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DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Eleanora Riley Nordstroem on March 18, 2020 at 22:46

She naturally scrunched up her nose the moment that he called her little miss, shaking her head because if anyone else had called her that she would have probably kicked their ass but she knew he was just being his usual goofy self, she was starting to get used to the way he was “And there’s the catch, no one wants to make the effort, though I suppose I could blame me too, it’s not like I made the effort back either” she tended to just keep people at a distance because that honestly felt easier to her. She nodded thoughtfully at the way he explained how he saw the way people saw themselves “I think people assume that I’m tougher than I really am” she commented with a laugh, it did hurt her when people didn’t make the effort to know her, it did bother her when they dismissed her and assumed things about her because of the tabloids but letting those things get to her felt like weakness and she hated feeling weak.

“Oh so you’re a good boy too?” she laughed softly, that didn’t surprise her actually, he seemed like the type who wanted to make others happy and would probably shift his own self to do so, which she supposed made them complete opposites of one another. Strange that they would end up being kind of friends. “Does your mom ever come to visit?” it seemed like the distance bothered him, she did wonder a little why he didn’t just go back there to be with his family rather than constantly missing them but she was sure he had his reasons. Her expression softened a little as he spoke about being afraid of letting people in, she knew that feeling all too well “Won’t that be scary for both of us?” she asked when he proposed not wearing armor around one another. Honestly, it did terrify her, she wasn’t even sure what a version of her looked like around someone else without the...facade she tended to put up.

She did end up laughing a little at the double meaning which could be taken from his words though, especially because he realized what he said and then started rambling in case she had misunderstood him “Clothes on, armor off then?” she commented and tilted her head. Did she want to try? Perhaps, how bad could things turn out over a few days right? She did bite her lip softly when he mentioned the gossip blogs “Ah you saw those huh” she commented it softly, she hated them so much, she hated the person they painted her to be but mostly she hated that no matter what she did, her name was always more important to be used in some dating scandal or speculation about her personal life. “I kinda hope anyone who actually ever meets me knows how wrong they are” it was practically defamation but there was little she could do about it.

“Well I don’t mean the kind with a notebook and a pen and the stuffy awkwardness but” she bit softly on her lip for a moment, she might regret agreeing to this when she had no idea what he might ask about her or even what someone would actually want to know about her but she’d said it now so she had to go through with it “If there’s anything you want to know, just...ask” what was even worth knowing? She really was curious. She felt herself getting a little embarrassed by his reaction to her saying how many people she’d been with “I’m not sure I’d call my experience...actual experience, things never really felt...serious” she responded and then swallowed when he asked her if she was bored “I just never felt” she pressed her lips together “Like I wanted things to continue? I didn’t feel like I connected with someone beyond sex” that was something vulnerable to admit and it made her go quiet afterward, was she incapable of loving people?

She liked hearing him talk about his family, despite her own being a mess the idea of family was still something which made her happy and seeing how much he clearly loved his would never be a bad thing “I always wondered what I’d be like with a sibling if I had one” she commented and smiled softly “I like to think we’d be friends” but then she didn’t really have many friends at all so maybe she would scare them off too. “I like thanksgiving too, especially the food, I learned to make the best mac and cheese” she felt freer today, perhaps talking to him had helped to lift her spirits and little and take her mind off the holiday gloom. She widened her eyes when he put his hand out in front of hers and naturally she reached to take it, as he was pulling her up from the couch she listened to his eagerness and let out a genuine laugh “Wait wait, but I don’t have any decorations and the tree is plastic and kinda sad looking” she laughed softly, he definitely got points for enthusiasm though.

NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Julian Nathaniel Lockhart on March 22, 2020 at 16:12

He knew he was considered beyond lucky, why? He’s been teasing Nora and yet he was still there, no hits, no slaps, no glares, nothing. Had it been another person, he was sure they would’ve gotten the short end of the stick already. But not him, he probably should be grateful for that, and a part of him feels giddy because she proved his theory on being someone slightly more special than others. A friend, maybe? A really good friend? “Effort goes both ways though, so if A won’t do it or if B won’t do the same, things won’t go well. Take us for an example, you and me. I’m making the effort of getting to know you better and you haven’t blew me off” he winked playfully, only to hurry up with a quip before she could say another word, “Yet.” You do not test Eleanora Nordstroem, he learned that. “Is it easier to talk to me compared to others?” It was a genuine question to see how she feels to be around people.

 Julian wasn’t necessarily the extrovert, in fact, he’s an introvert if anything, but he was still fine. He would not glare at you and hope you go away. “I thought the same of you” he pointed out when Nora said people tend to think she’s a lot tougher than she looks, “And maybe that’s where they got it wrong. You are stronger than you look, but they forget beneath every person, their hearts were still beating.” There were plenty of hurtful comments about her in the comments section of every gossip blog he found but she was nothing like what they pictured her to be, he would know that. He’s her friend. “I like to be obedient” he shrugged, he only had his family, so he tried his best to maintain that good relationship between them. When asked if his mother ever came to visit, he nodded, “She visits when she could. She even came to Siberia the last time because I was stationed there. But she couldn’t travel all the time, that’ll be tiring” he chuckled, he was grateful to be granted such good parents, “So I try to go back when I can.” 

