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Post by Caebeeb on Jul 14, 2014 16:08:02 GMT -5
Heath sighed softly when she pulled away to go get ready. When she was gone, he got in the shower and cleaned off. Once he was done, he wrapped a towel around his waist and walked out to see Sophia putting on a pair of glasses. He grinned at her, gently squeezing her hand as she walked by. "Cute," he murmured before heading to get ready himself. He pulled on a simple, tailored black suit, with a white dress shirt and a royal blue tie. He went into the bathroom to slick back his hair before he put on his glasses and shoes. He headed downstairs to find Sophia and their breakfasts waiting. He gave her a skeptic glance before sitting down. He took a bite of the omelet, before making a face after he swallowed. He took a sip of his water before looking up at his partner, "I prefer your cooking," he said before taking another sip. He got to his feet and walked around the table to her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Maybe we should just be going." He leaned down and pecked her lightly on the lips before straightening up, his tie askew.
Rylan climbed to her feet at Clark's voice, rage and pain boiling in her. "F *** you, Clark," she stated simply. "F *** you and this partnership. F *** my feelings for you and your hatred for me. F *** Harvey and what he did to me. F *** this case." She wiped the blood from her chin and turned away, trying to hide her limp as she walked back down the road they had come in on. She opened and closed her sore jaw, hoping it wasn't broken. And wishing, that just once, the boy would run after her and they might be able to piece things back together, but knowing that that wouldn't happen. She always burned bridges.
[XD Wooo, lots of F's.]
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Post by Pirate on Jul 14, 2014 20:30:00 GMT -5
Sophia glanced up as Heath joined her, forcing herself to eat a bite when he sat down. When he spoke, she gave him a small smile of appreciation. She nodded at his suggestion and got to her feet, a little surprised when he kissed her. He'd been so distant the day before, it was sending her mixed signals and she wasn't sure how she felt about it. She gave him a gentle smile as he straightened reaching over to fix his tie and wipe the red lipstick off his lips with her thumb. "Let's go," she said with a small smile, walking toward the garage to find their new, sleek sports car. "That's a perk," she said with a small smile, getting into the passenger seat.
Clark didn't flinch as Rylan screamed at him, his blue eyes hardening. When she started down the street he got out of the car and slammed the door, jogging after her. "Rylan!" he hissed, trying to get her to stop. "Rylan!" When he reached her, which wasn't too hard considering her state, he stepped in front of her so she couldn't go any further. "That's a load of bullshit and you know it. I told you I don't hate you, you turned on me with all this self-deprecating crap. You made this up in your head. I care about you but you've made some stupid fiction up in your head that I don't. I'm done. I'm done with your whole 'woe is me' crap. Get in the car now. We're going back. I'll radio HQ and someone else will cover the mission. You're in no state for this right now."
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Post by Caebeeb on Jul 14, 2014 20:52:40 GMT -5
[Take the lead here, James. I'm not sure where we're going.]
Heath gave her a small smile, watching her hands as she adjusted his tie and wiped off the lipstick. He trailed behind her as she headed into the garage, grinning at the car. "I'll say it is," he chuckled as he climbed into the driver's seat. He pulled out onto the street, revving the engine for kicks before he drove them to their destination.
[Nooo! She didn't scream at him! She said it very calmly! I wanted her to be calm. (For once) xDD]
Rylan stopped short when Clark stepped in front of her, frowning at him. "Call it 'self-deprecating crap' again. I have no qualms about hitting you." She let out a sigh and glanced down at the dirt, watching as a drop of her blood fell with the movement. "I'm sorry, Clark. I'll request the partner change this time. Maybe Henry will budge." She glanced up at him, "When you radio in, tell them to pick me up from Minnesota. They know from where. There's something I have to do." She turned back to the car, wiping her lip once more as she went. She dropped into the passenger seat, frowning at her hands.
[I'm just gonna say that Minnesota is the state next the them.]
