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Post by Kira & Lee Norris on Oct 6, 2007 17:10:44 GMT
Suddenly, there was a sharp ringing noise, bouncing across the walls of the room with a terrible screeching. Lee jumped, his sword clattering to the floor for what felt like about the millionth time, but it was barely heard over the sudden chorus of voices which sprang up around him.
Saved by the bell. Sort of.
Sighing, he turned to Madeleine and said, "Can you wait behind for me?"
He'd made up his mind. He wanted to talk to her.
What he'd say though... only time would tell.
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Post by Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford on Oct 6, 2007 17:45:16 GMT
"Same time tomorrow, guys!" Madeleine shouted over the noise of the bell.
As the Warriors started to file out, chatting among themselves, Lee said, "Can you wait behind for me?"
She'd assented before she realised what she was doing, and as it hit her, she nervously started digging her nails into her hand as she went up to the side of the stage and removed her weapons, putting them into their bag.
What could he want...?
She couldn't pretend to herself that her heart wasn't leaping at the thought of a few snatched moments alone with him. She'd never admit it though. She couldn't admit it.
The room eventually cleared, and Levi walked over to her, looking at her quizically.
"I'm staying behind for a bit of practice," she lied. "I'll see you later."
As he left, Madeleine studiously put her weapons away. Her heart was thumping so loud that she was almost certain he could hear it - she could feel him behind her, but she wasn't about to turn until he spoke.
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Post by Kira & Lee Norris on Oct 6, 2007 17:49:58 GMT
Seize the day...
Who had told him that anyway? Was it Kira? Probably. Or maybe it was himself, but he rarely came up with things like that. It's just... there'd been something nagging him at the back of his mind, ever since Will had kissed him. Maybe even before that, but he felt it more now.
Or something. Something that he hadn't voiced aloud to himself.
But maybe he could voice it aloud to her...
"Thanks, Madeleine," Lee said softly, watching her put away the weapons. "Need any help?"
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Post by Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford on Oct 6, 2007 17:56:44 GMT
His voice was soft, so gentle it surprised her.
"It's fine," replied Madeleine quietly, lifting her sword and resting in on the side of the stage, before turning around to face him, leaning back on the stage lightly.
The guilt from the jolt in the stomach she'd experienced was starting to kick in now. They were over, she shouldn't have felt like that... for crying out loud, they were both in other relationships, and Madeleine wasn't going to be that girl.
"What's up?" she said lightly, hoping that her voice sounded even.
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Post by Kira & Lee Norris on Oct 6, 2007 18:14:28 GMT
Lee shifted uncomfortably. "I think I've been meaning to ask you this for a while... em... ok. This'll sound really weird."
There was an awkward pause, where Lee steadied himself. He just had to say it, and then...
Then...
"Um... whenever you were over beside me- showing me how to hold my sword properly..." Your hair smells really nice. "... thanks. I suck. Sorry."
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Post by Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford on Oct 6, 2007 18:17:15 GMT
Madeleine frowned. "You're welcome, but it's just my job."
That wasn't what he had meant to say, she knew that. But if he was reluctant about saying it... well, last time, those things hadn't worked out the best.
If she was still going out with him, she would have reached out for his soft, warm hand and asked him what was wrong, and God, how much did she long to do that...
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Post by Kira & Lee Norris on Oct 6, 2007 18:21:54 GMT
This was going to sound so strange...
"Where are we?"
He sort of blurted that out; he hoped he hadn't said it too loudly or too quickly or anything. He had meant to sound calm, and cool- almost as if it was no big deal, but he'd found from experience that when you thought about things like that, it didn't exactly... work.
Ah well...
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Post by Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford on Oct 6, 2007 18:28:09 GMT
"Where are we?"
The scene in front of Madeleine swirled and dissolved in a kalidescopic whirl of colours, before settling to that place in BlueBerg forest.
She had pulled away from his embrace, breaking off a kiss, and had said, playing with his hair "Where... where exactly are we?"
She blinked, and she was back in the Battle Training room, feeling an overwhelming rise of nostalgia, longing, and nausea.
Her voice sounded light, careless. "What do you mean?"
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Post by Kira & Lee Norris on Oct 6, 2007 18:30:42 GMT
"Like..." he shifted uncomfortably. "I mean... are we friends?"
That was the first question. But something told me it wouldn't be the last.
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Post by Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford on Oct 6, 2007 18:33:00 GMT
She couldn't help but laugh bitterly. "Friends? We've barely spoken, Lee."
The name lingered on her lips. Before today, she had wrestled the name out of her head every time it entered it, let alone spoken it.
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Post by Kira & Lee Norris on Oct 6, 2007 18:38:50 GMT
That laugh... It felt so harsh- so sharp and bark-like. It made Lee's heart skip a beat. He hadn't really expected any other answer. But he'd sort of thought... wished that maybe...
Maybe she would've said something else.
"I guess," he muttered. "I just thought... we could be. If you wanted."
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Post by Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford on Oct 6, 2007 18:42:50 GMT
She closed her eyes, just for a brief second, before answering, "We could."
Could they?
Every time they were together these days, it felt awkward. It felt wrong, and every time it happened, Madeleine could feel her heart wilting just a little bit more.
If Lee didn't feel that too, well, she was glad for him.
And if he wanted to be friends, would she be able to sacrifice a little bit more of herself to make him happy?
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Post by Kira & Lee Norris on Oct 6, 2007 18:49:37 GMT
"Or not," he muttered, feeling a pang at the lack of enthusiasm in her voice.
Did she hate him that much? For a second, when their hands touched, he'd thought-
No.
"Why'd you dump me?"
Like a piece of garbage.
It was a question he should've asked a long time ago.
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Post by Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford on Oct 6, 2007 18:53:00 GMT
She stared at him, in utter shock.
He didn't know?!
"Don't... don't tell me that you don't know, Lee," she muttered, a definite quaverin her voice. "Don't play innocent."
It came out harsher than she intended, but she didn't know what else to say.
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Post by Kira & Lee Norris on Oct 6, 2007 19:07:07 GMT
Lee frowned at her. "You never told me... so how could I know...?"
Oh, great. Was this meant to be one of those things that girls and guys were just meant to know whenever they were going out? Like... just the right moment to take the other's hand, or to say that joke, or ask that question or whatever.
If it was, then he sucked as a boyfriend.
It was a wonder Chloe didn't dump him.
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