▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 24, 2021 10:49:21 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 24, 2021 10:49:21 GMT -5
He chuckled, kissing her once more. "Best date ever," he teased, "hope you have enough patience for two dumb kids instead of just one." He supposed having a date with her while caring for one kid was better than two; at least the boy was less likely to embarrass him than Carina. It was a good thing he was just a grumpy kid instead of a naggy one.
Cato had to admit that he wasn't exactly as prepared for this one. He had to actually ask one of the kitchen boys to borrow a coat that didn't look like he was going to some fancy party or other. The plainest thing he owned was his school uniform, and even then, they went to the nicest school in town. It wasn't like they'd skimp out on their dress code, after all. It didn't look too bad, he figured. His pants were still a bit too pristine to appear as if he was a commoner, and the shit was probably still a little too pressed and fitted to truly seem 'normal,' but hey, it was the best he could do.
The carriage dropped them by the market, and he thanked the driver, arranging the pick up, before taking Elise's hand. It was curious; he had never really viewed Vela the way she did. Everything he knew was pristine and organized and ritualistic. Fancy restaurants and organized dinners and playdates. He rarely walked anywhere other than school, often riding or taking the carriage instead. Peasants walk, Nobles ride, his father would chide.
"Stall?" he seemed confused, "what...do people usually eat?" He'd never admit it but he was a bit out of his depth in this situation.
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Feb 24, 2021 11:58:05 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 24, 2021 11:58:05 GMT -5
"Well, food, usually," Elise said, grinning wider. It was amusing how little he knew. Her own family was very rich, as were the rest of her friends, but they still knew about commoner life and how to navigate something as simple as a marketplace. Perhaps it came from having merchants for parents.
She squeezed his hand, pulling him further into the crowd. "We can get fried seafood, or panelle, or fried dough and sugar, or gelato. There's a whole world of street food out there that you've been missing out on. I come here with my friends sometime- I love the calamari."
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 24, 2021 12:18:55 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 24, 2021 12:18:55 GMT -5
"I have no idea what panelle is," he replied slowly, "but if you like it, it must be good. Just take me to your favourite place; I'm not picky." Frankly, he was a little bit lost. Nobles of his position, especially first-born sons, rarely mingled with the commoners, and well, even his friends were pretty selective. They were the type to eat at fancy restaurants and have an aperitif on the beach, or hire caterers and personal chefs...common food was for commoners, at least in his circle. After all, how much better could street food be compared to the fare they had? His father had also warned him of these places, that they were crawling with germs, that the people cared little for cleanliness in these situations.
Of course, he wouldn't mention that to Elise, but hey, if he got food poisoning, well...he was definitely going to avoid anything raw or fresh, that was for sure. He didn't want to miss next week's events just because he ate a bad oyster or something.
"So you know the people around here?" he asked, intrigued, "I guess I never imagined coming down to the city for...fun? I swear this feels like going to a different world. I've never actually walked around Vela like we're doing now. Usually, even if we're going to a party or finding a new restaurant, we're taking someone else's carriage or something."
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Feb 24, 2021 12:55:03 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 24, 2021 12:55:03 GMT -5
"I mean, not really," Elise said, leading him to a fried seafood stand and ordering them several items. "I only come here sometimes- usually my life is more similar to yours than theirs. But only a few generations back my family lived like this." Now she had the riches her ancestors had dreamed of- the last thing left to attain was a title.
She handed him his own dish of fried calamari and shrimp, setting in on her own with gusto. As nice as the fancy food was, sometimes the greasy, unhealthy street food you could only find out here was the most satisfying to eat. As they ate, she pulled him through the streets, avoiding the dirtier sections as to not offend the clearly out-of-his-depth young lord. There was a nice view of the ocean from the east edge of the marketplace, and Elise sat on a bench with Cato.
Some raspberry gelato had been procured, and Elise offered it to him when he finished the seafood. "What do you think of the peasant way of life?" She asked with a grin. "When we're done eating we can go shopping. There's really unique stuff here."
