Sweating For The Wedding (OPEN)

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One month. One month and she still had no idea what was going on. She had no friends to go dress shopping with. She didn’t even have a maid of honor! What a mess she was! And Chris was busier than normal – or maybe it was just normal – and she didn’t want to bother him. But the stress of the looming date was driving her bipolar swings very violently, and she didn’t want him to see her like this. It was embarrassing. She practically couldn’t control herself.

She almost didn’t want the wedding to happen, what with how stressed she felt about it. She’d wanted so badly to be his bride, and when it finally got on the calendar, she freaked out. Maybe June was too soon. But how could she say anything? No, she couldn’t. It would be June and she would love it. Time would tell. For now, well, she would take up that motto she’d read in the books and magazines she’d checked out way back and busted into his office with just to get his attention. Ah, good times. Anyway, there was an article cutely named Sweating for the Wedding and that was her goal today. And often actually. Working out got her mind off things. If she could pull off an enviable body, who cared if she didn’t have a maid of honor? …..right? Either way, she just wanted to look good for Chris, even if she wasn’t exactly in the needing-to-lose-weight area anyway. It felt good to do something with a purpose. That and… she kinda did have to seeing as in her freaking out state, she’d taken to indulging in a few unhealthy habits like eating a whole bucket of buttered popcorn while watching chick flicks… every week... and Snickers… and baking cookies. Hey! She tried to donate the cookies to the infirmary inhabitants and once she perfected it, Chris, but inevitably cookies had to be tested for goodness.

So here she was, on the obstacle course, running and jumping and climbing as fast as she possibly could. She’d been doing it for a solid three hours and her shiny skin was testament to the warm sun and effort. That and the four PowerAde bottles utterly drained of liquid by her gym bag, with two more being protected by the sunshine by the folds of her towel.

Words: 394
Tag: @ OPEN
Notes:

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It was a hot day, Gods! Alden didn’t really like such hot days, but he enjoyed to do so much exercise, he was happy after he spoke to his father, it had been a surprise to see the double faced god right there, by the lake where alden usually played cards. Solitaire was his favorite game just after UNO, but to play that one he would have needed a partner, someone that would like to play with him, but usually people didn’t want to have him around. It wasn’t a problem of hygiene at all! It was more that Alden had sudden changes of mood, it wasn’t just that he was a teen, but the thousands of decisions that he had to take in miliseconds.

So after several tries to be friendly with others, and exploded in their faces, he simply withdrew from groups and remained lonely. The only person that put up with him was his sister Marie, but she had been very busy with her boyfriend, oh! How he hated that centurion! But it was just brother-jealousy. He wanted to speak to his sister, but then he had decided not to, maybe his mood changes would make hers worse. Therefore almost months had passed since the last time he had spoken to her.

His father told him to do it, to speak to her, that family came first and that maybe she needed him close. He wasn’t sure but as his father had spoken to her, maybe he said so because he knew Marie needed her brother. So alden had spent the past 36 hours trying to decide on the best way to approach again. But the gods and the fates work in really mysterious ways. That day as he was training he noticed Marie there drinking some water and drying the sweat from her face and neck.

He breathed deeply and jumped to the ground a couple of feet from where she was. “Hey!... Marie!” he said and smiled at her waving slowly. He was afraid, what if she didn’t want him around?! It was the best option to approach cautiously.


TAG:Marie Ashby
WORDS:360
NOTES:Bonding.

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Marie obviously was at a breaking point, and it wasn’t just her muscles being tired telling her that. Or the hot sun. Mostly, it was the utterly embarrassing fact that she was jumping between beams like she had a hundred times so far today and apparently her legs were just done about halfway through, because her foot hit the edge of the beam askew, sending her 5 feet to the ground below as pain exploded up her leg. Words were said. She could feel the eyes on her, so she hurried to get back on her feet (not fun) and get to her gym bag in a hurried manner (also not fun). Thank all the gods she had snagged a little vial of nectar from the infirmary after the first incident had grounded her. She hadn’t needed it since, which was a good feeling, but it didn’t hurt to have a little in your gym bag, just in case. She got into a decent sitting position on the ground by her bag and uncorked the vial, taking a quick sip. Warmth that tasted like her grandmother’s triple fudge brownies rushed through her and her ankle tingled. Just give it a solid minute and all would be well.

She’d use the down time though. She grabbed her towel and dabbed at her face so the stinging salty liquid that was her sweat did not get into her eyes. That had happened earlier and it was not fun, but did provide an extra challenge to the course. One more quick dig and she pulled out one of the remaining PowerAde bottles that the shade of her bag had kept the sun from toasting. The bottle was sweating almost as badly as she was, so she wiped it with her hand and then wiped said hand on her face and wow, did it feel good. Then, using the edge of her shirt hem to help, she popped it open and gulped some down ungracefully.

That was about when someone jumped really close and yelled her name. When one has a mouth full of blue sugary liquid, one looks terribly awkward, which was precisely what happened in this incident. She looked up and then took a second to swallow the overly big gulp and waved with a I’m sorry you had to see that look. Once she was able, she called out. “Hey, Alden! What brings you to this torture device?” She was trying to joke with him, though in fact she had no idea really how to act with him. Her own brother and she barely knew him. Then again, with kids of Janus, it was hard to get to know them. They simply had a lot of them to be learned! But joking was aiming at him hopefully being in a good mood.