The suggestion about not wearing any armor when they were within each other’s vicinity made his cheeks flush slightly, especially when it seemed like she was reconsidering the options, “It doesn’t have to be scary” he encouraged gently, “It’s only scary if we see it to be something frightening. I trust you so I don’t fear anything” Except, maybe rejection. Julian wondered if she could sense his admiration for her. “Ah… yes, clothes on, armor off” he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, gosh he hoped he was red in embarrassment. She must’ve hated it, all those gossip blogs that practically had close to no context whatsoever, he read one and that was enough to make him close the laptop. “They’re all bull though, they don’t know anything about you. One of the tabloids even misspelled your name so... I wouldn’t put my cents on them at all.” That was a minimal effort to cheer her up since Julian wasn’t sure what he could do next. 

“They would know how wrong they are, most people don’t realize what they’re losing until they’ve lost it.” He was given the chance to ask what he wanted to ask her, but he couldn’t find himself to ask anything else when the atmosphere was so bright between them, “I’ll take it. Maybe not now. Tonight is supposed to be a festivity for tomorrow. But when I want to, I’ll ask. Right now, I’m content with what you’ve told me.” Julian who only had one relationship up to a point in his life should be the one who’s embarrassed but seeing Nora being that way made him grin. Cute. “Ah… I wouldn’t know, I was pretty much that hopeless romantic fool who wanted to impress his girl. Give her everything she wanted, even if it was a shoulder for support. In my yearbook, they said I was likely to be the one who got married first” he snickered, it felt so long ago. He was supposed to be the one who got married first. 

“Siblings would be both your friends and enemies, I swear. My sister once pranked me so bad I ended up in the hospital for 2 days. I was 9.” The dark-haired Nephilim was glad to see her happy, things felt like it was starting to turn out better. “Maybe you can teach me the recipe” he jested, a good recipe for mac and cheese sounds like a fair deal he couldn’t say no to. Once their hands were clasped together, Julian raised his eyebrows at her, “I have a Christmas tree back home. And I have the decorations too. I was supposed to fly out but since I couldn’t, I made sure I could celebrate at home. The only thing I lacked was the heating. I could go there and bring it here, it wouldn’t be hard.” He pursed his lips lightly and grinned, “Only if you want to, of course.”

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Eleanora Riley Nordstroem on March 22, 2020 at 19:04

She nodded slightly, she had never been good at approaching people, at work people were nice enough to her but she always heard it when they gossiped about her and her parents, what they had done and how she was trying to recover from the damage they did. They didn’t know she could hear them, a normal human wouldn’t be able to hear them but she did. It was hard to find someone she wanted to befriend for that reason, someone who felt genuine to her. She had Emilio and Katzia of course but that was about where the line of her trust ended. When he asked her if it was easier to talk to him than others she shrugged a little “You seem like a good person, your intentions are good” she had never heard him talk bad about her, not even when she heard a few of his coworkers make comments and she gave him credit for that.

She shrugged slightly “That’s what I want the world to see, the tough girl” but it was evident that there was more to her than that, he was seeing that, he was getting close enough to recognize what was and wasn’t an act. It was pretty scary for her because sometimes when she showed that side of herself it caused herself to get hurt. She didn’t trust a lot of people and honestly, she wasn’t even sure what it was that made her feel like she could trust him. “Sometimes I feel like this figurehead for everyone to stare at” she admitted and shrugged her shoulders slightly, didn’t help with people wrote things about her which were untrue and sometimes cruel. The tabloids never left her lone despite her disinterest in being involved in anything they say or do, every time she got her heart broken or had a setback, they were there to remind her of it “It sounds like you two have a great relationship” she commented softly “What keeps you leaving here in Evermore rather than going back to be close to them?” she was curious to know.

He seemed so positive that she kept finding herself wanting to echo that from him, which was unsettling for her because she wasn’t used to being optimistic but the way he explained things not being scary because he trusted her. Did she trust him? It was a question she pondered over in silence for a moment. She didn’t know him well enough to answer that but she had to let him in if she wanted to do that. “It’s a deal then” she spoke softly, offering a branch of trust she typically wouldn’t to most, she hoped he knew how big of a leap that was for her. “It’s not all bull, they want someone to punish and pay the price for what they did” and since her parents had somehow managed to get themselves put into witness protection since being released from prison they now got to live their lives with fresh starts while she remained tarnished by what they did. She did flash a small smile though, because she noticed his attempt to try and cheer her up and she appreciated it.

