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Post by Maisa Heyerdahl on Oct 14, 2016 9:47:09 GMT -6
| Remember When? + Aaron
Maisa was, by all counts, completely beat.
Having returned from a mission only days ago, she had found very little time to spend alone, recovering from the trip. The short, slender girl was sprawled out over the couch, her right leg resting comfortably over the seat as she typed vigorously at her Scroll. A simple update to the teachers that had sent her and Aaron out, nothing more and nothing less. Once completed, she closed the device and gently tossed it aside, staring up at the ceiling as she rested her left arm against her forehead.
The room was rather plain, white walls and ceiling, something to be expected of school housing.
Often times she wanted to paint over it all, maybe add a little color - under the stipulation it’d be painted over before they finally moved out. The thought of leaving this place she had grown to call home caused her stomach to churn, and she winced slightly in response to it. Turning her head to the left, Maisa looked over the rest of the living room - taking in all the details to cure the bit of homesickness that had befallen her during her time away. From the brown three-cushion couch she was currently taking up, she eyed a matching recliner, and opposite that a loveseat she often times slept on. Between all of this was a modest glass coffee table, covered in all kinds of doodles from late nights of boredom.
Thinking about those nights forced the girl to smile, that fleeting sense of happiness competing with an impending feeling of loss. She wondered if, after graduating, she would stay friends with everyone she had met here. Would her and Aaron stay in touch? Would they go off on missions together as they had for the last four years? It was that thought - of losing someone so close to her over something so ordinary - that Maisa was most afraid of. Despite all the other things she was going to have to face come the end of the year, it was the potential loss of her partner - of Aaron - that troubled her the most. It was a cause for unnecessary friction between her and Tyler, a fellow student she had started to see during her Sophomore year.
It was really hard to avoid.
Her eyes continued onward, no longer clouded by flashes of the past and a poorly anticipated future. Settling on a normal sized TV, Maisa stared blankly as the news flashed on screen. The sound was muted as to not distract her from her R&R, which more often than not led the soon-to-be Huntress to parody what was actually airing with her own dialogue. Yawning tiredly, Maisa reached towards that blank canvas of a ceiling and leaned up into a seated position. She wondered what Aaron was up to, the corners of her mouth curling up like a scheming deviant as she contemplated going to look for him. Perhaps he was sleeping, or maybe outside - who knew what. Maisa just needed something to do, something to keep her mind occupied and out of the dark places it so frequently tried to get stuck in.
Hopping from the couch, Maisa began wandering through the house for any sign of her partner, tossing her small cloak onto a nearby chair. “Heeeeey, Aaron!” She called out, her gentle voice carrying through the house. “Where are you hiding?” |
Speech Color: #f07a8e |
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Post by Aaron Bright on Oct 15, 2016 20:30:45 GMT -6
Aaron barely fought off a yawn, stretching his arms up into the air as he walked into his room and took a deep breath as he dropped off his gear and belongings, his sword and armor clattering against worn, but sturdy, looking table covered in stains, chips, and dents.
"Maisa said she'd handle the report..." The man muttered, glancing around the room.
Aaron's bedroom was... Messy, in a strange sort of way. It was sparsely decorated, almost spartan even. A bed, covers all astray, sat in one corner with a nightstand an alarmclock besides it. Across from it by the window was a rather large worktable, strewn with tools and parts and pieces, and now his weapon and armor. The floor itself had a number of clothes thrown about, the majority of which was settled in a small pile besides the dresser. The only real decorations came from a small potted plant that sat on top of the dresser next to a photo Maisa had forced him to take one time at a fair; the two of them standing shoulder to shoulder with bright and easy going smiles, though Aaron's did seem a little awkward, it was still a nice picture nonetheless.
He'd always preferred working in his own room, even before Maisa had ever arrived in this home. He remembered his first years here at Vytal, when every moment of free time was spent working and training, dedicating himself to becoming a better Hunter, smarter and stronger and more skilled than anyone else. There was a period of time where, the moment he rolled out of bed, the boy was sitting in front of that worktable and tinkering away at a new design until he finally found himself here today.
Aaron blinked in quiet surprise, unsure where the sudden flood of memories was coming from. Perhaps he'd been more homesick than he'd thought? That was a little strange... He'd never really felt homesick before. He'd always known that he was meant to be a Hunter, and so he was right where he was meant to be whenever he was out doing Hunter business. He frowned and shook his head. There were a couple things he needed to check out with his equipment. Might as well get started on that now rather than stand and stare at his own room dumbly.
He sat down, letting out a sigh before shifting around the table, looking for the tool he needed. A frown as he couldn't find it. He glanced down under the table to find it resting there, likely knocked off when he'd tossed everything down. "There you are..." He muttered as he picked it up and got to work. That was the last thing Aaron remembered doing before he passed out with his head in his arms, laying there quietly asleep on the table.
