Thinking a little more on the whole "when did Margie and Raf realize they were In A Relationship?" question, and while they'd both struggle to find a definitive moment, I think there was one particular situation that arose to kinda...lock things in for them.
Sometime prior to autumn 2009, Margie was headhunted by Bioware[Edmonton] thanks to the recommendation of an old Orbital Media colleague who was trying to establish/salvage Bioware's beleaguered handheld dev team.
Following a promising phone interview, she was asked to make a 30 second demo track as part of the hiring process, and met expectations well enough that she was offered a job as an in-house musician and sound designer.
Which also meant that she'd have to move to Edmonton.
She had been keeping Raf up to date with this whole thing, mostly because she was too excited to keep it to herself. Raf was hugely supportive and excited -for- her. 'Cus like...he plays games. He even plays Bioware games, so, yanno...very cool. But he had also assumed this was gonna be more of a freelance contract kind of thing. And so, hearing her mention that the company would cover the costs of relocating her to Edmonton comes as a weird surprise.
And suddenly, he's having a real hard time being excited for her.
He keeps it to himself, 'cus he'd be an asshole not to. He's been really adamant with himself, and with anyone who asks, that he and Margie are just really good, comfortable friends/roommates. But even by this point, he's kinda known and been unwilling to admit to himself that the only reason he hasn't openly recognized their relationship for what it actually is--is because the non-committal ambiguousness provides him a clean way out if he starts feeling cagey/uncomfy about anything. It was an exit door that he liked keeping open incase he needed it.
But Margie had seen it differently. To her, it was a door she figured she was gonna have to leave through eventually. Because Raf would inevitably find a more serious partner to settle down with, or he'd be whisked off by some other important venture that she couldn't be a part of. She figured he was leaving that door open because his current situation was a temporary transitional stage in his life that he simply allowed her to be a part of. And so, she's not really torn-up about the prospect of leaving, especially under the circumstances. It presented an easier, more exciting transition than she might have had to face if Raf had 'outgrown' her first.
So, Margie's excited about the new job offer, and Raf's sitting there feeling like he played himself--while being wholly unable/unwilling to tell her "Hey, uh...this sucks, actually, I really don't want you to go." Because that'd require him to admit that he's been lying to himself--which sucks. But more than that, it'd require him to admit that he's been lying to her--only employing honesty as a tool of convenience to dissuade her from going and getting something really good for herself. He can't, he won't.
The sudden off-key in his tone, though, doesn't go unnoticed by her, and Margie is perfectly candid about the whole "we'll visit each other, I'll stay in touch--I'm not gonna disappear on you lmao"
Except that's not really...how Raf operates. Distance + time does not make this man's paranoid lil' heart grow fonder. There's never been a relationship-friend, family, or otherwise-with enough staying power for Raf to maintain it once they're no longer within physical proximity. Even if he wants to 'keep in touch', it quickly falls off. He's just known...too many people, and been too many places...his brain doesn't have the bandwidth to maintain close relationships when there's a distance. And, after a long enough pause in communication, his paranoid anxieties lift the barrier of entry higher and higher until it's almost insurmountable. People become strangers again. Always.
In the end, Bioware did not get to develop any more handheld titles, and the handheld division in Edmonton is dissolved before Margie was even offered a job start date to plan her big move around. And so the whole thing falls apart before it even had the chance to get started lmao. At which point, Raf finally allows himself to be honest and say "thank god, I was fuckin' dreading an empty apartment again." Treats her to a consolatory dinner, and gets to tell her as much as he is able to figure out for himself--that he doesn't really know what he wants, actually--but that things aren't as casual and clean-cut as he thought it was. He still can't bring himself to be like "yes, romantic committed relationship, that's us, that's what we are" but he does at least take measures to establish that he'd really like to take off his shoes, place them on the rack next to hers, and close the door behind him.
89 notes
·
View notes
Seventh Day of Gift-Giving: Seven Nights
Prompt: Light fell through the window, illuminating the couple lying in bed, entangled with each other and perfectly content with it.
The two idiots in love have also been idiots in the kitchen, but not for much longer! 💞
~
After all the food-related disasters, their dinner date had been nothing but lovely, if simple: arriving at the restaurant, it had turned out someone working there knew Olli from one of their music projects back in their conservatoire days and had happily arranged a table for them at the back of the dining hall, hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the restaurant. There they were left in peace to chat about everything that crossed their minds, to make each other giggle by “stealing” food from each other’s plates, or just to sit in silence, finding deep comfort in each other’s easy company. The atmospheric lighting of the restaurant had made Olli’s expression look especially soft, and if they hadn’t, in spite of everything, been in public, Aleksi wouldn’t have hesitated scooting his chair next to Olli’s to whisper sweet nothings into his ear or pull him in for a long kiss, one he had been dying to give him the entire evening.