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Post by Pirate on Jul 16, 2014 15:42:07 GMT -5
Sophia was quiet as they approached their destination and when they reached the large skyscraper, she gathered the files she'd brought with her and led her partner inside. She approached the front desk and waited patiently for the secretary to look up from her computer. "May I help you?" the woman asked, lifting her eyes from the screen in front of her. "We're here for a meeting with Walter Burns. Seth and Fiona Myers." The woman was quiet for a moment as she typed and clicked on her computer, returning her attention to them when she seemed to find what she was looking for. "Mr. Walters is in Conference Room 607. It's on the sixth floor, to the right of the elevator." Sophia nodded with a pleasant "thank you" and glanced at Heath before proceeding to the elevator. When they were safely behind closed doors in the empty lift, she glanced up at her partner. "Ready?" she asked, making sure not to reveal too much because of the security camera in the corner. When the doors opened again, she turned right as instructed and found the room further down the hall, the door ajar. When they entered, a few people were already there, sitting at the long conference table. A bearded man with salt and pepper hair and a friendly face greeted them, recognizable from his picture in their file. "Ah, you must be Mr. and Mrs. Myers," he greeted them. "Please, sit." He gestured to two empty chairs beside each other. "Mr. Burns, my assistant spoke to you on the phone," Sophia said with a small smile, shaking his hand before taking her seat. "Yes, yes, of course. Let me introduce our Board of Directors. Ming Chan, Sylvia Winters, Harold Rogers, and Michael Polk." He indicated each person as he said their name before taking a seat himself. "So your assistant said you were both looking for an enterprise to invest in locally?"
[Feel free to throw whatever you like in. I'm completely making this up as I go along XD]
Clark followed after her to the car, his anger lessening. "Fine." He got in the car and started it, driving back to their cabin.
[Should we time skip to back to the academy. Like someone else filled in for Rylan and Clark finished the mission without her?]
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Post by Caebeeb on Jul 16, 2014 21:33:48 GMT -5
[I'm following you. xD If I mess anything up, just ignore it.]
Heath parked out front of the large building, gazing up at it in awe. He shut off the car and got out as his partner did, walking around to take her hand in his before they headed inside. He waited patiently for the secretary to find the room, mildly annoyed by the clicking keys. When they got the needed information, he followed Sophia to the elevator. "Yeah," he murmured, nodding his head slightly at her question. He trailed behind her to the conference room, adjusting his suit just before they entered. He made the necessary introductions before he took his seat beside his "wife". He nodded at Walters' question, "Yes, and we were hoping that you would help us handle the accounts. We've heard great things about you." He offered a friendly smile, folding his hands on the table in front of him.
[Yeah. I'm just going to skip ahead a couple months.]
Rylan had spent the last few months by herself. While Clark was finishing up their mission with someone else, she took a couple personal weeks to visit her family and her brother's grave. Following that time off, she went on a few solo missions to get herself back on track. Now healed and walking properly, she stood to shake Henry's hand after the debriefing of her most recent case. Her hair was curled and pulled back, the ends touching the collar of the billowy emerald shirt she had tucked into a beige pencil skirt. As she headed toward the door, Henry called her back. "Oh, and Rylan. Here's your next partnered case," he said as he offered her two folders. "Maybe you could deliver Clark's to him." Rylan took the folders hesitantly, "Um, sir--" Henry turned his back toward her to face the window, "That'll be all, Rylan." The woman stared at him for a moment before turning and heading out of the room, her nude pumps clicking against the stone floor.
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Post by Pirate on Jul 16, 2014 22:25:48 GMT -5
"Of course, of course," Walter said, nodding with a pleased smile and leaning back in his chair. "Where were you planning to invest?" Sophia pulled out one of her files, shuffling through it a moment before she settled on a single page. "We have a few written down that we researched and thought might do, but we also wanted to hear your opinion before." Walter nodded, getting to his feet. "I thought you might. Always smart to have two lists. Well, I did compile the best projects around the city." He came around the table and handed her a sheet of paper. "I particularly recommend the West Jonesville Project. They're trying to build up the lowest income area of the city and improve the community around there. A very noble and profitable investment." A small smile slid on Sophia's lips. "That's actually the exact place we were looking at. Isn't that right, dear?" she asked, looking over at Heath. "Yes, yes, a very good project. Is that you're choice?" He glanced between the couple, waiting for confirmation.
