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Post by Austin Jennings on May 27, 2017 14:06:31 GMT -5
As he watched the sunset Austin became aware that someone had joined him in his spot overlooking the lake. He waited for whoever it was to make themselves known but when they didn't Austin figured he would let them be for the moment. This wasn't his spot after all and he could share it if needed.
He had almost given up on them, whoever they were, and was about to go back to his painting when a soft voice spoke beside him and stepped into his line of sight. It was a blonde girl, a daughter of Chione from his cohort. They had never spoken but as he glanced in her direction her name came to him. "Thanks...Anastasia isn't it?" He said with an embarrassed little smile. "I'm not sure if I would call it beautiful...Not yet anyways, but I'm glad you like it."
Austin rubbed his forehead absently with the hand that held his paint brush, an action that left a red streak across his brow. However, as he continued talking it became obvious that he wasn't aware of this. "Did you uh...come out to see the sunset too?"
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Post by Austin Jennings on May 13, 2017 11:51:26 GMT -5
The sun drifted lower in the sky casting long shadows from the trees along the banks of the lake. The lengthening shadows fell on the son of Arcus and his easel casting the pair in sudden darkness but for the most part the painter carried on with what he was doing pausing long enough to squirt some more paint on his palette before returning to his picture with furious intensity as he transferred the scene that he saw before him onto his canvas.
Austin was inspired and as was usually the case when he got a fit of inspiration the world around him seemed to fade as he focused all his will, all his attention on the fine details that he saw in his mind’s eye. Granted it was pretty impressive that he was able to see much at all in the fading light but at this point he was being led more by his intuition and the image that he held in his mind than by actual physical sight. As always with his best work he was lost in the painting. His hands were leading him now and it was likely they wouldn’t stop until they were done.
There was a reason for the frenzied pace of his work however. He had to work fast if he was going to catch the exact moment he had come out here for and suddenly, there it was. The sun dropped out of sight behind the trees painting the sky and the lake a beautiful burnt sienna, his favorite color.
Austin’s pace slowed and then finally stopped as he glanced up to admire the sunset and the color reflecting off the water. It truly was something special and it was the only reason he had come out here today. He had to take a moment to absorb it, to take it all in. This was what life was all about and here he was right at the center of it. He still had to finish his painting of course and now he had the perfect backdrop he had been waiting for but sometimes you had to slow down. Sometimes it couldn’t be helped.
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Arcus
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Post by Austin Jennings on Feb 28, 2017 0:39:01 GMT -5
Austin chuckled for a moment as Mac spoke. "I don't think you're that bad." He said with a hint of humor in his voice. "Maybe I'm just the first to realize you really are worth following." He smiled a little and then felt her hand move over his. He glanced down at it in surprise and then listened as she said something that changed his world.
He could kiss her? She was inviting him to kiss her? There had been something electric in the air building since the moment he had stepped out of that coffee shop and decided to follow Mac on this little adventure. Something that had seemed inevitable and now it felt like the pinnacle moment was finally here. It was a little scary especially for a guy who was used to his world fitting into a nice little ordered box. Mac had changed that though and here they were alone on some Roman roof and watching an amazing sunset. The time really was right and if he missed his opportunity this time it probably wouldn't come around again.
"Mackenzie, I..." He started as he turned his hand up to fold into hers. He had a confused look on his face and why not? She could have had her pick of any number of guys and yet it was him that Mac had brought here. It was him that she had invited to kiss her. He decided right then that he didn't really need to finish that statement. Anything he could have said would have most likely ruined things anyways and this moment he didn't want to ruin. She was already leaning close to him waiting for a response so he gave the only one that would have meant anything anyways and slowly leaned forward meeting her lips with his.
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Arcus
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Post by Austin Jennings on Jan 31, 2017 1:04:36 GMT -5
The moment passed but if he had been hoping that it would clear his head he was very wrong. In fact, Austin felt more confused now than ever. He had wanted to kiss her, still wanted to kiss her and now he was left kicking himself because he hadn’t. Had he messed up? Had he missed his chance? It certainly felt like it but then Mac was grinning at his question and that made him think that she at least wasn’t mad at him. Maybe he wasn’t out of this yet.