“Or they never realize what they lost because they never had it and therefore can’t miss it” she responded and shrugged her shoulders, most people, herself included, practiced in a defensive way of living where you prevented other people getting too close and then when they inevitably let you down, it didn’t hurt so much to let them go. She didn’t let a lot of people know much about her, she didn’t tell them her little quirks and likes and dislikes, she wouldn’t let them know how badly she probably needed a friend. “Okay” she spoke softly and nodded “Though I will warn you that I can’t promise you’ll like the answer” she definitely wasn’t a perfect person that was for sure. She pressed her lips together when he said he didn’t really know the situation she was in, she didn’t know his, they were opposites in that respect “Then I guess you could call both of us under-experienced in a sense” which kinda made her feel better about admitting her own situation.

She laughed slightly wondering what a sibling of hers would be like “For two days? I hope you got her back good for it” she teased it with a laugh her mind imagining how loud and interesting his Thanksgivings must be, it made her a little jealous given how hers were always just her and Cloud, quiet and way too much leftover food. “Oh I don’t know if I can share my favorite recipe, you might have to earn it first” she responded with a playful smile, being herself around him didn’t seem as hard as she imagined and Cloud was getting excited from seeing how she had brightened up some. She was sure it was a dead giveaway that she usually didn’t smile so much “Are we really crazy enough to drive halfway across the city for a Christmas tree?” she asked but she could see from the look in his eyes that he was already ready to go “I guess we are huh?” she gave him an appreciative smile because he was doing this to make her Christmas a good one and she appreciated that.

NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Julian Nathaniel Lockhart on March 28, 2020 at 17:47

It felt good being told you're a good person, it meant whoever told you that felt a certain level of comfort to tell you that, he was even more relieved to hear it come from Nora, of all people. He was sure even his colleagues kept on teasing him; it was either he was collecting all the courage to tell his boss he likes her, or, people speculated he wasn't interested in the ladies. Two sides of the coin, right there. It wasn't easy confessing, he couldn't just tell her outrightly that he likes her. There must be a suitable environment… the right timing. When she said she wanted the world to see her as the tough girl, Julian furrowed his eyebrows and pursed his lips, "Do you really?" There must be more than that. "Being vulnerable… I know it's not the most appealing option to even reconsider, it hurts you when you least expect it even when you tell yourself you should've known. But you'll be surprised to see what some things have in store for you" Or in some cases, what some people have in store for them. 

"Do you like being seen that way? As a figurehead?" He wondered if she ever tried to talk it out or speak about it. "The news will always be there and so will the dirty papparazis… but that's fine right?" he swore he could almost hear the tremor in his voice, was he so desperate to find her audience for this? Maybe. Seeing her upset, it doesn't make him feel good. Far from being delighted. Julian was a family man, he loves his family but he also chose to pursue his dream occupation and that meant leaving them behind most of the time. "My parents thought I was gonna be a lawyer but I got into this science project for building a jet and won, I went ahead to represent the school… to district… to state, and eventually participated in the nationals. I knew then, I had a knack for doing that, and I want to keep doing that. I don't want to stick in my office or the court every day for the rest of my life, no offense to magistrate workers. It's just not me. And my family recognized that, they supported me." 

He needed the sources to aid his work, "It was why I joined the military right after I finished school. I was situated in Siberia for almost 2 years until they put me here. A friend said the local airlines was also hiring an engineer and they recently purchased the model I was looking forward to studying, so here I am." After seeing what he could've had here, perhaps he'll stay a while longer. "Good, I'll be sure not to disappoint you then." No armor. Maybe this could be the start of something. He did find it upsetting that Nora thought it was a price to pay for having parents such as that, "Nobody should have to pay the price of another individual. It's not right... " He didn't dare elaborate any further. Don't upset her, that's his mission today. Make her happy. "I'll miss it" he quipped when she said nobody would miss it because they haven't seen that side, brushing his hands together before clearing his throat and meeting her gaze, "I'll miss it." I won't mind whatever answer you give me, he mumbled to himself but crossed it out with a beaming smile. 

"We can both try to gain that experience right?" He didn't expect to wink playfully but that's exactly what he did. Honestly, despite being shy, Julian was slowly crawling out of his shell around her. "I did. I put laxatives in her protein shake and she had a real trip." He was not sorry at all. He didn't mind going back just to get a tree here. It'll fit in the hilux truck, for sure. "I can't believe we're actually gonna do this" he exclaimed, but the grin on his face says otherwise, he was just glad he could make a memorable night out of this, "You're gonna see my place too, huh?" He tossed her the coat he found hung on the coat rack, which obviously belonged to her, "Get dressing, my lady. We have a Christmas tree to get to."

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Eleanora Riley Nordstroem on March 30, 2020 at 15:32

Seeing the look he gave her when she said that was how she preferred to be seen made her bite her lip softly as she watched him “To the media, to my parents who single-handedly ruined my life in one swoop, to all those people I overhear talking about me and my life, saying how my family is full of psychos” she blinked a few times “I want them to see that I don’t care” she hoped he could understand what she was trying to say, that there were people you had to give the mask to or you would fall to a state where you couldn’t cope because you were paranoid about what people were saying about you or whether if you tripped anyone would even help you get up again “And when you spend so much time...showing everyone the side like that…it becomes a hard habit to shake” there were a lot of people out there who wanted to tear her down, she had to have some response to that.

