07-31-2018, 03:35 PM
Following the direction of Jay's nod, Natalie turned to watch Jensen James through the shifting crowd as he spoke with another guest, but found no great epiphany in his expression, mannerisms, or company. She knew little about him, and certainly not enough to gauge how best to get him on side -- or if such manipulations would even be necessary. Sometimes honesty was the most useful tool.
The warning came a second before the music abruptly died. She let go of Jay's arm, allowing him the space to do what Brandon raised him for. Her expression stilled, but she felt a surprising lack of fear. The shrill scream pressed against an old memory, thudding her chest, but years later the gift was within easy reach; and more importantly, it would not come unless she chose it.
This time she did not.
If something was truly amiss, Jay's shadow wasn't exactly the worst place to be, but doubts dampened the immediacy of her concern -- because would someone really be so stupid? More likely they had only lost control. That Natalie understood, mostly to her regret. So she only watched as things unfurled.
Surprisingly Brandon did not react until roused. Guards swarmed around Evelyn as he released himself from her company. Could he make that affection any more obvious? Or, given the Congresswoman's own gifts, any more condescending. The gathering around the spectacle had already deepened by the time he arrived, and Jensen had disappeared into it. Natalie frowned as the unwelcome complication suddenly became clear, burying the urge to sigh sharply.
If Jensen had cause to demonstrate his gift here and now, he would be virtually impossible to capture all evening -- to say nothing of the solicitations that would follow in such a miracle's wake. One man could not be everywhere at once, nor heal all souls, but it would not stop the room vying for even a single drop of that magic -- until all was consumed.
Jay's request might be but a single grain in a vast desert, now.
Though perhaps it might also mean Jensen would appreciate an opportunity to escape the scald of that desert entirely, if only for a time.
She considered it a moment before making a decision. Jay was bound by duty, but she was not. Her pale eyes flicked up to impart her intention of going ahead to enter the fray, only to discover that not all attention was pinned on the chaos. One face she recognised; the other she did not. The scarred man had clasped Brandon hand to hand, which meant ally, presumably, but there felt little friendly in the crawl of his eyes. There had been no greeting exchanged as between comrades when they passed in the hallway. It made the attention now strange.
The stark nature of Natalie's gaze was unnerving at the best of times. She did not care if she was noticed, nor if her presence was instead swept away as unimportant. It was Jay they stared at, after all. But she returned the scrutiny openly.
"Friend or enemy?"
she murmured softly, unsure if the communication in Jay's ear would allow him to hear the question. Or if he might ignore it.
[[I'll let Jensen do his thing before I post Ori again, she won't protest. She has multiple other old injuries, just fyi. None of the bruises are visible, but it would be evident to him that she had recently taken a pretty bad beating.]]
The warning came a second before the music abruptly died. She let go of Jay's arm, allowing him the space to do what Brandon raised him for. Her expression stilled, but she felt a surprising lack of fear. The shrill scream pressed against an old memory, thudding her chest, but years later the gift was within easy reach; and more importantly, it would not come unless she chose it.
This time she did not.
If something was truly amiss, Jay's shadow wasn't exactly the worst place to be, but doubts dampened the immediacy of her concern -- because would someone really be so stupid? More likely they had only lost control. That Natalie understood, mostly to her regret. So she only watched as things unfurled.
Surprisingly Brandon did not react until roused. Guards swarmed around Evelyn as he released himself from her company. Could he make that affection any more obvious? Or, given the Congresswoman's own gifts, any more condescending. The gathering around the spectacle had already deepened by the time he arrived, and Jensen had disappeared into it. Natalie frowned as the unwelcome complication suddenly became clear, burying the urge to sigh sharply.
If Jensen had cause to demonstrate his gift here and now, he would be virtually impossible to capture all evening -- to say nothing of the solicitations that would follow in such a miracle's wake. One man could not be everywhere at once, nor heal all souls, but it would not stop the room vying for even a single drop of that magic -- until all was consumed.
Jay's request might be but a single grain in a vast desert, now.
Though perhaps it might also mean Jensen would appreciate an opportunity to escape the scald of that desert entirely, if only for a time.
She considered it a moment before making a decision. Jay was bound by duty, but she was not. Her pale eyes flicked up to impart her intention of going ahead to enter the fray, only to discover that not all attention was pinned on the chaos. One face she recognised; the other she did not. The scarred man had clasped Brandon hand to hand, which meant ally, presumably, but there felt little friendly in the crawl of his eyes. There had been no greeting exchanged as between comrades when they passed in the hallway. It made the attention now strange.
The stark nature of Natalie's gaze was unnerving at the best of times. She did not care if she was noticed, nor if her presence was instead swept away as unimportant. It was Jay they stared at, after all. But she returned the scrutiny openly.
"Friend or enemy?"
she murmured softly, unsure if the communication in Jay's ear would allow him to hear the question. Or if he might ignore it.
[[I'll let Jensen do his thing before I post Ori again, she won't protest. She has multiple other old injuries, just fyi. None of the bruises are visible, but it would be evident to him that she had recently taken a pretty bad beating.]]