• Thinking About You •

[Margaret Rose Warren]

Meg was confused. Well, to put it more accurately, more confused than she normally ever was. She and Theo, who had finally told her his name after about three "accidental" meetings up, had seen each other quite a few times now. Or, er, not really "seen". Just... ran into each other. It wasn't even on purpose. Well, after the second time it wasn't, but Meg was starting to think it had to mean something if fate kept bringing her back to this one guy. Out of the millions of people in New York, and the thousands on just the college campus, and she kept running into Mr. Theodore Sterling. Yeah, maybe this fate thing was a total joke.

But could it be real? Today she would find out. Meg had her stubborn mind set on it. And, when Margaret's mind was set on something, she didn't give up until that something had happened or was being held in her clutches. And, right now, Theo was that something. She was tired of lying awake at night, wondering if their little encounters were official dates... or if they were just simple meetings between friends. He always got so nervous when she mentioned going "out" somewhere off campus together, that Meg quickly ditched the topic and went back to smiling and joking with him in the way that usually got him to smile for her. She loved his smile. Wait... no, no she couldn't love his smile. Or anything else about him. He wasn't the kind of guy that caught Meg's attention. Hell, okay, no type of guy was supposed to catch her attention, for now. After she graduated and had herself a job with which to support herself and her father, maybe then she could look into it. But, even then, it'd probably be some genious scientist. Or Nix.

Meg had thought about that, of course. They were already best friends; it honestly couldn't be that much harder to fall "in love". Right? It'd never feel right though, and she knew that. Nix wasn't someone she viewed as a boyfriend. He was, and always would be just her male best friend, like the brother she always wanted. Never a lover. What did that make Theo then?

She needed a mental vacation. Seriously. And, to make all of this worse, Theo had actually told her to meet him in the parking lot today. Was this to be considered their first "official" date? Were they even dating? Did he think they were dating? Did he think she was good enough to date? Meg hated all these friggin' questions that kept stumblding through her mind the mere second that Theo's name came up.

That was all that was on her mind as she lugged her bag out to the sidewalk in front of the school, right before the parking lot. She didn't know where exactly she was supposed to be but, well, she figured here was as good a spot as any. Meg plopped down on the bench, dropping her bag next to her and pulling out her phone. Well, she was three minutes early. Hopefully, Theo would be here soon to set her damn heart at rest.

TAG: Theo-Bear <3
LOCATION: Parking Lot!
WORDS: 552!
MUSIC: "Fallin' For You" by Colbie Caillat
OUTFIT: ZIPPITY ZIP!
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[/size]

[Theo Anthony Sterling]

This hadn’t been planned. Theo was not the kind of guy to purposely stalk some young blonde student like some creepy pervert. No, his encounters with Meg had been random coincidence and bound to happen considering the amount of time they seemed to spend in the same place; the library being the main example of this.
At first, the young Scot had thought nothing of it, dismissing the whole thing as a pleasant encounter in between classes and work, but as time went on and he bumped into her more often, he had to ask ‘why her’? His classmates rarely ever encountered him away from work relating to their chosen vocation and he didn’t exactly have an arsenal of friends in his life thanks to his quiet ways, yet Meg seemed to crop up pretty much everywhere and he was certain that she wasn’t stalking him.

In fact, Theo had been quite content to leave it at that; occasional run ins with each other and short conversations that didn’t interfere with their original plans. However, when his insomnia kicked in and there was little to distract him, his thoughts had often wandered to their encounters; his mind replaying the little jokes Meg had made, the infectious sound of her laugh and the way she would always seem so chirpy no matter what. It was worrisome to the young widower and he often later found himself wracked with guilt for thinking about her, when he was still adamant that his heart would always belong to Jenny.

It had been his little sister, Lilia, who one morning over a late breakfast had read her big brother like a well known book. She had pinpointed the ’problem’ perfectly first time and then gushed like a mad woman over how Theo had to ask her out and how he must dress and behave and…well, it all got a bit too much for the drama student and Lilia had to restrain herself before she gave the twenty six year old a panic attack or worse. However, a heart to heart between siblings had left Theo feeling rather determined. Lilia was right; no harm could come from a date and he couldn’t spend his whole life in mourning, for the sake of Issy if not also himself. So, he decided that with their next run in, he would plan a date.

There was just one flaw in his plan. Theo was not the guy who went on ’dates’. He could hardly flirt to save his life and Jenny had been someone he knew inside out before they embarked on their relationship. He didn’t know much about Meg away from school and he didn’t want to expose his inability to be a charmer to her and make himself look like a fool. Sure, he could put on an act if he tried, but he didn’t want to do that. He wasn’t on a stage and Meg was more than just another audience.

In a hasty, spur of the moment panic, he had told Meg to meet him in the parking lot that afternoon. He didn’t know where to go after that, but he had a few hours free in which he should have been rehearsing to plan something out. Finally, it clicked into place and whilst it wasn’t the most extravagant or well planned first date, it was definitely something. Plus, it wasn’t anything like the times he went out with Jenny, so there would be no heartbreaking reminders along the way.
He sent a text to Lilia who replied happily that she would take care of Issy for as long as he needed and then Theo realised just how real this all was and that it was time to go and meet his date.

