She had wanted to take his words to mean more. But she couldn't, wouldn't let herself. Not when they couldn't act on it. But there was no good way to explain that, she simply had to keep her head and realize that the most she could do was sty here. That the most they could do would be to see each other occasionally, in passing or with lots of other people present.
Thérèse would have thrown her arms around his neck, kissed him again, to try and explain all though and for the shear pleasure of the feeling of his lips on hers but the didn't have the opportunity. But the moment was spoiled as they heard some one approach. This was a prime example of why she couldn't have taken his request as anything more than very literal and as referring to the property only.
Taking a second and finding her center Thérèse simply refused to look guilty or as if she had just been cheated out of something she dearly wanted.
"Did you step in a poodle?"
She asked with mild humor, fully aware of how bad and how old the joke was but not really caring. The only thing that mattered was not giving anything away. A quiet smile appeared on her face as Vaughn made his own joke, which was better than hers.
"Just do not eat it when you find it."
Driers and Mops
The run had helped some. Put some distance between herself and her feelings and even though she hadn't liked it, hearing it all out out put things in perspective. She'd had to think about her answers for Nikhila, she'd had to be logical it made a difference. She pulled into the parking lot and while she still felt empty and cheated, and just a tiny bit guilty, it wasn't overwhelming. But the professor had also made it alright for her not to get over it immediately.
Ordinarily Thérèse might have sat in her car and brooded, reflected on the situation and her conversation a bit more, but it was cold out and she was still wet. Although thank god for Xephier, she wasn't going t catch pneumonia now. Entering the asylum she squelched her way to the laundry room, striping off her sodden sweatshirt leaving just her track pants and a tank top. But she had to wring the damned thing out and get her shoes and socks off before cleaning herself up. The plan was to toss everything she could in the drier and go find that hot bath.
"Snow. I swear the forecast said more snow."
Thérèse muttered as she gave up on the squelching half way to the laundry room and kicked her shoes off and peeled her socks from her feet. Ruefully she noted she was leaving puddles behind as she walked. Brilliant. She'd need to clean this up before her bath too.
Therese
13 years ago
Octavia Emiliano
13 years ago
Tavi rolled her eyes at both jokes, shaking her head at the two of them. "Laugh all you want but when I go to jail for murdering this cat obsessed client for calling me non stop about his pedigreed fleabag one of you better bail me out."
She pointed her finger at Vaughn. "And I better not rot in jail because this is some "lesson" either."
It was amazing how many hardships and unfair situations could be called learning experiences when you had creative parents. Of course her twin was rarely subjected to the same treatment. Tavi knew without a shadow of a doubt that if Tobi were in jail for -any- reason then their mother would be there to bail him out immediately.
Flipping through her phone, she pulled up a photo of her mission objective. Tavi turned the phone so they could both see the large, flat faced, annoyed looking, grey, Persian. "This thing does not look happy, perhaps leaving him lost would be doing him a favor."
She pointed her finger at Vaughn. "And I better not rot in jail because this is some "lesson" either."
It was amazing how many hardships and unfair situations could be called learning experiences when you had creative parents. Of course her twin was rarely subjected to the same treatment. Tavi knew without a shadow of a doubt that if Tobi were in jail for -any- reason then their mother would be there to bail him out immediately.
Flipping through her phone, she pulled up a photo of her mission objective. Tavi turned the phone so they could both see the large, flat faced, annoyed looking, grey, Persian. "This thing does not look happy, perhaps leaving him lost would be doing him a favor."
Vaughn Emiliano
13 years ago
Vaughn arched an eyebrow at Tavi's threat of murder and then looked down at the finger pointed toward his chest. He buried the guilty feeling that rose with her accusation of leaving her in jail as an experience lesson. Speaking lightly, he said. "Not a lesson, a chance to make contacts for the R'asa. You could meet all kinds of interesting and useful people while in jail. Surely you wouldn't waste such an opportunity to help your pack after getting yourself in such a predicament?"
He shook his head and looked at Therese. Reassuring himself that she was still there, comforted by the sight of her wrapped up in his sweatshirt. If he tried, very hard, he could almost imagine what it would be like to be a normal couple, his lover stealing his clothes because she enjoyed wearing something of his. This was different; it was all of him he could rightfully give. He smiled at her, with feigned innocence and pained martyrdom. "Am I asking too much here?"
Looking at the picture Tavi held up, he wrinkled his nose and leaned away. "That thing looks like it might eat small children. Perhaps someone locked it away for the safety of the city. Have you contacted Animal Control?"
