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Post by Francis Bonnefoy on Dec 1, 2011 16:59:12 GMT -5
Francis huffed and crossed his arms. They had only been reunited for less than an hour and already Arthur was deriding him.
"I was not complaining! I'm only asking about what will happen to us now that we're here..."
He broke off, gaping at the clearing. It was quite lovely, of course, with the moonlight illuminating the grass and leaves, but how was this a rendezvous point?
"Here? You've been here before?"
His stare transferred to Arthur, watching as the pirate built a fire. Like a moth, Francis drifted over to the fire before the night chill could settle on him. He was still eyeing the pirate, marveling at how the firelight played upon his face.
"You don't think I would let you go so easily again, did you?" answered Francis earnestly. "Meeting you again, against all odds, is a sign. And I'm touched, my sweet. Not only did you drop by to see me again, you're also concerned about what will happen to me after this."
He shot Arthur a grin. "Don't you worry your head about me. They will think that I have returned to my own manor. My butler will cover for me. And it helps that everyone thinks that I have a weak constitution."
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Post by Cpt. Arthur Kirkland on Dec 1, 2011 17:06:29 GMT -5
Arthur rolls his eyes. "Yes, I've been here before. Used to spend weeks and weeks living here, especially in summer, when the military or the landowners in the town kicked us all out. It was nice here. I didn't have anyone on my back."
He sighs, moving around to add to the fire, making it bigger.
"I'm not 'concerned'. I've explained this to you before. You're innocent. If I didn't make any concern that innocents were hurt as a result of me then I'd be as corrupt as the Nobles. Also, I'm technically indebted to you."
He looks at Francis from the other side of the fire, his eyes glittering in the firelight.
"You don't have a weak constitution? And what the bloody hell is your obsession with trying to make out that I like you?"
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Post by Francis Bonnefoy on Dec 2, 2011 9:44:46 GMT -5
Francis let out a bark of laughter, smoothly sidling up to the pirate. Ah, now Francis was warm.
"No obsession, my dear. Just a vested interest in honesty." His voice was low, secretive and inviting. "Honesty on your part, to be specific. I don't know if you're denying it only to me or to yourself as well, but you definitely harbor some fondness for me, at least. You can't keep pretending that you spared me only because I'm innocent. Because if you are as well-informed as you say you are, you would know that I am completely devoid of innocence."
Francis' smirk was sly and his eyes were sparkling mischievously. "If you don't have some sort of attachment to me, then you wouldn't have sought me out again and brought me here with you."
His eyes swept over the clearing again, taking in the damp earth and the odd rock here and there, and the scattered dried leaves. It was an ideal place for a few hours' respite, but as shelter? For months?
"You lived here?" He felt something squeeze in his chest. "But why would you be driven to live here, of all places?"
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Post by Cpt. Arthur Kirkland on Dec 2, 2011 10:04:26 GMT -5
Arthur just gives him a blank look, and shoves the man away.
"Why are you so insistent? I am bloody aware what you're like, Bonnefoy, and it is definitely not innocent. But, there is a difference from being 'pure' of all acts and being innocent in a particular scenario. Up to this point, you've been innocent of anything to do with me, so thus you don't deserve anything. Plus, anything you seem to be doing hasn't come across as going against my own goals, so you're innocent. In fact, annoyingly enough, everytime I've come across you you seem to make me more indebted to you." He scowls, and stalks around to stable the fire a bit. "Pirates can't get attached, surely you know this. I certainly learned it the bloody hard way. Also, you seem to be romanticising me with the 'man' I was when I was bed-ridden and injured. Trust me, that sort of person hasn't been around for a long time."
He sighs.
"... Why do you think? Not everyone has a home or had one to grow up in, let alone have the privilege of being brought up in a wealthy, well endowed family." He mutters, under his breath. "Or a family."
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Post by Francis Bonnefoy on Dec 2, 2011 10:25:59 GMT -5
Francis didn't let the shove faze him. If anything, Francis scooted closer, nearly pressing against the pirate's side. It was more dangerous than playing with the flames before them, Francis knew, but he had experienced his own share of dangers, and this one was very much worth it. Or so Francis hoped.
