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Post by Hayden Ferrera on Feb 18, 2012 21:35:22 GMT -5
"Work does cause a decrease in the chance to meet women," he said. "I work all the time, or well I did accept missions to go off to different places to do goodness knows what for the auror department all the time. I thought that it would be a way to keep me busy. Now, however, with things going the way they had been, I thought it would be a little better if I stayed a little closer to home. Make sure everything was okay." Hayden was aware that she was starting to tease him. He cracked a smile, one that didn't appear on his face a whole lot.
The thing about Hayden was that he didn't smile all that much. Of course he would crack a smile around Sheena, but that was different. Nathalia made him smile a lot more than he usually did. He felt calm around her.
At the mention of seeing his other side, Hayden let out a laugh. "You're going to have to be quite lucky to see that side," he said obviously teasing her.
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Post by Nathalia Webb on Feb 20, 2012 17:50:23 GMT -5
Nathalia probably would have judged most guys who admitted they hadn't dated a girl since school.... But for some reason, she didn't. She understood innately why, and that if he really wanted a girl, he could get one. Especially if he pursued them like this. That thought made her blush.... Maybe he really wanted her- had a genuine interest in her. It was something she actually had a hard time wrapping her mind around. No one ever properly romanced her.
She allowed a small smile as he teased her right back. He could keep up- that was good. He didn't seem intimidated by her teasing or her hesitance to let him surprise her, how extremely independent she was. It was almost making up for his rejection of her last time, though her guard was still up. "I guess I better be in top form, then," she mused, still teasing him slightly.
A waiter came to them right away and asked if he could get them any drinks. Nathalia glanced at Hayden. "Should we just order a bottle of wine?"
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Post by Hayden Ferrera on Feb 21, 2012 16:41:03 GMT -5
"You should be," Hayden replied with a smile. For once Hayden felt normal and like himself. He didn't feel like he was supposed to be putting up a wall. In fact, he felt like he was working on tearing down a wall, Nathalia's wall. If that required him to be completely himself, then alright.
Once the waiter asked for their drinks, he glanced to Nathalia, then back at the waiter. There was a small twinkle in his eye. In the Italian his father taught him, Hayden asked for the usual bottle of wine that his father ordered. His parents were known here at the restaurant. Plus, Hayden also read that the waiter was not extremely comfortable speaking English.
The waiter nodded and disappeared. "I'm sure you'll like the wine that has been ordered. It's honestly probably the best here. Also, everything on the menu is great."
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Post by Nathalia Webb on Feb 21, 2012 18:18:14 GMT -5
She figured out the vibe of the evening by now. It was surprisingly easy and laid back. He seemed to be at ease, and confident, but not overly so. He was easy to get along with and talk to, despite her own guarded nature.
At least, that's what she thought until the waiter came over and Hayden gave her a sly sort of look. And then he surprised her yet again, turning to the waiter and saying something in Italian. Unbelievable.
She shook her head when he reverted back to English, assuring her that te wine was good. "You do not speak Italian," she replied, though it was clear that he did. It all just seemed so.... Convenient. And so well planned out and sweet. And for a brief second, she imagined telling her mother that the guy she just went on a date with was Italian, jut like her father. Who left, she added to herself.
"You're just full of surprises, aren't you? When did you learn Italian?"
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Post by Hayden Ferrera on Feb 22, 2012 19:26:12 GMT -5
"Well my father insisted on his children learning Italian considering that's where most of our family is from. Plus, going through Auror training you learn a lot of languages because sometimes you are sent to foreign countries and you have to be able to communicate." Hayden smiled, knowing that he did surprise her. "Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, and Latin are just a few of the languages that we're required to know."
It was unintentional for Hayden to attempt to impress her by letting her know he was knowledgeable in a few other languages. As for the night, Hayden did have it planned out, or at least the big picture anyway.
"It's something I don't let many people see back home since most people back home speak English. I figure I can make some people's lives easier when I travel to different countries who don't know English very well. Of course it also doesn't lead to any questions, which is usually a good thing."
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Post by Nathalia Webb on Feb 23, 2012 10:01:12 GMT -5
"Just a few?" Nathalia repeated. Merlin, Hayden was way out of Nathalia's league. Yes, she was impressed, but she felt incredibly stupid, too. She may have been well traveled due to her free spirited nature, but she didn't learn much from it. She could speak conversational French at best. "Wow."
It was way too soon for her to back out and decide she wanted to go home, but she was certainly thinking about it. She forced herself to keep conversation going.
"And what prompted you to become an Auror?"
