip the d-word (actually what he'd said was that he had a d - and then stopped and Ian had intelligently filled in the blanks).
"What'd girl even want to go on a date with you?" Ian asked now, sounding incredulous. Alistaire was still standing in front of his closet, a towel around his waist, and his wet hair was sticking to the back of his neck. "I mean, I can understand me, but..."
"Get out, Ian," said Alistaire plainly, and fumbled through his shirts with shaking fingers, trying not to let it show just how wracked with nerves he was. "You're not welcome here."
"Brotherly love at it's finest," said Ian, not sounding sorry or upset in the slightest. He smoothed a hand over his newly short hair and said curiously, "So you're really not going to tell me who you're going on a date with?"
"No. Get out."
"Fine, fine." Ian pushed himself to his feet, waving his hands. "I just thought I'd stop by, see how you were doing, but I see now that you're doing just peachy."
"Whatever that means," Alistaire muttered, striding to the door and throwing it open; a clear sign for Ian to move his a**. Ian just lifted his hands, the corners of his lips twitching in amusement and made for the exit. Except just as Alistaire was swinging the door shut, Ian caught it and leaned back in, his expression gleeful.
"Don't forget to use protection," he stage whispered, and there was a resounding slam as the door banged shut.
Alistaire got to the portal at almost four o'clock exactly, trying very hard to ignore the waves upon waves of fear and anxiety coiling in his stomach. He'd finally settled on a pair of black slacks and black shoes, a black dress shirt and a deep purple vest embroidered very finely with tiny black flowers. His tie was also black, and held in place by a silver tiepin in the shape of a deer.
His hair was also still wet, mostly because he hadn't had time to dry it (which bothered him) as he'd kept checking to make sure Ian hadn't followed him to the portal (which he hadn't, thankfully).
He was terribly, terribly nervous. His hands kept smoothing down the front of his vest in anxious, idle gestures, Alistaire's eyes finally landing on Harland. He'd come the other direction, so the man's back was to him, and Alistaire felt his breath catch a little, his eyes sweeping up and down his figure.
Focus.
He forced himself to stay calm.
"Good evening, Mr. Belle."
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 4:24 pm
Harland was very purposefully not checking his phone or watch for the time. In fact, he was trying to go over complex mathematical equations to calm himself, but he kept losing the thread of what he was doing and having to restart. Somehow, it slipped into that scene from Romeo and Juliet. Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged. He touched one clean finger up to his lips, nails clipped short just before coming, brushing the skin as if remembering Alistaire's kiss again. His face turned red.
He was probably still a little red with Alistaire showed up, exactly on time. Thumbs looped through his jeans' belt loops as he waited, Alistaire approaching from behind startled him. He felt his heart leap into his throat, having been completely absorbed in reliving that kiss, and when he turned around it was with his mouth tipped up in an amused and faintly bewildered-looking smile. Alistaire'd left him speechless. Harland noted the deer-shaped silver tie pin, admiring it particularly. Alistaire certainly wasn't hard on the eyes. Even with Harland's easygoing nature, now that he had enough money to actually choose what he wore, he appreciated good clothing.
Alistaire was really here, and they were really going, and it was finally time. "Good evenin,' mo chroi," Harland greeted him, tipping his hat to the man. "Care to get started?" he asked, his voice soft, eyes gentle. He extended the crook of one arm, offering it to Alistaire. "If you trust me," he said. They'd managed a 30-second hug, Harland was certain Alistaire had it in him to hold onto his arm until they reached the other side of the portal.
Harland attempted to lean into Alistaire, lips close to his ear, to whisper: "I thought it might be nice to get started on Europe," he said.
In fact, Galway.The sight that would greet them on the other side was this: a haven for pedestrians, a day that looked like it might rain any moment, and a mixture of taverns and shops largely painted in bright colours side by side. The roads were stone, and in front of nearly every venue there was at least one hanging plant, many of them flowering.
"Not as exotic as Paris, but... it's nearly home," he said, softly, "Galway, Ireland. One of the Irish-speaking centres of the world." Harland hoped Alistaire was alright with this, wasn't disappointed.
He just wanted to give Alistaire a piece of the country he loved, the one that had both ruined and raised him
The man he was when he wasn't busy idealizing heroes, and pretending to be a cowboy.
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 4:43 pm
He'd had a response all ready, at least until Harland turned around, and then the words died in Alistaire's throat. He swallowed hard, his gaze raking starting from the top of Harland's hat and then sliding downwards over his vest and tie to the scarf to the well-fitting black jeans and the (admittedly mismatching) cowboy boots.
