highfiving | (no subject)

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[ after their "date", leia really does take the time to think about everything that happened, from the tension, to the kiss, to the dream that she can only vaguely remember. she even talks to elize about it, since... well, the rest of their group is compromised of people who are probably too busy to play advisor for her (like rowen and gaius), or people it would be way too awkward to talk to about this with (like jude and alvin himself). she's even a little quieter than normal when it comes to contacting alvin, and she definitely doesn't try to drag him out as much— especially not when she finally admits to herself why she's been so weird around him lately.

she likes him. not as a friend, or even as a best friend, but as something more. she's been through this whole song and dance before, which makes it worse, in a way. trust her to fall for her best friend again, right? and that's not even touching on the issues they've had in the past, or the fact that he's... a lot older than her, or any of the other reasons that tell her that this is probably something that she should keep to herself for the moment.

quiet as she may be toward him, though, that doesn't stop her from calling him up and asking if he'd like to spend new years together, and when she gets an affirmative answer, she can't help but feel a small thrill even if she knows she probably shouldn't. unlike her birthday, this isn't being framed as a date. as far as anyone but her is concerned, this is just two friends casually spending a holiday together, but just knowing that they'll get to do something like that really does make her happy.

that doesn't stop her from putting a little extra effort into her appearance, either— when the big day rolls around, even if she doesn't get very dressed up, she does spend time in front of the mirror fussing over her appearance for one of the first times in her life. while she would normally toss her hair up into a quick bun and call it a day, she actually opts to wear it down for once, combed out carefully so that it falls around her shoulders. she picks out her cutest sweater and shorts combo, too, because even if the weather reports say it's going to be chilly and potentially a little rainy, a small part of her wants to impress him. for him to think that maybe she's actually pretty cute.

she even gets to their decided meeting spot a little early (surprisingly, probably), an umbrella in hand, just in case the reports were right and it starts to drizzle at some point— it's already a little cloudy, so it's a very real possibility. she's pretty antsy about this meeting, too, if the way she keeps checking her GHS is anything to go by. she's only been waiting for him for a few minutes and there's still plenty of time to walk to the area they talked about watching the fireworks from since it's not too far away, but still. she kind of can't help herself at this point. ]

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[Alvin likewise had spent some time thinking about what happened on their little "date." Balan ribbing him about it didn't help matters, but he managed to play it off as "It was just a thing, nothing more" and not delve into what had been really on his mind. About the several times he felt that strange attraction to her.

And then there had been Elle. Although he didn't seek her out, she had sent him numerous texts asking about the "date" as well, especially after sending those pictures he had taken. Her main point had been, "So why don't you just date already, I don't get it. You already act like you're dating anyway, jeez." The kid was more blunt than Elize and her words had at first just made him laugh because that was absurd. Or...so he first thought, but, well. They did joke about being a couple sometimes and then there were other things... His response? "We're just friends, stop reading into it."

Because that's all they ever could be. Should be. Not only is he older than her (even if people sometimes forget, even themselves), but he just has a lot of baggage that he wouldn't want to put on her or anyone that he might date in the future. One day he'll get that relationship, but right now... He's not sure if he's quite ready for it and to put that on Leia of all people—

Wait, why is he even considering her as part of the equation? Dammit, Elle—Balan, too. His cousin had a tendency to make snide and teasing remarks whenever they went out to drink or talked, usually with Balan starting with the, "Soooo how's your little reporter friend?"

So even though he noticed that Leia didn't call him or text him as often, he also didn't question it, either. Perhaps a part of him was glad for it. A little less time together to help resettle the strangely dislodged tracks. Tracks that shouldn't have been dislodged in the first place.

It helps that he also had work to deal with. End of the year sales provided a lot of opportunities, especially as more businesses and companies start looking toward the upcoming year and re-figured their costs and profit margins. So by the time Leia sent him the invite, the thoughts from before had mostly disappeared and considered as just an "off" thing—a thing that was just a "caught in the moment" and nothing more. (Or...so he would tell himself whenever the thoughts do pop up every now and then.)

On the day of the meeting, he's actually running late this time around. Only a few minutes, but when he does reach the meeting area, he takes a moment to catch his breath, one hand resting against his side as the other brushes back some of his hair as he looks around to try and find Leia. It's pretty crowded, so it's already going to be tough.

Except it actually takes him even longer, which puzzles him, half-wondering if she's actually running later than him, when he spots her. and when he does look her way, he actually has to stop and stare for a moment. It's a good thing she's looking at her GHS and he's away from her line of sight, because he's definitely pulling one of those double takes right now. One of the reasons why it took him a bit was because he had been looking for her trademark bun. So seeing with her hair down... And then the outfit...

