*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Oct 28, 2020 12:00:04 GMT -5
(It depends on the weather. 🤣🤣🤣 )
"Nope, I'm good," Parker said, grinning as he ate his breakfast. Of course, it wasn't his only job, but it was one that he enjoyed the most.
~•~•~
Anya was right behind them as they trekked through the crowd. It was easy to get lost among all the stalls and games set up around the town, but the closer they made it to the square, the easier it was to tell where they were heading. The bleating of sheep in a makeshift pen also helped greatly.
~•~•~
(Oh, absolutely. She's got nothing but pride that will be the biggest hurtle for Morgan to get through to.)
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Oct 28, 2020 12:42:50 GMT -5
( That's okay. Sometimes my moods change with the weather too. xD )
Sol chuckled. "All right, but you're missing out." He set to finishing his own breakfast, then drank his juice while waiting for Parker to finish his as well.
~ • ~ • ~ Seth, being taller than many of those in the crowd, spotted the competition area first. He reached out to subtly alter Aidan's course. A few minutes later, the boy heard the sheep and picked up his pace, growing more excited the closer they got.
Soon, the crowd changes from milling shoppers to groups of farmers standing around with their dogs. Many of the dogs were waiting patiently, but just as many were barking and pacing with impatience. The dogs appearances differed, but it was clear they were all purebred sheep dogs, born and bred to herd. Just being around so many sheep had them itching to work. Even Star got excited when she saw her first sheep, though she managed to at least look calm.
~ • ~ • ~ ( Good thing he's stubborn enough to do it. xD )
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Oct 28, 2020 19:10:55 GMT -5
Parker set the dishes down in the sink and began the quick process of washing them. He had learned of the tight ship (no pun intended) Cillian ran in the kitchen, what with talking with the kitchen crew and rumors from the other crewmates. So he was sure to clean them as best as he could.
~*~*~
"No, all you have to do is go over and give your name to Mr. Comwell over there," Anya said, nodding in the direction of a man in his near sixties, average height, and a little on the heavier side. He wasn't a farmer himself, but he knew a lot about animals and their well being. So the town's vet, basically. "Really, he only needs to know who iswho so he can call out the winners."
~*~*~
(What world you living in? XD That sounds good though. Like maybe Lawrence caught wind of a small town looking to aid the Rebels, but really it was just a trap to capture the representative and hopefully gain info on where they camp is.)
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Oct 28, 2020 19:53:55 GMT -5
Once everything was washed, wiped down, and put away, Sol shooed the dogs and Parker out. He ran one more critical eye over the place, then ducked out himself. "All right, let's run. Cillian is usually one of the first back, and I don't really want him to catch us leaving." Sol was in change of the ship and the one to make sure everyone got paid (or just paid for everyone out of his own pocket), but that had never stopped the cantankerous older man from chewing him out for using the galley.
~ • ~ • ~ Seth followed her lune of sight until he spotted the man in question. "Gotcha. Aidan! The guy you need to talk to us the other way."
Aidan, too excited to stand around and wait, had already set out in the wrong direction. But he looked back at Seth's call and changed course to head where Seth pointed him. Seth followed with Anya and the puppies.
~ • ~ • ~ ( Apparently not this one. xD Perfect! Ooh, I can't wait for this now. Morgan's gonna get a chance to show how badass he can be. xD )
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Oct 28, 2020 20:41:59 GMT -5
"Oh, by all means, yeah let's not make him mad," Parker replied. He wasn't sure how good any one else's cooking would be, but he was very partial to the creations that Cillian could produce. It'd be a real tragedy if they lost him.
~*~*~
Mr. Comwell, who had been in the middle of talking with one of the other farmers entering the competition, turned and looked down at the kid who had tugged on his shirt. "And what can I do for you?" he asked, turning so he was facing Aidan. He noticed Star and the puppy he had walking on the leashes and could take a wild guess, but he waited for him to answer before making an assumption.
~*~*~
(Oh, then yes, lets go with that. ^^ )
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Oct 28, 2020 21:13:13 GMT -5
"Indeed." Sol chuckled and shook his head. "Come on." He led the way up to the main deck. Just before he reached the top of the stairs, he reached forward and gave a playful tug on Apollo's tail. The dog spun around and lunged at the offending hand with a playful growl. Sol moved his hand and used it as a distraction while the other snaked around and poked him in the ribs. Apollo spun that way, and his teeth caught hold of Sol's forearm. Without breaking skin, he tried to yank Sol off his feet. Sol responded by grabbing Apollo's leg and tripping him. The dog went down, then rolled right onto his back and looked up at Sol with a doggy grin. Sol laughed at him. "Yeah, sorry pal. I'm not bending that far." Apollo seemed to consider that for a moment, then huffed and rolled back onto his feet.
~ • ~ • ~ Aidan put on his most polite expression. "I would like to compete in the herding competition. Please and thank you," he added.
~ • ~ • ~ ( All right, but first, quick question: how is Lawrence/Morgan going to hear about Kyra's situation? Does she get a 911 call out just before getting caught, or do the bad guys try to entice the Rebels out by letting the word out that they have a Rebel in captivity? )
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Oct 29, 2020 8:37:25 GMT -5
Parker followed up the stairs and nearly walked into Sol as he took a second to play with Apollo. It was clear this was regular occurrence by how both dog and owner were actinging, and it brought an amused smile to his face.
