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DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Eleanora Riley Nordstroem on May 5, 2020 at 23:15

She bit her lip and then nodded slightly when he explained that the commute made emergency calls difficult to handle “Yeah I guess the commute can’t be great, especially if it’s that long either way” she lived much closer to her office and she could even cycle to work if she wanted to, so she never really worried about it taking a long time though she did her fair share of traveling to other locations so she understood the toll it took on you. “You sure are dedicated to your work” she could respect that because she was too, most of her time when into something or other work-related and she didn’t regret that. She quirked a brow when he suggested he was going to stick around until the day came that she felt like she could rely on others “I hope you have good patience” she commented a little sarcastically in response.

The way he spoke it sounded so determined though, it gave her some pause for thought and she wondered how serious he was. She wasn’t sure how to feel about it if she was honest, she wasn’t used to anyone actively trying to get close to her and get to know her and really it scared her a little. “Maybe, though I like to give some of the credit to the months I spent making and remaking it until it was perfect” she laughed and winked, but there was definitely a family knack for cooking she had picked up, she had always enjoyed cooking her own meals even though she had someone minding the house who could no doubt help if she wanted her to. She nodded when he said the competitions never felt all that serious to him “Just something you did to blow off steam?” she had to admit he didn’t seem like the jock type.

Nora raised a curious brow “So the only two types of girls are the cheerleaders and the ones making out with the jocks?” she shook her head in amusement “Try glasses and books and chatting with my friends about video games and anime” she commented bluntly, she wouldn’t have categorized herself as a nerd but one of the people in one of the outcast groups, she didn’t fit into a specific high school stereotype but then nor did more people she supposed. Nobody messed with her because she could be scary when her temper was sparked though. “I’m a little offended you thought there was any doubt I could kick your ass before” she responded with a hint of a smirk on her lips. She went quiet in thought when he asked her if the magic of seeing a theatre show would still be there for her now “I don’t know” she responded honestly, it had been so long since she even thought about “But only one way to find out right?” it was something she should tick off her list regardless.

She frowned when he suggested that the agreement might be beneath her “What makes you say that?” she responded, she wasn’t aware that she gave the impression she was above anything but maybe that was how people saw her give her corporate role. She poked her tongue against her cheek for a moment and then shrugged it off. “All of the above?” she responded when he asked what kind of fantasy she liked, honestly as long as the story could wrap her up in a world that didn’t feel like this one then she was invested “I have all the extended editions of Lord Of The Rings” she responded and laughed under her breath. She wasted no time when they reached the door, stepping inside and taking off her shoes before exploring her way into the lounge area, it seemed pretty empty but cosy enough for someone living here, the shelves caught her attention with all the photos though “Is this your family?” she asked as she headed towards them and inspected the frames one by one. He wouldn’t display them if he didn’t want people to see them she was sure. She could pinpoint his sister in the photos already, they looked alike.

NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Julian Nathaniel Lockhart on May 9, 2020 at 9:09

“It’s the life we chose '' he shrugged absentmindedly, he chose this kind of job so he;ll have to live with it. Commuting is the least of his problems when it comes to his work, that’s for sure. There were plenty of where it came from and he swore he yawns in exhaustion from the thought of it alone. Such an insisting job. He remembered almost dozing off every once in a while during his long drives to the hangar, “One time I even almost crashed the side because my hand was off the steering wheel and I just… completely dozed off.” It was enough to traumatize his mother when he called her about it, so he promised to never drive when he’s tired. He’s kept it this far. A small blush formed, but none too visible, much to the Nephilim’s secret thanks, “It’s the work that sustained me this long, I kinda have to be dedicated to it, right? As I am sure you are with yours, I’ve seen you go back and forth from site to office, Len, you don’t give yourself as much credit” He was telling the truth, that’s what he saw. “Don’t worry, I’ve been told I’m a very patient person” He wasn’t the type to give up easily, so she would have to do a lot more just to push him away. 

Honestly, Julian wasn’t sure if she noticed that he was trying to get closer to her, and he hopes that he wasn’t crossing the lines here, there were times when he’d see her stiffen but she hasn’t pushed him away. Yet. “You know what they say, things you have passion for will gradually grow when you give it enough love. That’s what my mother used to say anyway, pretty sure it wasn’t an actual idiom but… our family accepted it and it’s been somewhat a motto ever since.” His sister finds it funny and so did he, but it made their mother happy and enthusiastic when doing something, so it works. Julian nodded in affirmation when she enquired if he joined all of those competitions just for the sake of his hobbies, “I wouldn’t specifically put it as a hobby of mine but I needed something outside of the library. Being cooped up in your room all day long isn’t healthy either. Ma said I needed to be as healthy as I could be as a high school student. Why? Did I seem like one of those jocks back in school?” he teased, had he not made an impression of himself back then, most would’ve counted him as one, but that guy was so much different from the guy he is today.

