[hernovel]

hernovel ; private writing blog for emilie créatrice {belle} ; penned by bee ; thirty-one

---- affiliated with @prismfallshq

INTRODUCTION

[bastianashbourne]

when she wasn’t looking, he let himself watch her. really watch her. the way her lips curved when she smiled, how her eyes softened whenever she looked at him. there was something in her face he could never quite read, something quiet and beautiful that made his chest ache. he wanted to know what she was thinking. to mine every thought like a treasure and understand what went on behind those soft, secret smiles.

her grin pulled one from him before he could stop it. “ you are the odd one, ” he teased, the warmth in his voice betraying him. “ the way you walk through town with your nose buried in a book ? i’m honestly amazed i haven’t seen you fall into a ditch yet. ” his tone was light, but there was affection stitched into every word, the kind that snuck out when he wasn’t guarding himself so tightly.

when her eyes darkened, though — that flicker of hurt passing over her face — it hit him like a punch. he hadn’t meant to take something from her. hadn’t meant to make her feel small. guilt climbed up his throat before he could choke it down. “ please, ” he said softly, the word slipping out before he’d thought it through, before he could stop it from sounding so tender. “ just … let me do this for you. ”

he realized what he’d said the moment it left his mouth. the words felt too heavy, too intimate, too much. his pulse quickened, and for a second he thought about retreating. making a joke, walking away, something to fix it. but he couldn’t. not when she was looking at him like that. “ it’s the only way i can — ” he faltered, searching for safer ground, but it was already too late, the truth spilling out anyway. “ it’s the only way i can take care of you. ”

his breath caught, and then he was blinking, scrambling to move, to do something. he nodded once — stiff, too quick and reached for his cup like it was a lifeline. “ right. goats, ” he muttered, clearing his throat as if it would erase the words still hanging between them. “ before they start eating each other. ” and then he was walking, pretending he didn’t feel her eyes on him, pretending he hadn’t just said something he’d promised himself he never would.

[hernovel]

it seemed she wasn't the only one stealing glances. admiring him whenever she could. memorizing his infamous pout lines, something he did so often, yet every time they seemed to be different. they meant almost as much as his smile lines. the way his forehead moved when he smirked, right after he teased her. she watched the slope of his mouth, the cure of his jaw when he smiled. emilie would be glad that he couldn't read her mind, hear her thoughts. most of them whimsical fantasies about what life could be, the rest about him-- how often she thought of him, how good she knew he could be. one might put her in an asylum, thinking she had some crazy obsession. maybe she did?

now she was the one pouting, only hers was playful, pretending to be offended by his words. the warmth leading her into what she hoped wasn't a false sense of security. "maybe you should try it. getting lost in a book, it's an entirely different experience." she said dreamily, her eyes lighting up as she spoke. becoming more and more vibrant with each word. "i'm not worried, if I did fall in a ditch, I know you'd never leave me down there." she shrugged, grabbing on to the emotion that he seemed to be giving. letting it wrap around her like a warm blanket. even if it's only for a moment.

his plea would have had her tripping over her own feet, if she were walking. as it was, she had to fight the tremble of her knees. the way they wanted to buckle under her. her breath catching in her throat, but there was a nod. a small, barely registered nod. she could let him have this, couldn't she? the way he spoke that one word had her entire world turning on its head. "y-yeah... of -- of course." she could barely breath, her words coming out forced, practically a squeak at this point.

'it's the only way I can take care of you.'

the one sentence ringing in her ears, bouncing around her head. thoughts that usually lay perfectly in a row, so poised, organized -- were now a storm, buzzing around her head. jumbled, disorganized. a tornado of feelings she didn't know what to do with. there in the open, she needed some stability. something to hold onto, something to ground her, but there was nothing. she was lost at sea, violently looking for a life raft. "bastian... you want ---" trailing off as she watched him begin to walk away.

her mind still trying to catch up, never mind her legs. what felt like hours, but wasn't even minutes, barely even seconds later she was running after him. reaching out to grab his arm when she finally caught up. stopping him. "wait.. please, wait. you can't... we can't-- don't do that. don't take that from me. give me a second, please, just a second to enjoy it." emilie couldn't let this go, she needed it. even if it was just for the day. even if he went back to pouting. to pretending he didn't want her around. she wanted this moment, needed to know he cared, almost as much as she needed to breath. "the goats can eat each other for all I care." her eyes wide, pleading, asking for him to let her have what he just gave her.