“I like being seen as the figurehead of Everectronics?” she responded to his question with a question because it really depended on which focus he meant “We do some really important work, things which help people who are told they will never walk again, do so” she pursed her lips “The kinds of things which make people’s lives better” she was proud of that venture and enjoyed talking about it with anyone who would listen “But when they tread the line of my personal life...that’s when things get more complicated” she sighed running a hand through her hair. She went quiet, listening intently as he talked about his journey into getting into the work he did, he seemed equally passionate about what he did and that naturally showed in his voice as he talked about the things he went through.

“I’m sure there must have been some...worry for them when you joined the military” she commented softly knowing a lot of families hated it when their child went off to serve given the risks involved. “Though it seemed like you ended up in a place you feel at home in” Evermore had always been the place she was from and so it seemed like a no brainer to her to stay here, Evermore was her home, the place she had always known so perhaps she found it strange when other people wanted to leave theirs. “It’s not” she agreed with him, it wasn’t fair or just that she was being punished for what her parents did, especially when she had been the one to stop them “But it’s human nature to want to push blame somewhere, it’s how people make themselves feel better” often by making other people feel worse, it was why bullying existed.

Her breath hitched in her throat when he said he would miss it, of all the things she expected to hear, that wasn’t it and then before she could question whether that was really what he said, he said it again “Okay” she spoke softly, a small smile on her lips as she agreed with him they could try and see how things went. Why did her heart suddenly start hammering her chest and how could she make it stop? She laughed at the way he described the prank he pulled back on her “Damn so don’t get in a prank war with you then, got it” it seemed he had a mischievous and adventurous side to him she’d never seen before. She was laughing and shaking her head when he expressed his surprise they were actually doing this “Me neither, I never do things on a whim” but here she was at tally 2 for tonight, inviting him here and now this tree retrieval mission.

“Oh yes you’re right” she commented with a smirk on her lips “I hope you made sure it was presentable, it’s a bachelor pad no?” she grinned slightly shaking her head when he tossed her coat at her and then told her to hurry up and put it on “Alright bossy” she responded as she shrugged it on over her shoulders and then headed to the door to slip on her shoes, just as they got to the door Cloud came skittering along with his puppy dog eyes “Ah...yes..he loves car rides” she commented with a laugh stroking against his white fur gently “We won’t be long” she assured him.

NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Julian Nathaniel Lockhart on April 8, 2020 at 8:01

"It's fine to put up a front from time to time, Nora" he reassured, it wasn't a crime to want to shut yourself from the world because you don't want them to see you at your most vulnerable moment, "There is nothing wrong with wanting to stand up strong and tall to show those people that you're not affected and would continue to be unaffected." It's the whole reason why defense mechanisms existed in the first place. Julian didn't want to make it seem as if he was trying to pry and tell her what she can and she can't do. "I'm here as your friend, and friends don't tell friends what to do" there was a brief pause afterwards because he had to rethink of what he just said, "Except if you're making bad choices like trying to drink yourself to death… yeah stuff like that." He still retained that smile he seemed to have reserved for the dhampir, "Let's put it this way… you don't have to shake it off entirely. Whatever habits you have… I mean. Instead of trying to shake them off, perhaps you could try understanding it and control them. You're in control of your own self, right?" 

At first, he remembered how hard it was for most of them at the hangar to grasp that she is, indeed, the COO of Everectronics but as time flew by, Julian could see why the position suited her the most. He's seen the passion she poured in while working, the spark in her bright hues whenever she talks about the development of the project. It was as if she was birthing something new and he knew, she had every right to be proud of it. Was that why he had a crush on her? Because of that same display he kept seeing every day he saw her at work? "The best I can tell you is to ignore those vultures… they'll do anything to get a scoop of the story and to exploit the materials. But I know it's not as easy to do that either… but whenever we encounter things like this, we have to try, right? Trying is better than nothing." Things were not going to die down for her in one night and maybe it'll be painful, but the Nephilim wanted to see more smiles gracing those lips in the future. Was that wrong of him?

 "Yeah, my family wasn't all that keen on seeing me join the military, which was understandable… but they eventually relented after I tried to get them to see reason." His family loves him, he knows that much. Which meant they would want the best for him, whatever that was best for his happiness. He couldn't say anything to that, because Julian knew it wasn't his place to say anything at all, the only thing he could do is try to make his company worthwhile for her. If he could bring up a smile to that face even though it wouldn't solve everything in one equation, then that's good enough for him. At least he was closer now, he made her smile, laugh, and their conversations were equal that of friends. He also enjoyed sharing stories with her. "I'm not that quiet and timid, you know" he teased, he was still playful at work around his colleagues, his creativity did land him a good position in the team, after all. But he does maintain a certain level of professionalism when it comes to work, and for Nora who only ever saw him at work, she may have gotten the same impression such as that. 