It's almost as if she was dressed up for a date.

The thought strikes him and all those thoughts he had from before suddenly resurface (dammit, Elle!), thoughts he quickly tries to ignore and bury back down as he approaches.]

Hey, sorry I'm late. Got caught up with some neighbors and then had to deal with the crowds and traffic.

[He's dressed a lot more casually today—which is probably why he got called out this time to begin with. Because when he dresses casually, instead of that business chic look, he just has a more natural, rugged charm instead. Dark jeans, collared shirt, light brown trench, a dark scarf. It's like an Elympion version of his old look, and in some ways he looks a little younger as well.

Though speaking of looks...]

I almost didn't recognize you either. [A light grin.] You look good.

Edited (/forgot to include bits about Elle and then it exploded.) 2015-01-25 09:08 (UTC)

[ when he approaches, she flips her GHS shut, tucking it into her pocket as she mirrors his grin and waves a hand as if to signal that his tardiness is fine.

... and then she sort of. processes that compliment. it's not the first time he's thrown one her way, and she's probably given him quite a few, too, but since she's brought feelings into the equation... it feels different. hearing that he thinks she looks good makes her feel sort of giddy, especially since that had been her intention and because this is all unfamiliar territory; as much as she may have loved jude— and she really, really had— he never really paid her compliments like that and had always treated her more like a sibling than anything else. ]

I put a lot of effort into making all this work, so I'd better look good!

[ she means it as a joke and she luckily sounds casual when she says it, but the fact that she just admitted to spending time on her appearance still stands. she kind of wants to slap herself for that one, because she's trying to play it cool here, but instead she keeps talking. ]

Anyway, you don't look too bad yourself.

[ and with her free hand, the one that isn't holding onto an umbrella, she flashes him a quick thumbs up. ]

Do you wanna head out now?

[He does wonder about her admission. After all, it is pretty clear she had spent some time getting dressed up a bit. But he'll go with the flow for the moment.]

Do I ever not look good? [Smug look goes here.] But yeah, let's get going before it gets worse.

[And he'll automatically move to her side, though he does move to where he's shielding her from the worst of the crowd and the road. As he glances at her, he finally notices the umbrella in her hands. Yes, he had been too busy looking at her to notice it.]

The weather did say it might rain, didn't it? I completely forgot about it, so it's a good thing you brought an umbrella. Though hopefully we won't need it.

[ she spares a quick glance up toward the sky before looking back to him. ]

It's pretty cloudy, but here's to hoping!

[ who's a ridiculous pile of optimism? she is.

and now she's going to start walking, because he does have a point about it getting worse— trigleph is a pretty bustling city on its own sometimes, so adding a holiday to the mix makes things even crazier than they might normally be. their destination isn't too terribly far away, but the road there is likely to be pretty crowded and it probably won't be the most secluded area around, so it would be better to get a head start.

after a moment, she's going to bring up the first thing that comes to mind, since she feels too antsy to walk in silence, waiting for him to break the ice. ]

So, what'd your neighbors want, anyway?

Just a little meet and greet. You know that older couple that lives down the hall? I sometimes help them out with some heavy lifting and little things with their appliances. Anyway, their daughter was there visiting and they wanted me to meet her. She's an accountant, so I guess they thought we might get along.

[And believe it or not, he did not realize that that elderly couple might have had other motives. Probably because—]

I tried to get out of there as fast as I could, but man can they talk and kept trying to serve me tea.

Edited (pronouns) 2015-01-25 10:23 (UTC)

[ why does that sound... vaguely... like they might have been trying to set him up with their daughter...

well, at least if she ends up feeling jealous this time around, she'll have a good answer for why, even if it's not one she can tell him, right? ]

Oh yeah? Did you at least get a chance to meet her before you ran out on them?

[ the daughter, that is. ]

Yeah. She seemed nice and we exchanged numbers. [He says this pretty casually.] She actually works for a well-known firm, and it might be good to have someone to help keep track of finances. I'll have to talk to Yurgen about it, though.

[Seriously, one would think that Alvin would have picked up on the other implication. And if he actually stopped to think about it, or if he hadn't been in a rush, he might have. But all the recent sales and the like has apparently left him more business minded than usual.

That and while he might not realize it...there could be another reason why he hasn't been as receptive or noticing certain looks from other women lately.]

[ well, color her surprised. when she hears about alvin and women, her mind has always jumped to conclusions, but the way he talks about this genuinely sounds like it was just a business-type meeting. ]

That's seriously it? You just wanted to try to nab an accountant?