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Post by Hayden Ferrera on Feb 23, 2012 10:33:21 GMT -5
"The only reason I learned the other languages was because I had to. I didn't just learn them on my own because I felt like it." Hayden didn't really get to travel too much unless it was because of a mission he was assigned. He didn't get to go sightseeing or take his precious time walking around the city and getting to know the cultures.
He saw the look in her eye. "Honestly, if I wasn't required to have know those, I probably wouldn't have learned them." Hayden wanted to put her at ease. "As for the Auror part, most of my family are Aurors. Growing up around them, I knew I wanted to protect people and I wanted to attempt to prevent things before they happened. I wasn't really good at anything else. I couldn't become a musician, store owner, artist, or anything like that. I needed adventure, something to open my eyes about the world around me." He gave a shrug. "And I will have to say that being an auror has led to a number of adventures."
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Post by Nathalia Webb on Feb 23, 2012 11:43:35 GMT -5
Nathalia laughed, letting some of the tension and pressure go. "What, being ridiculously intelligent isn't a hobby for you?" She regarded him, thinking that he must be well read, too, and she doubted that had anything to do with being an Auror. But then, he was a Fererra too, and she'd met a small handful of them. They were all serious and smart and loyal people. Family traits.
She picked up on something he said, though, and very quietly said, "I'm an artist. A painter, actually." And it dawned on her that she hadn't painted in a very long time- possibly since she'd come back from New York. "Bartending just let's me be social."
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Post by Hayden Ferrera on Feb 23, 2012 12:37:05 GMT -5
"I was a Ravenclaw in school," he said with a teasing tone. "But my friends kept me from being in the books so often, which I will not complain about." Hayden gave a small laugh. It was true, Damon, Sean, and T didn't let him stay in the books long because it always seemed like they were attempting to keep Damon out of trouble, or maybe possibly getting into trouble themselves.
Hayden did pick up on her voice change. Apparently, it was a little known fact that she was an artist. "I'd love to see some of your artwork sometime," he said moving to lean forward just a little in his chair. "I like to look at artwork, especially since my artwork would make a five year old's look like a professional." He gave her a teasing smile.
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Post by Nathalia Webb on Feb 23, 2012 13:27:50 GMT -5
"Yeah, you definitely strike me as a ravenclaw. I was in Slyrherin. And books were pretty much at the bottom of my priority list in school. I read a lot of travel narratives though." At least they had travel in common. Nathalia got bored in one place easily, and wanderlust was a good cure for that.
"The boys at Stu's the other night... Damon and the other two. Were they your friends in school? Damon aside, they all look rather.... Book oriented."
She laughed again at the art comment, but she shrugged. "Theyre not that exciting, really. Abstract things that look like I was having convulsions when I did them. But if you want to see them.... Then okay." Art was terribly personal and intimate, but he made her laugh, and really, so was that.
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Post by Hayden Ferrera on Feb 23, 2012 13:37:41 GMT -5
At the comment about Damon, Hayden let out a laugh that almost felt foreign to him. Sure, he would laugh a little with his friends, but this time it was different. "Yeah, Damon, he was the one that was either leading us into trouble, or us pulling him out of it." He shook his head. "But I wouldn't trade them. They're the best friends you could ever ask for."
It was obvious that Art meant something special to Nathalia, which proved that his next plan for the night would surprise her possibly a little more than he first thought. "Well, the good thing about art is that your emotions go into it. That's the beauty of it all I think. It's a way to see how someone else views the world, even if it is abstract things."
The conversation seemed to be going fairly well. "When did you first start painting?"
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Post by Nathalia Webb on Feb 23, 2012 18:39:55 GMT -5
"I can see that," Nathalia said. "He seems like the trouble maker type. And you.... I imagine you were quite the facilitator, pointing out the flaws in his plans and helping him succeed. T probably went along with anything, and Sean... Probably tried to talk you out of things. How close am I?" She leaned forward to match his movement. She tried to read people, and was pretty dead on a lot of the time. It helped with her job.
"I guess that's true. I think you can definitely tell what mood I was in when I painted each piece. I'll show you, later. I was just thinking though.... I don't think I've painted anything in months. I sort of miss it. I'm not really sure why I started... I just know Mum would come home and there would be marker all over the wall. She finally got my a canvas, and the rest is history. It just clears my head."
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Post by Hayden Ferrera on Feb 23, 2012 21:36:21 GMT -5
"Something like that," he replied with a laugh.
There was something Hayden had been looking forward to hearing Nathalia say. He knew that she had her walls, but in a way he felt like he had broken through one of them. She was willing to show him something that meant a lot to her. "It's a great way to get your emotions out," he offered.
