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 Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 2:32 am
Natalie eyed the phone in her hand with a critical eye. She wasn't sure she could actually call him. She felt like her voice would betray her.
That he'd know she was going to....
Well. What did it matter? They weren't in a formal relationship. They were just two adults with interest in each other, and one of them was putting her (kneesocked) foot down and calling it quits.
She still didn't know where they were going to go to. Part of her wanted to just have him over. The apartment was clean enough. But she didn't want him in her domain. Not yet. No, what was she thinking? Not ever.
But it... seemed safer than going into the city, somewhere. And she could run, couldn't she?
Besides.
Thorn would never try anything, right?
Confused, she just dialed the number on the card, holding the phone to her ear. One way or another, she'd get this done. Maybe she could end it on the phone? But she'd promised him that one date...
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Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 3:11 am
"Thorn." the voice immediatly answered. It was warm, velvety and full of self righteous arrogance as he looked across the business table and nodded. Yes, they had come to an understanding, and it was over now.
People moved, a shuffle of papers, files, bags pulled on to desks so that said papers and files could be pushed into them. Thorn watched, amused and decided that the room would empty soon enough.
"Hello?" he ran through a list of names, decided that he wasn't owed a conversation for business. He didn't know the number, and while enough people had it, it was still exclusive enough for him to wonder.
Who would have the sheer gall to call during business? Which crossed of everyone he worked with.
Turning the chair and staring back out the floor to ceiling view, he watched through the hazy reflection as people made their exit. Business hadn't been so profitable today- partially due to the tightening up of narcotics over his territory.
But he could handle it, the way he could handle everything else.
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Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 3:13 am
That voice shook her resolve.
"Uh, hi. It's Natalie. Um." She could hear rustling on the other end of the line. "Are you busy? If you want, I could call back later..."
Well, if she could get over that slight problem of getting herself to dial the number.
"I just wanted to know when you'd be free? For that thing we had planned." That thing where nothing was planned. Yep. Natalie sure was smooth.
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Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 3:22 am
His smile deepened. "Natalie." he hadn't expected that she'd actually call. This was brave. Looking back with irritation, the remaining staff took the hint and left the room quickly and quietly, closing the door with a distinctive click behind them.
"No, no. I'm not busy at all." he assured the young girl, smiling. And what did they have planned? Drumming his fingers against the arm of the chair, he was smirking.
"I'm free friday night." he suggested. Actually, he wasn't. But it would be the least inconvient night to cancel on an existing appointment. Something to do with a handicapped society charity fund.
"And what do we have planned?"
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Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 3:26 am
Natalie smiled in spite of herself. Friday, huh? She could definitely wait until Friday. Soon enough, but not too soon.
She pulled her legs up onto the couch. "Hmmm... well. Uh. I'm not quite sure, actually..." Laughing nervously, she continued. "I can't think of anything specific to do. The only two ideas I've had are.. well, one's a trip to this really nice pastry shop, but that probably doesn't live up to your expectations, hm?
"The second is just coming over for dinner. I can cook, I swear. Nobody's dropped dead yet."
Having him over. It still didn't feel quite... safe.
... But there had gone her chance to end it over the phone.
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Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 3:33 am
Thorn smiled. "Dinner sounds wonderful." he said. Getting up, he followed the others out of the business room and down the hall, into his own personal office. "I'll buy the wine. White wine alright?" Who knew what she'd prepare?
Deciding that there could be nothing more adventurous than entering someone's home for the first time, he scheduled it into his PDA, just in case. Not that he would forget, but it'd be a proper reminder.
"I'm sure you're a wonderful cook." he assured her.
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Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 3:36 am
"White should be fine."
Alcohol? Perhaps... not the greatest of ideas. But it wasn't like they were going to sit on the couch drinking beer, like the other night with two certain mages.
"Any preferences, allergies, or anything? I wouldn't want to try and get you to a hospital, or something..." Natalie had such tact, bringing up things like this. "I mean. That wouldn't be a good way to end an evening."
Decidely not, but... what would a good way be? Telling him to sod off and having him completely agree? Fat chance.
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Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 6:05 am
"Nothing you need to worry about. I'm completely healthy." he smiled into the phone as he said this, wondering idly- if he had said he was allergic to fish, would she have served fish?
Probably not anything so blatant. But it was indeed curious. Maybe he should have pretended, to gauge her purpose.
Maybe.
"If that is all, then?" he looked around the office to see a message beeping for him on the computer. Marc? Huh.
"I'll see you at 8."
And he hung up.
