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Linnaea ~ Sigyn ([info]delicatefire) wrote in [info]paxletalelogs,
@ 2010-09-16 15:30:00

Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Entry tags:odin, sigyn

Well, it breaks my heart...
Who: Naea and Pierce(So far-- feel free to butt in if ye like!)
What: A phone call and news she never truly wanted to hear.
Where: #603
When: The evening of September 14th.
Warnings: Sadness. Frustration. Drinking.





It had been a long, hellatious night at the diner. College students--frat boys, specifically--could be and usually were beyond obnoxious. They were heading from one kegger to another across town and just had to stop to eat. And be obnoxious. And be boys. Linnaea had ended up with three phone numbers, a smack on the ass, a girlfriend threatening to kick her ass and $4.23 in tips. Considering they ordered $50.00 worth of food for seven people, she severely doubted their ability to function in modern society.

The apartment was eerily silent and quite dark as she slipped inside, kicking her shoes off at the door. David had been out of town and finishing some business, though tonight she didn't much mind. Naea was glad to have the peace so that maybe she'd be able to get her algebra homework finished before school tomorrow.

The shower felt amazing--fantastic to get the grease and food smell out of her dark locks and off of her skin. She'd cursed the fryers for the sudden onset of acne across her forehead in the last month, and made a point to take a shower every night instead of before work. A bite of leftover pasta salad to eat, a change out of her work clothes and into comfy flannel pajamas... onto the couch she plopped with pencil, paper and book in hand.

Linnaea was on her last three problems when her cell phone rang, suddenly. She frowned deeply, wondering who would even bother calling this late on a Tuesday night. "Ugh," she mumbled to herself. "This better be good..." She reached over to the coffee table, losing her pencil to the perilous floor in the process and picked up her phone. Glancing at the caller ID, her expression sours and she wants nothing more than to snap her phone in half, gut the damn thing and set it all on fire. "For fuck's sake."

She flipped it open, just the same, and knew that she just should have let it go to voicemail. "What, Dad?" Her voice was tired, annoyed and he was definitely the last person she wanted to talk to. Her aunt Mary had talked her into at least letting her father have her cell number, "Just in case, you know!" Naea remembered thinking, 'In case of... him getting hit with an atom bomb?'. Now it was just him calling either wondering how she was, drunk dialing and telling her how sorry he was, or asking her to float him some cash (this happened once every few months. The answer was always "Fuck that.").

Naea was really good at handling really bad shit. Even if it meant she had to be bitchy sometimes (her father was the only one she could stay this angry with). What she didn't expect was the voice on the other end to not be her father, but her aunt Mary--his sister. She sounded beyond upset.

"Linnaea?"

"Mary? What's wrong?" She didn't enjoy the sudden stinging chill that raked across her skin.

"Honey. Come on home for a bit. Your father had a heart attack." A pause. "He-- didn't make it."

No matter how much she hated her father for what he had done, Naea had never wished for him to die.

She didn't say anything for a long moment. "I'll call you back, Mary." Linnaea flipped her phone closed and suddenly felt like the most alone person in the world and tried to find the spot inside of her to even wonder how to mourn. She was an orphan, now and maybe she had been since that fateful night five years before. He had driven her out. His many steps too far went over the edge.

The choked sob came so quickly, it didn't click right away that it was her own. Naea held her head in her hands for a while, wondering just why all of her frustration and anger and sadness welled up just now. What was she crying for? The loss of her father? Her childhood? Being angry at Mama for dying, too?

Her first instinct was to call her significant other. When had she begun to rely on him so heavily for an emotional pillar? Likely when it became more certain that they were going to stay together for more than six months. It wasn't often that she laid her burdens on him, but tonight... she needed him. Naea continued to cry and flip through her phone contacts before giving up for a while and allowing her brain to wrap around everything. Did she want to go home? To deal with his side of the family (other than Mary) who hated her so?

It was late. There was no sense in bothering others with phone calls and her tears.

Maybe tomorrow. Maybe. She had dealt with worse.

On her own.

It was going to be a long night. Suddenly, that want of a peaceful apartment started feeling more like a box with nothing but one's thoughts and no respite from them.


