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Post by Adrian Veidt on May 4, 2019 13:40:14 GMT -5
"More often than you realize," Veidt said, pulling her close enough that he could lower his voice.
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Post by Teja on May 4, 2019 13:42:01 GMT -5
She lifted her eyes up to his in a glare.
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Post by Adrian Veidt on May 4, 2019 13:58:02 GMT -5
"As I said," he said, "I don't expect to convince you."
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Post by Teja on May 4, 2019 13:59:26 GMT -5
"That you would even try is having the opposite effect-"
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Post by Adrian Veidt on May 4, 2019 17:33:18 GMT -5
"I know," he said. "I know. But all that aside, I do appreciate your coming here for Megan's sake. It's been... difficult, this last month."
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Post by Teja on May 4, 2019 17:38:54 GMT -5
All that aside. Teja stubbornly focused her eyes away from his for a moment, which conveniently coincided with her looking at him again only when the dance was beginning to end.
"...Everything you do for this city," she said, clearly and succinctly, for she was starting to tremble a very little, "you do because you uniquely have the means to do it. Men like you made New Years Eve happen."
Considering who Adrian Veidt was, it was something of a double entendre.
"Maybe you think you're not like them. Or maybe you practice just enough self-deprecation to know you are, and mistake your self-loathing for actually caring. But if this last month has been hard on you, I promise you, I don't care."
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Post by Adrian Veidt on May 4, 2019 17:56:20 GMT -5
"Difficult for her," Adrian amended softly. "I make no excuses for myself."
But the Megan who was shoving her way through the crowd, pulling her not-really-protesting dance partner behind her, looked as though the sun had opened especially for her, from the way she was waving them down.
"Teja! See, this is Teja right here-"
She bounced into view, gripping the wrist of the same lanky, dark-haired young man who had been entertaining a circle of guests earlier, who looked both exhilarated and startled as Megan pulled him forward.
"You guys aren't going to believe this-"
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Post by Teja on May 4, 2019 17:58:18 GMT -5
Teja was grateful to let go of Adrian Veidt as soon as it was possible to politely do so, and she happily turned her attention to the new distraction before stopping and staring, eyes widening.
"- Mr. Ashton," she said in some embarrassment. "- hi."
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Post by Megan on May 6, 2019 15:59:23 GMT -5
"So it turns out this is Lukas Ashton, and he can lift me-"
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Post by Loki Odinsson on May 6, 2019 16:13:23 GMT -5
"Well, it's hardly difficult," he retorted, though he was smiling too much to not be visibly a little smug about it. That look melted away into soft astonishment as he turned to look at Teja. Ashton extended his hand toward her with a small bow, made perhaps a little strange by the way he crossed his opposite arm over his chest as he did.
"Hi."
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Post by Teja on May 6, 2019 16:20:35 GMT -5
He was damn tall up close, possibly even taller than Veidt was. She'd seen footage of him on the news on and off, but to look at him one would not guess he was so tall. It took her a little by surprise. Similarly he didn't look like he'd be very good at lifting the edge of a couch, let alone an entire human being in the air.
"Mr. Ashton," she said warmly as she took his hand. "I've been following your campaign."
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Post by Loki Odinsson on May 6, 2019 17:00:16 GMT -5
"It's wonderful to feel so appreciated," Ashton said, with a broad yet somehow rather sheepish grin as they moved back toward the table Veidt's party had already been seated at. He straightened up and pulled out a chair, which he then quite casually sat down in, legs further apart and shoulders more round than seemed possible a moment ago.
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Post by Teja on May 6, 2019 18:49:16 GMT -5
Teja was a little privately miffed that he did not pull a chair for her, not because of any right-wing opinions on gender roles, but because Adrian Veidt naturally remembered to do that for Megan. Nonetheless, Teja could seat herself just fine. She had better posture than Ashton, too.
"See that it lasts that way. Politics is notoriously fickle, and those that hold you in high esteem now will only hold you to a higher standard later on," she said, but she was glancing at Veidt when she said it.
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Post by Adrian Veidt on May 6, 2019 19:04:31 GMT -5
"That's a big part of why I never went into it personally," Veidt said lightly.
Megan winced hard for a split second but then very consciously relaxed her shoulders and rested her hands in her lap.
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Post by Loki Odinsson on May 6, 2019 19:06:19 GMT -5
Ashton had to practically look back over his own shoulder to get a good look at Veidt.
"That's less competition, then," he said, beaming brightly.
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