wherever you are. [tag; theoren]

oh no, you hit me in the heart, bullseye right where the feelings are
meet me at the beach, meet me at the park, I just want to be wherever you are.

She was excited!

Erika hadn't been out-out in ages. She'd been out with Lulu sporadically for drinks and dinner but as much as she adored her friend, she didn't quite excite her the same way as Theoren did. She practically had a skip in her step as she strode down the street, smiling at the pigeons as they scuttled around, not bothering to indulge in her usual fear of birds - there was just something about the way their wings flapped that made her want to scream.

The sun was setting, bathing the capital in soft, golden light. Taxis trundled down the road as people walked, arm in arm, laughing. Erika took a deep breath and exhaled. She loved London but it was claustrophobic in the summer. It was packed out and the heat was intense but it was alive in the warmer months. From sunbathers in the parks to new and exciting exhibitions in the museums, everyone just seemed a bit brighter.

Erika was glad that Theoren had even received her note. She'd sent it from Thailand and she wasn't really too sure how the poor owls were going to cope, maybe they had a relay? She was even more glad that he could fit her into his schedule at such short notice. With Erika, planning had never been one of her skills.

Her high ponytail swished from side to side as her long bare legs widened her stride, picking a piece of imaginary lint from her shirt. She stopped suddenly to check her reflection in the window of a parked car. She tucked some bright blonde hair behind her ear before she adjusted her necklace to rest against her breastbone just so before she checked her lipstick. At which point, she jumped as the man inside it wound down the window. Offering a sheepish grin, she didn't have the decency to blush. "Do I have anything in my teeth?" She asked the bemused man who simply shook his head. Great.

It was a testament to how much she cared about Theoren because she was on time, not her customary fifteen minutes late. Her friends called it the Erika Effect and it was a private joke that she didn't find that funny. The air of the bar was cool as she stepped in, folding her jacket over her arm as she offered a smile to the hostess. Did she need help? Her bright blue eyes looked around and she grinned. "No thank you, I've found him." It was kind of hard to miss him, really.

Weaving in and out of the crowd, she emerged at the other side. Coming up behind him, she tapped him on the shoulder and stepped aside, dropping into the seat next to him without invitation, her hand on his shoulder. "Hello," she said brightly with a dimpled smile, holding out to him a small parcel wrapped in brown paper. Without giving him a chance to catch up, she continued. "I got you a present," she announced, practically reverberating in her seat.

It was a small and garishly bright cloth elephant keychain. It was a cheap, throwaway little thing but she thought he might like it. Theoren couldn't come with her this time, which was fine of course, but he could have been shirtless on a beach, which was a massive loss. "It's meant to be lucky," she told him quickly, reaching in her bag to extract her keys from her bag. "I have a matching one," she grinned. Hers was orange and it's trunk was a little squished but that just made her love it that little bit extra.

"How are you?" She asked him as she dropped her keys back into her bag, giving him her full attention with a smile.


@Theoren Odell

Another day of work done.  Theoren had gone home to shower and change before heading back to London to meet Erika.  His navy blue collared shirt was rolled up at the sleeves, the top two buttons left undone.  His long hair was pulled back; he was overdue for a trim, really, but at least his beard was looking proper.  As Theoren stepped into the pub, he breathed a sigh of relief to be out of the muggy summer air.  The place was just beginning to fill up with the evening crowd.  Glancing at his watch, he realized he was a bit early, and chose a seat at the bar to wait.

It was a nice place.  Not as dive-y as some of his usual haunts, but casual enough that they could relax.  There was a full selection of beer, wine and spirits, and some pretty decent food if Erika decided she was hungry.  He’d already eaten just in case she wasn’t in the mood; a little trick he’d learned the hard way over the years.  He could always eat, but showing up famished was a recipe for disaster.

It was a moment before the bartender could acknowledge him, so Theoren scanned the beer list for something to do, absent-mindedly tapping a coaster on the bartop.  It wasn’t like him to be nervous.  Maybe excitement was a better word for it?  It had been a while since he’d heard from Erika, and truthfully he hadn’t been sure he would again.  ‘I travel a lot for work’ could have easily been a gentle way of blowing him off.

Theoren didn’t really know what to expect from tonight, so he’d decided to drop expectations altogether.  He’d play it by ear.  In the past, it had certainly felt like they had a connection, but then again, maybe it was just her personality that made him feel that way.  Either way, Theoren was looking forward to seeing her.  Erika was always good company.

The bartender finally addressed him, sparing a pointed glance in the direction of his drumming hand.  “Sorry,” Theoren grinned sheepishly, slapping the coaster flat on the bartop.  “Pint of the Welsh Green, please.”  One of his favorites, he was excited to see they had it on the menu.  The bartender obliged, setting the frosty glass before him.  “Leave it open, will you?” he instructed, leaning back in his chair before taking a sip of the ale – crisp, hoppy and perfectly refreshing.  Delicious.