~•~•~
"Well, I don't see why not. Although," Mr. Comwell started, crouching down as if to inspect the puppy he had with him, "I don't think you're going to herd many sheep with this little one." There was a joking tone to his words, and he couldn't resist the chance to tease. He did it with all the kids entering the competition.
~•~•~
(I was thinking maybe there was another supporter in the village that saw Kyra get arrested/captured and sent word to the camp. Or, if you want, we could say they try to lure more Rebel members out into the open by taking her enchanted paper and writing a false report and pretending to be her. But there might be a secret code or phrase she always includes when she sends reports, so when it's not used, Lawrence knows something's gone wrong. He could send a runner to find Ian to go help her, but Morgan could be with him when he gets the orders and takes off before Ian can.)
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Oct 29, 2020 13:39:30 GMT -5
Sol gave his now standing dog a good pat, which made Artemis jealous so he had to give her love too before turning to Parker. His grin could almost be described as sheepish. "All right, we can go for real now. Oh, wait. Wait here." He headed for his rooms, called over his shoulder, "That applies to you too, Artemis," which stopped the dog in her tracks. Looking truly offended, she sat down where she was and watched him disappear into his room. Her gaze never wavered from the door until he reappeared a minute later. With three frisbees in his hand.
Apollo immediately became excited. His body quivered with it, and he started whining, but he kept waiting until Sol stopped and met his gaze and held up one of the frisbees. "You want this?" Apollo barked. Sol grinned. "Then go get it." He tossed it the length of the deck, and Apollo shot after it.
Sol returned to Parker's side, his eyes on the deck where Apollo had been — where there was now some good claw marks marring the otherwise pristine deck. "Hm. Might need to add a trip to the groomer to our list of things to do today." He shot a mock accusatory look at Apollo, who was retuning proudly with his prize. "Or just stop spoiling you."
~ • ~ • ~ Aidan frowned, not catching the tease. He was unused to adults treating him like a kid rather than a menace. "I'm not competing with him, he's too little and still needs training. Star is my teammate. She's his mom. She's really good."
~ • ~ • ~ ( I like it. I would just suggest one little modification because I got ahead of myself and the last half of my post doesn't match this brilliant idea. xD Let's say Lawrence is really good at reading people (not too much of a stretch for a spymaster) so he knows Morgan is the kind of person to take off on a whim to rescue the people he cares about. So, to keep him from doing that and possibly blowing the Rebels' cover, he summons Morgan to his tent to give him an easy little task or mission to distract him while Ian is being told of the situation with Kyra. Only, Morgan is Morgan, and he's only so predictable, so he goes the "wrong" way to Lawrence's tent and passes Ian, therefore learning of the kidnapped Kyra and ruining all of Lawrence's plans by going after her anyway. Does that make sense? xD)
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Oct 29, 2020 16:48:21 GMT -5
Parker had to laugh at it all. "I believe you spoil him more than I do," he commented.
(It's bad, I know. I'm sorry. >.< )
~•~•~
(Lol, I like it. Of course, Comwell would have known Anya and her family, so I don't think he would suspect Aidan's is hers, at least not once he releases who she is. However, he won't know he isn't Seth's or that him and Anya aren't married. After the way they've acted, I'm sure most would think they're together and Seth certainly acts like his dad. So I say we still do it. XD)
Comwell noticed his joke went over the kid head, but he didn't point it out. "Well, that would certainly make more sense," he said, looking over to Star. He nodded approvingly. "She's a fine dog, she is. I think she'll do well." He stood up once more and grabbed the clipboard he had set down on a haybale beside him. "What's your name, kid?"
~•~•~
(Lol, that's a Morgan action if I ever heard it. XD Do it.)
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Oct 29, 2020 18:28:34 GMT -5
"Well, I've certainly been spoiling him longer. You spoil him more frequently, though. This —" Sol lifted a second frisbee, causing Apollo to abruptly drop the one on his mouth, eyes locked on the new one. "Is a rare treat." Then, despite the claw marks in his deck, he threw the frisbee. Apollo bolted after it. Sol picked up the one he'd dropped. "Let's finish this on the beach. You can even go swimming if you want."
( It's all good. We can kinda skim over the rest of their say if you want, and if there's nothing interesting you want to happen. ^^ )
~ • ~ • ~ ( xD Well, he can think it for a minute at least. It'll still be enough to make the whole thing totally awkward for Seth and Anya. 🤣 )
"Aidan Quinn, age eight," Aidan replied promptly. He pet Star's head. "And Star."
~ • ~ • ~ ( On it! ;D
Okay, this is kind of a dozy, but you like those so oh well. xD )
Morgan's week hurt, mentally, physically, and emotionally. He couldn't stop thinking about Kyra and everything still left unsaid between them. He hadn't seen her at all, which did and didn't help. He was worried about her, yet kind of glad she was away because it took away the temptation to find her and apologize. He still stood by his belief that he had nothing to apologize for, but the longer he went without seeing her, the harder it became to hold on to his resolve.
