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Post by Erik on Oct 15, 2007 9:09:59 GMT -5
"Partly, yes," *Erik nodded without any sense of hypocrisy.* "Not that pretending is without worth, altogether. But you needn't ever pretend with Erik... or Julian."
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Post by Pina on Oct 15, 2007 16:11:45 GMT -5
*She smiled.*
"That's good. It'd be a lot of work, to try and pretend all the time, don't you think?"
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Post by Erik on Oct 15, 2007 16:15:40 GMT -5
*Erik smile was a bit forced.*
"It is," *he said.* "I mean, it would be. And Erik never wants you to work that hard with him."
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Post by Pina on Oct 15, 2007 16:48:30 GMT -5
"I won't," *she said smiling, though she tilted her head at his 'mistake'. Of course! He was talking about his other face. The one that looked like her.*
"And you don't have to either," *she added.* "I mean, with me."
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Post by Erik on Oct 15, 2007 16:51:13 GMT -5
*Erik's smile softened, not understanding she meant his face.*
"That's very kind of you, Pina," *he said.* "Erik will try never to pretend around you."
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Post by Pina on Oct 15, 2007 16:59:12 GMT -5
"But your-" *she stopped abruptly. From the little she knew, he couldn't control the change anyway.*
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Post by Erik on Oct 15, 2007 17:07:33 GMT -5
"At least you don't have to look at Erik as he was," *he said, oblivious.* "He will make sure you will be happier than he."
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Post by Pina on Oct 16, 2007 14:45:32 GMT -5
"I wouldn't mind, though," *she said.* "You're still my daddy, whatever you look like."
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Post by Erik on Oct 16, 2007 14:57:48 GMT -5
*He felt strangely touched. It was likely she had no idea what she was talking about, but it worked on him anyway. He didn't think he'd touched her since she was an infant a few days ago. So his hand was strangely timid as it lightly framed her hair.*
"Thank you."
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Post by Pina on Oct 16, 2007 15:19:51 GMT -5
*She looked up at him, a bright innocent smile on her face.*
"It shouldn't matter for anybody," *she said.* "Don't you think?"
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Post by Erik on Oct 16, 2007 16:23:22 GMT -5
*He wondered if it was such a good idea to start caring for her. She would be broken by this world she did not yet understand.*
"No, it shouldn't," *he agreed.* "But I'm afraid it does matter. To some."
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Post by Pina on Oct 16, 2007 17:23:27 GMT -5
*She nodded, looking at the ground.*
"I know that. It does to most people." *She looked up at him with a hint of a smile.* "I'm not stupid."
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Post by Erik on Oct 16, 2007 17:34:32 GMT -5
"Erik is becoming aware of that," *he assured her.* "He doesn't doesn't want you to have any illusions; Erik's life has been hard. He will try to make yours easier--but he cannot do everything."
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Post by Pina on Oct 16, 2007 17:40:49 GMT -5
*She nodded slowly.*
"Thank you. I wouldn't want you to."
*She didn't want to be protected. She's frankly had enough of that. Five years of hardly ever leaving the cellars, and only once without her mother had her bored.*
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Post by Erik on Oct 16, 2007 17:44:08 GMT -5
*Poor thing. She didn't know what faced her. But she would; and he knew he couldn't keep her from the world. Or what they would scream at her.*
"Then you must be very strong, Pina. Just like you are. And never forget what papa looks like--and how he did alright for himself."
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