Mac rolled over beside him and Austin got his first glimpse of what it was that she had wanted to show them. Where they were laying on the roof he could see the sun had just began to set lighting the sky in multicolored hues of deepest orange and red to slightly darker violets and blues. Austin knew sunsets. He had painted enough of them over the years to have the color palette down by heart. It was the very colors he was seeing now. For all that though he thought that he had never quite experienced one like this, not from this view point, not after going through so much and not with a pretty girl by his side.
Austin pushed himself up into a sitting position beside Mac and continued to watch the light fade. He didn’t speak for a long time because sometimes words were really cheap and something this beautiful deserved to be expressed in more than just words. He usually tried expressing it with his paintings. Now though he let them both soak it in for a while and when he finally did speak it was soft and contemplative.
“I love the sunset.” He said as he watched the light slip away. He wasn’t sure how Mac had guessed it or even if she had but she had done well by bringing him here tonight to enjoy one of his favorite things. “It reminds me that sometimes the best moments in life can come when you least expect them. Take this one for example. The day is done, the sun is about to be snuffed out for another day and yet just before the night…” He moved one of his hands across the horizon in front of him and when he set it back down he set it close by Mac’s side. “Thank you for bringing me out here Mackenzie and sticking with me too. It was worth it.”
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Post by Austin Jennings on Jan 22, 2017 0:37:17 GMT -5
Thrilling. Yeah thrilling was a good word for it. Looking up at Mac now though and seeing how she was looking at him it was pretty hard to really wrap his head around that word or even manage a response more than a little “mmmhmm”. As his laughter died away and he was left with the very real knowledge that they were tangled up together on some Roman roof with no one around he found it really hard to think of anything but the girl who was taking him on this little adventure.
What was he supposed to do? Mac was pretty and cool and exciting and made him feel as alive as he did when he was on his biggest creative high. In short, she was everything that Austin was not and yet was it wrong that he wanted nothing more than to close the short distance between them, press his lips to hers and tug her down so that she rested a little closer against him? Maybe it was just the excitement of the evening and the jump but it even looked like she wanted it too.
Austin watched her for a moment his eyes seemingly drawn to her lips by some magnetic force that she was putting off. He almost...almost leaned forward to meet them but then he cleared his throat and the moment, at least for now, had passed. "S...so uh what was it you were wanting to sh...show me?" He really needed to learn to shut up.
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Post by Austin Jennings on Dec 25, 2016 1:03:03 GMT -5
Austin couldn't be sure but for just moment he thought he could see a shadow pass over Mac's face that dimmed the radiant brightness he had come to expect from her. He didn't think that it was anything to dwell on as it passed almost as quickly as it came but it was curious none the less. He might have even said something if he had the chance but before he could think to ask she was showing him where to jump and that consumed most of his thoughts.
It didn’t look like too far of a jump. Surely they could make it. Mac wouldn’t have brought them up here if they couldn’t. “Running start.” He said as they began to back up. “Got it.” He was going to do this. No backing out now. His mind was made up and he was ready. “You know it doesn’t look so…wait…You’ve never…” but that was all he got out before she started running. Austin had little choice but to run now to keep up and he did so as fast as he could as the ledge of the roof was rapidly approaching.
When he reached the ledge he didn't need Mac to shout any more instructions at him. There was only one thing to do and attached to Mac as he was he knew that she was depending on him too. That in mind he pushed off from the ledge as hard and as far as he could and then suddenly there was nothing between him and the ground but air.
It was odd really, how time seemed to slow down in those few airborne seconds. The jump couldn't have taken that long but he seemed to float, legs kicking, hand still holding tightly to Mac's as they soared through the air for much longer than seemed possible. It was...exciting and fun but the slow motion feeling couldn't last forever and as he landed on the other side he went into a tumbling roll. When he skidded to a halt a few feet later he was laughing and holding a bit more than her hand. At some point during their landing he had gotten so tangled up that Mac was wrapped in his arms with her on top of him. Austin hadn’t realized it yet but they were a lot closer now than they had ever been at the café.