The only bright spot during his dark days came from the most surprising source: Callum. He wasn't exactly supportive — like, not at all — but it was clear he was on Morgan's side about the whole thing. Not that Morgan had actually told him much of anything. He just told Callum that he and Kyra had a fight and left it at that. Callum never asked for details, and he even went so far as to help Morgan keep Cresseida and Cami ignorant to it. Morgan had a sinking suspicion Cresseida wasn't fooled — she knew Morgan almost as well as she knew her own kids — but she never let on that she knew anything or asked, so it didn't bother Morgan too much.
Callum had also taken to dragging Morgan to the training grounds every morning for a very thorough workout. It was mostly sparing and swordplay, with the occasional verbal combat to go along with it. Callum never laughed or even cracked a smile at anything Morgan said, not even if it was comedy gold, but he gave as good as he got and often left Morgan puzzling over the guy. He was even more complicated than his brother, and that was saying something.
Morgan learned quickly just how well-trained Callum really was. In a word: very. His training wasn't as well-rounded as Morgan's — he knew only swordplay and hand-to-hand combat, whereas Morgan could kick ass with almost every weapon known to man — but what he did know, he knew well. Morgan would even go so far as to say he was better at the hand-to-hand stuff. Morgan was definitely better with a sword, but Callum could hold his own for longer than most, and he only got better with every practice.
They were also learning more about Callum's abilities — which, Callum admitted one night when Morgan wouldn't stop pestering him, he knew very little about. He knew the basics: he was stronger and faster than most humans, nearing the edge Riders had over others; his senses were sharper, his reflexes nearly unmatched. But he didn't know the extent of any of it, if it was or would get stronger with time. And he said he knew for a fact that there were things he could do that he had no idea about. Apparently, he never got that far in his lessons with his still unnamed mentor. (When Morgan tried to broach that subject, Callum mercilessly brought up Kyra. Message received, Morgan didn't try bringing up Callum's mystery teacher again.)
He did, however, ask a different question one day after a particularly hardcore practice.
"Callum, why are you being nice to me?"
Callum stopped what he was doing to give Morgan a look that was becoming very familiar: his, "are you stupid" look. Morgan found himself on the receiving end of that look a lot. "I'm not being nice. I'm being me."
Morgan blinked. "Oookay. Let me rephrase. Why are you suddenly being more you with me and less… asshole?"
There was a pause for that one, another quirk Morgan was learning meant Callum was about to say something brutally honest. "You speak your mind and you're not afraid to express yourself. I respect that. Though it also makes me question your relationship with closed-off people like Kyra. And Seth."
Morgan didn't want to talk about Kyra, so he ignored that part and focused on Seth. "Seth expresses himself plenty. He's just had to tamp down on some of it and play a role to keep those he loves safe. But he does speak his mind. You should have heard him chew Genevieve out that time she knowingly sent him into a bad situation that turned into an actual trap."
Callum didn't look impressed, but then, he never did. In fact, Morgan was starting to realize that the less Callum showed, the more he was feeling. "Fascinating. So what's Kyra's excuse then?"
Morgan sighed. It seemed Callum's indifference on the matter was finally fading. He rubbed his forehead. "It's complicated. Most of her reasons aren't public knowledge, so I wouldn't feel right telling you, even if I could figure out how."
He felt a sudden sharp stab of longing for Seth. Seth always knew how to talk to Kyra when Morgan pushed too many emotional buttons. Seth understood Kyra's aversion to emotion in a way Morgan just couldn't. He understood the principle of it, but not the justification. Hiding from his emotions had never worked for him the same way it did Seth and Kyra. Morgan figured it was because they started experiencing negative emotions a lot earlier in life. Other than pointless toddler tantrums, the first time Morgan ever felt anything but happy was when his mother died. Before that, he had eight years of pure happiness. Eight years may not be a lot in the long run, but it had been enough. Besides, he loved his mother too much to turn his back on his emotions, good or bad.
Callum, much like his brother, saw too much and had been watching Morgan too close for comfort. Morgan tried to change the subject. "So, that girl last night. Did you end up going back to her tent with her?"
After almost a week of pestering, Morgan finally convinced Callum to go to the bar the night before. Callum had been a grumpy, gloomy Gus the whole time, which of course had all the ladies flocking to Mr. Tall, Dark, and Broody. Morgan hadn't seen any sign that Callum enjoyed the attention, but he also hadn't seen Callum turn any of them away. One more piece to add to the puzzle that was Callum Vera. Morgan still wasn't anywhere near figuring out how to put that particular puzzle together.
Callum's only response was the "are you stupid" stare.
Morgan took that as a no. "Bummer. So if you didn't go to her place, where were you last night?"
This time, Callum pretended to be distracted by something behind Morgan. At least, Morgan thought he was pretending, until his eyes narrowed and his body went tense. Morgan turned around.
An older man was marching toward them, and he looked thunderous. Morgan shared a glance with Callum. "What did you do now?"
Callum glared. "Why are you pointing fingers at me?"
"Because you were the one picking fights on your first day here, and you're the one who was MIA last night."