He saw her just as she sat down on the bench and wiped his clammy hands on his jeans. He wasn’t really dressed at all well for a fancy date, which was another reason why he chose to keep it casual; there was less pressure to impress. Smiling softly, he strolled over to her, swallowing his nerves before greeting her. “Hey Meg.”

[/color]

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• • •

TAGGED! The lovely Meg!
WORDS!728
OUTFIT! [url=http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=36861536
]Well Dressed Mess! [/url]
LYRICS! Twenty Years- - - The Civil Wars
NOTES! <3 <3 <3
[/size]

[Margaret Rose Warren]

Meg wasn't stalking Theo, of course not. She hadn't ever since that second time, which, even then hadn't really been "stalking". It'd been... putting common knowledge and sense to use, and twisting them in a way into which Meg got what she wanted: the semi-answer to why he'd dashed out on her in the library on their first little meeting. After that, it had completely been by accident. Kind of. Meg worked in the library quite frequently, like any other college student. But, normally, she'd sit in lots of different places to people watch while she worked or to have some perfect alone time. Lately, though, she'd been going back to the same spot, same time almost each and every time she waltzed through the doors. She kept trying to convince herself she wasn't just hoping Theo would be there so they could talk.

This whole "meet me in the parking lot" thing was totally throwing off their peaceful, non-commited friendship that they had going. But, Meg was starting to wonder what exactly to call this. She didn't usually hang out with guys alone, not unless they were Nix and even then, it was nothing like what she did with Theo. He was so different from her normal, hyper group of friends and general surroundings that he stood out. And, frankly, Meg liked the change. She was always hyper and cheery; it was simply her personality. But, that also led to her circling herself with peopler who were quite similar to her, or who she loved enough not to care how smiley-happy they were. Theo didn't fit into either category, and it was giving her a sense of calm she'd never felt before, not since those nights way back when where her mother would brush out her hair and tell her stories before bed. It both pained her to enjoy it, but also made her like spending time with him.

She sat on the bench, one arm looped through the straps of her bag. It was one of those trademark accessories that Nix often picked out for the blonde, and that she rarely ever protested to buying because they were in fact statement pieces that would draw even more attention to the odd pair they often made. Another one of those quirky things about her, but one she loved none the less. Plus, the tote was perfect for carrying around books and, as she'd just come from a class, it was quite handy indeed.

Meg gently tucked her phone back into her bag, taking one quick second to pull out her compact and check her makeup. She didn't wear a lot of the stuff, and it really wasn't noticeable, but she wanted to look her best for Theo. Besides, she'd gotten into a paper-shavings fight with Nix earlier while they were waiting for the lecture to begin, and who knew what could've landed on her face from him flicking things at her. She shook her head at the memory, closing the little mirror just as a familiar voice pulled her out of her own mind. "Hey yourself," she smiled back, her eyes turning up to him as she finished fiddling in her tote. "So, do I finally get to find out what you're planning? Or have we demoted ourselves to studying in a parking lot?" she joked, standing up and tugging her bag up over her shoulder. If only she'd driven this morning... she could've thrown this in the car instead of carrying it around with her. But, no, it was Dad's day to have the car and, really, she hadn't even known about this little setup until this morning where she'd bumped into Theo as she walked to her lecture hall. But, it'd have to do. Besides, she didn't even know what he had planned yet. Or if he even did.

TAG: Theo-Bear <3
LOCATION: Parking Lot!
WORDS: 680!
MUSIC: "Fallin' For You" by Colbie Caillat
OUTFIT: ZIPPITY ZIP!
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[/size]

[Theo Anthony Sterling]

There was always that cloud hovering over Theo’s head that just seemed to scream ‘tragic past’ at those who looked at him. Then again, maybe that was just thanks to the permanent shadows that lived under his hazelnut eyes. The point was that even when he was genuinely happy, there was still a part of him holding back, holding onto that sorrow like it was a lifebuoy and he was scared of drowning in happiness; something he believed he would never experience again, this time a year and a half ago.
Now though, when he was around Meg, that feeling, that belief, was starting to fade away, albeit slowly, but the main thing was that it was happening!
It wasn’t painstakingly obvious to him yet, but he knew that there was something about the bubbly blonde that had captured his attention and managed to hold it too.

Theo had found himself subconsciously looking for her each time he entered the library, and if she wasn’t there then, he was looking up every few minutes when someone approached his desk. He enjoyed her company and their little chats often left him feeling a little less tense than he usually was. It was a small piece of comfort in a routinely stressful day of playing dad, student, supervisor and then still trying to find time for himself.
In fact, this was possibly the first time he had done something for himself since Issy had been born. Usually, she and Lilia came before his needs; something Theo would always firmly believe in.
This would just be a few hours though, a friendly getaway from his usual role and the chance to tackle the foreboding challenge of…well, a date.

