Closed Slow Changes

[Annika Corrins]

Annika was enjoying her life. She met the cutest men, all of them wrapped up in the best designer fashions and usually lonely. She enjoyed her job, the fabulous parties and foods, and the pay was outstanding. She was the toughest wedding planner in the business, and she had often been conscripted for her talent of intimidating monster mothers. Her home life was relaxing as well. If she was bored, there was usually a party at Shawns' place. She knew his name wasn't actually Shawn, but at this point it had become a pleasant inside joke for her. If she didn't find company at his party, she would often just bring him home. It wasn't much of a walk, after all, and he always seemed willing enough.

Annika had spent the night with him again. The party had been more dull than it usually was, and they had retreated to her apartment for a more private party, with a bit more drinking and better company. The sun was shining in her eyes again before she stirred. She grumbled, rolling over and pulling up the comforters. The bed was empty, but the sheets were cool on her bare skin. She was too tired to really get up yet, but that was alright. She settled back into the bed, sighing softly.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane didn't usually keep friends, but he knew Annika was worming her way into his life. She was just convenient in ways, she wasn't bad to hang around with, never asked more questions and was just the sort of person who like him enjoyed a party. He had found the party last night boring, he'd invited her along half because he knew it would be, but he'd gone home with her, since she had been the easiest and most interesting. But it was morning and Shane had placed to be. But, he'd helped himself to the kitchen and had made some breakfast and coffee, not because he wanted to do it for her, but he wanted to eat before the day ahead of him. But he heard her wake up so he'd grabbed her coffee, "Here, I made coffee," he set the coffee down next to her as continued getting ready. he'd mostly dressed but was now finding his jeans, and his socks and putting that on. Clearly indicating that he was soon out the door. ​

 

[Annika Corrins]

Annika stirred a bit more when she felt Shawn sit back in bed. Her eyes fluttered and she stretched. As she relaxed she turned to look at the man. "Mm, coffee," she let out a gentle sigh. She sat up, shifting to lean more against him. "Careful, dorogoy," she murmured, shifting to press a kiss below his ear. "That could be considered sweet," she teased him, moving out of bed herself and stretching. "Be sure to lock the door, Shawn," she told him, sashaying towards the bathroom. "I am going to shower. It's big enough for two," she hinted, though she didn't mind if he just left. It would give her more time to work in her extensive skin and hair routine. Beauty wasn't easy, after all.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane shook his head, "It's out of politeness, I'm not going to make myself a coffee with your stuff and not make you one," he told her pointedly. he didn't want her getting any ideas about what she was, even if she did kiss him. He knew if it got too much he'd just have to avoid her and it would just be awkward to do that. He would rather keep it casual. "Can't stick around, I have a project to show at uni as part of their end of semester one stuff," he said with a little smile. "It's going to be dreadfully boring and I'm just gonna have to spend hours in front of a poster explaining things to people who either I've already spent all semester with, people's friends who're only there out of support for their friends, or lecturers who already know it all," he told her. "You're welcome to come if you have nothing better, but honestly, if you have anything better to do, do it," he invited her, but would absolutley understand if she didn't want to go. ​

 

[Annika Corrins]

Annika almost laughed at his insistence that it was just polite. "Don't fret, Shawn," she teased him, picking up her hair brush and running it through her blond locks. "I know you're good for looking the door," she teased, winking playfully. She and Shane were simply casual, and that was the way she liked it. "I am independent, and I have never had much of a sweet tooth," She shrugged, listening as he went on to tell her what he was doing. She shrugged, hardly committed to agreeing to anything. "Write the address on the notebook by the door," she set her brush down and flipped her hair. "I may or may not show up, we shall see," she shrugged, padding back over. "I do want another kiss before you leave," she told him, not expecting him to turn her down. She wasn't looking for another tumble in the sheets, but she felt a bit cold and he looked warm.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane gave a little bit of a smile, but was surprised that she would actually want to go. He didn't think it was more than just a move for friends. He would've asked friends if he had any around but she was a friend, or a sort of friend. The man looked at her as he took another sip of his coffee, "There's no pressure," he assured her but he would write it down and if he saw her there then all the more fun. He laughed lightly at her as she asked for another kiss. "Come on now Annika, I've places to be," he told her and he was finishing the coffee and taking the cup back to the kitchen, since he was now dressed and ready to get going. "I'll maybe see you later?" he said as he was heading towards the door. ​

 

[Annika Corrins]

Annika pouted as Shane got up without a kiss. Ah, well. She moved back towards the bathroom. "We'll see," she called back dismissively, not committing to anything. She had a large tub with her name on it. She sighed, turning on the water. A few hours of a nice soak and pampering through her skin and hair routine sounded lovely.

