Reiterations [Closed] - Printable Version

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Reiterations [Closed] - megs - 09-29-2016

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RE: Reiterations [Closed] - megs - 09-29-2016

Aphrodite was holding Cain.

Sort of.

More accurately she had the child by his chubby little legs and was hanging him upside down. The child was red-faced and giggling as Dite babbled nonsense words at him. Julianna had left the room, likely to get the women another drink, so the blonde was feeling a bit daring when it came to her occupation of caring for the child. Babies were pretty durable, in her experience. Not that she had much experience and not that she was bouncing them off walls like crash test dummies to find out.

Hearing Jules’ footsteps approaching the entryway, Aphrodite quickly set the child right side up, and settled him on her knee, copious amount of blonde hair falling into his face. He was still giggly, albeit slightly dazed from the re-positioning; his tail was swaying back and forth contentedly. When the furred appendage crossed his vision, Cain immediately reached for it and shoved the end in his mouth.

Aphrodite didn’t know the protocol on tails so she let it slide.

Julianna reappeared in the room, two freshly topped off glasses of chilled white wine in her possession. “Having fun?” she chimed, one brow sliding beneath her bangs, noting her kid’s face was still tinted pink from his early brush with adventure. Pushing one glass into Dite’s outstretched hand, she flopped on the couch, her own tail curling into her lap. With his mother now in reach, Cain let go of his tail and made grabbing hands in her direction. Her ears pushed to attention as she watched him over the rim of her glass, taking a generous sip. When Cain’s lip got tremble-y and his grey eyes got glassy, she set the wine down and took him into her own lap just as his ears started to fall.

Cain instantly perked, crocodile tears vanishing in an instant.

“Oh, okay. I get it. I’m not mom,” Dite conceded, pulling her legs beneath her and rearranging the folds of her skirt over her feet. Aphrodite looked the perfect picture of fifties debutante. A violet blouse tucked into a black circle skirt, with a petticoat no less. Her matching pumps had been discarded, but not a single blonde wave was out of place. Jules, in jeans and one of Owen’s CAF t-shirts, had gotten over feeling under dressed around her best friend a long time ago.

That didn’t stop her from teasing. “Next time you come over could you maybe not dress like a vintage wet dream, and remember that your friends aren’t nearly so glamorous?”

Dite snorted into her wine. “You’re a queen,” she returned, pointedly. “I’ve seen some of your outfits. Talk about extra.”

“Oh yes,” Jules shook her head, rearranging her tail and Cain simultaneously. Both of their ears flickering. “Queen mom. My accessories are cheerios and vomit.” She pressed a kiss to Cain's hair.

Aphrodite wrinkled her nose at the visual. “Where’s Owen?” Craning her neck she acted as if she would suddenly be able to see the man in question in the vicinity, there was a mischievous twinkle in her violet eyes.

Jules hummed. “His office, probably. They CAF just came by and dumped a ton of work on him.”

“Must be nice,” Aphrodite sang, gaze dropping to the rambunctious child. He was currently attempting to half-climb, half-wiggle his way up on Julianna’s shoulders. Silver ears swiveled and Jule’s only moved dark bangs from her eyes with a short sigh, clearly used to it.

The women exchanged a look, their burst of laughter carrying through the house.

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RE: Reiterations [Closed] - saronym - 09-29-2016

Owen wasn’t so much working as he was hiding from the giggling women in his house. It wasn’t that he didn’t normally enjoy the company of women feeling playful and enjoying themselves. Quite to the contrary that was Owen’s favorite kind of company.

However, he always felt like an object of curiosity when Aphrodite was around. She asked questions about how he was taking to fatherhood and about his relationship displaying this disarming little smile at him. It was a knowing grin. How had she honed that look? What did she know? It drove him crazy. It was a look that said he was transparent and she could see right through all the defensive walls he put up. Like she had figured out that whatever was still going on between him and Julianna was more than a violent chemistry experiment. Like she knew him better than he knew himself and accepted all his flaws anyway.

He had the cover of work to hide under thanks to Holland’s ever growing string of anxiety-ridden text messages that had started that morning:

Holland > she wet the bed... the blankets... the sheets
H > everything
H > everything is soaked thru to the mattress.
H > The teddy bear has pee on it.
Owen > yep sounds about right
H > How do I clean this up?!
H > HOW DO I CLEAN THIS?
H > the mattress is ruined
H > it is ruined
O > just pee dude can you pls chill
H> they were out of plastic mattress coverings yesterday
H> I thought she could last one night
H> I was going to get it today
H> Are you there?
H > Owen how do I clean this mattress
H > I need help you are the only one with a kid rn!!
O > ok heres what u do
H > k
O > get some gasoline
H > ? !
O > apply it liberally on the bed
H > r u serious?
O > lay in it
O > and light it on fire
H >owen what the fuck !
O > and then never text me before 9 am ever again
H > wtf seriously?
O > IT IS 6AM I WILL TALK TO YOU LATER. PLEASE STFU


The urgency of Holland's early morning texts made it look like there was some work emergency that demanded Owen’s attention and he'd used it to skulk around his office all day. His door was propped open enough so that he could keep a nosy ear on the conversation in the other room. His phone beeped with more messages:

H > can i come over?
H > can you/jules give me some tips?
H > i am in over my head
H > owen

Owen sighed and shook his head before responding “yes take a pill first please” and dropping the phone to the desk. He was tired of Holland and wanted some attention from the women.