[naniscaadayemi]

𝐖𝐇𝐎 : @hernovel 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 + 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐄: late night, a party at topaz terrace

nanisca’s head tilted as she caught sight of emelie, disbelief flickering across her face before it settled into something sharper. of all the people she expected to see here, this one wasn’t on the list. emelie was supposed to be too neat for this. too good, too put-together, too everything nanisca wasn’t anymore.

she crossed her arms as she walked over, the beat of the music pulsing through her chest, a poor disguise for the sudden tightness there. her gaze swept emelie up and down like she was trying to place her in this world and couldn’t quite make the pieces fit.

" well, look who decided to slum it, " she said, tone smooth but barbed. " what are you doing here ? don’t you have books to shelve, or — " her mouth twitched, something cruel and wounded behind the smirk " — other people to sell lies to ? "

[hernovel]

she wanted to step outside of her comfort zone, attend more social activities. maybe this wasn't the best place to start? a small part of her hoping to see bastain, but she wasn't counting on it. unfortunately the first person she ran into was someone she fought to avoid. emilie made a mistake that night, she lost a friendship that meant the world to her.

fighting the urge to fidget with her dress, fighting the urge to let her nerves get the best of her. she stood there as calmly as she could, eyes scanning her old friend. trying to take her in, wanting to see if she could tell just by looking at her, how she was doing.

"I don't know if i'd call this slumming it.. we both know I do that pretty much every day." she pointed out. emilie did not live the high life, they both knew that. flinching as the last statement practically slapped her across the face. "i've apologized numerous times, I cannot help if you still hold a grudge, but you do not need to be cruel."

a soft sigh escaping her lips, wishing the ground would open and just swallow her. taking her from this nightmare. "it wasn't a lie nanisca, I wanted it... I just got nervous. I was afraid." she knew her words would fall on deaf ears. "I'm here to enjoy myself, nothing more.. nothing less, now keep your comments to yourself, or move along."

[chcnteuse-deactivated20251026]

𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑: for @hernovel !! 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 & 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍: the emerald nook, afternoon

the  bookshop  door  swung  softly  shut  behind  brigitte  as  she  paused  on  the  threshold,  looking  around  curiously  at  the  rows  of  shelves.  it  had  only  taken  her  a  few  days  to  decide  to  take  emilie  up  on  her  offer,  dropping  by  for  a  visit.  any  excuse  for  a  distraction,  a  diversion,  an  escape.  besides,  she  was  rather  curious  —  it  had  been  years  since  she'd  had  any  reason  to  wander  into  the  emerald  nook.  “ there  you  are, ”  she  began,  catching  sight  of  the  other  woman,  giving  her  a  smile,  “ i  hope  you  don't  mind  me  stopping  by.  i've  been  meaning  to  read a little more,  you  know,  and  i  thought  you  might  be  able  to  help  me find something good. ”

( not  quite  true,  admittedly,  but  it  surely  wouldn't  be  a  bad  idea  to  buy  one  or  two  —  a  change  from  all  the  gowns  and  hats  and  silks,  at  least. )  then,  remembering  the  gift  she'd  brought  with  her,  she  held  out  the  little  bouquet  of  autumn  flowers;  chrysanthemums,  and  marigolds,  and  sprigs  of  amaranth.  an  offering  of  friendship,  she  hoped.  “ and  i  thought  you  might  like  these,  too.  you  could  put  them  in  your  boudoir,  or . . . or  with  your  books,  i  suppose. ”

[hernovel]

she heard the swing of the door, heard it squeaking as it open and then shut. the bell going off to alert her of a new customer. emilie took two more seconds to put away a few more books. the last of box that the owners left her to deal with. which she didn't mind doing. it was therapeutic. filing away books, finding homes for them, rearranging the ones that were already there to make room for new ones. --hearing the familiar voice, she couldn't help but smile. emilie may not have stopped by, but she thought about it daily, since their talk. trying to work up the courage. -- since when was she shy? nervous? she wasn't sure, but the fear of overstepping. of possibly showing up and finding out brigitte was just being friendly, stopped her from going. "of course I don't mind! I invited you after all." she reminded, a smile slipping onto her lips. "are you looking for romance, mystery, biographies, any other genre you can think of and I will find you something you'll love." emilie had full confidence in herself when it came to the books.

