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| crown beneath your wing; tag;; Wolfsbane | |
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| Topic Started: Jul 21 2010, 05:37 AM (665 Views) | |
| Jack Russell | Jul 21 2010, 05:37 AM Post #1 |
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Unregistered
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June 20th Late afternoon His hand had been hovering inches from the door for the past few minutes, the tendons in his wrist flexed until they were contracted above his skin. Jack twisted his face in a myriad of emotions, pushing a breath up out of his lungs and pulling back from Rahne's door. He'd been doing this for a while, preparing some words in his head and working his determination up inside him to knock on the door. Each time Jack tried, he'd backpedal furiously into a frightened stupor, realizing that there were really no words to say to make any sense of what had happened over the past month and a half. There wasn't a Hallmark card that could apologize for the amount of hell Rahne must have had to put up with when Emil was occupying his body. The man had a choleric tongue and an even worse temper, and nothing would ever erase her mind of what had violently transpired when the worlds collided. Jack tried not to think about it too much. Dwelling on the thought furiously was what had made him a wreck when it was all over, completely inconsolable and practically unable to function. He had retreated within himself, hoping that the further he went in, the more distanced the reality of the situation would become. It took Jack a week or two to come back out of his shell, lots of deep, undisturbed sleep and good nutrition seeming to fix at least the majority of his problems, but the nightmares plagued him constantly. The internal damage would take longer to fix. His withdrawal was the whole reason he was here; Jack had drifted away from everyone for a while, putting a wall between him and everyone else. The already socially inept shifter couldn't make it up to everyone, but he could try his best make it up for where it counted. Rahne had really come through for him. Her sacrifice had earned his deepest respect, and some other feelings he wasn't sure about. Jack sighed and rubbed the back of his head, his hair starting to grow back out after Emil had jaggedly shaved it all off. He looked down at the posy of flowers in his other hand, not really sure what Rahne had preferences for. The pungent smell of snapdragons, touch-me-nots, and morning glories tickled his nose, feeling the stems start to dry between his fingers. His game of beating around the bush was killing the flowers, the ones he hoped would be a better apology and thank-you than the words in his head. Jack had never been the greatest with words, but Rahne knew that already. She probably knows you're out here anyway he chided to himself, fighting with his body for another fitful moment before he lifted his hand up, took a breath, and knocked. |
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| Wolfsbane | Jul 21 2010, 06:19 AM Post #2 |
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Jack was absolutely right about one thing - she knew he was there. Heard his feet pacing the floor, smelled his anxiety and the bouquet in his hand, but she remained patient, waiting inside for him to be ready. He had been through quite a bit lately, and she had supported him as well as she could. That was what friends were for, after all, and she had certainly felt that at this point, they were at least a little bit more than friends. She just wasn't sure if that was due to animal instinct or wishful thinking or what. She did like him, very much. He was kind-hearted, he had a pleasing smile, and when she was around him, she felt... good. It was difficult to describe past that. She found she didn't have a whole lot of words to describe her feelings towards her fellow werewolf, but there was an undeniable attraction. He had needed his time after coming back from the other side, and she gave it to him. All he needed. It was understandable and respectable, and she let him have it with no qualms. No protest, no hurt feelings. She knew that when he was ready, he'd come back to her. She startled slightly when he finally knocked on the door, having lost herself in thought a bit. She stood up from her bed, brushed her hair slightly with her fingertips, smoothed out her t-shirt and went to answer the door. "Oh! Jack!" she feigned surprise, perhaps a bit too forcedly. "What a pleasant surprise! To what do I owe the pleasure of yuir visit today?" |
![]() [size0]Say the dog and butterfly, in the air they like to fly. Dog and butterfly. She knew she had to try, and she float back down to the warm soft ground, laughing - she don't know why, but she had to try, she had to try. Dog and Buttefly. Avatar by Natalie, signature by Olga. My graphics set is complete again! Thank you so much! | |
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| Jack Russell | Jul 21 2010, 07:17 AM Post #3 |
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Unregistered