Aaaand the look was back. Morgan had to wonder if Callum only looked at him like that to disguise his boundless amusement.
On second thought, probably not. More likely, Callum gave him that look to resist the urge to punch him.
The man reached them then, leaving Callum no chance to respond — if he was even planning to. One of his favorite forms of torture was to simply ignore Morgan. Being ignored was always more insulting than getting any kind of look, even a negative one.
"Morgan Reilly," the man barked.
Morgan barely resisted the urge to stand up straight and salute. Instead, he just arched a brow. "That's me. What can I do for you?"
The man's eyes narrowed, and he seemed to be considering leaving instead of answering. "Lawrence wants to see you. Now."
Morgan looked around. "Does he? Then where is he?"
The man clenched his jaw. "In his tent," he ground out. "Where you need to be. Now."
Morgan sighed. "See now, there's the problem. I know I'm a badass with a killer reputation —" He earned a snort from Callum for that one. "— but even I can't get from point A to point B." He snapped his fingers. "Now." He spread his hands helplessly. "Sorry, buddy."
The man looked like he wanted to hit him. A glance at Callum said he would love to see the guy try. That didn't happen, however. The man simply spoke with forced patience. "Well then, let me rephrase. Lawrence wants to see you, as soon as you can possibly get there."
Morgan grinned. "Now that I can do." He started to turn, but stopped as a thought occurred to him. "Why does he want to see me?"
The man gave a mocking smile. "Go ask Lawrence." He added, almost too low to hear, "You stupid punk."
Morgan took no offense to the comment. He had acted like a punk — granted, he thought he was more of a smartass punk, but whatever — so it didn't bother him to be called on his shit.
Callum, however, apparently took great offense to it.
He moved so fast he was a blur. Morgan had very good eyes, better even than most Riders, and even he barely saw Callum move. One second he was standing beside Morgan, then next he was executing a flawless right hook that sent the man reeling. He would have gone right to the ground but Callum, still moving remarkably fast, caught up a handful of the man's shirt and yanked him back upright. He got right in the man's face and snarled, "Keep your judgment to yourself, you pompous ass, or I will shove your tongue down your effing throat. You got me?"
The man nodded, wide-eyed. If Morgan wasn't already floored by having Callum defend him, he would have been shocked by the fear in the poor man's eyes.
Callum shoved him away. "Then beat it before I decide to take a test run."
The man had probably never moved faster in his life.
After a long moment of silence, Morgan cleared his throat. "Uh, Callum? Thanks, but that really wasn't necessary —"
"Can it, Reilly," Callum snapped. "I wasn't defending you."
Morgan blinked. "Uh… then who were you defending?"
Callum growled and stalked past him. "None of your damn business. Drop it."
Morgan turned to stare after him, but he didn't follow. He didn't fancy being the next person Callum punched. He watched until Callum took a turn that put him out of sight, then headed off toward Lawrence's tent, puzzling over this new piece of Callum he had been shown.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Oct 29, 2020 20:53:57 GMT -5
(Lol, yeah, we can skim.i kind of want Parker to meet Rita, but at the same time, if we do the whole "you're sitting in my spot," scene between them (where he finds Rita in Sol's lap, I feel like that would be something that the two of them would be a couple for Parker to do. So other than that, no, I have nothing else planned.)
~•~•~
Comwell wrote the names and age down before smiling at the boy. "Alright, Aidan, you're all set. Best of luck to you and Star," he said, offering a hand to the young boy. He glanced up briefly, catching sight of Seth and Anya approaching with puppies of their own. He nodded to them and asked Aidan, "Are these your parents here?"
~•~•~
(I love them, but it might be a bit to write up a response. XD
Lol, Callum does care for Morgan! Awww! X3)
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Oct 30, 2020 8:31:48 GMT -5
(Excellent. XD will they end up going clothes shopping?)
~•~•~
Anya was just as surprised by the question, but she, unlike Seth, wasn't floored by it. Instead, she gave a small laugh. "I don't think I'm old enough to be his mother, Mr. Comwell," she replied.
Comwell took a second look at her. "Oh, why that is you, Anya. It's been a while," he said, laughing it off. They said you was back, back I haven't seen you around." He nodded to Seth. "Though you I haven't met. Sorry for the confusion. I saw the puppies and I assumed he was yours."
~•~•~
(Good, cause it might take a while. XD
A very funny way indeed. 😆)
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Oct 30, 2020 9:44:22 GMT -5
( Probably. I had this idea where up front Sol would just buy a few outfits for Parker, and then in secret buy anything and everything Parker showed an interest in. xD Unless you think Parker would show interest in a lot of things? )
~ • ~ • ~ Too young to be Aidan's mom maybe, but Seth wasn't too young to be his dad. Granted, he knew for a fact he wasn't — wasn't anyone's dad, thankfully — but the idea that he could be was kind of nerve-wracking. As much as Seth liked kids, he hadn't given much thought to having his own, beyond: don't knock up the one night stands. That had more to do with Genevieve and his living under her thumb than anything, but he also hadn't been in a place where he wanted to commit to any one person.