"Well, I would tell you to get used to it because I can be quite whimsical at times" He was definitely making it his mission to make her see the light in the situation for more days to come. His cheeks were flushed when she mentioned his home, "Technically, I don't go home as much and spent my time at the hangar more than I usually sleep on my bed but… it was Christmas so yes I did clean up." He saw Cloud skittering and chuckled, "We won't be long, Cloud" he waved at the fluffball and beckoned for Nora to follow him to his car parked at the corner of the residence, it was a Toyota hilux, comfortable enough for him and should be able to fit in plenty of other stuff. 

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Eleanora Riley Nordstroem on April 10, 2020 at 12:29

Her gaze softened a little as he explained that it was fine to put a front, honestly it was nice for one to explain something to someone and have them just understand, not to question it or tell her she was wrong. She had determined by now that he was a pretty great listener and actually took things in rather than simply smiling and nodding “But you’re also right when you say that tough front...is hard to always keep up” to give the impression to the world that you didn’t care when that was far from the truth was certainly a challenge but one she had perfected by now, be short with people, don’t let them find anything to hold onto which could make them see there was more. Except now he knew there was more. I’m your friend, he said. When had she ever heard anyone say that before, she couldn’t even remember but it was meaningful that he would choose to be her friend “I’m a terrible friend” she admitted with a mumble, an overview in her own confidence to be a good companion to others.

She knew she wasn’t good with people, not on a personal level anyway, she knew the things to say to get by at work but when it came to holding up an actual conversation with someone she tended to be blunt and say things which could be seen as rude or too direct. She tended to just avoid most people for that reason. But how could you ignore someone who was all alone without heat on Christmas? You couldn’t. “I try my best” she agreed with him, all you could do was ignore them and hope they find someone else to bother when it call came down to it. “What kind of person would you say other people see you as?” they’d talked about the face she presented to the world so now he was curious how he saw himself too. She found him pretty enigmatic and she was trying to figure him out.

She nodded a little as he talked about his choice to join the military, it was a big risk and she would be lying if she said she would be completely okay with someone she cared about taking that kind of risk but then that probably made her a hypocrite considering how she spent most of her evenings. “At the end of the day, people make the choice they think is right, I’m sure yours was about wanting to...protect people” maybe she wanted to understand his motivations to see if they matched with her own. Ever since she met him the hangar she thought he was a polite but somewhat reserved type, he seemed to get nervous from time to time but when you got him talking he could make some funny jokes and be quite a bright person “Your work work and more work nature says otherwise” maybe that was just the picture he painted when she was there because of her high position in the company.

“You sleep in the hangar?” she asked, giving him a curious expression, well that didn’t seem very practical, wasn’t it cold in there at night? She frowned a little wondering why he did that, it didn’t seem like a healthy choice to always be in the workplace and therefore cross the line between work-life balance. She laughed as she closed the door behind them, much to Cloud’s disdain and then she locked the door before following him out to where he parked his car, it looked big enough to fit the things they needed which was a relief. Once he unlocked the door she climbed inside taking the seat next to him “I don’t think I asked you where in the city you lived before” she commented realizing she actually didn’t know all that much about him. She decided to make the effort to ask some questions tonight to change that. They were friends now right? Friends.

After they were both inside he started driving and she leaned against the window watching the city as it rushed past, she realized she never really got to see much of the city itself at night because she was too busy running down dealers at the docks lately “What’s your favorite driving song?” she asked curiously, she had a whole playlist of songs she liked to play when she was driving, she wondered if maybe they had some similarities. Maybe she just wanted to...figure out how to open up to him like she promised before.

NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Julian Nathaniel Lockhart on April 12, 2020 at 13:44

Julian knew it was always better to tell people it’s fine to act this particular way or that way because he didn’t know them. And even if he does, he still didn’t see it necessary to intervene in their lives so long as it’s not life-threatening or unhealthy. From what he sees, Nora wasn’t doing this deliberately, she had the right to feel what she feels. All he could do is attempt to help make her day a tad better than it could be. “When you think it’s finally time to take a break every once in a while, you know where to find me, right?” he didn’t want to force it onto her, he wanted to be there for her, the Nephilim wanted to help. But not if she doesn’t want it. Julian reminded himself that there were certain boundaries he shouldn’t be crossing and so far, he’s doing fine on his own. “Are you really?” he smirked, he couldn’t believe that for a second, she was doing fine with him all this while, so where was the difference? 

“Was I not your friend before? I’m offended, Len” he shook his head and pressed one hand against his chest dramatically. “You’re not a terrible friend, I don’t think you are. And I’ve been told that I’m a very good judge of character.” He could see that there was a certain cloud shrouding over her, and he was tempted to pull it off and show her there’s a sun waiting for her. “It’s not so scary when you see the sun, you know.” What kind of person did others see him? “I’m not very sociable… but I like to think I’m a reliable person. I don’t have many friends because I don’t really keep them in my contacts after graduating but would you believe it if I told you I was a jock in high school? I used to be a rugby player” he grinned sheepishly, he didn’t think much about his school life because he’s always been the type to look further in his future. 