 The Nephilim choked halfway through his drive when she pointed out his remark earlier, “No! No, of course not! I didn’t mean to put it that way…” he murmured, his ears were turning pinker as his grip around the steering wheel grew firmer, oh god did he just implied it like that? Stupid Julian, he grumbled to himself. “I… didn’t peg you as the anime and books girl…” he added, but instead of sounding surprised, Julian sounded more in awe. “Do you keep to yourself? I mean… I don’t necessarily have a big group of friends, I like to keep to myself too but my friends always end up wanting to drag me to meet their… other friends.” It didn’t work well when all Julian wanted was just to lie down on his bed and sketch a few models. But then again, he was too polite to reject outrightly. 

“I don’t know, Miss Nordstroem, you look like you could pack up a punch but a part of me wants to see it, not to doubt you or anything but just… plain curiosity” Maybe he’s starting to go off his rails and he didn’t realize. He didn’t mean to make it sound like she was standing on the elite podium while glancing at the others beneath her, “I mean, I’m hardly the best company for you to keep that’s all. I’m boring compared to others so I wasn’t sure if you were even going to consider me as an option.” He never pictured her as a Disney lover either but then again, you really can’t judge a book by its cover, huh. Lord of the Rings, that’s taste right there. He was eyeing the Christmas tree so he didn’t notice Nora heading over to the framing section until she asked him if they were his family, he had plenty of their pictures, “Yeah. I only have one sibling. One older sister. We’re a small family. I think Jane-Ann would’ve liked you.”

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Eleanora Riley Nordstroem on May 9, 2020 at 15:02

Nora nodded slightly in agreement when he said it was the life they chose, he was right, they got to choose their own path and if they didn’t like it then there was nothing stopping them from changing it, she loved her job and the work she got to do, she enjoyed bringing new things to the world and chasing ways to make life better for others but sometimes even she questioned her work-life balance, thinking about her age and then considering how many friends she had or the fact she was still single, sometimes it did bother her. She widened her eyes when he said he almost crashed his car because he was too tired “Maybe on second thoughts the hangar bedroom isn’t so bad” she commented and raised her brow “Or you could leave when you’re actually supposed to leave” she jested knowing he seemed to be the type to work more hours than he should. But he was right to call her out on her own habits and she sighed “Maybe we should make a pact” she responded shaking her head slightly.

He was quite a thoughtful and deep person when you got to know him, he was never the loudest opinion in the room but if you stopped to listen then you could tell that he was pretty wise “Sounds like something she read off the back of cereal box” she responded when he spoke about it being an idiom but she did smile because it was sweet how close-knit his family seemed to be “It seems like she taught you a lot” she commented softly with a nod. “Actually I made the comment because you don’t strike me as the sports type” she shrugged her shoulders slightly, she guessed he didn’t fit the mold of the typical heartbreaker type jock she remembered from her high school days, but then again she was sure he had changed a lot since he was in high school “I don’t think those high school tropes are accurate anyway, people tend to have their friend circles, no one first that single stereotype” she definitely didn’t.

She snickered under her breath at the way he got so defensive about the way she interpreted what she said, it was pretty easy to rile him up just by listening to the things he said, though she could understand why he might think she was completely to different to how she actually was “Yeah well I told you, people see what I want them to see, it’s not always the truth” she shrugged her shoulders slightly, it was very easy to make someone who barely knew you believe you were completely different. “Mostly yeah...I had a few friends back in high school and college but we all lost touch over time” she shrugged slightly “Some purposely I think...after everything that happened” she tried not to be too bitter about it “I have one really good friend though, Emilio Raymond” she grinned slightly because he would definitely know that name considering Emilio was the CEO of Everectronics and her boss. She laughed when he said his friends wanted to drag him out to meet people “Yeah I get it...not everyone does well around strangers huh?” she was the same so they shared that.

She gave a wry smile when he said he wanted to see her fight “In your dreams, angel boy” she teased with a shake of her head, she wasn’t the type of person so spar with others and she certainly wasn’t going to give him a look at her fighting style when he had seen it before while she was in her mask, that sounded like a really stupid idea. When he put himself down she sighed “That’s not true” she commented as she followed him towards the house “Not everyone goes to the effort of actually getting to know me, most people would be gone by now” which was true, most people didn’t have the patience for her sarcasm or generally shielded nature. She glanced over at him and then the frames, noting that some seemed like they were a long time ago but one looked pretty recent “I know siblings sometimes look alike but damn...the resemblance between you is crazy” she shrugged as she came to stand beside him by the tree “What makes you think that?” she asked when he said she would have liked him.

NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Julian Nathaniel Lockhart on May 9, 2020 at 16:35

The two of them had a certain attachment to what they love doing the most, and it seems to him that their work meant everything. He could respect that since he was in the same position. There was nothing more he's been so invested into aside from his plane collection and his efforts to remodel the new aircraft model since 2 years ago. "Yeah… it doesn't sound as bad once you know you almost got yourself into a big accident" he snickered sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, it was an embarrassing story to tell someone but the point of tonight was to open up, to give Nora an insight into what they could achieve if their path to friendship continued. "I try to do that, I swear… but it was so much easier said than done." He sounded so defeated, there were times when he just wondered if he really didn't want to go home and was just using work as a reason to stay at the hangar and stop feeling lonely. Maybe. He raised his eyebrows when the dhampir suddenly suggested they make a pact, of course, it doesn't sound as serious when she put it that way but Julian wondered if they could make something out of it.

 "A pact to lead a healthier working life? Sounds like a deal to me. Maybe we can start with putting a certain time to go home from work… no OTs for a while, at least until we finally get a hold of our… working life" For him, that was hard because the hangar had basically become his second home but it was worth a try. The Nephilim was aware that he often speak his mind and most of the time, they don't sound as pleasant as he would like them to be. That resulted in plenty of backspacing for him, leaving Julian in a very flustered state before long. How is a giant like him so embarrassed? It doesn't make sense but it does. "No kidding, I think she took that one off a forum when she read the newspaper" he chuckled, his mother could be quite philosophical. But that's why they all loved her antics. She taught him a lot. Even though Jane-Ann was the one who raised him up because their parents were always busy with their work, their familial bond was still as strong as ever. "What type do you think I was? Just curious" He wanted to know what she thought about him too, especially when he made a false assumption on her earlier. 

"You'd be surprised to know how the people back in my boarding school stuck to their norms and tropes, it's like witnessing a bunch of 19th centurian kids." Not to mention, it was also cringe-worthy. He pressed his lips into a thin line when she said something left her purposely after what happened, the Nordstroem didn't have a good reputation to boot and poor only child Eleanora Nordstroem was left to take the hit and rebuild everything. But she seems to be thriving as of late. "At least that friend stuck through" he pointed out when she said the CEO of Everectronics was her friend. "My friends tried to get me to let loose most of the time but we all know that was just a code for drink night, one of which I'm not overly fond of. Waking up with a hangover when I have class at 8 in the morning is hardly how I want to start my mornings." People used to sneak in things every once in a while, he had no idea how they managed to escape the spot checks.

 There it was again, the angel boy nickname. "Ouch, I just suffered a first hand rejection from Miss Nordstroem herself. You need to stop rejecting me, Len, how am I supposed to sneak into your heart that way hm?" he teased, it was meant to be a joke but maybe it wasn't. "I'm not most people, you'll find that it's hard to push me away" he quipped, checking the tree and tried to measure it to see if it would fit in the truck. But when she checked out the frames, he went over and smiled softly, he missed them too, "People say that a lot. We really look alike, except the eyes… she's strong blue and I'm well, me. And she's tiny, I'm not. She's hot tempered and I'm… not" There's got to be the calm one out of the two and that was him. "My sister has a thing for stubborn females, she always told me to befriend more people who would have the same strength I did while defending them but I've never been good at picking friends. She always scolds me for it."

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Eleanora Riley Nordstroem on May 9, 2020 at 18:52

She nodded a few times in agreement, she definitely understood the struggle of knowing when to stop working and keep telling yourself that you’ll just do one more thing continually until you realized hours have passed and you should have been home already “I guess that shows what kind of person you are, hardworking and all” but there was a line you had to draw and it seemed like neither of them really knew how to find it. But that was what the pact was for, perhaps if they could remind one another to take a break and get home, at least sometimes, then they could start to shake the bad habits “Working curfews” she responded and laughed softly “Okay I’m in, but you have to keep your side too, at least 3 times a week you need to make it back home after work” she nodded a few times, after all, she hated the idea of him sleeping all alone in that big tin can.

She smiled softly, it seemed like Julian didn’t take things too seriously or get easily offended which was good because she was very good at saying things which happened to offend others, it was incredibly easy to do when someone didn’t match your sense of humor. She shot him a look when he asked her to guess what stereotype he fit into “Hmmm…..theatre heartthrob” she purposely guessed the furthest thing from what she thought he would be because honestly, she found the idea of cliques ridiculous, especially when you saw how multifaceted people became after they left high school. “Sounds awful” she scoffed when he said his school seemed to follow those stereotypes “Putting people in boxes like that only ever did more harm than good, I mean didn’t you see high school musical?” she laughed under her breath and sighed

She nodded slightly, Emilio was a very close friend of hers and someone who had stuck with her through a lot of her hardest times, she still remembered their college days together and then starting the company, he had a lot of the same visions she did “I think I really would have gone insane if it wasn’t for having one friend” she laughed under her breath and smiled. She pulled a face when he mentioned going out drinking “I used to drink quite a lot in college but one night after far too many tequilas I decided I didn’t want to feel that way again” it didn’t mean she didn’t drink it, she just did so in moderation and without the goal of getting drunk anymore “When you mentioned your friends dragging you out to meet their friends I thought you meant they were trying to set you up” she laughed softly, thankfully she didn’t really have that problem because she didn’t have many friends.

