Wait… We All Know Each Other How? {Brae/Roddy/Francis}

The background noises of the hall were the usual dulled murmurs of hushed visitors, the occasional drone of the intercom system, of the ding of the elevators, though Braelyn paid little to no attention to daily soundtrack of the hospital. The mood of the day outside was wet and miserable with the sun being hidden by dark clouds, and the grayness of the weather had seeped into the atmosphere of the hospital and it was quieter than usual, which was always fine. It gave Braelyn a chance to catch up on some patient paperwork that had somehow stacked up, which is what she was doing at the moment.

Lounging against the counter of the nurse’s station, her legs crossed relaxed-like, and her foot tapping along with the rhythm of music playing in her head, she scribbled the last word of the last paper and closed the folder with a sigh. Glancing at her watch, Braelyn frowned when she saw that she had actually only been working for about three hours and all of her required duties didn’t begin for another few hours. Frowning a bit more, she stored away all of the paperwork into the corresponding files.

‘Today is passing rather slowly…’

The thought followed Braelyn out back into the hall as she began to walk slowly down the corridor, her long golden braid sweeping across her back. It wasn’t like she didn’t want to be at work or anything, it was just one of those days she guessed that the rain effected everyone’s mood and turned time into molasses. To be honest, the slowness of the day was rather nice compared to Braelyn’s life lately….So much going on in such short time involving two different men; it sounded bad but it really wasn’t. One turned out to be her real cousin and the other… well what exactly he was, or rather what they were together, had yet to be established. Digging her hands in her pockets, she briefly closed her eyes and sighed once, more, only to reopen them when a tap of someone's finger lightly struck he shoulder.

"...Braelyn?" Francis had considered for a moment whether to call out to the willowy braid-sporting figure in front of him.

The figure continued on without any hint of slowing - maybe she didn't hear him? Well, considering the, well, various things that have happened, he wasn't really sure whether that was the case - or that she was just plainly ignoring him. The...issue between them, however, wasn't one which would just disappear by ignoring it.

Francis quickened his steps and caught up to her, giving her a a little tap on the shoulders. She turned to him with a little start - so it seems like she had been rather absorbed in thought (and not ignoring him on purpose..). "..Hey, sorry I didn't mean to startle you..."

It wasn't like him at all to have so many pauses (it wasn't like him at all to have muddled in such affairs too, seeing how for most of his, ahem, affairs, it would be a good thing that the parties involved never speak to him again) - Francis struggled to find words to continue, "..I called you from behind, and you didn't respond - I thought maybe you've decided not to speak to me again or something," he concluded rather lamely, with a smile.

Braelyn had really hoped that she wouldn't have to deal with this today, by some chance her and Francis would be in different wards or better yet, he didn't work. Neither was the case it would seem when she turned and none other then the very Frenchman stood looking very out-of-character awkward. Braelyn blinked in either surprise or physically trying not to frown… probably both, with her hands still in her pockets, she turned completely to be facing Francis

‘Well… might as well get it over with…’

He told her that he had called her out loud, though she had truly not heard him, and that he thought that perhaps she was ignoring him. Now this was a possibility that could be easily rectified to truth. Braelyn did not enjoy to family, that’s why she had left Monaco Europe. The fact that some completely unknown family branch of hers existed and she didn’t know yet a member had randomly ended up working in the same hospital with her all the way in America was rather, unnerving.

As much as she wanted to act rather undignified, Braelyn’s morals ran high with politeness so she gave him a small smile back and replied, “Hello, Francis. No, you didn’t startle me and no I was not ignoring you”. He voice was clipped slightly though she kept it polite. Wariness filled her…. She knew that Francis knew about her family and that fact worried her.

Francis' own awkwardness was driving him insane. He was the one who was supposed to made others awkward (usually by one thing or another in his bag of what one would call 'shameless tricks') - and he actually rather enjoyed that outcome - so it was extremely..uncomfortable to be on the receiving end of things for once. Of course, he didn't plan on staying that way for long.

"Well then, I propose we move on from whatever's causing any..unhappiness and focus our attention somewhere else -" he replied, trying to put off the wary edge Braelyn had in her voice. "...by the way, I have something for you - or rather, I think you'll probably be the only person I now around here who would appreciate such a thing-" Francis added, as he handed Braelyn an envelope with two tickets inside.

"Apparently a french ballet company, I think it's called Preljocaj, or something, that's come to perform in the US. Long story short, a friend working at the concert hall decided that this was a good way to repay a favor he owes me - though frankly speaking, it's probably going to be wasted on me." He smiled slightly at this, "I think you'll appreciate it more than I do."