Life in the military was hard, it tested his endurance a lot, even as a Nephilim, he struggled during his first year. Fortunately, he gradually grew better at it and before long, a promotion was within the ranks. “I remember watching Pearl Harbor a dozen times when I was younger. A jet fighter? Yeah, nobody thought I’d be one but they’re not that surprised to see me as one because I love planes. I collected almost every model available.” Did he bring them here? Yes. “I had a shelf specifically made for keeping them. I was a bit of the fanatic.” Judging from how passionate she was in her line of work, he wondered if she was also the same. “You said you wanted to help people, that’s why you’re doing what you’re doing, right? I can relate to that.” He chuckled because he knew he could be serious when it comes to work hence why people thought he didn’t have the space for others to be playing around.

 “I love my job. And… it’s a very pressuring job. One mistake could get you electrocuted… or have a whole plane fall on you, there’s plenty of scenarios fit for final destination” He thought about them every single day. “But really… get me loose and maybe you’ll find yourself in a treat” he mused wryly, he was slowly picking up the confidence the longer he spent time with her. “Guilty” he grimaced, his body hated him for sleeping in the hangar but sometimes, he wanted to stay back and work on a few things. When she asked him where he lived, he cleared his throat a few times and shrugged, “Near the river banks” He didn’t expect her to come up with another question, “I… don’t really hear any music when I’m driving…” he was flushed, his cheeks painting the color pink as he tried to focus on the road in front of them, “Yeah...I know that sounds absurd. Do you drive often?”

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Eleanora Riley Nordstroem on April 12, 2020 at 16:18

She pressed her lips together and then smiled softly, nodding her head in agreement when he offered to be the person she could take a break with “I do” she responded and smiled softly, he was always working, she had learned that much already, he worked even more than she did which was really saying something considering how her whole life was pretty much shaped around her work. Still, you wouldn’t find her sleeping at the office, she didn’t go quite that far. She shrugged slightly when he questioned whether she was really a bad friend “I mean I don’t really have friends so they can’t testify either way” she joked and licked her lips “I’ve just never been the type to...rely on others...or want them to rely on me” mostly because it was too hard to let other people down when expectations were involved.

There he was with that nickname again though which did allow for a small smile to creep up on her lips in response “I mean people with sunburns may disagree with you” she responded almost in a reflex to his words, he was natural for her to be a little sarcastic or even cynical like that, it was just the personality she had shaped for herself over the years. Thankfully he didn’t seem to take it all too personally. Him talking about playing rugby when he was younger did surprise her though “Well you’ve definitely got the build for me to believe it” she responded before she realized that definitely gave away that she had taken the chance to check him out before and she went quiet for a moment “Were your team good?” she asked curiously, she had never really been a sports girl, nor someone who went to the sports matches.

She smiled softly when he spoke about loving planes and the movie pearl harbor, she definitely understood feeling attached to something in that way “You know the movie Les Miserables?” she questioned it in a small voice because it wasn’t really something she tended to tell anyone, but they had agreed on armor off “That was my Pearl Harbor” she responded with a soft laugh, everyone had that one movie from their childhood which they watched so many times that they pretty much wore it out. “Always wanted to see it live on stage but...yeah...I guess I forgot about it” she spoke softly nodding her head thoughtfully “Did you complete your collection?” thankfully hers wasn’t something that could be collected because if it was then she probably would have never stopped until she got everything.

“I want to find a way to put some good into the world, I chose something I knew well to do it” she nodded a few times, she was sure his was the same, you did what you did for a bigger purpose, to make the world a little better but also to hold your own passions and interests. She grimaced when he said many things in his work could lead to final destination like deaths “Not an image I needed in my head” she spoke and shook her head a few times “You probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you I hated horror movies huh?” she laughed, it seemed they were both different than what the other had expected from the experiences they had together. She raised her brows confused when he said he didn’t listen to music while driving “But how do you not get so bored you want to fall asleep?” she questioned it curiously and when he asked if she drove she shrugged “I used to a lot when I was younger, we would make these mixtapes on cassettes and then play them all the way...usually we would drive out to LA for the weekend and go to the beach” she nodded thoughtfully, it had been forever since she went to the beach.

NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Julian Nathaniel Lockhart on April 22, 2020 at 14:38

Did he feel like he had significantly done something? Yes. This was a new step further into their growing friendship and Julian was all there for it. The last thing he wanted to do was push her away and so far, it’s been good for him. Maybe, in the near future, they could even think about what friends do. He wasn’t all that experienced too, in the friends department but maybe he could start trying now. “Though maybe you’re right, I should start by sleeping at home instead of the hangar and… maybe socialize a bit more than just once a week.” Hanging out with his colleagues once a week was hardly something he called ‘sociable’. “Well, you have one now. Me” he quipped softly, he wanted to reassure her that he wasn’t the type to leave so easily. He’s come this far, so there’s no way he could stop now. 