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Post by Maisa Heyerdahl on Oct 16, 2016 13:44:13 GMT -6
| Remember When? +Aaron
The more she wandered through the modest house, the more Maisa was beginning to understand just how much she would miss this place after graduation. Once more her heart sank to its darkest depths, and had Maisa taken after her mother - inheriting her Jackal-like ears - they would likely have pressed against her golden hair as if she were some scolded mutt. Her first stop in her quest to find her partner was the kitchen, just one room over from where she had been trying to rest. Unsurprisingly, she didn’t find Aaron in there, though she lingered for a moment to take in the scene set by the room.
Much like the living room, the kitchen sported a very plain white paint job, though the ceiling was speckled just a little bit. A small table with four chairs was set in the far right corner from where she stood, while on the opposite side the wall was lined with cupboards and appliances. The fridge was black with two doors - one for the fridge itself and one for the freezer - and was covered in everything from appointment reminders to random doodles. On the side, however, were a number of photos - some of Aaron, some of Maisa, and some of them together - other photos even included peers they considered their friends.
What was she going to do without this kid?
Sighing, Maisa did her best not to reminisce too long, instead turning her back on the kitchen to continue meandering through the house. It was so obvious that Aaron had gone to his room, leaving her to the mission report as she had asked, but something was keeping her from going straight there. It was an odd energy, like an invisible field, that did everything it could to push her away from the doorknob of that single wooden door. As she shuffled forward, her bare feet tickled by the short carpet on the floor, Maisa finally built up the strength to press on. One step after another, taking in staggered breaths, she drew closer and closer to the door leading into Aaron’s room.
A light tap against the rough surface, and Maisa rested her ear against the cool wood as she listened for any semblance of a sound from the other side. Nothing. What could he be doing? Pulling her head away, she glanced puzzled at the door at first. Could he have left, without letting her know first? There was a part of her that felt really overbearing at times, and that part of her behavior only served to do the exact opposite of what she wanted. Taking in a deep breath, Maisa’s left hand rose and reached for the knob, grasping firmly on the cool copper orb before turning it slowly.
Click.
The sound of the latch almost echoed through the house, or at least that’s how it sounded to her. As her blood ran cold, goosebumps formed over the surface of her skin. Her breathing began to shake as a mixture of adrenaline and anxiety suddenly swelled over her, slowly pushing the door open and peeking inside. There she saw him - Aaron - sleeping against his table with his head resting in his arms. Maisa let out a quiet, calm sigh of relief - happy to see he was still home and resting. Still, her unquenchable desire for adventure nudged the girl forward. She crept closer and closer, doing her best to dodge whatever creaking sections might exist in the floor boards.
As she finally reached Aaron, Maisa raised her hands and gingerly placed them on his shoulders, smiling as she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him. “Hey you.” She whispered into his ear in a soft tone. “You should wake up so we can go do something. I’m really bored.” |
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Post by Aaron Bright on Oct 17, 2016 12:11:41 GMT -6
Aaron had been dreaming about... Something. He couldn't quite remember. Things were always kind of hazy in that twilight between simply sleeping and dreaming, and the memories of those dreams usually dissipated rather quickly once someone awoke. There was a conversation about something. Then... An argument? Things got heated, and then there was a fight. But it wasn't a person? He remembered being hit, and then falling and falling and falling, and then-
“Hey you."
The boy awoke with a slight start, shifting in his chair as he slowly looked up. He was laying on his table? Did he fall asleep? He blinks the last bit of weariness out of his eyes, clearing his throat of something that seemed to have catch in it during his nap. There was something around him. A pair of arms? He turned his head slowly, following the limb up to the shoulder of which it was connected to, and then up the neck to see...
"Oh... Uh... Hey there Maisa... What are you doing here?" The boy said slowly, still trying to get his brain into gear after his heart had skipped a beat realizing there was someone there with him. He licked at his dry lips. It wasn't often he woke up nearly face to face with someone smiling down at him. It'd jarred him a little. Well, okay. More than a little, but Aaron probably wouldn't admit to that too easily. "I, uh... I guess I fell asleep... Are you done with the report already then?"
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Post by Maisa Heyerdahl on Oct 22, 2016 10:05:43 GMT -6
| Remember When? +Aaron
When Aaron jolted awake, Maisa almost instinctively released her hold from him - almost. She remained there, hugging her partner gently as he struggled to wake, his head turning slowly to find the source of the arms around him. When he finally looked to her, she beamed down at him, gently squeezing her hold on him before letting go and taking a few steps back. "Oh... Uh... Hey there Maisa... What are you doing here?" He asked slowly, clearly still lagging behind in the waking process. It appeared her request to go out and do something was missed the first time around, causing her smile to twist awkwardly.
