03-18-2015, 01:20 PM
After getting cleaned up, they ate breakfast. Aria made sure to order up something for Nox too. It was curious the way she made sure to include him. He didn't get any weird vibes, really. It was just...different. It didn't worry him, at least not overly so. No more than normal, anyway, which was more a male thing than anything else. The truth was, he wanted to be all for Aria, all that she needed. But of course intellectually, he knew that her abilities- and her job- made that impossible. For now, anyway. Lucas wasn't one to give up when he set his mind to something.
They dressed warmly and in the room, at least, it felt almost unbearably hot, what with the long-johns and thick socks and everything else. But he knew that he would wish for more once they were out on the snow in the sled. It amused him, the idea of using sled dogs. He didn't know they were used anymore.
Down in the lobby, the amber glow of wood seemed to pulse with radiant heat- felt all the more because of their layers. He almost relished the knife-edge of icy wind that gusted in whenever the doors opened to let guests and workers in our out. Aria was talking to their guide in some language that only passingly resembled Russian. What they were talking about was a mystery. Instead, his eyes wandered over the lodge and the glimpses of outside. He wondered what she was hoping to find at the this place. When she was done with the guide, he would ask her.
Nox came down also bundled up for the cold. His frown was unmistakable though it disappeared soon enough. That was enough to make Lucas raise an eyebrow. The guy launched into conversation, the gist of which was, 'why are you coming with us?' Lucas put on a smile that he didn't feel. Perhaps he was wrong about Nox. That frown wasn't his imagination, however much he tried to smooth things over with jokes. And there it was again, his commenting on Aria's attractiveness.
Lucas looked over at Aria who seemed absorbed in what she was doing. She had asked him to come. And had agreed the moment he wanted to come on their little hike as well. Not a hint of duplicity or disappointment. Nox, on the other hand...He could well imagine the strategy he might be trying to employ. Maybe. He was so back and forth with Nox and Aria.
His fake smile remained and he put a bit of joke in his voice. "Ha! You think I'm gonna send her off with a horn dog like you all alone in the mountains while I cool my heels by the fire? I don't think so, buddy."
He laughed sharply, and looked at him pointedly, trying to sound like he was joking. "You do have a rep."
They dressed warmly and in the room, at least, it felt almost unbearably hot, what with the long-johns and thick socks and everything else. But he knew that he would wish for more once they were out on the snow in the sled. It amused him, the idea of using sled dogs. He didn't know they were used anymore.
Down in the lobby, the amber glow of wood seemed to pulse with radiant heat- felt all the more because of their layers. He almost relished the knife-edge of icy wind that gusted in whenever the doors opened to let guests and workers in our out. Aria was talking to their guide in some language that only passingly resembled Russian. What they were talking about was a mystery. Instead, his eyes wandered over the lodge and the glimpses of outside. He wondered what she was hoping to find at the this place. When she was done with the guide, he would ask her.
Nox came down also bundled up for the cold. His frown was unmistakable though it disappeared soon enough. That was enough to make Lucas raise an eyebrow. The guy launched into conversation, the gist of which was, 'why are you coming with us?' Lucas put on a smile that he didn't feel. Perhaps he was wrong about Nox. That frown wasn't his imagination, however much he tried to smooth things over with jokes. And there it was again, his commenting on Aria's attractiveness.
Lucas looked over at Aria who seemed absorbed in what she was doing. She had asked him to come. And had agreed the moment he wanted to come on their little hike as well. Not a hint of duplicity or disappointment. Nox, on the other hand...He could well imagine the strategy he might be trying to employ. Maybe. He was so back and forth with Nox and Aria.
His fake smile remained and he put a bit of joke in his voice. "Ha! You think I'm gonna send her off with a horn dog like you all alone in the mountains while I cool my heels by the fire? I don't think so, buddy."
He laughed sharply, and looked at him pointedly, trying to sound like he was joking. "You do have a rep."