Colin's posts

Lindsay looked at the clock for a moment.

"Hmmm..." he mumbled.

"Hour or so... then immediate prep..." he mumbled further.

"Odds are I'll be back around 11pm or so." he told her.

"Maybe later. Depends." he continued.

"Right, this way, then." Lindsay responded, getting up and heading to the kitchen.

After most of the day had passed, Lindsay had managed to show Kalin where everything was in the kitchen, and give her a small tour of the place. She'd put on some of the clothes he'd gotten her, and he said he'd get her more when she was legally his ward.

But he looked at the clock, and sighed.

"Guess it's time for me to go." he said, grabbing a duffel bag that he had prepared earlier.

"Feel free to watch TV, browse the internet, or whatever." he told her.

"Just be very careful about using the oven." he warned. "I know you know how to work one, but still." he added.

Lindsay nodded in response.

"All right. I'll make sure there's plenty in the fridge and cupboards." he told her.

"Oh yeah, I suppose I should show you where everything IS in the kitchen." he then realized.

"Like, where the dishes are and such." he clarified.

"Feel better after a shower?" he then asked.

Lindsay just shook his head.

"That's sweet of you to offer, but no, there isn't." he told her.

"It's just something I need to ride out until I'm done school." he said.

"But good to hear on the clothing." he then commented.

"I'll make sure there's some food ready for you tonight, as I'll be gone for a good portion of it." he sighed, shaking his head a little.

"Anything you think you'll want for dinner?" he asked.

Lindsay looked to be exasperated and frustrated, but it seemed to disappear when he saw her.

"Oh, hey Kalin." he greeted her.

"Did you hear that conversation?" he asked, seemingly a bit nervous.

Kalin responded with what she heard, which caused Lindsay to sigh a little, possibly in relief, but it was hard to tell.

"Yeah, I'm fine." he told her.

"Just... my night job. Sometimes the hours aren't as nice as I would like them, and I don't have the necessary time to recuperate, you could say." he explained.

"Oh, by the way, I quickly popped out and grabbed some clothing for you to wear around the house." he then said. "I hope they fit."

"You're welcome." Lindsay replied.

-About a half-hour later-

Kalin was in the bathroom, getting ready to clean up, while Lindsay was sitting at the kitchen table, looking at his cell phone.

"....hm." he mumbled.

"I suppose the best way to do this would be to ask her directly." he said to himself.

"But can I just get an audience with her, just like that?" he wondered. "She's very busy, and I only ever see her when she needs me." he continued, before looking in the direction of the bathroom.

"...suppose I should get some clothing for her, though." he then reasoned.

After about 45 minutes or so, Kalin had cleaned herself up, draped herself in the large bathrobe, and had stepped out of the bathroom. When she did, she heard Lindsay talking to someone. Due to her not hearing the other party, she assumed it was over the phone, but Lindsay sounded a little exasperated.

"...but I just... it was only last ni-" he went on, before sighing.

"Yes, I KNOW what the contract says, I negotiated it myself, but why does it have to be so close?" he then asked. There was silence once more, and she heard him grown.

"Fine. Fine, I understand. Tonight." he said.

"Yes. I'll be there. Yes, I know. Look, I get it. I'll be there. I'm hanging up now." he finished.

"...UGH!" he then exclaimed, it being clear he'd ended the call.

"See, that's not good." Lindsay responded.

"After breakfast, go take a shower." he told her.

"I'll make sure you have towels and such." he went on. "And... hmmm... you can bundle up in one of my bathrobes, but it'll swim on you." he chuckled. "Like a blanket wrapped around you." he laughed further.

"And feel free to take as much time as you'd like in the bath... or shower... whichever you prefer." he then said. "I'm not strapped for budget on hydro."

"Oh, of course." Lindsay replied.

"You will need to go to school, after all." he reasoned.

"But we'll worry about that when the time comes." he told her.

"In the meantime, you worry about keeping yourself warm and fed while here." he said.

"I'M going to see about getting you some proper clothing, and make it so the spare room is a proper room for you." he continued. "And getting the necessary papers and such filled out." he then went on, before pausing.

"Ah, yes, after breakfast, you should probably have a bath or shower." he then added.

"I'm sure it's been a while since you last had?" he assumed.

Lindsay smiled in return.

"Indeed." he said.

"By the way, I'm in school." he told her. "Making my way through university." he said further. "So I'll be either in class most of the day, or home studying." he went on.

"I also have a night job, as well as a side job, to pay my way through." he continued.

"But I assume you'll be all right, for the most part?" he asked.

"Well, however way you trust me, at least you trust me." Lindsay replied.

"I'll get the paperwork started as quickly as I can." he told her.

He then paused for a moment, before sighing.

"I suppose I should introduce myself as well." he then said.

"After all, you were kind enough to do so." he reasoned.

"Lindsay Fyrane."

".....yes, that answers a lot." Lindsay replied.

"Now, tell me." he said.

"It's clear that you're independent, and can fend for yourself, for the most part." he told her.

"Would you be all right with my taking you in?" he asked.

"I refuse to let you go back out into the elements, or where you'll be mistreated." he told her further, more bluntly.

"So... will you allow me to take you in, legally and all?"

"This is true." Lindsay responded.

"You certainly ARE very articulate for one of your tender age." he admitted.

"And... hmmm..." he then mumbled, thinking about it.

'How do I word this...?' he thought.

"Well, you know how strange things can happen, and nobody can explain them?" he asked.

"Such as... well, magic tricks. But ones that people can't prove how they're done, no matter what." he said further, as an example.

"Or, to put it another way, do you think there are things in this world beyond what we can see or explain?" he then asked her.

Lindsay froze again.

"....8." he repeated.

"And you're more interested in studying?" he asked her.

"Hmmmmm..." he muttered.

"Kalin, you've been on your own for a while now." he commented.

"How much do you know of this world?" he asked.

"Would you say you know of things most others do not?" he asked further, trying to tip-toe around using more specific terms.

"....not interested in 'fun' things?" Lindsay asked.

"Interesting thing to say." he commented.

"Care to expand or elaborate on that?" he asked her.

"I mean, I suppose I can guess what 'fun' things are, but... what is it you are interested in, that caused so many people to overlook you?" he asked further.

'She needs help.' he thought.

'I wonder if I can provide it...' he thought further, still mentally making plans.