No matter, though.
"I, uh... I guess I fell asleep... Are you done with the report already then?" He went on to inquire, responded only by a slow nod and a quick, quiet “Yup!” from her. Moving her arms behind her back, Maisa stood up straight, causing her chest to push forward before she leaned down to be face-level with Aaron. She still had a wide, flawless grin on her face - a sense of happiness emanating from her that would be almost impossible to challenge under normal circumstances. What had gotten into her, anyway? It was fear, above all things.
Fear of losing her partner.
Fear of losing her friend.
Sighing with a soft huff, Maisa nodded her head. “Yeah, I finished the report a while ago.” She finally replied, looking around Aaron’s room. “I tried to keep myself occupied for a while, but then I got really bored. Thought maybe I’d come see what you were up to - see if maybe…” - she paused for a moment, trying her best to avoid eye contact with Aaron as her face lit up a light pink. Bashful? Her? - “Maybe you’d wanna do something? We could go loiter around town, maybe grab a bite? I dunno. Like I said, really bored.”
There was something provocative about her movements as she turned towards the door, a slight strut in her steps as she made her way to the exit. Turning back to Aaron with a smile, Maisa waved - almost playfully. “I suppose I’m just gonna go hang out downstairs, since you seem pretty worn out.” She teased. “If you do decide you want to do something, I’ll be hanging out in the living room, okay?” Maisa didn’t give Aaron time to really respond, hastily making her way out of his room and back down to the couch she had rested on earlier.
It was time to brainstorm in the event he did go back to sleep. |
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Post by Aaron Bright on Oct 26, 2016 10:53:17 GMT -6
Aaron stared at the door as Maisa walked out, and continued to stare at it for a long moment afterwards as his brain churned slowly in thought. It wasn't that the boy was still waking up, rather, instead it was because that Maisa, a girl that Aaron had known for years now, didn't seem to be acting like she usually did. Something about her seemed... strange, and the way she acted was... different. For a moment there, she seemed bashful, hiding something from him. He didn't think Maisa would ever lie to him, but neither was she ever so shy about something. If anything, the Maisa Aaron had come to known was usually straightforwards and to the point, hell he could even say that she was as stubborn as he was when it came to certain things, and that was really saying something.
Aaron turned his eyes downwards in thought for a moment, biting the inside of his cheek. Graduation was coming up, so maybe that was what was bothering her? But Maisa was one of the better students at the academy, hell Aaron might even be willing to go so far as to stake her as one of the best with how he'd seen her work and fight. Graduating was probably the least of her worries in all of this. His mind drifted back to how she looked at him, her face close to his as she smiled, and how she'd walked out as if teasing him to go after her... He quickly shook his head and slapped both his hands over his face. Maybe he was the one being weird...
The man sighed as he stood up, brushing off his clothes and sucking in a deep breath as he stretched. He glanced over his room, the corner of his mouth quirked up as he wondered what to do. Another sigh, and he changed quickly, swapping out of the clothes he'd just slept in for something a little bit cleaner before throwing on Dust Carapace as well as a jacket over it all. It wasn't often he would leave without his armor... He may leave his sword behind, but never was he without his armor if he could help it. He felt naked without it, vulnerable.
He stalked his way out of his room and down the hallway, stopping by the entrance to the living room where he crossed his arms and leaned against the walls. "Sorry to keep you waiting... Umm... You wanted to do something, right?" He offers her a small smile. "I figured you'd be a little bit tired at least after getting home, but leave it to you to not even be phased, huh? Do you need to get changed or anything?" Aaron did his best to act normally, but he couldn't fight that niggling feeling of concern that bubbled up from the back of his mind.
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Post by Maisa Heyerdahl on Nov 6, 2016 7:01:32 GMT -6
| Remember When? +Aaron
Maisa flopped on the couch with a soft thud, sprawling out as she stared blankly up at the ceiling above. There was a subtle frown on her face as she grimaced slightly, bringing her left arm to rest comfortably against her forehead. Time was passing too quickly, she felt like she was losing control - of everything. Why? Control was never Maisa’s strong suit, in fact it was likely one of her weakest points. However, that sense of spiraling out of control - losing sovereignty over her life and her destiny - was debilitating in its own way. She inhaled slowly, pausing for a moment as she closed her eyes.
As she exhaled, slower than she had breathed in, Maisa’s thoughts took her back home. The recounted days playing in the sandbox at a park close to her home. The park itself was just under five thousand square feet, with the sandbox portion taking up about an eight of that. There was nothing the young Maisa loved more than the feeling of the coarse granules beneath her toes and fingers, and she could sit there for hours on end doing nothing but sift the sand with her hands - singing folk songs she had picked up from her mother during their evenings out.