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[info]the_allfather
2010-09-17 11:16 am UTC (link)
Was David still 'out of town' collecting money from thugs? Pierce wasn't sure, actually, but he picked up the phone to call Naea anyway. He hadn't heard from her since they had gone to lunch, and that was before all of the ridiculous mirror nonsense had happened, so he wanted to check on her. Hopefully they both didn't decide to pack up and move after seeing someone from the cast of Harry Potter in the mirror, but then again, if David was away from his kids - perhaps it was better that way.

He scrolled through his contacts list until he found Naea, and pressed the Blackberry to his ear, listening to the ring.

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[info]delicatefire
2010-09-17 05:27 pm UTC (link)
She was just coming back with a box of Kleenex, tired of snotting on herself when her little phone rang. Naea hadn't wanted to make phone calls because of how late it was getting, but here was her phone cranking out 'Canon in D' all the same. Grabbing it as she sat back down, Naea had figured it was Mary calling her back--but was genuinely surprised that it was Pierce on the caller ID.

Her hands were shaking as she flipped the little device open. Was shock settling in or her nerves just having enough? "Pierce?" was the stuffy nose tear-stained greeting. At least she'd stopped sobbing by this point, though she was still having a terrible time figuring out just why.

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[info]the_allfather
2010-09-17 05:31 pm UTC (link)
Pierce was surprised at the way Naea answered the phone - something was wrong though, he could tell immediately. She never sounded so upset before and of course he began to draw conclusions about what fucktarded thing David had done this time.

"It's me, love. What's the matter?" he asked, but didn't make it an accusatory question - he just stayed calm. He was good at that.

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[info]delicatefire
2010-09-17 05:55 pm UTC (link)
Funny how Pierce's voice made the tears well up all over again. It was a timbre that made Naea realize that no matter how bad things were, they would somehow be okay. It was that voice that made Naea wish she'd had someone like him to lean on. "M-my father died." Wiping a hand over her face, she gave a short, unbelieving laugh and stated, "I don't even know why the fuck I'm crying!"

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[info]the_allfather
2010-09-17 06:11 pm UTC (link)
"You're crying because it was a shock to you and you're certainly allowed to cry. It's a completely natural reaction," he said, already looking for his keys and shoving the pack of cigarettes away. He wanted to smoke but if he was going to see Naea he doubted she wanted him smelling like an ashtray. "I'll come down?" It was phrased like a question. Of course he would if she wanted him to, but if David was there he doubted that would be the best idea right now.

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[info]delicatefire
2010-09-17 06:20 pm UTC (link)
"That'd be great," came out in a whispery whimper. She stole a tissue out of the box and wiped at her nose a bit. "Just-- I don't really want to be alone right now." It was weird for her to say, considering she'd been on her own for so long and she hadn't really had a relationship to speak of with her father in as much time.

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[info]the_allfather
2010-09-17 06:50 pm UTC (link)
Well, that was all she needed to say.

He told her he would be down in a few minutes and, true to his word, Pierce arrived at 603 in approximately 4.5 minutes. It would have been less but first he had to grab the healing bottle of blackberry brandy he had stashed in the liquor cabinet. It was a miracle worker, or so he heard, but he usually preferred straight tequila.

He knocked on the door twice to announce his presence, then just poked his head into the apartment - tentatively. David could have arrived home within the last four minutes and Pierce wouldn't put it past him to come out swinging a battle axe.

"Naea, it's just me," he said as he stepped inside, then shut the door behind him.

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[info]delicatefire
2010-09-17 07:13 pm UTC (link)
She'd gotten up just long enough to unlock the door for Pierce, grab a blanket out of the hall closet (the chill was finally getting to her--whether the blanket would help or not remained to be seen) and hit the couch once more. Naea was wrapped up with her tissues and clutching her phone in her hand, debating on whether or not to call Mary back when Pierce came in. The knocks she hadn't noticed; his voice made her jump slightly.

"Plenty of room on the couch," she said. And there really was: Naea managed to take up one cushion out of four by herself, knees pulled up to her chest, chin resting on those knees, arms wrapped around her legs. "Thanks for coming over. Excuse my pajamas." Not that Pierce could really see them through the big orange blanket. She'd at least stopped crying and given way for her thoughts to come, instead.

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[info]the_allfather
2010-09-17 07:20 pm UTC (link)
He chuckled lightly at the mention of pajamas. "Don't worry about it. You don't need to be wearing a ballgown for me at this late hour," he said as he went into the kitchen to get glasses for them. Plastic ones with apples on them would do! Nothing said 'awesome' like sipping brandy from a plastic glass.