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 24, 2021 20:34:32 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 24, 2021 20:34:32 GMT -5
Huh. Cato was a bit tentative about trying the food, but that didn't mean he'd outright reject it. A bite out of the squid ring and huh. "I like it," he said, as if sounding surprised himself. Calamari wasn't exactly fancy food, but he had it a few times when his parents were out of town and the chefs were feeling generous with his siblings about fried food. It didn't take much to have him practically shoving more into his mouth. Yep. It was delicious. Maybe living like a normal person wouldn't be weird at all.
He quickly followed Elise, through the winding paths of the city. It was surprisingly interesting, to see a side of Vela he rarely noticed. The seafront by the city was a lot different from the beaches, that was for sure. It was more lively, with groups of musicians and performers trying to swindle tourists and locals alike. It was nice, he decided. This part of the city certainly felt much more alive, even if it was a little dirtier and the people a little rougher around the edges.
"What kind of things do they sell?" he asked, intrigued, "I mean, I know the basics of our imports and exports but I guess tourist traps don't make much on the books." He took a bite out of the gelato on the end of Elise's spoon with a grin. Hm, the food really wasn't bad.
"I feel like I've been looking at Vela wrong the whole time," he laughed, leaning back, "I've been to the markets once or twice as a kid, but I don't remember it being...like this."
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Feb 24, 2021 20:52:44 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 24, 2021 20:52:44 GMT -5
"Handmade goods like clothes and jewelry, among other things," Elise said, finishing off the last of gelato. They had been there for a bit, and it was almost time to be going, but she wanted to show him one more thing. She dragged him to his feet, pulling him to her favorite jewelry stand in the midst of the marketplace.
There were an assortment of goods- some imported, some handmade, some elegant, some more crude. The elderly woman smiled at the two of them, extending a weathered hand towards her wares. "Matching bracelets for the beautiful couple?" She asked, indicating a pair of bracelets.
Both were simple leather straps, with half of a shiny black circle dangling from them. The woman picked them up, showing how one bracelet's circle fit like a jigsaw puzzle into the other. "Ten dollars and they're yours."
Elise looked sideways at Cato, smiling a small, hopeful smile. "I know we said we weren't going to let it get too serious- but those are really cute. Cheesy, maybe, but cute. Plus I need a new bracelet." Part of her worried he'd say no, that it was too corny or too obvious if they both wore a bracelet.
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 24, 2021 21:28:14 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 24, 2021 21:28:14 GMT -5
The amount of wares the markets sold was...fascinating. Clothes, jewellery, even knick knacks, like glass artefacts and small paintings. He didn't realize that these things were so...common. Art was often seen only in galleries, musicians only at the opera. He hadn't realized the commoners had their own sources of entertainment, and this brand new information was...eye-opening to say the least.
He only tore his eyes away from it all when the old woman offered Elise a set of bracelets with a smile. They weren't fancy bracelets, not anything that he'd wear to ceremonies or diplomatic dinners. They were unlike anything his family would even allow him to wear; their jewellery were almost always heirlooms, after all.
But the simplicity of it. Two stones that seemed to fit so perfectly against each other...and with Elise's shy expression...
"I'll take it," he said immediately, searching through his pouch. He didn't have any copper coins left, just a silver worth almost twice the amount. Still, he passed it to the old lady. "Keep the change," he hummed, as he took the bracelets, unbuckling it and taking Elise's wrist, slipping the leather cord around her wrist. It fit perfectly.
"It looks good on you," he smiled at her, "guess that means you can't get rid of me this time."
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Feb 24, 2021 21:46:48 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 24, 2021 21:46:48 GMT -5
"A generous man," the woman said, peering at them. "You know, I pride myself on practicing divination- for the extra cash, I will give you a simple reading. However much the future holds for you... your son will be as handsome as his father, and as resourceful as his mother."
Elise laughed good-naturedly, thanking the woman for her reading before pulling Cato away, letting him fix the bracelet on her wrist. She reached out and took his wrist, slipping the other bracelet onto it and sliding the stones into one another.
"Fits perfectly," she said, smiling up at him after looking at their wrists, connected by their matching bracelets. "I believe these are called lover charms. You should be careful, though, or people might think you're actually my boyfriend."