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She sounded surprised--was she? Jack couldn't quite figure it out, balking as soon as Rahne opened the door. "I um..," his face went almost scarlet in genuine chagrin. Jack was starting to wish he'd paid attention more when his sister mentioned things he thought were trivial like make-up or a Cosmo quiz. At least Cosmo provided literature about social situations, most mens' magazines consisted of beer reviews and women in bathing suits--neither of which were going to make this situation any less uncoordinated than it was already. Jack didn't know what gave him the idea that he thought he could do this without screwing it up. He had sustained much suffering over the course of the summer, and even though Jack probably had his head screwed on better now than he had in years, even a traumatic experience couldn't fix what the forest had undone. "Er.. flowers.. you," the man stumbled. He gave his head a firm shake to ground himself, and presented the flowers to Rahne as delicately as he could, already familiar with the fact that when he was nervous he tended to crush small things in his hands without realizing it. "These are for you," Jack managed at last, wanting to kick himself for pointing out the obvious. He felt silly; Jack and Rahne were friends, he could speak to her in complete sentences, why was it now that he had to be tongue-tied? "I... I just wanted to thank you--for everything." Breathing easier, his initial trepidation started to lose it's edge. "Emil was.. an asshole, and I know it had to have been really bad... to put up with him, I mean." He was almost scared to ask what it must have been like; Jack knew in his heart whatever it was, it could have been much worse without the null collar. But Emil at least knew what needed to be done, and needless to say Jack was starting to pick up on it--the assertiveness to know you had to do some things in your life that would make you uncomfortable. He wanted to try, to try at least get his toe in the door to see if that ship hadn't completely sailed yet. |
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| Wolfsbane | Jul 21 2010, 05:26 PM Post #4 |
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Rahne reached forward and took the flowers in her right hand, bringing her left up to hold it in both before bringing them up to her nose and inhaling. With the sensitivity of her nose, it wasn't terribly necessary, but she understood that that was the way to accept flowers. "Och, many thanks," she said, lifting her eyes up to look into his, that soft, subtle smile of hers dancing on her lips. "They're lovely." She turned slightly away from the doorway and went back into her room, gesturing with a tilt of her head for Jack to follow. She was certain she had a vase somewhere in here, now where did she keep it? It wasn't in the closet, no... wasn't in her dresser... A small glint of recognition shone in her eyes and she quickly made her way over to the bathroom, opening up the cabinet under the sink and pulling out a small glass vase. It wasn't terribly ornate, more functional than elegant, but she had had it a long time and liked it all the same. She placed the vase in the sink and filled it half way with water before slipping the flowers into it and returning to the room. "There we go! Absolutely perfect!" she beamed, and set the flowers on the windowsill, allowing the sunlight to catch them just right and illuminate the petals. "Honestly?" Rahne asked, when Jack began to apologize for Emil. "In many ways, he was like a man what never grew up. Still an angry, petulant child, and I felt sorry for him. I mean yes, he was difficult, and he absolutely did get on my last nerve from time to time, but..." She took a deep breath and walked up to Jack, first placing her hands on his shoulders. "Well, there's no need f'r you to apologize on his behalf. I made a promise to you, and I dinnae break promises. Especially when I make them to people who are special to me." She realized he may have been uncomfortable with what she was about to do, but she felt it appropriate as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, holding him closer than they'd yet been. "I'm just glad that yuir back," she said, her face very close to his own. "I missed ye, ye know." |
![]() [size0]Say the dog and butterfly, in the air they like to fly. Dog and butterfly. She knew she had to try, and she float back down to the warm soft ground, laughing - she don't know why, but she had to try, she had to try. Dog and Buttefly. Avatar by Natalie, signature by Olga. My graphics set is complete again! Thank you so much! | |
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| Jack Russell | Jul 22 2010, 07:24 AM Post #5 |
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Unregistered
