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Salty Dog
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2011 22:34:01 GMT -5
The sky had quickly darkened on their agonizingly silent walk back to the apartments. Occasionally the sky lit up in a brilliant flash of lightning, which was followed closely by a heavy role of thunder. Tobias liked the look of the apartments, white washed and old with flat tops, all standing on different levels because of the sloping land. There were small squares of trees and ferns planted in between each housing block to give a serene peaceful setting to offset the age of it. He was ready for a good rest after such a long journey.
A fat drop of water landed on the end of his nose and he shook his head. It was surprisingly cool. He walked a good few paces in front of Caroline, feeling her eyes shooting daggers at him the whole time. It could have been just his paranoia but he doubted it. By chance he stole a glance at the post boxes near the front door as he rummaged for the main entrance’s key. His name wasn’t there. It looked as though it had been scraped off and replaced with the extremely boring last name ‘Smith’.
He muttered an Irish curse. He had sent a bill out of his savings every month to secure his home when he returned. Surely not every check was lost in the Atlantic? None had been returned to him and no one had sent him a letter for lease work.
He punched the mail slot savagely, bending in the door. This was exactly why his hair was going grey. “I just can’t get a break can I!” he fumed to himself and standing there awkwardly not knowing if he should storm off or demand to speak to that damn landlord. He could do with a good biting, that damned landlord.
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Post by Tempest on Aug 6, 2011 23:13:11 GMT -5
Caroline had been lost in though for the duration of the walk. Yes, sometimes she had shot glares in Tobias's general direction, and she'd also kicked pebbles in his general direction (they always missed), and she had mouthed curses in his general direction as well. When a drop of rain slipped down the back of her neck, Caroline was abruptly reminded of how she was acting.
With a sigh, she focused her attention on more pressing matters. She wanted to get inside before it actually started raining. Normally, she didn't mind wet weather. However, she remember the last time she'd been with Tobias during a storm and that had wound up being an incredibly confusing encounter indeed.
Caroline was on the verge of telling Tobias goodbye and going her own way to her own apartment when she saw him punch the mailbox. She winced at the damage done to the new neighbor's box and said softly in protest, "Tobias, please." The librarian glanced in the direction of her own apartment and back at Tobias, deciding. It was a stupid stupid STUPID thing to do, but after a moment's hesitation-
"You can stay with me until you get your own accommodations sorted out. I have a spare bedroom that I haven't bothered to convert back to an office since Nikolai left." She fidgeted nervously, wondering if she would come to regret this offer later. "I thought you knew about this... Christ, Tobias. Your stuff..." At this point, Caroline did feel a pang of pity for the man. Having a place of one's own was a security that should never be violated in this way.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2011 23:36:31 GMT -5
Tobias scratched the back of his neck then raked his nails through his hair again, until it stood up oddly in spots and fell over his face. It wasn’t the best situation, shacking it up with an ex…girlfriend? Had they even gotten that far? He pushed the label aside and a savage growl escaped him. He paced back and forth between the concrete steps and the patch of grass that seemed to open up to the well needed rain, which was still falling slowly but gathering speed.
What he had wanted was to shower, make a pot of coffee and smoke a cigarette while reading until he fell asleep. All Tobias had asked for on the weeklong trip back to Foresta was to have the entire meddlesome patch up work he would have to do set aside for the next day. A muscle twinged in his jaw.
He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Being out of work for nearly a year and paying the pocket of a crooked landlord had made him nearly broke. The caretaker’s pay wasn’t much to live off of to begin with and he’d probably have to get a second job in town just to catch up. Tobias’ tired rucksack dug into his shoulder. Despite all her anger toward him, Caroline was still willing to let him stay with her. It was a nice enough thought, but Tobias knew better than to try anything while he was there. That would just be…rude.
“I promise to stay out of your hair and not smoke in the flat,” he muttered adjusting his bag. Having to mooch off of someone was a heavy blow to his already wounded pride.
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Post by Tempest on Aug 7, 2011 20:12:20 GMT -5
Caroline nodded mutely and led the way to her apartment. She'd had enough of the rain. It was making her shirt stick to her shoulders clammily. After fumbling for a minute or so in her bag, she found her keys and unlocked the door.
