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Re: Hidden In Plain Sight [Millie and I]

Postby MillietheWarrior » 01/03/2011 1:21 AM

Yeah, of course she had a boyfriend. Shades had been stupid to think she’d give him up just for a Clone. He wasn’t boyfriend material. Friend material, sure. But never boyfriend Never…anything more. Just a Clone. Not a man. Just a clone. Shades felt his cheeks heat with embarrassment and anger; he wasn’t angry at Sam. He was angry at himself. He’d let himself believe she’d wanted him as more than a friend, and he’d only set himself up for pain and heartbreak. He should’ve known better. He looked up as Sam’s words echoed his thoughts, and then smiled lightly, trying very hard to hide the pain that slowly overwhelmed him. Her unfinished question left his heart aching; did he what? Did he think she cared about him? Did he think she wanted him as something more? Did he think she wanted to date him? Yes. He had, but only for a few, blissful moments. Now it was back to the old game of pretend, of dodging around his own emotions and being just a friend. His hands clenched around his coffee cup, and as he stared into the dark liquid, he imagined his grip was tight enough to shatter it.

He could hardly bring himself to look at Sam, let alone speak to her. The lump in his throat kept him from saying anything, but after a few moments of painful silence, he lifted his eyes to hers, careful to hide them behind the dark orange of his glasses. He was thankful for his trademark shades at times like these; they held his true emotions at bay when they would have been shining in his eyes for everyone to see. “Oh,” he said at last, swallowing the pain in favor of trying to hold a somewhat normal conversation with the woman he cared so deeply about. “Then he’s a di’kut, Sam. Nothing should be more important than you. Why don’t you tell him to spend more time with you?” He seemed genuinely perplexed as to why a man would elect to NOT spend time with Sam. She was everything a man could want and so much more. Shades was betting this guy was a bigger idiot than he’d originally thought. If he ever met him, he’d be certain to tell him exactly what was on his mind, and teach him a lesson about hurting his Sam.

Shades’ hand itched to take Sam’s in his own, but he didn’t dare move for fear of doing something else embarrassing and stupid. His hands trembled slightly, and he stared hard at his coffee cup, lifting it to his lips to take a tentative sip. It was strong, and bitter, but it steadied his frazzled nerves. “Yeah, I guess,” he said at last. “I met the guy once. His entire squad was wiped out on Geonosis, you know? He’s so shaken up, he can barely even walk straight, and they’re already trying to stick him in with a new squad. Torrent’s sure he’s got something wrong, you know, psychologically. He saw his…he saw his brothers die in front of him and he couldn’t do anything to help them. I’m worried that this is a bad idea. He needs time to grieve. But of course, he won’t get it. He just kind of…he just stares. Like at the ground, or at the wall, or at the person who’s talking to him. And then he smiles like everything’s okay and just walks away. He doesn’t’ even want to talk about it.”

Shades shook his head, sighing heavily. “I just…let’s not talk about that anymore. I don’t want to think about replacements or Geonosis. Just…I dunno. Let’s talk about…something else…” He frowned, and then seemed to remember something. His face brightened only marginally, and he dug around in his pocket, pulling out a small wooden carving. It had been carved in the shape of a commando; Shades had spent his free time on their last mission carving a small trinket for Sam. He didn’t have any money, so he made due with what he could find. He’d been intending to give it to her on their first date so she’d always have a small piece of him to carry with her, even if he was killed in battle, to remember and love him by. As it was, he took it from his pocket and stared sadly at it, before he gently reached over and opened her hand, setting it on her palm and closing her fingers around it. “I made that for you. I…I wanted you to…to always have a piece of me, even if I…was gone, whether for good or…otherwise. I’m sorry it’s not a fancy bracelet. Maybe if Adate, Torrent and I can win some more credits, I can buy you something nice. I-I hope you like it…”

I love adventurous tales like that. That uplifting feeling that comes from seeing unknown lands and the knowledge that you came across—nothing can replace it! It opens a path from which self-confidence, experience, and important friendships—from the sharing of life or death situations—are born! But hearing it just isn’t the same. I want to create my own magnificent story!



A great adventure!


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Re: Hidden In Plain Sight [Millie and I]

Postby Flame » 01/03/2011 10:48 PM

[Fffff~ Prepare for novel-ness. XD Just a friendly warning, hehe. ;3]

Sam seemed almost afraid to meet his gaze, whether it was hidden by his sunglasses or not. She was certain that Shades probably thought that she was an absolute idiot now, especially for losing her cool so easily over what she assumed shouldn’t have been as big of a deal as she made out of it. Generally, it took quite a bit to fluster her, but this…this had been a completely different topic from what she was used to talking about, especially with him, and not one which she had touched upon before. To say that it had caught her by surprise would have been a vast understatement, to say the least. It had staggered her so much that she couldn’t even begin to consider the possibility…not until she’d had a chance to calm down and think it over rationally, at least.

What didn’t quite hit her until now though, was the possibility that Shades actually felt something for her, and that he hadn’t only showed up to humor her and break potentially disappointing news to her. What if he’d truly, genuinely cared for her more than he let on? That this entire time, he’d been harboring his true feelings for her under a guise of friendship? If that was indeed the case, then this matter ran even deeper and closer to the heart than she ever could have expected or imagined, and Shades…poor Shades; Sam could only imagine what she had inadvertently done to him, especially considering the inexcusably tactless way she had handled the situation. The thought alone was enough to twist her gut painfully, only being able to imagine what sort of agony she might have just put him through. She plucked up the courage to tear her gaze away from her coffee cup once again to glance nervously at him, her eyes seeking some sign as to what his thoughts were. However, he seemed almost unaffected by everything that was going on…either that, or he was terribly good at concealing his emotions, his gaze carefully hidden behind his sunglasses. Either way, Sam couldn’t get a read on him and was forced to continue shooting in the dark, none the wiser to what was going through his mind.

At his comment about her boyfriend, she managed a small, sad smile, hearing the old Shades she knew and loved reemerging slightly from his cocoon of impassiveness.  “I’ve…I’ve tried, but he’s been busy with work and all, especially these past few days. You know how it goes.” She shrugged lightly, the gesture halfhearted, her gaze drifting away wistfully as she spoke. “I just don’t want to be a burden on him, is all.” A tiny, almost imperceptible frown furrowed her normally cheerful features as she looked away, her focus fixed somewhere in the unseeable distance. Sam was one of those people who saw no wrong in others; she just seemed to assume that everyone kept to their word, and always seemed to look on the optimistic side of every situation. When she was in a relationship, she was the type to throw her entire mind, body, and soul into it, regardless of how happy (or unhappy) it made her. Perhaps that was the reason why she would never suspect her boyfriend of anything and would always give him the benefit of the doubt, regardless of his actions, and perhaps it was also the reason behind why she had never had the opportunity to consider Shades in that light. She had always been taken, albeit not by the same person the entire time, but despite all of their fickleness and infidelity, she always remained faithful, regardless.

Sam blinked when Shades spoke up again, her attention finally drawn back to him and out of her own unspoken thoughts. She was glad for the change of subject, although this matter was not on a much happier not in comparison to the last. “I wish there was something that I could do to help,” she finally replied, her voice wistful. “I suppose the best you can do is to be there for him when he needs you. Perhaps with a little luck and compassion, his wounds will heal over time.” Again, Sam felt that same, familiar pull at her heartstrings for the plight of these men, for the unfairness of their existence and the suffering they were forced to live through. She was about to say more when Shades decided to change the subject once again, and she fell silent, although a mixture of emotions – primarily concern – still furrowed her brow.

