i didn't realize my love life was such a topic of fascination for you. but surely it's not so unbelievable that circumstances sometimes align themselves in that fashion?
Is that your way of telling me to mind my own business, I wonder? You can't blame a man for being curious. And in any case, I was paying you a compliment.
for which i thank you. but no, it was genuine. my own fortune or lack of it isn't a topic i expected your curiosity to attend to. life is full of endless surprises.
[like the fact that she's still entertaining the conversation. time to attempt a redirect before she remembers the time she spent Valentine's with her head buried in textbooks.]
but what about you? i would have thought someone like you had offer enough that your nephews wouldn't need to be concerned for you.
[On his end, he huffs out a laugh, vaguely surprised.]
You'll make me blush, saying such things, Grell. But I'm flattered you think so. Is that why you agreed to this, when I texted you at 3 in the morning? Because you think I'm attractive, and not because you were sleep-addled?
[give her a second she has to mentally sigh for boxing herself into this corner.]
the answer is yes, since you caught me.
[looks and intellect, sure. even though sometimes his personality leaves something to be desired, and yet he wouldn't be Ardyn if it had it. why wouldn't he have gotten at least one offer for Valentine's?]
[The admissions you can pull from someone just by applying the right sort of words! How novel, how curious.]
Really? [Excuse him while he vacillates between teasing and ingratiating. He lands somewhere in-between.] See, was that so difficult to admit?
[Flippancy, is why. A disregard of thinking of this upcoming holiday as anything serious — the promise of a bit fun, perhaps, would draw most people to him, but Ardyn never gives any indication of anything more than that. Why would he?
A notion that isn’t exactly the most romantic, you know.]
Well, the feeling is mutual. Should make it easier for us to have a bit of fun. I look forward to it; though we still need to smooth out the details.
[And Ardyn just admits to things like that so readily it’s mind-numbing.]
[there's a pause before her next text, both to think a little more seriously and to process that. oh, it's easy for him to admit, because she said it first. but compliments have a way of settling her down, and she'll forego the internal monologue that was about to begin and instead accept it for what it is.]
while you get off by noon, i'm not free until four. any time after that, i can work with.
[even if it means things have to be cut short for the sake of his blind date. since this is all, as he put it, "a bit of fun", then there shouldn't be a problem.]
[Of course, not a problem at all. Besides, the details of this mysterious blind date still elude him; if he has to shuffle that around, then so be it.]
Then I can pick you up at six. [there is absolutely no way you can't label this as a date now, Grell] I'll find someplace nice for us.
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i didn't realize my love life was such a topic of fascination for you. but surely it's not so unbelievable that circumstances sometimes align themselves in that fashion?
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Is that your way of telling me to mind my own business, I wonder? You can't blame a man for being curious. And in any case, I was paying you a compliment.
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for which i thank you. but no, it was genuine. my own fortune or lack of it isn't a topic i expected your curiosity to attend to. life is full of endless surprises.
[like the fact that she's still entertaining the conversation. time to attempt a redirect before she remembers the time she spent Valentine's with her head buried in textbooks.]
but what about you? i would have thought someone like you had offer enough that your nephews wouldn't need to be concerned for you.
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The redirection works, seemingly. For now, anyhow.]
Oh? And why do you say that? I'm curious.
[...sort of. Answering a question with a question again. A terrible habit of his.]
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[regretting your texts in 3, 2, 1...]
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You'll make me blush, saying such things, Grell. But I'm flattered you think so. Is that why you agreed to this, when I texted you at 3 in the morning? Because you think I'm attractive, and not because you were sleep-addled?
[The regret will be real.]
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i resent the implication that i can't make decisions at 3 am.
[then, a few moments later:]
i agreed to it because i wanted to.
[which. does not answer the question.]
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And you're side-stepping the question. Remember that I went to law school, and have been trained to notice that sort of sly footwork when I see it.
[not getting off that easy!]
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[give her a second she has to mentally sigh for boxing herself into this corner.]
the answer is yes, since you caught me.
[looks and intellect, sure. even though sometimes his personality leaves something to be desired, and yet he wouldn't be Ardyn if it had it. why wouldn't he have gotten at least one offer for Valentine's?]
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Really? [Excuse him while he vacillates between teasing and ingratiating. He lands somewhere in-between.] See, was that so difficult to admit?
[Flippancy, is why. A disregard of thinking of this upcoming holiday as anything serious — the promise of a bit fun, perhaps, would draw most people to him, but Ardyn never gives any indication of anything more than that. Why would he?
A notion that isn’t exactly the most romantic, you know.]
Well, the feeling is mutual. Should make it easier for us to have a bit of fun. I look forward to it; though we still need to smooth out the details.
[And Ardyn just admits to things like that so readily it’s mind-numbing.]
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while you get off by noon, i'm not free until four. any time after that, i can work with.
[even if it means things have to be cut short for the sake of his blind date. since this is all, as he put it, "a bit of fun", then there shouldn't be a problem.]
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Then I can pick you up at six. [there is absolutely no way you can't label this as a date now, Grell] I'll find someplace nice for us.
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that works for me. i'll trust you on that.
[and attached in a second message is her address, so he doesn't have to ask for it later.]
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I won't mishandle your trust. [He makes sure to save her address under her entry in his contacts.] I'll see you soon.