her eyes moved towards the flowers, causing her to pause, almost dropping the novels in her arms. emilie had to blink a few times, to try and stop the tears that wanted to build. moving to rest the pile of books on the shelf nearby. "these are for me?" she asked, as she reached out and gently grabbed the bouquet. the smile genuine, full of emotion. she couldn't remember the last time someone gave her flowers. any time she wanted them, she had to gather them herself. always looking for the most perfect roses. "they're beautiful brigitte. I will cherish them." she admitted, before shaking her head, a small laugh escaping. "my home is the size of a boudoir, we're not all as financially lucky." she shrugged, emphasizing the word financially, because that might be the only luck brigitte currently had. married to a man she didn't want to be with. "i'm really glad you came."

[tinkrfairy]

𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑: @hernovel 𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: the emerald nook

"hi!" roni greets, a little too loudly. even if bookstore etiquette was more lax than the library's, the thundering sound of roni's voice still garnered a few stray glares and grumblings from browsing patrons. "i'm so glad i caught you. do you have any books about ghosts?"

[hernovel]

emilie may have jumped slightly, but she didn't mind the noise. in fact, she was the opposite of everyone else here. books should be celebrated, and even if that wasn't why the other girl was shouting, she didn't mind. "ghosts?" her face scrunched up in confusion. not many asked for books on ghosts. "are you looking for fiction or non fiction?" real ghosts? or stories told about them? it mattered, they were in different sections.

[chcrmant]

𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑: for @hernovel !! 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 & 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍: the emerald nook, morning

he  hadn't  even  intended  on  going  in,  really,  but  even  a  quick  glance  through  the  window  had  proved  too  tempting  to  pass  up;  a  single  glimpse  of  those  shelves  overflowing  with  beautiful  old  volumes,  each  one  a  promise  of  a  few  hours  well-spent.  surely  there  was  no  harm  in  a  quick  browse,  was  there?  if  he  was  going  to  explore  everything  prism  falls  had  to  offer,  there  was  no  better  place  to  start.   “ good  morning,  miss, ”  he  said,  giving  the  girl  behind  the  counter  a  pleasant  smile  as  he  looked  around,  turning  in  a  half-circle  to  scan  the  shelves.  not  sure  where  he  wanted  to  start  first,  in  his  eagerness  to  begin.  “ you  wouldn't  happen  to  have  anything  by  keats,  would  you?  or  any  poetry  at  all,  really. ”

[hernovel]

emilie happened to glance outside as he was admiring the shop from the window. smiling softly to herself, even if he didn't come inside, she was just happy the book store was getting some recognition. then there was the familiar chime of that bell she loved so much. beaming as he entered, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "good morning, I hope our little corner of the world is as wonderful as you're hoping it will be." this store, the books, being surrounded by different worlds -- she couldn't ask for anything better. truly she wished everyone else in town could appreciate it as much as she did. "poetry? we have an entire section!" she exclaimed, hopping out from behind the counter, and moving towards the left corner of the store. "these shelves will have as much poetry as your heart desires! there should be a few by keats thrown in there." she smiled, as she admired the collection for a moment. "they're in alphabetical order, so it should be easy to find what you're looking for."

[amirvale]

he blinked, surprise flickering across his face before a sheepish smile curved at the corner of his mouth. " oh, you’re good. i didn’t think you meant it like that, " he said quickly, rubbing the back of his neck. " i just... have a long, tragic history of creative disasters. thought i’d spare you the horror. " he was a chronic over thinker and being presented with so many options wasn't helping. chewing on his bottom lip he stared down at the pumpkin he'd mutilated, it's not that bad right? i could save it ? though his mind strained to think of how.

when she mentioned the fine print, his grin returned, small but genuine. " happens to the best of us. " he grinned, an actual smile this time, his shoulders dropping as he finally landed on grabbing a new pumpkin. he came back and dropped the heavy thing on the table with a thud, " alright. " he said with mock seriousness, " the piano is going to have to wait until next year, when i've fully tapped into my artistic abilities, this year i think we going for the classics. they're called that for a reason. triangles for eyes and a toothy grin. "