Her apartment was more cluttered than usual. In of the library's back rooms, she had been taking high-res pictures of their older and rarer books for an electronic archive. However, she was also in the process of reorganizing the shelves, so some of the clutter pertained to that too. A laptop sat open on the edge of her table, in sleep mode. A digital camera sat next to it. On the other end of the table were some reference books and a binder full of titles, call numbers, and statuses for the books. A rolled up diagram of the library was on top of the pile, red marks all over it for where she wanted to move the shelves and how it should be organized.
Lest anybody forget that she was also the vice principal, her coffee table held a thick stack of manila folders and another binder, this time for suggestions and minor record-keeping.
As for non-work related stuff, it was clear she had not been spending much time lately doing things of that nature. No novels littered the furniture or were stacked on the floor next to chairs. No hobby supplies could be seen. That morning had been a marked exception in terms of her routine (a friend had insisted she join him and his social circle on a boat ride.) The garbage hidden under the sink was half-full with take-out boxes and empty cup noodle containers.
Caroline commented absently, "Sorry 'bout the mess. I'll move some of this stuff around so there's space to breathe." She dropped her bag next to the door and went to fill the kettle. "The room to the left is yours. The sheets are clean. Feel free to eat what you find in the icebox and cupboards, but don't trust anything you find in the fridge. Whatever is left in there is probably not fit for human consumption. Uhhhh... there's soap and stuff in the bathroom."
She turned on the stove and settled the kettle on the heat. Even if Tobias didn't want anything, she had put enough water on to boil for several cups of tea or instant coffee or whatever. If he didn't drink it, she would. A late night would be par for the course. The happy buzz from the morning was gone and Caroline felt that she shouldn't be wearing such optimistic clothing. "Is there anything else you need?" she asked as she picked up the books and papers from the end of the kitchen table.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2011 21:04:41 GMT -5
Tobias shrugged, taking everything in. He could smell the dinners cooking in the other buildings and the odd combination didn’t settle well with him, and his ears were still wringing for when Caroline had raised her volume. “I’ve got to up at the school no later than five…so if you don’t get up that early, I’ll need a key to lock the door behind me.” He could understand if she didn’t want him to keep it permanently and had no problem returning it to her each day. After all, she could end up kicking him out for any little thing. He had an unnatural gift of pissing people off.
“I’ll just nip into the shower,” he added awkwardly. Tobias went into the left room, as indicated, ducking slightly because the doorframe was barely over six feet. Placing the rucksack on the end of the bed, he began unpacking it. The few clothes he had he put in the closet. The only other things he had in there were his shaving kit, a towel, a trashy crime novel that he bought for the boat ride but never finished because the plot was predictable and a worn leather bound bible his father had insisted on giving him.
He sank on the edge of the bed, holding the small book in his hands. How long had his birth father been nothing more than a distant idea? They had been aware of each other, but the stipulations had kept a relationship from growing. It was his father’s fault after all that Tobias was part wolf. That old magic ran into the mythos of Tobias’ nature. And yet, he couldn’t be blamed…not really. Who would believe that the bastard son of a priest would really fall to lore and become a wolf?
That Father Avery had almost died from a raging illness had changed everything and regret had caused Tobias to go to his bedside.
Tobias flipped through the gilded pages. Of course it would be the King James Version, and there in the sixth chapter of Ephesians, was a thin letter tucked lovingly into the binding. He sighed heavily and flipped the writing over in his hands, not sure if he wanted to read it now. Was he ready to open those new and ancient wounds?
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Post by Tempest on Aug 7, 2011 21:22:23 GMT -5
Caroline nodded. Though she was usually an early riser, she was not about to go to school before seven. She usually tried to work a jog into her morning somewhere so she could get it out of the way. When Tobias disappeared into the spare room, she went and unearthed a spare key from one of the kitchen drawers, amidst a sea of pens (both working and broken), sticky notes, keychains, and watch batteries.