When he returned, he opened the bottle and poured a good amount for Naea, handing her the glass. The contents would help her on all levels. Sometimes you just needed a good, warming drink.

It was pointless asking what happened because he already knew. "We can talk about it if you want, or we don't have to," Pierce offered as he sat down on the couch next to her. "But I won't leave you here alone."

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[info]delicatefire
2010-09-17 07:38 pm UTC (link)
Her small hands cupped the glass after she sat her phone down on her feet and began swirling the contents gently. "Thanks, Pierce." Naea looked up at him and smiled weakly. "It means a lot." She sniffed at the brandy gently before sipping it slowly. Its immediate warmth from the inside was a huge relief.

Naea's brain felt like a jumbled mess that she suddenly wanted a filing cabinet and a paper shredder to clean it out with. Her eyes were fixated on one of the apples on her glass for a moment before she began to speak. "He had a heart attack, I guess." Her tone wasn't malicious, but more knowing and a little harsher; her voice tired. "Didn't know he'd gotten himself to that point. Not that he really ever took care of himself after Mama died. And it wasn't my responsibility to keep tabs on him after I left. That was his fault."

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[info]the_allfather
2010-09-17 07:52 pm UTC (link)
"Not a problem. Anytime, you know that." He sipped on his own brandy. Luckily for Naea, Pierce made for an excellent filer and he had seen this sort of thing many times before - death was something he was well-accustomed to hearing about, and the grieving process was something he understood.

He listened to her talk, watching her over the rim of his glass. "Well, no, you're right. Parents especially need to learn how to be accountable for their actions. Are you going back home for the funeral though?" he asked.

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[info]delicatefire
2010-09-17 08:04 pm UTC (link)
"I don't know." Naea shrugged her small shoulders and sipped at her drink once more, letting it go down slowly this time. "I haven't seen or wanted to talk to him in five years. It's hard to forgive and forget things when they just don't want to be forgiven or forgotten."

Her nose scrunched up slightly as she looked up at Pierce. "I'm not even sure I really know how to grieve or what the hell I'm grieving for, Pierce. For him? For what should have been? I don't know." Naea sighed heavily as she looked back down. "I'm a mess. It's a mess."

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[info]the_allfather
2010-09-17 08:15 pm UTC (link)
"Only you will know if you are ever ready to forgive, but at the end of the day, love? The world balances itself out," he said, hands held up at equal level before one went lower than the other - souls will end up where they belong. "I truly believe that. But you will grieve, certainly. Whatever it's for, it's important that you actually do grieve." That was the worst, when people refused to show any emotion about death and the passing of a loved one. It ended up coming back to haunt them in very bad ways - also something he was well aware of.

He paused then, already knowing that Naea's father was not going to be one of the lucky ones who passed through straight away into the next realm. Ghosts were still tormented here with their unfinished business on Earth. They were stuck, rather sadly. "But you cried and you will grieve because you're compassionate, Naea. You understand that respect for life is important, no matter how wretched the life seems to be."

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[info]delicatefire
2010-09-17 09:08 pm UTC (link)
"The universe has ways of balancing things, whether we think they do or not." Naea nodded somewhat sagely before having another sip. She didn't really drink when it was available to her, but the times she did, there was a reason and tonight was a damned good one. "It's a very Buddhist-like perspective, but it's true. Taking the good with the bad is very important. It helps us appreciate things." Interesting how things suddenly turned philosophical, but that was okay. It seemed that she and Pierce shared some of the same beliefs. "I just wish Dad would have figured out the good after Mama passed on. She wasn't hurting anymore, but he was." Among other things.

She looked back up at him when he called her compassionate and found herself wondering how compassionate she really was towards her father. Naea quickly brushed the thought aside. How could she be? How could she forgive the drunken asshole when he tried to rape her? "It'll come to me one of these days. And I know I'll be all right." She had to be.

Shivering slightly, she tucks her blanket under her feet with a frown. "Is it cold in here to you or am I just in some weird state of shock?" Naea's insides were warm, that was certain. She was actually relaxing between the brandy and Pierce being there with her, but the chill bothered her. Had she forgotten to turn off the air?