[hernovel]

she watched him closely, before smiling back. only hers was wide, reassuring. she could tell he was struggling slightly, and she didn't want to make it worse. "if it helps, i'm just a creative disaster." she teased, though a small part of her actually meant the words that slipped from her lips. emilie was quite the disaster, even if she pretended that she wasn't. her eyes moving to his pumpkin, holding back a soft giggle as she watched him contemplate it.

when he finally grinned, she couldn't help but mirror his actions. it was almost contagious. "next year, i'll make sure to read over every single word. find a loophole." this time she did laugh. emilie almost felt carefree in the moment, something that didn't happen often. moving to begin carving her pumpkin, as she heard the thud. "he's going to be the most handsome pumpkin around." taking the top off of hers and placing it to the side. "i'm going to help. we're going to practice all year so that you have no chance of losing next year!"

[bastianashbourne]

being here with her reminded him of when prism falls still felt like magic. before his life turned heavy in his hands. when his parents were still alive, when his mother would buy him sweets until his stomach hurt, and his father would lift him up to see the fireworks burst over the trees. later, he’d brought his first love here, snuck away from the crowds to dance under the twinkling lights, to kiss her in the corn maze and swear that they’d always find their way back to each other. he’d broken that promise, just like he broke most things.

but now, walking beside emilie, he couldn’t help but wonder what kind of memories he’d make this time. what traditions they could create together if things were different. if he had more than just this one borrowed day. the thought hit him so hard that he had to shake it off, reminding himself again that he wasn’t allowed to want that.

“ well, i wasn’t expecting to do anything but stand here and scowl at people, ” he admitted lightly, lips twitching into something half like a smile. “ this jacket’s perfect for that. ” it wasn’t the full truth, but it was close enough. he’d wanted to look his best. the jacket gave him something to hide behind, made him feel put together in a way he hadn’t in a long time. still, when she mentioned the dark blue one, her favorite, something in his chest went warm and tight. she noticed things about him. things no one else bothered to. his ears burned, and he cleared his throat quickly, pretending he hadn’t heard her at all.

by the time they reached the cider stall, he was grateful for the distraction. she was already reaching for her coin purse, ready to pay, when he slipped a few copper pieces onto the counter first. old habit, maybe, or pride. maybe something softer. “ don’t even think about it, ” he murmured, his tone easy but his eyes betraying something a little more protective. she could drag him anywhere she wanted, but he’d be damned if he let her spend money on him. especially when he knew she didn’t have much to spare.

one day. he kept telling himself that. just one day. but with her standing beside him, smiling like the whole world had turned gold, it didn’t feel like enough.

[hernovel]

she couldn't remember much from before.. she could barely remember a time when she was truly happy. when her mother was around maybe? unfortunately she was so young then. the letters from her mother stopped coming in years ago. now she would just go back and read the old one. wondering where she went wrong, why her mother stopped responding. the only constant she truly had was the man before her. bastain ashbourne, someone who used to, and sometimes still did pick on her, but would never leave her stranded. no matter how annoying he thought she was. coming to this thing for years, mostly alone, just wandering and taking it all in. this year was already her favorite.

would they do this again? would he indulge her like this every year, or just today? should she get her hopes up? or is she just setting herself up for yet another broken heart. unfortunately it didn't matter, she was ecstatic for this time. getting lost in him and everything he was currently giving to her. she would worry about the pain when it finally hit her , lying in bed reminiscing about the day.

"yes, your favorite pastime, and i'm the odd one." she teased, trying to stop herself from grinning. instead a goofy smile took its place. nodding in agreement as her eyes scanned his jacket once more. "it is perfect for pouting.. too bad i'm not allowing that anymore, at least not today." even though it wasn't spoken out loud emilie knew he was indulging her. -- her own cheeks reddening slightly as she felt herself linger on him too long. turning her attention to something else, desperately hoping he didn't realize.

watching as he paid, her eyes betraying the rage she felt. her entire face going soft, because not many have done something so small. though there was a fire inside of her, starting to burn uncontrollably, at the thought of him not thinking she could handle two ciders. he could possibly be right, but still. "bastian..." she whispered, turning to face him as they waited for the cups. "I saved for this." her voice still soft, not wanting anyone but him to hear. now there was a frown taking place of her once vibrant smile. it was sweet, right? or did he pity her? she'd let the questions swirl around her head, not wanting to voice either of them. emilie would offer to pay him back, but she knew he'd probably scoff, make some joke she wouldn't appreciate.

this wouldn't ruin her time, anyone else would appreciate it. so why couldn't she? shaking away her thoughts, before grabbing the cider, and moving towards him. "thank you." she smiled softly, holding out his cup. glad it was in her hand, otherwise she might reach out and touch him.