She had to admit she was a little shocked when he said he wanted to sneak into her heart, so much so that she widened her eyes for just a second before she recovered from the surprise and scoffed slightly “You don’t want to go there, it’s all dusty and filled with cobwebs” but the blush resting on her cheeks she couldn’t shake spoke volumes about what he said. “I’m getting that” she responded when he said it was hard to push him away, god knows had she tried to keep him at arm’s length the way everyone else did. She grinned when he spoke about the differences between him and his sister “Well it would be boring if you were exactly the same” she commented with a shy smile “It sounds like you’ve got a good one in her” friend that was, it seemed she looked out for him “Are we really going to cart that thing back?” she laughed thinking how crazy and spur of the moment this all was.

NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Julian Nathaniel Lockhart on May 10, 2020 at 12:26

"I've been called hardworking or determined, but most of the time I get crazy" he chuckled, really it wasn't surprising because he seemed to spend twice the hours of a regular OT worker in his sector too. But honestly that was just him being more invested in his projects. Just like anyone else. Just like Nora. This pact may be something new for the both of them but Julian wasn't dismissing the benefit it comes with. Maybe it'll do them some good. "Working curfews?" That sounds like a start. He heard what she proposed and maybe, he could accept them too. It didn't sound too bad. "3 times a week? Okay wow… fine, I can do with that" Surely it wouldn't be hard right? A theatre heartthrob was definitely not what he expected her to come with but strangely enough, it didn't surprise him all that much considering how she seemed to pinpoint his as someone who was not seen as typical. "Admittedly, I've helped the theatre and drama club with their props, but that's as far as I can even come close to the drama kids. They're quite dramatic." 

He always kept to himself, he was the kid who had his own journal to jot down notes randomly on anything and then would go straight back to his room instead of hanging out elsewhere. "Well, you know what they say about private academies… boarding schools are so strict people want to be put in a group that they think can salvage whatever there is. It wasn't even that bad, I don't get why people were being so dramatic" Perhaps, they had a certain complex they wished to uphold. But Julian has never fit in any of them. The mention of high school musical had him stifling his laughter, "I kinda like high school musical, but the tropes they used were… wow." The Nephilim was glad to find out that she had someone by her side even until now, to have a friend who believes in you this long and far, that was something not everyone could replicate. "My sister was my best friend, for a while… I didn't know which one was it, the fact that I lost all the contacts in my phone after I lost my phone or… I just didn't bother to reconnect. Maybe a bit of both."

 Guiltily enough, Julian feels like he was better off being on his lone status and finding new people rather than reconnecting with the old, "Though I did found a friend I met 5 years back here in Evermore recently… so that's something." Blind dates and double dates weren't foreign to the male unfortunately, so when Nora mentioned that, he chuckled nervously, "That still happens. They bring me around for a drink and end up stringing me in one of their grand schemes of getting me a date. Sometimes it turns out better than I thought but when I like someone, I only like them. Back then I already had her." Until he didn't. It was also a small notion to this situation right here, that once he's set his eyes on someone, his heart was basically tied down until the other responds. Whether it was reciprocated or not, is another case entirely. "I happen to be a good cleaner, though" he pointed out teasingly, "You'll be surprised, Len. Though I'm not sure you've had plenty of surprises happening." 

He wanted to try. Almost everyone in the hangar knew of the crush he harbored for the COO of Everectronics and they even teased him over it but all he's ever responded was shaking his head and that small smile he kept to himself. "She's a good sister" he nodded, he missed her too. "Oh I've measured it, it'll fit. It's not too big so… yes we're going to cart the thing. I promised a Christmas tree, didn't I?" He went over and stripped all the decorations off, putting all of them in a box and placed them into Nora's hands, "You carry that and I'll get the tree. Are you okay with that?"

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Eleanora Riley Nordstroem on May 10, 2020 at 17:14

She laughed when he said he often got called crazy for the working life he decided to lead “There are a lot of studies on work-life balance and how it affects productivity” she grinned slightly “So maybe they’re not completely off the mark” though it was still harsh of others to look down on someone for being passionate and hardworking. She shrugged when he repeated working curfews back to her, it was a weird way to phrase it she supposed, she was actually pretty good at getting home after work in the evenings but that didn’t mean she wasn’t working, after all, when he time spent at work ended it was then she went out onto the streets of Evermore. He didn’t know about that but with this pact, she made a silent promise that she would take at least one night per week just for her “Though don’t take the risk if you’re too tired, it’s not worth an accident” she nodded slightly, she wondered what he would usually eat at the hangar.

