Post by hawksandfeathers on Mar 10, 2013 15:41:36 GMT 10
Rating: G
Prompt: Modern, #52
Summary: Set in modern-day. Aly and Nawat meet at an appliance store.
Black hair flops rhythmically onto his sweaty forehead. He wipes his hands on his cheap slacks and sticks them in his pockets. She doesn't need to see the tattoo. Yet. He looks at her, passing by Aisle 5. She's walking in that self-assured, alluring jaunt, her white skirt stretching tightly over a lovely figure. Nothing about her is too obvious - her chest isn't large, but her shirt exposes creamy skin and a thin, amethyst necklace. Why amethyst? Was that her birthstone? He tries to remember what month it is and can't. She places a set of knives on the counter, watching the cashier's face with her wide eyes.
"Anything else, miss?" the cashier asks, voice bland.
"No, thank you." She smiles, and there's something about it he's become familiar with. It's sharp.
"Uh, miss?" His throat catches. Speaking to her is a mistake. She runs a hand through her short hair, shifting her weight onto a glaring white stiletto. "You sure you don't want a cutting board with that?"
Her eyes widen even more, if that is possible, and then she laughs. "Wow, Nawat," she says, and his eyes jump to his name tag automatically. "Clever." She stares at him for a moment, and his hands start to sweat again. "You know, I might actually need one."
He pushes his thick hair from his eyes in relief. She doesn't think he's trying to, you know, start a conversation.
"Nice tattoo." She says this candidly, carelessly, as if she's known all along. He sighs quietly in despair, letting little breath escape from his stinging mouth. "You like crows?"
"Er… yeah, they're, um, loud. I like loud." He knows he's hopeless.
"Then you can take my place as the Balitangs' nanny. The kids are pretty loud, and I'm getting a headache." She rolls her eyes.
He smiles weakly. "I'm not good with children. And, uh, who're the Balitangs anyway?"
She raises a perfectly plucked eyebrow at him. "You serious? They're the richest, most prestigious family for miles."
"I'm kinda new here, so I wouldn't know." He hopes she doesn't think he's lying. He's not.
"Oh. Well, how'd you wind up in this fancy old city?" Her eyes never break contact, and he respects her for not pulling out her phone.
"Long story." She smiles again. It's not sharp, though. It's… what's the word…? Blunt. Yes. Or soft. He continues. "How did you get to be the nanny for the most prestigious family for miles?"
"I'll tell you at the café." She nods at him.
"Oh… of course," he says, nodding back.
I like seeing a bit of what she would have been like in Tortall. Really good, I loved this idea!!
What Aly wants is what Aly gets.