Aidan's comment was the other reason for his silence. Seth hadn't realized Aidan saw him that way, and it left him floundering in a wave of emotion he wasn't ready for. He recognized that most of them were good, but it was the not so good ones that left him quiet and his stomach in knots.
Seth forced that from his mind before it could ruin his day and focused on the positives. He reached out and ruffled Aidan's. The boy batted it away, smiling.
Seth tuned back in to the conversation when he he found Mr. Comwell's attention directed at him. "Hm? Oh. No, not mine, though I have been helping him out. He's a good kid."
~ • ~ • ~ ( Don't worry about it. 😜
xD Yeah, but I kinda like it. It's always fun to write. xD )
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Oct 30, 2020 14:59:02 GMT -5
( Aye, aye! ;D )
~ • ~ • ~ Aidan shook his head. "No. Sir," he added after a beat. "Thank you." He led Star and his puppy toward where they could now see the rest of the junior class. Aidan was by far the smallest kid there, but he didn't let any of the bigger kids intimidate him. He also didn't acknowledge any of them, and instead walked right by to sit by himself under a tree.
Seth said his own thanks to Comwell and followed Aidan. He bent to scoop a puppy out of the way, then sat beside Aidan and placed the puppy in his lap. It only stayed there for a bit before hopping down to play with his siblings. Seth barely noticed. "You okay, bud?"
Aidan shrugged, his attention on the knot in Star's fur he was working out. Seth didn't push him. He waited him out, occupying himself by playing with the puppies. He stopped the moment Aidan started talking. "What kind of friends are you and Anya?"
Seth frowned. Not exactly what he was expecting. "What do you mean?"
Aidan shrugged again. "Like, are you boyfriend and girlfriend? Or best friends? Or friends with benefits?"
Seth shot him a startled look. "Where did you hear that from?"
And yet another shrug. "Cindy Watson. She lives by the bakery." He pointed, and Seth followed the gesture to a young girl a few years older than Aidan. She was among the waiting kids, a well-behaved black and white Border collie at her side. Aidan went back to combing Star's fur. "Her mom said I needed to find a friend with benefits, cause that was the only way I would ever get any." He frowned. "What does that mean?"
Seth choked out a sound that was almost a laugh. "Ah… how about I answer that when you're a little older?"
Aidan finally looked up at him. "Why?" The innocence in his stormy blue eyes made Seth want to laugh. Or blush. He changed the subject.
"You'll know why when I explain. Does what Cindy Watson's mother said have anything to do with why you're sitting over here and not hanging with the other kids?"
Aidan dropped his gaze. "I don't like hanging out with them. They always bring up my parents, and say mean stuff about why they're not here."
Seth flinched as if hit by a physical blow. He swallowed hard. "Oh. I'm sorry, bud."
Aidan shrugged once more and looked up with a smile. "It's okay. I like hanging out with you better anyway."
Seth had a hard time smiling back, but thankfully Aidan didn't seem to notice. "Thanks. I like hanging out with you too."
~ • ~ • ~ ( I feel that way about one character or another at least once at day. xD )
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Oct 30, 2020 19:14:18 GMT -5
(You still got the starter, or do you want me to write it?)
~*~*~
(And there it is! Ciindy's mom is a total Karen, and you can't convince me otherwise. XD)
Anya said a farewell to Comwell as well before following the boys to the tree. She heard the conversation between Seth and Aidan, and chose not to say anything. Mainly because this time she was flustered by the question and she had no idea how to answer. Apparently, neither did Seth, for he never actually answered Aidan's question. Of course, she couldn't blame him what with the topic of more or less being bullied by the other kids came up. "Aidan, I know I don't speak for my parents, and you may not think of us this way, but you are welcomed to claim us as your family if they ever bother you too much," Anya told him. "My mother loves you, and my brothers like you well enough. If you need them, any one of them would help you. It doesn't replace your parents, I know, but you do have a family if you need one to claim."
~*~*~
(Okay, so here's what I thought of to as to why she's been captured. While she was gone, Genevieve's man convinced the Governor to be on Genevieve's side all with the offer of having one of the lower Order Rider's to be stationed in Garreth and to work for the Governor however he might see fit. All he had to do in return is to help them catch the Rebel spy he had been talking with, or whoever they might send in her stead. Fairst agrees because who wouldn't want to have a Dragon Rider and dragon at their disposal? So, he sets things up and has three Goons waiting in the small town for word that the spy had returned.)
Hiding from Morgan was much easier for Kyra than it was for him to hide from her. For starters, she wasn’t even in the camp for most of the following week. After the disastrous morning after their escaped, Kyra spoked with Lawrence and told him that she would be ready to leave for Garreth in under an hour. When questioned as to why the sudden change in decision and her choice of waiting to hear what would be done to find Seth, she merely stated that waiting around for a response wasn’t going to make things happen faster. The leader of the Rebels was a busy man, and anytime he was called out to one of the smaller camps, it usually took a week or two. Kyra figured she’d have the job done by then and back before he got there.
And so, within the hour, she had packed up her things, borrowed a horse, and was gone without even saying goodbye to anyone. Well, that part wasn’t true. She did cross paths with Isayo (I forgot how you spelled it. XD) on her way to the make-shift stable. Yet their conversation was short and sweet, like many others that they had have had in the past. There was no prying questions, no advice to stop and think about things before she left. Not even a lecture saying how she deserved some time off. That’s one reason why she enjoyed the werecat’s company.