"I think it's time you learned the difference between 'romanticizing' and 'seeing,'" said Francis, his voice quieter. "I saw you in those first few days, you know. You behaved differently than you do now and normally, true, but it's still a part of you. And I'm glad I got a glimpse of it, only for a short time. Because it's enchanting."
Francis looked at him for a long moment. "For all your talk about staying unattached, you sound like you long for the opposite. You don't have to fight against people who want to give that to you, you know."
Just then, a slight breeze stirred in the clearing, and combined with the chill of the nights, Francis shivered. He hoped there would be a way out of this forest soon.
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Post by Cpt. Arthur Kirkland on Dec 2, 2011 10:40:26 GMT -5
Arthur this time shoves Francis so hard that it would serve to throw Francis on the ground. Arthur spits.
"STOP TOUCHING ME!"
Practically growling to himself by now, he stares down at the other.
"Who the fuck do you think you are? Don't you dare tell me what to do. Don't you dare call that pathetic excuse for a human being I was back then ENCHANTING! Why the hell can't you just leave me be?!"
He turns around and starts stalking away.
"Stay there!" He shouts, stomping off to a slight clearing in the distance. If Francis listens clearly, there's a faint sound of running water in that direction.
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Post by Francis Bonnefoy on Dec 2, 2011 11:02:23 GMT -5
Nothing could have prepared Francis for the outburst. He had thought he had been soothing and reassuring, but obviously, it wouldn't work on Arthur as a pirate.
Heart sinking, he watched Arthur disappear into the arching trees. He would be back...right? Surely he wasn't angry enough to leave Francis on his own in the forest.
Francis felt only the barest shadow of a doubt before disregarding it firmly. Obviously Francis couldn't literally stay on the ground, and so rose to his feet and dusted himself off. He ached to run after the pirate, but the man seemed particularly furious, and so Francis decided to leave him be - for now.
Inching closer toward the bonfire, Francis rubbed his hands around his arms. It was getting colder, and he was only becoming aware of his hunger. He had lost his appetite at the soiree, and so had declined the trays the footmen had circulated with.
Sighing, he glanced back toward the direction Arthur had stormed off in. How long did Francis have to wait until the man decided to stop sulking?
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Post by Cpt. Arthur Kirkland on Dec 2, 2011 12:18:56 GMT -5
Arthur spent a few long minutes out of sight, before he eventually returned, walking back silently. He has two fish held in each hands. Caught and killed.
He sets his hat down and pops them on there, before looking silently at Francis. A moment later, and his over cloak is thrown into Francis' lap.
"Wimp." Is all he mutters, stabbing one of the fish and holding it out to the fire to roast. "It's practically toasty out here."
He tries not looking Francis in the eye, settling down on a rock nearby. He mutters to himself.
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Post by Francis Bonnefoy on Dec 2, 2011 14:13:30 GMT -5
Francis had been expecting more yelling and shoving on Arthur's part when the pirate returned. Francis was even nearly convinced that Arthur would leave him.
So when he spotted the fish in Arthur's hands, Francis had to take another second to let it sink in. Food. Arthur had brought him food. And now he had even given Francis his cloak.
Francis could embrace him right then and there. He even shrugged off Arthur's jab at him. Instead, he moved toward Arthur and held out his hands for the fish.
"Why don't I handle the food?" He didn't want to tell Arthur that he was cooking it all wrong.
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Post by Cpt. Arthur Kirkland on Dec 2, 2011 15:41:14 GMT -5
Arthur mutters to himself. He still in a way felt indebted to the man, as idiotic and annoying and suave as the idiot was. He didn't get why the man was so obsessed with him. How the heck was his wimpy, pathetic self 'enachanting'? Was he stupid?
He looks up at the blue-eyed man, blinking a little and raising an eyebrow. Cook?
".... Why?"
He seems to falter, though, and after a moment he grumpily holds out the knife for him, folding his arms on himself and hmphing. Francis was probably going to ruin it.
Course, it's not like he remembers how well cooked and how nice that soup and dessert tasted when he had been fed at Francis'. Nope. Not at all.
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