After a moment, he felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned.  Blimey, she was stunning.  “Erika, hi.”  He was grinning from ear to ear.  “Great to see you.”  He was hyper-aware of the way her hand lingered on his shoulder as she took the seat beside him.  A gift?  He raised his eyebrows in surprise, accepting the small parcel she offered and turning it over in his hand.  “Oh, thank you... you shouldn’t’ve....”  But such words were only customary, and he wasted no time ripping the package open.  Out popped a small, cloth elephant, decorated with beads and tassels.  “Would you look at that!” Theoren chuckled in amusement.  Clearly a souvenir from her recent excursion, he was chuffed that she’d thought of him.  “Ah!” he exclaimed as she revealed that she had a matching one.  He play-danced his own towards hers and bopped their trunks together.  He laughed again.  “Cheers, Erika, that’s really something.”

Theoren sat the elephant down beside his glass and shifted in his seat to face her.  “Never better!” he answered with a shrug, for that was truly how he felt at the moment.  Whatever worries had earlier weighed on his mind were now forgotten.  “How was Thailand?”  He was eager to hear all about it.  Her career sounded, frankly, altogether unreal to him.  Made his own sound rather boring, at that.  “Let’s get you a drink,” he added, signaling the bartender.  Then, remembering she’d only just sat down, he slid the beverage menu toward her in case she wanted to look it over.
 
 

"You too," Erika said without missing a beat and smiling again. It really was good to see him and he looked good. She liked him in blue, it brought out his eyes, but there was something stopping her from being so honest. Theoren had become a sort of constant in her life, in an odd sort of way. Even though miles apart for a lot of the year, he was never too far. It was comforting.

As he protested the gift, she simply waved her hand through the air in jest as she draped her jacket over the back of her stool. Erika loved giving gifts and she was terrible at keeping secrets and it usually ended up that her nieces and nephews all knew what they were getting before their birthday. "Do you like it?" She asked Theoren quickly, her eyes wide as she wrung her fingers together before he seemed to enjoy it.

Erika laughed, high and loud, the sound echoing around the bar as a few people turned to glance in her direction but she was unashamed. He bumped the trunks together and she grinned wider. "Aw look," she cooed as she shook her keyring, the little bells and beads jangling. "They're in love," she joked, her cheeks starting to hurt with all the smiling. "You're so welcome," she replied softly, pleased that he liked it. She felt buoyed up, excited, energetic.

"Amazing!" Erika replied quickly as Theoren said he was well and the previous worry she'd been harbouring lessened somewhat. She did worry about him, she worried about all of her friends, but him in particular. Oh sure, he was strong and capable. He had a sister that she hadn't met but was sure was just lovely but she didn't think that was the same. He needed someone to look out for him, too.

"Glorious," the tall blonde replied on an exhale and a wistful sigh as her shoulders slumped, smiling as she remembered. "It's magical," she told Theoren with a nod. "It's hot and sunny and crazy busy," she smiled fondly. "The beaches are spotless but the jungles are so much fun," she grinned at him, easily slotting him into her imagination of her dragging him through the lush greenery and then jumping off the cliff into crystal clear turquoise waters below.

"I got lost," she admitted sheepishly with another grin before she shrugged. "But I found my way out eventually. Ooh and the temples!" Erika gasped, reaching out to place her hand on his wrist and squeeze affectionately. "Theoren, they're honestly so majestic and you really have to see them," she insisted breathlessly. "I took lots of photos," she laughed. "I'll subject you to viewing them over pizza one night," she added warmly. "And I had the best pad thai of my entire life," she went on to say, pausing to give a chef's kiss and an "OK" gesture with her thumb and forefinger.

"The markets are amazing and I got myself some silk. This shirt, in fact," she announced as she plucked at the ivory colouring that contrasted with her fresh tan. "Do you like it?" She inquired playfully. "I should have gotten you one, too," she frowned. She was talking a lot and quickly - she always did when she was delighted. "I wish you could have come with me," she added in a gentle voice, her eyes flicking over to him and lingering a second too long before she gave him another smile. Theoren had a job and responsibilities and not everyone lived their life the way she did - unfortunately.

The menu slid her way and she let go of Theoren's wrist to take it, falling silent momentarily as her front teeth rested softly on her full lower lip. "Welsh Green! No way?" She grinned at Theoren. Looking up, she caught the bartender's eye. "A pint of Welsh Green, please. Oh and would I be able to grab a bowl of chips as well, please?" She asked politely and smiled when he assured her that she could. "Marvellous," she replied as she closed the menu and swivelled in her seat to look at Theoreon properly and she couldn't stop smiling. "I missed you!" She exclaimed, slapping her palm on the bar for emphasis.