She placed the key on the counter, then set about moving all of her work stuff to her bedroom. She wouldn't be able to take it all in one trip, but she really didn't want to leave it out in the open now that she was sharing her living space with Tobias.
As she worked, she considered this new development. As much as his disappearance had upset her, she decided that wallowing would be unhealthy. As her mother had sometimes told her, "Smile, dear. You'll be surprised at how much it can improve your mood." So Caroline tried to look on the bright side of the entire situation.
At least I don't have to worry anymore. Tobias isn't dead.
And now I have an incredibly attractive, but seriously complicated, apartment-mate.
Huh. Is that a good or bad thing? Maybe he'll see the futility of anything between us? That way, I can enjoy the view without having to deal with the drama.
Caroline put up a wall of silence around herself, blocking all soundwaves from entering or leaving her personal bubble. That way, she could sing to herself as she finished clearing away some of the clutter without bothering any of her neighbors. After that, she took the garbage out (it might not be full, but she was on a roll and it seemed like the thing to do with another person around). It was pouring now and her shirt was plastered to her skin by the time she got back.
She pulled the whistling kettle off the stove, then dashed to her room to change clothing.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2011 21:48:26 GMT -5
The note was only a simple scroll. Tobi don’t be a stranger. Remember what you learned how to talk and what it takes to control your blood. I’m sorry I can’t give you more. Remember Ephesians 6:12. Thank you for your support and help during my dark times. I hope to support you as you continue to grow. -Father Avery Williams
Tobias glanced at the bit of scripture that had been outlined by a thin ballpoint pen. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the ruler of the darkness of the world. He pinched the bridge of his nose and put away the bible and the note, then collected his towel and soap.
He watched Caroline in her own world as she tidied up the living space. She really didn’t have to do that because Tobias tended to keep to his own space, always wary of leaving his stuff about other peoples’ home. He could tell she was singing, but obviously couldn’t hear it. Still, it put a smile to his face. He showered quickly, realizing halfway that he left all his contact solutions and containers back in Northern Ireland.
After he dried off his hair, he wrapped the towel around his waist and b-lined to the kitchen to look for a small glass he could put his contacts in. The kettle was now off the stove, and steam still shot through its spout. Tea actually sounded better than coffee and he wondered what type of brands Caroline has as he continued to look for a glass.
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Post by Tempest on Aug 7, 2011 22:35:33 GMT -5
A few minutes later, Caroline emerged from her room in pajama shorts and a baggy t-shirt, her hair dripping slightly. At least she was dry. She hummed to herself as she headed into the kitchen and froze when she noticed the tall figure clad only in a towel searching her cabinets for something. Her eyes widened and she turned her focus on to pulling out a mug and a box of assorted teas. Most of them were variations on chamomile or mint, but there were some odd ones here and there. For herself, she chose a mint tea (making sure that it had caffeine).
Finally, her sense of good hospitality forced her to drop the silent shield and address Tobias. "Would you like any? Errrr... The mugs are up there, and you can have any of the tea here. Um... There's also instant coffee over there and hot chocolate mix."
Her cheeks felt warm and she hoped to God that she wasn't blushing. Maybe looking would be dangerous enough on its own. God, what had she been thinking?! Of course this would happen shortly after letting him in her apartment. This situation reminded her of one of her aunt's romance novels (she'd gotten acquainted with them one summer when she found that her aunt had nothing else to read in the house). Any excuse to bear skin, any at all, was immediately pounced upon. What was it with hot guys and clothing?
If he were clothed, she might have stood a chance of not blatantly ogling him. Now... well, she tried to fix her eyes on something other than his skin. Like the cabinet behind him. Or the floor.
Crap. It's not working. Plan B?
"Your key is on the counter." She left the kitchen to go sit on a sofa with her tea and think about how she could better handle things. Also, she needed a better plan B. This one sucked.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2011 11:26:02 GMT -5
Instantly Tobias’ shoulders curved inward, as if physically curling up was going to change how exposed he was. “Sorry! Sorry,” he said quickly, dodging around her and darting into his temporary bedroom and shutting the door behind him. That was such a stupid move. He hadn’t even thought…he could blame it on fatigue but how selfish was he that within minutes he had forgotten the protocol of being a guest in someone’s home. Especially a someone who wasn’t very happy with him.