She was surprised and mildly confused for a moment when Shades reached forward to take one of her hands before dropping a small, light item into it. Glancing down, she unwrapped her fingers slightly to reveal a petite, beautifully carved figurine shaped in the likes of an armor-clad commando. She seemed captivated by it for a moment, her gaze wandering over the minute details in the little carving before she lifted it to meet his again. “You made this? For me?” Her voice was gentler as she asked, her eyes flickering down momentarily to take it in again. “It’s beautiful.” She tucked it carefully into a pocket, where she was sure she wouldn’t lose it. However, a small frown once again returned to her façade at Shades’ words, her eyes hardening slightly. “Don’t talk like that. After all, you know you made that promise to me that you’d always come back. Whether it’s for me or not, you have to come home safely.”

The faint tinkle of bells as the door of the café opened and closed hardly registered in Sam’s mind; after all, she had much more important matters to be worrying about at the moment. However, the people who walked by her happened to be considerably more difficult to passively ignore. For a moment, her attention snapped away from Shades and onto the newcomers, not quite sure whether or not to believe what her eyes were telling her. A moment or two later though, she had to admit that she couldn’t deny what was almost literally standing right under her nose. The man that had just walked into the store was none other than her absent boyfriend, who was supposedly ‘at work’ right now. However, it was his companion that was the main source of Sam’s concern. That someone happened to be a woman whom she had met once, very briefly, at her boyfriend’s workplace, a woman that was somewhat…risqué by nature. Perhaps…perhaps he was just out to grab a coffee break with a friend, the same way she currently was with Shades. Yeah, that was probably it.

Sam suddenly seemed to remember the presence of her companion, and she shook her head lightly, her expression somewhat apologetic for spacing out all of a sudden. “That’s…” she began, but the words seemed to stick in her throat for a moment. “That’s…my boyfriend.” She gestured towards the pair with a faint tip of her chin, finding her gaze uncontrollably drawn towards them. …How often did co-workers kiss each other full on the lips during coffee breaks? She watched as he pulled the woman tight against him while she giggled and as he planted a deep, fervent kiss on her lips right in the middle of the coffee shop. Even Sam’s benefit of the doubt couldn’t come up with a good enough  excuse for his actions, and there was a moment of numb shock where the whole world around her seemed to fall silent, everything seeming to become non-existent but her and the blistering, glaring truth that screamed in her face, raw, painful, undeniable. So, this was what he’d been doing every time he’d told her that he couldn’t see her due to ‘work’? After everything she had given, all the time and love that she had sacrificed for him, this was how he repaid her? Sam stood, a tempest of emotions raging through her mind and her eyes as she took a step towards the pair, as if to give him a proper piece of her mind. However, before she could get any farther, her resolve seemed to shatter before her eyes and she turned, just barely managing a choked “I’m sorry” to Shades before she rushed out of the café, face buried in her hands as she escaped into the street.

For a few minutes, Sam ran blindly, not caring about the looks or shouts she got from the people who she passed by on the street. How could something like this have happened to her? She felt as if her entire life was falling apart right in front of her eyes, and despite the fact that she was normally quite resilient, even in the face of a crisis, the combined effect of both events which had occurred in the café in such close succession was enough to send even her emotions crashing and burning into an anguished turmoil. When she finally came to a stop, her heart pounding furiously and her breath coming in short, tortured gasps, she found that her feet had carried her blindly to the park in the middle of the city, the odd patch of greenery which stood out starkly against the smooth, monochrome starkness of the buildings which surrounded it.

She sank down weakly onto a nearby bench, her face in her hands as quiet sobs wracked her entire body, a lonely image of lost brokenheartedness, alone in the middle of a vast world which didn’t have the time to care. An odd sense of déjà vu crept up on her as a faint memory whispered to life in her mind, and she vaguely realized that this was the exact same bench she had come to, the last time this had happened. Perhaps there was just something about this particular place when it came to her and her broken relationships. However, despite the tormenting familiarity of it all, she knew that this time, things wouldn’t happen exactly the same way as they had before, and it certainly would be for the better. This time, there would be no kind soul to sweep her up and soothe the pain away with gentle words, no Shades to come to her rescue when she needed him the most. She had unintentionally pushed him away as well and she knew it, and there was no way that he would come back around again a second time, only to somehow be let down by her again. He deserved more than the heartbreak which seemed to haunt her like a dark, relentless aura wherever she went.

Sam had never felt quite so alone and forsaken in what had suddenly seemed to become an immense and uncaring world in her entire life. There was no one there for her, no one to turn to, no one to keep her company but the mournful moan of the wind as it gusted about her, as if reflecting her misery. She felt something digging uncomfortably into her leg, and as she reached into her pocket, her fingers wrapped around the little wooden figurine that Shades had carved for her out of what little time he had between missions. Even in the face of a war and all of the pain, suffering, and hardships it brought, he had always somehow made time for her in his life. A fresh pang of pain struck her at the sight of the carving as it sat unmoving in the palm of her hand, and she rubbed a thumb gently over its sanded contours, the worn texture of the wood oddly soothing. As a fresh wave of uncontrollable sobs hit her, she clutched the little figurine tight against her chest, the only solid thing left for her to hold onto as she cried her broken, shattered heart out to an unhearing world.
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Re: Hidden In Plain Sight [Millie and I]

Postby MillietheWarrior » 01/04/2011 12:33 AM

Shades didn’t have time for much of a response. He didn’t have much time for anything before Sam’s gaze had slid past him and locked onto the couple that had strolled around their table. Shades turned in his seat, following her gaze, and his heart froze at her words. That…that was her boyfriend? Then why was he…holding that woman? Why was he kissing her? Why did he look so happy when he wasn’t with Sam? Shades turned back around, about to open his mouth to ask the questions that were waiting on the tip of his tongue, when he caught sight of Sam’s face. The absolute  broken, painful devastation he saw mirrored there almost killed him. He reached for her, his words soft on his lips. “Sam…?” But she tore herself away from her chair, away from the table, and away from him. She turned, muttering a choked apology, and dashed away, face buried in her hands. The sound of her pain, the memory of the look on her face….Shades felt his heart break and his blood boil. He turned around, and this time his gaze settled with righteous fury onto the man near the counter. What he had done was unforgivable, inexcusable…and he would pay.

Shades carefully disentangled himself from his chair, the screech as it slid back against the hard wood floor almost lost to the deafening roar in his ears.  He felt like he was on the battlefield, about to face down and slaughter the enemy laid out before him. This man wouldn’t stand a chance, and Shades would make sure that he knew that what he’d done would not be forgiven so easily by the soldier who loved the woman this man had just destroyed. Slowly, deceptively calm, Shades strolled towards the man and woman. He stood beside them, his gaze not moving from the face of what he considered a waste of space and flesh. The man didn’t notice him at first, but as Shades stare became insistent, he finally turned his head to growl at the clone. “What do you want?” he demanded angrily, and Shades looked first from the man to the woman. “Miss,” he said quietly. “If you wouldn’t mind stepping away for a moment…I have a few things I’d like to discuss with this man.” The quiet, deadly intent in Shades’ voice frightened her, and air-headed though she was, she did not miss the look he shot her that promised she might meet the same fate if she strayed into the line of fire. She quickly stepped back, and the man squared up to the clone, though Shades was a good few inches taller than him, and far broader.  