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Post by Austin Jennings on Dec 17, 2016 13:58:10 GMT -5
"We jump?" He said as he gave her a curious look. It wasn't that he didn’t trust her, to the contrary he must of trusted her quite a bit to have come this far but he was starting to wonder if she was just having fun making him squirm. Fortunately he didn't have to wait long for her to elaborate. Jumping buildings. He could do that. Compared to the climbing he thought it might actually be easier. Then again he wasn't sure if "easy" could explain anything they were doing tonight. Granted Mac was making it worth it even if she didn’t know it.
It only took him a moment to catch his breath again and the decision to jump across the building didn't take him near as long as it had when she had asked him to climb. She was smiling at him again and it made him feel even more confident that this was something he needed to do not only to impress Mac but because he wanted to see what she had to show him. Well that and the fact that she was really cute. That was turning out to be a pretty good motivator in itself.
"Alright." He said as he reached up and took the hand she was holding out to him. "I trust you." He pulled himself to his feet and forced all of his hesitation and insecurity from his mind. He wouldn't be here if she hadn't wanted him to come and he wasn't going to be the guy who let her down just because she was expanding his horizons. Giving the hand a gentle squeeze he nodded to show that he was ready. "Let's do this."
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Post by Austin Jennings on Dec 6, 2016 21:04:02 GMT -5
He had gone insane. It was the only logical answer to why he was climbing up the side of a building late at night. It wasn’t that he was scared of heights or anything, wasn’t even that he thought he couldn’t do it, it was just that this whole night, Mac, their time at the coffee shop, coming out with her on some big adventure, was just so unlike him. There were times as he climbed slowly up the handholds that he wondered what on earth he was doing here but then Mac would call out some encouragement from above him like she really believed in him and wanted him here and that that served to anchor him.
Still, it wasn’t an easy climb. Mac, who likely did this a lot more than him, reached the roof before he had made it half way up but he kept climbing. Arms straining, fingers scrabbling for purchase on the handholds he made his slow progress up the building and just when he thought he couldn’t go any further he glanced up and saw Mac's hand reaching for him. Giving one final heave Austin pushed himself up a little further to grasp the hand and help himself up the rest of the way.
When he finally got up on the roof he slumped down on it to catch his breath. He was breathing heavily from the climb but he looked up at her smiling. “Thanks. You’re uh pretty good at that you know?” He motioned with his hands to indicate the climbing thing they had just done and took a look around. “Alright, I've trusted you so far and so far so good. Where to now?”
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Post by Austin Jennings on Dec 4, 2016 17:01:36 GMT -5
So she liked things outside. That didn't sound so bad. Austin thought he could manage that. Something told him that her statement was probably a lot broader than he thought but how bad could it be? She was cute and excited and right now he didn't particularly want to spoil the moment. He did file that bit of knowledge away though because by the sound of things this might not be the last time Mac drug him off on some wild adventure.
"Yeah I guess having a place to crash would be important." Austin didn't know of course. Parties had never really been his thing and he had never had to crash at someone's apartment but he supposed the barracks probably wasn’t the best place to recover after a crazy night. University didn't sound that bad though. He had thought about that after his own term in the legion was finished but that seemed like a long way away. Besides, he had to survive this night with Mac before he worried about the future.
With the frames and everything dropped off it was time to go again. Mac grabbed his hand and they were off. "I'm following. I'm following." He said with a chuckle as she pulled him along. Granted her telling him not to be scared didn't really do much for his confidence but he didn't think he was going to wimp out on her. At least he hoped not anyways. Something told him that wasn't the best way to make a good impression on the girl.
She led him behind a building and directed his attention up the back wall. "We're climbing that?" He said in a confused tone but he barely had a chance to think as Mac immediately turned to the wall and began to climb. He watched her for a moment moving with more strength and skill than he thought he possessed. A lot of conflicting thoughts were going through his mind. The wall looked like it was about ready to collapse with all the "handholds" that were sticking out of it and yet the longer he waited the further Mac got.
Here it was. The moment of truth. Did he play it safe and go back to his canvases or did he say screw it and follow after the cute girl that had brought him here? If he waited much longer she would be gone and then what?
In the end that was what got him moving and judging by the height he had some catching up to do. Turning to the wall he grabbed the handholds and lifted himself up following Mac's progress. "I'm coming Mac. Hold on. I'm coming."