H > k be there soon

Owen heard one of the women say his name followed by a loud fit of giggling. Cue his entrance. Rolling his eyes he pushed himself away from the desk and sauntered with his usual cock-sure swagger into the other room. The sounds of laughter growing louder as he approached.

“I heard my name.” He said from the door jam, nodding his greeting to Aphrodite. Owen re-adjusted the sleeves to his button up, they had come unrolled at his elbows. As he primped, he eyed the white wine and snorted. They were a stereotype of girly friends. He didn’t mind. It was kind of cute.

Owen rounded the couch and plopped down next to Julianna. He draped his arm behind her on the back of the couch assuming a lounging position. Grey eyes made an obvious sweep over the t-shirt Julianna wore. It was somewhat playful. His shirts were always worn, dirty, or covered in spit-up. It seemed like she went through several of his shirts per day. Owen ruffled Cain’s head and said, “hey little man,” before he picked up Jules’ wine glass from the table. Frowning he sniffed at it, gave it a swirl, a little taste, and then gulped half the glass.

“Not bad.” He mused and kept the wine presumably to continue drinking. His attention to Cain prompted the child to abandon his climbing over Julianna and he made his way instead across her lap and to Owen’s. Owen made no move to help his son but watched with a bemused expression as the child fumble-crawled over their legs and thighs. “Sorry to bust up ladies time but I invited a friend over. I don’t think you’ve ever met him ‘Dite. Holland from work? You’ll like him. Real good guy. Kind of a genius. Though a tad on the weird side.”

He glanced at Julianna, “He can’t deal today. The kid peed the bed or something.” This was likely enough explanation for her to understand Holland’s predicament. “I think he should be here shortly.” He glanced at his watch. “Well actually he might be having problems getting out of the house.”

Indeed that was the case.

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RE: Reiterations [Closed] - megs - 09-30-2016

Both Aphrodite and Julianna looked up at Owen when he appeared in the entry. The smiles on their faces notably different. Jules’ mouth was a crooked sort of affectionate curl, while Dite wore the complacent and knowing smile that unnerved him. Owen was practically a pane of glass to Aphrodite and she could see right through his cocky exterior.

“We were talking about you,” Aphrodite clarified, rearranging her legs when Owen forced his way between them. Her eyes followed the line of his arm on the back of the couch, noticing the subtle way that Julianna seemed to lean against him. She tried and failed not to smirk as her gaze flickered away.

Julianna watched with a furrowed brow as her wine was confiscated and nearly emptied. ‘What the fuck,’ she mouthed to no one in particular when he didn’t seem interested in giving it back. “I’m glad you like it,” she said sarcastically, before doubling over as Cain flail-kicked her the stomach. With an exaggerated wheeze, she gathered up the child she pushed him into his father’s lap to spare herself any future injuries. She smoothed Cain’s hair out of his face and leaned back into the couch.

“Kind of a genius, but weird,” Dite mused, with a roll of her eyes. “Sounds like my kind of guy.” The new wave of giggles that the comment prompted hinted at an inside joke that they weren’t going to be sharing. Chuckles died and Julianna leaned closer to Owen, cute and expectant of something. Attempting to see if she could get a kiss out of him. “Don’t forget to put Jingles away before he comes over," she reminded him.

As if attuned to the sound of his name, the dog in question could be heard rousing from his nap behind the couch. The collar of his namesake clashed noisily as the Golden Retriever came into view, tail wagging furiously. He sat near Aphrodite and she rewarded him with a scratch behind the ears. “I guess he doesn’t like dogs?” she asked, sipping wine.

“Not really.” Silver ears flickered, tail swaying behind her head. “He’s only had her for two days, it’ll get worse before it gets better.”

Dite cocked her head, but didn’t pry, still petting the dog absentmindedly. Cain rolled off of Owen’s lap and shuffled in her direction, wanting to be closer to Jingles.

A tad on the weird side was beginning to seem like an understatement.

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RE: Reiterations [Closed] - saronym - 10-01-2016

Owen took another sip of wine ‘mhmming’ condescendingly into the cup as Aphrodite confirmed that they were talking about him. “I would talk about me too if I were you. I’m an interesting guy.”

