Kem walked hand in hand with Aishe through Vesper, his free hand tucked into the pocket of the dark green cargo pants he'd worn to work that night. It had been a good day in the archives; generally any incoming shipments came straight to them for cataloguing, and knowing they were due for a big one he'd dressed accordingly and rewarded himself with an evening spent on his knees amidst boxes of stone artifacts from a site out in New Mexico. Latex gloves had kept his psychometry from kicking in at an awkward time. He would save that bit of fun for later.
Now, as if the night could get any better than that, he had Aishe all to himself and he toyed with the object in his pocket, feeling its symmetrical outline against his fingers. He'd been carrying it around for several weeks now but he had yet to figure out how best to voice his sentiments to Aishe in a way that really reflected them and that seemed important, regardless of how well she could read him.
After she'd told her story he shook his head at her and laughed; apparently she hadn't been any better with the opposite sex in college than he had his entire life. She had a knack for telling stories, he reflected, and she opened up to him completely, letting him into her whole life. It encouraged him to do the same without her needing to request that specifically. It was just her way.
They made it to the middle of the maze-like garden and sat, Kem at one end of the bench, Aishe lying on her back with her head on Kem's legs. It was a beautiful night. Warm, not hot, not a cloud in the sky, stars twinkling down upon them...
Well, no time like the present really, Kem figured. Looking down he smiled at Aishe, twisting her hair a little nervously around the tips of his fingers.
"You know, I've been thinking."
He almost stalled out as she turned her green eyes up to him, but something compelled him to keep talking to her.
"About what we were talking about on the beach that night."
She wouldn't have forgotten. And as she nodded up at him, a soft smile turning her lips up, he knew she did remember both the subject matter and what had happened after.
And They Call It 'Bella Notte' (PM for invite)
"So, after that, he wouldn't talk to me again. I think he was embarrassed. I hadn't meant to push him!"
Aishe concluded her college-story and was gratified to hear Kem's laughter, which made her smile. They were on their way home from Meridian and had decided to forego a stop at the coffee shop for a stroll through Vesper instead.
Aishe admitted to herself that she was dragging her heels about buying a car mostly because she knew she would miss having Kem all to herself for the hour or so it took them to walk home. He'd been in a good mood lately, in spite of general running-around-like-crazy at work. She'd been stopping down the Archives regularly though, and for his part, he had come visiting as often as he could too.
She was proud of his resolve to finally deal with his fear of heights; they'd been to Meridian's mall twice in the last week. On both occasions they'd taken the stairs back down, but neither one of them pretended it was for any reason other than to steal a quick kiss or three in the stairwell.
Also true to nature, Kem made good on his request to learn Tae Kwon Do from her. Mostly, they practiced forms in the living room, but a few evenings had found them in the gym at Liefde. Aishe had known Kem would be an easy learner; he took to it well and had a natural athleticism she envied.
Sparring with him was unique; little study had ever been done on ancient Egyptian martial arts forms. If Kem had wanted to write a book on the subject she was sure it would be well-received, but he claimed no particular skill on the topic; just a basic well-rounded knowledge that every child of his rank had received. He tended to block high, with his left forearm, and after she'd analyzed that particular motion with him he'd told her he'd learned to fight with a plank of wood attached to that arm, as a shield of sorts.
Yes... re-training would be a challenge. But, Aishe reasoned, it was more time she got with him, and that was pleasant.
Twining her fingers with his as they ambled slowly through Vesper, she considered not just her luck, but the fact that she liked her life. Not many people could claim the same.
Kem`Raaisu
15 years ago
Clerk
15 years ago
'AHHHHHHHHH!'
The clerk from Vesper's coffee shop pushed through the front doors amidst the shattering of glass.
'LADY! LADY I'M SORRY!'
He covered his head as gunshot blasts destroyed a trash can next to him and then nicked a head size chunk of bark off of a passing tree. He ran down the path trying to avoid by standers and make it out of the gardens in one piece.
'Serpentine...serpentine.' He zig-zagged in his dirty, over-sized blue jeans and muttered obscenities about picking glass out of his mop of red hair. Another trash can exploded with metal shards to the left of him, causing him to run right in the path of two patrons sitting on a bench along the path to the shop.
'OH MY GOD! EXCUSE ME! EXCUSE ME!'
The clerk practically tripped on the edge of the bench and he noted, albeit quickly that it was occupied by a lovely brown skinned woman and a man with long, white hair.
'OH MY GOD! OH. MY. GAWWWWWWD!'
The clerk from Vesper's coffee shop pushed through the front doors amidst the shattering of glass.
'LADY! LADY I'M SORRY!'
He covered his head as gunshot blasts destroyed a trash can next to him and then nicked a head size chunk of bark off of a passing tree. He ran down the path trying to avoid by standers and make it out of the gardens in one piece.
'Serpentine...serpentine.' He zig-zagged in his dirty, over-sized blue jeans and muttered obscenities about picking glass out of his mop of red hair. Another trash can exploded with metal shards to the left of him, causing him to run right in the path of two patrons sitting on a bench along the path to the shop.
'OH MY GOD! EXCUSE ME! EXCUSE ME!'
The clerk practically tripped on the edge of the bench and he noted, albeit quickly that it was occupied by a lovely brown skinned woman and a man with long, white hair.
'OH MY GOD! OH. MY. GAWWWWWWD!'