The word made Theo inwardly cringe as he made his way closer to Meg. He wasn’t the kind of guy who was confident enough to just ask a girl out. He was the quiet guy; the nerd stammering his lines when he was away from the stage and out of a role. He had only ever been out with Jenny in his whole life and at twenty six, that could either be seen as cute or shocking. Either way, it left him with very little experience in the social etiquette of dating and he was anxious as to whether Meg would be able to sense that, or, hell, even know that this was a date to start with. Oh god, he was nervous as anything and took a deep breath before returning her warm smile.

He pushed his hands into his pockets and then carefully paused, taking a moment to work out what to say to the pretty young girl. “Well, first of all, y’ need to choose between the car or walkin’.”

[/color] He told her, not really minding which method of transport she would prefer. Walking would give them more time to chat, but then the car would speed them along to their destination and give them more time to spend there. Theo was happy either way-well, as happy as one could be when his hands were clammy and his nerves were sky rocketing; he was much more relaxed when he was on a stage performing to hundreds of mystery faces in the audience.
“An’ I’m not goin’ ta tell y’ where we’re goin’. Y’ jus’ haffta trust me on this one, hen.”[/color] He smirked, a strange and unfamiliar twinkle in his dark eyes as he waited for her to make her decision. [/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! The lovely Meg!
WORDS!619
OUTFIT! [url=http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=36861536
]Well Dressed Mess! [/url]
LYRICS! Twenty Years- - - The Civil Wars
NOTES! <3 <3 <3
[/size]

[Margaret Rose Warren]

Meg had dated people, sure, but it had mainly been those meaningless high school romances that more often than not were laughed at after graduation. She'd never found "the one" who was right for her. Then again, she'd never really been looking at all, either. And, still, she wasn't even in the market for a boyfriend right now. Meg was content with her two boys: her father and Nix. Those were really the only males she needed in her life, anyways. Boyfriends complicated things. Heck, love in general messed things up to a pretty degree. It wasn't a distraction she wanted right now, nor ever really. When she found the one person who would've entirely destroy her world, maybe Miss Warren would slow down and take a glimpse at him. But, so far, she hadn't seen him yet. Not until she and Theo had met, that is.

There was just something about him that screamed "different" to her. He wasn't the typical, hungover college kid, as she'd already picked up on. But it wasn't simply that. There was more that kept her curious mind on him and something inside her kept pushing her to try for it, to just bet it all and see what came of it. But, Meg was a scientist right down to her core. She didn't throw all her money into a pot and hope for the best. She did research, studied possible outcomes and chances for those outcomes. She thought before she acted. Or, well, at least she did with bigger things. And, honestly, didn't this count as something huge?

She gave him a questioning look as he spoke again. Where the heck was he planning on taking her? Well, it had to be somewhere close if they could walk. "It's a nice enough day for a stroll. As long as you don't mind walking," she grinned back up at him. Maybe walking would take out some of the excited energy coursing through her veins now that he'd arrived. Meg could practically hear her heart beating that little bit quicker, and it was driving her nuts that she had no way to make it shut up.

With the few interrogation classes she'd been forced into taking, Meg subconsciously knew he was nervous. Her scatter-brained mind wasn't exactly function to full capacity right now, but she knew. It was radiating off of him in waves and he seemed to be thinking over every sentence before it left his handsome lips. Both things Meg picked up on, or rather should've. Right now, she was too busy noting how happy she was just to be going on some sort of date-like outing with him. Or, at least, she hoped this was a date.

"But you have to tell me!" she smirked back before her lips burst into another one of her grins. Meg could never keep the smile off her face when he was around. Just one more thing that she was coming to terms with the meaning of.

TAG: Theo-Bear <3
LOCATION: Parking Lot!
WORDS: 530!
MUSIC: "Fallin' For You" by Colbie Caillat
OUTFIT: ZIPPITY ZIP!
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[/size]

[Theo Anthony Sterling]

His mother always said that things had to hit Theo hard in the face before he’d notice them. She predicted his relationship with Jenny almost two years before it actually happened; before Theo even looked at Jenny in that way.
His mother didn’t predict it this time, but it had still worked out to be true. He had bumped into Meg several times and then it had been in the middle of the night that it had hit him hard again; he liked her. No, he liked her. That was a scary thought, terrifying even, and if he didn’t already have insomnia he was certain that the revelation would’ve been enough to keep him from sleeping for some time.

So what was it about Miss Warren that had managed to throw his imperfect life upside down one more time? She was constantly cheerful and always managed to make Theo smile or laugh, even if he did run away without any real excuse just moments later. Hell, he did that and she kept coming back to sit through it all again, so at least he knew she didn’t seem like the kind to bail out on anything or him too soon into the game. Then again, she didn’t know that he was a widower, that his wife had died in childbirth and that he was currently raising his daughter as a single father and without a clue in the world about what he was doing right at this very moment in time. If he told her all of that, then maybe she wouldn’t come back again. She was young, she could have everything. Theo had seen and been through a lot, maybe too much, for anyone to ever love him ever again.
And there it was, that pessimistic voice dragging him back from the brink of happiness. Forget sleeping meds and awkward dates, Theo needed therapy.