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It had been some time since Jack had seen that smile, and his heart stuttered a little--something it had never done before. He hesitated at her doorway before following Rahne inside her room, letting his gaze travel around the interior with interest as he took in the familiar scents and sounds. The last time he had been here, things were of very different circumstance; his arms were slit open, exposing the danger he was to others and himself, and she dabbed at his wounds with a saturated cotton ball. Rahne had always been inexplicably kind to him, even when she didn't have to. She could have turned him away that day, could have taken one look at the bite marks and decided it was too much for her to deal with. He watched from afar as Rahne returned with the wildflowers arranged in a vase, the sunlight playing beautifully on the rainbow of colors. She beamed, remarking how beautiful it was. Jack dimpled softly, glad that she liked the arrangement. Rahne dismissed the very thought of Emil, which put Jack more at ease to know that his disgruntled counterpart had not affected her for the worse in long-term. And then she strode very close to him, reducing their distance apart to mere inches. Her hands went to his shoulders, and Jack almost stepped back, but he was rooted to the spot, unable to move. I made a promise to you, and I dinnae break promises. Especially when I make them to people who are special to me. His world got smaller as Rahne wrapped her arms around him, pulling him in close. They had been in a similar position before, but this was so much different, more intimate. Jack could see every little freckle dotted across her nose, his eyes at first shyly darting to avoid hers. At this proximity he was made aware of how pretty she was, although this was a fact that Jack had always known, but he had pushed it from his mind when he saw that Doug had a claim already. I missed ye, ye know. Jack's eyes darted up, the calm blue in his eyes meeting the emerald sheen in hers. "You... did?" Reflexively, one hand met the bottom dip of her shoulder blade. He didn't mean for his words to sound so surprised, but it was nice to know that someone had missed him, had thought about him while he was an entirely different world away. But Jack had thought on the same line too; he had yearned for real companionship those long days and nights in the woods, not just any, but hers in particular. The company he kept there haunted him, but the company he kept here--and now--made it a little easier to hold onto hope. His eyes were trapped fast now, gazing to hers, his heart quickening as the butterflies in his stomach whipped around in a gust. "I um... I never noticed how... green your eyes are. I knew they were green but not... that... green." his lips were moving at almost beyond his control, and they just wouldn't stop; maybe this babbling was a defense mechanism. Stop talking. "I mean.. not that I don't think green is nice. Leaves are green... and.. grass.." Stoptalkingstoptalkingstopstop.. And then Jack kissed her, effectively shutting himself up. He jerked back almost immediately, going practically crimson. Jack cleared his throat, going stiff. At least he'd stopped talking about how green her eyes were. |
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| Wolfsbane | Jul 22 2010, 07:48 AM Post #6 |
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"Of course I did, ye great big goof!" Rahne laughed at his surprise, though it was somewhat sad in its own way. He was a shy man, quiet and unassuming in his demeanor, and the shy ones, Rahne had noticed, tended to assume that others don't notice them, or that others didn't enjoy their company. "You 'n me, we've got a pretty good thing here. T' not have that around... it was like... I dunno, it was like there was something important that I had lost, an' I had no idea how to get it back." She smiled, and lifted one hand from behind him to run across the top of his head. His hair was growing back, ever so slowly. She could help but smile as he began to babble nervously, tripping over his words and going in depth about her eye color. He was scared, she could tell, but he held his ground - he could have pulled away, could have run off, but he didn't. This was new territory for him, and for her as well for the most part. The kiss came as a small surprise - a pleasant one. She wasn't prepared for it, and it simply pecked on her lips, with him darting back almost as soon as he'd planted it. "I'd been hopin' for that for some time now," she said, hoping to put him at ease some before she took it to the next step. She leaned forward, bringing her face up to his, going for a kiss of her own that was more direct, with both parties more prepared for it. This lip-lock stood its ground, communicated in no uncertain terms what Rahne felt at the moment. |
![]() [size0]Say the dog and butterfly, in the air they like to fly. Dog and butterfly. She knew she had to try, and she float back down to the warm soft ground, laughing - she don't know why, but she had to try, she had to try. Dog and Buttefly. Avatar by Natalie, signature by Olga. My graphics set is complete again! Thank you so much! | |
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| Jack Russell | Jul 24 2010, 04:44 AM Post #7 |
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Unregistered
