InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "You gonna eat that nose?"

Vincent (king_of_gods) wrote in paxletalelogs,
@ 2010-08-05 20:58:00

Entry tags:

persephone, zeus

Who: Sarah & Vince.
What: Vince sees Sarah checking her mail on his way out, and decides to pretend that instead of being on his way out, he's actually on his way in checking his mail, too. Bada-bing.
Where: Lobby.
When: (Evening?)
Warnings: Dubious.

The whole car-rattling-situation thing had to be put off. Honestly? He was sinking into the delightful comfort of having not too much to do aside from putting thought into precisely what TO do. It is the habit of those who have an analytical enough mind, or at least those who are enough ambitious, to retreat within themselves for a few days, maybe even weeks, for the purpose of self-reflection and the surmounting of inward dilemmas. It is also a practice of the lazy to create really appealing ways to excuse themselves from doing the stuff they ought to be doing. He actually had many tasks that rightfully should have been attended to already; he was immaturely denying them, on account of his being in denial of them. There was a call late last night, missed, from his mother, which he knew harbored bad news. He could just feel it. The red circle indicative of an unheard voicemail uninvitingly loomed at the bottom of his iPhone like the bulbous nose of a hired birthday clown that just wouldn't leave until you did something about it.

Obviously, he was pretending nothing was going wrong in his life. Putting his hands up to ears when the accent of trouble spoke, and singing gratuitously lalalalala to block the intrusion.

Which never worked, but... we digress.

This evening was a nice Ralph Lauren night, burnished black shoes, simply because he had worn all of his other clothes and hadn't gotten around to doing his laundry. Once this suit was unwearable, he had another few dozen of them to prolong his eventually having to do laundry at all. Vince was on his way out and halfway passed the glass doors, when he caught sight of a familiar figure coming into the lobby, and going to check its mail...

A very familiar figure indeed. And thus he rewound his steps, opened the door back up boldly dropping the task of picking up pasta supplies, and announced boldly while he extracted his keys:

"Oh hey, checking your mail? What coincidence, me too."

He lied through his immaculate, pearly white teeth, which caught the light just so and seemed to blend into Heaven.

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themaidenkore
2010-08-06 10:40 am UTC (link)

Sarah was now well aware of the fact that the good ol' high school gang was living under the same roof, but that hardly meant she was going to hide in her apartment to avoid any unexpected run-ins. Honey's visit had gone better than she'd expected, and although there was still some lingering awkwardness, that could easily be dealt with - besides, she'd gotten over Vince a long time ago. That didn't mean she wanted to run into him anytime soon, but knowing she was better off helped make the situation a little more bearable. As for Paul, well, seeing him again wouldn't be so bad - awkward, no doubt, but at least he hadn't been a jerk.

No, the only changes her new-found knowledge inspired were minor. For example, she no longer went to get her mail in pajama pants, slippers, and t-shirts - hence why she'd spent some time making an effort to look half-decent before heading down to check her mail this evening; since she worked all day and hadn't had a chance until now. Clad in dark jeans, sandals, and a purple knit top, she made her way down the stairs and into the lobby. Tugging the key from her pocket, she rested a hip against the mailboxes and got to work on opening hers, humming absently to herself. She didn't realize anyone had seen her until they spoke, and the familiarity of the voice made her freeze.

It couldn't be... and yet, as she slowly turned to face the speaker, she saw that indeed it was. Of course he had to be checking his mail at this exact moment, and in some expensive suit, no less. Sarah managed a smile that wasn't too fake and nodded. "What a coincidence indeed. Although I suppose it was only a matter of time, with the both of us living here now and all."

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king_of_gods
2010-08-06 07:48 pm UTC (link)

Oh, High School. How bold and black you make the coffee of youth, how acrid the taste of actions, how freely marked with thoughtlessness, your airs. Oh youth, so insensible and insensitive. Oh Vince, such a history of being too espresso without enough water. His affection for her however was undeniable in his own mind. He seemed to figure that everyone else had similar inner realm of mindfulness, where anyone you've known for longer than five years had snuck their way into your life and heart for good, curled up next the warm fire of your livelihood. Of course, that was easier a task apprehended by the one who so crushingly, at times, was too brutal with his actions and words...

She probably hated him.

"Yep, only a matter of time." He began, isolating the key for his mail, a wall across from hers as his was within the security of a penthouse box. And he took his time unlatching it, knowing well nothing would be in there. "Just the right time, in fact, to bump into you. How fortunate for me." The crook of his grin ran wild with the loot of it's luminosity, jubilation rearing on his expression singularly, and decorous, like ambrosia. "You look gorgeous. Do I get a hug?" Inquired with a fearless daring, seeing his expectedly vacant mailbox and shutting it up. He turned to her and opened his unwaveringly resolute arms, ready for refusal. "Or do you hate me too much to be within seven feet of me?"

