Homeland
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Human Solos =&gt; Topic started by: Sure on 26-10-2009, 03:53:34</h2>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sure</strong> on <strong>26-10-2009, 03:53:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				As the shuttle set down the pilot had warned them about the gravity and that irked Wallace Gallagher. The colonies had gravity, everyone knew that. Or at least he had thought everyone knew that. Sure, it was easy to get to low gravity, but you didn’t live in it. He sighed as the shuttle touched down before being jerked by the impact. It was a rather unpleasant sensation and his first memory of Earth. After the shuttle had come to a complete stop an attendant walked out to help them unbuckle only to find them all standing. Space shuttles were another regular facet of colonial life that people from Earth weren’t used to. Wallace looked around him. The other four students were all looking out the window, which Wallace turned to do after taking stock of things inside the cabin.<br><br>Outside was a small crowd of students and no one else. The school had wisely decided to keep the media and outsiders in general from the event, though he suspected he would be dealing with them later. They each made their comments about the green idyllic campus and the waves of the ocean. They looked at the city in the background, close enough they guessed people went there fairly regularly and wondered what was contained within. They had arrived somewhat early, but all the same the proper authorities managed to contact the people who were supposed to help introduce them to Earth.<br><br>The other four were matched up and left fairly quickly but Wallace had to wait a bit longer. A few people asked questions, ranging from delicate to rude, such as what he thought of Earth as he had seen it so far, to whether he knew that it was not natural for Humans to leave Earth. The majority of people saw him as a curiosity, though Wallace didn’t particularly mind being stared at. Despite this, the entire group was moving slowly towards the campus as Wallace would stand within inches of someone and they would back off slowly, with Wallace following. It was just a cultural difference as to how far apart people were supposed to stand. Regardless, someone actually kept her arm on him as she backed away to arms length and politely asked him to stay there, which made him wonder what he had done wrong.<br><br>However, they were close to the administration build. In spray paint the words “The Unnaturals Living in the Colonies are <span class="bbc_u">DAMNED TO HELL</span>” were written on the wall. A group of young men and women wearing had posted up a sign saying “God Loves All” and were washing it off. Wallace looked at the strange spectacle and shrugged, sitting on the steps of the administration building as the people dispersed to classes. Without the curious crowd Wallace just became another person there, no one could tell him from a regular student.<br><br>He felt a bit hungry but he hadn’t seen any vending machines around or a cafeteria. He looked through his bag but couldn’t find anything to eat and sighed. Eventually a freshman came up and asked him if he was lost, he said he was waiting for someone but hungry, and the freshman gave him a candy bar and went along his way. Wallace ate it hungrily. All in all, it had been a whole fifteen minutes since he had arrived, so he wasn’t anywhere near impatient yet. He found himself mostly staring up at the sky, noticing how different it was. And wondering if he could see his colony from here.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Butterflykiss</strong> on <strong>26-10-2009, 22:49:20</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				“Gallagher? Wallace Gallagher?” <br><br>The young woman stood at the bottom of the steps leading to the administration building. She was of slender build, with thick, shoulder length hair the color of mink. Her navy blue and white uniform, with its matching tie, jacket, and skirt, was pressed and perfect. In contrast to her dark hair, her eyes were clear a blue, almost grey. Around her right arm was a white band with the emblem of the school and black letters that read: Student Council Vice-President. In her hands she held a thin black data slat, which was currently showing an image of Wallace, along with some information about him. <br><br>“I apologize for being late. The Student Council meeting ran a bit long.” Though her voice was light and feminine, there was a crisp tone to it that prevented it from being gentle or sweet. “If you’ll come with me, please.”<br><br>“How was your flight?” She asked in a perfunctory manner, leading the way into the administration building. The lobby was wide, the walls displaying the many trophies, plaques and other accomplishments of the students and faculty. In the center was a statue of a robed bearded man, bearing a staff in one hand and supporting the figure of a child on his shoulder. <br><br>Stopping by the statue, the girl put her heels together, faced Wallace, and gestured to it. “Welcome to Saint Christopher Academy. My name is Evelyn Fitzroy, and I’ve been assigned to be your Resident Assistant while you become accustomed to life here on Earth and at this institution.” She turned her head to look at the statue. “Saint Christopher, as you may or may not know, is the patron saint of long journeys. Thus, our academy’s motto: ‘Ad Summum,’ which translates to ‘To the top.’ Here we strive for excellence and highest achievement in all of our endeavors. Academically, physically, and spiritually.” This was all said in an expert pitch of voice, as if she’d said it countless other times before. <br><br>Turning, she moved to a display mounted on one wall and tapped the screen. “You’ll find these data screens throughout the school. From any of them you can access a campus map, various schedules and announcements, and other useful information. The first thing you’ll want to do is check in with registration. They’ll give you your class schedule, your data slat, and your student card. Then you’ll probably want to settle into your dorm. You’ve been assigned to Florence Moore East.” With each place she mentioned, she indicated on the map where he would need to go. “My room is here, Florence Moore West, if you ever need to find me. Or you can send me a message through the on-campus messengers, and I’ll receive it on my DS.” <br><br>She stopped in her monologue and gave him a slight smile, as if amused by something. “Any questions so far?” 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sure</strong> on <strong>27-10-2009, 02:12:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Wallace looked up as his name was spoken. He stood up and nodded in acknowledgment that it was him. When she apologized he almost made a gesture that would be familiar to him but not to her meaning 'don't worry about it' but opted to say it instead, "It's fine, I haven't been waiting too long anyway." When she asked him to follow he did, noticing her voice was a bit too distant for his tastes. He still wasn't quite used to it down here. Since space was a premium in the colonies, people never stood as far away as was normal down here, and physical contact was largely a common gesture. Down here, physical contact was extremely intimate and distance the norm, as he knew. All the same, it made her feel aloof to him.<br><br>When she asked him how his flight was he said, "Not too bad. I've never landed in an atmosphere before, but that wasn't so bad. It was about what Sharif said it would be." Sharif, a Muslim, had gone to Earth on the Hajj once. He slung his bag over his shoulder as they entered. He nodded along about the mascot who only interested him slightly. Schools where he came from often spewed out similar dribble but he took note of it all the same. He nodded again at the data screens, useful to know of but he decided they were almost certainly tapped.<br><br>He took something out of his bag and handed it to her, it was slightly beat up looking but it was a stack of papers and three cards. He said, "I was assured that it was all taken care of and that this would be all I need, and that the Data Slats would go through Mahsa." Mahsa was once of the people who had come down to the colonies, the one with the most experience with computers. He nodded when she told him about where he was settled and looked at the map as to where he would need to go, taking it down mentally, both his and her location.<br><br>When she smiled at him, as if amused, and asked him for questions, "I have a couple, actually. First, where my colleagues will be sleeping, I suspect we'll be spending a lot of time together as the only Colonials in quite some distance. Also, when can I contact you, just whenever? And what I can expect in the way of prejudice and politics." He seemed done and then said, "Oh, yeah, and where do people hang out? You know, romantic spots, where you pick up girls, places where people just chat, that sort of thing." His tone remained more or less constant for all the requests.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Butterflykiss</strong> on <strong>27-10-2009, 23:56:54</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Evelyn quirked her eyebrow a little at the stack of papers, but the amused smile didn’t leave her face. University students on Earth would have balked at not carrying a current piece of technology. The data slats and screens made things so easy and convenient, after all. A wellspring of information at one’s fingertips. It made his stack of papers seem so... primitive. But she said nothing and took the papers from him, tucking it beneath her DS to look through later. <br><br>“The other Colonial students will be in the same dorm as you.” She tapped the map with her fingers, bringing up a layout of the dorm and its respective floors. “This dorm is one usually reserved for exchange students or visiting children of dignitaries. It’s been designated solely, however, for use by you five. So you’ll have plenty of privacy while you... adjust.”<br><br>“As to the ever intriguing field of politics...” She shrugged her shoulder slightly. “There’s political tension aplenty. Some senators are expressing their sympathies for the Colonies. Some are outright against. The majority?” She exhaled a bit, meeting his gaze. “...I think they’re like the rest of us. They’re waiting to see which way the tide goes.”<br><br>“I’m sure you saw the bit of prejudice on the wall on the way in,” she said, recalling the students outside who were cleaning the graffiti. “There are plenty of active student groups here on campus. And the Naturalists want nothing more than to load all of you back in the shuttle and send it hurtling into the sun.” She rested her free hand on her hip, her features pensive. “You’ll probably want to keep an eye out for them. They’ve been doing harmless stuff so far. You know, tagging walls, littering campus with flyers. But... well, just be careful.” She lifted her hand and tapped her neatly knotted tie. “You’ll recognize their group. They always wear necklaces with metal crosses. The rest of the students will probably avoid you at first, but give them a chance and I'm sure they'll come around.” <br><br>His question of pick up places made her smile, and this time the smile warmed her eyes with genuine amusement, making them brighter. “Seriously, you want to pick up girls?” Turning back to the map, her fingers danced over its surface. “Outdoors there are pavilions and quads, any of which can be hangout spots between classes. Here’s the dining hall, for meals, although the on-campus food court is more popular. There are amphitheaters, sometimes used for parties or campus events. Every building has study rooms, and every dorm has a commons area. If you’re really interested in meeting girls, I’d recommend heading off campus and into town. Plenty of youth trendy locales there,” she said dryly. "You know, cafes, places to eat, shops, underground clubs." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sure</strong> on <strong>28-10-2009, 01:25:44</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Wallace noticed the way she looked at his papers, amused. Paper was the universal medium in the colonies the same way English was the universal language on Earth. It was only used standardly by a small minority but almost anyone could call it up when it was necessary to make something absolutely understandable. Besides, paper was having a renaissance since the authorities had a harder time tracking it down and it was easier to post up rather than hack into a system. But he ignored her amusement all the same.<br><br>When she told him that they would have the dorm all to themselves, he nodded. It would be useful, but he wondered if the idea of isolating them was so wise. It was just another thing which would set them apart from the other students. All the same, it was what it was. When she shrugged at politics and said the majority were just waiting to see the tide was going he shrugged in return. That was how it always was when the issue didn't affect them directly, he supposed.<br><br>When she spoke of the prejudice he shrugged, "Eh, I think my government rather wants a diplomatic incident. It would give them something to hold up and declare with righteous indignation. But we'll see how it goes. I guess I'll be counting on your help there." He took note of the crosses and that she, at least, seemed to think most of them would come around. That was promising, if nothing else that meant she would probably come around, and one woman was better than not a friend on the planet.<br><br>When his question elicited a response, a warm smile, he felt pleased. When she asked if he was serious he said, "Why wouldn't I want to pick up girls? Dating is an integral part of the social scene back home, you know." She spoke of the outdoors, the dining halls and food courts, amphitheaters and parties, study rooms, commons areas, and she recommended heading off campus. He pondered the wisdom of heading into town and said, "And do you speak from experience or from rumors? And do you have someone you go with or are you looking as well?" He smiled at her.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Butterflykiss</strong> on <strong>30-10-2009, 22:21:16</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				At least he was interesting. Evelyn wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting when she’d been assigned the RA companion to a Colonial student. It was great opportunity, that was certain. But no body knew what Colonialists were actually like. There were plenty of rumors, but she never put much stock in those, as entertaining as they might have been to listen to. She’d accepted the assignment with her usual efficient complacency. It was nothing more, really, than adding one more item to her “To Do” list. <br><br>He didn’t seem weird though. If anything, he was, at least at first glance, less obnoxious than many of the other Academy guys. His questions about dating were amusing. Evelyn allowed herself a brief mental image of what it might have been like to date casually. The thought was so outrageous her lips quivered in another smile. “Sure, the people around here date, but it’s nothing serious.” She shifted her weight on her feet, holding her DS in the crook of her arm. “Most of the students here are from important political families, after all. Relationships are hardly ever taken seriously.”<br><br>“I go sometimes,” she said, making a noncommittal movement of her head. “Honestly, though? It’s not really my deal.” She said with rather unaffected disinterest. “If you’re social, though, I’m sure there are plenty of girls who’d love to give you the time of day. This city hosts two other universities, and there’s no shortage of young people. As long as you keep it light, you’ll have no problems.” <br><br>“I wouldn’t recommend telling them that you’re a Colonial, however. That probably stings, but, that’s how it is,” she said wryly. “A lot of girls won’t want to jeopardize their reputations.” <br><br>Her DS began to beep, and Evelyn glanced at it, tapping its surface with her fingertips, silencing the beeps. “I’ve got a class to go to. Why don’t you settle in, take it easy for the rest of the day. Let’s have lunch tomorrow, at the on-campus food court? You can tell me then if you’ve come across any problems that I might be able to help you with.” 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sure</strong> on <strong>31-10-2009, 03:35:31</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Wallace noticed how she sidestepped the question but accepted her answers with interest, restraining himself from answering since he feared his answers would be too bold. He doubted they much remained faithful in such marriages, but it didn't surprise him they might not know that would be their future now. Then again, perhaps their societies had a different view of arranged marriages. When she recommended not telling them I'm a colonial and that it might jeopardize their reputations, he merely said, "Am I jeopardizing yours?" Somewhat concerned, and continued, "Regardless, the jeopardy I put womens' reputations in is nothing so political. Or so I like to think." He smiled, passing it off as a joke.<br><br>When she told him she had to leave, he nodded. As she left, he used the touch screen to wander around a bit on campus before going to the dorm he and his compatriots had been assigned. Mahsa duly gave him his tablet. She had disabled the restrictions and tracking, as well as set up a new firewall. It wasn't anything sinister, just Mahsa's desire for privacy combined with the Academy's desire to keep the students from browsing pornography or other unacceptable behaviors.<br><br>They all agreed the rooms were entirely too spacious and proceeded to sprawl out ridiculously all over the place for the sheer novelty of it. In the morning they got together, collectively answered their email, a medium that avoided the worst problems of a time lapse brought about by distance, and collectively cleaned the place until it was how they had found it. They dressed in their uniforms, the girls were surprised they had skirts, which was universally casual in the colonies, but shrugged it off easily enough. They had all been transferred into the Academy's standard program, made to produce leaders and governors. They were specifically focused on the colonies, and there could be no mistaking the central government's intention: they would rule the colonies and hopefully placate them eventually.<br><br>When it was time for lunch Wallace managed to wander his way into the food court a bit late. He had been reading a somewhat troubling letter but didn't let it show. He walked up behind her and put both hands on her shoulders. "Hello, there. So, how've things been with you?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Butterflykiss</strong> on <strong>01-11-2009, 18:42:38</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				His question regarding her reputation made her smirk, but she jerked a shoulder. “It’s not so bad for me. I’m an RA, after all. We’re expected to help newcomers.” Her tone made it obvious she considered the entire deal just part of her job, another daily duty. <br><br>After they parted, she attended her evening class and spent the rest of the night studying and prepping several projects whose due dates were swiftly approaching. With her usual efficiency, she polished them off and slept an adequate number of hours before rising for an early morning visit to the recreational facility. An hour of solid physical exertion cleared her mind and kept her body in shape. Showering and preparing for the day, she attended her first class of the morning. <br><br>Her “friends,” if you could call them that, were full of questions about the Colonial student she was in charge of. What did he look like, what was he like? Was he weird, was he good looking? She answered some questions, being just as evasive with her answers as she had been to Wallace. Other questions she brushed off entirely. When it came time for lunch, she found herself a table and sat studying her DS screen while she waited. <br><br>The touch to her shoulders made her startle, and she turned to see Wallace standing behind her. Smiling wryly, she pulled out from under his hands gently. “Hello yourself.” <br><br>“I know you’re used to, you know, touching as a way of greeting. But you might want to reign it in while you’re here.” She kept her voice cool, not sounding offended or upset. “We’re not big on touching around here. Come on.” Rising, she led the way to the lunch counters. There were more monitors there, and she stepped in front of one, her fingers moving over the screen. “Just punch in what you want, and...” Taking her student ID from her pocket, she slid it in and out of the slot at the monitor’s side. “Insert your ID. The trays come out over here.” <br><br>When they’d both gotten their trays and returned to their seat, she settled in her chair and began eating, her eyes studying his face. “So how’s your first day been? Any particular issues or problems?” 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sure</strong> on <strong>01-11-2009, 21:14:28</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				When she pulled out Wallace let go. He nodded to her smile, as if agreeing about something. When she said he was used to touching as a way of greeting, but that he should reign it in, he said, "I try, the colonies are starved for space. We often have to stand so close to each other we're literally pressing into each other in public, and in private its not much better. We adapt, though." She lead him over, and he inserted an ID card and selected a sandwich. He realized that, down here, this sort of thing was a status symbol. Either that or ubiquitous, he couldn't be sure.<br><br>As they were walking back, he said, "That's one reason people don't visit the colonies too much. You're always touching someone, usually just because you're so tightly packed together. It's not so bad, really, if you're used to it." He sat down with her and began to eat a half of the sandwich, taking a sip of some pink liquid that had matched the button he pushed. His face wouldn't have betrayed much, he wasn't really thinking of much, until he saw she was looking and smiled at her.<br><br>"The basics of the curriculum are quite different. I'm sure I'll get used to that, though. It's not totally unexpected, really." He shrugged, and looked up at her. "There are a couple of minor adjustments, like getting used to not touching people. And there's the annoyance of not knowing anybody and the fact I'm not taking any of my classes with anyone else from the colonies. No other problems, really." He shrugged and then he seemed to remember something, "Oh, yeah, Eve, you said everyone here is from big important families. So, who are the Fitzroys, exactly?