“Aye, walkin’s fine by me.”

[/color] He adjusted the strap of his bag and then glanced around the parking lot, pointing in the direction they needed to head. This wasn’t going to be a conventional date and Theo had had to pull a few strings to make it work, but he hoped that Meg would like it and not just find him to be some total weirdo.
“I dinnae hafta tell you anythin’.”[/color] He teased. Truthfully, if he told her, then she may back out right now and even the actor in him couldn’t think of the best way to explain this date to her. It was one of a kind and he doubted she’d ever been on one or go on another one like it. He wasn’t the best at this and didn’t want to lay on the pressure of dinner or romantic trips, not at least until he found his bearings with her and with this. “Jus’ trust me.”[/color] He smiled warmly down at the pretty little blonde, leading her from the exit and turning right up one of the streets that led away from the hustle and bustle.
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• • •

TAGGED! The lovely Meg!
WORDS! 549
OUTFIT! [url=http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=36861536
]Well Dressed Mess! [/url]
LYRICS! Twenty Years- - - The Civil Wars
NOTES! <3 <3 <3
[/size]

[Margaret Rose Warren]

Meg's constant cheeriness was her defense against the darkness. When she got stressed, she called up Nix and cracked idiotic jokes for an hour. When she saw pictures of her mother, she blared happy music and tried to pound the thoughts out of her mind while she danced with her father. Her hyper, smiley face was her shield from depression, and it had been for years now. Margaret Warren didn't get depressed; she just got ten times happier than before.

Something about Theo made that shield crack. It scared Meg, but fascinated her all in the exact same heartbeat. Why was he different? What was so special about him? Maybe it was the fact that Meg didn't get along with many theatre majors, or maybe it was because she saw that glassy look in his eyes that she'd had before, too. It was that gleam only people scarred by pain got to have. The only difference was she'd learned long, long ago to completely rid hers from hers eyes and personality. He, on the other hand, seemed to have some kind of cloud following him around and, with her curiousity, it was no wonder Miss Margaret wanted to find out what it was.

She smiled up at him as he pointed, nodding and walking easily next to him. Their conversation was already leading towards its typical playfulness. Meg could feel the knots tying themselves tighter in her stomach, as they usually had begun to. It was frightening and yet wonderful all at the same time. "No fancy limo or anything for the soon to be actor?" she joked back with a playful smile on her lips. Meg didn't mind walking, however. Being a college kid, you kind of got used to it, anyways.

Meg pouted cutely up at him as he teased her back, the curiousity burning in her eyes now. She loved surprises, she truly did. Though, she could usually figure out what they were before her father or Nix even got the chance to surprise her, as they were the only ones who ever took the time to plan things out for her. Now, she was at a total loss. Meg had no idea what he could possibly have planned and it was striking up her fancy quite a bit. "But c'mooooon, Theo," she whined, giving him puppy dog eyes as she continued to walk. "I have a right to know if you're leading me to some dark dusty cave," she added, teasing him. Meg bumped her shoulder lightly against him, smirking as she continued to try and figure out where the heck they were going.

TAG: Theo-Bear <3
LOCATION: Parking Lot!
WORDS: 461!
MUSIC: "Fallin' For You" by Colbie Caillat
OUTFIT: ZIPPITY ZIP!
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[/size]

[Theo Anthony Sterling]

Up until Issy’s birth and Jenny’s death, Theo had never really experienced a great loss before. Yes, relatives had died over the years, but none he was extremely close to; mostly they had been great aunts and uncles, who the young Scottish boy had met once in a blue moon whenever the small family had been forced to come together for a major celebration.
Plus, when those relatives had died, his immediate family had been, well, there. When Jenny passed away, Theo had been alone, with his beautiful baby daughter in his arms and no one to turn to. Yes, his family had boarded the next plane, but it took them time to get to New York and Theo only had the polite nurses and his thoughts for company as his heart shattered into a million pieces. There had also been a severe lack of grieving time, because suddenly he had been forced to deal with the idea of a baby without a mother and being a single parent; a thought that had never crossed his mind in a million years.

And then, here he was now with another girl who had the power to turn his life upside down again, if he was able to let her in, allow her passage beyond those walls he had put up when Jenny had been snatched cruelly from the world. Would he be able to let Meg in? She was easy enough to get along with and there was a definitely fire lit whenever he saw her. She was able to make him smile when times were feeling tough, and sometimes the thoughts he had of her were enough to make his insomnia bearable, and Theo hated his insomnia. Lilia may have been right about him dating again, and he hoped, deep down, that this could work out; that he could be happy again.

Grinning, he looked ahead at the fresh sky before them, towering over the buildings of the city. No one else had a sense of humour quite like Meg’s and Theo appreciated it more so because of that fact. It was a refreshing change and just another thing to add to the list of why he seemed to like her so much more than anyone else on the college campus. “The closest I get ta a limo, is that old thing there.”