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Arcus
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Post by Austin Jennings on Dec 3, 2016 13:46:59 GMT -5
The pursed lips, the mischievous smirk, Mac definitely had something planned for them but it didn't look like he would be getting any warning ahead of time. Austin found he really didn't care though because Mac had taken his hand and was pulling him to his feet. He would have gone pretty much anywhere with her at this point, she hadn't given him any reason to mistrust her and right now he was just content to be along for the ride. That being the case he definitely wasn't a flight risk yet. "Oh I don't think I'm going anywhere." He confessed honestly and allowed himself to be led out of the café and towards Mac's place.
When she spoke again Austin glanced down at his shoes. They weren't anything special, just some comfortable tennis shoes. He didn't really have many "super nice" things to keep from getting dirty. He had never seen the point before and it wasn't like the legion was paying big. "I should be fine. So does this mean it's something outside?" It was a long shot but he was curious. Besides, there was no harm in fishing for clues was there?
He was wearing a goofy grin as they finally arrived at the apartment that Mac explained wasn't really so much hers as a place where she crashed sometimes. Austin looked around and nodded to himself as she fished out the key. "Oh? It seems nice enough. I still don't know many people around New Rome itself but I guess it's good to have connections in town."
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Post by Austin Jennings on Dec 1, 2016 20:13:37 GMT -5
Austin liked seeing Mac happy and when she squealed and glanced out the window into the night he thought that he had said the right thing to do just that. He watched her as she thought and when she turned back around he was wearing a cautiously optimistic smile hoping that he was ready for whatever came next. She had apparently decided on something to do but didn't tell him what it was just yet which he supposed that was a good thing as it didn't really give him a chance to back out.
She leaned in very close, close than friends usually did and Austin found himself struggling to concentrate again. Somehow though he managed to give a nod and even though the words sounded like they were coming from a distance he finally found them. "Yeah. Tonight is good. We can uh definitely do something tonight if you want. I didn't have anything planned and like you said the night is uh young." Absently he turned a hand up to her in silent invitation not knowing if she even saw it. "What did you uh have in mind?"
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Post by Austin Jennings on Nov 30, 2016 22:30:34 GMT -5
Austin wasn't sure what he was getting into here but it definitely sounded like Mac was going to do everything in her power to expand his world. That was alright. Maybe his world needed a little expanding. All he knew was that he found it really hard to say ‘no’ to this girl when she had it in her mind to do something. "Well, in for a penny, in for a pound as they say." Austin said as he offered his most winning smile hoping that this didn't end with him in the infirmary and wondering if it would kind of be worth it if it did.
He had to admit that he really liked the prospect of spending more time with Mac. Whether here or behind a canvas he did like her. It was probably a one and a million chance that he would ever have a shot with this turning into more than a friendship but at least it looked like they would have some fun along the way. Thinking about where to start though wasn't exactly easy. On the one hand he had the option of sticking with what he was familiar with in painting that portrait for her. On the other hand was Mac's choice which was a bit of a mystery. He wasn't sure where that choice would take them but he was kind of interested in finding out. "Well," He said after giving it a little thought. "I've already drug you away for coffee and I can paint that portrait any time. Why don't we start with something you like to do?"
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Post by Austin Jennings on Nov 29, 2016 22:49:08 GMT -5
Well the cat was out of the bag wasn’t it? Granted Austin knew he wasn’t exactly the best at keeping his cool but to hear her just come out with it was a bit of a surprise. He guessed Mac really could read him like a book and if so she definitely wasn't the type to beat around the bush with what she knew. Then again if she did know and she was still here what did that say? Austin didn't know but it wasn’t long before he felt the familiar heat in his cheeks that was impossible to ignore as he tried putting his thoughts into words. “I uh…well I mean it’s uh…that obvious is it?” He chuckled nervously but fortunately Mac changed the subject saving him from having to stumble through some embarrassing confession.
“Maybe you can convince me.” He said genuinely enough after he had a moment to regain his composure. Honestly he didn’t think she would actually have to try that hard to rope him into something but he was curious about what she would have him doing if she got the chance. “I don’t know how much fun I would be but you don’t seem that dangerous to me.”