“Yeah?” the man sneered. “What is it you want then?” Shades stepped back, looking him up and down, before he reared his arm back and let fly with the most vicious punch he’d ever delivered in his entire life. If he hadn’t heard the man groan, he would have been sure he’d killed him. The coffee shop exploded around them, screams and cries of ‘call the police! Help that man!’ as people jostled and ran around him, trying to get out of the way of what they perceived as a madman. The man rolled over an groaned, blood pouring from his nose as he clutched at his face. Shades easily reached down, his face deceptively calm as he lifted the man back on his feet. “While it’s against my nature to hit a man when he’s down-” He punctuated his words with a wicked uppercut that sent the man stumbling backwards, clutching his gut. “-You’re not a man at all, are you? Your nothing but a filthy waste of space. You hut’uun, how dare you!” The man clearly seemed baffled, but through the broken nose, the blood, and the agonizing pain in his gut, he didn’t seem able to form a coherent question to ask why he was being beaten up by some random man in a coffee shop.

Confused?” Shades asked, reaching forward to haul the man towards him by his collar. He was inches away, noses almost brushing one another. “Well, perhaps the name ‘Samantha’ will ring a bell. Funny, huh? I bet you had no idea she was sitting right behind you. She saw your little display. You broke her heart, hut‘uun, so now I’m going to break your face.” He pulled his arm back and delivered another punch that sent the man careening across the room and into a table. Shades snarled and advanced on him, when something hard and solid whacked him over the back of the head. He stumbled slightly, and turned to see the owner of the coffee shop, a large, stoutly woman, wielding what looked like a metal coffee pot and glowering. “Get out!” she screeched. “Get out and never come back! The police are on they’re way! Get out!” Shades threw one last, scathing look at the man lying on the floor, now unconscious from blood loss and his beating, and snarled. He was lucky; Shades would’ve killed him, and gladly, if it hadn’t been for the owner of the shop. “Fine,” he growled, shoving past her and stalking out of the shop.

When he reached the sidewalk, he ignored the frenzied cries from inside and the strange looks he received; he probably looked like a madman, his shades and the front of his jacket splattered with small droplets of blood. But Shades didn’t care; there was only one person on his mind, and she was currently nowhere to be found. Shades grabbed the arm of a man walking by, and pulled him forward. “Hey, you see a woman with blonde hair go running by?” he demanded, his eyes scanning the sidewalk even as the man tried to pry his fingers off his arm. “Y-yeah, she went that way!” he half-shouted, sighing in relief when Shades practically tossed him away and took off in the direction he’d indicated. His heart pounded in his ears almost as loudly as his boots on the pavement as he ran, wishing now for his HUD and it’s ability to track a specific target. Turns out, though, he didn’t necessarily need it. He caught sight of a shock of blonde hair on a park bench, half hidden by the bushes and the trees that littered the park she’d blindly run to. Shades threw on a burst of speed, and in a matter of moment, he was standing at her side, panting lightly form the exertion of his fight, his run, and his overwhelming anger at the man Sam called ‘boyfriend.’ Or rather, ‘ex-boyfriend’ now, he supposed.

Shades stood over her, a protective, gentle presence, torn between reassuring her and simply letting her cry out her sorrows. Her pain broke his heart, and he wanted to wrap her in his arms and tell her everything would be all right. But how could Shades promise something like that? He slowly eased himself down to sit beside her, and hesitantly, Shades reached out to draw her hands away from her chest, and draw her close to him in a warm, comforting embrace. He glanced down to see the little wooden figurine he’d carved clutched tightly in her hand, and he gently rubbed his thumb over her knuckles, closing his eyes briefly, before he tilted her chin up to meet his. “Oh, Sammy,” he said softly. “I’m so sorry. You don’t deserve this. If there was any way I could take away all your pain, I would…” He wrapped her tighter in his embrace, resting his chin on top of her head. “Don’t worry, Sammy-girl. I’m here for you. I always will be. I won't ever to let anyone hurt you again.” He leaned back, and gently dipped his head to kiss her forehead, the gesture familiar and welcome all at the same time, before he pulled her back into a strong embrace. “Don’t worry; he’ll never bother you again; I made sure of that....I’ll take care of you. I promise.”

I love adventurous tales like that. That uplifting feeling that comes from seeing unknown lands and the knowledge that you came across—nothing can replace it! It opens a path from which self-confidence, experience, and important friendships—from the sharing of life or death situations—are born! But hearing it just isn’t the same. I want to create my own magnificent story!



A great adventure!


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Re: Hidden In Plain Sight [Millie and I]

Postby Flame » 01/04/2011 8:39 PM

It was funny how life always seemed to go on, regardless of the suffering of others; after all, if it wasn’t your problem, why make it your problem, right? That was exactly how Sam felt as she sat alone on the park bench with only her pain and sorrow for company while the rest of the society passed her by, either completely oblivious to her plight or doing a heck of a good job of acting it. But just when it seemed like that the world had completely turned its back on her, she felt a pair of hands wrap around hers unexpectedly, causing her to start slightly as she glanced up in surprise, her bloodshot, startled gaze falling upon a familiar, well-loved face which she hadn’t expected to see again for, well, an indefinite amount of time. Sam had been so caught up in her own anguish that she hadn’t noticed Shades’ approach, and it was only when he reached out to her that she became aware of his presence.

For a moment, Sam seemed at a loss for words, silent, her gaze – a mixture of grief, confusion, thankfulness, relief, and an undercurrent of something else entirely that couldn’t quite be placed – fixed unwaveringly on his. She was somewhat overwhelmed by the flood of mixed emotions which coursed through her mind faster than she could sort them out and make sense of them. However, even through the turmoil of her thoughts, Sam wondered why Shades had come after her, why he’d even bothered with the effort of finding her. Was he here to let her know that he was done with her too? That she would never see him again after today? She refused to hope for the best; she’d tried it before, and had only earned herself pain and heartbreak in return for it.

However, against all odds, Shades wrapped his arms around her to enclose her in an embrace which was strong, protective, and comforting. The unexpected tenderness of the gesture was enough to break down what semblance of composure she still clung to, and Sam yielded without protest to the compassionate circle of his arms, burying her face against his solid, muscular chest as she let the waves of anguish wash over her. She’d never laid her emotions out quite this bare for him to see before, at least, not since the first day they’d met. Sam had always kept a tight hold on her emotions, both for the sake of her dignity, and because she was always afraid that she would lose his respect if she were to cave in to her weakness. However, although those thoughts flickered briefly through her mind, she knew that she was already too far gone to take back whatever damage it might have done now.

Sam soaked in the comforting familiarity of Shades’ presence as he held her close; his warm embrace was like the gentle brush of the sea as it hugged the shore, softly, gradually wearing away the sharp edges of her sorrow, his murmured words soothing the sting of her wounds. After what felt like an eternity, her deluge of tears finally seemed to begin to run dry, her sobs slowly diminishing to a quiet tremble which shook her frame like a leaf in the wind. Her arms finally uncurled from where they had been folded between them and wrapped themselves gently around his torso, pulling her even closer against him as she nestled against his chest, eyes tightly closed, as if she could simply shut the rest of the world out. “Why?” she murmured quietly against him, half to herself. “I just don’t understand…There has to be a reason why this always happens to me.”

