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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Post by Nu on Jan 10, 2018 5:16:34 GMT
133 Words
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If you start me up
I walk smooth, ride in a mean, mean machine
Although the last time she bumped into James had been a successful chance at redemption on both sides, Maya was still quite unsure of Evangeline's plans to saddle her younger son with Maya. She obviously didn't want a grand entrance but she knew she couldn't win the fight with Evangeline. All she had to do was look sad and Maya would cave in.
So there she was with James being announced and everyone looking at her and then at her belly and then at James. It didn't take long for them to start whispering.
"I'm really sorry you're stuck with me." Maya grimaced, squeezing James' arm as they moved through the hall. "Your mother is as ruthless as she is generous."
She forced a smile when a pair of old ladies acknowledged her.
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Post by Trix on Jan 10, 2018 7:58:31 GMT
256 Words
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Skyfall
I've drowned and dreamt this moment
Lunch had been...complicated to say the least. Charlotte and Miles pulling them in two different directions, James just trying to redeem himself for the poor behavior he'd shown up to that point and Maya, well, taking it all. He thought he had done a decent job of painting himself in a different light which was easy to do around the twins because he was the cool uncle that they adored. Even so, the whole situation was still a bit off with no help from his mother trying to play matchmaker yet again at the Christmas party.
He was sure she could have found a much worse woman for him to escort and he in fact didn't much mind it being Maya. Even with the chattering and gossip, he lived for that kind of statement. Landon had always been the proper son that his parents should have loved more for caring about the reputation they upheld, but James was the charming rebel that people actually loved. So to be a scandal was nothing new to him.
James glanced at her from the corner of his eye and laughed, "Are you entirely shocked? We both knew this was bound to happen. I don't mind it much." He nodded at the ladies that acknowledged them and shrugged once they passed, "If anything we could have fun with this. Give them something to really talk about."
When worlds collide and days are dark.
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962 posts
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Post by Nu on Jan 10, 2018 8:20:03 GMT
115 Words
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If you start me up
I walk smooth, ride in a mean, mean machine
Maya laughed at James' response and shook her head. "I've known Evangeline long enough that nothing she does surprises me anymore. I just didn't expect her to still try to pair us up knowing what she knows." Maya didn't like bringing up what was already too obvious but it had to be done. Points needed to be made. "Clearly the woman likes to invite scandal." She added sarcastically.
Frowning slightly though amused, Maya looked up to James and raised an eyebrow. "What are you suggesting?" She asked.
She didn't know James enough to know what could be going through his mind right then but somehow, she was certain it was not going to be proper.
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Post by Trix on Jan 10, 2018 23:19:59 GMT
230 Words
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Skyfall
I've drowned and dreamt this moment
James controlled his expression this time when she brought her pregnancy to the forefront of the conversation. It was the elephant in the room so to speak. At least this time he hadn't acted completely taken back by it like he usually did. He did laugh at her sarcastic remark and shrugged, "I think she's just hopeful. That a good-natured and beautiful woman like you could turn me into some kind of gentleman." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and smirked to show that he found the whole thing amusing seeing as they'd both been looking for a hook-up that night.
She seemed unsure of his antics, but James was nothing if not creative. He was a writer and writers lived for scandals. "Oh you know, we could make up extravagant stories of how we met, go into too much detail about the conception of your little one and positively disturb everyone here. Perhaps then my mother will think twice about playing matchmaker," He laughed and glanced towards where his mother was still greeting and chatting with people. He could only imagine what she'd already told them all.
Couldn't it be fun to make their story more ridiculous than it already was?
When worlds collide and days are dark.
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962 posts
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Post by Nu on Jan 11, 2018 4:41:06 GMT
268 Words
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If you start me up
I walk smooth, ride in a mean, mean machine
She clearly misjudged James and she was regretting her meltdown the first time they met after their one night stand. Something about seeing him with his niece and nephew brought to light a side of him that Maya must have refused to dig deep for because of the baby inside her.