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 24, 2021 22:13:05 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 24, 2021 22:13:05 GMT -5
He laughed awkwardly at that. The woman must've really thought they were just commoners; he didn't believe in divination much anyway. He had never met a mind fairy and frankly, they never seemed that reliable. He simply thanked the woman with a bright smile, as they moved away, Elise sliding the bracelet on his wrist.
It looked nice, despite how simple it was. Cato knew he was going to treasure this for as long as he could. "Lover charms, huh?" he grinned as he slid his arm around her shoulder, "being seen as your boyfriend is literally the farthest thing from a problem right now." He pressed his lips to her hair, as the continued onwards, throughout the stalls.
"So where do you usually hang out?" he hummed, "you must have a favourite spot in the city."
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Feb 24, 2021 22:23:09 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 24, 2021 22:23:09 GMT -5
“Sorry, I’d only show a real boyfriend my favorite spot,” she said coyly, leaning into the kiss he planted on her forehead. “Even if we’re wearing lover charms, I wouldn’t take you there unless you properly asked me out.”
Elise knew she was toying with fire. Why couldn’t she just take him there? Why did she want these bracelets? Why did she want more if she knew it would hurt her more when it ended? Still, she couldn’t seem to stop with the couple comments, as if she wanted to see if he’d take the bait and play along with her pretend happy ending. They shouldn’t put a label on something, make it more serious, if they knew it was destined to end in a few months, if not sooner.
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 25, 2021 4:46:23 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 25, 2021 4:46:23 GMT -5
Cato's eyes gleamed for a moment, as a faint pink seemed to tinge his cheeks. So she really did want to be with him. It wasn't a shocking realisation, but the thought of it, the thought that maybe, just maybe, this could work out, gave him more hope than he had expected, and he could feel his heart beating just a little faster, the thrumming more evident in his chest.
He took her hands in his, standing in front of her, his expression completely serious. "Elise Monroe, the love of my life, will you go out with me?" he asked, a softness in his expression that made it seem as if she was the only thing in the world that mattered.
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Feb 25, 2021 6:27:31 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 25, 2021 6:27:31 GMT -5
Elise, for once, did not have a witty comeback. She stood still, watching Cato with a mixture of keen hope and disbelief, torn between pulling back and letting her walls come down. He didn't mean that- he couldn't mean it. Still, he looked completely genuine, and the way he was gazing at her made her heart stutter in her chest.
"It would hurt me greatly," she said slowly, "if you were messing around right now, Cato." Elise didn't seem to believe he was messing around, but it was difficult to let herself believe he was serious. The thought that they could be truly together, that he really did consider her the love of his life, filled her with such an all-consuming joy that it made her cautious.
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 25, 2021 6:58:51 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 25, 2021 6:58:51 GMT -5
Some things weren't meant to last, but Cato didn't care. Life was short and he knew he'd be shipped out a year or so, but that didn't mean this, right here and right now, didn't matter. "I wouldn't do that to you," he replied genuinely, "I know we joke a lot but you really are the light of my life, you know. You just...see things in a way I haven't seen the world before."
He felt his cheeks turn a sort of warmth he had never felt before. "I feel like I've known you forever even though we've really just met, and I want to know everything about you," he confessed, running a hand through his hair, "I...I think I'm in love with you."
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Feb 25, 2021 7:56:25 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 25, 2021 7:56:25 GMT -5
Elise flushed, wondering for just a moment if they could make this work somehow. Cato wouldn't tell her this unless he meant it- he was already getting everything else she could give him, so that couldn't be the motivation. If he really loved her... then he would have the bravery to stand up to his dad, right? They could be together.
It was too good to be true, but for the first time Elise allowed herself to believe. "I love you too," she responded, eagerly and sincerely, green eyes alight with a vivid joy. "And of course I'll be your girlfriend." Perhaps it was rash to confess her love to a man she'd known for a little over a month and a half, but it was the truth.
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 25, 2021 8:21:40 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 25, 2021 8:21:40 GMT -5
He felt the flutter in his chest and immediately pulled her in for a kiss that practically took his breath away, his arms around her waist tightly. This was...perfect. He couldn't have been happier if he had been declared king right now. It didn't matter anymore, he found his north star. Elise was everything he needed and wanted, and here he was, with her in his arms. Nothing could be better.