She smiled wryly when he said he helped out the drama club “Just goes to show you that it’s very hard to label a person, especially when you don’t know what they were like several years ago” she nodded, people changed and grew with their experiences, sometimes for better sometimes for worse. “Though it was kind of you to help them out” she spoke softly as she listened to him talk about his strict schooling. She had her own experience with boarding school and she could understand where he was coming from “I guess being away from a home life and a real home experience changes things” she hated attending boarding school. She wrinkled her nose when he mentioned the tropes in high school musical “What do you mean? The whole point was about breaking the barriers of tropes, did you even listen to the lyrics” she chided it with an amused shake of her head.

She nodded when he talked about his friends and how they come and go “No one tells you how hard it is to maintain relationships after school ends” some people you just watched go about their lives through social, a select few you might keep contact with but it was hard when you weren’t in the same physical space anymore “I think you’re supposed to make more friends once you leave school but” she laughed under her breath “Guess we skipped that part huh?” she was smiling more than usual today, maybe because it was the holidays and she felt this sense of festivity or maybe she was just enjoying the company more than she wanted to admit “Thankfully Emilio is far too busy to try and set me up with anyone” besides he was more of a lone wolf himself, she shook her head slightly, dating never really worked for her, she never figured out what she wanted “Not the type to play the field then” she teased and nodded her head but went quiet for a moment in thought.

There always seemed to be this sadness hanging over him whenever he talked about his past relationships and usually she brushed it off as something she shouldn’t even ask about but perhaps she was starting to wonder if he wanted someone to talk about it with “She...sounds like she was your one” she hoped she wasn’t pushing too much by asking it but she thought she’d give him the opportunity to elaborate if he wanted to. “I’m more worried a branch is going to fall off halfway through the trip” she responded when he said he was sure the tree could fit in the car, it felt like a bit of a whistle-stop tour of his home but it had definitely shown her a small part of him she hadn’t seen before “You’re right though, it’s freezing in here” she commented as she rubbed her hands together, her fingers were cold and little numb already. She looked down at the box he placed into her hands and nodded “Got it” she responded, before long they were heading back to the car and she was placing the box of decorations in the footwell of the back seat so it wouldn’t slide around too much.

NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Julian Nathaniel Lockhart on May 10, 2020 at 17:50

"You sound just like my sister the resemblance is almost uncanny" he shook his head upon hearing her words about working too much, she reminded herself the same thing Jane-Ann would be chastising him about for hours the moment he got on the phone with her. "If I get a dollar for every time she scolds me for sleeping at the hangar again, I think I'd make a few jars of cash here somewhere… maybe I should start investing on that. Who knows? Maybe it'll also help me measure the times where I shouldn't be at the hangar but at home instead, sleeping on my comfortable bed... " He had assumed that Nora had it a lot better compared to him. She works in an office, it would be easier to get home once the clock strikes. Whereas, it would be a miracle for him to even hear the clock chiming when he's busy in the workshop or under an aircraft fixing something. He could start investing on an alarm too, maybe. "I promise not to take the risk of its going to lead me to an accident" he even made a scouts honor gesture just for the fun of it. 

"True, I like to think that I was an even more different person than I am today just 3 years ago or so." It's been that long, huh? "They always managed to bribe me so…" The drama club would often pack him some sweets and the girls would come over charming him with their sweet sugar-coated words. "Would you believe me if I told you I was a sucker for pretty girls back then? A little bit of kissing up here and there, and I'm defeated." Sometimes he told himself he was only fine with that because he couldn't bring himself to reject them. Julian couldn't remember how long he's been away from home, quite some time, that's for sure. He wasn't able to return back home for a few festivities to commemorate until 2 years ago. It's changed for the better now that he's decided to work for a private airline company instead. It gives him the time he needed to spare with his loved ones a bit better compared to the past. "I don't know about you but I was just bopping to the songs okay? Besides, I still don't find it realistic how Sharpay couldn't get the guy but Gabrielle could. Kelsi and Ryan fits a lot better compared to the main lead, it's absurd." 

Admittedly, he preferred those two too and felt sorry for Sharpay if anything. The way she had wrinkled her nose earlier though, it took every strength in him not to boop her nose. What? In his defense, she was being cute. "I don't think most of us would be ready for that talk anyway, maybe they thought it was better not to reveal it to us how hard it'll be" a part of him was relieved to feel the ignorance of it. But he wasn't sure about the others. "Once I left school, all I thought about was making enough money to marry the girl I loved. So I'll finally be able to give her the life she deserves… but yeah, like you said, things don't really work out. I'm guessing I skipped a part too" Julian still couldn't forget her passing, it was too tragic for their family, but he was slowly coming to terms with it that he couldn't keep thinking about what happened. He needed to move on, and strangely enough, while he still felt sad over the ordeal, he managed to find someone who may have given him a sneak peek of the familiar spark he once felt. 