Granted, she still wasn't entirely sure whether she should tell him it's his but she wasn't going to rule it out entirely.
Being called good-natured and beautiful weren't exactly new to her. Throughout her life, she'd been called a great many things attributed to her looks and demeanour but coming from James, it sounded authentic. Despite the playful tone he had adopted while saying it. The smirk he gave was returned by an eyeroll. "Mmm. I'm sure she'd love to find out exactly what this good-natured and beautiful woman did to you that one night." She gave him a coy smile before stopping a server holding a tray of appetisers. "Would you mind getting me a glass of water, love?" The server nodded and let her know she will come back with one.
Then he suggested they play out this scandal they had inadvertently started. She couldn't help the nervous laugh that tittered out of her as she realised that this was the worst moment she could choose to tell him. She restrained herself before shrugging. "Why the hell not. These people remind me of Moira stepping on chewing gum in her Louboutins. Highly unpleasant and bitchy." She joked before turning to James with a grimace.
"I shouldn't be talking about your sister in law like that."
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Post by Trix on Jan 11, 2018 5:23:11 GMT
282 Words
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Skyfall
I've drowned and dreamt this moment
"That, my dear, is deranged that you would even entertain the very thought of discussing such provocative matters with my elderly mother. So much for good-natured, aye?" James was actually pretty pleased that she had loosened up a bit. Despite being pregnant, she actually seemed still witty and funny. He could almost ignore the bump that was showing through her dress. He didn't hate kids, not by any means, maybe he could learn to like hers. If the dad wasn't around, well, he could say he had decent experience with his niece and nephews when it came to that. Or he needed a drink, maybe that was what he was missing.
Her remark about Moira, made him stop abruptly. He looked at her with wide eyes before busting out in laughter. "You never have to feel bad about saying something like that about her. She's a terrible human being and deserves to be talked about in such a way." Of course, he felt for Maya, having been friends with his sister in law for so long, it must have bothered her to find out what she was really like, but James had known. He'd known for years what she was really like. It started with Will and had ended with Charlotte and Miles.
"I'm just glad that my niece and nephews could come here and enjoy what family time should be like. Landon and Moira never wanted to stay long, they never talked much. The kids loved it here, but they always seemed to be rushing to get out."
When worlds collide and days are dark.
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Post by Nu on Jan 11, 2018 13:30:20 GMT
327 Words
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If you start me up
I walk smooth, ride in a mean, mean machine
Rolling her eyes, Maya accepted the water that finally came with a quick thanks to the server who brought it for her. "Hey, you were the one who chose good-natured to describe me. I would have settled for beautiful and intelligent." She tilted her head to the side with a mock proud look on her face. She took a sip of water from her glass and almost spat it out when James burst out laughing.
She couldn't help but laugh along when James pretty much gave the okay to insult a family member of his. Sure, Moira had been her oldest friend but there was no denying that she got awful just before they decided to part ways. At least that had been amicable. Was it her fault that Evangeline liked her better than her then future daughter in law? Apparently Moira thought so.
She grimaced slightly at the idea of Moira's children having to deal with that kind of childhood. "From what I hear, I can't say I blame them. Landon and Moira I mean. They can't have gotten a warm reception from Eva...or I guess you?" Maya wasn't completely up to speed about them but she did lend a shoulder to Evangeline every now and then and even she didn't have much nice things to say about her son and daughter in law. What little she spoke of them anyway.
"Charlotte and Miles are in college already, yes? Perhaps they'd be able to come here more often now, just the pair of them." Maya shrugged, taking a sip from her glass before spotting a vaguely familiar young man with a sweet looking young woman in his arms. "Is that...Will?" she reached her hand out to James' arm and squeezing it to get his attention. "I can't believe I haven't seen him in such a long time. He's a man now." She pressed a hand to her cheek and laughed. "Lord, I feel old."