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[info]the_allfather
2010-09-17 10:41 pm UTC (link)
"People hurt, darling, they hurt all the time. I've always maintained that's not an excuse for abhorrent behavior." Yes, what Naea's father did was entirely terrible and no one could argue otherwise - you just don't do shit like that. "But what I've always liked about you is that you never used anything as an excuse either," he went on, meeting her gaze. And truly, he did think that. If Naea followed the same logic of most who came from less than ideal circumstances while growing up, she would feel free to act like a drunken fool with no regard for anyone, and completely blow her money on stupid crap. "There are a lot of things to admire about you. I think you should go to the funeral," he nodded. "It might help you get closure somehow."

The chill was noticeable to him too, and he suddenly became more alert. That was odd. "No, it....feels a little cold too," he said, shifting on the couch. "Drink more. That'll help. Ah, not that I'm trying to get you drunk or anything..."

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[info]delicatefire
2010-09-18 07:59 pm UTC (link)
"I know people hurt. Hell, I hurt a lot of days, but you know," she paused to drink from the plastic apple glass. "I figured out a long time ago to not use it as an excuse to fail. I saw people in high school that had it all: Cars, money, clothes--everything, usually always floated by their parents because they'd never worked a day in their lives. People get help from their folks, and there's nothing necessarily wrong with that, but being stupid because you can get away with it is failure of itself. So when they did fail a class or couldn't stay on the football team because of missed practices or failing those classes, they blamed their parents." Naea was glad to have a bit of a sounding board tonight. Pierce, she was sure, had heard more bullshit and dealt with a lot and yet here he was, helping her. Listening to her. "And yet, there I was, on my own because my father couldn't keep his shit together, his family disowned me, working my ass off and passing all my classes but I had to drop out because I was on my own. Rent ain't cheap." She was starting to ramble. Damn you, blackberry brandy.

Damn you!!

Naea frowned at the chill surrounding them and did just what Pierce told her: She drank some more. Her brain was beginning to feel rather light, and she figured she should likely just keep it to one. "I wonder what the deal is. It was fine before Mary called me, and I was wondering whether or not to call David. Weird."

She chose to ignore the hair standing on the back of her neck.

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[info]the_allfather
2010-09-18 08:21 pm UTC (link)
"I know, love, trust me - I know," Pierce chuckled. "Nothing worth it comes easy, and a lot of people just don't understand that."

He swirled the liquid around in his glass, brow furrowed in confusion. Why was it so cold? It couldn't be...no. He hadn't summoned any ghosts and while he saw them daily that was because they were in the same places they had been when they were living. Naea's father would have had to travel here.

Fuck. Was he losing control of the gift?

"Do you have any sage, love?" he asked, getting up and going into the kitchen. Smudging the ghost out might work.

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[info]delicatefire
2010-09-18 08:54 pm UTC (link)
"Sage?" The question confused her, and she got up (a bit slowly--amazing how well alcohol goes straight to one's legs once one stands up) to follow Pierce's lead into the kitchen. She opened the cupboard where she kept her herbs and spices and moved the little jars around. Naea was a huge fan of buying local and farmers' markets were her friends. Biting her lip, she shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't. I don't use it in a lot of things."

Closing the doors, she turned and leaned against the counter. "Might I ask why?"

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[info]the_allfather
2010-09-18 08:55 pm UTC (link)
"There's a ghost in your apartment," Pierce answered easily, like he had just told Naea what his favorite ice cream flavor was. He too began opening cupboards, looking for anything granulated - sugar, salt, ground coffee - any of that would do. "But don't panic. Sage usually works best at keeping them away, but I'll improvise."

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[info]delicatefire
2010-09-18 09:13 pm UTC (link)
"Uh... a what?" Naea's eyebrow shot up as Pierce began moving through her cupboards. "You can't be serious." She had to wonder if the brandy was getting to him instead of her. "Pierce, I love ya, but it's a chill. The night has not been spectacular..." But didn't she believe in an afterlife, too? She'd thought often that Mama came to visit her, so who was to say Pierce was wrong?

"I'm not panicking, but I admit, this is really kind of weird." A brush of hair away from her eyes. "Why does it have to be a ghost? Don't spirits do the same thing when they visit?" Surely her father wouldn't come here. Did he even know where she lived?

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[info]the_allfather
2010-09-18 09:25 pm UTC (link)
Actually, no. No sugar. That would leave a sticky residue behind. Salt would be better - ah ha! He grabbed the canister from the cupboard, then began searching for a bowl.