“Stupid,” he muttered to himself and he pulled on clean jeans and a button down shirt. Shortly thereafter, he reemerged. “Sorry…I, ehm, I was looking for like a shot glass to put my contacts in until I can get new stuff.” Tobias cleared his throat and slipped the key into his pocket. The jeans he was wearing were a bit tight and it was adding the uncomfortably awkwardness between them. Not that it was a bad thing, thin as he still was, but still uncomfortable and still awkward.
His mind reeled for something to say. Then, his gaze fell to his scraped knuckles. “You said something about my stuff. Did that gobshite sell it all?” There was anger in Tobias’ tone but it was quashed by the time change and the fatigue that continued to wash through him.
Outside, the rain and wind continued to pick up speed. It splashed in sheets against the window and the sky was pocketed with flashes of light. Inside the lamps flickered for half a second. The storm was going to last awhile and Tobias hoped the electricity would survive it.
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Post by Tempest on Aug 8, 2011 13:24:45 GMT -5
Caroline could have laughed at the alacrity with which Tobias made his apologies and went to change. She merely smiled to herself. A point in favor of having him around. At least things wouldn't get boring. He left his room and she bit her lips to keep from chuckling. He seemed to have gained weight (good), but had not made the necessary changes to his wardrobe (awkward.) Her eyes traveled upwards, stopping at his face.
The vice principal used the shot glass as an excuse to get up and do something useful. When he asked about his stuff, her face fell slightly. "Yes. He did." She didn't offer any apology or sympathy because, well, she just didn't have it in her. The sale of Tobias's belongings had forced her to accept that the man was not coming back.
She pulled out a shot glass with a piano etched on it- she'd gotten it at a concert way back when she still went to concerts. "Here. You can use this- shit!" She put the shot glass down and ran into her room. The flickering lights were a bad sign and she hoped she could safely turn off her computer before a surge fried it.
A moment after she switched it off and unplugged the laptop, the power went out entirely. A crow of victory emerged from her lungs and she groped her way back out into the common area. Caroline thanked her lucky stars that she had cleaned up the clutter a little bit. Only the flashes of lightning allowed her to see brief snapshots of her apartment, but they often served to confuse rather than enlighten. "Alright. Well, there's a flashlight in the kitchen and there should be a few candles around here somewhere...." she muttered, groaning when her shin hit the coffee table. Her mug of tea rattled a little, and Caroline let out a sigh of relief when it did not topple over.
"Well, there go my plans for the evening. There's no way I'm working by candlelight." She paused. "Want to play a game of cards?"
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2011 14:00:29 GMT -5
When Caroline had confirmed his suspicions, Tobias couldn’t hold his tongue. In the general direction of where the land lord lived, he raised his two fingers and growled, “Téigh trasna ort féin! Loc na mhuice.” At least he had the receipts to prove he had been paying his rent monthly, he would only have to print out bank statements to get the slimy rotten fool under lock and key for embezzlement.
The retinas of his eyes glinted strangely in the dark. He could see better than Caroline could, but still managed to suppress a grin as he watched her stumble through the rooms.
“I’ll just change out my contacts first, but I wouldn’t mind a game,” he said. He filled up the little glass with some water adding, “At least the plumbing still works,” before striding easily into his room. The power surge had definitely eased the tension, though Tobias couldn’t help but wonder if there was still some pink elephant in the room that needed to be addressed.
He rummaged for his wire rim glasses then for his bic and lit it with a flourish. At least his eyes felt less gritty and dry. Back in the living room he helped light a few candles. “So…know any good games?”
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Post by Tempest on Aug 8, 2011 16:45:21 GMT -5
"Thanks," she said when he helped light candles. She had noticed how quickly he could move in the dark and she both envied it and felt nervous about it. Also, there was something odd about his eyes. She chalked it down to his contacts and didn't think about it again after they had gotten the room lit.
