Continued from the other post?au_avengerJanuary 21 2013, 05:13:36 UTC
Howard is one of those people who doesn't really know how to show physical affection, or any affection at all. But when Dorothy falls asleep against his shoulder, looking rather small compared to the luxurious grandeur of this place, he can't manage to bring himself to wake her up.
He doesn't hold any delusions that she's sweet on him, but when women actually are interested, it's all about money and appearances. It's been a long time since someone just stayed with him and didn't expect anything in return. So even if it's incredibly pathetic, he wraps an arm around her waist and lets the moment last. He doesn't need it to be real, but he just wants a little bit where he can feel like it is.
Sounds lovely.drosyrenfysJanuary 21 2013, 06:10:58 UTC
She hadn't intended to fall asleep. In fact, she had only been waiting for the fireworks, something she'd been so excited to see. she was thrilled of them happening the instant she knew they would happen later in the night. It only made sense to ask the one person she'd met on this trip to join her.
Perhaps she should have tried some coffee or she should've slowed down a little bit. Still, what happens happens, and she has her head against his shoulder, moving closer to his warmth as his arm slips around her. It's nice, and even in her sleep, she smiles softly.
Dorothy is just. Nonstop cute.au_avengerJanuary 21 2013, 06:19:04 UTC
Well, the fireworks still have a bit until they start. He'll allow himself this one moment of peace. He's been surrounded by luxury for so long he not only doesn't appreciate it, he views it and most other people with suspicion. He can hardly breathe sometimes. The only person who he knew was exactly who she said she was, was Dorothy.
Class and age difference were nothing. She was easily the best friend he'd had in a long time. And it was pathetic, and sad how quickly this was doomed to end. She'd go back to Kansas and forget the lonely pathetic rich guy who watched fireworks with her. But for now at least someone was happy he was here.
He looks at her small, soft smile, and feels a smile of his own threatening to emerge. It's a much sadder expression, though, than hers.
She can't help it. It's probably in her genetics.drosyrenfysJanuary 21 2013, 07:00:20 UTC
Fortunately for Dorothy, she never forgets a person. She never forgets faces or names or actions. Even when she has to leave this place in five days time, she will say goodbye with a teary smile and a hug. It may be simple to him, not entirely special in his world where places like this are bland and in his usual, but to this girl, everything here is magical.
Her hand automatically moves to his, gently drawing her fingers over it as she presses her nose into the fabric of his silk shirt. Even in her dream it feels lovely, and it's like there's sunshine on her face. She breathes a small sigh. In her mind, in her dream, this is just as pretty as if her eyes were open and she were still looking out over the sandy world surrounding the resort.
It might be only a few days together, away from the oppressive heat and blinding winds and plainness like he's never seen before, and hopefully never will, but it's as many days as she's given. So she plans to make the most of it with her new friend.
Everything magical has a price attached to it, usually in the form of women after his money, men after a social connection they turn into a way to get money, and people who recognize him and leave him feeling awkward and singled out. Dorothy is the real wonder here, the actually impressive thing. She's genuine. She's nice. He gets very little of either in his life. When she has to go home, it's going to feel a little bit like going into withdrawal for him, back to the grind of people whose smiles concealed plans and motives he could never be sure of. Five days is not nearly enough.
He intertwines their fingers, smiling at how content she looks. It's just a simple shirt, but she actually enjoys things like that. He has a feeling she's the kind of person who doesn't take anything for granted. If she had a fraction of the money he did, she'd actually use it, and enjoy it.
Howard won't wake her until the fireworks start. He needs this little speck of real human interaction in the sea of falsehood that is his life.
There's nothing particularly impressive about her aside from her luck. That's what landed her in this mess of rich folks and their entitlements. Dorothy only wants to enjoy her time, and she's found that enjoying it beside Howard is quite a bit nicer than enjoying it on her own. It will be sad when she has to leave, but it will be nice while it lasts, and that's what matters most in this moment.
When he wakes her, she won't let go of his hand, using it as a lifeline between herself and the edges of exhaustion that comes from only getting a twenty-minute nap and waking at a time between eleven and midnight. She rubs her free hand over her eyes with a quiet yawn. It's nice to wake up and still be somewhat warm even without a blanket, so she leans into his shoulder.
When he wakes her, he doesn't mind keeping her hand in his. She looks tired, but she's also interested in the fireworks. He's seen enough of them that he just watches her and wonders when the last time was he ever had any awe in him for fireworks.
Of course she's tired. It's far past her bedtime. Usually, she's asleep by the time the sun's gone down to be awake when the sun rises, but this is something she absolutely has to see. She squeezes his hand excitedly and watches the sky waiting for the burst of color to paint the sky.
"This is much prettier than I'd imagined," she whispers, afraid that if she speaks too loudly it'll all disappear and she'll be looking at the starry Kansas sky.
"Fireworks are always worth it," he agrees softly, watching the display. "The white bursts are phosphorous. You can tell because they're so much brighter than the others." And they tend to form rings in the sky, their embers white and then gold, longer lasting than others. He's glad whoever arranged the fireworks here sprung for those.