Words: 487
Tag: Alden Nolan

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It was always really difficult for Alden to approach to others, because of his mental and mood swings and maybe others would think that he would be able to easily connect with someone like his sister. But the reality was that for him it was utterly difficult too. Usually he didn't care about what others thought of him, he simply kept himself away to not have problems, but with Marie he felt he needed to be supportive, to be someone she could go to if at any moment she would need a shoulder to cry or some hands to punch or even am ear to vent on!

But he had never felt like that, he had never felt that he could be of help to her. In fact he always had felt that he would make her problems even worse than they already were. Although he thought that, after talking to his father, he would let her decide if she wanted him or not to be around her. Therefore he was there, standing before her. He sighed and smiled, then he listened to her voice tone and volume, it seemed that she really was glad to see him, so he felt comfortable to approach a bit more and reply to her question.

"uhm, I'm just trying to get better in this stuff... You know, to not let down the cohort, our centurions and... You." he said so and smiled with a slight blush on his pale face. "you?" It was incredible that they being siblings and in the same cohort, wouldn't speak more before. He hoped to change that.

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Marie smiled at him. He was cute in that little brother kind of way. His longish hair reminded her of a cocker spaniel puppy’s ears, which was beyond cute. And then his pale blue eyes that seemed a little withheld, but she could understand that. She’d been in his shoes a thousand times. Making friends when you were certifiably insane was not fun. But they were siblings. This should be easy, right? If anyone on the mortal side understood her, it was him, and vice versa. She knew Chris tried his best to, but he was a normal guy and except the partial temper he got from his father, she didn’t notice anything like dramatic mood swings. No offense to Chris. She loved everything about him and that he honestly did seem to understand her really well. And when he didn’t understand her swings, he at least stayed there to help however he could. He really was a good guy.

The way he hesitated a little and was keeping a slight distance made her heart ache. She wanted to just jump up and hug him. Tell him she was always there for him and that she loved him dearly. That he was the best little brother she could ever want. She grabbed her last remaining cold drink and held it up. “Catch. You earned it working out here in this heat.” With that, she underhand tossed the cold bottle to him then wiped the bottle’s condensation off on her shorts. “Alden, I’ve seen you in trainings. You’re already pretty darn good. I mean, considering neither of us is hard-wired for battle. You couldn’t possibly let me down, okay? Come sit.” She patted the grass next to her. “Why am I here...? Same thing, I guess. Trying not to be awful.” She was too embarrassed to fess up to her initial intentions.

VERBS (that's what's happenin): 339
PEEPS: Alden Nolan
ACHTUNG: I love them so much!

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Alden caught the bottle in the air and then smiled at his sister. She was so sweet, so innocent! He would kill anyone who hurt her and that was an oath to make over the Styx, he would do it as soon as he finished his conversation with her. “Yes! That would be good! Then no matter what happened I would always look out for her, right? But then if I didn’t make the oath, wouldn’t I look out for her? Would it only because of the oath that I would protect her? NO! I would do it no matter what!!...” For a moment his eyes unfocused from her, his inner battle got worse and his eyes could tell her, that he was in war inside.

But when she mentioned his name he was brought back to that moment and slightly smiled at her. She was really good! Gods! She survived more than a war! He had seen her training and was more than good, she should be in a higher cohort, maybe three or two! Yet, she was humble and spoke as if she wasn’t that good. He chuckled and then smiled a bit more. “I know… our DNA wasn’t made to fight, still as romans we need to learn how to fight and be useful for the Legion.” He smiled at her and then walked closer to take a seat next to her.

He sipped from the bottle and then gave it back to her as he sat down. He smiled at her and nodded as he listened to her reasons. “Oh… well, let me tell you, you are that good…” he pointed at a girl from First cohort. “But… lets face it sis… you and I are mad hatters… both of us, so I kindda know what’s going on in that head of yours… let me help.” Smiles at her and sighs hopping that she would trust him enogh to let him help her.


TAG:Marie Ashby
WORDS:332
NOTES: Yes!!! <3

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She grinned when he caught it. Had the situation been reversed, such luck would not be guaranteed. Then she paused. He seemed torn. Was GatorAde really that confusing? No. Obviously he had something else on his mind. “Alden?” She was worried about her brother. Then he smiled, and that gave her a little hope. She laughed slightly at his words. “Yeah, we were definitely not meant to fight. But I guess you’re right. Gotta be useful for something. I want to help people though, not stab them. But that is a view not held by many.”

She held up a hand to indicate she was not taking the drink back. “You finish it. It’s yours. You need all those sugary electrolites. I’ve already had like four.” She raised an eyebrow at what he said and followed his finger, then bust up laughing. “Me, long lost twin of Gloria Stefachek. Oh yeah. You’re funny, Alden.” She grinned and leaned over to nudge his shoulder teasingly. “I’d rather be your not-so-lost sister, kay?”

She looked to him curiously as he kept talking. About them being mad hatters, about how they were together in this. It made her smile, if only a little. She nodded. “I’m worried about the wedding.” There, she said it. It was out. She blushed a little, embarrassed at being unsettled by such a - supposedly - happy thing.

Words: 266
Tag: Alden Nolan
Notes: <3