Clark had just recently returned from his case and the fallout in the end hadn't been great. Everything had gone smoothly with his new partner, who was rational and emotionally detached. Not the most fun guy to be around, but hey, they got it done. And Clark had a few new battle scars to show off, particularly a burn that ran from his bicep to his shoulder and across his chest. He'd been resting up the first couple of days until he recovered most of his strength. And now he was in his beloved garage working on his beloved machines once more. It was nice to have something to work on again that didn't involve people or drugs. Just him, a greasy shirt, his tools, and the underside of his baby girl. He would certainly enjoy it until it lasted.
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Post by Caebeeb on Jul 16, 2014 23:29:58 GMT -5
Heath leaned back slightly as Sophia rummaged around in her files, listening quietly to the conversation. A slight smile twitched on the corners of his lips at the company Walters suggested, knowing full well that he had his claws in the organization and that very little went to actually improving the community. "Precisely, Fiona," he murmured, nodding toward the older man. "That's exactly what we were looking at, Mr. Walters. That's our choice." He gave the man an easy smile, "So just how do we go about this?"
Rylan decided to just rip the bandaid off and deliver Clark the file sooner rather than later. And she knew just where to find him. Still dressed to the nines, she headed out the the spacious garage, walking past various vehicles and people until she found Clark. Standing a bit stiffly, she adjusted her skirt and cleared her throat. "Hey, Clark," she said quietly, waiting for his head to appear from beneath the car. "Falcon wanted me to deliver our next case file," she paused for a moment before she offered him his. "Also, I just wanted to apologize for my behavior during our last mission. I was...I was in a weird place. I'm sorry for putting you at risk. It won't happen again." She gave him a small nod and a slight smile before turning and heading back the way she came, the slightest hint of a limp still marring her stride.
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Post by Pirate on Jul 16, 2014 23:51:00 GMT -5
"Very good!" Walter said in excitement, glancing around at the other members of his board. "Well, I have a lot of paperwork for you to go through and sign and I will have that mailed to you by the end of the week once I have it all gathered together. Until then, I would suggest looking at the properties in the area and familiarizing yourself. Just be careful when you go there physically. It's not the safest place in the city." He walked around the table and back to his seat, still remaining on his feet. "Well, I believe that's all we need today. My assistant will contact you and you will receive the paperwork and documentation soon. Until then." Sophia got the message that that was the end of the meeting and got to her feet, moving to shake the man's hand before exiting the room with her partner. She waited till they were in the car before finally speaking. "Well, that went very well," she said with a satisfied smile, leaning back in her seat and glancing over at Heath.
Clark heard the distinct click of heels approaching and silently prayed that they weren't coming for him. When the sound stopped right beside him and the person cleared their throat, he let out an annoyed sigh. He began to roll out from under, just as Rylan spoke. His annoyance dissipating, a look of surprise crossed his face. "Oh, Rylan," he said, his voice matching his expression. "What's up?" He got to his feet and wiped off his hands on a dirty rag before turning back to her and taking the file she handed to him. "Okay," he said slowly, flipping it open and flicking through without really looking at it. As she continued to speak, he lifted his head to look at her, closing the file in the same motion. He was surprised by the sudden apology and took a moment to respond. "Oh, um, sure. Thanks." When she turned to walk away, he hesitated before taking a step toward her. "Hey, Rylan," he called, waiting for her to react. "It's good to see you." He gave her a friendly smile before setting the file down on his table and returning to his previous position.