Austin hoped he didn’t live to regret those words but they were out there now and he was sure Mac would hold him to them. Far more interesting than that though was this portrait idea. Yeah it probably was a little silly to hold on to a portrait of yourself but by the way Mac was talking it sounded like she already had a plan for this picture. He guessed he would just have to see. “I would be honored if you let me paint your portrait Mackenzie, really, and I’m uh…sure it won’t be hard to find a home for it when we’re done.”
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Post by Austin Jennings on Nov 29, 2016 1:54:17 GMT -5
Maybe he was a little crazy but if so it wasn't because of his thoughts on his pictures and paintings. Seeing Mac happy and smiling might have something to do with it though. He already thought she looked great but when she smiled she looked absolutely stunning. A fact that was evident in that no matter how hard he tried he just could not keep his eyes off of her for long. Not only that but when she listened to him Austin had the distinct impression that she was genuinely interested in what he was saying and for once he didn't really feel awkward opening up and talking to someone. It wasn't much but it was nice to have a conversation with her on that kind of level.
"I think you’re right. Maybe we do all have a certain amount of crazy in us. If that’s the case I guess it’s the people who think they are sane that we need to watch out for." He gave her teasing smirk as she told him about some of the things that she liked to do. "I don’t think that sounds so bad. Dangerous things are scary sometimes but where would we be if no one was willing to put themselves in danger? Who would ever fight? Who would ever risk there life to save someone else? Besides, I’m pretty sure crazy dangerous things can be beautiful too sometimes."
He was looking into her eyes again and boy was that an intense place to be. Watching her like that Austin found it very hard to believe that Mac thought her talents somehow served others less than his. Mac was too nice, too sweet to not care about others and Austin would have bet more than a few of his best paint brushes that if he ever found himself lucky enough to be one of those people she cared for that she would have his back no matter what. He was just about to say as much but then she leaned forward and said something that stopped him before he could even get going. "Uh...A portrait. I could do a portrait. I mean I would like that. Are you sure you want one? From me?"
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Post by Austin Jennings on Nov 13, 2016 0:11:40 GMT -5
She wanted to get to know him because he was the one making the art, the one who was seeing it and expressing it on canvas or paper? That was different. He didn't know if he had ever meet anyone who wanted to get to know him as something more than just the painting guy. Austin liked the idea though. He liked it a lot and it made him like Mac a little more too. She was definitely different than most of the people he dealt with and he was beginning to think that those differences were what made her so likable at least in his eyes.
"Really? I think I would like that." He said as his own cheeks reddened a little. He had hopes that maybe she would like him as a little more than a friend by the time the evening was over but friendship was a good place to start. He could deal with that for now. In the mean time he got to enjoy her sitting next to him as they talked which he wasn't going to complain about at all. Mac apparently wasn't looking to go anywhere and he wasn't either so long as she was beside him.
"Me?" He asked as he took another sip of his coffee. He wasn't really used to talking about himself but he felt like he needed to come up with something. Mac had just opened herself up to him and Austin felt like she at least deserved the same. "Well there's not too many interesting things to tell really. I grew up in a small town in Wyoming which wasn't exactly easy. I eventually got picked up by Lupa for some reason and here I am. I'm not that great of a fighter but I do try to help where I can." He sighed not really wanting this conversation to turn to the business of the legion and knew Mac probably didn't either even if it was a big party of their life. "Really I'm just hoping I can survive long enough to get out of the legion and make it as an artist. I mean I've always been good at it but I like, have to do it you know?" He shook his head and stared into his coffee mug as he continued. "I know what you're thinking. Starving artist right? You'd probably be right but it's like I can't keep it quiet sometimes. It's hard to explain but I think that's the problem when you have a talent for something, it doesn't stay quiet. It'll wake you up in the middle of your tiredest nights just screaming at you 'Use me stupid! Go on, use me!' and then it doesn't stop until you do. I think it's the same whether it's a talent for art or safe-cracking or...well maybe even dividing numbers in your head. I don't know." He chuckled a little and gave her a wan grin. "I probably sound a little crazy don't I?"
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