His arm briefly left its resting place behind Julianna to steady Cain who wobbled and seemed near to fall from his leg. When Cain found his balance Owen’s arm went back to it’s previous spot. The infant made some high pitched babbling sounds and his hands reached for Owen’s face. Owen pulled his head out of reach of the child who seemed to want to smack him. Cain liked to play a game of hitting his father in the face making his glasses go askew and then laughing while Owen fixed them. Owen ignored women giggling over some joke they’d refuse to share with him anyways.

Owen’s head turned from ‘Dite to Jules and back again. They seemed to be messing with him. Jules testing the length of his affections. She wanted to show off for her her friend. Owen acquiesced for their entertainment closing the gap between them so he could press his lips against the corner of Julianna’s mouth. There happy? He seemed to say, arching his eyebrow at Jules.

“Oh right the dog.” He muttered when reminded about Holland's apprehension of animals. With a last sip at the wine he put the glass back on the table and attempted to move Cain back to his mother’s lap. The child fussed and grabbed Owen’s sleeve pulling it down his arm again. The threat of a tantrum was enough for Owen to give up and bring Cain with him as he stood.

He snapped his fingers at Jingles to come to him. The dog ignored Owen to continue to get petted by Aphrodite. With Cain balanced on his hip, Owen bent down and scooped the puppy up with his free arm, tucking it close to his body. Cain and the dog reached for each other. All tongue and fingers, laughter and yipping. Owen realized how he must have looked with a tiny human on one hip and tiny dog in the other. As he left the room to put the puppy up, he turned and winked at the women. He couldn’t help himself. Let them look. Let them laugh.

Owen took the puppy out back and let him run around in their newly fenced-in backyard. Cain started fussing again when Owen closed the door on the puppy leaving him outside. He shushed the child who wasn’t comforted and was getting dangerously close to crying. With Cain still balanced on his hip, Owen grabbed a beer and returned to the living room. Cain was full on crying at that point, mouth gaping, tears and spit wetting his face and Owen’s shirt.

“He’s mad at me now.” He said as he sat down between the women again.

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RE: Reiterations [Closed] - megs - 10-01-2016

Julianna tucked her hands between her knees, nothing to do with them now, sans wine and small child. The corner that he kissed curled in a small smile, as she looked up at him from behind a fringe of lashes. The challenging glimmer in her green eyes suggested that the gesture was good enough. For now. Aphrodite watched the display over the rim of her glass. She was pleased for her friend, if not only the smallest bit jealous. But that was to be expected; affection was not an unreasonable desire. Her head tilted to the side, holding the glass in her lap with both hands, not a trace of her dark lipstick on the edge.

“I suppose interesting is a good enough word as any,” the blonde replied with a teasing roll of her eyes. Both women watched as Owen set the empty glass down on the table, Julianna mouthed something that looked suspiciously like ‘unbelievable.’

Jules’ ears flickered as she held her hands out to accept the child, but Cain shifted towards tantrum mode instead so she dropped her hands and pouted at the child. Who seemed not at all remorseful about his choice to stay with his father, giggling as he was propped against Owen’s hip. Aphrodite had to press her lips together to hide her grin when Jingles blatantly ignored Owen’s command. She removed her hand from the dog’s head to give him more incentive to go to him, but the puppy didn’t seem interested. He pawed at her skirts until he was retrieved.

Just as he expected they did laugh, their amusement echoed as he left the room. Finishing her wine, Aphrodite lifted herself from the couch, but only briefly, closing the distance between herself and Julianna. Jules leaned in more than aware of when a low key gossip session was about to happen. “Spill,” Aphrodite demanded.

Foreheads nearly touching Julianna shrugged. “I don’t know if there’s anything to spill.”

Dite scoffed. “You have a man and a child and a dog.” She ticked points off on her fingers. “You practically live here, right? You do live here? He did ask you to move in, right?”

Julianna shrugged again. “I have a child and a dog,” she reiterated. “The man is…" She squinted. “Unconfirmed. I have a father of a child.” The lilt of her voice implied she wasn’t quite sure where she and Owen remained, re: relationship status. It was sort of the same as her living at the Villa, an agreement that was mostly unspoken. Or likely in Owen’s mind, was implied without him having to say anything.

“Marriage?” Dite cocked her head.

Julianna quipped a short laugh.

They both looked up as the man in question reappeared, hysterical child in tow. Aphrodite separated herself from Jules so he could reclaim his seat between them. “Poor baby,” Jules sang to Cain, taking him from Owen. The child was too busy fussing to resist. She stood, taking the child with her, and plucking her glass from the table. “Mean old daddy put your puppy outside,” she continued as she walked away, in that pouting tone people tended to overuse on babies. “Maybe some Cheerios will fix it.”

Her exit left Owen alone with Aphrodite. Who smiled at him. She couldn’t help it, unaware of how disarmed he was by the gentle expression. Propping her elbow on the back of the couch, she propped her chin on her hand. “So, Owen.” An opening that would give him enough time to prepare for her friendly prying questions. Though, she took it easy on him this time. “Getting better at handling the kid I see.”