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Butterflykiss</strong> on <strong>03-11-2009, 23:53:08</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Eve? Evelyn wasn’t sure whether to be amused at the shortening of her name. Her lips quivered, however, threatening a smile. Amusement it was, she supposed. Shortening her name was something her friends never would have done. It smacked of... familiarity. <br><br>Still, she let it go. If nothing else, this guy was interesting. It was his easy way of taking things in, she guessed. The way he seemed to be taking things in stride. So many of the academy students were uptight or downright arrogant. <br><br>She considered his question, leaning back in her chair and crossing her legs, holding her drink cup in her hand as she nibbled at the end of the straw thoughtfully. “Really, you want to know?” She smiled, one of her cool, emotionless smiles, around the straw in her mouth. “Alright, I’ll tell you a story.”<br><br>“Once upon a time, a man made his fortune through business stocks and trades. He rose to the height of his trading company, and decided to retire from the financial sector. He and a handful of other wealthy men funded the building of a new academy. This university would be so exclusive, so elite, that it would be almost impossible to get in unless you had the right wealth and the right connections. The academy would go on to produce generations of politicians, judges, high ranking officials, and businessmen.” Evelyn set her empty cup on the table. “That man was Gerald Fitzroy, my great great grandfather, and one of the original financial backers of the academy.” She leaned an elbow on the table and propped her cheek against her hand, looking disinterested in the topic. “That’s the Fitzroys in a nutshell.” <br><br>“Hello, Evelyn. Oh, is this the Colonial student?” <br><br>Evelyn turned her head to see three students, two girls and one boy, standing there. She smirked wryly and nodded to Wallace. “Wallace, this is Meredith, Candace, and Jacob.” <br><br>The three greeted Wallace. Candace looked wary, as if she didn’t want to stand too close to him. Jacob’s smile was somewhat taunting, as if he were thinking of some private joke. Meredith appeared genuinely interested, and gave Wallace a smile. “How are you liking it here on Earth? I bet it’s really different from your home, hmm?” 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sure</strong> on <strong>04-11-2009, 03:07:39</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Wallace noticed that Eve's mouth twitched, she was amused if not happy. It appeared she wasn't as uptight as she would have had Wallace believe. When she leaned back and went back to her&nbsp; emotionless smiles, Wallace nodded and leaned forward as if intensely interested. That wasn't so hard to imagine, he was. He nodded and said, "So you came out of the financial sector, huh? Interesting." He was about to ask her about herself personally, however, three students came up to them. His first reaction was that they knew he was a colonial and to deny everything, but Eve nodded so he didn't deny anything.<br><br>When she introduced them, Wallace just nodded and gave a casual wave. He did take note of their reactions, Candace was obviously wary, Jacob looked to be a bit arrogant, like he knew something Wallace didn't. Meredith, meanwhile, had something of a spark in her eye. She smiled at him and asked him how he liked it on Earth. He said, "They actually put us through a program so it would be easier for us to function on Earth. It's different. For example," He took a fork that had been automatically vended but he had no use for and dropped to the ground. It went straight down and clattered on the floor. "A colony rotates under you, so in a colony it would have landed about here." He used his foot to indicate a few centimeters away from where it had fallen, before picking it up.<br><br>"And when I look up, I see the sky. There's no sky in a colony. There are giant windows that give us an open view into space, three of them that together take up about half the colony. It lets sunlight in, you see. Nothing of the sort down here. There's less air seals, none in fact... and the air is thicker. Among other things. If you want, I'll tell you every little detail some time." He returned her smile. "But I believe going further might bore our friends, here." He gestured to the table, obviously inviting them to take a seat.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Butterflykiss</strong> on <strong>09-11-2009, 19:40:22</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				The three sat, Candace and Jacob sitting close to one another. The two of them were obviously a couple by the way they immediately created a sort of separate unit to themselves while still being part of the group. <br><br>Meredith took a seat beside Wallace, flicking back her long hair out of her features. “Wow, that is so interesting! You’re pretty brave to have come all this way. I don’t think I could ever leave earth! It’d be too weird.” She caught herself and laughed apologetically. “Oh, not that the colonies are weird or anything... You agree with me, don’t you, Evelyn?”<br><br>“Of course,” Evelyn responded easily, her eyes glittering with amusement. “Besides, you’d be missed here.”<br><br>“That’s so sweet,” Meredith gushed, smiling prettily before turning back to Wallace. “I’m chairperson for the academy’s Student Musical Association. Maybe you can come to one of our concerts sometime, or even join yourself, if you’re interested. Evelyn’s there usually, too,” she added, nodding her head in Evelyn’s direction. <br><br>The group chatted for awhile longer. As the hour drew closer to changing, the food court began emptying as students made their way to jobs or duties or classes. “It was nice meeting you!” Meredith called as she waved goodbye. <br><br>Once they were gone, Evelyn gave Wallace a wry smile. “A prime example of the kind of students this academy draws. Shallow, but mostly harmless. You get used to it.” She glanced at her DS. “I’ve got class this afternoon.” She paused before continuing. “You mentioned you were interested in seeing life on the town. I’ve got time this evening. If you’d like, I’ll show you around. Just meet me by the quad between our two dorms. Bring friends if you want to. It’s a weekend, after all, and most of the students will be heading off campus.” 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sure</strong> on <strong>10-11-2009, 01:59:23</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Wallace took notice that the two sitting across from him were a couple, and turned his attention to Meredith. He nodded at her and said, "It's fine. Weirdness is relative anyway, to you the colonies would probably be weird. Earth is weird in its own way." When she turned the conversation to the musical association he nodded and said, "I'm sure I'll be able to make it out to a performance." He wondered exactly what Meredith and Evelyn did in the music association, they seemed close enough.<br><br>Wallace waved back as she left and nodded at what she said. When Evelyn called them a prime example he said, "I don't mind Meredith at all. The other two could stand to be a bit warmer." He was still waving as they were just rounding the last bend. Then he turned around. When she offered to take him off campus he nodded. Wallace smiled more than a little bit coyly after the offer and said, "It's a date then." He got up and ended up talking to a shy looking girl who kept pointing to the DS as if agitated, while Wallace seemed to not be taking it very seriously.<br><br>Wallace attended classes as normal. Colonial education emphasized the sciences and mathematics at the expenses of the humanities, only natural for a people whose lives relied on engineering, so most of his classmates had problems with what he found easy and likewise the other way around. Still, he could find and give help. When it ended, he got together the colonial students and they got dressed up and went out to the quad between the two dorms. They were wearing casual clothes that could be adapted to just about any social situation that required no formality.<br><br>Wallace walked up and said, "Eve, let me introduce you to my comrades in this endeavor. Mahsa Qaizarzad," The girl from earlier nodded, still looking a bit agitated. "Ajit Vemulakonda, who has the longest last name you'll ever hear." A well muscled man gave a small wave, "Lawan Metharom," A perpetually smiling woman nodded her head, "and Irina Pajari." Irina's face didn't seem to change much at her introduction but she said, "Hello."<br><br>Wallace turned around, obviously some kind of leader, and said, "So, are we ready!" in an exaggerated fashion, lifting his hand in the air. Irina didn't seem to respond and Mahsa rolled her eyes. Ajit and Lawan both surged forward and put their hands up with his. After it, Ajit chuckled and Lawan giggled, Wallace kept up what was obviously a facade of taking the way he was acting seriously before snickers poked through.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Butterflykiss</strong> on <strong>16-11-2009, 01:50:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				“So, how do I look?”<br><br>Evelyn looked up briefly from her book. A pair of wire-framed reading glasses were perched on her nose. She looked over at Meredith, who was standing in front of a mirror, admiring her own reflection. “Looks good,” Evelyn said noncommittally, and went back to reading. <br><br>Meredith laughed and came over to Evelyn, tugging the book away and tossing it aside. “Evey, you’re so ridiculous! This is the first time you’ve been out in ages and you’re not even going to dress up? Come on, I’ll help you get ready.”<br><br>Evelyn rolled her eyes but allowed Meredith to fuss and fret. In the end she ended up wearing a trendy and attractive outfit complete with accessories. Her glasses were put away and the look was completed with a few accessories. “It’s not that big of a deal,” she said, but she couldn’t help but smile at her friend’s exuberance. <br><br>“Of course it is!” Meredith said, linking her arm with Evelyn’s as the two walked to the meeting place. “I think the new student is pretty cute, don’t you? And anyone who can convince you to go out on a weekend is A-plus in my book!” <br><br>The two met up with Candace and Jacob, who’d also agreed to tag along. In addition, Meredith had also invited another student from the music association, a tall lean young man named Samuel. <br><br>The two groups met up, and introductions were made all around before the group made their way to the nearest station. The railride into town was brief, and the station they departed at was located near the center of the bustling business district. With it being the weekend, the streets were full of students walking in small groups. There was a lively and festive atmosphere, and the sounds of music and laughter filled the air. The smell of food was thick, floating from nearby vendors and restaurants. Their first stop was a local favorite with young people, Club Rain. The interior was trendy and lit with flashing sconces. The dance floor was full of people moving to the sounds of music, though all along the walls were plenty of seating areas with young people chatting and hanging out. <br><br>They found an empty sitting area and claimed it. Candace and Jacob got up to dance, and Meredith placed orders for drinks for everyone, asking what everyone wanted first. Evelyn kicked back in the seat, smiling over at Wallace with her usual saturnine ease. “Noisy, isn’t it? Pretty popular place, though. And a good place to pick up dates from what I hear,” she added teasingly. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sure</strong> on <strong>16-11-2009, 22:56:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Wallace wondered why she'd brought Candace and Jacob, since neither had seemed very fond of them. All the same, he didn't show a trace of this to either of them. None of the colonials seemed bothered by the noise, it wasn't so loud to them. In the crowded colonies, the pitch of a group of people talking could be so loud they would need earplugs. And indeed, they were all carrying them. There was no silence in the colonies, though the silence of space was just outside. After they had all sat down at a seat, they ordered. Mahsa, Irina, and Ajit ordered non-alcoholic drinks, with Mahsa seemingly oblivious to the fact alcohol was the norm. Ajit, meanwhile, offered up an apologetic smile while ordering a small appetizer. Irina didn't betray any trace of why she refused. Lawan ordered exactly what Samuel had and Wallace ended up giving up on explaining what he wanted was and settling for beer.<br><br>Lawan wasted no time in maneuvering herself so she was up against Samuel and flirted with him quite openly. Mahsa diverted her attention under the table to her data tablet while Ajit was smiling quietly at Meredith. Irina seemed to be looking for something, without explanation. Wallace said something too softly for Evelyn to hear and then used the excuse of the noise to get just a little closer than she might have been comfortable with. He said, "Why would I want to pick up a date? I've already got a beautiful one in a pretty little outfit and I'm not going to cheat on you." He smiled at her and took her hand, trying to pull her along for a dance. “Unless you’re a total stick in the mud and refuse to dance and party with me.”<br><br>Meanwhile, Ajit said, "So, Mer, where are you from?" It was a standard opening question for colonials, as what colony they were native to was not only variable but defined them in various ways. Lawan had begun to lean on Samuel and was smiling up at him.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Butterflykiss</strong> on <strong>19-11-2009, 22:00:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Meredith giggled and settled in for a chat with Ajit, tossing her pretty hair and smiling at him. Her natural warmth and friendliness made it easy for her to open up to just about anyone. Samuel quirked an eyebrow at the girl leaning against him, but smiled and in an exaggerated way designed to make her laugh, he lifted his arms, pretending to stretch, and then settled an arm loosely around her shoulders. He lowered his head and spoke into her ear so she could hear him.<br><br>Evelyn gave Wallace a look that clearly asked if he was serious. But, sighing, she allowed herself to be drawn onto the dance floor. They managed to find a spot that wasn't currently overtaken by anyone else. With her natural affinity for music, Evelyn found the rhythm of the song quickly as she began to move to the throb and pulse of the song. In between steps, she spoke over the music loud enough for him to hear, although she did have to get pretty close to him in order to do so. "Seriously, I'm not going to get upset if you pick up some other girl, you know," she said dryly. Part of her felt it to be kind of ridiculous. She wasn't one for engaging in the popular social activities of her peers. It wasn't that she was a wallflower. On the contrary, Evelyn was pretty and popular. But she also felt that most of her peers were selfish and shallow, and she had a rather sarcastic and dry way of viewing the world. This attitude was pretty evident normally. Somehow, though, Wallace overlooked her abrasive nature and now look, she was even dancing with him. How did this happen? She wondered at herself bemusedly.<br><br>Someone bumped her from behind, and she stumbled forward against Wallace roughly. Turning, she found a stocky young man, probably a student from another academy, standing there. He was reeling on his feet, and he glared at her dazedly. "Watch it, bitch," he slurred, and she could smell the strong scent of alcohol on his breath.<br><br>"Easy, pal," she muttered, straightening on her feet. "Maybe you should take a seat."<br><br>"You telling me what to do? No chick is going to tell me what to do!"<br><br>The confrontation was drawing stares and looks from the crowd, and those around them had stopped dancing to watch the spectacle. From the corner, Meredith looked over in concern, wondering what was going on. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sure</strong> on <strong>19-11-2009, 23:29:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Wallace was a bit more wild in his movements, matching the music at times, matching her at other times, and moving on his own. It wasn't exactly graceful but it had an energy to it that forced it to seem like it was good dancing, even though it was hardly more than him improvising and letting the music flow where he could find it. He stayed very close to her but he mysteriously seemed unable to hear what she said about picking up another girl. After a moment he said, though, "But you like me." She had seemed a bit distant, and certainly had her issues, but she was helping him out. He figured that spoke to some basic decency too many people lacked, and it wasn't like she didn't have a pleasing personality or figure.<br><br>She stumbled, or at least that's how it looked to Wallace, into him and he caught her. She turned and the two had an exchange. The crowd formed a ring around them, watching. The music still pulsed on as those around them seemed oblivious to this fact. Soon Wallace was standing between the drunk and Evelyn. Meanwhile, back at the table, Ajit scrambled over the table and Irina slipped into the crowd, while both Mahsa and Lawan watched intensely. In fact, Lawan bolted upright and soon turned to apologize to Samuel.<br><br>Wallace looked at the drunk, but addressed Evelyn, "We should probably go." As he said so, Irina reached the edge of the ring but remained there. "I don't think it's worth the trouble." He was obviously displeased, though.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Butterflykiss</strong> on <strong>10-12-2009, 01:44:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Evelyn found herself staring at Wallace’s back, and she blinked, back stepping a pace. His sudden show of chivalry surprised her. She wasn’t used to being protected, and having it done by a young man of her age was pretty unknown. It was for the same reasons that she could see uncertainty in Meredith’s eyes and dread in Candace’s. Making a spectacle of yourself, for whatever the reason. Reputation was everything in the university town, and getting into trouble was a quick route to earning yourself a demerit. <br><br>As the drunken young man swayed on his feet, blinking blearily at them, Evelyn reached out and placed her hand on Wallace’s arm near his wrist. “Yes,” she murmured quietly to him, her eyes staying on the fellow in front of them. They had just started backing away when the young man moved forward, as if trying to rush at them. He tripped over his own feet, however, and went sprawling, landing face first on the floor. Laughs broke out around them, and in the following general chaos Evelyn tugged on Wallace’s arm. Their friends followed suit, and the group managed to slip out of the front doors of the club. <br><br>Meredith recovered from the ordeal first, and began laughing, tossing her hair as she turned back to the group. “That place is lame, anyway.” She smiled charmingly at Ajit, linking her arm around his. “I get the pick the next place!” She drew the young man with her, and the two led the group down the walkways lining the busy streets. <br><br>Evelyn found herself walking alongside Wallace. Whenever she had to bypass another pedestrian or step around something on the walkway, she had to step closer to him. Sometimes very close. As the group walked, and the others chatted amiably, she slanted a look at Wallace, and a little smile flitted on her mouth. She couldn't get his earlier action out of her mind. “Hero complex, hm?” She lowered her voice a notch in volume. “Careful with that. It could get you into trouble around here.” After a moment, she shifted her shoulders, loosening them. “But... thanks.” 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sure</strong> on <strong>11-12-2009, 01:14:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Wallace had no fear of making a spectacle of himself, that much was obvious from the way he behaved at times, but chivalry hadn't particularly occurred to him either. There had been a moment, and there had been action. He couldn't say why he moved to protect her, though he wasn't surprised by himself either. When she took his wrist he kept on looking at the man until he stumbled and Evelyn pulled him off. He went with her easily but he didn't laugh at the spectacle of the man. He walked along side her as they both went along.<br><br>When Ajit was taken off from the main group, he smiled almost stupid with happiness and was lead off more than willing to be alone with Meredith. Lawan seized her chance her and managed to slowly disengaged Samuel from the group until they were off from the main group as well. Wallace, meanwhile, made no attempt to get away and enjoyed the physical closeness he was enjoying with Evelyn, it almost felt like home. Besides, he liked being close to Evelyn specifically, particularly with how she had told him not to be so touchy earlier.<br><br>When she smiled up at him and said he had a hero complex he just smiled in return and said, "I'm not afraid of trouble. They won't do a thing to me." Then he put his arm over her shoulders and pulled her closer. "But you're welcome, and now that I have a hero complex, would you by any chance be my damsel rescued from distress?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Butterflykiss</strong> on <strong>18-12-2009, 00:48:20</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Evelyn wanted to say something snarky in response to his teasing, but she couldn’t hide the little smile that hovered over her lips, making them quiver. Her body stiffened when he slid an arm around her shoulders, and her eyes glanced around as if to see if anyone was watching them. The other girls may have been comfortable with demonstrations of affection, but for her part, Meredith wasn’t used to getting so much attention from a guy. Maybe it was her naturally somewhat abrasive nature and cool attitude. Either way, most guys gave up after a try or two. <br><br>But there was something... kind of nice, she supposed, about the warm heavy weight of Wallace’s arm around her shoulder. She decided to let it slide, at least for now. “I guess I don’t mind, she murmured. The two of them passed a small stand selling food and drinks, and she paused there, ordering two cappuccinos, a favorite drink among the students. She handed over her card to pay for the drinks, and then passed him one of the steaming cups. Cupping hers gently in her palms, she blew at the surface, making it ripple, before taking a tentative sip from the hot liquid. <br><br>“If I remember correctly, heroes always expect a little something from their damsels, don’t they?” she asked, smirking a bit, her eyes lifting from her cup to meet his. Her voice had taken on a teasing, challenging tone to it. Two could play this game, after all. “I don’t suppose a cappuccino would suffice as far as payment goes?” 