As always, Francis likes dabbling in half truths - while it is true that the friend at the concert hall did get the tickets, the story wasn't as simple as he claimed. Well, lets not dwell on the details for the time being...

Braelyn could feel the seeping warmth of a blush spreading lightly across her cheeks as Francis’ smooth voice laid out his proposition and as he handed her the envelope containing tickets, which, as he said, were for a French ballet. She knew that name, of course she knew that name, and she had personally seen some of the performances when she still lived in Europe. Francis was tempting her, playing at he known weakness for dance… but why?

She looked up at him with an expression of surprise and confusion. What could he possibly want to gain from spending time with a cousin? Braelyn wasn’t that practiced with spending time with family, not enjoyable time anyways, so the thought that Francis, being her cousin, would want to invite her to a ballet was completely new to her.

“Francis… why? What I mean is, I’m sure that there must another you could ask, a girlfriend perhaps? I have accepted that you are… my cousin…. But that doesn’t incline you to have to invite me to anything”. She had hesitated as she spoke because, she truly didn’t not know what to say. She wasn’t outright declining him but she wasn’t going to accept unless she got some sort of reason as to what were his motives.

Glancing once more at the envelope in her hands, the thought that perhaps Francis was honestly trying to develop some sort of friendly relationship with her, as her cousin, popped into her head and caused her blink and look up at him once more; her expression even more confused.

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Roddy, you can join at anytime hon ^^}

As Francis dwelled in the comfortable feeling of being in control of the flow of the conversation (afterall it's a variation of asking someone out, which was one of the things he was exceptionally good in). Of course, the success of such a thing often lies in picking out the right occasion for the person you're planning to ask out - sometimes it needs to be romantic, other times practical (and on some rare cases even dangerous). The follow-up is sometimes also important:

"Well, I don't think there needs to be additional reason for someone who clearly appreciates the fine arts to be given a chance to enjoy it - Besides, you can have both tickets - and ask whoever you feel comfortable with to go with you. I will, of course, gladly accompany you, but if that puts you at any unease, I don't want to be the reason that stops you from going."

This sort of line is probably a little overused (in dramas especially) - but no one said cliches are ineffective (in fact it's probably because it's effective that they have become cliches).

"And don't worry about it, I didn't quite know what to do with the tickets otherwise anyway,"

Consider it a v-day present from me for you and Roddy~ haha

Her lips pursed slightly and her fingers smoothed out a slight wrinkle of one corner of the envelope. With a sigh, she held it out before her, returning it back to Francis.

“Forgive me, Francis, but I can’t accept these”.

She offered a polite, small smile and handed back the tickets, rocking slightly on her heels with nerves. She didn’t quite understand what Francis was trying to do but she very well was not going to take such a gift from him, not when she barely knew him. Also the fact that he suggested that she share the tickets with someone other than himself, surely someone “of interest”, brought a tinge of pink to her fair cheeks.

Still… if he truly was just being nice, she widened her smile into a real one and patted his arm gently. “Perhaps…. Another occasion when we, umm… know each other better”.

Francis didn't fail to notice the slight blush that swept across Braelyn's cheeks, though the meaning to it remains slightly ambiguous. But at least, it was good that his cousin was back onto speaking terms with him. It has been really comfortable to have a good conversation partner, especially in this foreign land where everyone speaks English.

"Well, that's a pity. Guess I'll just have to thrown them away....Unless, you know anyone around who may be interested?" Francis continued, almost as if to himself, "Dr Edelstein may be a man of the arts, but it feels like contemporary ballet's not exactly his thing..."

It felt good to smile for real, having the stress and wariness that Francis was her cousin lessen from her shoulders and the possibility of them having a pleasant, friendly future of time spent together was becoming ore appealing to her. It would surely be nice to have a family member whom she wanted to spend time with, so yes, she’ll give Francis a chance and it all begins with a smile, right?

She chuckled slightly, a sweet sound, and began to say that there was no need to throw the tickets out, that there were other options, when Francis said one and Braelyn faltered over her words. “Dr. Edelstein?” She said in English, the language choice out of habit because usually, hospital talk wasn’t spoken in French.

“You would ask Dr. Edelstein to go to the ballet with you?” The words brought a blush to her face and cheerful laugh past her lips. Oh dear…. It wasn’t the thought of Roderich attending a ballet, which amused her, just that he was suddenly in their topic of conversation all of a sudden, and the fact that it was he whom Francis chose to bring up.

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Okay Roddy! Now you may pop in xD We're talking about you and everything. It's your cue!}