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RE: Reiterations [Closed] - saronym - 10-03-2016

Owen’s eyes tracked Julianna as she left the room. Something to focus on as he ignored the fixed gazed of Aphrodite on his profile. Owen sipped at his beer, turning his head toward the blonde when she addressed him.

He let the bottle rest on his thigh and shifted his whole posture to mirror Aphrodite’s in mockery. His elbow near to hers head resting on his hand. Now it was their turn to gossip.

“Oh yes, I’m a fast learner.” He smirked, eyebrows raised indicating a witty quip was soon to follow. He lowered his voice, glancing towards the doorway that Julianna had disappeared through. “Women dig that whole hot dad thing. Makes them think you’re all soft and vulnerable, you know. Especially if they think you’re a single dad. It’s really working for me.”

Owen’s goofy commentary was followed up by a knocking at his door. He took one last glance at Aphrodite and patted her heartily on the thigh. Apparently, Owen was feeling quite emboldened that day.

“Speaking of hot dads.” He pushed himself up from the couch to answer the door.


Holland had barely slept. He wasn’t used to having a child in the house. Just as soon as his eyes closed he was up again running to check on his daughter. She was in bed. Safe. He watched her breathe. In out in out. Her chest rising and falling in a perfect unvarying rhythm. He could lay down for a while again. But he’d get up again. Safe. Breathing. Note when she rolled over. At some point, he’d fallen asleep and she’d found chance to wet the bed.

He bathed Rose and texted Owen. While he was texting, Rose had found the soiled teddy and brought it to him saying, “daddy it yucky.” He bathed Rose again. Threw out the teddy and watched while Rose screamed and tried to rescue it from the trash. He promised to buy her a new one. He stripped and washed the bedding. Took the mattress out, bought a new mattress, and plastic covering, and three spare sets of sheets and blankets. Rose asked him about her mommy. He kept having to explain that she wasn’t coming back.

Rose had managed found his shoes and put them on her hands. “Look daddy.” It wasn’t a fun game to him. Holland texted Owen for help. He removed the shoes. Washed her hands and arms. He packed a diaper bag. He unpacked it. Rose didn’t wear diapers anymore but he needed the saniwipes, some snacks, a couple of her toys, her sippy cup. Holland packed the diaper bag again.

Then he had to change clothes. Handling urine things and messy child made him feel dirty. He put on a thin white pull-over v-neck sweater under a blue and black plaid shirt which he left unbuttoned. The sleeves of both shirts were stylishly rolled up, of course, to display his recently completed sleeve on the left arm. He put on his favorite worn black jeans for good measure. He just wanted familiar comfort clothes.

At some point Holland made it to Owen’s house, Rose holding his hand, diaper bag across his shoulder. The door was opened and he was ushered inside by Owen who seemed in one of his near manic playful moods. Holland sighed heavily pulling an apprehensive Rose after him. She was stranger shy especially with a large, looming, and loud Owen.

“What are you moving in?” Owen asked indicating the diaper bag across Holland’s chest.

“I just thought - saniwipes and you know -” Holland faltered.

“Anything you have in that bag we have in this house I guarantee it.” Owen said and waved at Rose who was trying to hide behind her father.

“Well I brought her a change of clothes. She gets so dirty so fast.” Holland tried to explain as he pulled the bag over his shoulder and set it on the floor in the foyer. He didn’t mention that he’d brought himself a change of clothes, as well, for just-in-case-puke reasons. “Say hi to my friend Mr. Owen, Rose.”

The girl shook her head and ducked her face against her father’s black jeans. “She’s adjusting.”

Owen slid his arm around Hollands shoulders escorting him to the living room. “She'll come around. In the meantime, come meet Julianna’s friend.” More like get this woman off my trail. Rose followed behind her father her hand still clasped in his. So Holland was sort of push-pulled between Rose and Owen into the living room.

“This is Aphrodite.” Owen introduced. “Aphrodite. This is my friend Holland.”

Holland stared silently at the woman seated - no poised - on the couch. He was pondering the mystery of the woman’s existence when Rose’s fussing behind him snapped him out of his stare. He smiled apologetically and bent to pick her up. Rose latched onto his neck and he stood with the child. “Hi.” He said embarrassed to have been caught staring.

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RE: Reiterations [Closed] - megs - 10-04-2016

Aphrodite laughed, a sound that mostly resounded in her throat. She wasn’t bothered by the implications he was attempting to make, knowing very well not to take most of the things he said too seriously. Her gaze remained fixed on him, unrelenting in its silent and entertained judgement. “I guess it’s good you’re not a single dad then,” she mused. “No need for anyone to take pity on you.” In all fairness, Aphrodite didn’t think Owen went anywhere with the child that meant Julianna wasn’t within a ten foot radius, lest Cain need something other than being toted around like a trophy. She also doubted his interest in the interests of women that weren’t Jules.