“You don’t need to rely on anyone if you don’t want to,” he reassured, Nora seemed independent enough, perhaps there was that part of him that felt proud to see her try new things. Friends are supposed to uplift you, right? She was so sarcastic but it was really a relief for him, she wasn’t acting like a different person which meant he could slowly see the real her. “Well, I’ve seen you under the sun, you look good so that must mean you’re immune to them, no?” he teased, oh he’s seen her in a sun-kissed state and he could very well agree that she looks beautiful. Every time she throws a world of sarcasm, he would retaliate by throwing a world of genuineness. Two can play at the game, he’s not that easy to be shoved away, after all. Julian bit his lip and chuckled when she quite literally implied that she’s been checking him out, though he kept it to himself, “We’ve won plenty of championships” he nodded, it was a good memory. 

“Were you into sports during your schooling days? Surely, you liked something? Clubs? Or sports?” He was genuinely curious to know more about her. Maybe he was pushing it a bit but that’s fine, right? Things wouldn’t go anywhere if he didn’t push forward. “Don’t tell me… were you a cheerleader back in school? I’m trying my best to picture you in the uniform but it’s not working.” He’s never seen her to be such a girly girl. Nora has always carried herself with such confidence, and there was a certain feminine look to her but nowhere near the usual preppy one. “So you’re a bit of a musical girl, huh? I’ve never watched one live but I’ve watched the movie Les Miserables” Honestly, he never would have expected her to like something like that but he realized he didn’t know much about her at all, which meant this was an accomplishment. 

When asked if he managed to complete his collection, Julian shook his head with a small smile, “Like you… I never got the chance to do that. I didn’t have enough time and well, the opportunity wasn’t there, I guess.” Maybe they were a bit similar in some ways. “Why? Do you want to help me complete it?” he teased. “You don’t like horror movies? That’s surprising… Then what do you like to watch? Any specific genre?” Given her stature, he never would’ve thought she hated them but then again, you can never judge someone by its cover. He could feel the heat traveling up to his cheeks because he wasn’t the type to drive with music on, “Would you believe me if I told you that when I first got this car, I didn’t know how to put in the USB that had all my songs?” No wonder he didn’t say anything about it. “It’s an embarrassing thing to talk about…” His eyes were practically wavering as his palms grew sweaty against the steering wheel, oh this was really embarrassing.

 “Driving to the beach in LA, that sounds like quite a trip…” It sounded fun too. His place wasn’t that far from hers so it only took them a while, especially when he opted for the second road that wasn’t packed. He pulled up in front of his house which was the second unit from the left, “I used to have a roommate but he recently moved out after getting married so it’s just me now.” He got out of the car and stretched his hands out before guiding her to the front door, “You sure you’re ready to see what place housed someone like me?”

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Eleanora Riley Nordstroem on April 23, 2020 at 12:10

She chuckled and shrugged slightly, if he really wanted to sleep at work and that made him happy then who was she to argue, she hardly had the most healthy work-life balance herself after all “You know giving up my bed would just be a deal-breaker, all those blankets and pillows, how could you deny yourself such warmth” she chuckled softly, though for all she knew he slept on the couch at home, who knew right. She did smile when he pointed himself out as her friend though, she never really had many friends, one she did have when she was younger had been killed and that had hurt far more than someone her age should experience. Maybe that was the reason she avoided attachment so much, she knew the warmth of having a friend but she also knew the chill that came from losing them.

He made himself hard to dislike though, especially when he simply agreed that she didn’t have to bring herself to rely on others if she didn’t want to “Maybe one day I’ll feel differently” she offered in return, maybe one day she could see herself letting someone in and taking that risk again. She might regret it but sometimes she wondered if maybe she also wouldn’t, maybe it could be worth it. She did have to question what kept him around though, she could be standoffish and her natural reaction was to be harsh about everything and yet every time he only bounced back with something brighter, it was somewhat disorienting. “My family is half-Italian” she joked back when he said she was immune to the sun. She wondered if he would react when she commented on his build but it seemed like he swallowed that compliment and kept it to himself “Oh you casually won plenty of championships” she gasped “I can’t believe you just said that so void of emotion” she jested and shook her head playfully.

She laughed and shook her head when he asked if she liked any sports back when she was in school. She pulled a face when he asked if she was a cheerleader “Do I seem like the peppy cheerleader type to you?” she responded with a curious raise of her brow, she barely had any friends at school, she wouldn’t have fitted in with the cheerleading clique even if she tried “Not your traditional sports, but I did learn to fight, taekwondo on the weekends and after school most Thursdays” she was never a team sports kind of girl but she did enjoy being able to kick ass and throw someone down against the mat. She gave him a warning look as though to warn him he wasn’t to tell anyone about her love for musicals “I mean I wanted to see one but my parents were always too busy to take me so” and by the time she could afford to take herself, the magic of it was gone and so she never went.