"I don't think Emilio will manage to get out unscathed once you find out you were set up either, huh?" He could picture her threatening to set fire because of it. And maybe, he's fine with having her to himself too. "I thought so too, once upon a time" he had spared her a knowing smile, nostalgia still lingers somewhere. "But I don't think the world is too cruel to kill my soulmate off. So maybe she was my first love and you know first loves are always an epic part of your life. But perhaps my actual true love is out there somewhere" The way his gaze lingered on her as he said those words had him turning his head away to hide the blush, well that wasn't what he expected to do. Shit. When he saw that she was getting the chills already, he told her to get into the car first while he loads the tree in the back. 

Thankfully, the tree was only as tall as him, he didn't intend for a big one since he was going to celebrate alone initially. He couldn't help but to think, maybe he bought the perfect size this year. Once he had strapped a few ropes to keep the tree secured, he got into the driver's seat and started the engine. While he was reversing the car, he tapped his fingers against the steering wheel and hummed to himself, "Hey, maybe we can watch High School Musical again."

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Eleanora Riley Nordstroem on May 10, 2020 at 20:26

She smiled when he said she was very much like his sister, given the compliments he gave about his sister, Nora didn’t mind the comparison “I’m going to take that as the highest compliment” she responded with an amused look “It might not be a bad idea to track how much overtime you’re working...especially if it’s unpaid” she gave him a pointed look, his time was worth something and it did bother her when people overworked for free. She laughed as she saw the way he was holding his fingers up in a scout’s honor “Good, the days at the hangar would feel so much longer if you weren’t there” perhaps she had grown to like his company. A lot. “You’d like to hope most people would get better with time...from their experiences and exposure to others” not always the case but she found that most people were inherently good, there were just some who got themselves stuck in bad patterns.

She arched a playful brow when he said he used to be a sucker for pretty girls “So they bat their eyes at you and you do whatever they want huh?” she grinned slightly, she could see that, he was a kindhearted person who she could tell wanted to be liked and she could imagine there was a version of him before heartbreak that sought that. She laughed slightly under her breath when he spoke about the story of High School Musical “I mean I personally think Ryan was supposed to be a gay character so” she shrugged her shoulders slightly, back then it wasn’t common to have much representation in them as in recent years.

She nodded slightly “When you’re young and all moving on to your futures everyone talks about how they’re going to keep seeing each other...still...keep in contact” so he was right, no one wanted to have the realistic talk which was that some friends were just part of your life for a small period and then it was time to move on. Her expression softened when he said his plan was to marry the girl he loved after high school, it was a sweet, romantic dream “Somehow things never pan out how you want them to...I thought I’d be working my way up through my parent’s company so that I could one day take it over once they retire” but now she refused to even speak to them, she felt sick when she thought about the things they did with their power and money.

She chuckled “That is also true, I don’t think even he’s that brave” she laughed, she wasn’t the type to complain about being single nor did she mind it all that much, she would rather be single than in an unhappy relationship or feeling like she had to be someone she’s not to meet someone else’s expectations. She sucked in a long breath when he spoke about the girl he had lost and how she had been taken from him. She had already gotten an inkling about it from him before but hearing him say it was even harder. “Well, I don’t subscribe to the idea that there is only one person for each person...I think...someone can be our one at one stage of our life but someone else at another” she’d come close to loving someone back in college and she was sure that could have been something if it wasn’t for her self defense mechanisms “Our one might not even be a romantic partner” she shrugged slightly, it was the person you needed most at the time in her eyes.

“Is it okay if I ask her name?” she questioned curiously “Maybe tell me..a little about her” she had to admit she was curious to know about the person Julian saw himself wanting to spend his entire life with at the time. She leaned against the window as they set back off through the city towards her home, she was watching all the cars speeding by outside the window, the streetlights illuminating her face with each they passed “We’ll probably spend the entire movie cringing” she commented as she glanced over at him but he seemed serious about it. She pressed her lips together and grinned “Okay, but first we have to make cinnamon popcorn, it’s a Christmas tradition for me” she nodded a few times.

NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Julian Nathaniel Lockhart on May 14, 2020 at 19:13

Sometimes it could be quite overwhelming when you're being compared to someone else's sibling, and there were times when you would feel insanely awkward because was that a sign that you're being treated or regarded as a sister figure? But that wasn't the case when it comes to Julian, Jane-Ann, his sister has been quite literally his anchor. She was his big sister, his best friend, his preacher, his bully, pretty much everything. When he was at his worst, she was there for him. So when he pointed out the resemblance between her and Nora, it was a big compliment for the Nephilim. "You should. Because she was my everything." His love for his sister could possibly surpass even his love for his former fiancee, honestly. "Sometimes I like to stay behind just so I could have the opportunity to… modify a few things but yeah, not all the hours were paid. I should probably stop doing that." He hardly doubted being given the chance of staying there just to poke here and there could accumulate the points he needed for actual salary to pay his bills.