He skipped one step forward.

"Six feet."

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themaidenkore
2010-08-07 09:32 am UTC (link)

Sensing that this wasn't going to be the sort of meeting where she could just grab her mail, say a hasty goodbye and head back up to her apartment, Sarah had resigned herself to the fact that she was going to have to make small talk. There had been a time when she did hate him, and she hated recalling how bitter she'd been after the breakup, but that was all in the past and she certainly wasn't the sort to outright snub him and flounce away. That would just be tacky. No, she just had to show him that she was over all that high school drama - they were both adults now, right? And they could handle themselves as such.

Then again, it was Vince she was dealing with.

She'd just gotten her mailbox open, but was distracted from the contents by his bold assertions. Once upon a time being called gorgeous would have made her blush, but now she just rolled her eyes with a sardonic smile. "Charming as ever, I see." The request for a hug was a different story entirely, however. If she refused then it might come off as bitter and begrudged, but actually hugging him was too familiar a gesture for her liking. Honestly, couldn't he just offer some non-physical form of greeting, like a wave? Or even a handshake she could handle.

"I don't hate you," she said, giving him a look that clearly stated she thought he was being over-dramatic. "We're not in high school anymore - all that's in the past now." She added a careless wave of her hand to show just how little it mattered to her now. "Don't worry, I'm not going to slap a restraining order on you if you cross the six foot mark." Yes, she was aware that she hadn't answered the hug question, but hopefully he would have forgotten about it. Maybe.

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king_of_gods
2010-08-08 01:01 am UTC (link)

He wondered at times, alone and reflecting to his life upon himself, if Sarah would have preferred he had lied to her and stayed with her, rather than with the often searing, yet necessary fire of honestly, reduced to ashes what budding romance they could have dwelled in ritualistically, as high school students are wont to do. Instead, he needn't prolong the gap he fashioned himself between them, the lingering wound of his inability to feel right with her, knowing that Roy and his googley-eyes desired her in a way he was yet, at that young age, unable to reach. He recalled her as tender and fair, unlike the other girls in her own unique way, and arousing the villain in his heart which was both repelled and allured by her gentle charm. It was better that he ripped the band aid off the stitch, rather than conceal it with a kiss and a compliment. Even if it shattered her senses for however long it did.

Some part of him refused to believe she'd even cared that much, but knew his actions still were blunt enough to knock ones even subtle agendas into a haze, to retreat, to recover. It had been unexpected, after all...

"That's unfortunate." Spoke he, dry as London gin and with the faintest clue of irritation in his tone, regarding what she'd said as a little unnecessary at first, but accepted it eventually with a narrowing of his stormy eyes. He probably deserved it. "I like breaking the law." And instead of lowering his arms and retreating the offer of an embrace, the way that perhaps any other modest creature might, the tall stately man from her past proceeded forward. Five, four, three, two, and peered down at her. Eyes flashing a humble, almost affectionate dazzle of lightning. Even if they were not so close as to create discomfort, the manner in which he stared down at her seemed to inch closer than his own being.

"Truce?" A smile that Orpheus could compose countless carols for.

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themaidenkore
2010-08-17 04:28 am UTC (link)

((DD: Apologies for the uber, uber lateness!))

There might have been a time, when the breakup was still fresh in her mind, that she had viewed him with nothing but scorn and contempt for the way he'd ended things. Now, however, she realized that despite his methods it really had been for the best. They clearly weren't right for each other, and their relationship's ending was inevitable. Even now Sarah remained generally oblivious to Roy's affections, though, which meant that he didn't quite factor into her reasoning.

She hadn't been lying when she didn't hate him. Even when she'd thought she had, it had really just been bitterness and a little big of teenage immaturity - it was silly to hate someone over a high school breakup. That didn't mean she wanted to be best friends with Vince or anything, but glaring at him in the halls and replying with one-word answers wasn't what she wanted either. "That doesn't surprise me," she said wryly, actually managing to crack a smile.

Of course she shouldn't have expected him to relent, because it was Vince. She could have been stubborn and refused, perhaps even simply turned around and marched back to her apartment, but she didn't have it in her to be that cruel. Instead she was the one who relented, her tense posture relaxing as she looked up at him with the beginnings of an almost helpless laugh on her lips. "Truce. You know I'm not very good at holding a grudge." Some might have thought her weak for it, but the last thing she needed was to create more animosity - especially with Roy and Vince now living in such close proximity.