Ellis Duban
15 years ago
Ellis pushed through the broken doors of the Vesper Coffee shop and pumped her twelve gauge shotgun, ejecting a smoking shell. She aimed again not at the clerk but the tree trunk next to him. She really didn't want to kill him, but she had been bored as of late and figured...why not?
'DID I SAY DECAF?' Ellis yelled out as she shot a chunk of tree out from next to the clerk's head. 'DOES IT LOOK LIKE I NEED DECAF?'
She walked along quickly, following the clerk's path, reloading her shotgun casually. Rounding the bend she saw a familiar face.
'Kem...ah...Ken`Raaisu, is it?' Ellis pumped her shotgun again, loading the new shells as she quickly walked passed Kem and his companion. 'Nice evening for a walk.' She continued on down the path at the screaming clerk.
'HEY! HEY I WANTED WHIPPED CREAM ON MY MOCHA. COME BACK HERE!' She looked over her shoulder at Kem and smiled. 'Night, now!'
Ellis then continued down the pathway, shooting up bits of the park, in search of her perfect white chocolate mocha.
((OOC - Ellis and clerk out))
'DID I SAY DECAF?' Ellis yelled out as she shot a chunk of tree out from next to the clerk's head. 'DOES IT LOOK LIKE I NEED DECAF?'
She walked along quickly, following the clerk's path, reloading her shotgun casually. Rounding the bend she saw a familiar face.
'Kem...ah...Ken`Raaisu, is it?' Ellis pumped her shotgun again, loading the new shells as she quickly walked passed Kem and his companion. 'Nice evening for a walk.' She continued on down the path at the screaming clerk.
'HEY! HEY I WANTED WHIPPED CREAM ON MY MOCHA. COME BACK HERE!' She looked over her shoulder at Kem and smiled. 'Night, now!'
Ellis then continued down the pathway, shooting up bits of the park, in search of her perfect white chocolate mocha.
((OOC - Ellis and clerk out))
Aishe
15 years ago
Aishe closed her eyes, turning her head into the scent of Kem's shirt, listening to the sounds of water from the fountain, soft murmurs of passers-by, and of course, Kem's words when he began to speak.
Looking up to him she raised her eyebrows, questioning his line of thought. She'd asked about his family. Did he want her to look into it with him? She considered this as the wind blew gently, carrying the sound of shattering glass to them on the breeze.
Shattering glass?
As Aishe half sat up, she was forced to duck down again as a harried... no, terrified employee from the coffee shop just outside the other end of the Gardens ran through on one path, nearly knocking both her and Kem off the bench, and headed out the opposite way.
Following close behind was one pissed-off Ellis Duban, firing a shotgun.
Aishe did a double take as both clerk and enraged customer went screaming by. Ellis stopped to say hello, polite as you please, and then took off again. Aishe couldn't help her jaw dropping open, watching them tear off into the distance.
Turning to Kem, who was staring with a similar expression, Aishe said, "Exactly what did you discuss when you met her a few weeks ago?"
Looking up to him she raised her eyebrows, questioning his line of thought. She'd asked about his family. Did he want her to look into it with him? She considered this as the wind blew gently, carrying the sound of shattering glass to them on the breeze.
Shattering glass?
As Aishe half sat up, she was forced to duck down again as a harried... no, terrified employee from the coffee shop just outside the other end of the Gardens ran through on one path, nearly knocking both her and Kem off the bench, and headed out the opposite way.
Following close behind was one pissed-off Ellis Duban, firing a shotgun.
Aishe did a double take as both clerk and enraged customer went screaming by. Ellis stopped to say hello, polite as you please, and then took off again. Aishe couldn't help her jaw dropping open, watching them tear off into the distance.
Turning to Kem, who was staring with a similar expression, Aishe said, "Exactly what did you discuss when you met her a few weeks ago?"
Kem`Raaisu
15 years ago
Kem hadn't figured on doing this to the melodious sounds of gunshots. He had, by some chance, imagined this going somewhat - differently. Not only differently but better.
He ducked along with Aishe as a chunk of bark the size of his fist flew by them, and stared with unhidden disbelief as a barista ran by with the fear of God on his face. Or, at the very least, the fear of Ellis, who came storming along behind.
As Ellis greeted him, he furrowed his brow at her and from somewhere found the presence of mind to say, "It is a wonderful night... if you don't want whipped cream on your mocha."
Ellis passed and he looked at Aishe, shrugged, and pulled his hand from his pocket sans present. Now was definitely not the time. Grabbing Aishe's hand he drew her up with him and while she seemed interested in the end of the drama, Kem's sole thought was to head the other way slowly enough not to draw attention. This feat was accomplished without further ado, and they cut their evening stroll short, heading for home to see if the odd quasi-shootout made the nightly news.
((ooc: Kem and Aishe out))
He ducked along with Aishe as a chunk of bark the size of his fist flew by them, and stared with unhidden disbelief as a barista ran by with the fear of God on his face. Or, at the very least, the fear of Ellis, who came storming along behind.
As Ellis greeted him, he furrowed his brow at her and from somewhere found the presence of mind to say, "It is a wonderful night... if you don't want whipped cream on your mocha."
Ellis passed and he looked at Aishe, shrugged, and pulled his hand from his pocket sans present. Now was definitely not the time. Grabbing Aishe's hand he drew her up with him and while she seemed interested in the end of the drama, Kem's sole thought was to head the other way slowly enough not to draw attention. This feat was accomplished without further ado, and they cut their evening stroll short, heading for home to see if the odd quasi-shootout made the nightly news.
((ooc: Kem and Aishe out))