Alistaire forced his gaze back up to Harland's face.
"Why Mr. Belle," he said lightly, even though his stomach was in knots. "I'm glad to know that you can dress yourself well."
The extended arm was given a startled look, Alistaire freezing automatically; but then he took a sharp breath, exhaling, and reached out, sliding his gloved fingers into the crook of Harland's elbow. The tech on duty was sound asleep, snoozing somewhere behind the portal out of sight, for which Alistaire was supremely grateful for.
He stepped through the other side of the portal and felt warm lips against his ear, making his skin flush.
They were not in England, or Paris, but in fact a bustling street full of multicolored shops and storefronts, cheerfully painted houses, and chattering people walking up and down the stone roads. Alistaire's eyes widened as his hand slipped free from Harland's arm, his gaze moving from shop to shop, and then up to the cloudy gray sky above their heads before he looked sideways at Harland.
"Ireland?" he repeated. "This is...this is Ireland?"
He was in Europe. He'd set foot out of Canada and off of the island, and he was in Europe.
It was mind blowing. Alistaire turned to look up at Harland and there was a smile, amused and curious, worming its way onto his face.
"Well?" he asked. "Where are you taking me, Mr. Belle? Lead the way."
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 5:15 pm
No matter how composed and easygoing Harland was the rest of his life and during the rest of his day, anytime Alistaire was involved Harland couldn't keep his cool. He grinned when Alistaire basically said he had dressed well, thrilled. "You're the most handsome person I think I've ever had the pleasure of knowin'," Harland traded him, and he really meant it. Appearances were one thing, sure, but because of the way things had been with the two when they were alone, Harland had begun to see him as handsome underneath, too, no matter how much he might be a fairly prickly individual at first or to others.
Harland's heart was so full it could have burst, standing in Galway where he hadn't been in years. He wasn't quite from the area, but it was still home, and he hadn't had the courage to return until now. Alistaire's voice reached him from inside his reminiscing, and he smiled at the man. "Land of the perpetual underdog, fair Eire," he said, "That's Ireland's native name."
The curious and amused smile on Alistaire's face melted all of Harland's worries away. He looked positively radiant with joy, and he felt an incredible sense of belonging.
"To learn and admire in the fathoms," he said, vague, beaming. He did, in fact, lead the way. It was a very short walk to the national aquarium.
The halls of the national aquarium were strangely quiet; with only an hour left until close, most families had already left. Everything was lit with a soft blue glow to it, and the silence made it feel like they were the only ones there. To their immediate right as they entered was an admissions counter, and Harland yielded his phone so they could scan it for the tickets he'd purchased in advance.
To their left, Harland admired a tank with a scuba diver swimming beside a sting ray. "Not the most glorious of venues, I know, but it's a fascinatin' place... and most of all, I want to show you something. Follow me?" Harland asked, looking a little sheepish. He walked at an easygoing pace towards theray pool, a shallow pool full of various creatures that liked to move around far distances without necessarily craving depth. Harland leaned over the tank, and a stingray rose its nose out of the water to greet him. He was beaming at it, and reached up to tuck his wavy hair behind one ear, looking back at Alistaire.
"When I was a boy, I used to go to aquariums to sketch the wildlife. No one'd bother me for hours, and they moved less than some of the other creatures," he explained. "Maybe one day we'll work up to gettin' you to touch a sea cucumber," he joked, smiling warmly at Alistaire. He used to love playing with creatures in the tide pools.
He looked back at the stingray. "These've always been my favourite to watch, though I never really drew 'em. Was always too busy admirin' 'em," he said, looking at Alistaire like he was talking about the man, not the stingrays now. "They hunt by sensors around their mouths that feel for electrical charges in prey."
This was boring, wasn't it?? Harland really hoped it wasn't boring.
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 5:47 pm
He couldn't help but admit that it was thrilling being here; to breathe the fresh air that stemmed from a land full of curiosity and sights and sounds that Alistaire had never seen before. He turned his head this way and that, eyes raking over each of the shop signs, the colorful doors, trying to memorize them inside of his mind, file them away for later reference.
He almost missed where they were going, bumping into Harland's shoulder inadvertently. Alistaire stepped quickly back to allow space, his face flushing, and looked up at the sign above the door.
"The aquarium?" he said, failing to hide the amusement in his voice. "How charming."
It wasn't sarcasm; he really did think the aquarium was charming, though he was trying to act casual about it. Harland's smile and enthusiasm were infectious, not to mention endearing; he was like a little kid, brought back home to where he belonged.