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sure</strong> on <strong>18-12-2009, 02:53:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Wallace felt her stiffen, look around, and relax. She seemed to get comfortable under his arm, though, and that was all that mattered in the end. She even murmured something and Wallace wondered if she wasn't used to attention from boys. He supposed he was a bit harder to discourage than most people, and that she might ward the others off while he had ignored such blocks. All the same, his train of thought stopped as they did and she bought something, two of something in fact, and he accepted his tentatively. He took a cautious sip and recognized it as coffee of some sort.<br><br>He took another sip and wondered for a moment about cultural differences he had heard about but was now experiencing. Coffee was both a luxury and considered to be a drug in the colonies, here it was cheap and easy to get. And he pondered what exactly to say next. He disguised this in a long sip and said, "No, no I don't think a mere cappuccino will do at all." With that he dropped his arm and put his cappuccino on the ground. He walked up in front of her and took hers and put it down as well. He just looked at her for a moment.<br><br>Then, in a swift motion, he embraced and kissed her. He held her there, tightly, pressing against him, and his tongue briefly worked its way into her mouth before he let go and withdrew, smiling with a small lick of his lips. He said, "There, that will do. That's all I get for defeating a drunk." He had a different kind of smile on his face and his hands were still on her shoulders, but he seemed wholly sure of himself and that she enjoyed it as much as he did.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Butterflykiss</strong> on <strong>22-12-2009, 06:00:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She watched speculatively as he took her coffee from her, her eyebrow quirking. When he stopped and stared at her, Evelyn felt the faintest flutter of unease travel up her spine. Her smooth brow furrowed, and she was in the process of taking a step back, to put more distance between them.<br><br>Then she was caught, locked in a circle of strong arms that was tight around her. Her slender, female frame was pressed to his, and she had a moment to register the firm warmth of his body before the shocking press of his mouth to hers. Her eyes remained wide open during the kiss, and her body stiff with surprise. She felt his tongue work its way into her mouth and shuddered from the intimate and wet feel of it against her mouth. Before her stunned brain could kick into gear the kiss was over, and she reeled where she stood, her mind spinning as she gaped at him. <br><br>As her wit returned, her first reaction was a bodily one: her smooth, pale cheeks flushed bright pink. One arm lifted to push his hand away from her shoulder. Her other pressed the back of her hand to her mouth. “W-What the hell are you doing?” she managed to say. But unlike her usual cool and controlled demeanor, she was flustered, floundering, unable to meet his eyes. Lowering her hand, she tried to regain her sense of control. “Don’t do that,” she muttered, turning her face to one side in hopes of hiding her features where her uncertainty would be obvious. Her lips still tingled from the contact. <br><br>Shaking her head, Evelyn stood stiffly, her shoulders tight and forced her eyes to meet his. “I’m not like them, alright? I don’t...” she trailed off and waved a hand vaguely. “I don’t kiss guys, I don’t go on dates. Hell, I don’t even talk to guys if I can help it.” She rubbed her upper arm with her hand in a restless gesture. “I told you before. You’re after the wrong girl. Find someone else for your little games.” Her eyes moved up and down the streets, looking for the others. But the rest of the group seemed to have moved quite a distance away, leaving the two of them standing where they were. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sure</strong> on <strong>22-12-2009, 15:49:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Wallace smiled at her blush but let go when she moved to push his hands from her shoulders. She seemed flustered, she gaped, which wasn't wholly unusual, he had been rather sudden, but her response did surprise him. He had been rejected, of course, that was natural, and even rejected in strong terms, but he got a totally different sense from her. It was like she had never even comprehended that this might have happened, or like it was a totally unpleasant experience, and yet the way she was moving and other clues showed something different. It was uncertainty.<br><br>He answered somewhat laconically to her inquiry, saying, "I'm kissing you." When she said she wasn't like them, that she didn't kiss, or even talk to guys, his first response was to wonder where this hostility came from. In his mind he wondered if he had singled out a lesbian, since that seemed more likely to him than someone totally averse to kissing. He dismissed the thought as speculation, and perhaps a bit of male fantasy. "Then who do you kiss, or go on dates with? Why don't you talk to guys? We're a fascinating lot, and besides, if you don't talk to half the world you end up with a rather skewed view don't you? If you don't date you're missing out on a large part of the human experience." He realized he was making an argument rather than an appeal, "Why don't you try it?" He smiled invitingly.<br><br>When she rubbed her arms and looked up and down and called it a little game, though, his smile faded. His hand went onto hers, holding it over her arm, and he said, "You think this is a game? You think I kiss for games? Maybe you aren't used to it, maybe you are naive, but tell me, did that feel like a game to you? Do games give that warmth, that tingling, that indescribable feeling? Or do only I feel that?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Butterflykiss</strong> on <strong>28-12-2009, 00:12:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				“You can’t be serious. I--” Evelyn’s words were cut off as a small group of people surged around them, temporarily cutting her off as she was forced to step to one side to make room for them to pass. Feeling frustrated and flustered, the young woman stepped further away from the walkway’s edge, forced to move closer to Wallace once again. But instead of the warm and kind of exciting feeling she’d felt before from standing closer to him, now she felt nervous and on edge. Standing this close to him, it was all too easy to get distracted by the closeness of his body, and too easy to remember the feel of that strong mouth on hers. <br><br>She exhaled, and lifted her chin to meet his eyes. She wanted to pull away from his touch, to step back from him, but she didn’t. It seemed like too much of a retreat. “Isn’t that all this is?” she asked quietly, her voice earnest and her dark eyes serious. “Look at us. Look at them.” She nodded her head to the crowd around them, mostly students from the city’s universities. The couples walking hand in hand, the groups of friends laughing and cutting up. Her head shook side to side. “It’s nothing but games. That’s all any of this is.” <br><br>She’d calmed down from before, and with calm came clarity. Why had she allowed herself to get so upset in the first place? After all, it was just a kiss. Right? “Is that what I’m supposed to feel? Some kind of magical feeling?” she asked, her eyebrow arching in a wry expression. “You can’t be serious. Or do you say that to all the girls you try to pick up?” He seemed so earnest about what he said, though. And Evelyn didn’t want to admit that she had felt it. The warmth, the tingling. Everything. <br><br>She shrugged her shoulder and turned her body slightly away from him. “Just forget it. It doesn’t matter.” She folded her arms over her middle. “I’m going to head back. You should join the others. See the rest of the city.” She gave him a quick, half-hearted smile. “Don’t let me spoil your fun.” Not waiting for a response, Evelyn began walking in the direction of the transport station, moving through the crowd that surged around her. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sure</strong> on <strong>28-12-2009, 02:23:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Wallace was almost angry at those who cut between them. But he couldn't do anything to the amorphous mass and it passed by. She came back and looked him in the eye and proclaimed it was a game. She pointed to the college students around them and, obligingly, Wallace looked around at the scene. It did seem rather decadent to him, but for different reasons than she would have seen. Even Evelyn wasn't excluded from this vision of decadence, though. He turned back to her and said, "If this is all a game, then what is not a game? Just what's real to you, then?"<br><br>When she asked him what she was supposed to feel, he said, "Not magic, no. You're supposed to feel this light warmness, this tingling, this longing or aching or desire. It's not magic it's just physical attraction. It's perfectly natural and it's something that you should experience. A hole in your life, if you've never experienced it." Then she asked him if he said that to all the girls he tried to pick up, he shook his head vigorously, "No, no. I kiss them all, I'll give you that, but if I was just after a girl then why would I choose you? How many other girls have looser morals, would make easier targets? No, I chose you for you."<br><br>When she disengaged, when she gave him that infuriating smile and began to walk away, implying it was just his fun, she angered him somewhat. He was also more than a bit dumbstruck, no one had ever so boldly just left him. People had abandoned him behind his back but never to his face. After he got over it, he moved quickly through the crowd so he was behind her and he held onto her hand tightly, loose enough that it wouldn't hurt but too tight for her to escape. His other hand went to her shoulder, forcing her to face him.<br><br>He looked at her, and didn't speak for a moment, just gave her an intense stare. He said, "This is not a game. I will show you it is not a game. And I won't be taking no for an answer. Now are you coming peacefully or do I have to drag you kicking and screaming? I will, don't think I won't." He smiled at her then, completely incongruous with how he had been up until that point and said, "Come on, it'll be fun. I'll show you what you've been missing."