Finally, she seemed to gather herself once again – at least, as much as she could in her current state – and leaned back slightly so her gaze could fall on his, her unusual, crystalline-pink eyes pensive, despite the fact that they were slightly puffy and bloodshot from the river of tears she’d cried. “Why…why did you come back for me?” Her voice seemed genuinely perplexed as her gaze searched his, seeking some answer that made sense to her. It seemed she couldn’t quite fathom why it was that, again and again, Shades always returned to her, regardless of whatever obstacles stood between them. All of a sudden, she seemed to remember the condition she was currently in, and embarrassed, she hid her face against him again, wishing that she could just look her usual, bubbly self again, and not the broken, grief-ridden sight she imagined she must be now. “I-I’m sorry you had to see me in this state,” she mumbled, her voice partially muffled, her tone both mortified and apologetic. “I suppose you’re lucky I don’t wear mascara…otherwise I’d look like a raccoon that’s been through the wash, and your shirt would be a work of modern art by now.” Her words were accompanied by a short, half-hearted laugh which only lingered for a brief moment before she fell silent again.

As he spoke, she found that listening to the deep hum of the words in his chest comforted her, and they somehow stirred something within her with their familiarity. The promises which he made were those which she’d heard a million times before from as many different people. “I’ll always be here for you”, “I’ll be true forever”, “No one will come between us”…it was like listening to a broken record player stuck on loop, and she’d gotten the same runaround from every boyfriend she’d ever had and ever lost in her life. But in spite of all that, all of her doubts, fears, and jadedness, she heard a note of sincerity, of warm, genuine care in Shades’ words that she realized had been missing every other time those words had been spoken to her. They filled her with an odd sense of warmth and security which sent both a thrill of breathless exhilaration and a shiver of inexplicable fear through down her spine simultaneously.

As Sam sat there, absorbed in her own thoughts, she reflected on all of the past, failed relationships she had put herself through. As she mentally pulled back to consider them from a different point of view, a faint pattern began to present itself to her, becoming steadily clearer as she dwelt on it. Slowly, realization dawned on her like the light of the sun as it crept its way over the horizon, shedding light on what she had been blind to for so long. Perhaps it was one of those kinds of things that you couldn’t see from up close, but instead, had to look at from an objective standpoint to notice, and now that she did, she couldn’t help but wonder how she hadn’t become aware of it sooner. Sam was suddenly struck by the realization that in all of her relationships and all of the men she had dated, she’d been looking for bits and pieces of as certain someone's personality, the parts that so endeared him to her. Shades. However, the fact of the matter was that no one could ever quite compare to him except, well, Shades himself.

Perhaps…perhaps that was why she had never truly found happiness in any of her relationships; after all, how could you possibly be happy with someone when subconsciously, you were expecting them to be someone else? In that sense, it hadn’t been fair to them, and at the same time, they hadn’t been entirely fair to her either, so to start a relationship on those grounds was just setting up the foundations for a disaster in the making. Constantly being caught up in those sorts of relationships had kept her blind to the possibilities that had been sitting almost literally right under her nose, patiently waiting for her to take notice of them, even in the face of her own denial. Subconsciously, she had absolutely refused to consider Shades in that light; he was her closest friend, and even if he was perfect for her, what were the possibilities he could possibly see something in someone as average as she was? Why would he ever be interested in her? Thus, she’d elected to preserve the safety of their friendship and save herself from possible (if not probable) heartbreak by never considering the option in the first place.

Sam drew back slightly again, finally plucking up her courage enough to find her voice once more. “That’s really sweet of you, but I couldn’t do that to you. I…I don’t want to end up being a burden for you to worry unnecessarily about; you have your own life, your own troubles, and your own worries to deal with…You shouldn’t have to feel obliged to take mine on as well. It wouldn’t be fair to you.” She finally seemed to recompose herself enough to get a proper look at him, but when she did, a flicker of alarm flashed through her eyes as she noticed the smatterings of blood on his clothing. “What happened? Are you alright? Are you hurt?” Her gaze roved over him worriedly, but she saw nothing immediately wrong with him, or any wound that might have explained the blood. Nonetheless, she still appeared visibly agitated at the site, her concern for his welfare clear in her eyes.
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Re: Hidden In Plain Sight [Millie and I]

Postby MillietheWarrior » 01/04/2011 9:20 PM

Shades cradled Sam close, holding her in a tight embrace as though afraid she might disappear if he let go. He closed his eyes, feeling the steady thrum of her heartbeat, and the shudders that wracked her body as she sobbed her sorrow into his chest. It hurt him to see her like this, and Shades suddenly wished he’d done much more to the man who’d caused her so much pain that just break his nose and possibly a few ribs. Shades knew if he ever met him again on the streets, there would be no saving the man.

Shades gently rubbed soothing circles on Sam’s back, quietly listening to her sob out her heartache and whisper soft, broken question to herself and to him. He wanted to tell her that she didn’t have to cry anymore. He wanted her to know that she’d never be alone. Shades was here for her, as he always had been and always would be. He just wished she knew and understood that. But Shades would never force his feelings on her; she was hurt, and heartbroken, and he wasn’t about to tell her how much he loved her when all she probably wanted to do was be rid of men for good. He just hoped, that when it was all over, she’d still want him, in some way, shape or form, by her side. Shades didn’t know if he could live without her in his life.

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” he murmured, whispering nonsense words of comfort as he rocked her gently against his solid frame. The day he met Samantha, Shades had sworn he would protect her from feeling the kind of heartbreak she felt now. He’d failed her, he knew, but he would not fail again. Visions of those soft, pink eyes awash with tears in the rain rushed back to him, and he was struck by how similar the circumstances were now to the day he’d met her. All they needed was a storm, and he was certain it would be the same day. But it wasn’t, and he was here, holding onto Sam and hoping that he could do something to comfort her.  

“Oh Sammy,” he said with a faint smile. “I thought you’d know by now; I’ll always come back for you. There isn’t anything, not hell or high water, that would keep me from getting to you, Sam. You mean the world to me, despite what you might think.” He brushed a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ears, smoothing out the golden locks as though there were made of silk. He wiped away a stray tear that ran down her cheek, gently brushing his thumb over her soft skin. “Ain’t nowhere else in the world I’d rather be right now. I don’t care if you used my jacket for a tissue, I still think you look beautiful. No matter what.”

Just tell her already, his mind whispered. But Shades squashed it down with a firm hand. No, he didn’t need to burden her like that. She had enough on her plate already without him confessing his feelings for her. He just wished Sam would figure it out for herself. That would save him a heap load of trouble. But Shades also hesitated because he wasn’t sure how she’d take the idea that he cared for her past the level of friendship. What if it frightened her away, and she ran from him? That was something he couldn’t bear to take.

A long silence stretched on between the two, and Shades found that Sam’s sobs had quieted. She’d laid her head on his chest, and the soldier simply let himself be absorbed by her presence, keeping his arms tucked neatly around her and holding her close. He wished he could do this everyday; hold her close, tell her how beautiful she was, let her know she was the most special woman in the world. He just wished Sam knew her own value, and what she was worth but it seemed every time something like this happened, she felt like she was worthless, and Shades couldn’t stand to see her like that. She had no idea that she was his very reason for existence. She had no idea how important she was to him.