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Post by Caebeeb on Jul 17, 2014 0:33:22 GMT -5
Heath watched the man as he moved around the table, listening quietly. When the meeting was very obviously adjourned, he, too, got to his feet, stretching out a muscular arm to shake the man's hand. He gave him a small nod before following Sophia out of the room, placing his hand on her lower back. When they got in the car, he gave her a slight smile, "He's way too excited about this deal," he chuckled before leaning over to kiss her cheek. A moment later he pulled out into traffic, glancing at his partner, "Do you want to go check out what we're 'investing' in?"
Rylan hesitated when Clark called to her, pausing to turn around. She returned his smile at his words, "Same to you, Clark." She turned back around and left the garage, heading back to her room to pack for their trip.
The next morning, Rylan carried her suitcase out to the airfield so that it could be delivered to where they would be staying for the next several weeks.
The following afternoon, she headed out to their awaiting helicopter, wearing a black thermal set of tights and a long-sleeved shirt, as well as a pair of boots. With her, she carried a pair of snow pants, a ski jacket, gloves, and a hat. She had her hair tied up in a ponytail and a sleek pair of aviators resting on the bridge of her nose. She climbed into the helicopter and took her seat before putting on her headset and waiting for her partner.
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Post by Pirate on Jul 17, 2014 1:17:53 GMT -5
Sophia glanced over when Heath spoke, shrugging at his suggestion. "I don't see why we shouldn't," she replied, watching out the window as he drove. She leaned over and turned the radio on, find the station eliciting NPR. It was always good to stay up to date with what was going on in the world, especially if it could be their next mission. She let out a soft sigh and leaned back again, looking over at her "husband". "This should be fun for us, acting like a married couple. Good practice," she teased.
The following day, Clark was packed and ready to go freeze his ass off once again. Why did they have to go to so many cold places? He groaned as he lifted his case and slung a backpack over his shoulder, hissing slightly as it grazed his burn painfully. Walking out to the airfield, he loaded his stuff onto the plain before getting in and taking a seat. He smiled at Rylan before pulling out his laptop so he could tinker with a new program he was working on.
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Post by Caebeeb on Jul 17, 2014 2:04:00 GMT -5
Heath scoffed at her as he made a right turn at the next signal light, "I have no desire to marry a Frenchie." He gave her a sideways glance as he sped down the street, a sly smile creeping across his lips. He guided the car toward a more rundown part of the city, parking in front of a chain link fence that had a tattered banner strung in front of it titled "West Jonesville Project". It looked like various construction was going on, but that little was actually getting done. Heath watched as a few passing patrons eyed the sleek car they sat in and he frowned, stroking the gearshift lovingly. "Maybe we shouldn't leave Claire alone," he murmured thoughtfully.
Rylan glanced up when Clark joined her, returning his smile as the helicopter blades began to beat the air overhead. She fastened her seat belt and stared out the window at the passing scenery, watching as it became speckled with bare trees. About an hour later, the chopper landed in a snowy clearing somewhere just outside of the Arctic Circle. "This is as close as I can get you guys," the pilot called over the headset. Rylan unbuckled and pulled on her snow suit, gloves, and hat, preparing herself for the cold. She hopped off the helicopter, waiting for Clark to join her before clearing away from the area so the pilot could take off. A moment later she pulled a small map from her pocket, glancing it over, "We basically just walk in a straight line for about five miles," she said as she turned in the right direction. She tucked the map back in her pocket as she began heading forward, trudging through the snow. "So, how'd the mission go?" she asked casually, keeping her eyes on the ground to avoid logs and holes. A mile or so in, she stopped short at the edge of a frozen solid lake, a frown on her lips. It was about a quarter of a mile across and seemed like it had a fairly thick layer of ice over it. She glanced at Clark before hesitantly stepping out onto the frozen water. It held. Carefully, she began to trek forward, wary of cracks and thin spots. When they were nearly to the other side, Rylan stopped to glance back at her partner. At that moment, the ice beneath her feet splintered and she suddenly dropped into the frigid water below. She surfaced, sputtering in shock as she grabbed onto the jagged edge of the ice.