Kick on the starter give it all you got
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Post by Trix on Jan 12, 2018 0:11:12 GMT
410 Words
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Skyfall
I've drowned and dreamt this moment
"Intelligent was implied, I figured you would have known that," James gave her a smile. He had seen her as the nice girl he supposed, but now, he was wondering if that was the right way to describe her. Not that she wasn't, but she was fiery, too. Perhaps that was a side of herself that Charlotte would warm up to. All Maya had to do was make sure to not associate fondness with Moira and she'd been in with Will and Charlotte easily. Neither of them could stomach the fact that they were related.
James shrugged, "Landon and I have never really gotten on. Even when we were kids and I mean, my mother loved him. I was her baby, but she was always proud of his accomplishments too, it wasn't as though she played favorites at the time. I guess he just always felt that way because he was a stick in the mud and I had charisma. After Moira came into the picture, well, they did fine when they had Will. They even loved him and brought him around. It was when he manifested that they just...something in them flipped and they never went back to being decent people." It would be different if they hadn't felt so strongly about him being a danger and hurting everyone. He had nothing nice to say about that situation though.
When she brought up that the twins may be able to visit more, he smiled, "That's the hope. My mother is trying quite hard to make it so, but the twins aren't used to their own wealth yet so they keep thinking that she's wasting money on them." He snorted, "But they'll get it eventually."
His head turned towards where she was looking and he spotted his nephew on the dance floor with his girlfriend. James loved the sight of it, Will had never looked happy or even hopeful, but he could also see the deeper emotions buried beneath the surface. Will was afraid and he was sad. And so was James. He nodded, "Aye, that's Will and his girlfriend. And tell me about it, the little arse won't let me forget how old I am." James shook his head and laughed, "I was just a little younger than he is now when he was born."
When worlds collide and days are dark.
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Post by Nu on Jan 12, 2018 5:24:52 GMT
439 Words
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If you start me up
I walk smooth, ride in a mean, mean machine
She was definitely not a nice girl. Nice girls don't sleep with someone the first night they meet. Nice girls don't lie to the father of their unborn child about the baby they're having. And nice girls usually don't fantasise about the father of their unborn child in a rather compromising position in bed. Especially not in the middle of a fancy dinner party. "Jesus fucking christ." She patted her cheek, wondering where the hell that thought came from.
Whoever said being pregnant was going to be backrubs and glowing skin was an asshole. It was horny thoughts, swollen feet and crying at inappropriate times.
James' smile was reciprocated albeit rather uncomfortably. She couldn't believe she was getting worked up over James being nice to her. It was like she had never had someone be nice to her, it was ridiculous.
Maya decided to concentrate on what James said about his family. She remembered Landon quite the same as James did until he mentioned Will manifesting. It gave her pause and then she frowned as she looked at James. As he went on, Maya's frown eased as she came to the realisation. Will was a mutant. She had dealt with mutant clients before and the words she had heard being used rang in her head.
That was why she never heard about Will all of a sudden. She knew Moira wasn't a pleasant woman but she couldn't have been so awful as to change drastically just because her son was different, was she? Maya didn't want to believe it but James knew them a lot better than she apparently did.
Glad for the change in subject, Maya took a sip from her glass and chuckled. "I don't know if they'll ever get used to all of this. I've been around this family a lot longer than they have and I'm still not used to it."
James confirmed her thoughts and Maya smiled. "They make a very lovely couple. She's gorgeous." She commented before laughing at James. "Well, all we can hope is that we age as gracefully as Evangeline apparently has. She doesn't look a day over fifty."
A little shot of pain coursed through her lower back and her grip on James tightened. Maya cringed and took a deep breath and held it for a moment. This was a bad time to have a cramp. Well, when was it ever a good time to have one but good God, she felt like her stomach was being poked by a hot rod. "Um...do you mind showing me where the nearest toilet is?" She asked James through gritted teeth.