The journey to the city of Garreth was uneventful, which sucked. There was only so much planning and prepping one could do. And since no one was going with her, she didn’t have anyone to fill the empty silence. It took conscious effort not to think of Morgan and the words he spoke to her, to feel the sting that was his rebuke. Of course, she was aware of all of the things he had pointed out, but nothing she did would make him understand her reasoning behind it. His life had started out under much different circumstances. He had often spoke fondly of his childhood, growing up with his mother and the carefree adventures and raising he had had. It was hard for her to imaging living such a life, where the affection of one’s family came without a price or conditions. Really, she would even be fine with having any memories of her mother before she had died. Yet only being four when she passed, Kyra’s mind only held blurry bits and pieces of the woman. Instead, care she received was the care of her sister, if “care” was even the correct term.
But that wasn’t what she needed to focus on. It took two days of heavy riding to make it to Garreth. When she arrived, everything appeared as it had been before she left. First thing she did was inquire around about Genevieve’s man that had been traveling through. From what she could gather, he had moved on, but she wasn’t taking much chances. On the third day, after some much needed rest, she paid a visit to the Governor. It was an unexpected visit, which meant less time for anyone to inform the Order member if he was still in the city that she was here. After a bit of persuading (or light threatening of the steward of the house), she was let in to meet with the Governor. Long story short, she was able to gain the aid of the city in a matter of four hours, hashing out all the details and setting up a means of contact. Then, with her job done, she retired to her room in a local inn for the rest of the day. Normally she would have went out for drinks, but she couldn’t bring herself to do that. Why? She didn’t want to think about it. So instead, she just order an early dinner via room service, and called it a night.
Around nine in the morning, as she was gathering her things to head back to camp, there was a knock on the door. Kyra, who wasn’t expecting company, cautiously opened the door, one hand drawing a knife from her belt. However, the person standing in the hallway was only the Governor’s steward. “Good morning, Miss Kyra,” he greeted, “I was hoping to catch you before you left. May I come in?”
“I have a few minutes if you can talk fast,” Kyra replied, stepping out of the way to let the man in.
“Don’t worry, I won’t take up too much time,” the steward assured. When he was in the room with the door shut behind him, he continued. “Gov. Fairst wanted me to ask if you would mind making a stop on your way back to your camp. There’s a smaller town that lies to the west of here, Bell’s Mill, small town. He thought that it might be easier to set up meetings with you and any trade arrangements there outside of the busy city here. He has asked that you look at it yourself so you know if it will be something you can agree to and find satisfactory.”
Well, that wasn’t part of the plan. Kyra thought it over. Lawrence would like to know of this right away. After all, she wouldn’t be the one to agree on it since she wouldn’t be the one to organize the supply trades. Yet she wasn’t in any rush to get back, and it would be good to have a full report on the place before she brought it up to Lawrence. So she nodded.
“I’ll ride by there and check it out,” Kyra agreed. “Then I’ll pass it along to my superiors. Tell the Governor he’ll receive an answer to the offer soon.”
“Excellent. When you get there, ask for Dawson. He’s the head of the town. Tell him that Fairst sent you. You should have no trouble from there.”
“Thank you, I’ll be sure to do so.”
“Then I bid you a good day, Miss Kyra.” And with that, the steward left the same way he had come.
And that was how Kyra found herself in sleepy little Bell’s Mill, walking her horse down the dirt road in search of this Dawson’s house. Truth be told, it was out of the way, away from a lot of heavy traffic. There were pros and cons about the place, but she would let Lawrence make the final decision about it being a good spot to use. After asking around, she found the house in question. She tied up her horse outside and walked up to the door, knocking on it three or four times. Then waited. Ten seconds later, a man in his early thirties opened the door, greeting her with a smile.
“Hello there, what can I do for you?” he asked in a polite manner.
Kyra nodded a greeting. “I’m looking for Dawson. Gov. Fairst said he was expecting me to drop by.”
“Ah, yes, that’s me. Come on inside, please.”
Kyra hesitated a second. Things were going exactly as she had been told they would, which made her suspicious. After all the struggles she had at the beginning of this job, it made her a little wary. Yet she couldn’t just change her mind now. The woman stepped inside, nearly regretting the decision as the door closed, trapping her inside.
“If you’ll follow me, my office is down the hall. Sorry about the mess. My wife’s gone for the week visiting family, and I tend to slack on the chores when she’s not around,” Dawson said, leading the way down the hall. There was a door the right, which was possibly the sitting area. She glanced that way as she walked by, but nothing grabbed her attention. If only she had looked harder.
Just as soon as she passed the door, a third set of footsteps could be heard. Yet before she had a chance to turn and inspect, something heavy collided with the back of her head. She hit the floor, knocked out.
The two men, Dawson and the new attacker, made quick work tying her hands and dragging her to the office. A third man walked into the house, carrying her bag with him which he took from her saddle. Together, they searched through her belongings until they found what they were after: her paper. They knew what it would do, and they wasted no time writing up a report in which to send to the spymaster of the Rebels.