[/color] He gestured casually to the older model of the ‘practical family’ car he had owned since just before Issy was born. It was definitely no limo and nothing fancy, like some of the ridiculous cars he saw parked up in the lot. What college kid drove a convertible to class? What parents gave a wild college kid a convertible in the first place?!

Theo glanced down at her when she gave him the puppy dog eyes and chuckled softly, shaking his head as they finally reached the sidewalk. “Ma wee sista can pull that look too. I grew immune ta it when I was a kid.”[/color] He told her playfully. Lilia still liked to try that look on him some days too, but it had stopped working long ago. God help him once the brunette taught it to his daughter…then he’d really be in a mess. He already found it hard to say ‘no’ to the little girl. “An’ where would I find a dark an’ dusty cave, may I ask? No. It may be dark, but it’s not gonna be dusty, hen.”[/color] He promised, a secretive twinkle in his mocha eyes.
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• • •

TAGGED! The lovely Meg!
WORDS!588
OUTFIT! [url=http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=36861536
]Well Dressed Mess! [/url]
LYRICS! Twenty Years- - - The Civil Wars
NOTES! Eurgh >.< Writing Theo after Nix does not work well! <3 <3 <3
[/size]

[Margaret Rose Warren]

Nobody was quite like Meg, but that was how she preferred it. Especially these days, everybody seemed to be bleach blonde, as thin as paper, and wearing shoes taller than some of New York's buildings. Okay, she did the last on occasion, but she typically had a good reason. Typically. Meg wasn't like the Barbies, despite her blonde hair and love of shoes. She got down and innocently dirty with guys quite often, and could joke as well as any of them could. She didn't like being treated like a princess and held up on some throne like so many girls did these days. For her, the ground was much more comfortable than a satin pillow. However, one thing this non-princess avoided was dating. It didn't end so well for her, especially since her boyfriends had to pass the "Nix Test". Most of the jerks gave up the moment they found out her best friend was a guy, claiming they'd seen crap like this in movies and that she'd end up with her bestie in the end. Of course, Meg told them off with Nix by her side nine times out of ten. That wasn't what they were; they were just best friends. And, anybody who didn't trust her enough to believe that was definitely not worth her time in the end.

Meg had mentioned Nix a few times during her chats with Theo in the library. It was kind of her own test, to see if he'd react or not to the fact that she didn't run around with a group of giggling girls. Truthfully, it shocked most guys the moment she dropped that bomb, but he hadn't seemed to mind too much. Or, well, from what she could tell he hadn't. It wasn't like she mentioned Nix that much anyways; just as a passing topic or for a past memory that had more than often gotten the pair into trouble somehow. That was what Nix was for, though. They were friends because they loved to have fun together, and nobody else could quite keep up with the other blonde's hyperness. Meg usually could after a good dose of pixie sticks and licorice, and those happened to be the key ingredients to any of her favorite nights.

But, with the man standing next to her, that wasn't what Meg expected or wanted. He was her breath of fresh air from the chaotic world she often threw herself into. Theo and Nix balanced her out perfectly; one loud and often rambunctious, the other cool and calm and the serious side she'd never admit to having. She was getting much to far ahead of herself; they were only on the first date. Or was this even a date?

"I'm still sharing a car with my dad, so yours is much better than mine," she laughed back, smiling easily. Meg was very open about the fact that she lived with her father. Actually, she was kind of proud of that fact. Lots of kids thought it was stupid and she'd heard plenty of crap about it, but it blew past her. What mattered most to her was that her dad was still okay. It'd always been just the two of them, and it would be until the day he joined her mother in someplace better off. Meg was a Daddy's girl to the core, car included.

Meg intensified her puppy dog pout when he said he was immune to it. "Please, Theo?" she asked, blinking her big, pretty eyes up at him in the way years of puppy-dogging had perfected. Oh yeah, she was a Daddy's girl down to a peg. Snapping out of the pleading look, Meg mockingly gasped. "So you don't deny that you're taking me to a cave?" she teased back, smiling sweetly at him as his eyes met hers.

TAG: Theo-Bear <3
LOCATION: Parking Lot!
WORDS: 669!
MUSIC: "Fallin' For You" by Colbie Caillat
OUTFIT: ZIPPITY ZIP!
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[/size]

[Theo Anthony Sterling]

Feelings were not easy to understand and Theo, whilst easily able to tune into emotions on the stage, was not the quickest to realise what he felt in real life. There was always a lot of denial, confusion and eventually panic, when the reality hit him like a ton of bricks and suddenly the possibility of falling in love was the most terrifying thing on the planet. It was definitely too soon for that though and Theo was not thinking of anything of the sort right now. Or at least he was trying not to.
There was definitely something there though that made him look at Meg differently than any other girl on the university campus or in New York in general. It had sparked his curiosity and that of Lilia’s too and now this was the test, the challenge to see if he could make sense of the knots in his stomach and the clammy hands that only ever came from being around the blonde student or from the last five minutes before opening night.