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Butterflykiss</strong> on <strong>30-12-2009, 19:36:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Feeling her hand snagged from behind, Eveylyn stopped in her tracks and whirled around, her dark hair swinging with her movement. Her hand tugged automatically to try and free herself from his grasp, but his fingers remained firm around hers. Her mouth opened but the hard look in his eyes made her stop. Her own eyes widened and she would have stepped back from him if he hadn’t been holding her shoulder. As it was, her body went stiff, an automatic response to his sudden aggressive stance. <br><br>His words boggled her. Was he serious? She could hardly believe that he was threatening to drag her off against her will in the midst of a crowded public area. Emotions whirled: disbelief, shock, and indignation. But the look on his face made it pretty clear that he meant every word he said. Baffled, she shook her head at his question. “You’re serious.” Her eyes narrowed as she stared at him. “You really think you’re going to change my mind about this kind of thing? I seriously doubt you could be that persuasive.” Her hand flexed her fingers within his grasp. She really wasn’t used to being touched so intensely or for long periods of time. But his hold on her hand remained firm. Reluctantly, she left her hand where it was, not wanting to cause a scene and draw attention to them. He was standing close enough that she had to tilt her head up slightly to look at his face, and uncomfortable in this new situation, Evelyn felt her cheeks blush red. <br><br>She didn’t understand. All the other people her age, her fellow university students, didn’t take anything seriously except for popularity and social status. Wallace seemed not to care about any of that. From what he’d said, he had singled her out and that was that, never mind anything else. “...I don’t get you,” she murmured. She exhaled and shook her head slightly, lowering her voice so that no one else around them would hear. “You’re asking for trouble. An Earth-born and a Colonist? People would just hate you more if they found out that you were... interested in me.”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sure</strong> on <strong>01-01-2010, 02:43:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Her surprise was more or less expected by Wallace but he smiled all the same at what played out across her face. When she asked him whether he thought he could actually change her mind, Wallace said, "I believe I will, and I know I am. Because I know what I'm saying is true. This is no game for me. I did not come all the way from the colonies to play a game, and if you can't see that it's more due to your blindness than the truth of the situation." Her fingers flexed but he didn't let go, he merely shifted his hand both making it harder to get away and bringing the whole thing to a more normal exercise of holding her hand.<br><br>She looked up and blushed and seemed uncertain, murmuring about troubles and how she didn't understand him. Wallace simply smiled and said, "People who will hate will hate, I'd be more concerned with all the men I'm about to make jealous. I asked for trouble by coming there and I'm sure I'll offend them eventually. I'd rather offend them by being with you than because I didn't stand on one foot and hop when they asked me to, because they will eventually find something to be offended about and this way I get you. That counts for a lot, I think." He smiled more widely and leaned down to give her another kiss, lighter and softer upon the lips, lingering for a moment.<br><br>He came back and said a bit more softly, "I can tell when people lie. So, tell me, tell me if you enjoy that or not. Tell me whether you really want to leave or would rather spend the rest of this time with me. Tell me the truth, tell me that you do like me, that you want to stay with me, that all the propriety and pomp and stuffiness of this place can fall away at my kiss. Because it can, you know it can."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Butterflykiss</strong> on <strong>06-01-2010, 03:11:29</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				It didn’t make sense, any of it. Why put forth the extra effort, risk all the trouble that this, whatever -this- was, was sure to bring? Before Evelyn could wrap her mind around it fully, he was leaning down and his lips were against hers once more. This time there was no shock of contact, no pressing crush of mouths. Instead, the kiss was light, and somehow warm. There was intimacy to it that surprised her, as if they’d kissed dozens of times rather than two. <br><br>When he pulled away this time, she felt dazed and breathless. Evelyn had to focus past the fog in her brain to hear and understand his words. She shifted uncomfortably. It would have been easy to lie, to deny what he’d said. Easy to pull away from him and stalk away, forget any of this had ever happened and return to the life she’d become so used to. But somehow, she knew she wouldn’t be just lying to him, but also to herself. There was nothing forgetful about the kiss they’d shared, or the way it had made her feel. <br><br>Swallowing, she shifted where she stood, her eyes not quite meeting his. His words were romantic, and that was something she definitely wasn’t used to. “Alright, just. Look, I.” Stuck for words, she exhaled sharply and tried again. “I’m not used to this,” she muttered. She wasn’t sure how to handle him or the situation she’d found herself in. “And I’m not used to being surprised, either,” she added ruefully. “I’m not going to say that I like you, because I don’t know if I do. You’re... different, that’s for sure. And the kiss, well. I didn’t hate it.” Knowing her words were awkward, Evelyn couldn’t help but give him a reproachful smile. “I’ll give you the rest of the night. I’m supposed to be showing you around, after all. After that, well... we’ll see.” 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sure</strong> on <strong>10-01-2010, 03:13:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She seemed to be stuttering but Wallace just stood there, looking as reassuring as he could muster and waiting patiently for her response. When she said she wasn't used to any of this he merely nodded his head understandingly, again when she said she wasn't used to being surprised. When she went on to what she would actually do he said, "That's... normal. Confusion is normal, apprehension is normal. But you'll pull through it, I think, to see more clearly. For good or ill on my part." His tone was understanding and yet it seemed like he was speaking of a subject he had a great deal of experience on. He didn't, particularly, but there was something knowing in his voice.<br><br>He smiled back at hers, his full and unabashed, saying, "Well, then, your night is mine. And I'm sure I've just made half the school jealous." He gave a small chuckle, "And the other half is female." He seemed to think for a moment, as if thinking what to do, trying to think of what he wanted to do with his night with Evelyn. Soon enough he was pulling her along, holding her hand tightly, through the crowds of people which began to thin. He only had half of an idea where he was going but he knew what he was looking for.<br><br>He found it in an empty plaza, empty because the building it lead up to was dark and closed for the night. Grass, rare in the district, had been planted and a statue of a man reaching upward was there, obviously showing the power of the corporation. It had a scent of flowers mixed with industry from factories not quite far enough away and gave off the dark ambience, quiet though one could hear the district’s pulsing music if they strained hard enough. Leading Evelyn to the center of the plaza, also its highest point, walking over grass and ignoring a sign advising he didn’t. He pointed up, looking where his finger pointed, “Where I come from, we often go and look out at the stars from our colonies.” He brought his hand back down, offering it to her and expecting her to take it. “I’ve danced in the stars, but never beneath them.” It was quiet, for Wallace, with the pulsing music of the district behind and no chirping bugs living this far in the city. “So, if I may have this dance?”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Butterflykiss</strong> on <strong>24-01-2010, 17:13:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				When he took her hand and began guiding her, Evelyn’s eyebrows rose speculatively. He didn’t know where anything in the city was, so where could he be taking her. As they walked, her head moved as her eyes scanned the area. They seemed to be moving away from the buy district instead of further into it. Frowning, she opened her mouth to say something but hesitated. Maybe he knew something she didn’t. And his hand felt warm and confident around hers. Closing her mouth again, she ignored her unease and followed after him. <br><br>The little lot with its grass and flowers seemed worlds away from the pounding music and loud frivolity of the entertainment district. It felt empty and forgotten, a small green place in a city of glass and noise. She winced when Wallace stepped on the grass, and although she followed him, she picked her way carefully, trying to step in places where the growth wasn’t so thick. <br><br>She looked up when he pointed, blinking up at the vast darkness of space. This close to the city, the majority of the stars were blotted by the bright lights of civilization. But staring long enough, she could pick out the pinpricks of silvery white light in the black. Looking back at him, she gave him an incredulous look. “You’re serious?” When he only held his hand out to her, she felt her fingers twitch and didn’t quite realize what she had done until after she’d slid her hand into his. <br><br>As he guided her in a dance, Evelyn felt torn between maintaining a respectful distance between them and trying to stay close enough to make their movement more fluid. Her heart pounded hard in her chest. Unsure of where to look, her eyes would go from his shoulder to the area around them and then back up to the stars. “This is pretty romantic,” she muttered, giving him a wry smile. But the uncertainty was there in her eyes and her voice. “Kind of old-fashioned, don’t you think?” Remembering what he’d said about the stars, she let her eyes drift back upwards. “I wanted to go out there,” she said softly. “Sometimes university students travel off-planet for coursework credits. My mother is adamant, though.” Realizing who she was speaking to, she stopped babbling and pressed her lips together. Obviously, she was letting the romance and novelty of the situation get to her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sure</strong> on <strong>01-02-2010, 03:39:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Wallace was pleased that she took his hand so readily despite her disbelief. He rewarded her with a smile. However, this dropped a bit when she tried to keep a respectable distance between them. All the same, he decided to give her her space for the time, though for how long before he pulled her closer he couldn't say. When she said it was pretty romantic, he said, "I was hoping it would be." He returned her wry smile, "I doubt it's what you expected at any rate." When she said it was kind of old fashioned he replied, "Everything in the colonies is new, and is constantly be replaced, repaired, reconstituted. Old-fashioned is a rarity and yet one most of us are more familiar with than our counterparts down here, I think." After a pause, “Perhaps we just appreciate it more, without the idealization.”