He shook his head and looked at Therese. Reassuring himself that she was still there, comforted by the sight of her wrapped up in his sweatshirt. If he tried, very hard, he could almost imagine what it would be like to be a normal couple, his lover stealing his clothes because she enjoyed wearing something of his. This was different; it was all of him he could rightfully give. He smiled at her, with feigned innocence and pained martyrdom. "Am I asking too much here?"
Looking at the picture Tavi held up, he wrinkled his nose and leaned away. "That thing looks like it might eat small children. Perhaps someone locked it away for the safety of the city. Have you contacted Animal Control?"
Therese
13 years ago
Thérèse wanted to nudge him for teasing his daughter so. It would have been so natural, but she couldn't. Instead she grinned and shook her head before hopping up and perching on the drier. She could feel Vaughn, just knowing he was close let her imagine that she had some right to him. It was, however, impossible to think about Tavi without thinking about his wife. A swift sharp hot pang of jealousy shot through her and Thérèse tried had to stifle it. Instead with as much forced cheerfulness as she could muster she rolled her eyes at him.
"You never meet any one good in a holding cell."
She'd had enough experience bailing people out of prison in multiple countries that Thérèse spoke with some authority.
Leaning over, subtly taking in his scent she rested a hand on his shoulder as if to steady herself as she looked at the picture. Her frown and exclamation of horror were quite genuine though. Sitting back up, slowly removing her hand from his shoulder, it had only been there for a second, maybe two perfectly innocent and platonic not even overly familiar, Thérèse shook her head at Tavi.
"You would be doing it a favor leaving it lost. If I were to look like that I would not want to be seen by any one."
"You never meet any one good in a holding cell."
She'd had enough experience bailing people out of prison in multiple countries that Thérèse spoke with some authority.
Leaning over, subtly taking in his scent she rested a hand on his shoulder as if to steady herself as she looked at the picture. Her frown and exclamation of horror were quite genuine though. Sitting back up, slowly removing her hand from his shoulder, it had only been there for a second, maybe two perfectly innocent and platonic not even overly familiar, Thérèse shook her head at Tavi.
"You would be doing it a favor leaving it lost. If I were to look like that I would not want to be seen by any one."
Octavia Emiliano
13 years ago
Tavi sighed at her father. "I suppose I can pass out a few business cards before you come and PICK ME UP!" She smiled sweetly. Nodding to Therese when she pointed out that you never meet anyone good in the holding cell. "Yeah, the good ones don't get caught."
They both seemed to agree with her on the cat. It looked mean, ornery and certainly not happy. "I know, right?"
She tucked the phone away and then looked at Therese. "Care to go with me for some lunch and shopping soon? I might have some money once this cat has been found."
They both seemed to agree with her on the cat. It looked mean, ornery and certainly not happy. "I know, right?"
She tucked the phone away and then looked at Therese. "Care to go with me for some lunch and shopping soon? I might have some money once this cat has been found."
Vaughn Emiliano
13 years ago
Vaughn kept his face neutral as Therese put her hand on his shoulder but he was very aware of it. In fact for those few seconds it was all that he noticed. She leaned forward, so close that he could smell that light scent of her shampoo. He didn't hear a thing that was said though he supposed that it had to do with the cat.
Tavi offered to hand out cards to the inmates . "That will be acceptable....but only the good ones."
She asked Therese to join her for lunch and shopping at some point soon. Vaughn wondered if he should be concerned. He had no good reason to be against it. Tavi would make it impossible to forget that he was married with kids. That might be for the best but he had a hard time believing that. Still he hoped that Therese was too busy to accept.
Tavi offered to hand out cards to the inmates . "That will be acceptable....but only the good ones."
She asked Therese to join her for lunch and shopping at some point soon. Vaughn wondered if he should be concerned. He had no good reason to be against it. Tavi would make it impossible to forget that he was married with kids. That might be for the best but he had a hard time believing that. Still he hoped that Therese was too busy to accept.
Therese
13 years ago
Thérèse chuckled lightly at Tavi's insistence on being bailed out in a timely manner. When she'd had to go and retrieve a member of her pack Thérèse had always been grateful to have a legitimate job.
"But the good ones don't gt caught."
She reminded Vaughn. She wanted to lean over and kiss his cheek, it would be natural but she couldn't especially with Tavi here. Being denied that one little thing was frustrating. She wanted to have a normal relationship she didn't want this. She didn't want to be distracted by his very presence and be unable to act on it.
Perhaps the best thing to do would be to remove herself from the situation before it became a problem. At least for now, this room if nothing else. She completely forgot to put her socks and sweatshirt in the dryer as she slid off the dryer, careful to avoid touching Vaughn at all.