Away from Deus, he was different.
Alistaire was immensely pleased that the aquarium was mostly empty by now, this close to closing time. It meant he could wander around without fear of too many eyes turning in his direction, staying near to Harland but not touching him, Alistaire's gaze moving from tank to tank, fish to fish, and then finally, to the ray pool.
"They're fascinating creatures," he said, bending his head to look over at the creatures floating in the water, though he kept his distance, a gloved hand on the rail, a slightly nervous expression on his face. "The kind you don't see coming until they're already on top of you."
Slowly his gaze flickered back to Harland, and Alistaire's face flushed a little, his fingers tightening on the rail. "You know a lot about this sort of thing," he said quietly. "Not much wildlife on Deus to study, that's for certain."
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 5:56 pm
Alistaire didn't look bored; Harland was taking so many things for granted on the walk: the shops, the atmosphere, the people. They were what he knew best already. Inside the quiet, dark aquarium it seemed like they were cut off from the excitement, but he'd picked it on purpose. He knew it would be quiet, nearly empty, and private. For the first part of their night, he was hoping to keep Alistaire in a relatively non-abrasive environment.
No matter how happy Harland was to be there with Alistaire, at no point did he seem like he was going to start invading Alistaire's space. Harland was content just to be near him, and he knew if the other man felt like it, he'd approach.
It was true that being away from Deus made him seem different, but in reality it was because he was with Alistaire that he'd undergone such a transformation. Without anyone watching, without the pressure of being in Death Division and living up to that responsibility, Harland was like a kid again. Alive again.
"So don't fall in," he teased. "Should I add a fear of stingray maulings to the list with lactose?" he asked, smiling at Alistaire and leaning far over the railing, himself. It was true, he supposed, though; in their natural habitat, they'd be daunting hunters. "I remember nearly everythin' I've ever read, heard, or seen," Harland explained. It was true; it was the weirdest gift he could have asked for, and it didn't always seem like a gift, but it came in handy a lot. Or, more accurately, it meant he was constantly telling people weird facts.
"I can draw the things I've seen from memory. I use it to write profiles on the things we face," he said. "Not always a camera handy, but my memory's been good to me so far." Harland leaned his back against the railing, turning so he was looking out at the rest of the aquarium, watching some brightly coloured fish dart through coral down the hall.
"What about you, Alistaire? Do you have somethin' you like to do?"
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 6:21 pm
The corners of his lips twitched, just a little, as though he was fighting a smile.
"I'm not afraid of lactose, I just happen to be relatively intolerant of it," said Alistaire in amusement. "There is a difference, you know."
He felt strangely at ease inside this darkened aquarium, partly because they were in a place where he didn't have to worry about anyone he knew stopping by, or anyone he knew walking past and seeing him. It was just him...and Harland...on the other side of the world, in an aquarium in the middle of Ireland.
It was oddly liberating, which meant that for the first time in a long time, Alistaire could almost relax.
He lifted a brow.
"A strange talent," he said with surprising interest. "Strange, but useful. I have not that skill, but I think that it would come in handy with certain things. I suppose that's why you're in the Death Division, isn't it? Someone with your talents could be very useful in that regard."
He realized, belatedly, that he was talking about Harland like he was some sort of object, and his face flushed. Alistaire stumbled over his words and said carefully, lightly, "You're more intelligent than you give yourself credit for, Harland Leander Belle."
He placed both hands on the rail and looked back out at the rays, his eyes following the path of one ray in particular.
"...I like to read," he said, which wasn't all that exciting of an answer, but it wasn't like Alistaire had a great deal in his life that he could answer accurately with. His fingers curled around the railing "And I like...puzzles."
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 6:31 pm
This was the best part about the date. Listening to Alistaire, and finding out more about him. The fact that they weren't in one of the lessons meant that he could even absorb it better, as he wasn't quite as constantly struggling not to slip his arms around Alistaire. "I'm slow, always been slow," he said, with a grin, "takes time for me to find what I was looking for in my memory. Coyote hates it," he said, pressing a hand to his stomach.
Coyote, after all, desummoned into his sheriff's badge navel jewelry. "But ... thanks. Most people don't get to know me well enough to offer that kinda compliment. Seem simple, am simple, it's good enough for me," he said. It looked like he meant it, too; it didn't bother him that he was often disregarded or counted out.
