acertifieduser | ○ 04: Maybe they once locked eyes.

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○ 04: Maybe they once locked eyes.

[Filtered AWAY from George]
[AUDIO: There's a short pause before Eddie speaks.]

I have a favor to ask. I'm trying to help my warden understand a more modern approach to romance. What I need is a woman, between the ages of twenty-four and thirty-two.. thirty-three, who would be willing to take him out on a date. Maybe a private dinner, drinks afterward, and a starry walk in the CES or something. He'll know up front what this is; this isn't some trick and he won't be expecting to fall in love or anything.

I don't have anything specific to offer as a thanks, but I'm pretty resourceful if there's something specific you're looking for. I'm not providing any weapons and I reserve the right to refuse anyone for any reason.. because even knowing what's going on, he's still a nice guy and I don't want to mess with him. I'm really just looking to help him out.

Oh, it's George Crabtree. Some of you might know him.

[Private to George]
I want to know more about your time. Are there any books, fiction or non-, that you can recommend? I'm a pretty fast reader.

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"Different races?" He asked as soon as she had finished speaking, caught up on that little detail. Did those with abilities really see themselves as a different race? Eddie saw himself as better than everyone else when he was on NZT, sure, because he really was, but that didn't make him any more or less human. Just.. better at winning.

Then he forced himself to review the rest of what she had said in order to comment on the idea as a whole. His lips tightened a little as he saw the very subtle shift in her expression and remembered that she had trailed off.

"You...?" He encouraged her to finish the thought.

"In my world we've got humans, and two sort of offshoot races--mutants and neogens. We have vampires, we have insular groups with different magical traditions, we have aliens...most of these beings exist in secret, but when you're a mutant you run into all the weirdness eventually." She drained the last of her wine.

"Mutants and humans are the only ones "out" and they don't get along on a political level. Personal, sure, but there's anti-mutant legislation being pushed in Congress, we were kicked out of school--stuff like that."

No, the X-teens were kicked out. I wasn't there to begin with. But why?

"I was...digging for the reason I didn't finish high school, and I couldn't find it. I probably am just being absentminded but that seems kind of..." Kind of important to forget. "What the hell?"

"Vampires and aliens, huh?" Well, Wanda just went from a little weird to full fledged alternate universe in Eddie's mind, but he showed no change in attitude or perception. Eddie was used to charming people and he wouldn't appear repulsed just because she came from a completely different world and knew a different way of doing things. All it really meant was that he needed to study more about politics of different places and systems.

"Maybe it was a lot of reasons," he offered. The idea of amnesia or people with abilities to mess with the mind didn't even cross his mind. "Or maybe it just happened and you had more important things to worry about."

She looks a little contrite. "Yeah, my world is full of weird crap. In fact if you need an explanation for some of the beings or ideas floating around here that are unfamiliar I might be able to help. Or at least know who to ask."

She frowns thoughtfully. "It just startled me. Yes, I die of boredom in a standard academic setting, but I never realized how much. It's weird though. Left on my own or one on one, I love to learn."

"Thanks." He offers a charming grin. "I might take you up on that in future."

Eddie lifts a hand to rest gently on her shoulder, trying to show some level of reassurance while simultaneously breaking the physical contact barrier. "Most smart people in the world are the same way. They like to learn what they like to learn and in their own way. There's nothing wrong with that. It's better, actually, when you get to university. Don't worry about it."

"Hey, twist my arm to get me to talk to you again." She winks.

Her hand comes up and the fingertips brush lightly over the back of his palm from wrist to knuckles. It's tremulous and shy, but it's reciprocation of a sort.

"Math. I am going to need craptons of it. But I'll sweeten it with some more creative stuff. Anthropology minor, I think. Study of humans. Maybe a few languages besides Transian and English."

Eddie smiles again. He might have kissed her then if she was the sort not to be so embarrassed. Instead, he runs his thumb lightly down onto the skin of her arm before withdrawing his hand entirely. Then he nods and laughs a bit at the remarks about math. "That's good. I'm glad you have strong aspirations. That's important."

She shivers gratifyingly, and then nods. "See, even if I didn't like you I'd be glad we met because you're so damn pragmatic. I talk to you and I can figure stuff out more easily.

"Hey, maybe you should consider writing some non fiction in your spare time."

He laughs with a good humor, though he straightens a bit. He's barely had half a glass of wine, but it's secretly his intent due to the way the alcohol affects his medication. Eddie kind of shrugs off the idea; he's never really considered himself pragmatic, just believing in common sense when his mind is thinking clearly.

"You about done?" The question is lighthearted, changing subjects to the alcohol before them. There's no sense of hostility, distance, or impatience in his tone. He's sincerely asking a question.

"The wine? Yeah, I'm dry. I could have a touch more, but after that I'd better call it." A little laugh.

Eddie nods and fetches the bottle to pour her a little more. He still has about a third of a glass left of his own, so he doesn't add any more to his own glass and simply returns the wine to its situated place on the blanket. Then he took another sip from his glass and gave her a natural smile. "This wasn't too bad for a first date. You're a natural."

"Thanks." She downed a somewhat overlarge swallow of her own wine and added, "Had a good tutor." He'd get a kiss if she could get up the nerve. He had more than earned it, and besides, she really did like him.

He smiles at that, neither particularly humble or entirely arrogant. Eddie turns his attention to his own wine glass and takes two consecutive sips to try to finish it off at about the same rate as her latest glass. "You don't have to rush. Take your time, then I'll walk you 'home.'"

It's nerves, she almost says, but instead pulls her head together and just slows down. "Thanks for that. I'm a little fuzzy headed from the wine.

"If my Father saw me on a date with a human being he'd flip. The big hypocrite."

Eddie's expression twitches to something discontent for a split second, then he's back to the same, though his smile has lessened. "Hey, come on. Don't do that. First of all, I'm a hell of a lot more than just a human. More importantly, you're a human too, even if you have the benefit of having the abilities, and most importantly: your dad's not here. Stop worrying about what he wants and start focusing on what you want."

At the last 'you,' he pokes a finger gently into shoulder in a lighthearted gesture.

"Sorry...I have no head for wine. What I want is to hang out with you more, damn it. My mother was human. And yes, you're more than a mere human, you're kinda more than a mere anything.

"Me, I...the pressure to do what he says is tremendous but...it's not here. It just haunts me sometimes."

He lifts the same hand he just poked her with to rest on her shoulder as reassurance again. Eddie's smiling again, unperturbed by the explanation. "Don't worry about it. We'll call it a night for now and we'll see more of each other around, alright? You can't get rid of me that easily."

"Awesome." She sipped down the last of her wine.

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○ 04: Maybe they once locked eyes.

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Are you cool to assume from there? :]

Y/Y!