 A small smile graced his lips when she mentioned that the days when he wasn't present at the hangar felt different and longer, "I'm flattered. Most people never admitted they love my company" he cooed teasingly. To hear that her, out of everyone, admitting that out loud made Julian feel like he had just reached another milestone in his life. Oh he likes it. A lot. "Some people get better. Some don't." It depends on the individual, really. At least, that's what he thinks. Nobody is the same, after all. If he wasn't blushing already, he was definitely blushing harder now, "I mean… wouldn't it be impolite to reject them…?" And of course, it sounded more like a question. He's Julian. "I don't do… everything. Just, if they were asking me for help, I can't say no." He was extremely weak for them, basically. "So I wasn't the only one who thought he was gay? I wondered why they ended up pairing him with Kelsi… God forbid someone who had a character to them could stand on their own, huh?" They were so invested in this High School Musical talk. 

He could understand where she's coming from when she said that, he had friends who promised the same and he would just hum in agreement. "Maybe they wanted to make themselves feel better but not nor ready over losing a part of them then." Sometimes, them not achieving their actual thoughts and goals at first was supposed to be somewhat a lesson for them. "See, even you think he's not that brave" One way or another, picturing the dhampir his. That was a whole lot of anger than just a slap here. While she tried to make him see that she was better off solo, Julian couldn't help but think about that, "I think you're right. Besides, in many ways, we're still young. It's not as if time was pushing the likes of us to go find someone fast." Admittedly, it was a bit hard for him to say so when he developed a crush on the female who stood before him like a fairy. "I wonder how a friend soulmate would be like… they must be best friends, they love each other in a sense that nobody could refute... " It's a beautiful picture to think about. 

He paused briefly when Nora suddenly asked him about his former fiancee, "Her name was Maleeah. She's honestly the kind of girl you find enticing and adorable… the girl next door who brings you breakfast every morning because you often skipped them… I knew her when we were schooling. She wasn't like the others… She was different." He could still remember it like it was just yesterday when she nurtured a drunk him after a football celebration. "I don't think anyone disliked her at all… she makes it hard for you to hate her." That was her charm. "Somehow that doesn't sound surprising. Better than belting out the songs in the middle of the night, right?" The idea of making cinnamon popcorn made the Nephilim lit up like the Christmas tree, "You have no idea how much I love cinnamon." The ride back was better because like earlier, there were no cars to cause traffic. Before long, he was already entering the corner of her residency, this time he decided to park inside because carrying the tree from a block away was not something he pictured himself doing. "She was like a flower. And flowers eventually wilts. Her time came and there was nothing I could do about it" he murmured, her death still took heavy toll on him.

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Eleanora Riley Nordstroem on May 15, 2020 at 23:30

Nora had noticed that Julian seemed to be as guarded about the things that happened in his life as she was, only his seemed to be buried under sadness and hers was mostly under anger, but they had both been through difficult things and managed to find a way to continue on with their lives in spite of it. There was a certain strength in that. “Was?” she asked softly wondered if something had happened to his sister as this was the second time he had used past tense when describing her. She gave him a playful shake of her head when he admitted that he stayed to tinker on the planes longer than he should and outside of the realm of the hours he actually got paid for “I get it, work sometimes feels more like a hobby so you end up losing time” she felt the same way a lot of the time because her work was so important to her and delivering what the customers wanted was something which motivated her greatly.

She felt a little flustered at the way he twisted her words to make them sound more direct and cringey than she intended for them to be and she stumbled over her thoughts a little as she tried to think of what to say “I never realized quite how long spending hours working on a plane can feel...empty” she responded thoughtfully, she had always been the kind of person who seemed to be okay with being alone, but maybe it was the small space or how quiet it could feel in the evenings, the time seemed to feel like it dragged along. But when he was there he would make some stupid joke that made her laugh or he’d hit his head on the low ceiling for the 4th time that day because he seemed to have a talent for that. She laughed and shrugged her shoulders when he said it would be rude to reject something “Wouldn’t it be even more so to let them think they have a shot when they don’t?” she preferred not to have people holding out for her when she didn’t intend on committing personally.

She couldn’t help but laugh at the fact the two of them were talking about high school musical right now, it seemed so far away from what she would expect tonight’s conversation topic to be about but she was enjoying it, she liked how open he was with his interests, even for things others might find cheesy “I think a lot of the characters would have been fine ending up single” she commented and laughed “How realistic is it that everyone stays with the first person they fall in love with anyway?” not that she would actually know she supposed, she’d always cut and run before she got close to love. Sometimes she told herself it was for the best and sometimes it was just really lonely for her, she ventured between the two sides a lot depending on the day “I think I believe that your story has many different paths and sometimes one comes to an end and you begin on another” even when you didn’t want to sometimes. The idea of a friend soulmate made her smile though “Probably not all that different to a romantic one, just without the kissing and sex parts” she smiled, he was right, that would be nice to find.

