Who: Narcissus and Echo When: Wednesday evening, February 15th Where: Narcissus' apartment Warnings: TBD Note: Reposted as a favour
Echo had played into his web quite easily. He would believe so until she failed to show up at his apartment. If she refused him again, he wasn't quite sure what he would do with himself. No one rejected him, no one resisted without him getting in the last word. Echo had remained a constant in his story since he'd been born into this world again, while it disgusted him, it was always there.
If she wanted to pander to the whims of an over-glorified war hero then he would do everything in his power to step in between it. Echo couldn't resist what she felt, which was why Narcissus was so keen on manipulating it.
Wine glass in hand he dimmed the lights with an confident smirk. The two models that sat on his couch were in perfect position for his piece. Echo would be in the center of it. She wasn't the only one that dabbled in photography. The girls were quite fancy. Tall, one red-headed, one brunette. They were there as set pieces. Part of the photography, but also to make Echo shrink even more in size with her confidence so he could sail in as if to rescue her from their discriminating words and nasty looks. They would find her ugly because she was plain compared to them.
Pulling out his camera he snapped a few shots and waited for her to show.
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[info]parrotting 2012-02-17 05:48 pm (local) (link) Track This Echo was still unsure whether to believe this address was indeed Narcissus'. She suspected it to be a fake, either to set her up for trouble or to be humiliated somehow. Or both. He assured he was not under any spell and if this was true, she wasn't sure if she should even be going to there that night. She was very nervous about the prospect of being in his apartment, if it was his. And she had no idea what he had planned.
Then there was the problem of what to wear. Should she go in every day clothes, or dress up? Should she wear tennis shoes for easy escape, or heels? Or a mixture? She spent a lot of the day trying to figure it all out until she had settled with something red. She had been told once that it looked good on her, so that's what she chose. But she also brought her ear muffs as an extra precaution. There were few reasons for her not to wear them.
She wasted no time getting to his place, because she took his not a minute later very seriously. A few minutes before seven she arrived and rang the doorbell. Her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest as she waited
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[info]amour_propre_1 2012-02-17 05:56 pm (local) (link) Track This She showed just as he had expected her to, and a few minutes early. He came to the door, camera in hand as he let her walk in. He wouldn't call her stunning, she was far from that. She hardly made him do a double take, but he was surprised that she had not totally ruined her outfit. He half expected her to walk in in jeans and tennis shoes.
"I'm wrapping up a small photo shoot, so sit over there." He pointed to the empty love seat directly across from the tall girls on his couch. They were entirely clothed, just a few hints of bare skin in the right places. Narcissus liked to take pictures of beauty, and despite their clothes these girls had little to no make-up at all.
He'd snap a few pictures before looking over his shoulder at the nymph in red. "Why don't you join?" His lips curled into a smile. It could have been fake or it could have been the slightest bit honest. She wouldn't know.
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[info]parrotting 2012-02-17 06:03 pm (local) (link) Track This Almost immediately Echo felt uncomfortable. Just being there felt wrong and upon seeing the models she felt like it was all just a trap to get her there and humiliate her. Honestly, she wouldn't put it past him. But she did her best not to think that and as she quietly repeated his words, she nodded and sat down on the love seat.
Being away from the woman, who she thought were very lovely, made her feel a little more secure.
However, when he suggested she join she shook her head and made a gesture with her hands that she was perfectly fine there. There was absolutely no need to make her sit between two amazons and make her feel more uncomfortable than she already felt.
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[info]amour_propre_1 2012-02-17 06:11 pm (local) (link) Track This Would he have to pay delicate attention to her for her to move? She should have done as he asked. His brows flattened ever so slightly over his eyes. He was on his knees already, so he scooted toward her, taking her hand gently from it's perch.
"Come," he asked her, guiding her with a gentle tug. If she didn't move then he'd study her with his camera right there. This hadn't gone as planned at this point. The girls hadn't even made a comment. He was very disappointed.
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[info]parrotting 2012-02-17 06:16 pm (local) (link) Track This Echo knew she was no model. She was quite petite compared to the models. She thought this was their territory and didn't want to encroach upon their work. She felt if she sat between them it would ruin the whole work.
Come she repeated quietly and for a moment she did resist. But that he was touching her, fully of his own freewill, made her move. She was very timid about sitting between the women. She looked more like one of their friends who'd been dragged along, but she didn't appear to be having a good time at all.
