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Post by Satra on Mar 3, 2009 15:29:20 GMT -5
Hadrian tried to keep some of the eagerness off his face as he watched her. Perfectly neutral. Something he'd yet to be able to master. It made him anxious. He wanted so badly for her to at the very least approve.
Radek was just getting excited, however, and wondering why this person just stood there and didn't touch him. He jumped up on his hind legs to put his front on her knees and bark at her. It was a clumsy maneuver, as his motor skills were still developing.
Then she left.
Hadrian just stared after her. Should he go after her? He felt helpless. He didn't know if she needed someone there with her or if she needed to be alone. He stopped the pup from chasing after her.
--
It was about a week and things were almost returning to normal. Hadrian had begun taking orders directly from Anoushka. They once even had a drink together! Things were definitely going back to the way they were. The topic of the child was something to be avoided for now. Hadrian never went to see her with the child and never brought up the subject unless she asked. He knocked on the door of her office. When he was given the invitation in, he entered.
"Look! Paperwork!" he announced, putting a bag which contained a folder of papers on her desk, "And it's on time!"
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Post by The Jenn on Mar 3, 2009 15:38:34 GMT -5
One week later and Anoushka wondered how she could have been such a bitch to Hadrian. Oh, she knew why and she knew how, but the boy was so eager to please and willing to put up with her shit. From everything he said about his mother, she could understand why.
She waited for him to open the door and smirked at his announcement. "Truly a miracle," she agreed sarcastically, smirking and reaching forward to pull the bag closer. It was heavy enough that he'd probably finished most of what she gave him a few days ago, if not all of it. Meeting with him directly was so much more convenient than going through those ridiculous in-betweens. Pulling out a few sheets of paper, she glanced down at them and then nodded. "Really, though, this is excellent. Thank you. I think I'm about done for the day, so I'll get to it tomorrow. Vhat are you doing after you leave?"
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Post by Satra on Mar 3, 2009 15:45:09 GMT -5
He wagged his tail at her approval. He still hated paperwork, but at least it was getting easier. His handwriting with paws was becoming much neater as well. Still, he'd kill for a pair of hands for himself.
"Later? I'm not sure, actually. I made no plans for the rest of the evening since I wasn't expecting to be done so soon." He'd even had someone watch over Radek so he would have as few distractions while he worked, too. The Babysitter was planning to watch over him for the rest of the evening, too. "I might go down to the Garden just to see if there's anything that needs to be done... why?" he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow suggestively at her. It was fun to tease the old King.
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Post by The Jenn on Mar 3, 2009 20:27:48 GMT -5
Anoushka tapped her claws on her desk for a moment, considering. Her own eyebrow raised in return and she smirked, wondering what was on his mind. Probably exactly what she thought. Horny little thing. She wasn't feeling up to a romp just then or she might have considered taking him up on the tease, in a more 'careful' fashion than before.
"To be frank, I could use some company," she finally said with a small shrug of her shoulders, dropping the smirk and flirty atmosphere for a more reflective one. "I haven't been getting around as much as I'm used to. In all sorts of vays," she added with a smirk. Around him, she really couldn't hold on to the serious, could she? Naughty puppy, just by dint of being there. "I vouldn't mind a valk in the garden, or vhatever else you vere going to do. Ve can talk, or I can stare at you until you do something entertaining. Either vay is fine vith me."
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Post by Satra on Mar 3, 2009 21:19:11 GMT -5
Company, eh? That sounded... oh. Not that kind of company. Ah well, it was worth a shot. A walk sounded nice, though. He enjoyed simply visiting with her, too. The fact that she was willing to spend time with him outside of boinking and getting on his case about paperwork fed a little of his self-esteem. He gave her a dry smirk.
"Let's talk. You simply staring at me makes me nervous, and as much as I know you love watching me squirm uncomfortably, I'd rather not. I have to go and pick up R-" Crap. He should've just said he had somewhere to be. Was she still sore about the subject? Well, no use hiding what he intended to say. The pause was short, not lasting more than a second, but still obvious, "-adek at around 8 or so from the servant I left him with."
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Post by The Jenn on Mar 3, 2009 21:43:58 GMT -5
Anoushka caught the pause and knew what was behind it, her ears twitching back and then forward again. "Vhen it comes to that point, maybe I can look at him vithout being a pussy again," she commented with an ironic tone of voice, slightly self-deprecating. "I'm just going to set things to rights and then I'll join you in the garden. Vhich should take me... about point two seconds."