"now, let's go feed those goats, before they starve."

[aclockandhook]

He had been walking on his own when he saw the unfamiliar woman drop her sweets, and his heart swelled in his chest. He was going to keep on walking when he paused and sighed, looking at her. He knew in that instant that he had to help.

"Hello, my name is Jameson, James for short. I saw...what happened. Is there anything I can do to help?" He asked, his hues on her with a soft smile. He wasn't gentle, but he was trying to be, because he could see how upset she was, it was more than obvious.

[hernovel]

her head snapped in his direction as he spoke. so lost in her tantrum that she didn't realize anyone else was around. could she be anymore embarrassed? grabbing as much as she could, and putting it back in her basket. she'd throw them out later, or feed them to the birds? could they even have baked goods?

"james, nice to meet you." she whispered, as she tried to pull herself together. standing from her position on the ground. "emilie.." was her sad introduction. "oh, no... I appreciate it, but these are ruined, there's not much we can do now." she'd just have to purchase some from the local bakery.

[sanguinefury]

❛ mm, and here i didn't know the inside of books got dirty. ❜ reina remarks, clipped tone making it rather evident that she didn't buy into emilie's poor excuse. her dark eyes briefly glance over to see exactly what drivel had captivated her and she resists the urge to make a face.

rather than wait for a response, she turns on her heels and proceeds to head down the row; obviously expecting emilie to follow after her as she makes her way through the store like she owns it.

❛ i'm expecting john merle coulter's book on botany, ❜ reina states, fingertips carelessly trailing along random spines as she passes through the store towards her favourite section.

❛ i don't suppose you know if it's come in yet or not. ❜

[hernovel]

an eyebrow arched as woman beside her so blatantly called her out. part of her had to admit it took guts, she admired that. though it was rude, and that was what stuck with her. emilie put up with a lot, but she tried not to tolerate rudeness. unfortunately being at work she still had to keep her composure. "apologies, truthfully I got distracted." she admitted. most of the town already knew that happened often.

watching as reina starts to walk away, even before she was finished talking. scrunching up her face slightly, still trying to fight the urge to lash out. one of her flaws, she wasn't good at keeping quiet.

"please refrain from touching every book. unless you're looking to purchase any you may damage." emilie simply told her, as she cringed watching how careless reina was with them. her prized possessions.

"of course I do, I know everything that happens around here. a small shipment arrived today." she nodded, but offered no help. maybe it was petty of her? --but she did not appreciate this interaction.

[wonderandblue]

"you do? me too! looks like i've finally found someone who agrees with me! reading is just--amazing." alysanne said with a grin, her blonde hair flying in the wind as she began to speak with her hands. she knew that she was being silly, but books had saved her life on more than one occasion, and she often felt like she buried herself in books because they made her feel less alone. "they make you feel less alone, right?"

[hernovel]

emilie couldn't stop the small smile as she saw the excitement on alysanne's face. seeing someone who loved books that much, made her feel warm and giddy inside. "amazing." she nodded dreamily. fingers moving to run over the spine of one of the near by books. amazing was an understatement. it was surreal. she was lost in a world that wasn't hers. one she became a part of as soon as she started the first line. her next question, had her tilting her head. the smile slipping just slightly. it was a feeling she knew all too well. a feeling she wouldn't wish on anyone else. "they make me feel like I finally have a purpose. like i'm somewhere with adventure. some place that I fit in. i don't have to worry about being the odd one anymore." emilie was rambling, something she didn't do often, but she hated it when she did.