She glanced down to where he handled her leg, momentarily taken aback before her gaze lifted to watch him leave the room. She heard him answer the door and speak to someone just inside it. She sipped at her wine, and Julianna had yet to return. Still trying to wrestle Cain into something resembling order.

Continuing to nurse her wine, she watched the breeze move tree branches out of the window, the voices moving closer. At the sound of her name, she turned her head just enough to regard the trio standing at the apex of the living room and the hall. She smiled at them, seeming to only have the one. The slightly disarming one that reached her eyes and managed to light up her whole face. She didn’t appear bothered by his stare, quite used to the reaction in fact. “Hello Holland,” she said, her accent almost dropping the ‘H’ on both words and she set her wine on the table. Standing, she smoothed her hands over the fabric across her hips and moved closer to the other bodies. Skirts swirling around her calves as she gracefully moved around the coffee table. “It’s nice to meet you,” she said, her voice all melodic and pleasant. Violet eyes swept over him, Owen’s hot dad comment not going to waste on the stranger, before they settled on the child clinging to his neck. “And hello to you pretty girl.” Her tone was gentle, aware of the girl’s apparent shyness. “What’s your name, love?”

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RE: Reiterations [Closed] - saronym - 10-04-2016

Holland thought his heart might stop he heard the sound of his name falling out of her lips again. But he heard it in his mind again and again. The elocution was perfect, especially the conservation of the ‘h’ sound on the front. It made his name sound rounded almost beginning with a vowel.

He forced himself to stop thinking of it, his mind latching on to the way she moved. Seeming to glide. She was probably the most elegant woman he’d ever seen, and he’d seen Julianna looking fairly stunning at times. He pondered the physics of her skirt swishing around her calves, envisioning the particles in the air swirling around her like synchronized swimmers.

The way her hair seemed to emanate light. The lift of her cheek when she smiled. The hue of her eyes. How did she exist? He was completely undone by that smile. He felt naked before her.

Holland scratched self-consciously at his face, hearing the hairs on his cheeks bristling under his fingernails. He’d shaved the day prior but didn’t find the time to clean up again that morning so Holland had a good eighth of an inch of thick stubble that he suddenly felt very embarrassed about. He felt like urine covered, scruffy, wrinkled mess before this polished woman. Why hadn’t Owen told him to dress up?

Rose lifted her head from where it was hiding against her father’s shoulder when she was addressed. She hadn’t heard a woman’s voice in a while. She’d never heard an accent like that before. She cocked her head when the woman spoke to her.

“Rose.” She answered. She drew out her name and bowed her head against Holland’s shoulder again. She peaked at the woman from the corner of her eye. Her fingers busied themselves nervously with Holland’s collar pulling his plaid shirt askew.

Holland didn’t like the feeling and gently removed the collar from her fingers, and moved Rose around to the other side of his body so he could set his shirt straight again.

She pointed her finger at the woman and asked, “What your name?”

“What is your name.” Holland corrected. He tried to comb his fingers through her hair which was somehow already tangled. Rose pushed his hands away and fussed at him. His mind flashed to earlier that day. The sound of her screaming while he tried to manage her hair. “Her name is Aphrodite.” He answered for his daughter, testing the name out for himself.

Her mouth worked to repeat the name but something like “A-fo-eye-tee.” Came out.

She shied away and put strands of her hair into her mouth chewing on them. Holland pulled Rose’s hair from her mouth. “Don’t put your hair in your mouth.” His voice was as patient as he could force. How many times that day had he repeated those instructions? He wondered whether her mother had ever policed the behavior. He wondered whether it was her way of expressing distress.

“Daddy no.” She whined and pushed at his hands.

Holland sighed and gave Aphrodite an apologetic look. “We’re still getting used to each other.” His face tightened when the words left his mouth realizing that she had no context for why he and his toddler were somehow not previously acquainted.

Now she would not only know that he looked like a mess but that his personal life was a mess as well. A fact which his ex had spared no effort reminding him.

Somewhere in the middle of this Owen had announced, “I’m going to see if Julianna needs help,” and sidled away from the conversation. He mounted the stairs and hovered in the doorway of the nursery watching mother and son fight one another. “Well Holland’s fixated.” He said finally to announce himself before moving into the room.

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RE: Reiterations [Closed] - megs - 10-04-2016

Aphrodite was oblivious to the observation she was under. A careful scrutiny that managed to encompass a few seconds of relative silence after her introduction. She had grown accustomed to leaving people in awe, it was not conceit but experience. The way she dressed and styled her hair was a novelty that most people found entertaining enough to stare at. Or even stop her on the street for pictures. She pushed a lock of blonde hair behind her ears, it wasn’t out of place, just something to do with her hands before she clasped them in front of her.