<br><br>When her eyes drifted up, Wallace kept his eyes focused on her. And more importantly used her pre-occupation to bring her closer to him when she was least likely to realize it. He listened with interest but was somewhat disappointed in her cutting herself off, it wasn't babbling to him. He said, somewhat forlorn, "My home is awfully far away from here.” He pressed his lips to hers and managed to regain his smile, “If you want, we can talk of that later, but now we are nothing but a man and a woman. The rest is just lies, here, in this place, under the stars.” Everything that could, to him, get between them, a colonial and someone from Earth.<br><br>He pulled her closer to the point where they were touching and began to move a bit faster, more fluidly, more vigorously, with him obviously taking the lead and not letting her pull back again. In truth, he was only vaguely aware of his environment and was staring at her, his sense of touch was totally focused on her body on his, her smell, lovely with perfume, somehow drowned out those of the city, the silence of their feet roared louder than the music back at the club, and he even swore he could taste her. Perhaps it was because, before he had known what he had done, he had kissed her again. And he had stopped moving. It registered only afterward they weren’t dancing rather than kissing. Now he was getting caught up in the novelty and romance.<br><br>But the next move was conscious, she was still in his arms, and one hand shifted down and the other up. The upper one went to her breast, over her heart, and the lower to her hip. He felt her as warm and soft and moved into her, trying to gently guide her down into the grass. He knew what he was doing, on some level, where he was heading, and yet the moment, the excitement of each touch, was distracting him. Still, he could feel exactly what he wanted building, and as a cloud passed over them darkening the lot his hands attempted to find ways under her dress. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Butterflykiss</strong> on <strong>09-02-2010, 00:40:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Strange, Evelyn thought, but she couldn’t seem to tear her eyes away from his face. Their gazes seemed to meet and hold. Although she told herself she was simply imagining it, she felt the frissons of a strange tension building between them. It was as tangible as electricity, and just as potent. Girlish foolishness, she told herself. But that didn’t stop the feeling or diminish it. He spun her through the lot, and the music roared in her head, drowned out only by the sound of her increased heartbeat. She felt herself growing dizzy, but whether it was from the dancing or Wallace’s close proximity, she couldn’t say. Maybe a combination of both. <br><br>Little light kisses danced over her lips, and each one made her own lips flutter nervously. At some point, the dancing stopped and the kissing became more intense. She barely noticed, however, so distracted was she by the feel of his lips on hers. He kissed well, and she wondered in passing if he did it often. She’d only kissed a few guys. Part of her wondered if she should be nervous about her abilities. But his steady persistence mellowed any such nervousness. She forgot to breath steadily, and became lightheaded from rapid, shallow breaths. <br><br>The hand he placed on her breast brought an immediate response from her body, and she was shocked to feel her nipple reacting, her breast seeming to grow warm and soft from the contact. She had no time respond properly, however, and when her knees buckled weakly he was there to guide her down onto the grass. It was soft, she thought in muted surprise. She wouldn’t have expected it to be. There was something pleasant about the way it cushioned her body. The dark sky above her was filled with countless stars, glittering in the darkness, and partly obscured by his form over hers. <br><br>When his hands began exploring the hem of the dress she wore, some niggling sense of self preservation finally kicked in. Evelyn swallowed nervously. “W-Wait,” she managed, still feeling dizzy and distracted. Her lips tingled from all the kissing, and her hands went to his chest, laying her palms flat against him. She tried not to think about how warm he was, and the way his masculine body pressed against hers. “Wait,” she said again, this time a little stronger. She was painfully aware of their surroundings and how open the area was. And then there was the fact that she barely knew him. Old hang-ups flooded her brain, and as the romantic edge began to wear off due to her nervousness, she felt hesitant and uncertain. “I, I can’t do this,” she whispered. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sure</strong> on <strong>12-02-2010, 01:52:55</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				When Evelyn told him to wait he looked at her, utterly surprised, though her hands on his chest felt warm and produced a slight tingling sensation. He wasn’t actually sure whether she was stopping him or feeling him. Then she said it again, and the message got through. He saw her doubting something, her face clouded with something almost resembling fear, and she said she couldn’t do it. He mistook this for a lack of confidence in herself, or perhaps that was correct, but regardless his answer was simply, “But… you’re so beautiful. Let me show you how…” He trailed off as his attention returned to her skirt, ignoring her hands on his chest. First he pulled down his own pants and underwear, where the beginnings of an erection were already stirring.<br><br>While he had pulled his own clothes down with little ceremony, he savored taking off hers more slowly. He pulled her skirt up, not abruptly but gently, savoring the flesh it revealed and admiring it up and down until it crested her hips and revealed her underwear. This he pulled down, completing the ritual by seeing where the night would inevitably end. After they were down his hands left the area and touched both of her hands. With a bit more force, they moved both of them off of his chest and held them on the ground. His hold was gentle, and yet it was firm, she could not escape him now.<br><br>Then he silenced any protest she might have with a kiss, taking occasional breaks to suck on or gently bite her lips, but mostly keeping his tongue inside her mouth, searching out her tongue and kissing her deeply. Meanwhile, he pressed his own body down against hers, covering her almost completely and pushing down on her so he could feel more of her. The dress was fairly thing and he felt her through it, or thought he did. He certainly felt the softness of her breasts, but more than that he felt a heat coming off of her and the a softness that hadn’t been there before.<br><br>This was so powerful that when he moved forward, into her for the first time, only registered on a conscious level. Then he began to move in and out, back and forth, faster and faster, rubbing against her body as he went and yet keeping himself supported enough that he didn’t feel any friction. As he sped up more and more, however, the warmth found a new center and he was overwhelmed with an almost burning sensation from his manhood. Meanwhile, all he could see was her, and he smelled a mix of her, arousal, and sex. He continued to kiss her and his hands went from holding hers on the ground to simply holding her hands, her hands in his as they moved back and forth.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Butterflykiss</strong> on <strong>25-02-2010, 19:42:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				His words unnerved her, and she shook her head in silent protest at them. Before she could give voice to her misgivings, his mouth covered hers. His lips, his tongue, his teeth, seemed to draw away her convictions even as they captured her breath and left her reeling. The depth of their kisses stunned her. They were so wet, so intimate, his tongue a live thing that courted hers into a dance as dizzying as the one they'd shared while on their feet.<br><br>She barely felt it when he removed enough of her clothing to reveal her. It was only the cooler air of the night around them that made her realize what had happened. Self-consciousness was there, and she felt her pale cheeks flush bright red with the embarrassment of a young woman in front of a man. Those strange little hang-ups about her body rising to the surface, and she felt quite glad for the dim lighting of the night obscuring her. His body above hers seemed so large, the warm and heavy weight of a man, and beneath him she felt somehow small and fragile, her slim limbs giving no resistance as he held her hands. In fact, her heart rate only increased with a strange thrill from being held that way, pinned to the soft grass beneath her. Evelyn's eyes were huge as she looked up at him, and their usual confidence was masked behind a layer of uncertainty that was so rare in her features.<br><br>But the fear didn't last long as he was soon pushing his way into her tight, warm body. Evelyn's eyes went wide, and her back arched up from the grass, her mouth opening to draw in a huge sucking gasp of surprise. Her body shuddered as it stretched to accommodate him. She moaned low and breathlessly, and her hands clutched uselessly at the blades of grass on either side of her. As his movements changed and he found his rhythm, Evelyn's body softened and became pliant and yielding. Her legs widened to make his movements against her easier, the slender muscles of her thighs tensing and quivering with each of his movements. Her breasts seemed to swell and grow sensitive to the rubbing of his body, and she felt her nipples strain through the fabric. She felt herself grow hot and wet where their bodies were joined, and couldn't stop the desperate gasps of air that she managed between their intimate kisses.<br><br>"Oh, God!" she said breathlessly, shaking her head side to side as if she could deny what was happening. The movement upset her neat hair, and it lay around her head, tangling with the grass. "Wallace..." she murmured, gulping air. She didn't know what she was trying to say. Was she trying to ask him to stop? Was she asking him NOT to stop? Evelyn didn't know. She'd become lost in these strange feelings in her body, and swept away by his eagerness and his attentiveness to her body. How could he make her react so easily? Her words trailed off into another moan, and she blushed a deep dark red when she heard how her voice sounded: low and lustful. It was all so unreal, almost as if it were happening to someone else and not her. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sure</strong> on <strong>28-02-2010, 23:02:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				In contrast to Evelyn’s uncertainty, Wallace seemed to be incapable of knowing hesitation. He thrust into her with a certainty that they were both enjoying this, that they both wanted this, that everything about this was good, regardless of whether that was true or not. He knew he was attractive to her as certainly as he knew she was attractive to&nbsp; him. As he looked down at her wide eyes, he tried to instill some of this confidence in her, even as he thrust into her.