She gasps in awe as another boom echoes and more sparkles fill the sky. Her eyes are torn away, only briefly, to look at him and she giggles softly. "It's all science, isn't it?" she says, eyes darting back to a pair of bright bursts in the sky. "All of the beautiful things you must see, and it's only science."
Although, she doesn't know much about science, other than the fact that it is necessary and explains away magic, she knows that it's something he works with. And she knows it's magnificent.
"Science is a beautiful thing. Nobody understood when I got fascinated with it, when I went to work in it, but... everything is so complex and wonderful, intricate and perfectly made. How can anyone not look at the science of the world around them and love everything in it?"
He's gushing, and it's quiet and earnest, but he feels like Dorothy wouldn't laugh at him for his awestruck wonder at the table of elements or the way just a simple sparkler bomb lit on the water still makes him laugh like a little boy. It's a part of himself he rarely shares with people.
"The world is an amazing place sometimes, for all its flaws."
She does laugh, but not necessarily at him. Howard is excitable for all the right reasons, and while he may see it in numbers and elements that she doesn't know well enough to even attempt to understand, it's a good reason to be excited about the world beyond his hotel room and paperwork. He has every right and reason to be excited and happy to be here. She does too.
"I think it's all perfect," she says, squeezing his hand. In her mind, everything is lovely and perfect and filled with color here. Kansas may be dreary, but even that's the way it's supposed to be.
He presses an affectionate kiss to her forehead, feeling warm and content. "Everything is always changing and renewing itself. The world is both breaking down and pulling itself together in the same moment, all the while we sit here barely containing enough cones in our eyes to take in the simple colors and lights of fireworks. You know we don't see the full color spectrum? And yet, look at the world around you. It seems perfectly whole."
Dorothy can't contain the giggles, her cheeks flaring with a dash of pink to the kiss on her forehead. It's sweet of him to try to explain, and she tries to wrap her mind around it, but science is something she barely knows anything about. And cones in eyes? That is a strange term indeed. Still, it makes him happy, and she's pleased enough with that.
"It is whole," she says, leaning into his side. She's definitely teasing when she adds, "Your science doesn't say there's something missing, does it?"
"Not missing. Just things out there beyond what we see right now." He rests his head against hers, eyes on the skies. "There's always more out there than what we know."
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He doesn't hold any delusions that she's sweet on him, but when women actually are interested, it's all about money and appearances. It's been a long time since someone just stayed with him and didn't expect anything in return. So even if it's incredibly pathetic, he wraps an arm around her waist and lets the moment last. He doesn't need it to be real, but he just wants a little bit where he can feel like it is.
Reply
Perhaps she should have tried some coffee or she should've slowed down a little bit. Still, what happens happens, and she has her head against his shoulder, moving closer to his warmth as his arm slips around her. It's nice, and even in her sleep, she smiles softly.
Reply
Class and age difference were nothing. She was easily the best friend he'd had in a long time. And it was pathetic, and sad how quickly this was doomed to end. She'd go back to Kansas and forget the lonely pathetic rich guy who watched fireworks with her. But for now at least someone was happy he was here.
He looks at her small, soft smile, and feels a smile of his own threatening to emerge. It's a much sadder expression, though, than hers.
Reply
Her hand automatically moves to his, gently drawing her fingers over it as she presses her nose into the fabric of his silk shirt. Even in her dream it feels lovely, and it's like there's sunshine on her face. She breathes a small sigh. In her mind, in her dream, this is just as pretty as if her eyes were open and she were still looking out over the sandy world surrounding the resort.
It might be only a few days together, away from the oppressive heat and blinding winds and plainness like he's never seen before, and hopefully never will, but it's as many days as she's given. So she plans to make the most of it with her new friend.
Reply
He intertwines their fingers, smiling at how content she looks. It's just a simple shirt, but she actually enjoys things like that. He has a feeling she's the kind of person who doesn't take anything for granted. If she had a fraction of the money he did, she'd actually use it, and enjoy it.
Howard won't wake her until the fireworks start. He needs this little speck of real human interaction in the sea of falsehood that is his life.
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When he wakes her, she won't let go of his hand, using it as a lifeline between herself and the edges of exhaustion that comes from only getting a twenty-minute nap and waking at a time between eleven and midnight. She rubs her free hand over her eyes with a quiet yawn. It's nice to wake up and still be somewhat warm even without a blanket, so she leans into his shoulder.
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"This is much prettier than I'd imagined," she whispers, afraid that if she speaks too loudly it'll all disappear and she'll be looking at the starry Kansas sky.
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Although, she doesn't know much about science, other than the fact that it is necessary and explains away magic, she knows that it's something he works with. And she knows it's magnificent.
Reply
He's gushing, and it's quiet and earnest, but he feels like Dorothy wouldn't laugh at him for his awestruck wonder at the table of elements or the way just a simple sparkler bomb lit on the water still makes him laugh like a little boy. It's a part of himself he rarely shares with people.
"The world is an amazing place sometimes, for all its flaws."
Reply
"I think it's all perfect," she says, squeezing his hand. In her mind, everything is lovely and perfect and filled with color here. Kansas may be dreary, but even that's the way it's supposed to be.
Reply
Hi, let him gush at you. Because science. :D
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"It is whole," she says, leaning into his side. She's definitely teasing when she adds, "Your science doesn't say there's something missing, does it?"
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