He closed his eyes, absorbed in his thoughts and the soft, steady sound of her breathing, his own heart synchronizing in time with hers. He listened quietly, waited for her to speak, and then let the silence stretch on when she didn’t. Shades was happy here, even if he’d been righteously angry only a few moments before. Gone were the memories of her ex-boyfriend and his desire to slaughter the man, and gone were his worries about the date and how embarrassing it had been. All that existed now was Sam and him; no one else and nothing else mattered. Shades flicked open an eye when Sam spoke again, and drew back from her slightly, arms unwilling to unwind from around her incase she decided to flee. His face morphed into a frown, and then into a scowl as he took in her words.

“Fair? Who cares about fair, Sam? I’d take on the world if it meant making you happy.” He leaned closer, until their faces were only a few inches apart. “You listen to me, Samantha. Don’t you dare think that you’re a burden, because there is no way in hell that you could ever be anything of the sort. I won’t sit here and listen to you talk about yourself like that, understand?” His tone brooked no arguments, but his scowl faded into one of embarrassed mortification as he glanced down at the blood spattered across his shirt and jacket. It was even on his sunglasses, and he hadn’t even known it until now. “Oh, uh…Yes, well…It’s not mine. It’s uh…It’s that guy's. You know, your…your ex-boyfriend's.” He fidgeted nervously, looking down and away from her, before he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “I kind of…punched him in the face a couple of times after you left.”

It was probably not a good idea to tell her that he’d been ready to kill the man without a second thought. There was no cold detachment; it would have been an act of angry, hateful revenge, and Shades was somewhat ashamed of the thought that he might have caused Sam more pain than was necessary. He finally turned back to face her, silently watching her through the orange of his signature shades. “Look...it...Doesn’t matter,” he said at last, and curled his fingers beneath her chin. “Just don’t cry anymore, Sammy. I’m here for you now. Nothing else is important; not anymore.” And finally, despite his stomach and his mind clenching in protest, his heart and his whispered subconscious drove him to do what he’d wanted to do since the day he met her. Shades lifted her chin, and brought her face towards his, leaning down to capture her lips with his own in a feather-light, gentle kiss that conveyed all the hidden, harbored love he’d ever felt for her.

I love adventurous tales like that. That uplifting feeling that comes from seeing unknown lands and the knowledge that you came across—nothing can replace it! It opens a path from which self-confidence, experience, and important friendships—from the sharing of life or death situations—are born! But hearing it just isn’t the same. I want to create my own magnificent story!



A great adventure!


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Re: Hidden In Plain Sight [Millie and I]

Postby Flame » 01/05/2011 1:36 AM

As Sam cuddled against Shades’ chest, she didn’t fail to notice just how, well…natural it felt. She imagined she could just sit here in his arms for however long the inconveniently insistent world would allow her to, feeling warm, safe, and sheltered. It was as if nothing could possibly harm her with him by her side, warding off any malevolence the world might decide to throw at her (which it often did, seemingly). There was no awkwardness between them, no thoughts of what the rest of the people who caught a glimpse as they walked on by might think, no worries about an uncertain future, or even the haunting ghosts of the past. She was comfortable with him, as if they had always done this, always did, and always would. If she had her way, then there was nothing in this world that could tear them apart; he was a part of her as much as she was a part of him.

At Shades’ reassuring words, Sam managed to draw herself out of her sorrow enough so as to offer him a small, wavering smile, her long lashes still wet with shed tears, even though the flood seemed to have ceased, for the most part. “You don’t know how much that means to me, Shades,” she replied lightly, some of the warmth returning to her voice as she spoke. His next words, however, made her glance away slightly, but this time in a slightly surprised, yet pleased abashment. For the first time since she’d met him, he succeeded in making her blush, her cheeks turning a shade pinker than her eyes. “You flatter me,” she accused him lightly, although there was a hint of the old, familiar laughter in her voice as she lifted her eyes to meet his once again. “But I appreciate the thought.”

A small frown furrowed her brow though when Shades’ tone turned serious, clearly not pleased with her apparent lack of self-confidence. It was soon replaced by a small, sad smile as she let his words sink in, her gaze brooding. While it touched her to know that he cared that deeply for her, she was also slightly worried as well. What kinds of reckless things might he be willing to try, if it meant keeping her safe? She, for one, was more concerned about his welfare (especially considering the fact that he spent the better part of his life fighting that stupid, dangerous war which he was so irrevocably bound to) than her own. However, her question was answered – in part – by his next reply, which turned out to be yet another highly unexpected one.

For a moment, she seemed unable to find her tongue as she blinked at him, completely blind-sided by his unanticipated answer. “Oh,” she finally said lightly, sounding surprised and somewhat unsure of how she was supposed to reply. He had punched him? Well, assuming that he didn’t know the guy when she’d pointed him out to him, Sam figured that it was a pretty safe guess to say that Shades had taken it upon himself to punish the man for the wrongs he had done her. While she never would have asked him or have expected him to do it, she found that his actions (or at least the intentions behind them) warmed her heart. “Umm, you didn’t hurt him…too badly, did you?” Her voice was a little uncertain as she asked, not entirely sure how strongly Shades would have reacted to the man. Even though she resented her ex-boyfriend, she wouldn’t willingly have asked for him to come to harm, just because it wasn’t in her nature to do so, but that wasn’t the only reason she asked. Mainly, she was most concerned about Shades possibly getting in trouble with the law for dealing out the justice the other man deserved. After all, the government wasn’t particularly well-known for its leniency.

However, the tone of his next words caused her to seem slightly perplexed, her eyes questioning as she watched him. She was about to ask him what had warranted that particular comment when he took her completely by surprise with a gesture that she would never have expected in her entire lifetime. It actually took a moment or two for her mind to register exactly what was happening, and when it finally caught up to what was currently happening, it – along with the rest of her body – seemed to freeze up, held immobile by stunned surprise. Sam felt as if she couldn’t move, couldn’t think through the haze which had suddenly ambushed her mind, fogging her thoughts and actions in a shroud of dreamlike detachedness. She almost didn’t believe what was happening, even though reality screamed (very loudly, I might mention) in her face that this was real, more real than anything she had ever experienced or imagined.

The gesture itself was light, fleeting, almost questioning in nature, as if he were asking her permission, the likes of which she’d never experienced before. It wasn’t her first kiss – no, she’d been kissed plenty of times before in her life – but at the same time, it was so different from anything she’d known before that it took her a moment to recognize it for what it was. Where the others had been needy and demanding, Shade was gentle, tender, and loving. ‘Loving?’ The thought passed vaguely through Sam’s mind, despite the haze which currently clouded her thoughts. Did he…love her? Was there something that she’d missed, something that she hadn’t seen every single time she had been with him? The concept struck her with surprising force, and she almost pulled away as the idea invaded her thoughts, clearing away the cobwebs which ensnared her mind.