[bastianashbourne]

there was a voice in the back of his head that warned him against this closeness. it never really shut up, a steady drumbeat of danger danger danger that reminded him of every single thing he’d managed to destroy just by touching it. bastian wasn’t the kind of man you built a life with, he knew that as well as he knew his own name. if he let her close, if he let himself want her out loud, he’d ruin this fragile thing the way he ruined everything else, and when it broke, it would leave him gutted.

and yet.

there was another voice, quieter but far more persuasive, that whispered that maybe ... just for today he could ignore the doom waiting down the line. one day of letting himself want. one day of letting himself enjoy whatever they were building together. what was the worst that could happen ? his gaze lingered too long, chocolate eyes softening with something he never dared to name. the corner of his mouth tugged upwards as he teased, " something tells me you’re going to fall hopelessly in love with them, and i’ll be fighting the smell of goat for weeks. "

he tucked his hands behind his back, not so much out of habit but to keep from doing what he ached to do, close the space she had left between them. to feel the warmth of her hand in his, to know if they were as soft as he imagined or know if that flutter he felt when her fingers brushed too close was one time thing. instead he let her nudge him, let her shift their path, smiling like it didn’t matter. " and put off ruining my favorite jacket a little longer ? why on earth would i want to do that ? "

for once, he didn’t bother to fight her direction. let her pull him toward cider, goats, pumpkins, toward her. if this was the day he let himself have, then he wasn’t going to waste it pretending he didn’t want to follow wherever she'd go.

[hernovel]

she was doing the opposite of what she said, the opposite of what he told her to do. she wasn't supposed to hope. emilie told herself she wouldn't get too close. that she would keep him at arms length. yet whenever he was around, all of that went down the drain. she lost all of her protective barriers, and swooned like a school girl. there was something about bastian that had her weak in the knees the moment she saw him. something about him, that made her want to be close, anchored to him. his presence alone made her feel safer, yet afraid that her entire world would come crashing down.

she was a moth to a flame, addicted to that scowl.. the one that seemed to brighten whenever she was with him. the curve of his lips happening more often. -- how could she turn away from that?

"i'd bet any money that you would be right. I walked by them earlier and it took everything in me not to stop and spend all day with them." she admitted, a grin slowly pulling at her lips. just thinking about them had her getting even more excited, she almost ditched the cider all together. "just think, you may smell like goats for weeks, but every time you smell yourself you'll think of our day together. I don't think you could get luckier." she was teasing of course.

"why would you wear your favorite jacket --- here?" emilie questioned, as she turned her head his way. looking it over, a smirk taking the place of her earlier grin. "besides, you have this dark blue one... it is much better than the one you're currently wearing." some could say it was her favorite. emilie may not have realized she had just given him more than she meant to. it didn't seem like much, but it meant she noticed him. at least enough to know which jacket looked best, in her opinion. if she wasn't lost in the moment, she never would have said that out loud.

they got to the cider stall in no time, she wanted to see the goats. so she may have rushed them to their first stop. ordering two ciders, because if he was going to experience the festival with her -- she was going all out.

[eizagonzalezs]

GET TO KNOW ME ♡ [5/10] Couples: ☆  Belle & Beast (Beauty and the beast)

He’s not a monster, Gaston, You are.

[emma-ofnormandy]

LAURA BERLIN as EMMA OF NORMANDY Vikings: Valhalla 3.5

[slckasgastcn]

"oh, but of course, forgive me for wanting to help improve upon what you believe to be so many skills, i thought you'd appreciate it since you seem to...like all of that." he gestures vaguely with a hand. "...come on now, forgive me?" he pouts, condescendingly, just baiting her on. "oh, careful now, wouldn't wanna get any dirt on that dress of yours...it's a very nice one." the expression all but dies on his face at her last words, which causes the small crowd around them to "oooo" in response, and he narrows his eyes, looking around at them all. the traitors. he turns back to her, pressing a smile back onto his face. "oh, that's funny." the short tone of his voice suggests otherwise. "guess we'll just have to wait and see who's crying after this, hm?" she was maddening at times, but it only really added to her allure. after another moment the man of the booth calls it for them to start and gabe is quick to plunge into trough without another thought, blindly going in head first.