"When I was alone, an' could see all these crazy things but had no family to turn to, I made some cash as a 'paranormal investigator,'" he added, "So Death Division makes a lot of sense for me. Threads, information, data, connections... patterns underneath the surface," he finished. He loved to figure that stuff out.
"Explains why you had an opinion of Master Shakespeare," Harland said, "I've got to be the slowest reader on god's green earth-- what do you like to read?" Harland asked, genuinely curious. "And... puzzles? Like breakin' cyphers, or like rubic's cubes, or like those word ones?" he asked. He didn't know much about puzzles, but he did want to know more.
"Let's go visit the walkway, then we can go to our next destination," Harland said, "'cause this was just the warmup." His broad smile was back, and he pushed off from the railing, waiting for approval to walk and talk down a tunnel inside a giant tank. Colourful fish, corals, even some sharks swam around in the tank all around them, the water casting ripples all over Harland's skin and the floor.
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 7:23 pm
Alistaire folded his arms on top of the railing, resting one on top of the other. His eyes were still watching the ray as it moved, slipping through the water like gossamer. It was strangely enchanting to watch; like seeing rain sliding across glass, or ice forming on a lake.
"There are different definitions of the word 'slow,' Mr. Belle," said Alistaire. "In this case, I don't think the word is particularly applicable to you. Simple, perhaps, and a little naive, certainly. A dreamer," he added dryly, flashing a quick look in Harland's direction. "But not slow, at least not in the intelligence sense of the word."
He hadn't known Harland was an investigator; his eyes flickered in surprise as Alistaire turned back to the rays again, following the line of a second one this time as it swam lazily around the pond. It made sense, oddly enough, in spite of the particularities. It seemed there was more to Harland than he let on.
I'm learning more about you each day, Alistaire thought distractedly.
"Classics," said Alistaire. "Jules Verne, Alexandre Dumas. The good kind of classics, not that rubbish like The Great Gatsby that people seem to find great when in all actuality it's just a bunch of inane plots and flat characters." He tugged absently at one his gloves. "And I suppose...any kind of puzzles. I used to do the board kind of puzzles when I was a child, and as I grew older I moved on to word puzzles and crosswords. I'm not terribly fond of ciphers and the like, but I'll do them if I have extra time on my hands."
Harland had moved away from the rail, taking some of his warmth with him. Alistaire turned and followed, still not touching (though his fingers twitched, Alistaire resisting the urge to take his hand), but rather following alongside. Every once in a while their shoulders would brush together, little tingles fluttering down Alistaire's arm and into his stomach each time.
He studiously ignored them.
"The warmup?" he asked, lifting a brow and smirking. "My my, Mr. Belle, going all out, are we? I'm flattered."
His gaze traveled along the walls of the tank, following the fish and the ripples of the water on Harland's skin and face. It was somewhat mesmerizing, and he almost lost his footing, Alistaire shaking his head quickly and turning back to the fish. He tucked his gloved hands against the small of his back.
"You're full of surprises today, Mr. Belle."
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 8:03 pm
Harland just smiled, and watched the rays, listening to Alistaire's voice. Alistaire was actually really kind to him, and he wished he could show him just what it was like to flip the roles around: would Alistaire think of himself so harshly, if he could see what he was capable of?
"I don't think I've read a single classic in my life," Harland said, rubbing the back of his neck, feeling more than a little awkward. He was definitely by no means a fast reader, and he honestly didn't read many books for fun. "Oh, puzzles as in ... right, the ones with pieces. See? Slow," he said, making fun of himself. "Crosswords are great for me, all you need's a memory for words."
The only reason Harland was able to keep progressing along the hall was out of sheer forward-thinking: the next few hours had a very precise timing to them. He was aiming to loop their walk back to the front for 6:30 so that they could head to the next destination. Following which, dinner.
"Going out?" Harland asked, distracted by a school of clownfish visiting him against the tunnel glass. "I mean, going all out, yeah-- for you, I'm not sure there was any other way to go... Well, tryin' anyway." It was very nervewracking to surprise someone he adored but still had a lot left to learn about.
Harland automatically reached his arm out to catch Alistaire, worried he'd fall-- when he recovered, he just smiled at him, pretended like it was nothing. Harland stopped walking, for a moment. There was no one around them in the tunnel, just silence and ripples of light and a marine creature swimming by overhead now and again.
"I am? You're the best surprise I could have hoped for," Harland answered, looking into Alistaire's eyes. His smile was radiant, again, and his lopsided grin looked like he wanted nothing more than to pick Alistaire up and squeeze him affectionately.
