WHO: Natalie Godfrey & The Red Baron WHEN: Sunday around midday (2011-10-09) WHERE: A cafe near her airfield WHAT: An innocent and awkward lunch date WARNINGS: likely nothing
On Natalie's birthday, Conrad had shown up at her house. It was the first time they'd seen each other since an accidental meeting on the street in June and the first time he'd intentionally seen her since she'd admitted cheating on him in April. Six months was a long time to go without seeing the man she'd considered her best friend. (And the man who was, after all, her actual childhood hero.)
But now Conrad had allowed her to invite him out for lunch and she wasn't going to screw it up. She sat waiting at one of the outside tables, dressed in jeans and a leather jacket and smoking a cigarette nervously.
As months passed, Conrad was giving in more and more to the idea that he was forgiving Natalie. His heart still ached, but if he were completely honest with himself he missed her more than hated her. He'd known at the time it would take him a long time to get over feeling used. For a man that seemed to be such an important figure in her life, he was easily discarded for the argument that 'she didn't deserve it.' Conrad had always built her up, giving her a reason to believe she deserved everything.
Then she'd changed. She was reaching out and he'd be an arrogant fool not to let her. The old Baron would have written her off and moved on, but he'd grown too attached to the little things she offered. There was an unseen string pulling them both and it had been snapped. Right now Natalie was trying to tie it back together.
As the wind blew against him he zipped up that leather jacket and proceeded. This time without Moritz. While the pup would have been a lovely addition, Conrad needed to see Natalie alone, that meant sans dog.
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[info]bornincrossfire 2011-10-09 12:21 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select When Natalie saw him arriving she stood up quickly, tossing the end of her cigarette away. "Hi," she said with a bright smile, using it to mask how she felt sick at how wrong this all was. It had been so easy before she'd decided to actually date him. "I've got us a table inside where it's warmer," she assured him, the wind whipping her hair across her face.
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[info]the_red_knight 2011-10-09 12:33 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select Was he being to hopeful in thinking that he wanted her again? He couldn't even breathe without feeling his heart leap around inside when he approached.
"Good afternoon, dear." His eyes stayed on that cigarette as she snubbed it out. Right now he could use one. He nodded offering an open hand for her to lead the way as he followed behind.
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[info]bornincrossfire 2011-10-09 01:02 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select Natalie entered and caught the eye of the waitress who nodded towards her table. She let Conrad to sit down and smiled across at him with amusement. "Remember that time we came here and the waitress kept hitting on you? And then she spilled the soup on that guy? That was ace." It was good to remember how great things had been then, when Natalie had sat there teasing him about the waitress and saying he should get her number.
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[info]the_red_knight 2011-10-09 01:19 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select Conrad spread out his napkin in front of him, more formal in his approach at dining than the rest of the world. It had been a long time since he'd been here last, and he couldn't help but crack a grin when Natalie reminded him of that story.
"I do. She was very nervous each time she came around the table." Conrad still never fancied himself an attractive guy. The funny thing was he did get the number from the girl but only because Natalie had asked him to. He never did call it.
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[info]bornincrossfire 2011-10-09 01:25 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select Natalie liked that she'd gotten Conrad to smile, even if it was just in memory of times gone by. "Hey, maybe she's still here," Natalie grinned at him. "We could get another showing."
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[info]the_red_knight 2011-10-09 01:29 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select He waved his hands out in a polite protest. "No, no, I honestly hope she isn't. She'd have a much more sour look on her face this time," he chuckled softly.
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[info]bornincrossfire 2011-10-09 02:58 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select Natalie laughed quietly and looked over at him, her expression warm. "I'm really glad you came," she said to him, sounding more serious now. "You didn't have to and I didn't give you much reason to want to, but... well, saying I want to try and make it up to you doesn't quite work because I don't think I can but maybe it's just that I want to selfishly be part of your life still, in any way that I can. I would like so much if we could be friends, and I know that it'll take a long time until you can trust me again, but I want to earn that from you and I'm willing do whatever is takes."
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[info]the_red_knight 2011-10-09 03:18 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select Conrad was still the whole time she spoke, eyes locked, interested and not once looking away. It was the longest he'd been able to keep his eyes on her since their break-up. He had nothing to say when she finished up with such honest words, not sure how he was to react. He did have mixed feelings, but he wanted to see more of her than this.
"Thank you for the invite." the waitress walked over with glasses of water before Conrad politely asked her to give them a moment. He was thankful that Natalie still cared, that she was willing to take such actions after breaking his heart, it was admirable since for a long time he couldn't think of her without getting angry.
He opened his mouth to speak but only shook his head. Instead he held out a hand which laid atop hers in the middle of the table. He gave it a gentle squeeze, reassuring her even without words that he wasn't going anywhere. What kind of friend would he be if he did? What kind of hero would he be? Not the one he'd been built up to be.
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[info]bornincrossfire 2011-10-09 03:37 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select Natalie squeezed his hand back. "I know," she said, getting that it was hard to think of something to say to her word-vomit. "It's okay. I'm willing to put in the time and the work. I mean," she added with a small smile, "you made me everything that I am. Well, the good bits anyway."
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[info]the_red_knight 2011-10-09 08:11 pm UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select He looked at her slightly in a daze. He was hearing but comprehending was a lot to take in. It was heartbreaking that it took her running through her old habits on the one man that treated her with every ounce of respect and kindness. That it took losing him for her to see that.
"You give me too much credit Miss Natalie," he said with the soft shake of his head and voice.
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[info]bornincrossfire 2011-10-14 02:11 pm UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select Natalie gave a one shouldered-shrug, feeling that maybe she had gone a bit too far a bit too quickly. "I don't think so," she told him and then picked up her menu to focus on that instead for a moment. "Oooh, mushroom ravioli!" Food was a simpler thing to focus on that the complexities of them.