Well, it seemed like today was just full of firsts, to counter all of the terrible replays she’d experienced in the same amount of time. However, this was what truly caught her off guard, and she had to struggle to come to terms with what implications it held. Finally, after what was really just a few short moments, but felt like an eternity, she broke from the kiss, gasping lightly from both lack of air and shock. However, her gaze remained locked unwaveringly on his, her expression somewhat incomprehensible. She wasn’t entirely sure herself, what to make of this all, and she couldn’t be completely sure of how she felt, but she had a good guess, if the warmth that had begun to blossom inexplicably in her chest was anything to judge by. There was a drawn out moment of silence, as if she were afraid to break the sanctity of the moment, but she felt as if something entirely new now bound her to the man who sat before her, born from their first kiss; something that entirely changed the dynamics of their relationship…but not necessarily in a bad way. Finally, she seemed to pluck up the courage to ask what she couldn’t bring herself to ask before, and her voice was soft as she spoke, as if almost afraid of what his answer might be. “Shades, do you…feel more for me than perhaps you might have let on in the past?”
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Re: Hidden In Plain Sight [Millie and I]

Postby MillietheWarrior » 01/10/2011 9:26 PM

Shades felt Sam freeze against him. His mind rebelled, screaming at him to let go and run away. She clearly didn’t want anything to do with him. For a man who spent his entire life watching and studying the body language of others, he knew exactly what it meant when she froze against him. Shades let his hands fall back at his sides, no longer trusting himself to hold her close. He wasn’t sure what he would do when he finally broke the kiss and she outright rejected him, so for the moment, he would savor what he could and enjoy the moment while it lasted. He was certain that his heart would burst with joy at the fact that she hadn’t actually pulled away when he kissed her. Maybe rejection was the last thing on her mind. Shades would be happy with a ‘let’s just stay friends’ even, as long as he got to keep this moment to himself. It might not have been Sam’s first kiss, but it certainly was his.

Shades had spent his entire life never knowing the love of a woman, or what it was like to care for someone beyond brotherly affection. When he met Sam, he’d been plagued by feelings and emotions he couldn’t understand, and it had taken him a long time to sort them out and admit to himself that he didn’t just like her; he loved her. He’d spent so long denying what he felt, that he was certain his mind was singing with joy at finally allowing himself to give in to temptation and do what his heart told him was right. Sam had always been taken; she’d always had a boyfriend, always been involved in failed relationship after failed relationship. Even if Shades had wanted to tell her how he felt, he never would have as long as she’d been with another man. He understood the  sanctity of a bond between two people, and he wasn’t about to ask Sam to break that just for him. She was too kind, too loyal, and he loved her too much to put her into such a position. But now she was free, and Shades’ subconscious had told him it was time to stop hiding from himself and the truth and show her how he felt.

Sam finally broke from their kiss, leaving Shades feeling weak and empty, his eyes opening to observe her face for any sign of revulsion. He didn’t want to let himself believe she’d reject him. He wanted to think positive, to think that Sam saw him as more than a clone, more than a friend, and wanted him the same way he wanted her. Shades had seen a thousand different emotions play on a thousand different faces, but Sam’s face was unreadable. He scrutinized her closely, hoping to gain some inkling of what she was thinking or feeling, but he couldn’t, for the life of him, make anything out. She was keeping her thoughts closely guarded, and that was unusual for the usually expressive Sam.  The silence stretched on, and Shades began to fidget uncomfortably, his heart racing in his chest. He looked anywhere but at Sam, embarrassed and mortified that he’d done the worst possible thing he ever had. “Sorry,” he said at last, in a very small voice.

“I didn’t mean…I…well…I wanted to…and…um….” He shut his mouth with a snap, arms straight at his sides. What was he trying to explain things to her for? She probably wanted nothing to do with him. She probably didn’t want to hear his excuses. Shades closed his eyes briefly, and finally brought his gaze up to meet Sam’s. Her soft voice cut through his thoughts like a knife, and his chin jerked upwards, his head raising to stare at her in disbelief at her question. Was she asking him to divulge every thought, every feeling he’d ever had for her? Shades was used to receiving orders, but this sounded like a question. She hadn’t ordered him to do anything, but he felt like she had, in her own soft, sweet way, and he would never refuse orders; especially not Sam’s. He opened and shut his mouth, trying to decide what the best way to answer her question really was, before he finally relented with a sigh, and decided it was best to just tell her everything.

“Yes,” he said at last, his voice as quiet as it was before. It was almost hard to hear above the rustle of the leaves and the wind around them. “Ever since the first day I met you, I knew you were something special. When you looked at me with those watery pink eyes, and I saw you sobbing your broken little heart out…I knew you were different. I felt something for you I’d never felt for anyone else. I had no idea what it was at first. I wasn’t exactly well versed in emotions and feelings at the time. But it didn’t take me long to figure out what I was feeling for you.” He took a deep breath, and lowered his gaze, afraid to meet her eyes as he spoke.

“I love you, Sammy. I’ve loved you since the day I met you. I’ve always cared for you, but you were always with another guy, always taken, and I didn’t want to ruin our friendship or make you uncomfortable by telling you. I was content to be your friend, and I would’ve just kept being your friend until the day I died if that hut’uun hadn’t…hurt you. But I want you to know that I love you. I’m sorry if this ruins our friendship, but I’m not sorry for how I feel. I just…I hope this doesn’t ruin whatever it is we have. I just…I wanted you to know. And-and I’m tired of hiding it. If you want me to go now…I will. But I-” He fell silent, and raked a nervous hand through his close-cropped hair, frowning at her. “-I can’t leave without knowing how you feel about me, whether it’s good or bad. I just…I gotta know.”

I love adventurous tales like that. That uplifting feeling that comes from seeing unknown lands and the knowledge that you came across—nothing can replace it! It opens a path from which self-confidence, experience, and important friendships—from the sharing of life or death situations—are born! But hearing it just isn’t the same. I want to create my own magnificent story!



A great adventure!


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Re: Hidden In Plain Sight [Millie and I]

Postby Flame » 01/14/2011 2:03 AM

In the several long moments of silence after they had broken apart from the kiss, Sam drew back to scrutinize Shades in much the same way he was watching her, her eyes somewhat hesitant, although not entirely guarded. It was as if she didn’t know exactly what to expect, but at the same time, there was no fear or apprehension in her gaze, only surprise and a gentle curiosity. It was as if she were viewing him in a new light and as an entirely different man, although she knew that inside, he’d always be the same kind and selfless person she had always known. However, she fidgeted slightly and glanced away when she saw the discomfiture in his eyes, seeing how uncomfortable she was apparently making him feel. For someone who was usually as bubbly and talkative as she was, it seemed she had momentarily lost the conversational sociability which normally came so naturally to her, somehow banished temporarily by his gaze and the light blush that colored her cheeks.

At the same time though, she became aware of the unease and what looked like guilt in Shades’ eyes, even as he glanced away, and she found herself perplexed by the unexpected emotions which manifested themselves in his expression. Although his arms had relinquished their tight, reassuring hold around her, her embrace still remained unwavering, both seeking and giving the comfort which her instincts told her that he needed. Although Sam was still baffled and her mind was still in the process of catching up with everything that had just happened, she didn’t hesitate to act on instinct when it came to Shades, the same way she’d always done ever since she’d met him. If there was one thing in the world that would never change, it was the fact that she would never spurn him, turn away from him, or leave him in the dark, regardless of anything that he did. Although she couldn’t know what was going through his mind right now, she just wanted to him to know that she would be there for him, no matter what.

Sam was currently still struggling to come to terms with the fact that Shades might possibly have been holding back his true feelings for her, and if so, the fact that she had somehow been completely oblivious to it. However, she soon found that considering the idea in her mind was completely different from hearing it spoken aloud, and she couldn’t help the surge of surprise that washed over her as he slowly unfolded the thoughts and feelings which he’d been hiding from her for so long, holding her breathless, captivated silence as he cautiously laid his heart bare to her. It didn’t take a psychologist to tell that revealing all of this was difficult for Shades, but it was also evident that he had wanted to get this off of his chest for a long, long time.