He had always been cautious, but now he was more so than ever. Maybe it was the fatherly instincts Issy had placed in him or maybe it was the fear of actually moving on and remembering that he was still young with a life of his own to live. Theo didn’t have the foggiest idea, but he was going to be careful with this chance of a date. This…whatever this was with Meg, he didn’t want to ruin it. He also wasn’t able to jump into a possible relationship as easily as most of the people in this city could. Theo wasn’t ready for anything like that and there was so much to consider and think about, like Issy and the fact that he wasn’t just a single man; he was a widower. Would Meg want to be burdened with something like that when she still had the whole world at her feet and her innocence in tact? Would she even want to deal with an insomniac for a boyfriend, knowing that whenever she saw him he’d probably be drinking more coffee than could possibly be healthy for any human being.

He hoped this would work well and that she wouldn’t take it the wrong way if, in his typical fashion, he seemed a little on edge at moments when the subject touched a little too close to home and his raw emotions that still lingered, even now.

Theo chuckled softly, pulling his eyes away from where his car sat. He made sure they were continuing in the right direction before speaking again; he didn’t want them to end up miles away from where he was planning on taking her and if Theo zoned out, there was a strong chance that would happen. He’d done it before when he’d taken a walk with Issy and allowed his thoughts to get away with him. “I’m supposed ta share that with ma sista, but she interprets that as ‘Fee, give me a lift ta here’.”

[/color] He joked, making his voice higher as he mimicked his sister, who no doubt would punch his arm if she ever heard him doing impressions of her.

He laughed warmly as her expression intensified. “It’s not gonna work, hen. That look has been done ta the death.”[/color] And boy, had it. Lilia did it, Jenny did it and now he was convinced Issy was learning the power behind it too. If that was the case, Theo was doomed, that was certain. Laughing again he nudged Meg with his shoulder. “I promise, there will be no caves this aftanoon.”[/color] He said, holding his hand up in the air in an old tradition. He guided her across the street and up one of the quieter neighbourhoods surrounding the campus.

[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! The lovely Meg!
WORDS!676
OUTFIT! [url=http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=36861536
]Well Dressed Mess! [/url]
LYRICS! Twenty Years- - - The Civil Wars
NOTES! <3 <3 <3
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[Margaret Rose Warren]

Kids, to Meg, were just... kids. She didn't have many in her life despite the few she babysat on very rare occasions, so they didn't bug her nor did she love them much. They were there, like a neutral aspect of her world. She had no need for them, however, and no current interest in having any herself. Being pregnant messed life up and, with where she wanted to go, she couldn't afford maternity leave. She knew her father wanted grandkids, however. She knew it killed him every time her and Nix walked in the door, her restating right after he left again that they were still, and always would be, just friends. She knew he wanted her to be a "traditional" girl; get married, have kids, the whole bit. But that wasn't Meg. Meg was the small town girl with big dreams. She was the spirited blonde who often spoke before she thought over the words. She was the young woman who wanted more than anything else to make her mother proud. She was her.

But, also being her, Meg only had so much caution in her system. She was careful with many things, of course, though it didn't kill her love for fun and freedom in the slightest. That was what she lived for outside of her house and off campus. Friends, antics, and laughing were some of her favorite things in life. She threw herself out there all the time because she loved the risk and the adventure of it all. It wasn't exactly rebelling, but Meg might as well have been. If her father asked, however, she never thought that.

Meg laughed, lips quirking into a pretty smile as he mimicked his sister. She liked when he was relaxed and carefree like this; it was her favorite part of being together with him. It was always the part before they started really talking. "I just get driven around by my dad like a six year old," she joked again. "She's lucky to have a sweet big brother that'll do that for her," Meg added, smile softening a bit as she looked up at him.

"You're the only guy on the planet who doesn't give in!" she mockingly whined, ruining it by smiling as he laughed. Meg enjoyed making him laugh; it always seemed like he never got enough of it, so she tried to give him as much as he could. Meg bumped her shoulder back against him, laughing herself as he "promised" there'd be no caves. "This afternoon?" she questioned, shaking her head at his hand. Meg playfully grabbed his hand, tugging him across the street he'd been leading her towards. She still had no idea where they were going but, already, her day was better because of this little stroll.

TAG: Theo-Bear <3
LOCATION: Parking Lot!
WORDS: 500!
MUSIC: "Fallin' For You" by Colbie Caillat
OUTFIT: ZIPPITY ZIP!
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

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[Theo Anthony Sterling]

Theo had never been without his family. He moved from the home he shared with his parents and siblings, to the house Jenny made their own. He had swapped bloodlines for marriage and then been suddenly graced with a beautiful daughter who had dragged his sister back into his life. He was an independent man, always had been, but he also had his family there to fall back on whenever times were getting him down. He didn’t know what he would do without that close bond, especially in recent years and even more so when it came to this thing with Meg. He couldn’t describe it and it was all so new and weird to him that he was really just playing things as it went along, hoping nothing got messed up or screwed around along the way.