She grabbed a handful of writing supplies and shoved them in a desk drawer, swept her papers to the side in a large pile, and placed them all in her inbox. Then she stood, brushed off her hands expressively, and put them on her hips. "Lead the vay, pup."
The gardens were pleasant this time of year, flourishing under the care they received. None of the titled nobles had taken much of an interest during any of the reigns she'd lived through, and so they were merely a decorative afterthought. Now, though, between Aderlass's desire for an abundant rose garden and Hadrian's affinity for plants, they were spectacular things. Her mind couldn't help but drift back to her little 'problem', though. The furry one with the squirmy butt. "You know... I feel guilty every time I look at him," she offered out of the blue, tone deceptively idle.
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Post by Satra on Mar 3, 2009 22:19:04 GMT -5
"Hey now, don't be too hard on yourself." At her next comment, Hadrian just rolled his eyes.
"Oh, don't take too long with that, now. You know how impatient I get," he remarked sarcastically at her. He walked along side of her as she caught up to him. "Sure thing, Cougar," he teased. He did his best to hide his discomfort. She wasn't moving as well as she used to.
The Gardens. Hadrian couldn't help but feel his mood lighten every time he was in them. He loved plants, and the fact that this garden was a testament to his competency only added to it. The man was jolted out of his thoughts when she spoke. His head whipped around to look at her.
"How can you feel guilty? I thought we've been through this? It's nobody's fault, it just is." He tried his best to gauge what she was thinking but DAMN HER why was she so good at wearing that mask?
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Post by The Jenn on Mar 3, 2009 22:45:02 GMT -5
Cougar... the first time he'd called her that, Anoushka had shot back something about never being called a kitty before and then cackled uproariously. Now it was just a fond endearment and she liked it that way. Most people didn't have nicknames for her without the word 'bitch' in there somewhere.
Her mask stayed in place, neutral only from years and years in the Courts. "I vasn't necessarily referring to that, Hadrian," she said in a quiet voice, the mood having been leeched out of it. Should she tell him...? Not many people knew, only two of the servants. Most of the people who had been around back then were dead or retired by now. It had been quite some time ago.
Ah, fuck it. He probably wasn't going to understand a thing about her attitude towards the boy, and if he had a right to know nothing else, anything to do with her behavior towards their... their son concerned him. "Vhen I look at him..." She hesitated, expression slipping a little into unease. Damn it, this was going to be painful, wasn't it? "All I can see are the children I could have had, a very long time ago. It's like they're... haunting me, vhen I look at him. He got the chance that they never did. Something in me is very glad you kept him, however painful it is, because not doing so vould have haunted you for the rest of your life."
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Post by Satra on Mar 3, 2009 23:04:41 GMT -5
Hadrian tilted his head. If that wasn't what she was referring to, then what? If she was going to talk with him about an emotional subject, she could at least do him the courtesy of showing some emotion so he would know better how to react. But he couldn't blame her for his lack of perception and her knew it. He gave her his full attention as she continued speaking.
That... explained a lot. A hell of a lot. His hears folded back and his brow creased. His mouth opened slightly as he scrambled desperately for words. He mentally cursed himself for having none. Here she'd revealed something very troubling to her about her past and he had nothing to say back.
Well, best be honest.
"I... don't know what to say... I had no idea..."
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Post by The Jenn on Mar 3, 2009 23:45:31 GMT -5
No, of course he didn't know what to say. He'd never been through it. The memory wasn't his cross to bear. "Not many people know. Even vhen it happened, few did, and most of them are dead or gone. You von't hear people talking about my past love life, only my habit of sleeping vith all of my Qveens except for Aderlass. Mice." She made a face of mild distaste. The man was a fine enough Queen, but as a potential bedmate? Not exactly. Though his human form might have been able to tempt her.
"You shouldn't let it concern you overmuch. I just needed you to understand that it vasn't him. It's vhat I see vhen I look at him. It might be easier vhen he starts to develop his own personality, I don't know. Maybe. Until then, I suppose I'll try, for both of your sakes, to be civil and see more in him than... than that. It does you both a great disservice."
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