As the truth finally came pouring out, Sam felt her breath catch in her throat as she took in the sheer magnitude of what he was confessing to her. All this time, this was what had been hidden just under the surface? How could she have missed something as significant as this? She had known Shades for this long, and yet she had been entirely ignorant of his feelings for her this whole time, despite how well she had thought she’d known him. Sam felt ashamed of herself for not having noticed it earlier for herself, but mostly because she now knew just how much agony she must have unintentionally put him through during their time spent together. She could only imagine how torturous it must have been to be so close to the one you loved, yet be unable to possess them for yourself, not to mention the fact that she had always come to him to lament about her relationships, completely oblivious to the pain it must have caused him to hear it. Nevertheless, he had always taken it all so good-naturedly, had always been there for her to comfort her when she needed him. Even when the rest of the world had turned its back on her, she knew that he would always be there, waiting for her.

“I love you.”
In the way that she knew them, those words were jaded, overused, meaningless. They were nothing more than empty words that stood for even less. However, she didn’t realize just the impact they could hold until she heard them come from the one person in the world who would truly give up everything he had and more for her without so much as a second thought. Her gaze remained riveted on his, and although she seemed at a loss for words still, something warm seemed to blossom in the depths of her rose-hued eyes, mirroring the indescribable feeling which had taken taken root and begun to grow in her chest. As if guided by some sort of uncontrollable, fascinated curiosity, one hand drifted slowly up, her fingertips brushing lightly, almost questioningly against his cheek until her palm came to rest gently against the side of his face. She seemed as surprised as he was by the action, but in the moment, it felt right, and so she let it be, her eyes searching his.

Everything felt so…dreamlike, as if she had lost her grip on reality and somehow stumbled into a world in which anything and everything was possible. No one had ever cared for her the same way Shades did…and no one had ever loved her the way he did before either.  It was unmistakable, the fact that there was something in his voice, in the way that he looked at her, the way that he held her, that she’d never experienced before, even with her whole slew of boyfriends, and while it dazed her, at the same time, it was undeniably thrilling and oddly electrifying. It was only now, when he took the leap and breached that barrier the two of them hadn’t dared to step beyond before that the subconscious walls she had erected came crashing down, finally allowing her to see him for what he truly was and what he could be. He pushed aside the fears and doubts which she hadn’t known she’d been harboring and gave her the choice which she hadn’t dared to face before.

There was a moment as she seemed to compose her thoughts once again, somehow finding her tongue amidst the whirl of thoughts and emotions in which her mind was currently immersed. Her voice was soft, but both warm and unexpectedly tender as she spoke. “You should never have hidden it in the first place, Shades…although I do appreciate your intentions behind keeping it from me.” He was right; telling her all of this while she had a boyfriend likely would have caused her grief, but she had the feeling that either way, the outcome would have been the same. As she continued though, her voice grew even quieter, but this time, it was her turn to glance away, her tone and expression both pained and apologetic at the same time. “I had no idea, the unintentional pain I’ve been causing you this entire time. And back at the coffee shop…” Her voice dwindled off, her hands withdrawing once again to settle anxiously in her lap, still clutching the little figurine. Her guilt was almost tangible as she chanced a glance up at him, as if afraid he might have a sudden change of heart and choose to resent her for her actions instead.

“But…I’m glad you told me,” she said, sounding just a little more assertive once again, although she still seemed slightly unsure of herself. “I think…” She paused, as if trying to figure out exactly what it was that she thought. “I think that I’ve felt the same way about you for a long time now as well. I’ve just been…too afraid to admit it to myself. Afraid that I might not be the right person for you. You deserve so much better than me you know, Shades. I guess I just didn’t want to consider the possibility because I was afraid of the heartbreak.” Sam fell silent for a moment, seeming to contemplate her own words, which were as much of a revelation to her as they were to him. “It seems I bring nothing to my relationships but sorrow and anguish, and…I couldn’t do something like that to you, of all people.” The look in her eyes was earnest as she met his gaze once again, new, unexpected conviction in her voice as she spoke. “I care about you too much for that.”
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Re: Hidden In Plain Sight [Millie and I]

Postby MillietheWarrior » 01/23/2011 12:53 AM

Shades could see the struggle taking place in Sam’s eyes. He had no way of knowing what she was struggling with; whether it be coming to terms with his feelings, coming to terms with her own feelings, or coming to terms with the loss of their friendship, he didn’t know. He wasn’t even sure if he wanted to know. Shades was pretty sure he’d never felt this nervous in his entire life. Just the idea of laying his soul bare for the woman he loved was nerve wracking, but doing it for real? Shades didn’t know if his hands would ever stop shaking. Sam’s warm weight against his chest reassured him, and her gentle embrace anchored him to the moment and kept him from drifting away. Tentatively, his arms reached up to wrap around her again, hating not being able to hold her, but fearing if he did, she might see it as some sort of hostile act and run from him. Shades closed his eyes, dipping his head lightly to rest it against Sam’s forehead, before he let it fall to sit gently against her shoulder, her soft, golden hair tickling his cheeks. Her words made him freeze, the breath stilling in his chest, and he lifted his head to stare at her with slightly wide, utterly amazed eyes.

“Sam…you don’t understand,” he said softly. “I had to keep it from you. I’m a clone. I’m a soldier. I’m just…I’m not someone you’d ever have a future with. I have no money, no home, no family but my brothers, and no way to take care of you. You were happy, for the most part, with these men. I held out hope that you’d find someone perfect for you; someone who could give you everything you wanted, give you the world if you asked. I held out that you’d find someone to love you and take care of you, someone who made you happier than I ever could. I knew and I know…I’m not good for you Sam, but that doesn’t mean I love you any less. I can’t offer you anything but my heart and my words, and the promise that I’ll do everything I can to stay alive for you. I could only hope that was enough…but I know it’s not, could never be, all that you’d need.” He brushed his thumb along her cheek gently, watching her with a steady, careful gaze. “Don’t worry about it, Sam. I’ve dealt with worse, you know. And there’s nothing you could do that could ever hurt or upset me. You’re perfect, cyar’ika.”

Shades instantly shut his mouth with a snap, realizing the mistake he’d made by using that word. He hadn’t meant to say it; it had just slipped out. He was just hopeful that she had no idea what it meant. Hopefully none of his brothers had inadvertently taught her that word; that could get a bit awkward. He cleared his throat, turning his gaze away in embarrassment as he withdrew his arms from around her. It seemed they both felt embarrassed and nervous. Shades had never imagined Sam would react that way; she was always so confident and sure of herself. When he turned back to her, he could read the guilt in her expression, the nervousness in her body language, and he slowly reached out to close his hands over hers, over the tiny figurine he’d carved for her. She’d had it for no less than an hour, and she already sought the gift for comfort. It made Shades’ heart swell, and he couldn’t help the smile that blossomed on his face; maybe she really did like it. Because it came from him. Because he made it for her. When she admitted her own feelings, Shades was certain that the blatant shock on his face was so raw and uncensored that she’d read it outright. He looked like he’d been hit by concussion blast, his jaw slack and hanging open, his eyes wide.