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Post by Pirate on Jul 17, 2014 11:29:21 GMT -5
Sophia sniffed at his comment. "I wasn't talking about marrying you. I meant in general." When they reached their destination, she looked around, taking in the run down area. When Heath spoke, she dipped her eyebrows in confusion. "Who's-" she broke off as she turned to see him stroking the gearshift. "Oh my god," she muttered, pushing the door open and stepping out of the car. She walked up to the fence, glancing through it to see what was behind it more clearly. Nobody was in the area but a lot of the equipment was laying around. The machines looked dusty, like they'd been sitting there a while, and one had "Traitors" spray painted across the side in red. There was more graffiti riddled across the walls, showing even further the age of the project. It didn't look like anyone had bothered to try and clean it off yet or paint over it.
When they reached their destination, Clark put away his laptop and glanced around the area. They were in the middle of nowhere. He pulled on his gear with an annoyed sigh and followed his partner down, pulling on his backpack with their supplies. "Great," he muttered with heavy sarcasm when she said they had to walk five miles. He wasn't exactly a fan of the cold and he didn't want to spend almost five hours in it. When she asked about his previous mission, he shrugged. "It was okay. A little difficult at first to gain their trust when I told them you died, but it smoothed out in the end." When they reached the lake, he frowned, growing cautious. "Rylan, I don't think that's such a good idea. Let's just go around." He sighed as she ignored him and continued on, following after her carefully. He really didn't like this. What was the point in risking their lives to save walking maybe another half mile? He didn't want to die in the cold. After a while, he glanced up when his partner stopped. And then she was gone. A curse escaped his lips and he dropped to his stomach, reaching for her. He tried to pull her up, but the water weight was dragging on all of her equipment and gear and causing the ice beneath him to crackle and threaten to give way. Thinking quickly, he pulled a knife from his waist and snapped the straps of her bag before she could protest. With the added weight gone, he pulled her up and away from the edge. Quickly, he began to pull her various clothes off, fully aware that she would die of hypothermia if she kept them on. When she was down to her underwear, he pulled off his outer coat and wrapped it around her, pulling the hood up to cover her wet hair. Once he thought she was safe for now, he rummaged through his backpack and pulled out a fire blanket. It would have to do. He wrapped it around her and then hugged her close, hoping she would dry off quickly enough and regain her body heat. "Damn it!" he grunted angrily. "I told you we should have gone around."
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Post by Caebeeb on Jul 17, 2014 11:59:22 GMT -5
Heath frowned slightly as she got out, grabbing the keys and following her. He came up to the fence beside her, "Such a beautiful car deserves a name," he said matter-of-factly. He turned his eyes back to the construction area, shaking his head. "You'd think they might actually keep up the ruse by doing something out here," he murmured thoughtfully. Just then, a young man was walking by. He didn't appear to be the most upstanding of citizens and had various tattoos on his neck and arms. Heath turned to face him, "Hey, when was the last time you saw any construction going on here?" The man shrugged, "Like, a few months ago. The equipment just showed up one night." He nodded his head toward their car, "That yours? What are ya doing on this side of town?" His eyes flickered past Heath to Sophia. Heath returned the shrug, "Yeah. And we're just checking out the neighborhood. Now move along." The man made a face, "You better watch it, man," he said as he turned and went back the way he came.
Rylan glanced down as Clark cut the straps to the small pack she wore, watching as it sunk into the cold depths. She gripped her partner's forearms as he pulled her out, attempting to regain her footing on the ice. She helped him yank off her clothing, dropping the various articles into a heap. When his jacket engulfed her, she glanced up at him, now worried that they'd both freeze their asses off. She shivered against his chest when he pulled her into a hug, pulling the blanket tighter around her. "Just keeping you on your toes," she panted, glancing down at the ice. "If we don't get off it right now, we'll both be in the water." She pulled away from him to quickly wrap all of her wet clothes in her jacket before she tied the sleeves together. She warily, but hastily, trekked across the last twenty yards of ice, breathing a sigh of relief when they were back on totally solid ground. Her feet were numb in her boots, but if they moved quickly, she out to be able to get blood flow back to them. She glanced up at Clark, "Why don't you take the lead?"