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king_of_gods
2010-08-17 07:04 pm UTC (link)

The notion of hugging her in some semblance of normalcy between them, was discarded into the heaping sundry of a thousand other ideas which his imagination toyed and digitated. It would only serve to inspire in him an attempt to entice her into other agendas. In his mind's eye, many fantasies glided lighter than they wore. He was too heavily aware of his current limitations. He knew not to be brimming with charm, affection, aggressive, but to be humorous. To hide his sudden, new intentions, to remember that Roy adored her for what seemed all his life. That she was forbidden. Off limits.

At least for now.

"I know you aren't." He'd said, as if she hadn't required admitting it. "You forgive at the same time as being no one's doormat. Besides, I've known you since high school. It's like we're related. You know, minus the whole I'd do you thing. That's not what related people do."

As a gesture of good faith, although he did not close the distance between them, he resolved to be truthful about something, as he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. Think of it as a peace offering, he'd amended, as he stared down at her alchemically flecked-brown eyes that made him wonder the exact recipe these days for her favor. "I lied, by the way, I only ran back in here when I saw you."

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themaidenkore
2010-08-18 08:05 am UTC (link)

She tilted her head to the side, wondering if he really thought she managed to refrain from being people's doormat. Even though she tried not to be too nice now, there were times in the past that she looked back on and winced. "It's hard to find a balance sometimes, but I'm glad you think I've found it." Even if he was just saying it, she still appreciated it. Her eyebrows went up when he used the comparison of being related, and laughed despite herself. "No, I'm pretty sure they don't. But I know what you're trying to say anyway."

Sarah was slightly relieved that he'd abandoned his quest for a hug, and it was easier to relax once she knew that was off the table. At least, until his little confession - it didn't really surprise her, though. She had more reason to want to avoid him then he did her, and Vince wasn't the sort to opt for avoidance anyway. "Ah. I thought you were a little overdressed for checking your mail."

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king_of_gods
2010-08-18 08:13 pm UTC (link)

Scoff. The scoff was all-knowing, almost all-telling, and definitely all-earned, in an all-silent way she unfortunately all-together did not know yet. Overdressed? Vince swiped a curled tongue over the crook of his devilishly grinning mouth, as the grin in question spread eagled itself upon the smooth bed of his nicely shaven features.

"Yeah but you see, the funnier thing about that would have to be the fact that I intentionally wore this having avoided doing my laundry for at least a month. Not saying I wouldn't wear a suit for you, I would. " He emphasized by wiping the smile away from his face, furrowing his brow to punctuate his point, and gesticulating with a careful chop between them as if to cut loose any notion that he'd not dress up just to bump into her. "Really. Just I didn't. Not tonight anyway, but now that I know the mail party's down here, well, I'll be sure to attend dressed like this every time."

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themaidenkore
2010-08-20 04:40 am UTC (link)

She searched his face briefly, trying to determine whether it was another lie or truth - and quickly decided on the latter. It was quite believable that Vince wasn't a fan of doing his own laundry, probably preferring to have someone else do it for him. "Is that your method, then? Avoid laundry until you don't have any clean clothes left? Although it could have been worse - it's probably better to be overdressed than underdressed."

Sarah pulled a face, although her attempt at disbelief was slightly hampered by the twitch of her lips. "Oh yeah, the mailboxes are the new cool place to be. You might just set the precedent for a dress code, though, if you keep getting all dressed up like this."

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king_of_gods
2010-08-20 05:18 am UTC (link)

"You know," palm over his compassionate heart, he began an explanation complete with an inspired knit of his wry, acquitted brow. "I was honestly just really concerned about how gross everyone looked, and I thought it'd be a nice way to really pull the community together, you know? What better way than an unspoken mail-getting dress-up rule?" he leaned back, fingers sprawled out and spirited before him as if an invisible banner was being smoothed out. "Discover the world of getting the mail, The future of getting the mail, Dress nice you hag! Go get the mail, really the possibilities are endless."

Vince brought his hands together and clapped them clean of his slogans and tapestries. "I have to go where I was supposed to fifteen minutes ago before you're pretty little face dragged me back in here." Said he, very obviously peeking to the number on her mailbox. "We'll do lunch."

It wasn't a question.

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themaidenkore
2010-08-20 07:19 am UTC (link)

Somehow she managed to keep a relatively straight face throughout his explanation despite the irrational urge to laugh. "I have to admit that I used to get my mail in my pajamas, so you might actually be onto something with your little idea." Even though she'd never go as far as wearing anything as dressy as Vince's suit, at least she tried to look vaguely presentable now. "You could end up changing the way mail is gotten in apartment buildings everywhere."

Now Sarah just smirked at his compliment, far less susceptible to his charms than she'd been in high school. Even though she could have refused, instead she simply nodded - arguing with Vince would only stretch on forever. "If you say so," she responded with a smile.

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