While during their conversation, the waiter returned with the bottle of wine and poured each glass. "Do you have any idea what you would like to try from the menu tonight?"
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Post by Nathalia Webb on Feb 23, 2012 23:06:37 GMT -5
Nathalia, however, didn't respond right away, though they were still on the subject of art. There were a couple of ways she could lead that conversation, and she was debating which rhetorical road to take. Finally, she sighed softly. "How do you get your emotions out, Hayden?" She thought this was a very important question, and the answer was something she definitely needed to know. It would say a lot about him.
She leaned back again when the waiter came, pouring them both a glass out of the bottle. It allowed her to distance herself a bit from Hayden, and to clear her head a little. Maybe even reconstruct a wall or two.
"Oh, I haven't even looked at the menu... what do you recommend?"
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Post by Hayden Ferrera on Apr 9, 2012 14:58:28 GMT -5
That was a really good question. Hayden wasn't exactly sure how he coped with his emotions. "I sometimes run until I feel like I can't anymore, or I'll have a drink or two while I try to sort things out." Running helped him a lot better than just having a drink or two.
Whatever walls Nathalia thought about putting up, Hayden was going to do his best to tear them down. She intrigued him and he liked it. "The Chicken Saltimbocca is really good. So is the Marsala. You can get Veal or Chicken marsala, both of which are great. The Shrimp fra diavolo is one of my favorites, but it's a little spicy."
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Post by Nathalia Webb on Jul 14, 2012 17:42:43 GMT -5
"Well, running, you're on your own. But if you ever need a drink or two, I'm your girl."
sh*te, Nathalia. Poor choice in wording. He was making her comfortable, and she just... she was just so much more chatty when she was comfortable. Like those walls of hers became paper thin. It was his fault, really. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and dropped eye contact with him, looking over the menu while she tried to find something more off-standish to say to him.
Listening to his selections of the menu, Nathalia let out a soft sigh and forced herself to meet his eyes again. "I like spicy." And not just in food, her look seemed to say. "I'll try the shrimp fra diavolo," she said to both him and the waiter, handing her menu over.
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Post by Hayden Ferrera on Jul 16, 2012 13:41:32 GMT -5
Hayden could tell he was slowly getting closer to her. She did seem more comfortable and for a split second it seemed like she almost had a realization that she was instead on defense mode. He would do what he could to keep her out of defense mode. The moments when she seemed comfortable made things seem to go a lot easier.
If the waiter had not been standing there at that moment, Hayden would have laughed out loud. He caught her expression, but in answer to it, he raised an eyebrow just slightly to show her an amused looked.
"I'll have the same," he said handing the menu over. The waiter gave a small bow and walked away.
"So, you like spicy," he stated. The expression on his face said that he understood the double meaning. At the moment, however, he wasn't about to mention that. "Have you ever tried Thai food?"
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Post by Nathalia Webb on Aug 15, 2012 17:27:55 GMT -5
"I live Thai. And Indian." That raised eyebrow of his said a lot, but if he wasn't going to comment on it, neither was she. They had all evening to make these jokes, if they got closer to the point of doing it in purpose. She still wasn't sure how she saw this going, and she was still just a little guarded, just based on what she saw as a solid rejection last time. She wasnt keen to jump back into that.
"Something tells me you've been to Thailand. Have you?"
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Post by Hayden Ferrera on Aug 17, 2012 20:40:38 GMT -5
"Indian food is quite delicious." Hayden felt like he was opening up more with her. He was relaxing and becoming the joking side he was around Roland, Liam, and Sheena.
"I have been to Thailand. It was on a mission, however. I did get to enjoy a little bit of Thailand. The food was one thing. The people were fairly nice too." It was visible that Hayden was now completely relaxed. "I've traveled to a lot of countries, although I haven't been able to enjoy all the places, but it's been alright. How about you? What is your favorite place to visit?"
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Post by Nathalia Webb on Dec 5, 2012 1:05:16 GMT -5
Nathalia found herself actually a little jealous of Hayden in that moment. She considered herself a free spirit, able to leave on a whim, but when she thought about it, she hadn't really seen that many places. Hayden had been everywhere, it seemed, and Nathalia seemed to stick to what was close and familiar. She didn't like this revelation about herself.
"Probably New York," she replied after taking a sip from her glass. "Although, Paris has it's merits. The city itself is kind of dirty and dull, but the art history there..." she trailed off, shrugging as though this was hard to explain. "I like art a lot, in case you haven't gathered." She really needed to start painting again. For the life of her, she couldn't remember why she quit.
"And you know what I'd really like to do? Have you been to the Color Festival in India?"
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