tampered | Log; complete

Log; complete

When; Ghost Curse Day.
Rating; PG for Havoc's sappy girlfriend-getting attempts.
Characters; Havoc

havocked and Glinda

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Summary; Havoc takes a break from research and takes Glinda to the Xanadu gardens.
Log;

He was almost finished with the cigarette as he arrived outside Glinda's building and in preparation took another one out. Godly things, really, he mused, loosening the top button of his uniform. Godly. He switched them, leaving it unlighted for now as he played with the lighter in his pocket. He hadn't asked if she minded him smoking, after all, and Havoc wasn't the sort who wanted to do something a lady didn't like.

He checked his watch to make sure he was on time, and settled himself with leaning against the wall to wait.

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Glinda made one last check in the mirror. She made sure every curl of her hair and every pleat of her dress was in place. Everything was perfect, as always.

Glinda checked the time as she walked out the door. 11:37. 'Not quite time,' she thought, and began to take the stairs very slowly. She always made them wait a little while. Last step and it was 11:41. Perfect.

Havoc was waiting for her against the wall beside the door.

"Sorry if I'm a little late," Glinda said.

"Not at all, it's worth the wait." He grinned, pushing himself off the wall with a little bow. Late was better than being ditched for the Colonel, after all. Much better.

"It's not too far from here," Havoc mentioned, offering his arm at the same time. Nothing like being a gentleman, after all.

Glinda slipped her arm through Havoc's. The faint scent of cigarette smoke hung about the man, but she shrugged it off. The company was worth bearing the smell.

"So tell me more about these edible flowers," she prompted Havoc. "We didn't have things like that in Oz."

"I don't really know. I just heard some people talking about it. Can't say we've got anything like it where I'm from, either." He shrugged lightly, leading her towards the gardens at a leisurely pace, in absolutly no rush to get back to the library. "But I'm hoping they taste as good as they're rumoured to."

"Well I have to say, this will be this first place I've been in the city other than my apartment and a couple of stores. Some of these curses have me a bit...cautious about venturing too far. Which is funny, considering some of the things I saw in Oz."

Glinda laughed. "I think I'll let you try the flowers first."

He chuckled lightly, nodding. "Of course, of course."

He agreed with her on the curses. What he'd seen so far was odd, that much was for sure.

Glinda could see the gardens in the distance. It really was a short walk from her apartment. The colours were breathtaking and she stifled a gasp.

"Are there many people you know here? Besides the First Lieutenant?"

Glinda found it a little hard to think of things to say. At least, things that weren't about her.

"Ah, there are a few alchemists, and maybe the Colonel, but other than that, not really." He didn't really want to think about the presense of a Homonculus, least of all while he had a pretty girl on his arm - a pretty girl that seemed to be impressed with the sight of the gardens.

Havocked grinned again, turning the question back on her with a simple "and you?"

"Only Elphaba," Glinda replied, looking down. "She was my best friend, my only friend, in Oz. And other than her, I only really know one person here...And that's you." Glinda shifted her glance up to the man on her arm, and then to the gardens that lay sprawled in front of them.

The gasp that Glinda had worked so hard to repress earlier worked it's way out.

"Wow..." and for once, Glinda the Good was speechless.

He mentally congratulated himself for picking such a wonderful spot. "They're something, huh?" He wasn't sure how far they stretched out, and he highly doubted that even a short stroll would get them very far in. But that just meant the place was worth revisiting.

"I don't even know the names of any of the plants. They're like nothing I've seen before."

"I've never seen anything like them, either."

All sorts of alien flowers, trees and bushes bloomed and flourished. There were even some colours that Glinda was sure she had never seen before.

The garden was immense and Glinda was unsure if they'd be able to see it all in one day. Several paths meandered before them, extending into different parts of the garden.

"Well then, where should we start?"

"I'll leave that to you to decide. It's bad enough I've dragged you out here, if I were to dictate the whole hour I have avaliable in your company, it wouldn't be right." He smiled slightly, indicating the paths ahead with a sweep of his hand.

"It's only fair that you should lead me."

"Well, I would hardly say you've dragged me." Glinda laughed."Dragging would imply that I'm not enjoying myself, and that couldn't be farther from the truth. Ah, let's see. Why don't we just dive right in the middle, then?"

Glinda led Havoc down the path that lay directly in front of them, and they were soon enveloped in the gardens.

There were the usual roses and tulips and lilies, but it was another flower that commanded Glinda's attention.

"What is this one called?" she said, referring to the many pink blossoms that covered the ground.

He followed happily enough, glancing about every so often. Some of the flowers were not normal, but for the most part they resembled ones he had seen before. Nothing to worry about, no man eating plants or anything crazy like that.

Noticing what had caught her eye Havoc sought out the tree in question and pointed it out for Glinda. "It's a sakura tree, and those are cherry blossoms. It's odd that it's flowering in this season."

"Well, you have to admit, this whole place is odd. I'd almost be surprised if it wasn't blooming in a strange season. It's a gorgeous tree. I assume you had them back where you are from?"

Glinda continued down the path a little. As much as she wanted to go back to Oz, the garden was the kind of place that made want to stay there forever. She held out her hand and caught one of the sakura blossoms as it floated through the air. She held it out to Havoc.