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[info]amour_propre_1 2012-02-17 07:04 pm (local) (link) Track This He slipped off her shoes, hand grazing her ankle as he placed her like he wanted. Her face was distressed, as if at any moment she was going to cry.
It was then that the girls threw up their noses. Was he serious? Who was this girl? One of them had the nerve to ask, uncomfortable with how much attention he was paying to the little blonde.
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[info]parrotting 2012-02-18 02:49 pm (local) (link) Track This Echo did everything she could not to notice, but it was really hard when he was right there.
At their rudeness Echo gave him a scorned look. She was not a tool and she was beginning to feel like one. At first she thought that the women would accept her as a guest, but now she was finding she didn't like them at all.
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[info]amour_propre_1 2012-02-18 06:02 pm (local) (link) Track This Every move he made was a careful invitation for her to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. While he had no more use for the girls that adorned his couch with their long limbs, he waited for them to storm out with disgust. Their snide looks and whispered comments to one another only further escalated the situation.
Eventually, the red-head stood, taking off drape from her arm and letting it slide to the floor. "Here," she said in a haughty voice, "I'm done." Narcissus looked up from his seated position on the floor. He gave an indigenous snort. "I'm surprised you stayed this long." He waved his hand for her to go as if she were easily disposable.
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[info]parrotting 2012-02-20 09:06 am (local) (link) Track This It took several minutes for Echo to feel comfortable enough to simply block out these women. Usually she didn't care what others said or thought of her. The only difference now was that Narcissus was present and his opinion meant the world to her.
She had finally managed a small, but forced smile. And then she frowned at the red head. She expected the other to do the same and then realized she had no reason to be there. She leaned over and found her shoes and began putting them back on. Why did he have to take them off? It made her escape more difficult.
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[info]amour_propre_1 2012-02-20 09:36 am (local) (link) Track This When the brunette got up to leave as well, Narcissus pressed a hand to Echo's knee. "Not yet." He gave her a soft smile, it could have even been real. Echo would do anything he asked, no amount of uncomfortability would make her leave right now, not when he was being so intimate.
The other girl left, the door slamming behind her. Narcy placed Echo's shoes at a distance and snapped a few more pictures. He took very little before positioning her in a laying position across the couch.
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[info]parrotting 2012-02-20 09:43 am (local) (link) Track This Echo didn't know what had been more uncomfortable. Being the "ugly girl" between two gorgeous models, or having no option but to repeat every word they said even if hers had been as quiet as she could make them. At least she still had control over her volume.
A brow raised at this, but she decided to go with it for now. If she did get too uncomfortable she'd just leave and not worry about the shoes. She could always get a new pair.
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[info]amour_propre_1 2012-02-20 12:02 pm (local) (link) Track This Echo played her part well, it was exactly as he'd hoped. His touches were small but significant into placing her exactly as he wanted to get the perfect shot. More importantly it melted Echo's fear for the time being while he took advantage of it.
A soft brush past her cheek, the displaying of her hair, the close contact without him actually doing anything. It was Tue what could be that would keep her here while he inwardly despised everything about her. He refused to think she could be anything of beauty. However, through the camera lens she sparked ever so slightly and he hated it.
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[info]parrotting 2012-02-20 04:39 pm (local) (link) Track This Although the women were gone and Echo was left alone with him she began to feel as though there was no threat. She didn't know if he was pretending or being sincere, which is what made her question this whole thing. It was still strange having him touch her, even if it meant nothing. This was all very innocent.
She didn't know exactly what he wanted from her. She allowed him to place her where he wanted her, but as of yet he hadn't given her any directions. Other photographers were always telling their subjects what to do, and Echo was one who couldn't do that. It was why she didn't photograph people. She couldn't give them the direction they needed. But there was still something in this moment that seemed very magical to her, whether or not she knew if he was being true to her.
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[info]amour_propre_1 2012-02-20 05:02 pm (local) (link) Track This Narcissus was direct, he often picked apart his models but this was a mission of his to confuse Echo and use it later. She was almost too easy to predict.
There was a light in her eyes that wasn't just a reflection of the light. He didn't know what to make of it because of the way it drew him in. It was absurd! She wasn't the one that should steal the attention. He hated her for even being able to do that. He had to keep her though, even if it physically pained him. He wasn't likely to keep her pictures.