"That's a ghostly chill. Trust me, I know the difference," he said hastily, dumping the salt into the bowl. "Salt's been used as a cleanser for thousands of years so it should work for now. And the difference between ghosts and spirits is that a ghost is tormented and can't pass over to the next realm. A spirit already has, so ghosts are usually the ones trying to take care of unfinished business, hence the hauntings."

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[info]delicatefire
2010-09-18 09:38 pm UTC (link)
Naea tilted her head and watched Pierce flit around her kitchen. "And might I ask how you know?" The question wasn't presented in a rude manner, but in a highly curious tone. This subject wasn't exactly something they discussed over their phone conversations. She'd never readily dismissed psychic phenomena, but now that it was looking as though it was being presented to her, she wasn't entirely sure what to do with it. And anyway, Pierce knew shit. He just did.

Why should she be surprised at him now?

"Besides. Aren't ghosts supposed to stay connected to the place they lived or died in? Not that I necessarily know if someone died in my apartment..."

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[info]the_allfather
2010-09-18 09:50 pm UTC (link)
"Not necessarily. They wander the earth, some still seek physical nourishment, they can be summoned...that's where I come in," Pierce said, closing the cupboard and turning to face Naea. "I've been seeing dead people for decades. I guess I should add 'Medium' to my business card," he snickered, then went back into the living room.

A thin layer of salt was spread on the windowsill. "Make sure to clean this up tomorrow morning," he advised. Attracting bugs was not desirable either. "I'll put some in your bedroom too. Anyway, salt is a cleanser, but some cultures believe that a ghost has to stop and count each grain before he can advance further, and thus will give up before he can finish. Usually I just tell them not to bother me when I don't want to be bothered and that works but you're new at this."

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[info]delicatefire
2010-09-19 04:09 am UTC (link)
Naea frowned slightly, watching Pierce move around the apartment to sprinkle salt at the windows. It suddenly bothered her that it was possible her father coming to complete 'unfinished business'--whatever that was for him. She had gotten so tired of the drunken apologies when he did call, but they were so often followed by a jab for cash that she never could take it seriously.

Whatever it was that Pierce was doing, Naea hoped it worked, or that maybe Mama would come and get him and straighten him up. "Yeah, I can't honestly say I've really had to deal with ghosts coming around to finish whatever it is they felt they haven't accomplished. Seems unfair, though. Once your time here is done, you should be able to move on. Sleeping dogs and all that." Linnaea downed the rest of her brandy and secretly wondered if there was more, because she was feeling the need for it. "Dad lived his life the way he wanted to."

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[info]the_allfather
2010-09-19 04:21 am UTC (link)
"It does seem unfair, doesn't it?" Pierce said, coming back into the living room to join Naea after he ghost-proofed her apartment. He would have to remember to bring some sage down tomorrow just in case. "But no, apparently people can't finish their business while they're still alive." he sighed. They could always try a seance too, once he was more prepared. But she didn't seem like she would be into that idea. They could be rather...unpredictable events. "Anyway, that should do it for now." He paused, thinking it over. "Perhaps he feels guilty for what he's done. It's possible that even the most vile sorts of people can feel a sense of remorse."

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[info]delicatefire
2010-09-19 07:21 am UTC (link)
"Life isn't fair a lot of the time. Why should the afterlife be?" Her mood was becoming soured, even more so than it was to begin with. It wasn't with Pierce, but if her father didn't care two shits to make amends in life, and if this was him suddenly haunting her, why did he think the afterlife would be any different?

Maybe he did feel guilty. It's just too bad it had to be after his time was up.

Naea smiled sadly at Pierce. "Maybe. I don't think he was evil... just maybe he deserved to be happier. I just wasn't the one who was going to be able to do that for him." She held up her glass and looked through the apples at Pierce. "Nightcap, maybe? Stay until I pass out?"

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[info]the_allfather
2010-09-19 02:19 pm UTC (link)
"Sometimes perspective can change when you're dead," Pierce chuckled ruefully, and it was true. "When you know you have an eternity of being restless, unless you find a way to move on, then that tends to put a damper on things."

He smiled back and patted Naea's cheek in a tender gesture, then leaned in and kissed the top of her head. "Sure, I'll stay. I have plenty of boring stories that will help put you to sleep."