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Jack was steeled to bolt, afraid he'd jumped across a line when he should have just nudged a toe. He prepared himself for it, a slap, or a yell or something, anything but a soft ruffling of his hair, fingers gently twisting into the blonde tufts that would soon be curls again. I'd been hopin' for that for some time now. His mouth half-opened in surprise, his brows drawing inward and back as he processed Rahne's words. She drew herself to him, their lips pressing together in a kiss more languidly than the last, mouths working gently against each other. At first, Jack's heart lurched and doubled its rate, a dizzying sensation crawling over his scalp. His body soothed itself after a few more moments of these soft affections, his hand tightening over Rahne's shoulder as his other curled across her hip. She was small, slim, and it was hard to resist the want to envelop her in his body--to shield her from any outside forces with ill intentions. Jack pressed her forward only slightly, not wanting to seem too eager--too longing. It had been a few years since he'd allowed himself this closeness, and he had forgotten what it felt like. Despite how quickly Jack was beginning to remember how much he liked it, he didn't want to ruin this one good thing going for him with haste. He finally pulled apart gently to breathe after a few long moments, during which time seemed to stand still. Jack breathed slowly, his hands still clasped where they were originally. "That was...," he moistened his lips as no word came to mind. "....wow." Jack's original train of thought began to return, his mind clearing, having almost forgotten himself. "I.... missed you too." |
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| Wolfsbane | Jul 24 2010, 05:09 AM Post #8 |
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"It was good?" she asked, a small laugh dancing from her throat. She hadn't had too much experience with the opposite sex, which really hadn't too often garnered any lip-to-lip activities. This was an impulse, an unpracticed action that came from a spontaneous emotion-based urge. There were other, very strong urges coursing through her at the moment, but she supressed them. She was still, first and foremost, a good Christian girl, and no matter how hard her lupine hormones pushed her into that direction, she knew it was improper, knew it was a sin, and would not allow herself to do it. At least, she thought that was how it was going to go. She convinced herself she was going to resist temptation, no matter what. Though the truth of the matter was that she hadn't really been tempted thus far, and knew nothing of her strength in that regard. It was entirely possible that she would be unable to resist doing what the wolf wanted her to do if and when it came down to the proverbial wire. But these weren't things she was thinking of at the moment. "So..." she said, a small smile crossing her lips. "What do ye say to a romantic dinner out, jus' the two of us? An' by that I mean either a restaurant or us just goin' out, killin' a deer or some rabbits an' sharin' a meal that way. Whichever ye'd feel more comfortable with." |
![]() [size0]Say the dog and butterfly, in the air they like to fly. Dog and butterfly. She knew she had to try, and she float back down to the warm soft ground, laughing - she don't know why, but she had to try, she had to try. Dog and Buttefly. Avatar by Natalie, signature by Olga. My graphics set is complete again! Thank you so much! | |
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| Jack Russell | Jul 24 2010, 11:52 PM Post #9 |
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Unregistered
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She was certainly taking this all in stride, at least better than Jack was. Unlike Rahne, he was not a religious person, nor had he set foot in a church for some years. There was a rift between their values, something Jack had known from the beginning, but he couldn't help himself but to pursue this. Attempting to respect those values, he loosened his hands. But her smile eased his worries at least for a moment He was caught off guard when she suggested to continue the evening with a romantic dinner. Romantic? Jack swallowed slightly; it had been a long time since he had dated anyone, and romance wasn't necessarily something he was practiced in. Rahne had her own idea about things, suggesting a restaurant. The metal of his dog tag gave him a reminder of what things could turn out to be like. Then she suggested hunting for some prey in the woods, filled with things he knew were safe for him to eat. But the blood.. it didn't scream romance for him. Jack resisted the urge to rub hand across his neck, attempting to keep an outwardly calm demeanor. Inside, his mind was working furiously in a panic. He'd taken the jump, and now it was up to him to live up to it. "Let me make dinner," the words coming out of his mouth before he could stop it; his own body had been betraying him like that a lot lately. He felt a blush creeping up into his face. "I mean.. you want something romantic. I uh.. let me cook something for you." It just opened up a whole new can of confusion in his mind. What did she like to eat? He knew they were geared towards a diet of meat, but he felt like he could give her something more than that. He could do this, as long as he reminded himself to breathe. |
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| Wolfsbane | Jul 25 2010, 12:19 AM Post #10 |