She gave a somewhat sad smile when he said he never got to complete his collection of planes, she widened her eyes almost a little defensively when he suggested her motive for asking might be because she wanted to help him finish it “Well I mean it does bother the completionist in me knowing that that poor shelf must be missing just a few last pieces” she jested back and rolled her eyes, she had pull, she was sure they could find them. She shrugged when he expressed his surprise for her not liking horror movies “Fantasy mostly” she responded and shrugged “Any world which doesn’t seem anything like this one” he nodded slightly, movies were her escape from reality you could say. She glanced over at him as he confessed how he didn’t know how to hook up his music to the car “Well the blush right there on your cheeks definitely tells me you’re not lying so” she narrowed her eyes and then smiled “Aren’t you supposed to be an engineer?” she teased as she nudged against his side.

Nora nodded “It was, I remember getting tired of all the singing after the first hour and falling asleep” she nodded, she did have quite a few friends during her university days but everyone had gone their separate ways after some time, other than Emilio who remained in her life til now, he was really the only constant she could name in it. When they got to his home she hopped out of the car and headed around, seeing the way he stretched out his hands she gave him a confused look but eventually took it and followed him to the door “You make it sound like we’re on an episode of some reality show” she commented on his dramatics with a roll of her eyes.

NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Julian Nathaniel Lockhart on May 5, 2020 at 15:32

Now that she's talked about how comfortable if would be on his own bed, Julian couldn't help but smile at the thought, it would be far more comfortable compared to the makeshift couch back in his office at the hangar, that's for sure. But the trip from his place to his workplace is hardly the most practical journey he could do every single morning and night. It's quite the distance and he couldn't be bothered to waste the fuel money when he could just go back and forth every twice a week. "Sleeping on my own bed sure feels like a luxury, though I guess my home isn't exactly the most strategic place for an engineer to go back and forth to. If they were trying to call me to go on-site, the ride could take me at least 40 minutes. 35 if I hit the speed limit maybe, which I really don't want to because you know… drive safe, right?" But it's a good place. How could he turn down the deal the first time when his former roommate was trying to bribe him every time his coercing didn't work? "If I could, I won't deny myself such warmth, but alas that's the reality of a working person, no?" You have to fit your schedule around it. 

He feels fine sharing a little bit of this and that with her, she didn't seem to mind sharing a bit of hers so it was only right for the Nephilim to return the favor. Can't seem too one-sided, right? "Maybe, I guess I'll look forward to that day, it's not like I have anything better to do than to just stick around and be a thorn on your side every time, right?" he teased, somehow, he wanted Nora to know that he was there to stay, and make it possible for her not to push him away the same way she might've done others. It gives him relief to know that at least he's trying. The dhampir seemed like a precious gem that one shouldn't allow to be drowned by the endless pile of other jewelry. "Ah, half-Italian, so that's why your mac and cheese are exquisite, huh?" A half-assed attempt at trying to make her laugh but hey, he tried. He's hardly the most humorous person there is, anyway. His cheeks were aflame when she jested and pointed how he thought championships were a casual thing to him, "I- just never really paid mind to it, that's all. It's not my passion but the feeling of swinging the ball a few times, it grows on you" Sadly, he didn't have anyone to play with now. 

He cleared his throat a few times and gave her a sheepish grin when she looked offended that she was seen as a cheerleader by him, "I mean, I don't see you as the type of people who would hide themselves under the bleachers while making out with the biggest jock there either. My imagination can't be too far away though, so it's either that or cheerleader" he teased, maybe she'd look good in that uniform. "So you can kick my ass, that's good to hear. I'll be sure to steer clear of your path, your highness" he made a tipping hat gesture before chuckling to himself, the grip on the steering wheel didn't feel so tense anymore. And they were both having a laugh here and there. "So if I ever try to come up to you, you'd throw me down, got it." Does that cross the idea of him ever making a move on her? Not entirely. It's not as if Julian knew how to give up. Properly. "If we go to a musical now, would the magic and effects still be there?" 

He pursed his lips and coughed, "What if you help me complete my collection and I'll take you up to that musical challenge of yours. Though I'm not so sure if little miss Nordstroem is up for this kind of thing… isn't it a bit below you?" he teased playfully, the good side to this means they're free to spend more time together. And if he gets rejected, it wouldn't be… that bad. He thinks. Fantasy, how interesting. He never would've thought. "Frodo kind of fantasy, Assassins Creed kind or Disney kind?" He was a bit flustered when she called him out, "I am… but I was in a rush and I was so busy with aircrafts I never really got around the car parts…" Once they arrived, he chuckled at her words and unlocked the front door, pushing the doors ajar, beckoning for her to come inside, "Welcome to my humble abode" There wasn't much, it was your typical bachelor place, the wallpapers were in reddish brown color, the living room was minimally furnished which tells a lot about his minimalist self, but the shelf filled with his pictures and his family's clearly outed that he's quite the family man. And then there's the Christmas tree at the corner of the room. 

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