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[info]delicatefire
2010-09-20 12:41 am UTC (link)
"I've always wondered if one loses a sense of time when they pass on. I mean, here it's all about time and money and not having enough of either. There, you've got all the time in the world. But, I do suppose it would get pretty boring."

Linnaea smiled softly and leaned into Pierce's hand as he patted her cheek, though as he kissed the top of her head, the tears welled up once more and she looked away, trying to not be so obvious. Trying to be brave. "Oh, Pierce. I'm so sorry. Just..." She paused, wiping away her stinging tears with the backs of her fingers. "You've been so good to me, even when you didn't need to and had no reason to. I sometimes forget little things like this and how much they mean."

Naea looked up at her friend, then hugged him fiercely. For a small woman, she definitely had a grip. She pulled away after a moment and smiled up at him. "C'mon. I think I could do with a little more brandy and one of your stories. Tell me about your life before Billy and being CEO of the world."

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[info]the_allfather
2010-09-20 12:59 am UTC (link)
Pierce returned the hug, impressed with the force Naea put behind it on her end - but then again she was her own type of tenacious too. "You're a lovely young lady and you put me under your spell, that's all," he laughed lightly, flashing a charming smile in her direction. "Alright, go get comfortable. That's probably a long story."

He sat down with her on the couch, giving her back her blanket and glass of brandy. His was held in one hand, the bottle close by so there could be refills if needed. "My life before Billy? How far back do you want to go? Nate and I did some pretty stupid things in college."

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[info]delicatefire
2010-09-20 01:12 am UTC (link)
Naea settled back into her couch cushion, her thought on calling her aunt back and ghosts forgotten for the time being. She graciously took her glass of brandy and laughed as he mentioned doing stupid things in college. "Everybody does stupid things in college, don't they?"

She pondered in thought with a small swig of blackberry to help the process. "Mmkay. I've got it. What was the one moment in college that is your absolute favorite, bar none? The one that you think about most often to this day?"

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[info]the_allfather
2010-09-20 01:24 am UTC (link)
"This is supposed to be kept under an R rating, right?" Pierce asked, coughing a laugh. "Hm..." He swirled the brandy around in his glass, lifting it to take a sip. Naea probably didn't want too much detail about his...antics. But it was still better than telling her all about how much David liked ice cream clown sundaes as a kid, because then they wouldn't be able to stop laughing and they'd probably break a spleen or two.

But the answer to this question came pretty easy. "The first time I saw Billy's mother, of course. It was during a staff meeting for our school's humor magazine. She distracted me and I almost stabbed myself in the hand with a pencil. But you really couldn't blame me, if you saw her you'd know why."

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[info]delicatefire
2010-09-20 01:40 am UTC (link)
"Really?" Naea's features became rather wistful and pleasant. "Stabbing yourself in the hand would have been a great way to break the ice, you know." With a playful wink, she tucked the blanket around her feet with a free hand. "What's her name? What's she like? She must be a pretty awesome lady. I mean, you're a pretty awesome fella. It had to be kismet."

The brandy was going down much easier: Naea was starting to get giggly. At least it was that instead of weepy.

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[info]the_allfather
2010-09-20 01:57 am UTC (link)
Down went more brandy, but it could be argued that Pierce held his liquor better than Naea - who probably weighed about 102 pounds dripping wet. "Elaine," he said, answering the first question. "She was married to me for twenty-eight years so naturally she's a patient sort of person. Definitely a lot more awesome than yours truly." But he was a little biased, let it be known. "I'm stubborn and not very even-tempered but she kept both in check rather well. You know that saying about finding your other half and whatnot? I don't think it was just that," he said, studying the brandy. "It was more like two wholes coinciding perfectly."

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[info]delicatefire
2010-09-20 02:22 am UTC (link)
"Sounds goddamned magical, if you ask me," she replied, smiling sweetly the entire time. Oh, Linnaea. Funny how those words come out of you when your guard is down. But then, that smile turned the other direction, in almost a pouty-lip sort of way. "What happened? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But 'was' implies that it ended, and that look on your face" she pointed at him with her index finger attached to the hand holding her glass "tells me that it wasn't too good to be true, and you didn't want it to end."

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[info]the_allfather
2010-09-20 02:31 am UTC (link)
"Goddamned magical, eh?" Pierce laughed at the choice in description. "Of course. Pretty fucking magical, with rainbows and unicorns and dolphins forming a heart in the air when they jump. Oh, and doves," he added for good, sarcastic measure, smiling a bit deviously.