That was why, after having picked up Rilla from Tommi’s temporary dog daycare, Aleksi was more than happy to be back at Olli’s again, because he couldn’t have pushed Olli against the door to crash their mouths together at the restaurant, could he?
It seemed Olli shared the sentiment, as he was quick to undress Aleksi of his overcoat and wrap his arms around Aleksi’s waist to pull him close, never breaking the kiss but instead smiling into it.
“Thanks for the date night,” Aleksi said, pulling his mouth apart from Olli’s just enough to form the words before savouring the taste of Olli’s bottom lip again. He could still detect traces of the chocolatey dessert they had enjoyed.
“The best idea we’ve had all week, huh?” Olli’s speech was but slur, with Aleksi nibbling on his lips with great appetite despite having just dined the better part of evening; now, he was ravenous for something else entirely.
“The best idea we’ve had all week so far,” Aleksi murmured in turn. He hoped Olli would get his hint and was rewarded when the shade of Olli’s eyes darkened and his sighs against Aleksi’s lips, cheek and neck became more shallow, more greedy.
It seemed Tommi had done an impeccable job at activating Rilla all evening, since the dog wasted no time in making herself a nest in her little dog bed and was already settled in by the time Aleksi and Olli stumbled in the bedroom. Aleksi made a mental note of buying Tommi a beer as a thanks the next time they’d hang out, because Rilla’s sleepiness made it possible for him to grab Olli by his hips and gently guide him straight towards the bed, all the while leaving small, soft kisses on his lips.
Throughout the whole dinner, Aleksi’s mind had kept wandering to how amazing it had felt to hold Olli close and keep him there without the fear of rejection, to kiss him without alcohol clouding his judgement or regret banging the door at the back of his head; he was only just beginning to wrap his head around it all. Even now, with Olli’s body pressed against his, eagerly echoing every movement of Aleksi’s own, Aleksi almost wanted to stop and pinch himself to make sure it wasn’t all just another unattainable fantasy, a daydream that would turn into a nightmare when Aleksi would realise that was all it was: nothing but wishful thinking of a fool who had gone and fallen for a friend.
As if reading his thoughts, Olli let their final kiss linger unnecessarily long before he opened his eyes to look up into Aleksi’s. His pupils were dilated and his eyelids hooded, but his hands were no longer roaming Aleksi’s backside aimlessly but instead slowly caressing his neck and chest before grabbing Aleksi by his shirt and pulling him on top of himself as they fell on the bed.
After the brief interruption, their mouths found the same rhythm effortlessly as a familiar feeling began to set in Aleksi’s lower stomach. Underneath him, Olli let out a long moan, his voice low – and insanely sexy, might Aleksi add – but just as Aleksi had begun to subtly roll his hips against Olli’s, his efforts were interrupted by Olli’s hand on his pelvis and his lips withdrawing from Aleksi's own.
“Aleksi, ummmm…” For one terrifying second, Aleksi paralysed in fear of having done the wrong thing or having misinterpreted Olli’s cues. Olli must have sensed this, for he immediately flashed him a reassuring smile and brought his face closer so their foreheads were touching.
“Is it okay if we just sleep tonight? Let’s just… not rush things, yeah? We’ve got time, don’t we?”
The relief almost brought tears to Aleksi’s eyes.
(And maybe it did for real, but just a little, mind you.)
“Yeah,” Aleksi nodded, his nose nudging Olli’s. “We’ve got time.”
Suddenly feeling exhausted (perhaps it was the stress from all the bottled-up pining finally pouring out of him all at once), Aleksi slumped next to Olli on the bed with a quiet oof, careful not to alarm Rilla. Olli turned to his side to face him, his fingers stroking the exposed parts of Aleksi’s hands below the rolled-up sleeves of his sweater. He seemed particularly fascinated by the tattoos on Aleksi’s forearm, tracing them with his fingers. The touch was just soothing enough for Aleksi to ignore that they should maybe change into something more comfortable before they’d cuddle each other to sleep, but then Olli’s lips began to slowly work their magic on Aleksi's own again, so he really wasn’t in the mindset to care all that much.
“Can I help you undress though?” Olli asked him after a series of long, slow, mind-blowing kisses.