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Post by Trix on Jan 12, 2018 7:25:16 GMT
435 Words
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Skyfall
I've drowned and dreamt this moment
When she frowned, he kept on and wondered if she had even known. If she didn't, well, he just hoped that she wasn't of a like mind as his brother and sister-in-law were. It wasn't even so much that they didn't like mutants, it was the severity of the mutation. Will was deemed dangerous because when he was out of control, he was a mountain lion with no trace of humanity. Landon had always been a little uneasy with James' ability, but never enough to disown him and even the twins hadn't been completely shoved out of their lives. It was more their choice than their parents'. But that was a conversation for another time, not in the middle of a party where everyone was actually having fun.
"That's entirely fair. I suppose I've been around it all my life so it comes second nature to me, but even so, I don't live in any fancy digs as you saw." A small studio apartment was just fine with him even if his mother said it was a bachelor pad and the reason he didn't have a girlfriend or wife yet. But she was judgy and he didn't take offense to it.
Her compliment towards the girl Will was with made him smile and he nodded, "The boy did good, I'll admit." Better than he'd ever expected from Will. James had always worried he would take after his uncle and drink instead of be genuinely happy. And he supposed that he hadn't. "I like to believe that I already am, thank you very much. But you're right, I think she's other-worldly. Her and my father both never showed their age." He was just happy he had made out the words 'my father' without choking. It still seemed so fresh.
Out of nowhere, Maya doubled over and James reached out to her, "Are you okay? Here," He looped his arm around her waist to support her weight and headed towards the doorway that led out to the hall. Just a few feet down the east wing, he ushered her to a bedroom that had a bathroom in it. "This is as close as we're going to find, do you...uh, I'll...I'll stand by the door. If you need anything, all you have to do is call, yeah?" Because he didn't think it was very appropriate for him to follow her in. He may have seen her naked, but, well, this was obviously different.
When worlds collide and days are dark.
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Post by Nu on Jan 12, 2018 14:06:49 GMT
345 Words
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If you start me up
I walk smooth, ride in a mean, mean machine
James' reminder of his apartment made her chuckle. "Vaguely," she responded with a teasing lilt in her tone. "Well, Charlotte and Miles have a good head on their shoulders as far as I saw. They'll adapt well enough."
Maya turned to James as he spoke about his mother and then briefly touched on Cal. She couldn't help looking closely at James when he mentioned his father. Maya didn't know Cal as well as she would have liked but what all she knew, she liked. Cal was just a warm, calming presence that Maya attributed to Miles as well. It must be hard for James to be near Miles for that exact reason but James held his own quite well.
Even as she began to buck forward, James had a strong hold on her as they moved through the Hall. She saw Evangeline turning just as they exited the main room and she hoped against all hope that the Spencer matriarch did not get any ideas. Maya breathed through her nose as they hurried into a bedroom. She barely gave it much thought as she closed the bathroom door behind her. She sank down on to the toilet seat and leaned back, clutching her stomach.
"You're a tiny fucking thing, how are you giving me so much pain?" Maya hissed as the pain doubled from before. She tried to remember the breathing exercise from the birthing classes she'd been attending. She felt bad for leaving James outside, and even worst for getting him involved. But really, could she be blamed?
She tried to ease her pain by pressing her hand against her back, moving it in circular motions and it slowly dissipated before coming back again. She couldn't very well let James wait for her, could she?
Taking a deep breath, she cleared her throat and raised her voice. "Um, James...you don't have to wait. It's...I don't know..." she was cut off by another shot of pain that caused her to curse under her breath. "I think I just need to ride this out."
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Post by Trix on Jan 13, 2018 3:30:26 GMT
260 Words
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Skyfall
I've drowned and dreamt this moment
James didn't quite know anything about pregnancy. He'd been around Moira when she was pregnant with Will and he'd even gone as far to help when she needed something. But outside of her telling him exactly what she wanted, he had no idea what he was doing. So for Maya to be in so much pain and not really saying anything to him.