Of course he didn't want it to end. But it was his own fault, really. Something that bothered him every day, while he was burning the midnight oil for the millionth time. "I'm a workaholic. It got to be too much for her," he said, rubbing his forehead. "I'm not stupid," he chuckled wryly. "I didn't want it to end, no."

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[info]delicatefire
2010-09-20 02:52 am UTC (link)
Her brandy was a little more than 3/4 of the way gone. It was seeping into her brain activity and vocabulary. "Well, fuck." The wheels in Naea's brain were turning. Pierce was unhappy. Elaine made him happy. Ergo, they should totally get back together! "Workaholism is no way to go through life. You gotta grab the bull by the nuts sometimes, Pierce. Vacation, even if it's just the hotel in town."

She leaned forward and rested a hand on his arm, her expression as sincere as ever. "Do you still talk 'cause of Billy? Why don't you take her out sometime? You love her. The unicorns would shit glitter for your love!" What does that even mean?? "Go slow and see what happens? Would you be willing to slow it down just a smidge for her?" Naea held up her thumb and forefinger just centimeters apart to show what, exactly, a smidge was.

Somewhere in Linnaea's tipsy mind, something smacked her in the back of her head. Her mood immediately took a step back and she bit her lip. "I'm sorry, Pierce! I shouldn't have brought that up. It's hard enough on you as it is, and here I go trying to fix things I really don't know anything about."

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[info]the_allfather
2010-09-20 03:04 am UTC (link)
Well then! The bull by the nuts. This was serious business. Pierce pursed his lips, trying to fight a laugh so as not to break the moment of wisdom brought to him by tipsy Naea. She was rather amusing when sloshed, he had to admit. But she was probably right, though he wouldn't have used that particular expression per se.

"Of course we still talk because of Billy," he said. "Take her out...where?" The thought honestly boggled him. He had to pull his head from his ass first, or from the deep piles of paperwork on his desk, the piles that never seemed to end. "Well, yes, of course I'd slow it down a smidge. I probably should anyway," he added hastily. "It's alright, Naea, I'll take your advice - especially your drunken advice, though I don't know about the unicorns shitting glitter," he laughed. "I probably shouldn't bring that up next time I call her."

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[info]delicatefire
2010-09-20 03:56 am UTC (link)
Naea tilted her head slightly at the question of 'Where?'. "Take her out to dinner. Like that place we went to for lunch. It's cozy. It's intimate enough to tune the rest of the place out. It doesn't have to be five star, y'know?" The tipsy girl was simply going off of what she liked herself; things she thought could be simple but really romantic. Not that she and Pierce were romantic with each other, but the potential in the Italian place was there.

A half-fought giggle escaped her as Pierce agreed to her drunken advice and unicorns. "Nah, but it might make her laugh, anyway. In all seriousness, Pierce-- you really deserve to be happy. I've never seen anyone's eyes light up like yours do when you talk about Elaine. And this is really the only time you've spoken about her to me." Naea's hand ended up on Pierce's shoulder with a firm grip as she looked him in the eye. "Bull by the nuts. Not too long or it might get mad. Or horny. I'm not sure which."

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[info]the_allfather
2010-09-20 04:20 am UTC (link)
"I'll remove my head from my ass first, love," Pierce said, patting Naea's hand. "I've been dating my work since we split up so I'll have to get back in the game." At least that would mean Alex wouldn't bookmark dating sites for affluent singles anymore. She meant well, but honestly?

He laughed, shaking his head. "You're an adorable drunk, Naea. Go to sleep," he commanded with fake seriousness, taking the bottle of brandy away from her and putting it out of reach. "Because I'm not sure how we got on the subject of horny bulls."

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[info]delicatefire
2010-09-20 04:29 am UTC (link)
"It's a good way to start. Actually..." Naea finished what was left of her brandy. She felt nice in that heavily floaty way. "Call her once or twice before you ask. Gives ample time for ass-head removal."

She pouted, mostly playfully, as the bottle was put at beyond the arms' length. "'m not drunk. Tipsy. And horny bulls make for a great conversation piece. They can run with the best glitter-shitting unicorns!" This, as bad as it sounded, put the girl into a gigglefit, which was a far reach from where she was when Pierce had first called her. "I'm sorry! How obviously not able to hold my liquor am I?"

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