ONCE BURNED was made by MEL. Copying, altering, or stealing any of the site's content is prohibited. All of ONCE BURNED's characters are the original work of their owners and may not be replicated or stolen. All images and graphics belong to their rightful owners and ONCE BURNED does not claim to own any of them.
Carter rolled his eyes jokingly at the mention of her brother's name. Somehow they managed the movement almost perfectly in tandem. Carter had had plenty of time to work magic on her innocence, but he'd never had the thought. "You can call him from the runway." He offered with a grin; "On the other side of the world."
Imagining the look on her brother's face made the idea all the more appealing.
"No, he didn't. He's decided to stay where he's most comfortable." He explained. Negative experiences stopped him from bothering with this country all together, it seemed. "But that's alright. I suppose it was bound to happen at some point. We couldn't stay attached to each other forever, now could we?"
Exhaling a sigh, he glanced out towards the view instead; "My mother's still a bitch, and my father's still perfect. Not much changes as years pass."
"I like it." Carter declared to the man so close to him. He knew his feelings didn't really matter, but it was a nice thing to say when he really believed it. He wasn't so devoid of care that he couldn't admit as such.
Turning his eyes back to her again, the words she offered carried his attention better than she had managed to catch Isaac's.
Shy? He actually laughed at that. Far be it for his denial to paint him in such a way, but he could see what she was doing from a mile off. "This is not a question of whether or not I want to sleep with you. You didn't ask me that." He pointed out dearly.
"I didn't realise I stumbled into you closing the deal." He said to him then. Given how she was acting and talking, he must have missed something; "Should I leave you two alone?"
Carter Chevalier
Usually I hold the power with both my hands tied behind my back
When they met all those years ago, Carter knew she mustn't have ever considered that he would speak like this. There was a difference, now. Age and wisdom and all that. They were such things he never thought he'd catch.
"Are you saying you've never thought about this?" He asked her then. Surely he'd given enough of himself to this conversation to earn a little back from her. If not, it wasn't as if he'd regret confiding in her. They were friends, after all.
Carter Chevalier
Usually I hold the power with both my hands tied behind my back
Now sitting, Carter didn't flinch when she reached for him. She took his hand in her own like she had a right to it; on some level, she did. He'd never even consider holding hands with a girl or boy who developed interest in him, and as such, this was completely different.
Paris was always dreamy to those who never lived there on a regular basis. Still, he had to appreciate her wide-eyed status about it.
"If your brother will let me, I absolutely will." Carter declared. It wasn't as if he couldn't afford to bring a second party next time he visited. "Anytime you like."
Carter Chevalier
Usually I hold the power with both my hands tied behind my back
Carter could hear how she found that funny. The way he spoke about the future really did make it seem like it was set in stone. Finally he drew himself away from the pictures that seemed to captivate him so much. Instead, with hands still fastened in his pockets, he followed the idle steps she was making.
"I'm not getting any younger, Luxanna." Carter replied, finally glancing back in her direction and offering a humoured smile.
Carter Chevalier
Usually I hold the power with both my hands tied behind my back
Carter was immediately happy to see she'd taken the hint and come to him with open arms. He lifted her feet off the ground with ease, grateful to hear that she genuinely missed him. Of all the people he'd reconnected with, she was the first to admit it.
When he put her down, he took strides towards the edge of the roof. Someone wanted to hear how he'd been, and that was admittedly a little foreign.
"Well, I went home for a long time. It was nice... Considering how busy it was." He explained. He felt no need to bore her with the details of his life. In his mind, he considered all the things he'd done in the years he was gone to be incredibly boring. "I'm happy to be back. It may not be to my usual tastes, but you're here." And people like her made the mundane town life bearable.
Carter Chevalier
Usually I hold the power with both my hands tied behind my back
Carter had a thankful break between his classes. He sat in the lecture hall packing his last book up when he finally decided to check his phone. He was fortunate never to give his number out to fast hook ups; few had his real digits, and those who did knew the best way to catch him was through text. The familiar name lit up - the only girl he'd ever really befriended without the thought of sex - and he couldn't help but smile.
Even with time on his side, he was still quick to make it towards the roof. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been up there, but he still remembered the steps all the same.
The glasses still perched on his face meant he could catch her smile with the utmost perfection. Closing the door behind him, he took a few steps towards her before stopping and holding his arms out.
"McKenna." He greeted warming, "I'm back."