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Post by Pirate on Jul 17, 2014 13:28:14 GMT -5
Sophia sighed as Heath spoke, shaking her head. "It really is a noble project, if they did something." She glanced back as Heath spoke to the other man and watched the exchange, her eyes following the guy down the sidewalk until she couldn't see him any longer. "We should go," she said, feeling as if they weren't exactly welcome. She didn't want to disturb the peace that seemed to be temporarily placed over the street. Slipping back into her front seat, she leaned back against the plush cushioning and waited for her partner to take them home.
Clark nodded when she suggested getting off the ice and followed her to the safety of solid ground. When she talked about moving, he shook his head. "There's no way in hell that you can make it four miles without getting something amputated. We stay here." He cleared away the snow in a small circle and gestured for her to it down. "I hope you didn't have anything important in that bag," he said, opening his own and pulling out fresh clothes for her. "They'll be way too big, but it's better than what you've got on. You should take everything that got wet off and dry yourself with the blanket." He turned his back to her to give her privacy and crossed his arms. "If you need help, just tell me." He wasn't sure how long she'd be able to go with how numb she was probably getting from the cold already. "I'll get you a couple of pairs of socks to. That should keep the water in your boots from soaking in too quickly."
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Post by Caebeeb on Jul 17, 2014 14:39:04 GMT -5
Heath nodded at his partner's suggestion, watching the man disappear into a building. "That would probably be a smart idea," he murmured as he headed around to the driver's side. As soon as he got in, he twisted the key and the engine purred to life, causing him to grin. He drove them home, parking in the spacious garage when they got there. He shut off the car and glanced at Sophia, "Any wild ideas for how we should spend our week?" he asked as he moved to get out of the car. They had to wait for Walters' call before they could really get the ball rolling. He headed to the garage door and walked inside, waiting for Sophia before he shut the door.
Rylan sighed at Clark's words, but nodded. He was right, she had to get her body temperature back up if she was going to even make it to their residence. She shrugged slightly, "Nothing that was irreplaceable." She nodded at his instructions, taking the clothes and rolling her eyes when he turned his back toward her. Shakily, she pulled off his jacket and the blanket, her arms moving sluggishly as she struggled to dry off. She pulled on his clothes, managing to stay upright even though her legs shook. When she was dressed, she pulled on his socks and replaced the soaked boots on her feet. She wrapped the slightly damp blanket around her shoulders, grabbing up her damp clothes by the sleeves of her jacket. She tapped Clark's shoulder, handing his jacket back to him before she suddenly grabbed his arm to support her weight. She glanced down at her legs with a frown, "They're going numb. We should get moving."
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Post by Pirate on Jul 17, 2014 22:44:34 GMT -5
When they reached their new home, Sophia glanced over at her partner, shrugging at his question. "Maybe enjoy ourselves a little? It'd be a nice little break to just be us for a while." She followed him out and into the house, pausing to turn and look back at him once he closed the door. "I'm sure we can do little bits of research everyday so we're doing something related to our work, but there's a whole week with nothing to do." She gave him a smile and wrapped her arms around his torso, resting her head against his chest. "I kind of like having nothing to do."
Clark turned around and took his offered jacket, tensing as she leaned on his arm. "Okay," he agreed, pulling the jacket on and gathering his things into his bag before pulling it on. He started walking again, making sure to stay behind his partner in case she struggled. He hoped her legs would warm up with the exercise, but if it looked like she was struggling too much, he'd just carry her. He could do it; at least, he hoped so. Carrying a woman between 120 and 150 might be a little hard for four miles.