“What?” he murmured, his grip tightening imperceptibly on her hands. “You’re crazy Sam. Really crazy. There is no one better than you. No one on this planet or the next. Not in this galaxy.” He shook his head, still disbelieving. “Sam, what you bring me is nothing but joy, happiness, and sometimes, absolute amazement. You’re perfect. You’re wonderful. I can’t begin to imagine anyone in the world I’d rather be with than you. I-…Shab, Sam, I can’t believe you’d even say that. I just can’t.” He lifted her chin with his hand, tentatively brushing back a stray strand of golden hair. “Sam, if you’d accept me, and the little bit I have to offer, I’d like to show you what a real relationship is like, what it’s really like to be loved. I’d like to show you everything you’ve been missing. I want to make you happy, to give you everything you deserve. I’ll always be there, no matter what. I’ll never let you down, I’ll never hurt you, Sam, and I’ll never let anyone else hurt you either. I promise.” He leaned down, his lips brushing against hers in another whisper soft kiss, tentative, hesitant, questioning. “Let me show you what you’re really worth, Sam. Because it’s more than you could ever know.”

I love adventurous tales like that. That uplifting feeling that comes from seeing unknown lands and the knowledge that you came across—nothing can replace it! It opens a path from which self-confidence, experience, and important friendships—from the sharing of life or death situations—are born! But hearing it just isn’t the same. I want to create my own magnificent story!



A great adventure!


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Re: Hidden In Plain Sight [Millie and I]

Postby Flame » 02/07/2011 2:46 AM

A blend of different emotions, some clashing and others simply unexpected, currently washed over Sam’s mind, immersing her in an ocean of mixed feelings. Although the sentiment that sprang to the forefront of her mind was exhilarated – if almost disbelieving – joy, there remained an undercurrent of fear, concern, and apprehension that lingered in the recesses of her thoughts, like an ever-persistent shadow which refused to allow her to enjoy the thrill of the revelation and the moment in its entirety. It wasn’t that she doubted her feelings for Shades, or his feelings for her; no, now that everything was out in the open, it surprised her to find how quickly the realization that he loved her and she him had sunken in, as if she had really known it all along…which one might argue that she had. She had been doing nothing but suppressing the feelings that she was afraid to acknowledge, but even now, after she had, that trace of unease still stubbornly remained, as if she were afraid that all of this would turn out to be too good to be true.

In reality, Shades loving her…well, it was a dream come true, and so much more. Although she was a woman who usually lacked not in confidence, Sam had never thought that there existed any man out there who could possibly be perfect for her. At least, not one who wanted her the same way she wanted him. For that reason, she had subconsciously set Shades apart from the rest of the men that she knew and consorted with, naturally assuming that he was ‘out of her league’, and that someone as kind, selfless, and absolutely extraordinary as himself deserved so much more than a woman as, well…average as her. As a result, her subconscious had automatically blocked the possibility from her mind to protect itself from the anguish which it knew would come otherwise. However, while she might have been content with ignorance, now that Shades had brought his own feelings for her to light, there was no way that she could deny what she knew to be true; that somewhere between when they’d first met and now, she’d fallen head-over-heels for him, and it was only now that she began to see it.

Her unrest though, stemmed from her fear that perhaps Shades had overestimated her, that she would end up disappointing him, that she wouldn’t live up to the Sam that he envisioned in his mind. However, she couldn’t hold her silence any longer as soon as he began talking about his own misgivings, the doubts that he too had been struggling with before he’d finally plucked up the courage to divulge his feelings to her. “But no one should have to be forced to hide their own, true emotions, no matter who they are. Just because you’re a soldier or a clone doesn’t make you any less of a person to me, and you know that. In my eyes, you have the same right to happiness and what you want as any other person in the universe.” The old Sam seemed to have kicked back in once again, always ready to jump to the defense of Shades and his brothers. Even to this day, she still couldn’t believe that people could be so cruel as to take away such basic rights from other humans; just because Shades happened to have the same face and the same genes as millions of others, and because he happened to have been brought into existence a little differently than usual didn’t mean that he couldn’t feel, and that he shouldn’t have a say in his own life. He was still a person, and in Sam’s eyes, the least expendable person in her entire existence.

“I always wanted to believe that I was happy in my relationships, but I always found out too late that it wasn’t what I had thought that it would be. I did finally find that perfect someone for me though…but it wasn’t until now that I realized that that person was you.” She paused, as if trying to figure out how to word her next statement. “I think that I never found the right person because I’d already given my heart away, even though I hadn’t known it myself. Now that I look back at it, I was only attracted to them because bits and parts of them reminded me of you.” Sam blushed lightly, glancing away for a moment as she shared his abashment at laying her heart bare. However, it felt as if the weight of the world was being lifted off of her shoulders as she spoke, finally sharing the secrets that she hadn’t known that she had been keeping. Nevertheless, it seemed her gaze was only able to linger away from his face for so long before it was irresistibly drawn back once again to rest on his eyes. “Everything that you are is more than I could possibly have hoped for in my wildest dreams. Just having you here with me is enough for me. There’s nothing more in this world that I could ask for.”

Sam’s smile was somewhat shy as she glanced up at Shades from beneath her long lashes, suddenly bashful again, as if they were once again strangers that had first met (although under different circumstances). She felt warmth blossom in her chest and tint her cheeks pink as he gently brushed his hand against her face, the corners of her lips quirking just a bit higher. However, she seemed slightly perplexed when he withdrew all of a sudden, although she had the feeling that it had something to do with the one word that had slipped his tongue. Sam assumed that it was Mando’a for something, and although she couldn’t be entirely sure what it meant, she thought that she had a pretty good guess, given the context. She was about to ask him about it when she saw the embarrassment in his face, and decided against it…at least for the moment. Instead, she dropped her eyes back down to the little carving he had given her earlier, remembering that it was still in her hands. She could have sworn that from all of her nervous fiddling, her fingers must have already memorized every corner and cranny of the little figurine that he had so painstakingly carved for her.

However, when she mustered the courage to look back up at him again, she hadn’t been expecting such a sudden and drastic change of expression on his face. For a moment, she seemed alarmed, as if worried that something had gone terribly wrong, but when his shock turned to astonished exhilaration, an illuminating smile lit up her features, a sparkle in her bright pink eyes that had never been there before meeting Shades’ own wonderstruck gaze. His words thrilled her to the core, leaving her almost breathless with wonder as she felt his voice gently wash away the doubts that had darkened her thoughts, leaving behind only a vision of an impossibly perfect future which together, they would somehow make possible. Her hands, losing the fear and shyness that had held them back, slowly breached the distance between them once again to wrap around him, pulling herself close against him, her light gaze still fixed unwaveringly, fondly on his. “Well, if you are willing to take on a pre-owned soul in fair condition like mine, then I’m willing to give you my world and everything that I have to offer.” There was a light, teasing tone in her voice as she spoke, feeling a small thrill run up her spine as he gently tilted her head up to face him.

“You were always there for me; I was just too blind to see it this entire time. All of those failed relationships, I think they were just Fate’s way of telling me all along that I belonged with you. I’m just glad that you were patient enough to wait for me to finally see the truth.” She chuckled softly, the tension and worry in her gaze fading in the face of Shades’ confidence and comfort. “I don’t care what I have or don’t have in this world. I don’t care as long as I have you. That’s all I need. I’ll hold you to your promise, and in turn, I promise that you’ll never be alone again, and that I’ll always be there for you.” As he leaned down to kiss her shyly, her lips met his with confidence, love, and faith that no matter what the future brought, as long as they were together, nothing could ever come between them. “I love you, Shades,” she whispered softly against his lips, bathed in the warmth of his affection and his embrace. “And I always will. Nothing will ever change that.”
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