La Dracu [OPEN]

[Arun (DELETED 9048)]

Nothing more was said about the other woman and Arun let it go. He finally took the card between his fingers and opened it, appraising the artistry of it. ”This is amazing!” he said, prone to be enthusiastic about most anything but managing to do it in a way that didn’t sound condescending or fake. Probably because he wasn’t faking it. He never was. Arun’s enthusiasm sprung from some deep pocket of his soul; having travelled so much he was aware of how **** the world could be, and how lucky he himself was. Enthusiasm wasn’t hard to come by.

”I am not good at art. I am not creative at all,” he said, and laughed. ”It is like my brother and I are not really brothers. He is a musician and he is very creative. I am academic. I prefer science to the arts,” he said. It had always been that way – he and his brother couldn’t be more different, but when you put them side by side you could tell they were brothers. And they’d do anything for each other. They could hardly be separated.

”Yes, yes, I should stay away from that place,” he said, nodding in agreement. It was true, yes. He could concur that he should stay away, but that was no guarantee that he would stay away. There were still answers that he needed, and he couldn’t get them by sitting around on his laurels.

”But it is the way of scientists, I think. We don’t really trust the books. We do, to an extent, but there’s something to be said about practical experimentation, don’t you think? Believing something once we’ve seen it, and all that…” he said, really unable to grasp how happy he was to have someone to talk to.

[Ainsley (DELETED 8973)]

She smiled at the quality of her card, in Arun's mind. "Thank you. I sell...well, a fair few a day." Anywhere from ten to twenty was a good day for Ainsley. She wasn't going to get rich off it, but it was enough to earn a meager living doing what she loved. "I'm glad you like it." She sat back in the chair as Arun spoke about his brother and she laughed. That wasn't so much like her and her brother, as it was her and her sister.

"My sister and I are like that. My brother and I are creative-he is much better. I'm sort of in the middle between the two of them, I guess you could say." Ainsley felt her lips fall downwards into a frown as Arun seemed to contradict his thoughts on 'should stay away,' but seemed unable to due to his scientific nature. Ainsley was quick to change the subject, not allowing him to think so much on it. "I'm not a very good cook, but you should come over sometime. For dinner. My brother eats it and manages to live. You could bring your brother if you want? Think of it as a...get well and stay well dinner. Or something like that." Okay, so maybe Ainsley thought it would sound better coming from her mouth than it had her head, but it seemed to fall short.

"Don't feel obligated to, though. We sort of don't really know each other, but if you want to..." Ainsley reached out for the card with one hand, as her other found a pen in her purse. "I'll write down my number. Use it, or don't. Not judging, but if you're ever hungry and don't feel like cooking." There, that was a better offer than a get well dinner. Her number was jotted down inside the card, then set down on the tray table. "I should let you rest...You've had a pretty serious accident."

[Arun (DELETED 9048)]

Arun wanted to deny his tiredness, his need to rest. His body was aching for it – all he wanted to do was sleep and it was a contradiction to his usual restless, insomniac energy. If he was honest with himself he’d realise it was a good time to catch up. For a man who rarely slept, it was good to be forced. While Ainsley wrote down her number and offered dinner with herself and her sibling, Arun nodded and resisted the urge to reach out and take her hand, to squeeze it in the way he might hug the woman for her kindness. People were fond of their personal bubbles, and it was best not to break whatever flimsy trust could exist between strangers.

”I would like that. He would like that. It is not often that either of us get a home-cooked meal,” he said. It wasn’t that the two brothers did not know how to cook – regardless of their parents’ fame and wealth they still clung to their heritage, and the two boys were raised knowing how to cook, at the very least, a mean Indian curry. It was all about the spices.

The two rarely were home together, however, and when they were home it was easier to just toss a microwave meal into the microwave or order in. With all the different delivery services these days, it was becoming easier and more economical to buy one’s food from elsewhere rather than to cook it oneself.

”Thank you again, Ainsley. I will call,” he said with a smile. Probably not the next night, or the night after that, but he would call. Eventually. As soon as they deemed him well enough to leave the hospital, anyway.

[Ainsley (DELETED 8973)]

Ainsley smiled and stood when Arun accepted the invitation for he and his brother o join her and her brother for dinner some night. Perhaps, Bohan and Arun would 'hit it off,' and become friends. Which would be good for them both. Gaining a friendship and keeping Arun out of the place that almost killed him. Ainsley tried to understand his thoughts on it-on it being a quest of a scientist, but didn't he know how bad his wound had been and how badly things could have taken a deathly turn? If she had known...if anything could have been prevented with her baby-she would have done it, or stayed away from whatever it was that caused him to be born 'still.' The thought 'stillborn' made her shudder, as if Ainsley were cold. To hide it, she began buttoning up her thin coat, acting as if she were cold.

"Good. Rest easy, Arun." Was all that was said in reference to the acceptance and the idea that Arun would call her at some point. She hoped so-and soon. Next time Arun might not be so lucky to have someone around if he found himself in some serious trouble. "I'll see you later." She added, as Ainsley approached his door, then offered him a warm smile, before the dark haired woman closed his door-mostly, to allow him some of the rest she knew he needed.