Harland tucked his thumbs into his belt loops, and attempted to lean his head on Alistaire's shoulder for a moment, as if reassuring himself that he was still there. Without saying a word, Harland looked back at the fish and started to step away.
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 8:13 pm
It was normal for Alistaire to hear people talk the way they did about themselves with a disparaging tone of voice; but for some reason, when Harland did it, it irritated him, made him irrationally annoyed that was logically reasonable. Alistaire pressed his lips together momentarily.
"I wish you wouldn't call yourself that," he said flatly. "As I've told you, there are different definitions of the word slow, and you fit only one of them - that you're slow to realize that you are more intelligent than you believe yourself to be."
Alistaire smoothed a hand down the front of his vest, pressing down nonexistent wrinkles, wiping away nonexistent dust or lint. He hadn't missed Harland's hand, and his attempt at making sure he didn't fall, though Harland's fingers hadn't reached all the way, merely drawing back once Alistaire had regained his own footing. He lifted his gaze to the other man and felt his cheeks redden, his chest tightening.
"I am not a surprise," he muttered, but Harland's head was on his shoulder briefly, and Alistaire's breath hitched in his throat, his stomach twisting, his fingers twitching. As Harland pulled away, Alistaire lifted a hand, touching the tips of his gloved fingers to his cheek briefly.
"Stop selling yourself so short, Mr. Belle," he said quietly. "We're on a date, are we not? Finish what you started with your head held high."
He drew his hand away and stepped aside, his throat feeling dry.
"Lead the way, and I will follow."
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 8:23 pm
Harland was only kidding, but it was true. It was weird for him to insult himself so much; he didn't usually think about it at all. After a bit of introspection, he figured he was probably just doing it because he hadn't been on a date in literally years, and never with someone... well, not someone who knew about the monsters.
Alistaire was so kind to him, somehow, for some reason. He didn't really understand it, most of the time; he spent all his time alone, or with Lilac, and he honestly didn't understand why she liked him either.
It was hard not to be nervous.
Still, the second they were back out in the air, he'd feel better again. "Sorry I was so down on myself, even if I was jokin'," Harland said, with an apologetic smile.
"I'd rather a beginnin' than an endin', mind if we trade?" He asked, tilting his head so that some of his wavy hair fell into his face, and he had to tuck it behind an ear again. He had, at this point, brought them back to the lobby. "Hope ye don't mind a short walk, and piano?" Harland pushed the door open, and sure enough, it was starting to rain. He stood in the doorway, and offered Alistaire two things: "Jacket for now, hat to stay dry?" he asked, holding both his leather jacket and his cowboy hat out.
Harland didn't mind a little rain.
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 8:46 pm
He wasn't sure why he was so bothered, especially since Ian had the same way of talking about himself. But maybe that was why, maybe it was because he'd heard it so much from Ian that it had started to wear on him, Alistaire becoming consistently annoyed with the lack of confidence everyone around him seemed to have.
How did people like this manage to get through life otherwise? Harland especially seemed determined to sell himself short, and it was an irritating habit to have, let alone to listen to.
Or maybe it was just the fact that Harland being so near to him was making his head spin, or the fact that he couldn't figure out why that was or what it was about Harland Leander Belle that was causing his emotions to run rampant and chaotic. They were polar opposites, at complete ends of the spectrum with one another, and yet...
And yet...
Alistaire followed Harland out towards the lobby and then eyed the jacket and hat with a look of mild incredulity.
"The jacket yes, the hat no; I've just done my hair," he said, and reached out to accept it, sliding his arms through the leather sleeves. It was slightly too large for him, the sleeves hanging almost to his fingertips, but it was warm and it smelled of Harland, and Alistaire tried very hard not to think about that, instead lifting his head and giving Harland a smirk.
"Where to next?"
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 8:52 pm
Harland gave Alistaire a look like he'd just said his princess shoes would get wet, one brow arching. First of all: his hair had seemed wet when he'd arrived, was that a style? Secondly: "So, let's see if I'm understandin' this one: you're not goin' t' wear the hat, because you styled your hair, so instead you'll just get it rained on."
Harland stared blankly at him for a moment longer, and sighed, shaking his head, a small smile across his face again. It was hard not to find him endearing.
"To the seapoint ballroom, for a bit of music before our dinner reservations," he said, pausing for a moment before shrugging one shoulder, and heading in the right direction. He hoped one day he could hold Alistaire's hand, even sometimes, but it wasn't like he needed or even wanted to be affectionate in public.
He just really wanted to touch Alistaire.
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