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Rahne waited and watched patiently as he fretted on the inside, worked himself up into a frenzy, despite managing to keep a level of calm about him. He had come a long way since she first met him those months ago. She felt proud of him for that. What came next though, that surprised her. Her eyes widened and she gave off a small laugh, almost involuntarily as it jumped out of her throat. "You c'n cook!" she exclaimed. "Well, that certainly makes f'r one of us, then, 'cause I'm afraid the extent o' my culinary experience is pre-made cookie doughs an' stuff you c'n stick in the microwave oven." She couldn't help but be curious. He could cook? What would he cook? How would he go about it? What should she do? Should she dress up? Something fancy and elegant, despite her not being a particularly fancy or elegant young woman? Or should she just come as she tends to be, jeans and a t-shirt? "Alright, ye'll cook. I'll bring the wine," she said, the smile on her face eager and excited, almost bouncing with excited energy. "Oh, this is goin' to be wonderful. We can set up a picnic blanket, some candles... leave the setup to me. You bring the food, I'll provide the ambiance. Sound good?" |
![]() [size0]Say the dog and butterfly, in the air they like to fly. Dog and butterfly. She knew she had to try, and she float back down to the warm soft ground, laughing - she don't know why, but she had to try, she had to try. Dog and Buttefly. Avatar by Natalie, signature by Olga. My graphics set is complete again! Thank you so much! | |
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| Jack Russell | Jul 25 2010, 03:52 AM Post #11 |
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Unregistered
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She sounded surprised as Jack revealed this domestic skill about himself, managing a smile when she remarked on her own abilities to cook as subpar. "When you have a special diet it's... sort of a necessity," he explained, not wanting to go into all the boring details of what he was allergic to. Jack had decided as a teenager that the precariousness of special orders wasn't worth the trouble or his time, and he made up for it the best way he knew how--by learning to cook. Questions were popping up in his head faster than he could keep track, and Jack attempted to divert his attention from them by listening closely to Rahne, the lilt of her voice and laugh always pleasing sounds to his ears. I'll bring the wine. Wine? Jack smiled and nodded,"Yeah. Okay. That sounds... great. Good. Yeah." It's just wine. Get a grip he thought to himself, Rahne chattering excitedly about the evening with an outside atmosphere and candles. Jack had never been much of a drinker, wary of his emotions peaking and starting a shift. Although, he had expressed more control than ever, having gone through no such episode since before his first flicker to the alternate world. He was almost sure alcohol was a depressant and would keep an emotional upheaval from happening, but Jack had it instilled in him to be better safe than sorry. You bring the food, I'll provide the ambiance. Sound good? Jack nodded again, the light feeling returning as the plans began to become more and more concrete. This was actually going to happen; he was going on a date with Rahne. He found himself making a few paces to the door, pausing as he looked back. "I um.. I'll see you at eight?" That gave him a few hours to make a meal and put himself together and even now he could feel heat rising again to his face. |
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| Wolfsbane | Jul 25 2010, 04:07 AM Post #12 |
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"Oh, of course," Rahne said with a nod of her head. It was easy to forget that while for Rahne, carnivorous tendencies were more a preference than a necessity, with Jack, his diet had to be carefully maintained or he could get quite sick. "Oh, this is exciting," she repeated herself, almost bouncing on her feet. "I've got a nice Chardonnay, an' while my glasses are nae terribly too fancy, they'll serve our needs jus' fine." He began to make his way to the door, and Rahne took a few steps in his direction. "Aye," she said, standing up on her toes to give him a quick peck on his right cheek. "Eight o' clock sounds absolutely grand. Out by the gardens, near the lights so we're not out in the pitch dark." She placed a hand on Jack's shoulder, and smiled. "An' relax already. Ye've got nothin' to prove to me. We'll have a lovely time, jus' you, jus' me, no pressure." Her hand slipped off of Jack's shoulder and she gave him a small finger-wave as he headed out the door. This was exciting indeed. After the stress of the past few months, after the insanity with alternate worlds and alternate people... it was so refreshing to just do something so utterly... normal as a picnic dinner by candlelight. |
![]() [size0]Say the dog and butterfly, in the air they like to fly. Dog and butterfly. She knew she had to try, and she float back down to the warm soft ground, laughing - she don't know why, but she had to try, she had to try. Dog and Buttefly. Avatar by Natalie, signature by Olga. My graphics set is complete again! Thank you so much! | |
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2:21 PM Jul 11