She smiled at his glasses. "I like those! I don't think I've ever seen you wearing them before." She paused, taking in his entire appearance and decided that she needed to go locate those cards ASAP.
Caroline rummaged in a drawer built into one of the end tables and pulled out a deck of cards, sitting cross-legged in front of the coffee table. "I know lots of card games. War, Crazy Eights, Speed, Slow, Egyptian Rat Slap, Five Card Draw, Five Card Stud, Go Fish... those might be the only ones that two people can play." She laughed as she shuffled the deck with a well-practiced motion. "Any strike your interest? Or do you have another game in mind?"
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2011 17:13:11 GMT -5
“Ehm, thanks,” said Tobias sheepishly and he pushed the frames further up his nose. He sat down opposite of her and shrugged. “I don’t really know many of those games to tell you the truth. War I think I’ve heard of and obviously Go Fish but I don’t mind learning a new game. So it’s up to you.”
He rested his chin on one knee and sighed. He had gone a half hour without one cigarette. Tobias knew that was a good thing, but at the same time it was detrimental to his nerves. Outside the thunder boomed and cracked. A half second later, lightening ripped open the sky. “Sounds like the storms on top of us,” he muttered. He spun the bic lazily in his right hand and looked Caroline over. He should probably give her a complement of sorts, to return the one she’d given him, but how could he without everything taken so far into one direction?
It was the direction he wanted to in of course, but Tobias couldn’t help but think that Caroline was still very stiff toward him. Whenever that happened, it was usually because she was worried for his health or something. He would probably then never mention the handful of riots he wound up in while he was away. It was hard not to get involved in the politics when you lived in Northern Ireland.
He thought of the scripter his father had lined out for him. We wrestle not against flesh and blood…but Caroline was certainly both and it was one of his greatest wars. Tobias knew, as he had always known, that he would have to go great lengths to win her.
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Post by Tempest on Aug 8, 2011 20:03:44 GMT -5
Caroline smiled and tucked her hair behind an ear. "Egyptian Rat Slap, then." She dealt the cards out, split equally between the two of them. She explained the game as she dealt, telling Tobias not to look at his cards, that the point was to wind up with the entire deck.
The sound of the thunder made the glasses in the cabinets rattle and her smile broadened. Thunder was never scary to her. Rather, it served as a reminder of her own power. "There are variations where you slap 69s, marriages (a queen lands on a king or vice versa), affairs (where a queen lands on a jack or vice versa, sandwiches, or other combinations of cards."
She was silent for a moment, then commented, "This game, like all others, is vastly improved by alcohol. One sec." Caroline got up and came back not a minute later with a couple glasses and two bottles: one a good malt whiskey, the other a cinnamon-flavored vodka. "Not sure if you'd like the vodka," she explained. "But help yourself to whatever you want. There's also rum in the cabinet."
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2011 20:27:15 GMT -5
Tobias nodded occasionally as she explained the game to him. It seemed easy enough. As she stood to get the liquor, he paused to take in her beauty balanced against the flickering candle glow and the light of the storm. To touch her again would be a marvelous thing indeed. Like in all situations when one person found himself falling for another, Tobias straightened out his shoulders and pushed his hair around while her back was turned. He should have shaved when he had had the opportunity. Now Tobias was nervously aware of how thick his stubble had gotten and he traced his brain for any memory suggesting that Caroline didn’t mind it.
He made a face at the idea of cinnamon flavoured vodka and poured himself a generous amount of whiskey. He had a high tolerance, but at least it would help take the edge off of his nicotine craving for the time being. “Slainte,” he said offering her a polite smile and raised his glass before taking a healthy drink. It was hot and warm and ran down his throat like lava. It hit his stomach with a welcomed thud.
“I’m sorry about not calling you,” Tobias said. He traced the rim of his glass and took another nip. He looked at her then, in the eye (which is something he rarely done with anyone but he wanted Caroline to understand the importance of it) and said quite plainly, “I know I should have given any free time I had to you. To call your, or post you. You’re worth that.” Tobias took a third swallow and knew he should slow it down some before Caroline started thinking he developed another problem she would have to avoid.
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