Carl & Laurel Atrpt

[Lovely]

November 6, 2008
Carl & Laurel's Condo


Laurel runs her fingers through Carl's mussed hair and chuckles..

"thinking maybe you don't want to do that." *looks sad*

"oh?" she washed the clay off her hands at least

"seems like someone has it out for all my girls... wouldn't want you to end up getting hurt too.."

"..... I"ll only be hurt... if you tell me 'no'...." *curls up into his lap*

curls around her, holding her closely. "Just.. like you all in one piece and with no.. extra holes."

*buries her face in his shoulder and giggles*...." no... just the right ones..." *blushes and bursts into a short fit of nervous laughter*.....

kisses her temple and lifts her chin so he can kiss her lips. "What would you do... if I told you.. I love you?"

*stops laughing and sighs, smiling... disbelief?... hope?...* "what?"

"Carl... did you...?"

"I love you.. yeah.. there.. finally brave enough to say it." His voice was deep but soft, his fingers brushing over her cheek.

She searched his eyes, looking for a punch line or a take-back or something to wake her up or make him flinch or run away. "I...I might have to tell you... you're crazy," she said softly, smiling in awe, getting lost in his amazing dark and beautiful eyes. He closed them so often when he played she rarely saw the deep emotion in them that she saw now. "And ... that I love you too."

His intense gaze held her for a long moment and then his fingers brushed back to the nape of her neck and tangled gently into her hair. He leaned to her lips with a tender, then deepening kiss.

************************************

November 19, 2008
Carl and Laurel's Condo


"You know, you've been like Daddy's favorite non relative for years. Even if he is my uncle, I think he'll still like having you like a son, you know?"

Looks at her strangely. "That actually made sense.. except he already likes having me as a like son.. it's how we met, sweetheart." He winks and fiddles with something in his pocket. "I think you should probably have this." He smiled and haned her the small velvet box.

She looked at the box and reached for it slowly like it would come to life and snap at her fingers. "Is that...? You're really serious?" She half-gasped, half-chuckled like the sound that the road suddenly dipped from under her wheels. Her fingertip ran over the box in his hand, moving to his fingers. She clasped one and 'pulled' herself closer to his lap, curling into it and resting his hand in her own lap to hold the box there. "Carl....?"

"Laurel.." His voice was soft and deep, like a sensual whisper. "I love you." His thumb stroked gently over her fingers. "I have known you forever.. since we were kids really and you have always been like my best friend.. and though our relationship has grown and changed, you still remain my best friend. I love you and I want nothing more than to spend my life with you.. if you will have me?"

Her hand closed over the top of the box as gently as her lips covered his, each for only a brief moment. Laurel pulled away only so far to watch his eyes while her fingers pulled open the lid of the box. "Of course I will. I've come out on that balcony every day for the last two years, to hear you play, but I don't stand for long. I hear you play... I hear you and I float," she whispered with a warm smile. She nodded slowly as her fingertip traced the edge of the item in the box she held less interest in looking at than his eyes, more content to be lost in them. "Sing me a song?" She asked with a light kiss before resting her head on his shoulder, finally glancing down at the box.

In the box, nestled a gold band with three stones, one larger one flanked on each side by a smaller diamond. He sighed soflty, kissing her neck and bringing his lips to her ear, softly singing 'I can't help falling in love with you'. The elvis song was far from original but it was what played in his head as he held her.

His voice that close tickled her ear and she shrugged and giggled against it, her hand coming up to rub at the tickle, but stopping and moving to his neck instead, feeling his warmth and the sound of his voice rumbling quietly. "Wise men say only fools rush in...," she teased. "Guess I'm your fool... I love you."

"Not fools.. just two people in love." He kissed her neck softly, curling his arms more securely around her.

Her hand, accustomed to working with fine details, pulled the ring deftly from the box and set it around her fingertip, the fingers on either side, holding it suspended for Carl to do the honor of placing it properly. "Ahem... missing something?" She held her hand up, hinting.

"Laurel.." His fingers reached to guide the ring down in place on her finger. "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"I will," she said gently, resting her hand with the cool metal against his neck where he could feel both together. "Maybe I'll do it right this time. You'll help, right?"

"Of course." He whispered, pulling her to a sweet kiss and then rested his cheek against hers, she'd probably feel his broad smile as her hugged her, tenderly.

"Good," she smiled back, getting a spark of playfullness. "Then help me with this," she said, moving her fingers down to the collar of his shirt.

He smiled, pulling her fingers from his shirt and kissing them. His own hands running up her arms and down her sides to lift the hem of her shirt. "Rather help you with this." He leaned for another kiss before lifting the shirt up.

