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Post by Lina Harper on Nov 26, 2008 2:40:26 GMT -5
"Oh, all right," Lina said, her smile fading slightly, but she nodded. She enjoyed his company, even if he had a way of making her feel rough around the edges. Was that part of Cyrus' problem with her... did he think she wasn't good enough or smart enough or sophisticated enough for him? He had better hope that wasn't the case... she would murder him for ever thinking that.
"Thank you for coming, Roland. I really do appreciate it, and it was great to see you again. We'll see if we can catch Mara awake next time, all right?"
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Nov 26, 2008 15:51:00 GMT -5
His auror training had taught Roland to be cautious of everything, especially where family was concerned. And, whether his brother was willing to make it official or not, Lina was family. Glancing at Mara once again, he frowned. How did one get around with an infant? Would Mara and Lina be in danger if death eaters happened to come upon them? The bulky carrier had to slow her up.
"How are you planning to get back?" he asked. "I need to make sure you'll be safe."
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Post by Lina Harper on Nov 26, 2008 18:00:08 GMT -5
Lina had picked Mara's carrier up, and turned back to Roland with a curious look. Mara was too little to apparate with just yet, and their apartment wasn't hooked up to the floo network.
"I just walk," she told him. "It's busy today, and it's broad daylight out for a bit, still. We'll be fine." She was careful with Mara, to be sure. She really only went out with her during the weekends, when Hogsmeade and Diagonalley would be their busiest... which had it's ups and downs. More people meant more likely for an attack, but it also meant she would be less easily reognized as an auror's girlfriend.
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Nov 26, 2008 18:07:48 GMT -5
Roland frowned. That wouldn't do at all. He didn't like the idea of her walking with the baby for such a long distance. She would be too exposed. "Let me escort you," he said. "Please. It's a long walk, and I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you. I'm sure Cyrus wouldn't forgive me, either." He held his hand out to her.
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Post by Lina Harper on Nov 26, 2008 18:27:44 GMT -5
Lina gazed at him for a moment, a half smile on her lips as she regarded him. This was Roland, and he intimidated the hell out of her, as much as she truly liked him, and she wouldn't argue with him. But she could handle herself, and she could protect Mara.
"You said you were on your way to the Ministry. I really wouldn't want to keep you."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Nov 26, 2008 18:42:27 GMT -5
He shook his head quickly. The Ministry could wait a little while. This was a priority for him. It was family. "Really, I insist. It's no trouble at all." He quirked his lips up in his little half-smile. "Besides, maybe then I'll finally get to see Mara with her eyes open."
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Post by Lina Harper on Nov 26, 2008 18:57:21 GMT -5
Lina smiled wider and nodded. "All right," she said. "I would appreciate the company." Lina was not going to argue with him, and she really didn't mind the company. Sometimes, she liked adult company. She didn't get it as often as she used to.
As she finished gathering the child in her hands, she added, "She's been asleep for a long time... I'm sure she'll wake up before we go home."
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Mara Ferrera
Inactive Character
[M:10]
[ss:U2NG Classic]
Posts: 26
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Post by Mara Ferrera on Nov 26, 2008 19:22:28 GMT -5
At the sudden change of comfort level, Mara awoke with a wide yawn, and opened her eyes, blinking a few times. The woman was there, which made Mara give a small smile of happiness. Mara noticed that the man wasn't, which upset her slightly. But she did feel warm when it was the woman, and Mara looked up at her half closed eyes.
There was another man there, a man who Mara hadn't seen too often, if not at all. He looked harsh, but he didn't seem angry. Mara blinked a few times at him before giving a small hiccup.
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Nov 26, 2008 23:15:10 GMT -5
Roland was about to lead Lina to the door when he saw Mara's eyes flutter open. At the sight of her looking at him, his face opened up in a rare smile. "Well, there you are," he said to the baby, as if she could understand him. "So your eyes are brown, like your mother's."
He straightened up, as if embarrassed to have shown such emotion, then glanced at Lina. "I'll make sure you both get home safely."
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Post by Lina Harper on Nov 27, 2008 1:41:19 GMT -5
"Hey, sweetheart," Lina said to Mara as Roland drew her attention to the girl. "Hold on a moment, Roland," she told him, setting the baby carrier on top of the table. She reached in and gently lifted the little girl into her arms. "Thank you for waking up, darling," she whispered before turning back to Roland.
"Do you want to hold her?"