[hernovel]

"what I believe to be so many skills? oh gabriel, I fear you may be talking about yourself. you believe you've got all of these talents but i've yet to see that proven." maybe that was a low blow, but he just got on her nerves. every time he opened his mouth, she wanted to strangle him. "forgive you? after you've just insulted me, you may have to do better than that." how far would he actually go for her forgiveness? "somehow I cannot tell if you're being serious or not." she whispered, looking down at the dress she wore, before her eyes moved to the crowd. that wasn't her intention, they weren't supposed to be listening. "gabriel.. I --" she went to apologize, but he opened that big mouth of his once more.. "you'd really make poor little ole me cry? intentionally?" she managed to get out before he splashed water everywhere. too bad she wouldn't cry even if she lost. pout, maybe?

emilie did the opposite, she didn't plunge. her eyes moving to look into the trot. looking for the easiest apple to grab, before finally and gracefully dunking her head. regretting this decision, as she searched for the apple. chomping every now and then, and stomping her foot as she missed. she'd get one before she came back up for air. water dripping down her entire face, and onto her dress.

[amirvale]

he tried to look like he wasn’t rattled, lips pressing in as he nodded too quickly. " right. maybe i should just start over. i’m sure the second time around i could totally pull off a castle or something. " the words sounded braver than he felt. with a sudden scrape of chair legs, he leaned back and shook his head, panic flickering across his face.

" n-no, you don’t have to — " the protest tumbled out in a rush, tripping over itself. he swallowed hard, forcing himself to slow down. " i just meant… you’ve got your own pumpkin, and you should totally do your thing. besides, i don’t even know if we’re allowed to team up. probably some rule about it in the fine print. " he tried for a crooked smile, sheepish in a way that made it obvious he wasn’t sure if he was joking or not.

[hernovel]

emilie frowned as she watched him, shaking her head slightly. she didn't mean to fluster him, or make him feel as though his pumpkin wasn't good enough. "I apologize, I wasn't implying you were doing poorly. in fact I happened to like it." she said softly, but nodded. "a castle, oh that would be absolutely wonderful." the frown disappeared, replaced with her signature look. it was almost as if she were in another place, because part of her was.

a smile was forced onto her lips, as she tried not to make him any more nervous. "ah, yes I did forget to read the fine print." now she was teasing him, there had been no fine print... otherwise she would have read it. "you're lucky I have something in mind, so i'm not going to fight you on this." not that she would have either way. spinning her pumpkin, before finding the perfect spot to carve. picking up the tools in front of her, and glancing his way once more. "I'm sure yours is going to come out lovely."

[slckasgastcn]

"oh, what a lucky cat!" he croons smugly, trying to follow her gaze, his expression only growing more amused as she rolls her eyes, only to be trapped by him and the stand near by, guffawing too loudly at her response. "i'd think you'd like that, though, wouldn't you? defying expectations and being your own person, and all that...? sounds about right to me, anyway. no one's given you any trouble now, have they? wouldn't want to have to step in for whatever reason but i'd gladly make an exception for the dear talk of the town...you know this of course..." he's he's walking his fingers toward her arm, keeping his gaze on it as he spoke, attempting to come off as playful. immediately at the next question gabe lightheartedly brushes it off, but interestingly enough takes a step back and shoves his hands into his pockets, shrugging nonchalantly. "oh my dear lovely other half, you mean? yes well..." he side glances her way, watching for any changes in her mannerisms as he brings up the missus. "...she's been whisked away by her friends in town, needing to catch up...and i thought, well...it's been too long since we've been in orbit...if i didn't know any better i'd almost think you were avoiding me..."

[hernovel]

"what is lucky to you isn't lucky for everyone else." emilie was trying to be nice, but he made it so difficult. especially when the mere thought of him made her want to scoff. "being my own person, and being the talk of the town are two different things gabriel. Why can I not just live life the way I want to without others sticking their nose into it?" her voice rising as she spoke, anger beginning to bubble inside of her. surprisingly not at him but the thought of everyone talking about her. as he offers to step in, her face softens, but only for a moment. taking a small step closer to him. "as much as I appreciate a good knight in shining armor, i'm alright." she promised, even throwing him a sincere smile. watching as his fingers get close, but immediately move back-- emilie can't help the sigh of relief. there aren't any visible changes in her mannerisms, she's already given him too much. "i'm sure she needed to be whisked away." emilie was glad brigitte had friends other than gabe. "you would think if someone was avoiding you, you wouldn't go out of your way to seek them out."