She purposely went quiet to give him the time he needed to talk about his fiancee, she could tell her death had made a huge impact on Julian's life and probably shaped a lot of his decisions since then and she felt for him, losing someone like that must have been so heartbreaking for him. Maleeah, as he described her, sounded like a bright and cheery person who would brighten the world around her, in that sense, she sounded like a completely different person when compared to Nora. She could imagine Julian getting along well with someone like that, someone confident who brought out the confidence in him. She had seen sides of him that were shy and sides that were filled with cheesy jokes and endless confidence, it all depended on the situation he was in “Sounds like she was the kind of person who brightened everyone’s life, you must miss her a lot” of course he would, it would only be natural, especially if that person made you feel like a better person yourself.

The way he brightened up when she mentioned cinnamon popcorn made her widen her eyes “Me too” she responded a little more enthusiastically than she probably intended and then smiled brightly “I swear I have cinnamon everything, Christmas is my favorite time of year because you can get it in your coffee at Starbucks” she laughed under her breath, just one of those things. When the car came to a stop she was about to get out but then she heard him speak and paused. That statement made her heart feel like it was breaking for him, no one should have to experience sadness like that. She hesitantly reached her hand out to touch his shoulder “As much as we wish it to be, not everything in life is in our control, she wouldn’t want you to blame yourself or hold yourself back” she didn’t know her but everything he described told her she would want the best for him.

NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Julian Nathaniel Lockhart on May 17, 2020 at 8:18

He wasn't much of a talker, Julian's never been one to kiss and tell either. When asked about his family or his personal life, the Nephilim rarely discloses much. The day he left his house in pursuit of his dreams to become an aeronautical engineer, he made up his mind. But to be honest, he's never had the difficulty of telling them when it comes to Nora. A part of him just nudges at him to tell her what she wanted to know because he didn't feel comfortable keeping things private from her, not when she's also making the effort of befriending him, right? It doesn't sound right that way. If he was getting to know her, the least he could do is offer the same amount of information back to her.

 "My sister is a… Uh, you know people go through a lot of things at a stage of their life, right? Eventually, you kind of… break down. My sister hasn't been the same after my wedding, and I wasn't sure if that was because I've been shoving her for quite a while after that tragic day." They still contacted one another, of course. They were still siblings, at the end of the day. But that didn't mean he couldn't notice the difference in her demeanor. It bothers the Nephilim a lot, until he decided to respect her decision on keeping it a secret from their parents. There was nothing he could do, anyway. "It's a good thing I treated it as my hobby, I don't think I can last another day working for something I find the boredom in" It's just not in him to do that. "I guess I didn't notice the phrase empty anywhere near… but now that you've said it, it does sound a bit like it." Normally he dismissed those feelings because holding onto them would bring no benefit.

 They haven't known each other that long but over the time they have, Julian noticed plenty of things. The way she would scrunch up her nose, completely unbeknownst how cute it was to him, or the way she would readily divulge into whatever he had in mind if she came visiting the hangar that day. He wondered if she really enjoyed his company more than she would let on and today was a proof of that. Maybe he was a bit of a charity case there but hey, it works. "I thought they actually did have a shot back then… I liked them. Sure they can be insufferable at times but not all of them were like that. Maleeah was actually a former cheerleader and a drama major. So… there was that." Maybe he was also trying to find reasons to fit into her world the same way she was invested into doing the same for him. Relationships work both ways, right? Was that why Julian was unknowingly trying to understand the dhampir's world too? Perhaps. 

When she expressed her opinion on how realistic it was for people to stay with their first loves, he coughed, "I felt that" he chuckled and placed one hand over his chest to feign hurt. Julian wasn't the type to fall for someone easily either, so maybe there's that factor to contribute too. "Those kind of people would be the best best friend huh... " He wondered if he could find one himself too. Admittedly, his life hasn't been all that… festive, to begin with. The only times he remembered he actually had fun was with 3 people; Maleeah, Jane-Ann and Cora. All 3 who were important to his life. One who was no longer in the world, another who is indifferent to him now and the other who he was previously reunited with, holding a big secret. That does add a spark of interesting to it. Talking about Maleeah wasn't easy for him, not when he could still recall holding her bloodied state in their own wedding garments, but he needed to talk it out. It was unhealthy to keep bottling them up. "I do... " he murmured, he still does. Missing her was easy when she had a big place in his life. But he's coping better now. It was time to move on and he was fine with it. 

There it was again, the way her eyes would lit up as she talks about something so enthusiastically as if she was deeply in love with it, yeah, he may really be deep in crushing on her. "So you're q cinnamon girl, figures" he chuckled. When he felt her hand on his shoulder, he glanced over to look at her and even though Julian hates being sympathized, he really accosted this one, "That's why I'm leading an honest life, well as honest as one could get. I'm sure she would've wanted me to find my own happiness too" How ironic. He exited the car and told her to go ahead first while he unloads the tree. Honestly, a big part of him was thanking the heavens and back for the fact that the tree wasn't as heavy as it looks because maybe… just maybe, he didn't want to lose his macho in front of Nora. 

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