As if Aleksi was ever going to say ‘no’ to that.
Once they had successfully (although not without tired giggles) removed each other’s shirts, they spent a good while taking turns at mouthing one another’s bare neck, shoulders and chest with all the care and love they could possibly put in such a gesture. It would have been easy, oh, so easy, to grab Olli with a little more intent, a little more craving, and resume what they had almost started, but Aleksi pushed aside his desires because he did agree with Olli: now that they were finally here, lost in each other’s touch, there was no more rush, no more fear of it all slipping through their fingers. Even when they were already stripped down to just their underwear, with Olli’s bulge pressing against his, Aleksi was content in having Olli by his side exactly like this.
“You’re so fucking lovely, I want you so much,” he told him, the words out of his mouth before he had a chance to evaluate just how sappy and desperate they sounded. Lucky for him, Olli didn’t seem to mind terribly.
When their kisses grew lazier and their hands found peace at last, fingers intertwined, Olli’s soft voice spoke from the dark.
“I want you too. So fucking much. Just… just so you know.”
Such simple words, yet they took Aleksi’s breath away.
I know now, he would’ve said if he had been capable of talking in that moment. Instead he left a light kiss on Olli’s fingers, hoping it might be enough of an answer. Under the touch, the fingers clasped on to Aleksi’s hand tighter, only softening their grip when Olli fell into a peaceful sleep.
‘The best idea we’ve had all week, huh?’ Olli's remark echoed in Aleksi's head.
Sure, Aleksi had agreed then, but if Olli would’ve brought it up again now, Aleksi would’ve answered differently.
The best idea we’ve had? This. Us.
18 notes
·
View notes
The pleasure! The joy!
I made it to the summit of Mont Ventoux today! ⛰🎉💪 2nd attempt yay!
Keep reading for the full report and more pics 😊
What a day! Everything went according to plan and sooo well. I'm still stunned.
So I rented this super cool e-race bike. Unfortunately I chose the frame a little too small but anyway, it worked OK. I set out from Malaucène at 13:30 and reached the summit after 1.35 hours. Which is pretty insane speed for the 22 km climb. I felt almost bad everytime I passed someone going up "the honest way". I was flying up the road at about 12/14 km/h on average. The fastest speed being 28.5 km/h. And now let me tell you - this was still sport and an effort! It's by no means riding like on a motorbike. It was still a matter of pedalling and pedalling and pedalling and the sun burning down on me. Also, always skipping between the 3 levels of support. I couldn't go full support all the way, the battery wouldn't have lasted that long. So, yeah, I am super proud and happy and it was so cool to eventually take that famous pic in front of the summit sign. I have such a massive respect for everyone who mad it up there by pure muscle power. And many were even riding much further than only the 22 km climb. They've come from other towns and had quite a journey behind them as I learned from some. There was a couple, I think on their honeymoon because the woman was wearing a veil under her helmet, and they reached the top together by muscle power. They were so cute.
Before I continue, take a guess what hurt the most after over 40 km on that bike?
a) the legs
b) the bottom/lady parts
c) fingers
Ok, so, I'm up there, happy, proud, enjoying the stunning views and a caffeine bar but didn't have too much time as I had to return the rented bike soon. 🥲 NOW - the descent! Oh. My. Lord! As much as it was fun, it was scary! Thanks to the little bike computer I could see my speed. The average was about 40 km/h with a peak at almost 60 km/h which was freaking scary! I was literally flying. On slippery flat pedals, on a too small bike. Lol. I tried to imagine what it would be like going down over 70 km/h, let alone 100 km/h. Everyone who does that must be freaking nuts! I mean, the road here was shared with cars, motorbikes, camper vans, walkers even (oh and one guy on roller skis) so no way to go faster than that and not without the right shoes and pedals. That's for another day 🤫
So, what hurt the most? The fingers! Jfc, braking for 22 km is hard! I had to take 3 breaks on the way down to shake my numb fingers back to life. Also they became sweaty and I was scared what'd happened if I slipped? So yeah, 2nd most: lady parts, because of the too small bike and the saddle was a bit too low 🙈 (but shoutout to the super bib shorts I bought here, great padding)
I arrived back in Malaucène much earlier than my "service car" ;) and had some time to chat some more with the very friendly rental dude. Told him I only started cycling a few weeks ago. His response was "Oh, congratulations!" (How sweet) and he had a cute doggo there minding the shop ☺
I could keep talking about today forever but I'll stop now. Here are some pics and one of a souvenir from the summit 👜😄
16 notes
·
View notes