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Oct 30, 2020 20:52:51 GMT -5
Their trip started at the beach, where Sol spent over half an hour throwing a frisbee for his dogs. Between thows he made them do tricks and basic obedience, to work their minds as well as their bodies. Afterward, he made good on his threat and brought them both to the groomer. They needed a good grooming anyway. With fall sweeping in, they had both started shedding their summer coats and growing their winter ones. Sol got the works for both of them: bath and thorough brushing, as well as nail trimming, teeth brushing, and ear cleaning. He left them in the capable hands of the groomers while he took Parker shopping.
He bought several nice yet sturdy outfits that Parker picked out, clothes for comfort and work more than anything, but he also purchased a few nicer outfits that he noticed Parker liked. Parker just wasn't aware of those purchases. Sol also made sure to get him better shoes that would have good traction on a wet deck, and an overcoat for warmth. When the weather started turning cold, you always noticed it earlier out on the ocean than you did on land.
After that, Sol took them both to lunch at one of his favorite diners. They took their time eating and talking, then headed back to the groomer to get the dogs, before finishing the afternoon with Sol's errands.
He started with the post office, mailing letters to his contacts and potential employers who would pay good money for the use of Sol and his ship and crew. After that he did more shopping, this time in a more businesslike manner. He bought things for ship and crew, but rarely explained what or who for.
By the time everything was done, the day was nearing a close. Sol was taking Parker the long way back to the docks when he paused to ask, "Would you like to eat dinner with me, or back on the ship?"
~ • ~ • ~ ( I wouldn't dream of it. xD )
Seth was startled when Anya spoke up, mostly because he hadn't even realized she was there. That never happened. Seth was very hard to sneak up on, and he was pretty sure Anya hadn't even been sneaking. So what the what? He tried to figure out how he hadn't noticed her presence while Aidan gave her his attention.
He blinked owlishly at her for a minute, clearly as surprised by her confession as Seth was by her presence. "Oh," he said. Then, as if coming to a decision, he went over to her and gave her a hug. "Okay."
That pulled Seth from his thoughts. He looked on with a smile. His gaze briefly caught Anya's, but he looked away before she could read him and feigned distraction by the puppies.
~ • ~ • ~ ( Awesome post! ;D Now... how long does it take for Lawrence to figure out? )
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Oct 31, 2020 9:28:42 GMT -5
Hanging out the entire day with Sol was much better than it had been with Mason and Quill. Don't get him wrong, he enjoyed their company and would gladly spend days with them, but he much rather preferred the company of the captain. Mainly for the dogs.
There was no resisting the urge to join in the play while walking the beach. Parker hadn't had many chances to find himself on the shoreline, and having frisbee games with both Artemis and Apollo was just too much fun to pass up. The water looked inviting, but with the weather changing, he thought better than to kick off his shoes and test it out. He wasn't one for the cold.
With the dogs at the groomers, Parker was a little surprised that Sol actually took him shopping. The protest he offered fell on deaf ears, and there was no getting out of it. It wasn't that he didn't like shopping or that he didn't want to. Really, he just didn't want Sol to have to pay for everything. He was already taking care of meals at bars and his return trip home. He shouldn't have to pay for everything else. So the outfits he allowed the captain to buy his were all functional and suitable for work on both land and sea, including the boots and coat. He was more excited for the coat if he was to be honest, what with his aversion to the cold weather and all. Already the nights were getting chilly out on the boat, and he was grateful to have the extra layer of clothing.
The rest of the afternoon blurred together nicely as they had lunch, retrieved the dogs, and finished the errands that Sol had mentioned that morning. It was mundane tasks, but it was nice to have a calm day. It reminded him of the off days he would get with Anya to just roam and do whatever. The thought sent an aching pain of longing through him, but he kept it to himself. Luckily, Sol's question helped to distract him from it. "We can go get dinner," he answered with a smile. Then added jokingly, "You're not going to leave me with a flirty barmaid, are you? I think once was enough for one week."
~*~*~
Anya hadn't been expecting anything from Aidan when she made the offer. She just wanted the boy to know that he wasn't on his own here anymore. Yeah, he had Seth and her, but what would happen if they ever had to leave? She didn't think Aidan would be able to come if they had to flee quickly if Genevieve found them, and she wanted him to know that the Dorreh household was still going to be there for him if they couldn't. So when he only gave the one worded reply and gave her a hug, that was enough for her. The woman hugged him back. "Besides, I know for a fact that Cindy's mom is just jealous because she doesn't have any friends of her own. So don't pay much attention to what she says. She enjoys making fun of people."
~*~*~
(I think Lawrence would know something's wrong right away since 1. Kyra didn't use the safe code, and 2. the handwriting doesn't match hers. I'm sure he has samples of all his spies' handwriting for moments just like this. However, it might take a day to figure out the right threat. He doesn't want to send the wrong reinforcements and risk more lives if it's serious, and doesn't want to send a Rider if it's nothing major. The letter would have been sent midday on the forth day she's been gone, so maybe the fifth day he starts getting a plan into action. Maybe we can even say that the Goons wrote a second letter, getting impatient when he didn't respond right away, giving him a better understanding of what they're trying to do.)