[ of course, it doesn't really occur to her that maybe there's a reason that's all he tried to do past the fact that he really does put a lot of effort into his work, even if she sounds a little disbelieving. ]

[Now it's his turn to look at her in slight surprise.]

What, you expected something else? [And then it hits him. ...Sort of.] You didn't think I'd try to pick her up or something, did you?

[More like her parents were trying to pick him up for her, but close enough.]

[ that reaction all but solidifies the idea that he really was just in it for the business which is... sort of a relief. she wouldn't want to stand between him and someone he liked by any means, but knowing that he didn't go out of his way to pick someone up feels kind of nice. ]

Kind of. I mean, isn't that the kind of thing you usually do? You know, flirting with girls, laying the charm on them... that kind of thing!

What kind of image do you have of me? [He gives her a nudge with his elbow, but there's also a bit of a dry laugh.] Well I guess that's how I used to be. I guess I'm not really thinking about it right now.

[He could go on further, but instead he just gives her a sidelong glance.]

Suddenly interested in my love life, are you?

[ busted.

she cringes a little, diverting her gaze away from him so that she can look straight ahead. ]

N- No way! I was just sort of surprised. [ which is partially true, just... for different reasons than she might usually be. ] I guess I forget how much you've changed sometimes, that's all.

[ because even if he obviously has, it really doesn't feel like that long ago that he was like that. ]

[Uh...huh. Not quite the reaction he expected and he does look at her a little curiously now. But Leia is about to be spared since he first feels one drop and then another. He pauses long enough to hold out a hand and look up as the drops continue to fall.]

Looks like we got rain. Pass over the umbrella and I can hold it over us.

[ and she wastes no time in handing the umbrella over, because thank you subject-changing spirits. ]

Let's hope it lets up before they start setting off fireworks!

[ because they probably won't be able to set them off if it keeps up, even if it's only drizzling at this point. ]

[He takes the umbrella and opens it, raising his hand a bit so that it's high enough to cover the both of them.] They still have about an hour, right? Though it would be a letdown.

If it does get cancelled, want to do something else?

[He moves closer toward her, and she might not notice, but he's making sure she gets complete coverage.]

Well, we're already out and about, so... sure, why not!

[ she takes a small step closer to him, too, because she actually doesn't notice (and maybe she subconsciously wants to be a little closer to him, anyway). ]

What do you feel up to?

[ preferably something that doesn't involve rain. just in case. ]

Well if it's for celebrating, you know a bar is the only obvious choice.

[A grin.]

But since you're still not really much of a drinker...we could probably just go out someplace that's open to eat. Maybe catch a late night movie if any are open.

Otherwise there's always my place since we're closer to it. [He snaps his fingers.] Which reminds me—I got that new DVD that came out. The one you wanted to see but we never got a chance because of work.

[ yeah, her and alcohol aren't going to be mixing for a while, and the idea of watching a movie alone with him at his place is... a little much for her, too. that would really be veering into date-like territory, so— ]

Dinner and a movie doesn't sound too bad! And I'll probably have to stop by sometime to check out that DVD, too.

[ just. not tonight. ]

If I knew you had it, I would've asked you to bring it along.

Bring it along? [...Why would he bring it...oh wait, for her to borrow?]

You know, so I could borrow it?

[ come on alvin get with the program. ]

What, don't want to watch it together? I was actually kind of interested in it, too.

All right, all right. I'll stop by sometime soon and we can watch it together.

[ and she elbows him playfully. ]

Is that better?

Yes. [A grin before he looks back forward and they continue forward. It's getting more crowded despite the threat of rain, forcing Alvin to move closer to Leia.]

Man it's crowded. We might have to go higher up... Actually let's take that small alley up ahead. There's a side path that'll take us up to a higher terrace.

[ this is sort of shaping up to be like their trip to xian du, which means that as they head through the crowd and toward the alley, she's going to grab for his... hand? his arm? she's not really aiming for anything in particular, she just wants something to hold onto so they don't get separated. ]

That just means we'll have an even better view, right? No complaints here!

[Likely his arm since it's the inside hand holding the umbrella.]

Should be quieter, too.

[Or...... Full of couples. Because that's exactly what they'll find when they walk up the path, up the flights of stairs, and step onto the terrace. It's big and spacious with the beginnings of a small garden being made. There were a few lumen trees, obviously imported from Fennmont. But while it's not exactly crowded, there quite a few couples already situated on benches or by the railings.

This.......had not been what Alvin expected, though in hindsight, he probably should have.]

...Well...relatively quieter. [Speaking of quiet, he hadn't heard or felt much rain lately, so he tilts the umbrella slightly before shaking it off a bit to close it.] At least it's stopped raining.