log // ongoing

[inbetrayal.livejournal.com]

When; June 1st, 10 @ night
Rating; …PG-13 at most for possible language?
Characters; Lucy Saxon  cathedralgirl , Clow Reed i_themagician
Summary; Drinks and conversation.
Log;

The idea, she had thought, had been simple. Conversation, bonding over common viewpoints, maybe some nights out and flirtation if the opportunity ever presented itself.  In short, the slow rebuilding of a social life and circle. And some of it was genuine and some of it not, but now, it is harder every day to keep the pretense up, and every thing reminds her of another. Her mind is becoming muddled, and yet she still persists- it is almost impossible for her not to.

So, she sits and waits for opportunities, the slow rebuilding. And she knows one is coming, has been pre-arranged- all there is to do now is wait.

Comments

[i-themagician.livejournal.com]

It's not a date, Clow kept reminding himself. Unfortunately, this was definitely not true in the strictest sense of the word - pre-arranged time alone with someone of possibly the opposite sex - but Clow most certainly did not harbor any romantic feelings for Lucy whatsoever. How could he, so soon after meeting her? Certainly, she was fun to flirt with, but that meant little or nothing to him. The closest thing to a romantic feeling he had for the woman so far was that she reminded him just a bit of Yuuko, the way she had been so insistent on his well-being two nights ago while pretending (or was she?) to be doing it only because he'd be buying drinks later.

He wondered for how long every woman whom he had the tiniest bit of fondness for would have the secret label applied to her of 'reminds me of Yuuko'? Clow was uncomfortable comparing the women he liked to one another and Yuuko herself did not get such a label affixed to her when they first met. He supposed he'd just have to get over her and move on but, given the inevitable eventuality of her return, he had to admit to being rather apprehensive about the idea.

That in mind, he approached the door to the apartment she had told him was hers and knocked.

[inbetrayal.livejournal.com]

But of course, whatever he was thinking was pretty much invalidated by the fact that he had suggested the outing in the first place...

Lucy blinked and glanced over at the door when she heard the knock, shaken out of her reverie. She stood, and went to open it, self-conciously adjusting a strand of hair as she did so.

"Well," she said dryly, her gaze flicking over the main in what seemed like clinical examination, "you're looking a lot better then you sounded last time we talked. That lung stayed in fine, I presume?"

[i-themagician.livejournal.com]

He was just being friendly is all. Can't a man be friendly with a woman without it being a romantic thing?

"As did most of my other organs, yes," he replied, punctuating the statement with a serious nod - one that sharply contrasted the calm smile on his face. "I assume that you have made a full recovery as well?"

[inbetrayal.livejournal.com]

Well, it might be seen as less romantic had he suggested going with a group rather than one-on-one, so really, most sane people would take it as romantic. Or if not that, than at least with some sort of ulterior motive at foot.

"Good, then." A slight smile, but not a real one. "Yes, I'm... fine by now, really. Just some... unpleasant memories that it brought up." And she glanced down for a moment, a slight flicker, but an avoidance of eyes nonetheless.

"Shall we be going, then?"

[i-themagician.livejournal.com]

... He really hadn't thought of that idea.

Clow saw that little flicker and the pain it betrayed. Momentarily, he almost wanted to take her by the hand or otherwise try to be physically comforting, but it might not have been appropriate to do so. They barely knew each other and this wasn't a date. So, instead, he stepped out of the way of the door so that she could walk through it. "Yes, let's."

[inbetrayal.livejournal.com]

Well, hindsight is the root of all knowledge...

And she wouldn't have reacted well to that comfort- not because she didn't need it, but because she wouldn't be able to handle it. After that curse- well, actual physical contact may well be out of the books for a while.

And so she shook it off (at least visibly) and walked right on, closing and locking the apartment door behind her carefully. "It's not far, is it?" she asked, slipping into a veneer of casuality like a well-fitted coat, the masked smile back (seemingly effortlessly) in place. "After all, it is fairly late out, you know. Wouldn't do to be suddenly accosted in some dank alleyway. Too cliche, for one thing."

[i-themagician.livejournal.com]

Actually, for this particular gentleman, it's foresight.

"I doubt we will be, but in that event we have little to worry about," he says with the confidence of one who would see such an incident as only a minor inconvenience. "But, no, it's not too far."

Stepping down the stairs and out of the building, Clow proceeded to walk next to Lucy while still somehow leading yet keeping his hands entirely to himself. Indeed, not only were they not touching her, but they could be found somewhere in his trenchcoat - which was merely draped over his shoulders and not being worn properly as it was nearly summer and probably too warm for anyone to really be wearing a coat at all.

[inbetrayal.livejournal.com]

"And you're planning to stave them off with your bare hands?" A hint of a smile, a real one this time. "I'm impressed."

So Lucy follows him, walking briskly alongside, heels clicking against the pavement. Despite the heat, she is wearing a coat- more of a jacket, really- and she buttons it up quickly as they walk, stuffing her hands inside the pockets once she's finished. It may be getting warmer, but the nights still feel chilly enough to her to make her wear more than a layer or two.