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Oct 31, 2020 10:58:51 GMT -5
( Did you know, alcohol doesn't actually make you forget anything? Once you drink certain amount, it actually just shuts off the part of your brain that stores events to memory. )
Sol thought about it for a minute. Teirm was full of good places to eat, and over the years Sol had tried most of them. He went through a mental list, then compared his top choices to his mental map of the city to see which was closest. The result was a nice little restaurant a few blocks away. It was one of Sol's favorites, and as often happened when he took a liking to someplace, he was well-known there.
He was greeted warmly by the restaurant owner, who was on his way out when Sol and Parker walked in, and they spoke with each other for a few minutes until the man, Henry, gave himself a shake. "Would you look at us? Being so rude. I could have sworn we were raised better. Who's your friend, and why haven't you introduced us already?"
"Because I've been too busy answering all your questions," Sol replied good-naturedly. "Henry, this is Parker. Parker, Henry. He's an old friend."
"Hey now, I'm not old." There was a pause, where Sol just looked at him while he tried not to laugh. He wasn't an old man yet, no, but he was certainly old enough to be both boys' father. In the end, Sol won the stare off as Henry laughed. "All right, fine. I'm old...er." Sol rolled his eyes. Henry turned to Parker and offered a hand. "Well, it's very nice to meet you, Parker."
~ • ~ • ~ Aidan frowned. "I'm not worried. Just curious. I thought all friends were benefits. Why are some better than others? How do you tell when one is? Does benefits have another meaning I don't know about?"
Seth wrapped his arm playfully around Aidan and pulled him into a ticklish embrace. "Yes, it does, and you're not allowed to know the extra meaning until you can tell me girls don't have cooties — and mean it," he added when Aidan opened his mouth. The boy closed it again. Seth smirked. "That's what I thought. Now, stop pestering Anya and start getting ready for your competition."
Aidan wiggled out of his grasp and stood up. "Okay. But you never answered my other question."
Seth leaned back on one elbow and stretched out his legs, eyes narrowed as he thought back through their conversation. The only question he hadn't answered was the one he didn't have an answer for. He avoided looking at Anya as he said, "I don't know, bud. I'll let you know when I figure it out, okay?"
Aidan considered that, then nodded. "Okay. Come on, Star!" And he was off, to practice and see his competition in action.
~ • ~ • ~ ( Okay. So should I just go ahead and have Morgan overhear a conversation he's not supposed to, or should Lawrence accidentally let something slip? )
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Oct 31, 2020 21:53:12 GMT -5
(Whatever that amount is, Parker reaches it every time. XD he has no control.)
Parker followed Sol like one of the dogs. Sure he could have asked more questions, but be kind of liked the not knowing. It was a mini adventure in of itself. Of course, had the trip taken a long time he might have questioned if Sol still knew where he was going, but that didn't happen this time around. They reached the dinner and no doubt ran into a man who knew the captain. Parker waited patiently and silent a little bit behind Sol while he talked, not wanting to interrupt.
"It's nice to meet you too, Henry," Parker greeted with a smile as he returned the hand shake, taking a liking to his easy manner.
~•~•~
Anya watched Aidan go, shaking her head slightly. "Yeah, I thought I'd have at least eighteen or twenty more years before having to explain these things to a kid," she said, laughing slightly.
~•~•~
(Eityer or, whichever works for you. You can have him overhear the tail end of his conversation with Ian when he gets to Lawrence's tent, or Lswrence might let something slip while talking to Morgan. Which ever you like best.)
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Nov 1, 2020 14:23:40 GMT -5
( Silly boi. xD Don't worry, Sol will teach you control. ;D )
Henry blinked, startled and impressed. "Ah, a farm boy, are ya? What're you doing way out here, if you don't mind my asking?"
"Besides getting dinner?" Sol asked.
Henry just smacked his arm. "Quiet, you. You know the missus is no doubt already making your favorites. Now, Parker, you were saying?"
~ • ~ • ~ Seth chuckled dryly. "I wasn't expecting to do it at all, ever."
~ • ~ • ~ ( How about both? Like, Morgan arrives to hear the tail end of Lawrence's conversation with Ian, which gives him enough to make him curious and wary, and then he uses a bit of his stellar acting skills to make Lawrence think he knows more than he does, which causes Lawrence to slip up and give Morgan exactly what he's after? )
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 1, 2020 17:07:22 GMT -5
(I mean, he does have control if he knows there's no one there to supervise him. But if he knows there's someone that's going to make sure he doesn't complete ruin himself, yeah, he's getting turnt up. XD)
Parker laughed slightly as his accent gave him away. "It's a bit of a long story actually," he said. "Short version is Sol here fished me off a slave ship bound elsewhere. I'm just freeloading on the ship now until I get back home." Of course, he was joking, but it was better than going into all the little details.
~•~•~
"What? Never thought of having kids of your own?" Anya asked. "Besides, with you hanging out with Isla's group of kids, I'm sure one of them would be bound to ask you about it sooner or later. So I don't think you would never have to explain it."
~•~•~
(I like it! Sounds like a good plan!)
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