When he finally pulled away from the kiss, there was a giddiness in his expression. "I think this deserves an actual date night," he teased, "you can get me cotton candy next weekend but I'm bringing you out for dinner. I have to show off my girlfriend a little bit, don't I?"
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Feb 25, 2021 8:47:08 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 25, 2021 8:47:08 GMT -5
"That is a requirement of having a girlfriend, yes," Elise said, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him again. It was so... public, even if it was while they were incognito, and she felt a jolt of pride that she was the one who had won over the dashing, rakeish Cato Rotherhithe.
But she would have loved him if he'd been dirt poor, too. The only thing that really mattered was them being together, regardless of where they came from or their station in life. "Where are we going for dinner, my love?" Elise gave the term of endearment without a playful edge this time.
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 25, 2021 10:16:31 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 25, 2021 10:16:31 GMT -5
His wide grin looked as if he wanted nothing more. He took her hand, as they continued to walk, a little slower, as if there was nowhere else they needed to go. While he wasn't familiar with most of the commoners' places in Vela, he did know of a couple of places he had been to.
"If I remember right, there's a place by the seafront, a pretty popular restaurant," he hummed, "we can slowly make our way there, and well, I doubt they'll reject a Rotherhithe patronising them, no? You also owe me your favourite place in the city; don't think I'll forget that." He squeezed her hand lightly. "Come on, we still have some day time to kill before dinner."
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Feb 25, 2021 11:11:52 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 25, 2021 11:11:52 GMT -5
"Good thing my favorite place is by the seafront," Elise said, squeezing his hand as they walked. It was a pleasant afternoon they spent wandering, stopping at various stalls to see clothing and jewelry and knickknacks, and to grab food to eat.
Elise brought Cato out to the shore, to her favorite place, which was a bit of a hike but well worth the walk. Besides, there was nothing Elise would have rather done with her time. Her favorite place in the world turned out to be a sandbar they had to wade out to, in a remote stretch of beach. The sandbar was littered with pretty sells, washed up by the waves.
It was calm, and peaceful, surrounded by gulls and shells and the sound of waves lapping at their feet. "Do you like it?" Elise asked, closing her eyes to feel the warm sun on her face and the sifting hand beneath her toes. "I always like to get a shell to add to my collection while I'm here. I only let myself pick one, though. It's part of the fun. It's like a challenge. Which shell is my favorite?"
She cast a sideways glance at him, grinning. "If you were a shell, I'd pick you without a moment of hesitation," she said with a laugh. "You win with no competition, out of all the other boys who'd prefer me to take them home."
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 25, 2021 13:59:28 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 25, 2021 13:59:28 GMT -5
Of all the places that had crossed his mind as being Elise's favourite, a sandbar certainly wasn't one of them. He enjoyed swimming like every other boy in Vela, but swimming was often just dunking his friends in water, or drinking on the beach, or racing the others somewhere, or taking a kayak out. The sandbar was such a normal thing, something he'd probably pass by if Elise hadn't pointed it out.
"I didn't know you collected shells," he replied with a chuckle, "when we were kids, we used to do it too. Whoever brought the nicest shell to mom would win the prize or something, but she'd always say something like 'they're all pretty' and 'all of them are special' so it was never any fun." It was one of the few things that they had done as a family, even if their father often opted out due to his busy schedule dealing with his properties around the country.
"How about this," he suggested, "you pick a shell for me and I pick a shell for you. You're only allowed to pick one." He gave Elise a grin. "What do you think?"
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Feb 25, 2021 15:06:17 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 25, 2021 15:06:17 GMT -5
"Sounds good to me," Elise said, leaning over to kiss his cheek. She leaned over, navigating the piles of shells that spread across the large sandbar, until she found the one she was searching for. She hit it behind her back until Cato was ready, before pulling it out and handing it to him.
It was a deep blue with darker speckles, and it formed a long, thin spiral shell with a pointy end. "I can't pretend to be deep and say it reminded me of your eyes or anything," she said with a laugh. "I just thought it was pretty and that you'd like it."
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