After dome time he broke the illusion and handed her the camera. "Now," he lifted her by the hand off the couch. "You." He knew she didn't photograph people. That was the point.
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[info]parrotting 2012-02-20 05:14 pm (local) (link) Track This Whatever he did the pictures, Echo really didn't care. She didn't keep pictures of herself. They were just reminders of who she was and the girl in them wasn't who she should be.
When he handed over the camera she looked surprised, but took it with care. She stood up without hesitation. Honestly, taking his picture wasn't something new but this time it was different. He was actually letting her and that was shocking enough, but it was something she wasn't about to turn down. She considered the scene for a moment and then showed him what she wanted him to do by carefully lowering him onto the couch. She pulled a piece of paper from her purse and wrote something down and showed it to him, Be yourself. She didn't care if he smiled or looked angry or what, she just wanted him to feel comfortable with making whatever gestures or expressions he wanted.
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[info]amour_propre_1 2012-02-20 05:38 pm (local) (link) Track This She was nervous. Good. He took her instruction even when every part of him wanted to dismiss her. To tell her her wrongs. He took his seat on the couch, elbows on knees, hands together. He looked into the camera, not seeing her, but seeing himself. There was a srltructured and controlled look to how he held his body. The look in his eye pleased. It was the same look Echo had first seen as she watched him in the distance. It was like that of a lion, holding its head high, mane about with a regal quality. The look that no one could touch him.
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[info]parrotting 2012-02-20 05:56 pm (local) (link) Track This This was where Echo was more comfortable. At least she had some control over the situation now. Not a lot, but enough to feel confident again. He was a natural at modeling, and this look was the very same she had admired from afar all those years ago. It was almost like before everything came crashing down. Before she had turned into the echo. Before her heart had been broken. Maybe she would have been better off never showing herself. She snapped several pictures from different angles.
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[info]amour_propre_1 2012-02-20 06:48 pm (local) (link) Track This She should have never showed herself, but Echo wasn't the only one with a curse. This too was Narcissus' curse. The ability to see people as anything more than specs under his feet, or a fleeting wind was almost near impossible. He'd become his own worst enemy. Even he could pick himself apart, especially when he was letting Echo in the most innocent way seep into his cracks.
Narcissus hardly was the blonde with pale skin he'd been those days in Greece. His image had changed with the times, changed as the centuries passed. The only telling image that she could recognize was the way he admired himself proudly.
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[info]parrotting 2012-02-20 08:47 pm (local) (link) Track This Maybe if she had just given herself to Pan she would have never been in this mess in the first place. Narcissus would have been the main character in his own story and wouldn't have had to share any role with her.
Before Echo knew it, she had used up the rest of the film. She double checked and stepped forward with a motion of her hand that it was finished. Then she handed the camera back to him.
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[info]amour_propre_1 2012-02-20 11:09 pm (local) (link) Track This Narcissus took the camera from her, carefully placing it in it's case and setting it aside. He was tempted to run her out of the apartment now, he'd gotten far enough along with this charade, but not nearly enough for her to be completely won over. No, that would take more time than this one evening.
He could let her go now or he could play some more. "Do you like what you see?" he asked, feathering a touch to her hair.
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[info]parrotting 2012-02-21 09:14 am (local) (link) Track This Echo felt a little relieved now that the picture taking was over. Although it was the most natural thing she had done in the last however long she had been there, she was ready to leave. She found her shoes and was in the middle of putting them on when he asked her that.
Blushing, she repeated those words at a whisper, and she gave a little nod. Then she made a gesture toward the door that she should go and then leaned back over to put her shoes on. She didn't know what was happening now. At least before she could follow along. Now was something very foreign to her. She had only ever been rejected or chased. Those were the only things she knew of love and men.
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[info]amour_propre_1 2012-02-21 01:57 pm (local) (link) Track This Her words were almost laughable. Of course she found him desirable. Irresistible. That horrible excuse for a warrior would never be anything in comparison. She couldn't ever love him the same.
Narcissus leaned in, distracting her from the door a moment longer with his lips this time.
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[info]parrotting 2012-02-21 02:06 pm (local) (link) Track This If Echo could ever look past what she saw and see the real Narcissus, she probably wouldn't love him at all. There would always be the belief that he could change and see her for the beauty she really was. Spells could be broken.
Well that came as a complete shock. She didn't know what to do with herself but then when the reality of it sunk in she felt herself practically melt. Maybe he was already changing.