04-28-2014, 09:50 AM
After his statement- "And sometimes they are both."
- more a personal observation than anything else, silence hung in the air for a moment. Connor was content to let the silence linger as he didn't wish to intrude any further on these people's mental space. It had been, perhaps, just a momentary footing in a now-alien world that he had sought from them, before his thinking had been realigned by his panic.
Then the woman smiled up at him and introduced herself. "Tehya"
Such a lovely name. But that smile...It was real, the kind that was a genuine expression of warmth. He had already noticed she was strikingly good looking. But that smile...A word drifted up from the depths of his mind. Nizhoni, beautiful. It made her beautiful. It warmed him, to feel that human connection to another. Now that he had come to terms with the loss of Hayden, he was able to feel again. First Aria and Jensen and Giovanni. And now this beautiful woman. It felt so good to be in the land of the living again.
He noticed, though, that the smile did not touch her eyes. Not in the way that sometimes happened when a person was being phony. Rather, this woman was alone. She had worn solitude as a cloak earlier. And even in her attempt to be friendly, to be open, the fact that she was a solitary person, going through her life alone- by choice? by circumstance? both?- was clear. An aching feeling of empathy washed through the center of him. No one should feel that way.
Only a short time ago, he had felt that solitude keenly. But it had been his choice, his way of dealing with the guilt and the pain, of cutting himself off. He had been dying spiritually- or perhaps killing himself. And so he felt a deep compassion for her, a compassion borne of a shared experience. And he appreciated the gesture she made all the more, the effort at crossing the chasm to interact with others. And then rational thought intruded itself. You're projecting, he thought.
He smiled at her and said, "Very nice to meet you, Tehya. I'm Connor," and shook her hand. Her hand was smooth and warm to the touch, the shake firm. This was a real woman, not some flighty superficial giggly girl.
Then the man offered his name and a hand. "Elias"
, he said. Connor gave his hand a firm shake as well. "Good to meet you, Elias. Connor" The man shook only briefly. He seemed more interested in meeting Tehya. It was understandable. Connor gave her a brief look and a smile.
He felt the chill in the air start to seep into his bones, despite the cold. "I'll tell you what. These Moscow autums seem more like winter. Course, I'm from New Mexico, so...you know."
They had introduced themselves so he decided to go forward. "Where are you both from?"
Edited by Connor Kent, Apr 28 2014, 11:21 AM.
- more a personal observation than anything else, silence hung in the air for a moment. Connor was content to let the silence linger as he didn't wish to intrude any further on these people's mental space. It had been, perhaps, just a momentary footing in a now-alien world that he had sought from them, before his thinking had been realigned by his panic.
Then the woman smiled up at him and introduced herself. "Tehya"
Such a lovely name. But that smile...It was real, the kind that was a genuine expression of warmth. He had already noticed she was strikingly good looking. But that smile...A word drifted up from the depths of his mind. Nizhoni, beautiful. It made her beautiful. It warmed him, to feel that human connection to another. Now that he had come to terms with the loss of Hayden, he was able to feel again. First Aria and Jensen and Giovanni. And now this beautiful woman. It felt so good to be in the land of the living again.
He noticed, though, that the smile did not touch her eyes. Not in the way that sometimes happened when a person was being phony. Rather, this woman was alone. She had worn solitude as a cloak earlier. And even in her attempt to be friendly, to be open, the fact that she was a solitary person, going through her life alone- by choice? by circumstance? both?- was clear. An aching feeling of empathy washed through the center of him. No one should feel that way.
Only a short time ago, he had felt that solitude keenly. But it had been his choice, his way of dealing with the guilt and the pain, of cutting himself off. He had been dying spiritually- or perhaps killing himself. And so he felt a deep compassion for her, a compassion borne of a shared experience. And he appreciated the gesture she made all the more, the effort at crossing the chasm to interact with others. And then rational thought intruded itself. You're projecting, he thought.
He smiled at her and said, "Very nice to meet you, Tehya. I'm Connor," and shook her hand. Her hand was smooth and warm to the touch, the shake firm. This was a real woman, not some flighty superficial giggly girl.
Then the man offered his name and a hand. "Elias"
, he said. Connor gave his hand a firm shake as well. "Good to meet you, Elias. Connor" The man shook only briefly. He seemed more interested in meeting Tehya. It was understandable. Connor gave her a brief look and a smile.
He felt the chill in the air start to seep into his bones, despite the cold. "I'll tell you what. These Moscow autums seem more like winter. Course, I'm from New Mexico, so...you know."
They had introduced themselves so he decided to go forward. "Where are you both from?"
Edited by Connor Kent, Apr 28 2014, 11:21 AM.