Post by Michkayela Drakonas on Aug 26, 2013 3:28:02 GMT -5
It felt weird. Not being out in public with him, she didn’t think that she could feel weird with Robert- but the shift in his personality when they left the sphere of his apartment always took her a little by surprise. Although, it wasn’t just the apartment- she realized slowly. They went out together other times and were fine. The time he’d dragged her to the muggle theatre had gone over well enough, once he’d explained how everything worked and why the uniformed man had been holding his hand out expectantly once they came to the junction between the concession stands and the back rooms. They’d had fun then, laughed at the antics of the actors on screen- at one point she’d noticed he was flicking popcorn into her hair, provoking her to try and shake it out onto him… and the progress from their until their laughter had the people in front of them hushing them a good deal more loudly than the pair had been laughing. They had fun. Unless it was a function where other wizards and witches were in attendance. She didn’t know why it had taken her so long to make the connection, how she couldn’t have thought of it before. Only she tended not to think about social conformities and the pressures of political issues when she hung out with Robert- he was her reprieve from all of that. Already he was shutting himself down though, his facial muscles tensing into a different sort of expression- one that made her slightly uncomfortable. Because she didn’t know if it was just the issues with where they were, his issues with dealing with the magical community that had ostracized him so completely… or if it was something she had done. Of course it was the latter that would bother her the most- the idea that she could have made him uncomfortable twisting painfully in her lower abdomen. He teased her all the time, pressing just at the borders of whatever boundaries they’d erected over the time they’d become reacquainted, pushing her sometimes until her blush nearly felt like it was burning her cheekbones off. It wasn’t like she’d never teased him back before, never tried to extract her revenge over it. Only today she’d gone further, today she’d toed the line just a little more than was strictly appropriate all things considered… and now she might be paying the price. She could have made him uncomfortable, or maybe he was trying to create more space between the two of them. Either way it was enough to have her feeling on edge once more, trying to maintain the smile on her face as if she wasn’t worrying about what all she could have done wrong. The lower left corner of her lips were sucked between her teeth, worrying it delicately as she nodded to whatever it was he said about them leaving, taking his proffered hand with said smile still trying to pull at the corner of her lips not engaged. She didn’t want to make him any more uncomfortable after all.
Her fingers curled around his easily, keeping pace with him as he maneuvered them through the crowd and sneaking sideways glances up at him from under her lashes. She shouldn’t have made that comment, or pulled him like that so suddenly. She should have just … she didn’t know. Back at the apartment everything had been so easy, even with the embarrassment he caused her there she knew she was safe with him- that even his teasing had limits. Out here it was different now, and it was her fault… and she didn’t like that. It made her feel as if she’d pushed too far, like she’d placed some unwitting pressure on him. Or made him feel as if she had. Her fingers fell away from his slowly, almost forcing herself to do so, only stopping to curl her hand around his bicep, smiling to show him that she was still walking with him. This was less personal though, a little more distance. Maybe if she was the one to initiate it she could fix whatever issue she’d brought forth. It really wasn’t fair though, how pretty he was, she’d seen him in a suit twice now- both times at functions he clearly felt uncomfortable at, but he still pulled the damn thing off well enough for it to hide the fact. It addled her brain, made her do things without first thinking them through. Obviosul ythat was the problem here. Either that or she’d gotten too comfortable in his presence. That was a problem too wasn’t it? She was sure she’d heard people talking about things like that before, letting yourself become too comfortable with another person and driving them to have the opposite reaction. Damnit. She wanted to tug on his arm and insist that they sit at the very back, away from everyone else. Or better yet insist that they go back to his apartment. If it weren’t for the fact that it was his brother graduating as well she might’ve. Kariana would hardly care that she was absent… except that she had to be here today for Kariana too. A sigh fell from her lips as the rest of the world seemed to catch up with her, the confrontation that would surely be unavoidable later in the day crossing to the forefront of her mind. Hopefully it would hold off until they’d left the school at least, save them all the trouble of dealing with it publically. Save Robert from having to witness her family drama on top of dealing with his today. She was jerked out of her thoughts though by Robert’s voice, her head turning to him as he spoke. “Somebody that you know?”
She followed his gaze to the man with his arm raised in greeting, her steps faltering slightly. She’d completely forgotten that she was meeting Sebastian here today, had let herself become too immersed in the man whose arm she was still holding… He was smiling at her, waving her over… and she felt the first pang of guilt settle within her, her answering smile slightly off kilter as she turned her face back to Robert. “Yes. That’s Sebastian.” She tried to sound cheery, excited at the prospect of the two of them meeting. She’d told Robert about him, mentioned her relationship a few times when it came up. It was part of what had her nervous about today. Only she’d let herself get distracted. She could hear the guilt in her own voice; feel the unease that had settled at the base of her spine as she took her turn guiding the two of them towards her boyfriend and Grandmother. Her feet seemed to slow though, as if they knew that they should put off this meeting, as if they knew she needed the time to gather herself. She liked Sebastian. He was a good guy, a really good guy… they had so many similar interests. And he was attentive, and… approved. She paused as he walked over to meet them, his arm encircling her and pulling her closer. She knew normally warmth would have settled within her at the movement… only it felt off right now, her hand still curled around Robert’s arm… until she noticed it and hurriedly removed it, one arm going to encircle him as well, applying the slight pressure before letting it drop again. She couldn’t see his face with his lips attached to her temple, something she knew she’d have to remedy in a moment. But even with all the unease his attention was welcome after she’d felt so… unwanted only moments before. The rejection had stung, even if she didn’t like to admit it. But Sebastian wanted her. And that helped. Those thoughts needed to be cut off too. She was being spoken to. “You're late,” Her laugh was kind of awkward as she shrugged once before shrugging out of his embrace and standing between the two men. “I lost track of time.” Her smile seemed to come easier this time, social structure clicking into place. She was good at this kind of thing, she had been raised with this sort of thing.
She just needed to introduce the two men. Her smile was all social grace as her hand went back to Robert’s arm- her eyes drifting between the two as she indicated him. “Sebastian this is my… Roberto--- O’Conner,” she tripped slightly over his name, quickly covering the fault with his last name and a small laugh. Friend seemed tried. Oldest friend seemed presumptuous. She didn’t know how to introduce Robert to Sebastian, wasn’t sure what social title he fit under. She’d almost just called him hers, something that she was sure wouldn’t go over well with either male. She needed to pull herself together. “Robert this is Sebastian… I’ve told you about him.” Her smile was actually more genuine then, she had at least done that. Gotten at least one thing right today. She noticed she left off boyfriend, the title Sebastian so obviously held, she knew she should have said it, but before she could even begin the word her tongue had frozen over it, refusing to let it escape her lips.
TAGGED: Graduates and Family
WORDS: 1,548
WEARING: Thisss
LYRICS: Katy Perry
CREDIT: To BUNNYA! from CAUTION 2.0!
