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Post by Jake Quinn on Jul 23, 2008 17:08:22 GMT -5
*Jake took the hit as solidly as he could--she packed a lot of power for someone so much smaller than him. His jaw clenched, aching, and he swallowed, hard.*
"...he's my brother. I want him to be happy again. I want it so bad," *he said softly, his voice hoarse, his tone holding a flat note of defeat.
Hanging up the bridle, he turned and walked out into the paddock, leaning his arms against the fence, his shoulders hunched.*
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Post by Lark Quinn on Jul 23, 2008 17:11:42 GMT -5
"Don't you DARE walk away from me, Mister!"
*She jogged after him, grabbing him hard by the shoulder and forcing him to turn and face her. Lark's eyes burned and it was quite obvious that she wasn't about to take no for an answer.*
"What the hell are you talking about?"
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Post by Jake Quinn on Jul 23, 2008 17:14:48 GMT -5
"Kip, Lark. Kip," *he said, a note of vicious exasperation entering his voice.* "Who d'you think?"
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Post by Lark Quinn on Jul 23, 2008 17:18:41 GMT -5
"Kip?" *She scrunched her nose, even as it sank in. It would make more sense. Someone like Jake would know better than to toss girly things at her. At least, she thought he did. She sighed heavily, slumping against the fence next to him.*
"Oh...I...hmm..."
*The light extinguished, a frown etched her face, not knowing what to make of all this.*
"But I don't..." *She whispered, mostly to herself.*
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Post by Jake Quinn on Jul 23, 2008 17:21:02 GMT -5
*Jake rested his hands on his hips, then rubbed his forehead.*
"...just give him time. He's young. He'll learn. He c'n make you happy. More'n I could, 'tanyrate."
*He slung a long leg over the fence and climbed over.*
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Post by Lark Quinn on Jul 23, 2008 17:25:29 GMT -5
*Lark was froze, deep in thought for several seconds. Coming to sudden realization, she turned hastily, trying to scale the same fence in those stupid skirts.*
"Wait! Please, Jake..." *She gasped at the sound of his name on her lips, flushing. In that moment she hung in the air, but all too soon, the slick bottom of her boot slipped and she tangled, falling onto the other side without an inch of grace.*
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Post by Jake Quinn on Jul 23, 2008 17:28:07 GMT -5
*Jake turned back and winced.*
"Jeeee-sus. Y'alright?"
*He bent over her, part of him wanting to touch her, make sure nothing was broken, but his hands trembled and hesitated in the midst of reaching for her.*
"...y'alright?" *he repeated.*
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Post by Lark Quinn on Jul 23, 2008 17:35:34 GMT -5
*Without warning, she reached up and caught him by the hand, pulling hard in an effort to pull herself up.*
"Yeah..." *She muttered in frustration before blowing futilely at the hair that was falling about her face.* "Just makin' myself a great horse's ass." *None of the act was in the least lady-like.*
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Post by Jake Quinn on Jul 24, 2008 1:22:52 GMT -5
*Jake pulled her to her feet, but the unexpected burst of effort on his end made her stumble a bit against him. Making sure she was steady, he stepped back.*
"Lark...ya gotta unnderstand," *he started.*
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Post by Lark Quinn on Jul 24, 2008 5:26:30 GMT -5
*She winced at the sound of the name on his lips. Her name. Her secret. She lifted her hand to stop him.*
"I gotta understand what?" *She spat.* "That you're going to just pass me off without giving me the chance to choose for myself? That you want your brother to be happy at the cost of everything else? Did you ever think I might be able to make up my own damn mind? Did you consider that maybe I don't want to be with him? That if I can't have you, I won't have either of you? I told you I ain't no whore, Jake Quinn, and I damn well meant it."
*Her lips tightened and her voice lowered, every inch of her taut against the pain.*
"The man I gave my name to asked for my trust. And I gave it."
*Tears were welling in her eyes and she was starting to tremble. Hearing it in her voice, she turned away, grabbing the fence. She was too pissed to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.*
"Guess it was right stupid to think that that man wanted more..." *Her whisper faded to nothingness.*
Wanted me.
*The tears fell fast and heavy, but she didn't wipe at them, only focusing on keeping her breath shallow so so wouldn't start sobbing, her eyes shut bitterly.*
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Post by Jake Quinn on Jul 24, 2008 14:14:08 GMT -5
God damn it.
*Jake stepped towards her, close enough to reach out and touch her. His arms slowly circled her waist, his hands resting on her stomach. He could feel her trembling, knew she what she was trying so desperately to hide. He pressed his lips against her soft hair.*
"I'm sorry..." *he whispered.* "I thought...I didn't think..."
*All at once, a great and turbulent and irrational hope began to build within his heart. She wanted him. She really wanted him. But dear Lord, what kind of future could they have together? Was it worth getting crushed in the end, for so little as they could have? He wanted more, he knew, than she would give him. And yet...the little she gave him, he clung to like a dying man.*
"...Lark..." *his whisper was darkly tormented, revealing more of the man and his inner struggle than anything he could have said.*
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Post by Lark Quinn on Jul 24, 2008 14:20:31 GMT -5
*She coughed briefly, surprised by his touch and though her body went rigid, she didn't pull away.*
"Don't call me that." *She whispered, but even those came choked.*
"You're damned right you didn't think, you arrogant..." *Her voice came a bit stronger, the rage welling again, but it hurt too much to look back at him. To hope. He'd given up on her, he was only trying to soothe her, like some colicing mare. No, she couldn't hope that he would save her heart from breaking.*
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Post by Jake Quinn on Jul 24, 2008 14:33:09 GMT -5
*He turned his head, brushing his lips against her temple.*
"...Trouble..." *he whispered fondly.*
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Post by Lark Quinn on Jul 24, 2008 14:36:47 GMT -5
*She sighed softly, his lips so tender, so soothing. Lark wanted to get lost in them, to push all this foolishness away. Her breaths calmed, her face half-turned back to him and her eyes still shut. She nuzzled at him slightly with a wet cheek.*
"Why? Why do you make me feel like this?" *She breathed, questioning herself more than him, but either way without an answer.*
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Post by Jake Quinn on Jul 24, 2008 14:39:07 GMT -5
"Because you make me feel the same damn way," *he murmured.*
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