He wasn’t exactly Prince Charming and he didn’t know if that was who Meg was looking for when they first met in the library, but Theo would not be able to live up to that ideal. Away from the stage he was the quiet father, the lenient supervisor and the insomniac suffering Scotsman who still felt clueless most of the time. He was learning so much and after his simple life had been thrown into disarray it was hard to find land when he felt like he was drowning in confusion and new experiences. Meg certainly was one of them. She seemed to play on his mind constantly when he was relaxing, but he was somewhat terrified that she would run the second she discovered the truth about his marriage, his fatherhood and the reason he was still at college at the age of twenty-six. No one who was young and beautiful like her would want to play happy house with a widower and his infant daughter, even if the thought was a little too fast moving considering Theo didn’t even know what today was about. It could just be two friends, hanging out away from the college campus where they usually collided until Theo made up some excuse to run away before he got awkward or said too much. He wasn’t the most open of guys, but with Meg around, sometimes he felt like he could say anything to her and she’d understand. Boy, that was an odd sensation for him.

He was just so relaxed around her that he felt like he could joke about Lilia and laugh about nonsense with her when no one else really made him experience the feeling of being able to lower those walls and just show the world what was behind those tired eyes and harsh stubble. “Aye, well da’s never want their little girls ta grow up.”

[/color] He spoke with a subtle, but knowing tone. Ever since he first held Issy, he knew he never wanted to let her go and he feared the day some stupid boy broke her innocent heart. There was still quite some time to go, but he didn’t want the moment to come when she didn’t turn to him for a hug in the morning, or a huge grin to greet him with when he came home. “I owe her it, ta be fair. She’s done a lot fer me.”[/color] He said honestly, with a soft shrug. He genuinely didn’t know where he would be without her in his life to help him out at the drop of a hat.

“It’s ma superpower!”[/color] He joked, laughing warmly as his dark eyes looked down at her. He was amused by how infuriated she was getting by all this secrecy and it made him just want to do it even more, see how far he could push her. He tensed up slightly when she grabbed his hand, a tingling sensation travelling up his arm as he followed in her path. Run. Run. Run. His head was telling him to, but he didn’t. Not this time. Lilia was right, he needed to give this an honest chance and for once he couldn’t run away from Meg, at least not now when he had promised her an afternoon of no caves. “You have a slight obsession with caves, don’t you, hen?”[/color] He teased nervously, swallowing hard as they merged with the crowd on the sidewalk.
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• • •

TAGGED! The lovely Meg!
WORDS!754
OUTFIT! [url=http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=36861536
]Well Dressed Mess! [/url]
LYRICS! Twenty Years- - - The Civil Wars
NOTES! <3 <3 <3
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[Margaret Rose Warren]

It was a wonder how Theo put up with Meg. She'd run the question over in her mind at least once every day, whether it was while she was brushing her teeth in the morning or before she fell asleep at tonight. Either way, he was constantly in her thoughts, strolling in at the most inopportune times. Nix had even shaken her out of her head during their last class when, usually, it was her pulling him back to reality. But it was just so strange. Theo was so quiet and reserved and... not her. Of course, being her, she worked to pull him out of the shell in any way she could, but he still wasn't the usual, hyperactive type Meg found herself with. She always rambled, always said something stupid, and nearly always made a fool of herself; still, her eyes kept searching for him each time she entered the library. Somehow, the two always happened to run into each other.

Generally, Meg was a relaxed person. She didn't do well with secrets or keeping things hidden; she was too outgoing for that. Human contact was a pleasure she needed to survive. If she was left alone, well, there was a strong chance she'd invent imaginary friends to keep her company. The talking and interaction was something she had to have. So why did she keep coming back to a guy who seemed to shut himself away from that? Theo was totally unlike her in the social aspect! Their playful conversations kept her laughing, however, and wanting more. Wanting him more. As strange as it seemed, Meg was falling for the Theo in those moments when he'd seem so carefree, so open. That was why she kept trying to make him laugh and get him to let go of whatever it was that kept him so down. She just wanted to see him smile.

"As a Daddy's Girl, I'm well aware of that," she laughed. Meg skipped over the tone behind his voice on purpose; she didn't want him to bail on her yet. He always seemed to run whenever their conversations ventured towards touchy, deep topics. Today, she was trying to keep their talk off of those. This... thing had to lead somewhere and, if he ran out on her, there would be no chance of them figuring that out. And, as a hater of confusion and secrets, Margaret Rose had her mind set on getting to the bottom of things. "Aww, sibling love," she teased, giving him a smile twitching with laughter. The closest relationship she had to a sibling was Nix, but she didn't mind it. At least if she got mad at him, she could kick him out of her room and not have to see him at the dinner table.

Meg gave him a mock glare, joining in his laughter soon after and bumping his side again. "Then we'll have to find your kryptonite," she declared. With her determination, there would definitely be a hunt for his weakness, especially if the puppy dog eyes didn't work. They were her go-to and, without them, she would have to resort to much different tactics for getting her way.

She could feel the tingling in her hand when she grabbed his hand, but, she ignored them. That could be dealt with later when she wasn't focusing on not scaring Theo away. Meg shrugged, releasing his hand once they were safely on the other side again. "Not at all. I'd just like to know where the heck you're taking me," she said, giving him a pleading look again accompanied by a sincere smile.