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Nov 27, 2008 2:37:05 GMT -5
Roland looked at her uncertainly. Then, looking almost embarrassed, he said, "I would love to... but, I have a confession to make. Promise you won't tell Cyrus? I'm quite certain he'd never let me hear the end of it."
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Post by Lina Harper on Nov 27, 2008 2:42:35 GMT -5
Lina held the baby close to her chest, a warm, motherly smile on her lips as she regarding the gruff man in front of her.
"I promise I won't tell him. And Mara promises too. So let's hear this confession."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Nov 27, 2008 2:49:14 GMT -5
The corner of Roland's lip quirked up on one side. "I'm actually.... a little nervous to hold her." He shrugged, his hands in his pocket, looking very stiff. "It's just... she's so little... I'm not known for being gentle." He gave a derisive laugh. "It's sort of funny, actually... I'm not afraid of anything, but a baby makes me nervous..."
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Post by Lina Harper on Nov 27, 2008 3:03:49 GMT -5
Lina's smile was nothing but matronly at that secret. Roland, the toughest, sternest guy she knew, and the tiny little creature in her arms scared him.
"I can hardly believe that, Roland," She said in a soft, friendly voice. "You've never been anything but gentle with me. I trust you with her." She held Mara out for him to take. "Just put a hand behind her head... it's still kind of hard for her to support it on her own."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Nov 27, 2008 11:29:57 GMT -5
Roland hesitated a moment, then took his hands out of his pockets and reached to take Mara. He put his hand behind her head, struck by how large his hand seemed in comparison. With his other hand, he carefully gathered her into his arms, cradling her in the crook of his elbow. For a second, he couldn't breathe, just looking down into the tiny, innocent face.
He hadn't held a child since Amandine was little. And then, he hadn't been much more than a child himself. He half expected Mara to start crying, but she wasn't crying yet. "Hi there, kiddo," he said his voice unusually soft. "I'm your uncle Roland."
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Mara Ferrera
Inactive Character
[M:10]
[ss:U2NG Classic]
Posts: 26
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Post by Mara Ferrera on Nov 28, 2008 22:26:16 GMT -5
This man was afraid of her, Mara could tell by the way he was holding her. She was frusturated, because she hadn't done anything to him yet.
Maybe he was afraid of the woman. The woman was very protective of her, she noticed. The woman made her feel very safe. This man would do well to not do any thing harmful to her.
Mara felt a small sense of sympathy and quite a bit of curiosity toward the man, and reached up to touch his face gently. It was similar to the face of the other man she loved, just as much as the woman.
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Nov 28, 2008 23:27:34 GMT -5
As the baby reached her little hand up to touch his face, Roland broke into a bright smile. Any uncertainty he had felt at holding her faded and he relaxed. "You're just a little angel, aren't you?" he said very softly.
He held out his finger, allowing her to grip it with her tiny hand. Looking into those tiny brown eyes, Roland felt his heart swell. His parents had to see her, there was just no doubt in his mind. Once they saw her, they would be just as deeply caught in her tiny spell as he now was.
Glancing up at Lina, any trace of stiffness or cynicism was gone from his expression. "If I'd had any hesitation at all about talking to my parents for you, she would have just convinced me," he told her.
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Post by Lina Harper on Nov 28, 2008 23:58:18 GMT -5
Lina smiled, watching as that little girl won her over, over and over again. She was such a sweetheart she broke Lina's own heart.
"She likes you," Lina told Roland softly. "She's very choosey about strangers. She has a good judge of character, I think."
Then, teasing him, and looking at him with her doe eyes that Mara had obviously inherited, she asked, "Did you have doubts about talking to them for me?"
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Nov 29, 2008 0:27:38 GMT -5
Roland continued to look down at Mara's innocent face for a moment, then finally tore his eyes away and looked back at Lina. "No, I didn't. To be honest, I was actually considering it before you even came to me. I spoke with Cyrus yesterday, and decided I was going to have to step in. I don't like having to do it, but if Cyrus isn't willing to fight his own battles, I'll fight them in his place. They're more likely to listen to me than Cyrus, anyway."
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Post by Lina Harper on Nov 29, 2008 0:37:06 GMT -5
That revelation nearly devestated Lina, though she should have expected it. "You spoke to Cy... and felt the need to step in."
She sat back down in the booth. "Can I confide in you with something?" She asked, her eyes on the ground. She trusted Roland with the baby, the carrier was right there if he wanted to put her down.
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