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Post by Caebeeb on Jul 17, 2014 23:36:29 GMT -5
Heath nodded at Sophia's suggestion, wrapping his arms around her waist when she leaned against him. He gave her a small smile and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "That does sound nice," he murmured against her skin. He rested his head on top of hers, admiring the vastness of the house. He pulled away to glance down at her, before grabbing her hand and leading her to the stairs. As he climbed the steps, he pulled off his suit jacket and loosened his tie, leading her into their bedroom. He tossed his jacket on the bed before pulling her toward the balcony. He opened the doors to reveal a striking view of the city and countryside surrounding it. He rolled up his sleeves and smiled, leaning against the iron railing. "At least we have a view," he murmured, glancing up at her before he pulled her into his side. He was quiet for awhile as he gazed out at the scenery. Finally, he spoke, "I love you, Sophia. I want you to know that."
Rylan began walking again, struggling with the painful pins and needles that prickled her legs. She kept going though, her body warming up fractionally as she moved. It was difficult and slow, but she didn't give up. She didn't want to give Clark another reason to doubt their partnership. Finally, they reached the tiny, ice-logged town. It wasn't long before they reached their small house on the outskirts. Her legs gave out as she climbed the steps, and she dropped to her knees on the porch, heaving a sigh. She just felt cold and heavy. Her head dipped forward as she caught her breath, her wet and now freezing hair falling off her shoulder. "Please tell me you can start a fire," she huffed, hoping there was firewood waiting by the fireplace.
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Post by Pirate on Jul 18, 2014 0:11:36 GMT -5
[Well...that complicates things XD]
Sophia followed Heath up to the bedroom as he prompted her, pulling her hair out of it's tight up do and letting the brunette waves tumble down her shoulders. She ran her hands through it to loosen it and allow it to feel less tight on her skull. She followed him out to the balcony and smiled at the view. "It's very nice," she commented, leaning against the railing. She moved closer to him as he pulled her in and enjoyed the comfortable silence between them. However, the moment seemed to be shattered by his next words. She turned toward him in surprise, taking a step away to escape his suddenly suffocating grip. "Heath," she started, her voice concerned, as if she were telling a friend not to make a bad choice. "I-I'm very flattered," she started again, trying to amend the way she had jumped away from him. "It's just...I-we haven't known each other very long and I...don't feel quite the same way." She finally broke it to him, gripping one arm with the other in a way to sort of physically protect her emotions. "I do really like you, I just don't think it's...love. Yet." She winced at how awkward she was being and how nothing she said seemed to be right. There was no way around it, she couldn't lie to keep from hurting his feelings. He needed to know. "It's only been a month," she murmured softly, as if that would explain everything.
Clark followed after Rylan in concern the whole way, checking often to make sure she was okay. When they finally reached the house, he sighed in relief. They made it. "I can," he replied to her. "But I think you should take a warm shower first." He opened the door for her and helped her to her feet, stripping off his jacket, boots, and snow pants quickly once they were inside so he could move more freely. He helped her out of her jacket and to the bathroom, turning the shower on for her and glancing back at her. "Just let me know if you need anything," he told her, deciding it was probably better to not strip her this time. He didn't want to offend her, even if he was just helping. He returned to the living room and found wood and a fireplace. He tossed the logs in and proceeded to rip up the newspapers collected beside them and stuff them under the grate. He set the paper on fire and waited for the logs to catch fire before grabbing his bag and tossing it in the bedroom and stripping off his outermost layer of clothes, a sweater and sweatpants, leaving him in a long-sleeved shirt and basketball shorts. He ran a hand through the melted snow in his hair and tried to shake out the moisture.