“What a lovely name,” she said, tone still gentle but clearly pleased that she had received an answer from the coy girl. Rose had Holland’s dark hair and bright eyes, at least Aphrodite was left to assume that’s where she had gotten them from with no mother to compare her appearance to. Was there a mother? Aphrodite pondered if that thought process was inappropriate. Though clearly exhausted, the man standing before was very attractive, and she wondered if there was a Mrs. Hot Dad she should be aware of before she went around entertaining the slightest notion of flirting.

“You can call me Dite,” she suggested. Her name was a mouthful for most adults, but she was impressed by Rose’s attempts. Owen took his leave then, and she watched him disappear towards the stairs. His departure had seemed deliberate, nuanced with hidden intentions. Also, a tad rude, but she expected nothing else from a man whose font of immediate attention was not currently in the room.

Eyes darted back to father and daughter, and there was an obvious and tense anxiety as Holland pulled hair from Rose’s mouth, despite her protestations. He’d only had her two days, she remembered Julianna saying. It would only get worse before it got better. We’re still getting used to each other, he'd clarified, looking sheepish in his own right. “I understand,” she said, his tight expression not going unnoticed. No need for further explanation on his part; he seemed uncomfortable with the notion. She tilted her head to the side, the hair she had previously toyed with fell free from the anchor of her ear.

Aphrodite mentally filtered through ways to diffuse the situation, if only for a moment. Rose had responded to her pretty well, she decided to roll with it. The girl’s copious amounts of hair seemed to be a focus of some of the distress. “Would you...like me to braid your hair, Rose?”

Julianna’s attempts to get Cain down for a nap were dashed as soon as Owen appeared. He babbled happily, standing up in his crib and lifting his arms as if he wanted to be picked up. He danced excitedly, chubby legs threatening to send him falling back onto the bedding.

The woman sighed, one ear falling lopsided in brief annoyance. She glanced at Owen, before hooking her hands beneath the baby’s arms and laying him flat on the mattress. She pushed a stuffed animal near his hands and covered him with his blanket. Cain grabbed the toy bear, shoving one ear in his mouth, but kicked off the blankets in defiance.

“Did you just... leave them down there? Is that a good idea?” she asked, referring to Holland’s obvious anxiety, brow furrowing when he came up beside her.

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RE: Reiterations [Closed] - saronym - 10-05-2016

Holland’s eyes tracked Owen as he left the room, a mild panic setting in. Owen wasn’t even going to facilitate conversation? He tried to distract himself by following the fate of the strand of hair that Aphrodite tucked away while she spoke to Rose in her dulcet tones.

Rose was looking up at him asking for approval with her eyes whether she should get her hair braided. Holland’s hand passed over her head, smoothing the hair gently without getting his fingers tangled again.

“That sounds like a good idea. What do you think, Rose?” He didn’t want to push her into letting the woman handle her hair if she didn’t want to be touched by a stranger. Seemed like a solid fathering policy.

No sooner had he encouraged her, Rose was saying “Okay,” and squirming to get down from his arms.

His face brightened at the change in Rose and he bent to set her on the ground. “Alright then.”

Rose took a cautious step forward away from her father and stared up at the blonde. She hugged her arms to herself over the pink t-shirt she’d picked out with some cartoon character that Holland hadn’t recognized. He thought her outfit was ridiculous. The shirt was paired with loud cheetah print pants and pink velcro shoes, but it had made her amenable to taking a second bath that day so he’d allowed it.

“Okay ‘Dite.” Rose agreed. This time the name came out with more ease. It still sounded more like ‘Eye-tee’ but that was much more tolerable sounding to Holland than her previous butchering of Aphrodite’s name.

Holland scratched the back of his neck, this time daring to meet Aphrodite’s gaze with his, “Actually I probably need to learn how to do this. I don’t know how to style little girls’ hair.” He laughed nervously and worried at the silver ring through his lip with his tongue. He was afraid of her judgment for some reason. His fingers fiddled with the hair at the back of his neck.



Owen grinned and waved his hand at Cain who always seemed so enthused to see him. He didn’t understand how the infant even knew who he was, but that didn’t mean he didn’t enjoy the boy’s obvious affection.

Watching Julianna lay Cain down again, Owen realized it was probably that mysterious time of day : nap time. The child didn't seem tired and yet his mother demanded he sleep. Owen turned on the mobile mounted above the bed. The boy seemed instantly entranced by the sheep, moon, and stars in their languid turning.

Feeling satisfied that he’d contributed to the nap time effort, Owen turned to Julianna, “It’s obviously a great idea.” He smiled confidently and crossed his arms over his chest as if daring her to disagree with his determinations. “Hopefully he will distract her from asking me questions.”