She'd been in the bathroom for a few minutes and he stood outside waiting for something, anything really. When she finally raised her voice and told him he didn't have to wait, he was sort of glad that she couldn't see his face in that moment because he had a feeling she wouldn't have liked it. As if he was actually going to leave her. He might have been clueless and a dick most of the times, but she was pregnant and if there was something wrong, it was better for him to be nearby in case she needed a ride to the hospital. For her to think that he was going to bail was just silly.
"Alright, well, just come find me if you need anything," He called back, despite the fact that he was in fact not going anywhere. He'd let her go on thinking he was that type of guy, but he sat down outside of the door and pulled his knees up to his chest, resting his arms over them.
When worlds collide and days are dark.
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Post by Nu on Jan 14, 2018 3:17:13 GMT
220 Words
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If you start me up
I walk smooth, ride in a mean, mean machine
Hearing James' reply eased Maya's conscience a bit. At least he wouldn't just be hanging around while she was having a mini panic attack about the pain. She got off the toilet and tried walking around. She kicked off her shoes and placed a hand on her back while the other clutched under her belly.
"Come on kid, relax in there. I've been doing everything right for you, you don't have to be a little arse even before you come out." She said as she looked around the bathroom, trying to distract herself from the pain.
Then she remembered a video of a dad singing to their unborn child and it seemed to calm down. Maya didn't have an angelic voice but she got by in the shower. So she started singing Hey Jude. She took deep breaths in between lines, calming herself down.
Miraculously, it worked. The pain subsided and she could breathe normally again. "Good boy." She patted her stomach and giggled lightly. "Alrightie, let's go and see if daddy's okay." She grabbed her shoes and opened the door to find James still outside. She froze and immediately wondered whether he heard anything.
"James...I...why did you..." she tried to compose herself and gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks for waiting but you really didn't have to."
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Post by Trix on Jan 28, 2018 18:49:39 GMT
299 Words
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Skyfall
I've drowned and dreamt this moment
James could hear mumbling through the door, but it was muffled and he figured she probably wouldn't have wanted him to hear anyway. It was kind of fascinating the way women spoke to their babies when they were still in the womb. He'd never spoken to his nephew through his sister-in-law's stomach, but Moira was always encouraging Landon to. It had been cute, until he thought about the way they turned out as parents. He rested his head back and tried to see if he could make any of the words out.
The only thing that came through that he could sort of recognize was the tune that she must have been singing to. It brought a small smile to his face and he closed his eyes to listen. Although they hadn't started off too great, or rather, they had and then something changed, he could feel whatever ill feelings between them starting to fade. He'd known he liked her, and of course he had been a little biased about her once he found out who she associated with, but it wasn't her fault that her friend had turned into a monster.
His eyes opened when she opened the door and he glanced up at her before rolling his eyes, "I'm not that much of an ass. I just wanted to be sure you weren't left to roam the halls in case you needed to go to the hospital." Even if the thought sort of amused him. "Are you okay? Little one finally relax?" Will had been a little shit in the womb, so he at least could relate to that in some kind of way.
When worlds collide and days are dark.
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Post by Nu on Jan 29, 2018 7:48:16 GMT
131 Words
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If you start me up
I walk smooth, ride in a mean, mean machine
Maya laughed a little at James' crass response. She was beginning to realise he really wasn't as much of an ass at all. She knew that it must have been a shock to him to see her condition after a while. It honestly made sense for him to have reacted that way, she realised that now.
She slid a hand over her stomach when he asked about the baby and she smiled and nodded. "Who knew my dulcet tones would ease him?" She chuckled and reached out to grab his arm, leaning over to place a soft kiss on his cheek. "Thank you for waiting." She let go of his arm and gestured to the door.
"Shall we go back to the party before Evangeline starts overthinking our absence?" She teased.
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