Her drink was deposited and she picked it up to sip, the bubbles tickling the tip of her nose. She placed her glass down and rested her elbow on the bar, her chin resting in an upturned palm as she gazed at him. "We're having a summer barbecue," Erika told Theoren. "By "we", I mean the clan," she joked with a playful eye roll as she meant the Tricketts. "You should come."

Theoren listened eagerly as Erika recounted her adventure, pleased to hear that she’d had such a wonderful time.  Her enthusiasm was infectious, so much so that he almost felt as if he’d been there himself.  He got so caught up in her story that his surroundings seemed almost to disappear, as visions of pristine beaches and tangled jungles, bustling marketplaces, serene temples and delicious food danced before his mind’s eye.  “Can’t wait!” he replied when she suggested showing him the photographs she’d taken, grinning at the promise of a future hangout.  And over pizza, at that.  She really was speaking his language now.

Was she teasing him?  Theoren didn’t know much about silk, only that it came from worms (or was it spiders?), but he was pretty sure it wasn’t a fabric frequently worn by men.  Surely she was joking.  He shook his head and chuckled.  “I doubt I could pull something like that off as well as you,” he confessed, for some reason not only picturing himself in her blouse but in her entire ensemble – shorts, shoes and all – and almost bursting into laughter at the image.  He took a sip of beer to steel himself.  “Looks great on you, though,” he added, hoping it didn’t sound too much like an afterthought.  The flowing white shirt was so elegant in contrast to the brightly patterned elephant trinket that he could hardly believe they’d come from the same place.  It was such an ignorant-sounding thought, he realized, that he refrained from voicing it aloud, at the risk of coming across as uncultured.  “You’re so tan!” he remarked, a bit enviously.  He reached for her hand and held it up next to his, comparing their skin tones.  “I’ve got some catching up to do.”  He hadn’t really meant the gesture to be intimate, but holding her hand in his own, he felt a flush of nervous excitement.

Theoren wished he could have come, too.  “Maybe next time,” he replied, transfixed by the look in her eyes.  “The closest I’ve been is China.  Just the once, though.”  The mention of it triggered an ache of nostalgia that he preferred not to examine too closely.  “Hiked Mount Hua,” he said with pride, wondering if she’d heard of it.  “Stayed at a village nearby.  Absolutely beautiful area.  Always wanted to go back.”  Really, he ought to see more of the world.  Life was too short to stay stuck in one place all the time.  During the war, and the series of events that had followed, it would have been impossible.  But now?  What was his excuse?
 
His eyes lit up with amusement when she ordered the same beer as him, but he refrained from commenting.  “I doubt you really had any time to miss me,” he teased.  “But things certainly were dull around here!  You didn’t miss much.”  The bartender presented Erika with her beverage, and Theoren lifted his glass to hers.  “Cheers!”  He gave her a knowing smile, wondering if she’d notice, seeing their beers side-by-side, that they’d ordered the same thing.  Their glasses clinked, and Theoren tapped the bottom of his to the bartop habitually before lifting it to his lips again.  “So, tell me, how did you get lost?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he said, happy to have received an invitation.  He liked the Tricketts.  Liked big families.  Wanted one of his own, one day.  “You lot do that every summer?” he wondered.  He wished his family was more of the reunion type, but he rarely saw his extended family, aside from Piers.  Not that Piers was really extended.  They were practically brothers.

The chips arrived not long after, and Theoren happily popped one in his mouth.  Merlin, it was hot.  It burned his tongue and the roof of his mouth as he struggled to chew it.  Pursing his lips and frowning to avoid spitting the thing out, he made a strangled kind of grunt as his eyes began to water.  Quickly he gave up on chewing altogether and swallowed the damned thing almost whole.  “Hot,” he managed to cough.  He reached for his beer, taking a quick swig to wash it down.  He cleared his throat and added, “Excuse me.”  His mother would have been proud.  He took a few seconds to recover, covering his mouth with a fist and avoiding her eyes, frowning at the bartop.  Finally, he managed to smile slightly in spite of himself, and raised his eyebrows at her.  “Might want to be careful with those.”
 
 

"It's a date, then," Erika grinned, nose wrinkling as she laughed. Theoren was one of the very few people she knew wouldn't mind being talked to about a holiday. Her photos weren't great - a lot of them were out of focus but she still made photo albums out of them. Her job was dangerous and she didn't want to forget anything.