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RE: Reiterations [Closed] - megs - 10-05-2016

Aphrodite clapped her hands together, Rose’s agreement and the obvious change in both of their demeanor pleased her. It had previously seemed impossible that her smile could get any wider, or that her face could get any brighter, but it did. Her expressive features were always authentic, the range of her emotions playing out easily on her face. “I can teach you.” Turning on her heel in a swirl of skirt and petticoats, she moved back to the couch. From her bag, she retrieved a brush before settling effortlessly upon the edge of the cushions. The brushless hand pat twice lightly on her knees for Rose to join her, then shifted towards the empty spot on the couch for Holland.

“I’ll show you how to do a french braid.” Lifting Rose into her lap, she started to pull all of that brown hair behind her shoulders. Gathering the gentle waves in one hand she began brushing the tangles from the ends. Aphrodite, the natural socialite that she was, did not need Owen to carry the conversation for her. “So what do you do, Holland?” she asked, letting the hair fall from her hands, continuing to brush and untangle without pulling. “Do you work with Owen?”

Setting the brush aside, nimble fingers separated strands of hair at the crown of her head. She didn’t instruct as she braided, having asked him a question that she was genuinely curious as to the answer, but she moved slowly, giving him time to absorb the process.

Julianna attempted the blanket again and Cain was too distracted with the colorful mobile to kick it off again. Satisfied with the development, she stood straight and lifted her arms above her head in a stretch, tail flickering around her knees.

Even though he had just crossed them, she forced his arms away from his chest so she could link hers through one that she claimed for herself. She steered Owen away from the crib and the child, in case he decided that nap time was cancelled. Owen never seemed to learn that no naps lead to a fussy, grumpy Cain as the day progressed.

Out of the room she closed the door, save but a crack. There were baby monitors scattered throughout the house, but she was a bit overprotective. She moved as if they would go back downstairs. “You left your socially awkward friend with my friend. The one you are intimidated by, because she was asking you questions?” Julianna looked up at him dubiously through her lashes, pulling him towards the stairs, unaware that he may have had secondary intentions for ditching them and joining her.

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RE: Reiterations [Closed] - saronym - 10-05-2016

Aphrodite’s smile must have been infectious because it quickly spread across Holland’s face like rays of sun after a storm. Though her initial smile made him feel scrutinized, this one put him at ease. Someone to help him, even if a little bit, with Rose. Which was the whole point of his visit to the Hart residence.

He hovered at the entrance to the living room as Rose skipped away on Aphrodite’s heels. Though he felt better, he felt somewhat helpless as he watched the blonde commandeer his daughter. Even so, she was promising to teach him how to style her hair and patting the cushion next to her indicating that he should join them.

His legs moved towards her as his mind worked to process the visual stimuli. She was still too stunning to comprehend. He sat where she’d marked for him. Although that is to say, he sat as far from her as he felt he could get away with without seeming standoffish. He didn’t want to crowd around her.

“Oh, uhm, kind of.” He couldn’t see what she was doing with Rose’s hair so he was forced to inch closer and lean towards her to get a better angle. His eyes studied the way she made neat sections. “We both work for the CAF. I’m non-combat though. I’m just in forensics.” The way he admitted he was non-combat came out sounding like a confession of an inadequacy. Like he was ‘less cool’ or ‘less interesting’ for being non-combat personnel.

His eyes flicked to the brush she’d used. He noted the bristles were much different from the fine toothed comb he had tried. “Is that the kind of brush I should use for her? I think the comb pulled too much.” Rose hadn’t even flinched when Aphrodite passed the device through her hair. Seemed like a necessary item.

Holland was impressed with Rose who sat very still for the woman. She hummed to herself and picked at fuzzies on her pants. “Daddy. Can I -” she frowned thinking of what she wanted from him. “Can I have my pop-up?”

“Your book? Yes.” With swift motions, he pushed himself up and retrieved the bag to locate the book in question. It was a pop-up book with mythical creatures. It had come paired with a coloring book of the same creatures which he had also brought to keep Rose engaged. He handed the picture-book to Rose to keep her entertained and returned to his spot next to Aphrodite.

Owen raised his eyebrows almost in warning at Julianna when she asserted herself to rearrange his arms the way she wanted making sure to pirate one for herself. He didn’t resist and let her do what she would with him. He sort of enjoyed when she was assertive. It was amusing. Kind of sexy.

In the hall when she accused him of being intimidated by Aphrodite, Owen fake gasped and put his hand on his chest as if offended. “I am not intimidated by her. She is nosy.” He countered staring down at her with an amused smirk.

Owen took his arm from where it was linked with hers. He put it instead around her shoulders bringing her into a playful crushing half-hug. He would subdue her, make her agree with him, by squishing her against him. “You have to admit, my socially awkward friend and your nosy friend seem like an interesting pairing.” His arm let up, but remained encompassing of her shoulders, “Holland came for parenting tips.” He made a face as if displeased with the notion. “This will be way more fun for me.” Owen's goals were ever to amuse himself or be the center of attention. Sometimes these things coincided. Sometimes they did not.