The day passed by quickly, with Annika doing very little. After a decadent lunch, she found she was rather bored sitting at home. She had almost forgotten about Shawn's invitation. She had taken the time to dress up, only noticing the address scribbled down by the door. She sighed softly. Well, she supposed it was better than no plan at all. She arrived at the university, already bored. It was a good thing she brought her sketch pad. She found an open seat and sat down, opening the book and sketching out a few new dress ideas.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane was a little unsure if Annika would come along to his presentation at university and as the day went on, he forgot mostly about the offer. It wasn't until he was moving to bring the last piece he needed in that he spotted Annika. He was running a little late, the event itself had gotten underway, with professors and students milling about the studies and thesis work that others had done. He walked over to her. "You came?" he said almost in surprise. He wondered if all this technically made them friends. He was sure that it probably dod but it had been a moment since he'd had a friend that he knew he probably wouldn't immediately ditch. "You want to come in?" He gestured in the direction he was going waiting for her to follow really.​

 

[Annika Corrins]

Annika looked up as she heard Shane spoke, giving him a non committal shrug. "I was bored," she replied easily, standing and starting to follow him. "Besides, I look too good to stay home today," she laughed lightly. "To be honest, Shawn, I almost forgot, but I saw the address on the way out the door and came on an impulse." she explained, not minding how heartless it might sound. "What are you doing, anyway?" she asked, curious.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane shrugged, "Fair," he wouldn't have minded either way, any way. He knew that had she not come he might've just been more bored but he'd have managed. "it's just showing the results of our projects for the class, mine is super boring," he told her as he brought her into the room where students, friends and professors were milling about. He walked over to his and showed her. "The class is on geophysical imaging and inversion, so," he motioned to his poster about it. "I threw a dart at a board and decided what I'd study that way,"​

 

[Annika Corrins]

Annika followed after Shane, idly watching him as he explained things. "So you're studying something you don't care about?" She asked, curious. That was certainly odd enough. "Or do you care about it now?" She asked. It was a bit personal for them, but hey, he had invited her and she wasn't going to just sit around and not ask questions.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane was still for a moment and then shrugged. He clearly went to say something and then stopped himself. He looked up at his work and then back at Annika. "I left Hogwarts with no idea what I wanted to do," he told her, his voice was quiet, his expression likely very hard to read, all semblence of it's normal flirtiness, of it's charm was gone. "But I knew I wasn't going to laze around, so I got a prospectus for this place, picked some stuff out at random and decided on this...course..geophysics and meterology," He stopped speaking glancing back at his poster and then lightly shook his head, he forced a smile on his face. "I'll be a very pretty weather man someday," the charm was back, if anything a little heavily. ​

 

[Annika Corrins]

Annika was a little startled as Shane dropped his usual flirty mood and opened up. She blinked, surprised. She was quiet a moment, letting herself process his shift in attitude. She gave a small smile as he returned to his flirty self. "You would make a handsome weather man," she told him easily. She hesitated a moment, before letting him in a little bit herself. It was only fair, after all.

"My father is a rich man, but a horrible one. My siblings and I all left home, leaving him alone with his business. My brother plays his music, my sister is a Professor. Me," she gave a soft smile, staring a little too hard at his posters. "I was tired of being the perfect princess. So I do want I want, plan extravagant, expensive parties, yell at obnoxious women, and sleep with all the prettiest men," she laughed lightly, flipping her hair back. "I suppose that includes pretty weathermen sometimes," she winked. "Shane," she added gently, though she quickly shook her head. "Shawn," she amended. Shane was too personal for her.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane did regret what he said after he'd said it. He hadn't wanted to go into any details or have any emotions that weren't what they were used to. But he knew it was too late to take them back and he hoped Annika would just move on. But she didn't. Instead she talked about her own family and he felt a little bad. There was an opening to talk about his own parents, not his aunt and uncle who had taken him in, but about his parents. But he didn't. especially not when she used his actual name. "I can tell you a little about my study? I promise it's very dense and boring," ​

 

[Annika Corrins]

Annika let out a little sigh, relieved when he didn't delve into the immediately vulnerable territory. "Maybe a little," she conceded, giving him a small smile. "If it's too boring I may just leave you here and find a bar," she half promised. She didn't want to really be close to Shane. She didn't want to be close to anyone. She was fine by herself.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane laughed, "No need," he went to his bag and fetched out a hip flask, enchanted to just look like a regular albiet short flask. He held it out to her and then gave a little smile before looking back at it. He waited for an indication that she was content to hear about it before then doing so. He kept the information, all of that should be there when telling anyone else there for this. He knew it would be boring, so he paused at a moment and smirked, "Shall I go on?"​

 

[Annika Corrins]

Annika was pleased when he pulled out a flash, taking it with a smirk. She sipped daintily. "You may continue," she motioned with the flask. "You have until this runs dry," she teased him with a playful wink. She continued sipping, in small dainty intervals. She did have some class, after all. She only half listened to what he said, instead admiring how pretty he looked. He really did have the most gorgeous hair.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane smirked lightly and continued on, he was trying his best to not get too technical given that he didn't think she would enjoy hearing that element, but he did occasionally dip into the technical and wasn't always aware that he might have to further explain things to her. He eventually paused glancing at her. "I hope you're not just drinking really slowly so you can see if I'll run out of things to say before you finish that," Shane joked with her. ​

 

[Annika Corrins]

Annika smiled a bit at his joke and made a point of rolling her eyes. "Now, Shawn, I would never," She put a hand to her chest and pretended to be insulted. "A lady never becomes intoxicated in such a setting," she pouted. "Not if you expect to stay fully clothed. If I drank all of this, Shawn, I'm afraid that losing a few layers would really be the only thing that could entice me to pay attention to your presentation or lecture or whatever it was," she winked playfully, flipping her hair behind her shoulder.