Chapter 296: Chapter 296 - Shoot Day: Last Goodbyes
As the informal review wound down, the last of those of us remaining gathered their personal items - and I found myself rather reluctant to leave this bubble of satisfaction. I’d met a lot of nice people here today.
> Added a lot of humans too my system’s pack, as well. Part of me feels a little rebellious... like I may intentionally be ’doing it wrong’ on purpose? No matter, it’s not like they can see anything or know it’s happening. <
"Well, I should get going. Another early call tomorrow on a different shoot."
Devon shouldered his kit bag as he announced, before grinning and stepping in for a hug. Considering I all but accused him of getting too familiar earlier when I stuck my hand to his chest as if I would push him away as he was squinting at me up close while applying his craft...
"It’s been a genuine pleasure working with you, Citra. Seriously."
"Thank you for helping make me look so good today."
Pulling away and winking at me behind his thick mascara, he circled his thumb and index in an ’okay’ gesture.
"Barely had to do anything. But trust me, it’s your personality and work ethic that won everyone over. Not your looks."
"You’re saying that part didn’t matter?"
"I’m saying I don’t like working with bit- ahem, women who thrive on making things difficult."
Changing the tune of his statement because Mrs. Katsaros was strutting by in her heels, I shrugged and waved. Eddie was still nearby, carefully packing his styling tools into a rolling case that looked like it could survive a war.
I wandered over, draping my arm casually over his shoulder without too much pressure as I watched him organize combs and brushes with meticulous care. I’d been trying to ’get’ him all day, but no excuse ever felt right.
> No, I am not turning into the person who has to shake hands for six seconds minimum. Though I did think about claiming I could read palms. It has honestly been a while - and I am not sure the art is the same here as it was in my kingdom. <
"That’s quite the container you have there."
"Tools of the trade. Some of these items are older than my marriage. You know, you’re pretty touchy for someone who seemed so professional all day."
He glanced up at me with an amused expression and I squeezed his shoulder gently before stepping back, the scan complete. At least everyone has been healthy so far.
"What can I say? When I’m relaxed, I allow myself to be friendly. You do have a ’nice father’ aura."
"Fair enough. The neighborhood kids also use me as a jungle gym whenever I take my daughter to the park."
Smirking at the imagery, my finger taps on my lip as I place my other hand on my hip. Posing with all the seductive appeal I could muster.
"You should definitely be more wary about the adults wanting to use you that way. Oh, but don’t worry about me. While you seem objectively attractive for a man your age, I’d much rather climb a more... feminine piece of exercise equipment."
Blinking at me, he turned around and finished what he was doing quietly, before rubbing his face like it had been too long of a day for what I was peddling. Standing up, he turned back and shook his head.
"I am never letting you meet my wife, by the way."
"How harsh. I have morals, you know. I will not lay hands on another person’s partner."
> Knowingly. What? It’s not entirely my fault that I did not do my due diligence and learn that one temporary fling had signed a betrothal agreement with another family’s young master already. <
"I believe you. I just meant she would love everything about you and go overboard with questions. It’s... well, it’s kind of personal."
Well, there is a good chance I may never encounter him again within the month before the countdown ends - so I press a little to satisfy the curiosity he has stoked. I am not living with that circling back to haunt me!
"More personal than openly declaring my preference the way I did?"
"A bit. Because it involves other people. She lost her sister when the girl was still a teen, but from what I’ve been told... she was..."
Awkwardly waving his hand my way, I could tell he simply was not sure which word to use that would not offend. It was definitely sweet, in that fatherly way he has.
"A woman who loves women. Lesbian is pretty accepted, so long as you don’t have a harsh tone. I’m sure she could research stuff like that on her own, if she had things to ask?"
"That’s what I’ve said. But she is convinced that our daughter acts so much like her that she’ll realize she feels the same way about girls when she gets to adolescence. So she wants a... ’live one’ to bounce things off of."
Scary. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked at all...
"Yes. That’s the face that another colleague made. I’ve tried telling her that we shouldn’t stress until she begins hitting her own problems and just be there with as much care as we can."
His own approach definitely calms me down. But only just a bit. The idea of being responsible for a child’s development and softening their personal realizations kind of frightens me.
"Mm. I’m sure that’s best. Though I wouldn’t exactly know what that is like... so my only advice is to at least not ignore it if it becomes a developing part of who she is. Though you don’t have to make her feel extra special either..."
So I’ve begun to babble. As I think about how I will handle the pup inside me, after it begins developing towards learning to shift into a human.
"And maybe don’t overreact one way or the other if you learn she hid things? It’s how teens are when they think they are doing something their parents can’t understand, even straight ones."
"Is this what it’s like to overreact?"
He pointed up and down at me as he chuckled, before nodding once sharply and putting on a serious face.
"I apologize, Ms. Lomdi. For making you think of things you may not have wanted to."
"...No, it was entirely no one’s fault. It was just the natural result of our personalities. Would you apologize for the direction and force a ripple takes, after two of them intersect in a pond?"
Boldly speaking such philosophy, despite how I always stress at *exactly* that sort of ’being the water droplet tugged along by that combined wave’... is exactly what makes me a staunch hypocrite. But he smiles and thanks me anyway.
And as he leaves, I call out to the one who I’m sure was responsible for a particular wave made just earlier. The man was coiling cables with one hand while playing with his phone in the other.
"Hey. Want to settle something ridiculous before you leave?"
"What’s that?"
I held up my hand, fingers curled a bit and thumb extended up. My chin raises and I take on the haughtiness known to my Princess days like a protective mantle. Only to ruin it with my sentence itself.
"Thumb war. Winner decides the fate of that silly picture you took."