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       she actually smiles as he asks that question.     sam plops herself down on the bench,    before answering.    she looks up at him with a smile.    "   everyday.    i actually fantasize about running away sometimes.    or i guess it would just be called leaving when you’re twenty-one.  "    a laugh escapes.    "   but i don’t think i could keep myself going for long.    money’s a thing, unfortunately.   “       she listens intently as he describes the bits    &    pieces of his life to her.    sam's intrigued from the moment he admits to being irish.    ”   i’m half irish!    i know that sounds lame,    but it’s one of those things you can’t help but point out.   “       ”   what kind of jobs?   “   she asks before taking it upon her to nose around the bag of snacks.   she pulls out a piece of beef jerky.      ”   i’m stealing this by the way.    it’s the only thing in the bag i can eat.   “      which was true.    she really didn’t see any other snack that wouldn’t make her diabetes want to kill her.    ”   —    diabetic,   “    she explains with a shrug as she takes a bite.   ”   don’t worry.    i did it to myself.    i used to be really, really fat,   “   she says with a loud laugh.

“Hey, you never know. Someday, you could make your big break, you know? -- Get out there. See the world. Don’t give up on that.”    He knows his words may not be all that reassuring, especially since they had just met, but he knew how it felt to want to see the world but be unable to. It was never an option when he was a human; he had to stay and support his family -- and he died before he could really do much with his life at all. It was sad, but when it came down to it, he did get to see the world -- even if it happened in a way he wasn’t expecting. Sure, her situation wouldn’t be as drastic -- probably -- but he would hate to see someone that he could tell was so bright to give up on a fantasy because of ‘reality.’ Just because things were tough currently didn’t mean they would always be, that was for certain.

“Half Irish is still Irish!”    He laughs; after all, it’s Irish culture to welcome in just about anyone to the family -- even if they only had the slightest bit of Irish in them. Of course, he met many non-Irish people in his time during wartime, but they still welcomed everyone with open arms. It was just how they were. 

“Well, I haven’t found anything here yet.”    Orias isn’t lying about this part either. He’d taken plenty of odd jobs to occupy as his time, when he wasn’t in Hell running Terrena Inferni. He liked to feel human, after all.    “But in other places, I’ve done just about everything. Construction, waitering... Even plumbing. Hated plumbing.”

      “   don’t get me wrong,   ”   she says after a moment.    "   this place is beautiful.    it’s a great place to live.    but it’s   …    suffocating to me.    like   …    you could point me out to a random person on the street,    &   there’s probably a 95% chance that they know me or have at least heard about me, you know?    it’s just   …    tiring.    everyone expects you to be one way,    &    it makes it impossible to be anything else.   “       a deep breath has taken as she sees the park entrance nearing.     when she gets there, she swings the gate open,    &    some of the squirrels scatter amongst the trees.    she points to the bench in the corner of the park.    ”   that’s my favorite seat,   “   she says almost excitedly.    ”   mostly because it’s well shaded   &   i hate the heat,    &   it s just in the corner.    no one will bother me.   “      she finally gets back to his last part & laughs.    ”   everyone lives near by.    you’re not freaking me out, i promise.    i actually live on the outskirts, though.    little bit more than walking distance.    from work, at least.    —    i’ve been taking way too much,    i want to hear more about you.   “

“You ever thought about leaving someday? -- I used to live in a small town. I know how it can be.”    It was true -- long ago, he had lived in a small town in Ireland, and it was most definitely suffocating. Of course, he didn’t leave in a normal way  --  far from it, actually  --  but his travels, even after death, have been interesting. Liberating, even .. in a weird way, given the circumstances.

He lets out a laugh as Samantha describes her favorite seat; it’s needless to say he can relate to what she’s saying -- he was always one to keep to himself as well, after all. Especially now, which was why it was odd that he was even talking to her in the first place.    ---    Odd, but not unwelcome. 

     “   then you’re a little lucky, daniel,   ”   she says, adding emphasis on his name as she starts on the sidewalk,    heading towards where the park is.    "   i know this damn town like the back of my hand.    never really went too far from it either.   “ 

     sam kicks a rock on the ground    &   watches as it goes flying.    after a moment, she looks up at him,    giving a shy smile.    ”   so,   “    she starts.    ”   if you’re not from around here,    then what brought you here?    please don’t say tourism,    that’s lame.   “

      she’s taken just a little bit by surprise.     sam had been a hundred percent sure that this guy was going to think that she was a hopeless nerd.    finally, she looked up to meet his eyes again,     her two front teeth sinking into her bottom lip.    "   alright.    let me go clock out real quick.    there’s a park within walking distance.   “   

     as nervous as a person as she could be    (   &   quite submissive   )   she wasn’t stupid enough to let a complete stranger take her just anywhere.   a couple minutes later,    she strolls back from the time clock.   sam’s taken off the uniform shirt,    leaving her just in the undershirt underneath.    ”   alright.    but, before we go anywhere   …   you know my name.   i don’t know yours.   “     she says as she walks towards the doors.

         well, that had not been an answer she was expecting.     was he being serious?    even if he wasn’t being serious,     her fellow associates, especially the ones that were her friends all were staring now,     having heard the comment.         a blush covered her face as she accepted the money,     opening the till & retrieving his change.     what was she supposed to say?     she wasn’t smooth or flirtatious.    she was just too insecure to throw herself out there like that.    but it seems like one of her co-workers was beating her to the point.    "   i was just about to block her off!   “   sophie says excitedly.   ”   she’ll be off in like five minutes!   “         the light blush turned into a full on red hue from sam’s prospective.   ”   i’m so sorry about her,     she’s just   …   she’s a pit pushy!    "   she says the last word loudly so that the giggling sophie could hear as she walks away.     she steps out from behind her register.    “   seriously, i’m sorry, they all just   …    they all are kind of ready to like  …   ugh, this is super weird,    i’m really sorry.   ”          she turns towards the items,     bagging them for him,    blushing rather hotly.    she was really never going to be able to look him in the eye again,    &    that’s proven when she goes to hand him the bags    &   her eyes stay downward.

@breesmuses / orias !

      “   this   …    this looks like a hell of a night    ——    what time should i be over?   ”   she says with a laugh as she scans the endless amounts of junk food that the young man had put on the belt.    a smile adorns her face,    it’s easy to see that she’s joking.    her name tag reads:    samantha, customer service leader.    one could probably tell that was her position by the way that she’s a lot more cheerful than the other sulking teenagers that surround her on the other registers.         sam’s eyes flit to his face for the first time    &    she’s a little taken aback.     he’s    …    handsome.     wow.    she clears her throat.    "   your total   …    it’s um.   …    $15.22.   “

        Sure, demons didn’t have to eat -- but that didn’t mean he didn’t like to. Orias had a soft spot for snacks, and it was quite evident as he was standing on the checkout line and the cute cashier made a comment on his selection. A hand moves upwards to ruffle brunet locks, letting out a chuckle as he hands her the money.