"I should like that, perhaps sushi? Or I have found a lovely steak tartar near the museum."
All of those restaurants would also cater to pallets that preferred their meals cooked. It would be slightly awkward sharking a meal with Vaughn's child, but she did like Tavi and maybe... oh lord she was trying to curry favor with his children she was going to need a therapist.
"But I think now I need to get out of these wet things. I will clean up those puddles as well."
She slid out of laundry room trying to be as casual as possible about it when the last thing she wanted to do was turn her back on Vaughn and walk away.
((OOC... Thérèse out pending response))
"But the good ones don't gt caught."
She reminded Vaughn. She wanted to lean over and kiss his cheek, it would be natural but she couldn't especially with Tavi here. Being denied that one little thing was frustrating. She wanted to have a normal relationship she didn't want this. She didn't want to be distracted by his very presence and be unable to act on it.
Perhaps the best thing to do would be to remove herself from the situation before it became a problem. At least for now, this room if nothing else. She completely forgot to put her socks and sweatshirt in the dryer as she slid off the dryer, careful to avoid touching Vaughn at all.
"I should like that, perhaps sushi? Or I have found a lovely steak tartar near the museum."
All of those restaurants would also cater to pallets that preferred their meals cooked. It would be slightly awkward sharking a meal with Vaughn's child, but she did like Tavi and maybe... oh lord she was trying to curry favor with his children she was going to need a therapist.
"But I think now I need to get out of these wet things. I will clean up those puddles as well."
She slid out of laundry room trying to be as casual as possible about it when the last thing she wanted to do was turn her back on Vaughn and walk away.
((OOC... Thérèse out pending response))
Octavia Emiliano
13 years ago
"Either of those sound perfect." Tavi smiled at Therese, happy that the woman shared a similar taste in food. It made going out for lunch less difficult on both of them. There was so many times she had been to a restaurant with friends and had to feign fullness because there was nothing she could stomach.
Tavi watched as Therese left and then turned back to arch an eyebrow at her father.
She shrugged and headed towards the door as well. "Got to go catch kitty nappers. Good luck with the domestic chores, Dad." Tavi paused, hand on the door and turned to look at Vaughn again. She came back and stood up on her tip toes and kissed his cheek. Then turned and left.
((OOC: Tavi Out ))
Tavi watched as Therese left and then turned back to arch an eyebrow at her father.
She shrugged and headed towards the door as well. "Got to go catch kitty nappers. Good luck with the domestic chores, Dad." Tavi paused, hand on the door and turned to look at Vaughn again. She came back and stood up on her tip toes and kissed his cheek. Then turned and left.
((OOC: Tavi Out ))
Vaughn Emiliano
13 years ago
Vaughn wanted to join on them on their trip; he was even willing to put up with endless hours of female clothing stores, talk of accessories and round after round of dressing room runs. He wanted to be able to ask Therese to stay so that they could continue to talk. He felt they had much they should probably discuss, or had it all been settled? Vaughn hoped very much that it hadn't.
"Go, take your shower, get warm. I'll worry about the puddles on the floor. It won't take but a minute or two."
He made shooing gestures, but he would rather gather her in his arms again or join her in that shower. Perhaps the mopping will keep his mind off knowing exactly where she was and what she was doing, naked, warm and soapy. Vaughn thought ruefully at this rate he'd need another shower of his own.
His daughter eyed him but said nothing. He nodded when she said she needed to go. Tavi paused at the door and he expected her to say something. She was observant and very quick. He prepared himself for the tempest. It didn't come. He frowned, puzzled when she headed back to him. A small smile spread as she reached up to kiss him on the cheek. Vaughn was still confused, still lonely but he felt slightly better for his daughter's gesture of concern.
((OOC: Vaughn out ))
"Go, take your shower, get warm. I'll worry about the puddles on the floor. It won't take but a minute or two."
He made shooing gestures, but he would rather gather her in his arms again or join her in that shower. Perhaps the mopping will keep his mind off knowing exactly where she was and what she was doing, naked, warm and soapy. Vaughn thought ruefully at this rate he'd need another shower of his own.
His daughter eyed him but said nothing. He nodded when she said she needed to go. Tavi paused at the door and he expected her to say something. She was observant and very quick. He prepared himself for the tempest. It didn't come. He frowned, puzzled when she headed back to him. A small smile spread as she reached up to kiss him on the cheek. Vaughn was still confused, still lonely but he felt slightly better for his daughter's gesture of concern.
((OOC: Vaughn out ))