Smiling, she said, "Tell me more about you, and where you're from. So far all I know is that you work too hard."

He shrugged, taking the flower and tucking it into her hair. "I'm a farm boy that decided to make his family proud and make it in the military. It's a rather boring story, I can't even do alchemy."

He laughed slightly, rubbing the back of his head as he thought about if he knew any stories that weren't perverted or bloody, or filled with the Colonel. "I'm a fair shot, but the First Lieutenant's a far better sharpshooter than me. But that's my speciality, I suppose you'd say."

Glinda smiled and felt a small blush rise to her cheeks. She couldn't remember the last time any man had been so kind to her. With Fiyero, it had all been rather fake.

"Oh, I wouldn't say boring. I'd say it's very brave. I couldn't imagine going to war, myself. And you're so humble! I'll bet you're a great shot."

"Heh, maybe. Don't have my guns here though... Not allowed them in Central's library, which is where I was before." He avoided the topic of war, mostly because those stories were bloody, perverted, and filled with the Colonel.

"But surely there's a happier topic to talk about? Like where you're from?"

Glinda sighed. "Oz is a nice place, indeed. But my life there...not necessarily a happier topic. I mean, I was happy for awhile, but the past few years...it's mainly been a facade. I- Oh, listen to me! I'm killing all the fun."

She turned her head away and tried to fight back tears that threatened to form. This was supposed to be a happy walk in the park! She put on that perfect Glinda smile and turned back to Havoc. They had reached a fork in the path. "So then, why don't you choose the next path?"

"Hm." He glanced at the two paths before him before shrugging.

"They look as good as the other, really. But you you're going to make me choose-" he bowed slightly, indicating as he spoke "-then it's to the right we go."

"To the right it is." She enojyed seeing the flora up close, as opposed to flying way overhead, looking down.

"How much longer do we have? We've walked quite a way in and, honestly, I'm not sure if I remember the way out."

"Ah, the way out is easy enough. Although I do wish I had gotten lost," he added ruefully, glancing back the way they'd come. Damn those military instincts.

Havoc grinned though, shaking his head. "But I am afraid we're not going to get much further in before duty calls again."

"Well, I'm glad you were paying attention. But it's a shame. I wouldn’t have minded getting lost in here. The atmosphere is nice, and the company’s not half bad either.” Glinda laughed. “Are you sure you have to go soon?”

"It's hard work, but the First Lieutenant really appreciates the effort. Gotta send her back where she belongs, you know?" He smiled warmly, thinking over it carefully.

"But since you don't mind the company, perhaps we can do it another time? We'll go a different way and everything. Eventually, we'll explore the whole place."

"Back where she belongs? You mean back where she comes from...where you both come from?" She was silent for a moment. "Well, no offense to her, but I hope you don't find a way to get back for awhile."

She slipped her arm back through his and smiled. "That sounds great. And maybe after, you could come over for dinner?"

"Heh, don't think she'd appreciate that. We're a team, through thick and thin. But I'm flattered you want to hold on to me." He flashed his patented grin again, happy with the way the walk was turning out. Very happy indeed. By Havoc's standards, this was one of the best dates he'd ever managed to snag. Creepy City or not.

"Dinner sounds wonderful, Glinda."

"I can see she has your loyalty," Glinda said, smiling. "Do you think she'll let you away again in say...a week?" Glinda figured that a week would give her plenty of time to learn how to cook one meal. When she invited Havoc over, she had fail to mention the fact that she couldn't cook. At all.

"So. I guess it's time to go?" she asked, a slight air of disappointment in her voice. Not disappointment in Havoc, just in the fact that their time was nearly up.

"Her and the Colonel, yeah. Dog of the military really suits, I guess." He laughed it off with a nonchalant wave. "But I'm sure she won't mind me having an evening off for dinner."

He grinned once more, shaking his head. "I'm afraid so."

"I didn't mean loyal like that!" She said, playfully slapping his arm. "I meant it as in, a great friend, someone to trust." Glinda smilled and shook her head.

"Well then...walk me home?"

"Friend? Maybe not. But she's the best sniper I know, and I wouldn't have anyone else watching my back." Oh, but what bad manners, talking about Hawkeye when he had a pretty woman in front of him. He grinned slyly, claiming her arm again as he turned Glinda back in the direction they'd come.

"Of course. I'm not that much of a rogue."

"No, there's no way you could be anything less than a gentleman," Glinda asked, laughing. "Worst rogue I've ever met, you are." The walk back was quicker than Glinda would have liked, and they arrived at Building 9 all too soon.

"Havoc, thank you. The gardens were beautiful, and the company was more than enjoyable. I had a wonderful time and I can't wait until next week. I hope you had a great time as well?"

"I'd rather be a bad rogue than a perfect gentleman, though. The rough edge is a little hard to get rid of, you know." He chuckled, bowing slightly as he released her arm.

"Most fun I've had since being here. I hope dinner is an improvement on this, and I'm sure it will be."

"Well, the rough edge is what makes you." Glinda smiled. And I hope the dinner is an improvement as well. I hope there is a dinner... Glinda thought.

"So then, until next week..."

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