She laughed again as she shook her head, crossing her long legs at the knee. "Don't be daft," she chided him gently with another ready smile. Now that she'd said it, the image of Theoren with an open silk shirt quickly derailed what she was about to say. Demurely, she gave him a nod of thanks and tucked a lock of bright blonde hair behind her ear. "I wasn't fishing for that but thank you," she joked with a wink.

 "I know!" She gushed, leaning in towards him as he took her hand. Erika placed her palm flat against Theoren's, marvelling at how small and delicate it looked, enveloped in his much larger one. She met his gaze and nodded sagely. "Absolutely correct," she agreed with him with a smile about him needing to catch up to her. More than that, he just needed a holiday. Easily, she threaded her fingers through his and gave his hand an affectionate squeeze. "My mum's always on about sunscreen," she replied, giving a playful roll of her eyes. "I'll listen to her one day."

"Ah," she told Theoren sternly, tapping an index finger against his forearm as she regretfully disentangled their fingers. "There's no "maybe" about it, you're coming with me. You need a break," she insisted, her eyes bright. "You get annual leave, don't you?" She smiled, batting her eyelashes at him. "You can pick the place. Just throw a pin at a map. Just you and me." The notion of just them together had never seemed so appealing.

Theoren mentioned Mount Hua and Erika's eyes almost popped out of her head. "Oh wow," she breathed out. "That's mad. That's literally just a sheer rock face, isn't it?" She asked, deeply interested. "I've seen pictures of the planks of wood they use on the edge of the mountain. Well done on not dying," she grinned, clearly joking. But she was also incredibly impressed. And a tiny bit jealous.  "The people are lovely," she agreed with him easily. "I'll get you a backpack for Christmas. You've got no excuse not to go with the right gear," she grinned.

"Oh stop," she sighed with a laugh, rolling her eyes as she shook her head. "Of course I missed you," she insisted. "You're the only one I write postcards to." Erika had that tradition for a number of years now and poor Theoren had just sort of been sucked into it. Every country she went to, she sent him one. He must have binders full of them, if he hadn't binned them already.

"Ooh, cheers!" She gushed, clinking their glasses and taking a sip, sighing in delight as the bubbles burst on her tongue, making a show of smacking her lips before she saw his glass. "No way!" Her eyes were wide as she laughed. "See? Knew you had good taste," she added as she bumped her knee against his. "You can barely find Welsh Green anywhere these days. We'll have to make this our local place. Ah."

Pausing, she winced before she managed to laugh about her almost disastrous "expedition". "Well," she went on, tapping her finger tips against the bar in time with whatever music was playing. "My fault, of course," she laughed. "I was just chatting to one of the local guides on the way out. His English wasn't great and my Thai is not much better," she added with a sheepish grin. "I thought he said when I reached the fork in the road, take a right. So I did. Turns out, he'd told me to take a left," she frowned at the memory.

"Me being the pillock that I am was in a bikini and had a towel because I thought I was going to the beach, not the jungle. So imagine my surprise when I found myself in the middle of nowhere, full of creepy-crawlies and trees galore." She could laugh about it now but she could have easily died. "I had fun, though!" She said with a toothy grin. "Really beautiful. I wouldn't have come across it otherwise."

She smiled again, softer this time. Mid-sip of her pint, she nodded. "Yup. Every summer. It's a logistical nightmare," she admitted but fondly  because her family was mad but she adored every single one of them. "It's really the only time we get to properly catch up. Christmas is also chaos," she told Theoren, a faux-horrified expression on her face. "So I need you to come with me," she insisted with a smile. "To keep me sane."

Rather than dwell on it, Erika, like she always was, became distracted by the arrival of food. Theoren beat her to it and they were just fryer-fresh, judging by his reaction. She picked up a paper napkin and held it out to him, folding her plump lips together to stop herself from laughing. He was a strong man, choosing instead to force it down and she grimaced on his behalf, imaging the pain as she gently rubbed his forearm in support.

"You don't say," she giggled, clamping a hand over her mouth in an attempt to force them back inside. "Bravo," she chuckled with a gentle shake of her head. She picked up a chip and deliberately blew on it, making a point to shake it around a little before taking a delicate bite. "So good, though," she admitted as she chewed, covering her mouth with her hand politely.

"Are you okay?" She asked Theoren as she pushed his pint towards him, her eyes sparkling in mirth. Reaching out, she took hold of his hand and turned it over. "Oh heck, you've burned your finger, too," she told him, sounding dismayed. Still holding his hand, she leaned over the bar and swiped a couple of ice cubes from the bucket without the bartender seeing her and placed them in a napkin and helpfully held the little parcel against his hand for him. "What're you like?" She grinned, flicking her eyes up to his face. "You can't even be around me for ten minutes without getting yourself hurt."