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Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 6:54 am
Well, that was one thing out of the way. She'd figure out something to cook that'd somehow... maybe not impress him, but that would suit his... higher class palatte. She wasn't quite sure why she cared, but... well.. it wouldn't be nice, she supposed, to give him terrible food and break things off with him.
Now... was there anything else she had to do?
Oh, yes. That job. She had to talk to Hadrian.
She hadn't seen him recently, so she supposed he was burried in work. Still... she knew where to find him, didn't she? The lab. So, grabbing her key, she strolled out the door.
And maybe once she was done talking with Hadrian, she could go visit Carver? See if Ama was gone? Maybe she could get some advice from him on what to do.
A short walk brought her to the lab's door, which was probably locked, and she didn't want to barge in. Spotting the camera, she waved up at it. Hopefully somebody would recognize her and let her in?
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Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 9:14 am
Hadrian, to put it plainly, was a wreck.
After he had stumbled to his office that night, the man hadn't left the labs since. And it had been two days. He was subsisting on food from a snack machine, and sleeping on the cot he had kept in his office for when he worked late.
Hadrian looked as bad as he felt. Hair pulled back in a messy pony tail, his eyes appeared blood shot and red-rimmed, and the man just looked haggard. Worn down.
And of course, depressed.
He was attempting to distract himself through work, one of his usual tactics - and this time, that attempt had the result of burying himself in paperwork. As their was no one in the security room on the first floor, no one responded to Natalie.
But if he had known she was there, he would have probably hid. Because he didn't want to see or talk to anyone, and had managed to avoid that for two days.
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Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 9:21 am
Natalie frowned. She thought that at least one of the mages would have been there. Huh. Well...
Shrugging, she tried the door.
It was unlocked.
She suddenly felt rather stupid and, giggling a little, slipped inside. Now... where to go? She looked around, then picked a direction that looked like it would lead her to offices or something. Maybe Hadrian was caught up in work? Maybe. Either that, or she was breaking and entering.
She was tempted to go down and see her little bubble. But that wasn't why she was here - find Hadrian, ask about the job, earn enough money for that really awesome media sofa she'd seen the other day.
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Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 9:27 am
Hadrian's office was fairly easy to find; take the stairwell down to the floor with the Souls, and his office was the last door in the hallway to the right.
Well. It was easy for those who had an idea of where it was; but luckily people wouldn't have to worry about locations too much, just yet. Dacian had suggested setting up a board with directions, and in his craze to distract himself, he had done so.
Now there was a board type thing set up, and one of the things on it were the words...
Offices:
Hadrian ------- Room 53 -->
((And that's an arrow >.>))
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Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 9:35 am
Ahah! If she just followed the arrow, she'd be there. How convenient! She didn't remember that from her last visit, but hey.
Shoes clacking as she hopped down the steps, she peered around. This she recognized. And that meant...
Well, she just had to. She took a peek into her bubble's room. And there it was, smiling and hovering oh-so-cutely. It brightened up Natalie's day, and she waved at it. She supposed, when she became a mother (hopefully NOT a MILF to the compound), that she could worm her way out of Thorn's grasp.
Hopefully.
Probably not.
But it'd give her a basis for rejecting him out right. Wouldn't it? He probably wouldn't make a good father.
She trotted off again towards Hadrian's office. When she got there, she knocked on the door and peeked her head in. "Hadrian, I-" The words caught in her throat.
He looked terrible.
"What happened!?"
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Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 9:43 am
Surprised at the intrusion (no one had bothered him for a couple of days, after all), Hadrian blinked at Natalie.
"I - Natalie?"
He seemed rather surprised to see her. Then it caught up to his mind that she had just asked him what happened, and he averted his gaze. He didn't really know how he looked...he'd been avoiding mirrors.
"Things just...haven't been going well."
Not going well? That was putting it lightly. He'd been coerced into having sex with Thorn. The consent issue had been a bit iffy, but the mage didn't think about that - no, he was blaming himself for it, since he hadn't actually fought.
And then Marc had broken up with his because of it.
And his vague answer - well, he wasn't sure if he wanted to tell Natalie or not. Part of him just wanted someone to pour the whole story out too - and the other part was still too ashamed.
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Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 9:48 am
"Like hell they haven't," she said, swearing in her astonishment. He looked... well... broken. Some part of her resonated with that. There was shame in her face. Shame and a broken heart.
She knew that, didn't she? To some extent?
Coming in quietly, all thoughts of asking about work gone, she knelt by where Hadrian was sitting. "How long have you been in here? Have you been sleeping at all?" Her voice was awash in concern.
Was this how Hadrian had found her? No, she didn't think she'd been this bad. But he'd already done so much for her... she had to help as much as she can.
"Can I do anything for you?" She reached out to touch his hand, gently.
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