Rp: To market, to market

[shh_michael]

Date: 16 January 2005
Characters: Michael Corner, Orla Quirke
Location: Market
Status: Semi-Private
Summary: Michael and Orla run into each other and catch up.
Completion: InComplete

Not that the unusual cold snap was over, Michael found himself wanting to spend more time outdoors. Which is why he found himself at the market for the first time in ages

Comments

[shh_orla]

Orla had been in a daze the past two weeks. Really, it was pathetic. She might as well put a sign on her back that said, "Yes, I was good and shagged, finally." Fortunately, she hadn't run into too many people who would question her spacey behavior

[shh_michael]

Is she mad at me? Michael wondered? He didn't think Orla was the sort to be coy, though, if she was mad, she'd say so straight out. As a matter of fact, she looked as though she was in a trance, which was decidedly un-Orla-ish.

He followed her, placing his hand on her back carefully, trying not to think the word Imperius. "You all right, then Orla?"

[shh_orla]

She heard her name, and shook her head, trying to clear the gathering clouds. She turned at the touch on her back, and when it sank in that Michael was looking at her somewhat worriedly, she dropped the bunch of celery.

"Oh, hello Michael." She said, avoiding his eyes, aware that she was blushing. "How've you been?" She knelt to get the bruised bunch of greens off the floor

[shh_michael]

She was avoiding his eyes. Maybe she was angry with him. But she was blushing, too.

"Well, to be honest lass, I'm a little worried at the moment. Are you all right?" he asked again.

[shh_orla]

"You're male, you can't help it." She muttered absently, closing her eyes. "I can't talk to him about it, because he didn't want it in the first place, and I promised I wouldn't let this change things, or stop being his friend, but..." She trailed off. She wasn't a good enough actor to pretend it didn't matter, or that it hadn't changed things. She honestly hadn't thought it would have been so....catacylsmic. If it hadn't been, maybe she could have gone back to treating him with the fond affection, but not now, knowing how it felt to be so intimate and utterly swept away

[shh_michael]

"Well, pardon me for saying so, but that was a stupid promise to make. Not that I blame you, lass, and promises made when you're dying to get into someones pants are often stupid. How were you know know what you would feel after? And unfortunately, sex does ruin friendships, it happens all the time. Either it didn't go well because there just wasn't enough chemistry or it went too well, and one or both of you is terrified that you let them see that vulnerable part of you that you keep to yourself most of the time

[shh_orla]

She nodded, knowing she'd gone and blown things. Even if she'd made the promise after the fact. Her itch had been more mental, an overwhelming curiosity about what seemed to drive people. Itch, indeed. More like bloody Pandora's box.

She looked at him. "You are too capable of more. If you weren't you'd have blown things with Marietta or Dennis by now. Neither strike me as being people who settle just for the sake of sex. They see in you what you don't see in yourself. And I bet they're both waiting for you to realize it, and do the right thing we all know you want to do." Her voice was starting to slur from the ale.

She shook her head, feeling a bit too relaxed, throughly soused. "Shouldn't have risked it. Maybe before he'd have decided that he wanted me like that, but now I'll never know. S'stupid of me to let him get to me like that. Should've been happy with the toy he gave me. Stupid stupid stupid." She said emphatically, sinking lower into the cushions.

[shh_michael]

Michael frowned as she analyzed him, not sure if she meant it as a compliment or an accusation. Or maybe this was the extent of the scolding he was going to get.

He probably shouldn't have been so blunt with her, in his head it had sounded more like logic than harsh reality, and he was scolding himself for pushing her to dreink when she obviously had no head for it and then ruthlessly taking away her hope. Hearing her call herself stupid made him feel so bad that it took a few moments for the precious sentence to register. He pulled her out of the cushions and toward the table, where he thrust a glass of water in front of her.

"Listen, love, no more beating yourself up for doing something brave and reckless. And no more drinking until we get some steak in you, and....a toy? Like... a dildo or something? He bought you a fake cock?" It took him a few minutes to regain his composure, he was trying not to laugh. "Sorry, lass, but you must have scared the living piss out of him if he was trying to send in a motorized stand-in."