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Post by Lady Norrington on May 1, 2007 13:40:03 GMT -5
"That makes two of us," Megan snapped. "Evidently, neither one of us has any right to call the other a fuck-up."
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Post by Erik on May 1, 2007 13:42:18 GMT -5
*Erik's eyebrows rose.*
"Such language!" *he admonished.* "I don't believe Erik invited, or implied, any such thing. You are the fool insisting upon inappropriate protestations of feeling, not I."
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Post by Lady Norrington on May 1, 2007 13:44:37 GMT -5
Megan pursed her lips and tilted her head slightly.
"I. THOUGHT. IT. WOULD. MAKE. YOU. HAPPY. YOU. BAST. ARD." she said slowly, enunciating carefully, almost sarcastically.
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Post by Erik on May 1, 2007 13:59:54 GMT -5
*To his surprise, Erik chuckled again.*
"That is your misfortune, then. Erik assumed he knew how to do that, once. He knows better now; and so should you."
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Post by Lady Norrington on May 1, 2007 14:03:08 GMT -5
Megan sat there in silence for a long time.
"...Is it because I'm not pretty enough?" she asked quietly.
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Post by Erik on May 1, 2007 14:07:07 GMT -5
"What an idiotic notion," *Erik said dismissively.* "Christine was beautiful. She was the sun, you know. But in early morning, pale. Not so high that one thought her out of reach, but high enough to be so." *He shook his head.* "You are not Christine. But Erik's feelings are not predicated on such trivialities; Erik fell for her, unlooked for, unasked. One cannot command one's passion."
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Post by Lady Norrington on May 1, 2007 14:13:22 GMT -5
"That's what I've been thinking this whole time!" Megan said, still quietly. "I didn't choose the way I feel. It happened without my input or choice- I'm only 18 years old. Do you think if we had a choice in these matters that I'd choose a-"
She broke off, not wanting to insult him further.
"An... older man? This wasn't my- my decision, okay? You should know better than to think that falling in- that being infatu- that this is a choice."
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Post by Erik on May 1, 2007 14:28:47 GMT -5
*Erik sobered, finally feeling some measure of sympathy for the girl.*
"Erik believes you think it is so," *he said, almost gently.* "But at 18, what can you know of love? Erik has loved from afar as well, girl, and it is a far different thing than real love. In what way has Erik recommended himself to your regard since you came here? You cannot tell me that meeting Erik, without the foreknowledge you flaunt, you would say the same."
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Post by Lady Norrington on May 1, 2007 14:41:41 GMT -5
"I know," she sighed. "I'm not trying to flaunt it, I swear. It's hard not to. But I can at least tell you it's not a deviant kind of thing, because like I said earlier, when I first found out about you, I pictured somebody younger, and handsome, wearing a little white mask like this."
She smiled and covered one half of her face with her hand.
"And then I started reading the book, and I found out, well, for one, you didn't have a nose. That phased me pretty badly for about a year or so, and then I grew up a bit at a time until I didn't care anymore. Meanwhile, as you know, it's hard to get somebody to look at or even touch you when you're not the ideal, so...
"Erik, where I come from, there are very few people who look like they really do. I know that sounds strange, but... Well, if a child were born looking... like you, let's say, the doctor would take that child away from the mother, probably take some skin from the child's thigh, and build him a nose with that skin. And even if it doesn't look quite like the most beautiful nose in the world, at least the child now has one. I come from a place where someone can have the fat sucked right out of them, or a girl with no chest can buy bigger breasts. Then there's all the makeup and the fancy hair and fake tanners and- The point is, I'm pretty much working with what God gave me here, and because I'm normal-looking, where I come from... I'm ugly. I was hoping you would get that and love me because of it. As common ground."
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Post by Erik on May 1, 2007 14:53:51 GMT -5
*Erik's eyes widened.*
"Can they really do as you say, in this... land you come from?" *he asked, intrigued. Curse the god who had determined he'd live here, instead!* "Perhaps if you took me there, I could... I've dreamed of looking like anybody else! And you say this happens, where you're from?"
*He seemed to study her for a moment.*
"You are hardly ugly," *he said.* "Plain, perhaps, but that should be no hardship. But you are foolish to think Erik would love you because you were ugly, even if it were true. Erik does not feel much empathy for Frankenstein's Creature--or rather, his request to build a wife who would love him. He commits the same sin as his maker. Erik does not wish to be loved because he is ugly, or love another for that reason.
"Erik wants it to be immaterial. To be loved for himself. Cannot you see, that any love based on appearance is false love?"
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Post by Lady Norrington on May 1, 2007 14:58:38 GMT -5
Megan sighed.
"You're right," she admitted. "But that isn't why I love you." She almost laughed as she added, "You could wake up tomorrow looking like an absolute god, and I'd feel the same way!"
At that moment she couldin't help herself. She did laugh.
"God, now there's a sentence probably never said before in the history of humanity!"
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Post by Erik on May 1, 2007 15:53:15 GMT -5
"Poor child," *Erik said, now allowing his sympathy to trickle through.* "Erik can see you wish to do him a kindness, and that you believe what you say. But he cannot return your feelings--not for any cosmetic reasons, but because he loves Christine. If you knew him as you say, if this book is at all accurate, you would know this."
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Post by Lady Norrington on May 1, 2007 16:00:46 GMT -5
Megan nodded and rolled over so as not to face him. She was looking at the spider as she asked, "Will that ever change?"
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Post by Erik on May 1, 2007 16:18:18 GMT -5
*Erik looked down at the carpet. He'd traced the intricate patterns millions of times before, but they held new fascination for him now.*
"Erik does not know. But he rather hopes that his love for her... will not ever go unrequited."
*He passed a hand over his face, suddenly tired, and realized he had not been wearing the mask for some time. He strode quickly from the room to retrieve it.*
"I apologize for my undress," *he said, fixing the mask in place.* "It was very rude."
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Post by Lady Norrington on May 1, 2007 16:19:29 GMT -5
"I didn't mind," said Megan, without turning around.
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