Carter Chevalier
Usually I hold the power with both my hands tied behind my back
That was a question Carter had never been asked for. Then again, he'd never talked about the idea of children with anyone before. Such a thought had yet to reach him.
"Doesn't everyone assume that?" He asked her then, shrugging his shoulders; "Apart from the people who adamantly don't want them, of course."
Good at it. He scoffed at first, then settled on the notion. "My father was excellent. Is excellent, I should say. And my uncle has always been like a second father." He mused aloud; "I think that would be Dom. Rough as he is, I think he'd care for a child of mine like no other."
There was no shame in having a man admit something good about Carter. He grinned and offered a heavy exhale, the hand at his shoulder patting it a few times in good reassurance. Like he knew, but it was still nice to hear it.
Still? Blue eyes glanced at the familiar looking man he held so close. Obviously he'd come into the conversation at a time where such things had been pointed out already. That wasn't a bad thing, but admittedly, a better man might have felt bad for ruining it.
"Oh no, my dear, I'm not prone to sharing my greater conquests." He replied, reaching his hand up and letting his fingertips brush the blonde hair that wasn't his; "Is this new?"
Carter Chevalier
Usually I hold the power with both my hands tied behind my back
Carter wondered how much of his relationship with his brother she could figure out. Though she barely knew him, Carter had always felt the inter-connectivity of the twins had been obvious. One barely moved without the other and now, there was an ocean between them.
When she moved away, he twisted his body to watch the way she moved.
"I like to think that when I have children, I'll take more joy in the process of photographs." He said then. They had time to kill, it seemed, so surely she could indulge him a little.
Carter Chevalier
Usually I hold the power with both my hands tied behind my back
Was that disappointment from both parties? Carter couldn't ever let his confidence waver from people not wanting his company, and this couldn't be an exception to that very stern rule. Rocking back a step, he fastened a drink in one hand and took a quick swig of it. She interjected before he got a chance, and that was fine. Some people had to drive the conversation, and others just did.
"No no, I believe she calls dibs on you or I." He corrected, waving his index finger idly towards both parties.
Then his arm slinked around the other man's neck. With a small whistle, he glanced towards her again, the corner of his mouth dragging up; "It's ladies choice."
Carter Chevalier
Usually I hold the power with both my hands tied behind my back
Carter's appearance happened in a flash. A glass was settled down on the bar top beside the man, first.
Strong hands clapped pair of broad shoulders attached to a familiar head of blonde hair. "Come now Isaac," He offered over the music, grinning almost uncontrollably. He then reached for his drink again, taking a swig of the dark liquid. "Do I have to apologise to her for-"
Swinging around, he caught sight of the girl he was talking to, and recognition hit his eyes in a single wave; "-You?"
Carter Chevalier
Usually I hold the power with both my hands tied behind my back
Carter glanced at her as she admitted the thing they seemed to share. It did surprise him to hear that she'd never met anyone's families before. Surely she had good enough friends that that wasn't true. Then again, most families weren't even in the area. She truly was an anomaly.
He let out a laugh as he shook his head; "Of course not." He replied. Surely that much was obvious, given who he was.
"We had a few, I think, when we were quite young." Carter offered then, his voice purposefully low. Like a secret she deserved to hear; "But people grow older. Families draw apart... I think Dom would never sit for them, and so neither would I."
Carter Chevalier
Usually I hold the power with both my hands tied behind my back
Of course. Carter should have figured that by now given there was no other man in the house. He nodded his head once to the notion, keeping his mouth shut to stop himself from digging any kind of grave.
"What?" He asked then, turning his gaze towards her, "Oh, no, I'm fine to wait. Really."
Then he looked back again, his blue eyes dragging over the face of the man he was set to meet tonight. He was an easy figure to pick out from all these. "You know, I've never met anyone's parents before. Parent. You know what I mean." He offered, the corner of his mouth dragging to a smile. It couldn't have surprised her, right? Given who he was.
Carter Chevalier
Usually I hold the power with both my hands tied behind my back
Carter let his eyes wander the hallways. Family pictures seemed strange to him; he furrowed his eyebrows at their mere existence. It might have been how candid they were, but they caught his eyes and amongst his movements, he settled before the lot. Briefly, his thoughts left Luxanna and the dog she cared for so obviously. His hands slid into his pockets, and he calmly gazed upon them all individually.
"Why do you ask?" He glanced at her briefly as the question came out of his mouth before he looked back to the frames again.