She shivered from his touch and a little from the cool air in the room, shifting to let the garment pull up and away, her arms reaching to the air to come around his neck once bared, seeking warmth.

His hands slid warmly over her back and he tipped her closer to him, leaning to kiss along her collar bone. His breath was deep and washed over her warmly as his lips nibbled along her skin.

She moved gently to slide him down with her, stretching out on the couch in their embrace, moving to rest a leg against his hip.

[Lovely]

December 11, 2008
Carl and Laurel's Condo


"oh Carl honey... "

"Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn"

Laurel's smiling. "Is it that bad? I could take it off..."

He just made a noise -not really a word and kinda gulped. takes a deep breath and smiles a little. "Just what sort of girl am I marrying?"

"Ten percent angel... ninety percent Resher," she reminded him gently, shining the end of the whip between her thumb and forefinger. "And it's for class. I'm modeling for them this time. I hope you're not upset. It's a purely professional setting in the graduate art courses."

"Are you out of your f*cking mind? What guy would let his wife out of the house like that.. especially when you look so damn good.. "

"You could come down to the class with me," she teased, brushing the end of the whip past his cheek so he could smell the real leather. "It's only an hour... and -you- get to keep me... and the outfit."

"No.. absolutely not.. You can't go.. I can't let you go." He set his hands to the wall on both sides of him, blocking her way. "Noooo nope not going.. You see there is this room we have to go visit right now -it's behind you, a little to the left.. there's a bed in there that sometimes we share.. and we need to go visit that place -right now."

She pouted and whispered, drawing the pointed toe of her long polished boots up his ankle, sliding around him gently. "But... that's so far away."

"But.." He turned slowly as she slipped by, reaching to try and catch her before she got far. "But, I've never had a chick in a get up like that do what you in it is doing to me."

"Oh?" She sauntered back, drawing the whip behind her to stretch her shoulders and pull her corset just right. "Keep talking ... I think I may be coming down with something."

"Yes.. you know I have been in this biz for years now.. like almost my whole life. I'm a little immune to visual stimulation. I see girls for hours everyday in all kinds of get-ups and positions and nothing.. nadda.. just doesn't do it for me." He pulled at his lips a little, letting go to reveal a warm smile. "But you... damn woman .. you are doing things to me.. bad bad.. things."

She slipped up in front of him letting the whip fall. One hand slid over his jaw warmly. "Then ... you better do some bad bad things back," she smiled, letting her other hand stray.

"You're killin me woman.. get over here." He wrapped an arm around her waist to bring her closer, even though she was having no trouble reaching him. "You're grounded." He chuckled, bending down to lift her and toss her over his shoulder.

She giggled. She hadn't seen him act quite like this before. "But I haven't been really bad yet."

"That's alright.. there's plenty of time to be bad.. you're not going anywhere." He grinned, giving her rump a gentle but firm swat as he carried her back to their bedroom.

She yelped at the swat on her backside and started squirming to be able to reach him to bite his backside, but the few steps bounced her much to reach him. "Ooo... you're going to get yours," she teased. "How long am I grounded for?"

[Lovely]

March 19, 2009
6:01pm

The headline story of the evening news reported the incident with it's cold indifference like any other story. There had been stories like this in the past but tonight's news told of another beloved member of the community lost.
"The victim, one Carl Severn, was found in the early morning hours by a jogger passing through the parking lot of Playland Palace. The official police statement reported that mister Severn was shot execution style and it appeared that he was not robbed. They have made an arrest but the identity of the suspect was not released, pending further investigation...." The newscaster gave the report in the same tone as the story which followed about a civic improvement project.

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Laurel Resher's apartment

The gray haze of the station flickered over her expression as she stared blankly at the screen a moment longer. Once the newscast waned into teary chatter about community and charity, she finally lowered the paint brush to the table and began closing up her jars in a hurried fashion, tossing a damp cloth over the freshly glazed greenware and mopping her fingers down with another cloth that made her eyes water from solvent fumes. Maybe that wasn't the only reason they watered right now. Laurel turned off the television and made her way to the sink, her steps slowed and stretched like she was in a dream or drunk or high. The back of her hand ran across her cheek as she caught a tear, feeling her nose beginning to run a little as she washed the colors off her hands furiously. Her fingers still wet, she grabbed the phone, dialing just as quickly and beginning to pace. "Pick up.... pickuppickuppickup... oh god... Gabe, c'mon. I can't be alone right now, please pick up," she begged, listening to the tones and hoping he would take her call.