TAG: Theo-Bear <3
LOCATION: Parking Lot!
WORDS: 643!
MUSIC: "Fallin' For You" by Colbie Caillat
OUTFIT: ZIPPITY ZIP!
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

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[Theo Anthony Sterling]

Theo wasn’t the kind of guy to talk about his emotions or his deepest of thoughts. He just didn’t like sharing something so personal with people. The psychiatrist he had been referred to after Jenny had died told him that bottling up grief and trying to push it to one side wasn’t healthy for anyone, but Theo didn’t listen. He didn’t want some man to tell him how to live his life when every time he stepped into the office he got to stare at a new photo of the doctor’s happy little family; the thing Theo would never have after losing Jenny, or so he believed.
Even now, he wasn’t comfortable with talking about his past or anything that bordered on deep and meaningful topics. It wasn’t in his nature and he didn’t enjoy being reminded of the reasons he couldn’t sleep at night or the reason why Issy would point at nothing more than a photo and say ‘mama’. Sure, he was feeling a little better about things now, but not enough to make any vast changes in his life. Letting go of what he had lost and moving on from it would be a long and slow process and Theo didn’t want any pity from those around him because of what he had been through. Too many people had done that when it first happened and it just made the usually calm man angry. They didn’t know, they didn’t feel what he did, they didn’t understand.

He was enjoying feeling more light hearted with recent days. It wasn’t like the guilt for enjoying himself didn’t rush back to him, but he was managing with it more and Lilia kept reminding him that he couldn’t be miserable forever or Issy would start asking more questions than were necessary and it was already going to be tough enough to explain everything to her when she was a little older and able to understand what had happened a little better. Theo didn’t want to add his misery onto the list after all of that. It wasn’t fair on her or on Lilia, who had to cope with his sullen moods.
At least Meg seemed to be opening new doors for him, showing him that things could be different if he wanted them to be and at last, it was something he was trying.

“I’m sure Lilia would agree with you there.”

[/color] Lilia was the only girl out of the trio of siblings and whilst she wasn’t spoilt, she did have a way of wrapping their father around her little finger. She could have been the one to cause a fight but she certainly wouldn’t be the one taking the blame for it thanks to those big brown eyes and innocent smile that she managed to muster on cue whenever their father was around to watch.
“More like sibling sufferin’.”[/color] He joked. Lilia did a lot for him, created sanity in the chaos for him, but it didn’t mean she wasn’t a total pain in the ass from time to time; she was a younger sister after all!

“You can’t steal the one superpower I have. That’s like takin’ a guy’s dignity.”[/color] He said, pretending to look hurt by the very idea of Meg trying to find his weakness, though he wasn’t convinced that she’d have to look very far.

He looked back at her with a twinkle in his dark eyes and a curious smile on his face as he quickly moved them both from the sidewalk up a narrower alleyway. “You’re not very patient, are you, hen?”[/color] He teased, guiding her around an old fire escape and deeper up the alley way. He knew it didn’t look promising, but this was a shortcut that would get them there much quicker than walking along the busy streets would.
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! The lovely Meg!
WORDS!679
OUTFIT! [url=http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=36861536
]Well Dressed Mess! [/url]
LYRICS! Twenty Years- - - The Civil Wars
NOTES! <3 <3 <3
[/size]

[Margaret Rose Warren]

The one physical characteristic Meg looked for in a guy was his smile. She smiled constantly, she laughed constantly; she needed someone who could do that with her and who could keep her doing it. But, Theo... she had to work to make him smile. He was a challenge for the typically carefree young woman and she liked it. She didn't know why, or how for that matter, but she did. She absolutely loved his smile. It was almost as if it was the reward for her having to try a bit harder to see it. But she loved it, nonetheless.

Meg shook her head at him. "You are super for more than that one reason. Besides, I have to find some way to get you to tell me things," she laughed, elbowing him playfully as he gave her a hurt look. It was her job to find clues and puzzle pieces, and, currently, Theo was her favorite puzzle. If finding the weaknesses led to deeper strengths and feelings, then she'd go there. She had to figure him out though. Every time he ran off abruptly from one of their chats, it only deepened her gnawing curiousity and, being the scientist she was, it led to her wanting to find out what caused him to dash off. She tried to keep their topics light and friendly but, still, she always seemed to say or do something that caused him to bolt. And she was guessing they were his real weaknesses.

She stuck her tongue out at him childishly before replying. "Patience isn't in my job description. Finding things out is." Curiousity hadn't killed this cat yet, but, with how strong it was, it was sure to do her in at some point. Meg got herself into serious trouble because of her nosiness and need to find answers. The guy standing beside her was living proof of it.

TAG: Theo-Bear <3
LOCATION: Parking Lot!
WORDS: 406!
MUSIC: "Fallin' For You" by Colbie Caillat
OUTFIT: ZIPPITY ZIP!
NOTES: This is absolutely horrible. And short. -.- <3

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