<br><br>She felt tight as he went into her, and her moans were matched by his. He felt her rubbing against him as they went back and forth, their bodies pressing together and him inside her. Having released her mouth he moved down to her neck where he kissed, and licked, but most of all he bit her, sucking the bites after he was done as he went back and forth with her. He continued with this even as she cried out, both to God and then saying his name. His name, he took, as moaning for him, unaware of the uncertainty within her own mind.<br><br>She moaned low, lustful, and as taken by this as he was. He could just make out the blush on her face in between his attentions to her neck, and couldn’t help smiling, finding it endearing. He soon felt a pressure building that was familiar to him, he was going to come. He began to move faster, hoping to bring her to climax with him by stimulating her further, and held back as long as he could to prolong the sex. But soon the force was irresistible and he released into her. As he did so he moved his mouth off of her but kept his body on hers, falling on her with a bit more of his weight than he intended as he lost control at the moment of orgasm. He moaned out, “Eve…” as he came, not able to get her full name out.<br><br>After he was done, and he had a moment to collect himself, he brought his lips up to hers and gave her a kiss, just on the lips this time, before looking over her to see if she had came as well. If she had, then he would pull out, and if not, then he would push her over the edge. For the moment, he was still on top of her and still inside her, trying to see how she had reacted.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Butterflykiss</strong> on <strong>17-05-2010, 20:51:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The set of his teeth against the pliant give of the skin made her shudder, and her hands sought out something firmer and more substantial than the inadequate grass she had been clutching at before. When her hands found his arms, she gripped them, her fingertips pressing against the muscles of his forearms as if holding onto them for dear life. His arms were strong and steady, and she could feel the muscles in them flex and firm each time he moved. This feeling of strength comforted her, making it okay somehow for her to be so yielding. Her head tilted back, pressing the back of her head against the grass as she lay, helpless to do anything but be swept away by his needs and the rhythm that he had set.<br><br>The pace changed, increasing in fervor, and Evelyn felt a familiar pressure building where their bodies were joined. At first, she was so shocked that she couldn't quite believe it. But there was no denying it, not when her legs were begin to tremble, her thighs tightening on either side of his hips involuntarily, and not when she felt the flushing heat travel from her hips and across her torso, staining her skin a delicate pink.<br><br>Releasing his arms, she tangled her fingers in her own hair, her eyes meeting his in speechless desperation. "I, I'm going to--" She was cut off as the orgasm hit her almost without warning, the inner walls deep inside of her where Wallace's hard length pressed gripped him tightly as her muscles gathered and went taut. Her body arched up from the grass, and Evelyn squeezed her eyes shut as she gave vent to a startled and breathless cry of sudden release and pleasure.<br><br>It seemed forever for the fog to dissipate, and for awhile she remained as she was, unaware of anything except the incredible haze that had settled over her. Her body felt light and golden, and her breathing seemed to come from someplace far away. As the feeling gradually ebbed, she opened her eyes to find Wallace looking down at her, and then she felt the warm weight of his body on top of hers still, and the wetness that had pooled where their bodies joined.<br><br>Embarrassment mingled with a sudden and strange sense of joy. Blushing bright red, she let her hands loose from her hair and planted a palm on her forehead, trying to catch her breath and also trying not to smile. She didn't succeed in either. "Oh my God," she murmured, and her voice was husky and a little rough. "I can't believe I... we just did that." She opened her eyes to look at him again, somewhat miffed that he seemed so calm and satisfied while she was feeling embarrassed and more than a little unnerved at the ease of which they'd just completed their joining. "This is not what I had in mind when I said I would show you around." She tried to sound reproachful, but it came out in a more teasing tone. If she let herself admit it, her body was so loose and so relaxed that it was hard to be annoyed at him. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sure</strong> on <strong>19-05-2010, 02:38:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Wallace smiled at the quality of her voice, the confusion, the after effects of lust, and he simply responded to her disbelieving statement by saying, "I can." in a tone of voice that was both wholly certain and at the same time appreciative of her, as if he was glad it had happened. When she said this wasn't what she had in mind Wallace said, "Life throws many surprises at us. You, for example, are not at all what I expected you to be." A wry smile formed on his face, "Besides, how can you show me around without showing me inside?" His hand, meanwhile managed to find it's way to her cheek which he gently stroked.<br><br>There was a moment though, just a moment, caused, Wallace thought, by a small blow of wind. Suddenly his faculties returned so that he was... more aware. Before he had only been aware of Evelyn and what was directly available. But now he heard the vague beats of distant clubs. He saw the grass below Evelyn, felt it pricking his legs, and suddenly felt a bit cold. He looked as if startled. He realized just how absorbed he had become in that moment and then he looked down at Evelyn and returned to that smile he had worn before. He gave her a peck on the lips before he released her other arm. He said, "Next time, I think we might try a bed." There was no doubt in his mind there would be a next time.<br><br>He felt the wetness down where they met and didn't want to leave that, even though the act was over. For some reason, perhaps it was just because he liked holding her down, his hand returned from her cheek to its former place on her arms. He said, "You know, you need to loosen up, let your hair down. Even an airlock has to open from time to time. I know you enjoyed that but you are just trying to distance yourself from it. If I've got you pegged you'll spend a lot of time feeling guilty and trying to justify this whole affair to yourself. So I'll make it simple for you: tell me you enjoyed it. Admit that you liked what just happened. That you'd do it all over again and hope it happens again" He gave her a brief kiss on the neck before saying, "And even if I don't have you pegged right, I'd like to hear it."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Butterflykiss</strong> on <strong>27-05-2010, 16:52:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				His certainty and his calm manner irritated her, and Evelyn tried not to squirm beneath him. The touch of his fingers to her face only made the urge to wriggle free more apparent. Why wasn't he rolling over and getting off her? Isn't that what guys were supposed to do after sex? Instead, his weight was settled so comfortably on top of her, and he didn't stop touching her. The intimacy was disconcerting, and couldn't quite stop herself from shifting slightly underneath him. "What's inside isn't normally on the campus tour," she muttered, trying not to meet his steady gaze. "And don't be so sure there will be a next time."<br><br>His next words baffled her, and for a long moment she could only stare at him, her lips parted and her eyes belying her feelings. Anger and resentment mixed with outright shock. How dare he assume to know her so well as to give her advice on how to behave! Her first instinct was to rail against what he said. Words of denial and outrage bubbled on her lips, and her fingers curled as she clenched her hands, wanting to shove him away from her. But his words niggled her, and she felt the weight of the truth in them, heavy in her heart like a rock.<br><br>"You just don't get it," she muttered at last, letting her eyes slide away from his. "Everyone's uptight around here. Seriously, we're just..." She hesitated, squirmed. "...complicating things by getting involved." The words sounded lame even in her own ears, and she tried not to sigh. Her voice lowered even further. "You want me to be honest? Then I'll tell you that there's no way this is a good idea. I don't like drama, and this is just begging for it. Not everyone's as easy going as you. Hell, no one around here is! But..." Forcing herself to look back at him, she swallowed.<br><br>"...I think it's pretty obvious that I enjoyed it." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Homeland</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sure</strong> on <strong>27-05-2010, 21:40:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Wallace smiled again at her when she said what was inside wasn't normally on the campus tour. He replied, "Well, I'm glad you let me unlock the gates and come inside." When she said not to be so sure there would be a next time he simply said, "There will be, you'll come around. I know it." Again, he had that simple confidence. He saw her fighting in her mind, part of her, the part he wanted banished, wanted to deny it all, but the weight of his words, with truth, managed to win out. The first words out of her mouth were those of frustration, and William felt elated. Not because he enjoyed frustrating her but because that meant the other side had won out, the one which didn't deny her feelings.<br><br>When she said he didn't get it, it wasn't a good idea, that it would cause problems, Wallace was about to respond when a but came through. He smiled, and when she said, albeit a bit tepidly, she had enjoyed it, William's smile grew wide. He gave her one more kiss and said, "I'll let you off with just that for now, my dear." He continued, "Now, then, you've been honest with me so I should return the favor. I don't think you're afraid of the relationship, and if you are, I can and I will shield you as best I can. But what I think you're really afraid of is that I'm pursuing you, going after you, that I <em>want</em> you, in spite of all that. No one has ever treated you quite this way, and it scares you even though you love it. And I know it will cause me so many problems but I think you're worth it. So I don't care. No one, I'm guessing, has ever valued you that highly before. But what we have... it's improper and it's wrong and it's utterly ridiculous. But you know what? <em>I love it</em>." He pressed ever so slightly more on her, "Like you. You will come to love it too."<br><br>"I do get it, you see. There will be problems, but come drama, bad ideas, complications, uptightiness." William paused for a moment, that wasn't a word, he didn't think. "I will stay right here with you, on top of you, and in you. So..." William hesitated for just a second, the first hesitation he had shown, "So, tell me that you will stay with me."
			</dd>
		</dl>
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