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Post by Caebeeb on Jul 18, 2014 0:52:12 GMT -5
[Doesn't it, though? xD]
Heath was rarely embarrassed. He could walk around in public in only his boxers and not be bothered in the slightest. At that moment though, at the way Sophia skittered away from him, he felt a flushed heat climb the back of his neck. He frowned slightly at the awkward way the words fell from her mouth, making him feel like their "relationship" was rather one-sided. The way she shrugged him off hurt. "I'm very flattered." He nodded quickly when she was done speaking, raising a hand to the back of his neck and avoiding eye contact with her. "Yeah, yeah, you're right. It was dumb. Forget I said anything," he said quickly, backing off of the balcony and back into the bedroom. He quickly turned around and pulled off his tie, suddenly feeling suffocated. He jogged downstairs and headed toward the garage door, rummaging in his pockets for the car keys. "Uh, I'm gonna go grab a cup of coffee. I'll bring you back one," he called to her before he escaped to the safety of the garage and climbed into the car. He pulled out onto the street, strangling the wheel as he headed out onto a busy main road. He found a small shop and pulled into the lot, parking and heading inside. He ordered his drink and sat down at a small table, drinking it slowly. He was flustered that she brushed off his feelings like she had. He knew they hadn't known each other for very long, but he also knew how he felt. He'd been distant the past few days because he'd been trying to sort through his feelings. And now he just felt like an idiot. After nursing his coffee for half-an-hour, he got to his feet and ordered Sophia's favorite drink to-go. He walked slowly back to the sleek sports car and climbed in before driving back to the house. After parking in the garage, he sat in his seat for a few extra minutes before he finally got out. Carrying Sophia's drink, he headed inside and set it on the kitchen counter before he made his way into the living room and dropped onto the couch.
Rylan nodded at Clark's suggestion, allowing him to help her stand up. She followed him into the house, shivering even more when he helped her out of her jacket and exposed her to the cool air. "Thanks," she said after he started the shower for her. When he was gone, she pulled off his clothes, stepping under the warm water and thawing her hair. It helped warm her up, and when she was finished, she quickly dried off before tugging on the shirt and sweats that Clark had loaned her. She walked stiffly out into the living room and plopped down in front of the fireplace, getting as close as she could without burning herself. She tugged her knees to her chest and held her frozen hands in front of the flames, hoping to thaw out completely soon. Shivering, she hunkered down closer into her own scarce body heat.
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Post by Pirate on Jul 18, 2014 1:56:37 GMT -5
Sophia flinched slightly when he suddenly brushed it off, expecting him to react at least a little differently. "N-no, Heath, it's not-" She didn't get to finish her damage control as he turned and fled into the bedroom. Hugging herself tightly, she listened to him go before letting out a heavy sigh. That had not gone well at all. He'd left her very confused. Why had he been so distant the past few days and then all of a sudden turn around and say he loved her? She stood there lost in thought for a while until the cool breeze outside made her shiver and she needed to move elsewhere. She entered the bedroom and closed the balcony doors behind her, removing her stiff outfit and pulling on a T-shirt and sweats. She descended the staircase to the kitchen and rummaged through the cabinets until she found just what she need, a bottle of hard liquor. Pouring herself a glass, she quickly downed it, wincing at the burn. Letting out a sigh, she felt a lot better. She put it back and paced the house, wondering when Heath would return. She was worried, but she knew he needed space after she'd failed to reciprocate his feelings. She heard him finally enter the house and froze, unsure of whether to approach him or leave him be. She opted to investigate what he was up to, moving into the kitchen where she had last heard him. She saw the cup waiting for her and smiled faintly to herself, picking it up and breathing in the scent. It was her favorite, she could already tell. She took a sip and trudged into the living room, where she saw her partner sprawled on the couch. She curled up in a chair across from him, keeping her distance to give him space. "Thank you," she murmured softly, holding up the cup to explain what her gratitude was for. She fell silent and let it sit for a few heartbeats before clearing her throat "I'm sorry," she finally said, lifting her gaze to him. "I, um, I'm just not in the same place yet."
Clark glanced up as Rylan emerged from the bathroom, relieved she was looking better. "I guess we'll need to stop at a store tomorrow and get you clothes," he said, taking a seat on the couch near her. "How do you feel?" he asked, wondering if she had warmed up at all. Realizing she probably needed to warm up internally too, he jumped to his feet. "Do you want anything to drink? Coffee, tea, warm milk, hot water, cocoa?" He flipped through a list off all of the possible hot drinks he could make in that moment, hoping it would be good enough.
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