The last image of that memory was of Maisa, just after her fifth birthday, sitting in the sand as usual. She donned sky blue shorts and a pink floral blouse, her hair tied up in a small ponytail while her blueish eyes focused on the creative task at hand. That had little to do with why he remembered this evening, though. Instead, Maisa kept this one tucked away in her thoughts because of the sunset. The sky was bright with a rather stunning display of reds and oranges, with a slight tinge of violet and pink mixing into the clouds. The sun itself glowed an intense gold, its heat beating down on everyone unfortunate enough to not find shade.
She loved it.
"Sorry to keep you waiting... Umm... You wanted to do something, right?" The sound of Aaron’s voice tore into her daydream like a serrated knife, causing her to sit up straight in a startle. Her head whipped in his direction, her eyes setting on his in time to see him smiling. "I figured you'd be a little bit tired at least after getting home, but leave it to you to not even be phased, huh? Do you need to get changed or anything?" Throwing one leg over the back of the couch, Maisa pulled herself over it and landed on her feet, shaking her head in response to Aaron. “Don’t gotta change. I figured I’d just go out in this!”
Her voice was proud, confident - the way it usually was. It seemed Maisa was finally coming down from her panic, now focusing on enjoying the time she had left instead of worrying about what came afterward. The future, after all, was a mystery. Maisa had more important things to tend to than worry about what might be, right? Grabbing Aaron by the hand, she tugged him towards the door, grinning wide at him the entire time she did so.
Her eyes remained locked on his, beaming up at him with a wide, happy smile. “So what’cha wanna do, Aaron?” |
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Post by Aaron Bright on Nov 14, 2016 4:41:14 GMT -6
The nerves that Aaron felt in the pit of his stomach alleviated itself as Maisa jumped to her feet, looking confident and happy, just like she always had been. As if nothing had changed or happened. He let out a quiet sigh of relief seeing her like that. It seemed for a moment as if he'd worried himself over nothing.
Of course, these nerves were replaced by one of an entirely different kind the moment Maisa snatches up his hand in her's and begins to pull him towards the door. Aaron's eyes widen for a moment, not expecting the sudden contact, especially as she continues to beam up at him with her eyes locked onto his. He felt like his mouth had dried up suddenly, and he simply stumbled along after her as if in a daze. He swallows and licks his lips, blinking as he tried to shake himself out of this strange stupor he found himself in.
"Oh, uh..." Aaron muttered, his mind blanking for a moment, before he tried spitting out the first things that came to mind. "I-I guess we could go to the beach or something? T-though, umm... I suppose we aren't really dressed for that. Umm... Maybe we could just head into town and walk around? Maybe get something to eat? I'm pretty hungry, I guess..."
Aaron turned his head to the side, grimacing. Where the hell did that come from? He wasn't usually the kind of person to get lost like that. Maybe there really was something wrong with him, instead of Maisa... Then again, she didn't usually drag him around like this. Or... No, that was wrong. She'd gotten physical with him before. But she'd always been more focused on what they were about to do rather than stare up at him like that. Or did he just never notice? Even then, what did it matter? It shouldn't have bothered him so much.
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Post by Maisa Heyerdahl on Dec 9, 2016 10:34:01 GMT -6
| remember when? +aaron
Leading the way, Maisa slipped through the door of their housing unit, pulling Aaron along by his hand. Something about her partner seemed…well, off was a good way of putting it. The way he staggered as he followed after her, followed by what she could only deduce was him trying to work himself free of some sort of daze. She smiled curiously, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze just before he finally muttered. "Oh, uh…” Was the closest thing to a pair of words to escape the boy’s lips, followed with what Maisa keenly identified as him drawing a blank. It was a look she had grown accustomed to in their four years together, a look that generally meant he had no idea what to say. It wasn’t a bad thing, in fact, it was one of the young man’s most endearing qualities.
Seeing him get all worked up was a treat in and of itself.
"I-I guess we could go to the beach or something? T-though, umm... I suppose we aren't really dressed for that. Umm... Maybe we could just head into town and walk around? Maybe get something to eat? I'm pretty hungry, I guess..."
The way his voice stammered was met with a giggle from Maisa as she leaned against his arm, only to retreat almost immediately and release his hand with an agreeing nod. “I think all of those things sound like loads of fun!” She responded in a gleeful tone. “We could always start with a bit of trekking around the island, grab a bite, then hit the beach?” A slight rumble from her stomach followed the suggestion of food, and Maisa hugged herself out of embarrassment. She hoped he hadn’t heard that, but figured the likelihood was rather high. It was quite a loud rumble, similar to a diesel engine starting - only in a deeper pitch.
“I mean, we’ve got the whole day anyway, right?” She added with a coy giggle as she threw her arms up into the air. “We might as well make the most of it! First things first, though - food! Where should we go to eat?” |
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