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RE: Reiterations [Closed] - megs - 10-06-2016

“Forensics?” Dite repeated with a curious lilt. She was surprised, pleasantly so, even though she wasn’t entirely sure why. Perhaps, she had just assumed all of Owen’s friends to be combat operatives like he was. They seemed like the type run together, but luckily for her that wasn’t the case. They’d have a lot less to talk about otherwise. “A fellow scientist, how exciting.” Short, manicured nails painted a lavender that matched her shirt, continually separated even bunches of hair to braid together. “Well, I’m a teacher technically, but I teach morphology and epigenetics at the University.”

Her fingers continued to move through Rose’s hair in an obvious pattern, only pausing when Holland stood to retrieve the book. “I would recommend it,” she replied in reference to the brush. “Her hair is very thick and a bit curly. Prone to tangling. A brush won’t pull as much. You want to make sure you don’t braid too tight,” she advised the last as a side note, reaching the end of the braid which still fell between Rose’s shoulder blades. With one hand Aphrodite unwrapped an elastic from around the end of the brush and secured the child’s new hairstyle. “All done,” Dite announced, poking her fingers playfully into Rose’s sides.

She dropped her hands, leaving the girl to stay or leave as she wished. “Are you from around here? Or have you relocated?” She turned her head to look at him, violet eyes found his hazel ones and settled there along with her attention.

Julianna tilted her chin defiantly at the appearance of his smirk. Cocky and playful and curving too easily on his mouth, as if it just belonged there naturally. “She’s not nosy,” she argued. “She’s my friend; she cares about me. And you, and Cain. She’s just being polite.” Ears twitched. Julianna was unaware of the talks they had when she wasn’t in the room. Both of them teasing one another. Aphrodite dropping hints towards his affections and intentions in her not so subtle ways, and Owen pretending to be oblivious.

She pouted briefly when he reclaimed his arm, but it dissolved and turned to giggles when he pulled her against him. She continued to laugh, the sound muffled by his shirt, and pretended to struggle against the embrace. When she was freed, she wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning her head back so she could look at him. She hummed, thoughtfully, not quite like she agreed with him. Despite his crushing attempts. “Interesting in an uncomfortably funny way, or in a matchmaking way?”

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RE: Reiterations [Closed] - saronym - 10-08-2016

Holland nodded. He was encouraged by her obvious enthusiasm for his profession. “Yes, I’m a forensic scientist.” He turned more towards the blonde then, his eyes leaving Rose’s hair to settle on Aphrodite's face instead. “Epigenetics, really?” He couldn’t hide how impressed he was. “My master’s thesis was on the application of epigentics in anti-aging therapies. Random, I know. But it was sort of a pet field of mine before I finally settled on forensics.”

Holland had forgotten about the lesson in hair styling for the moment. He was typically very starved for any kind of science talk among his friends who insisted he was a ‘nerd.’

Rose squealed louder than was warranted when Aphrodite poked her sides. When her giggles died down she thanked Aphrodite upon her father prompting her in the typical ‘what do we say.’ Rose leaned back against the blonde seeming content to stay there for the moment and finish flipping through her book.

“I think I missed the end of the lesson.” Holland admitted looking apologetic. “I got excited for science there. It looks good though. Not sure I can replicate it.” Holland left the pun hanging in the air, she’d either catch it or not. He wasn’t one to brag when he was clever. Unlike Owen.

“Anyways, I relocated for work. Here is home for me now. I moved around so much as a kid I never really know what to tell people is my home-town.”

Holland scratched at the back of his neck. He wasn’t much of a social butterfly and was feeling slightly exposed without the guise of doing-Rose’s-hair as an excuse to conversate. “I think I’m safe to assume you’re not originally from around here?” He wasn’t sure whether calling out her accent as ‘foreign’ would be rude or not.

Owen rolled his eyes at the suggestion of Aphrodite as ‘caring’ for him. No doubt she cared for Julianna and Cain. “I really don’t think she approves of your choice of -” he paused not sure how to refer to himself. Was he her ‘boyfriend’? He hated that term. He also didn’t particularly like ‘lover’. They weren’t married. He was kind of a ‘sperm donor.’ But, she wouldn’t like that one. “-men.”

Julianna had been rather mischievous with him all day. Gossiping about him with her friend. Trotting him out like a show dog. Subtly demanding kisses just to see what she’d get. Owen rather enjoyed these moods. He liked the game.

Fingers laced at the small of her back, he stared down at Julianna with a look didn’t mask his fondness for her, although Owen would be embarrassed to know it. “You realize those aren’t mutually exclusive, right?” He nevertheless used that insufferable I am always right and you will come to see that soon enough tone of voice. The smirk was still on his lips when he bent to press his mouth to hers, his hand moving to the back of her neck. He figured he’d give her the kiss she’d been looking for earlier, if only because her particularly playful mood inspired him.

The sound of a Rose’s little screeches downstairs made Owen pull away and frown. “I suppose that was a good squeal?”

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