Anju Saravati
Black Knights
[M:6241]
Of course I'm crazy, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong.
Posts: 46
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Post by Anju Saravati on Jul 9, 2009 1:14:27 GMT -5
Anju ignored the blunette's grumbling as Aoi petulently sat on the table in front of her. She glanced at the napkins in front of her and frowned: the flimsy paper thingys would soak through quickly. She started as a first aid kit materialized in front of her face.
“Napkins are only good for so long. Best to get it properly cleaned up before it gets infected." Anju glanced up as Sakura placed the kit down and sat between her and Luci. “Second Division can’t have anything happen to their Captain, can they?” Anju snorted and grabbed Aoi's hand before the girl could stick her thumb in her mouth again.
Medicine was like engineering; practical, perfect, practice, procedure. Disinfectant first, than cotton swabs, than bandages. Platelets would build, skin would re-knit. A simple cycle that ruled the world. Anju ignored her charge as she turned back to the distressed damsel in drag, until she spoke.
“My father... he used to say that holding a person’s hand helps with the pain.” Anju looked as the younger girl stroked his hand.
For absolutely no reason that she could possilbr think of, Anju burst out laughing. She smacked her head against the table, forehead red from the impact, and laughed hard, gut aching from the sudden outburst. Her eyes watered, and she banged her fist against the table three times.
She sat up and wiped her eyes, mouth wide in an involuntary, giggle induced smile.
"S-sorry, I d-don't know wh-why I did that." She smacked her hand over her mouth as a second round hit.
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Lucien "Ishtar" Darcy
European Union
Internal Cleaning Supporter[M:6109]
The world is full of pain. I want to control how I get hurt.
Posts: 37
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Post by Lucien "Ishtar" Darcy on Jul 15, 2009 1:03:48 GMT -5
The conversation was fading into the background for Lucien as he became absorbed in his puzzle. He didn’t find it to be much of a problem at the moment, but one of the pieces was nudging him to pay more attention. He might have wanted to pay more attention to the nudge than he did. Letting the conversation dim meant a lack of focus, and it meant he was losing what was calming to him. An unfocused conversation resulted in the voices becoming unrecognizable, and that was precisely the part which was calming to Lucien. Less focus on the conversation, however, also let Lucien better concentrate on his puzzle. He was calmer now and not much worried about having another reaction like the one he had to Sakura touching his hair. Calmer, though, did not necessarily mean better. He’d be better when he fixed himself.
Lucien had found most of his pieces. The big ones were the easiest to fit, but they were also the ones Lucien cared the least about. It was the little ones that were truly him. Everyone had the big pieces, or forms of them at least. The little ones that filled in tiny gaps where pieces had been bent or broken were what made Lucien himself: his love of dance, his need for a braid, his misleading smile. It was his smile’s piece that always seemed the most difficult to find, or rather it was the easiest to lose, but it was the one Lucien couldn’t bare to live without. He needed his ability to smile; he simply didn’t know what to do without it. What was life without something to smile about?
Lucien greatly disliked most of his larger pieces, and he’d often contemplated putting his puzzle back together without them. Now again, he thought to leave them scattered. Selective Amnesia: the forgetting of a certain memory or event. It seemed so perfect. Lucien had no doubt that he could manage to do it. If he believed something long enough it would become true, at least to him. What did it matter if it was true to someone else? It would seem the ideal choice if not for the question: What was he left with? Losing the big pieces meant holes in his puzzle. Too many holes meant that there was nowhere to connect his precious little pieces. They couldn’t fit just anywhere. Was forgetting worth the possibility of losing himself? Lucien often wanted to say yes; he tried to reason that he couldn’t change, but he always changed his mind. He simply couldn’t take the chance.
The hot chocolate-less mug slipped from his fingers, and Lucien blinked himself back to reality to watch Sakura head to refill it for him. A soft smile tugged at his lips again. Enough of his puzzle had been reassembled to make the smile slightly more sincere. It still wasn’t quite to his eyes, but the hollowness was gone. Lucien sat up again when she returned and whispered, “Thank you,” as he took the mug in his hand. He sipped at the refilled warmth gratefully. After a few moments Lucien looked up to meet Sakura’s eyes. She was studying him again, for what he didn’t know, and Lucien just gave her a small smile before she took his hand.
“My father… he used to say that holding a person’s hand helps with the pain.”
Anju's sudden laughter startled Lucien mostly because of the sheer volume, but he was alert enough now to manage not to jump. He wasn't relaxed enough, however, to prevent himself from tensing at the sound and losing track of a few pieces.
"S-sorry, I d-don't know wh-why I did that."
With Anju seemingly a bit calmer, Lucien turned his attention back to Sakura. Never before that Lucien could recall had someone ever so gently held his hand. Not even a client hoping to cajole him. For a few moments he just watched her thumb rub his palm and several of his small puzzle pieces fall into their proper place. Lucien’s smile warmed and for a moment it touched his eyes. “Your father sounds like a gentle man,” Lucien replied softly. “My father was never so kind in dealing with hurts. He could hardly be bothered with them at all…” Lucien held no amount of hate for his father. He wasn’t sure he could say he loved him, but Lucien didn’t hate him; he couldn’t. Sakura’s father sounded like the type of man Lucien had as a child tried to pretend his father was. His father was also one of the large puzzle pieces Lucien considered losing but could never bring himself to abandon; too much connected to him.
Lucien fell quiet again, admittedly not sure if she would want him to expand on that or not. Instead, green eyes simply watched Sakura rub his palm. Absently Lucien wondered if this was what a mother’s touch felt like.
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Sakura Shizuka
Administrator
Commander-in-Chief[M:419]
When the game is over, the King and Pawn go into the same box.
Posts: 297
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Post by Sakura Shizuka on Jul 15, 2009 18:37:45 GMT -5
As she continued to rub the playboy’s hand, Sakura’s mind vaguely traveled off elsewhere, her thoughts going back to her childhood. Growing up, Sakura was confident in saying that she had been raised quite differently from other girls her age. Sent to become a solider from a young age, mastering martial arts before she hit puberty, and never experiencing the dramas of a high school student, Sakura’s father often had shown worry that his daughter might have felt cheated of a normal life. But Sakura never felt like that. Rather than feel contempt towards her father for pressuring her to join the army, she was grateful. Being enlisted helped her become a stronger person, something she felt was necessary seeing that she had no mother to lean on.
Her eyes darkened slightly. That was another topic that her father worried about. Her lack of a mother. While he told her many times that it was not her fault, Sakura always believed that she was responsible for her mother’s death. Her father did his best to try to play the roles of both mother and father, being both her pillar of support as well as her comfort cushion. That’s why she felt as if she owed it to both her father and mother to become as strong as she could, just to help lessen and guilt. It was a foolish reason, but it worked.
A sudden roar of laughter followed by a head making impact with wood, resulting in a prompt clonk caused Sakura to snap her head to her right. There, doubling over in hysterics was Anju, slapping the table in time with her giggles. Sakura felt her mouth drop slightly, a look of pure confusion on her face, complete with slight eye twitch. “A-Anju-san? A-Are you al-
"S-sorry, I d-don't know wh-why I did that." Another round of laughter. Sakura stared at the Indian techie, blinking slowly. O….kay…that was weird. Sakura eyed Anju for a few more seconds, considering calling the men in white coats. Either that or get the woman a bottle. Sakura glanced at the clock and then back to Anju. Maybe booze wouldn’t be the best thing right now…especially considering the fact that she was in the middle of tending to Aoi. Sakura blinked again, her eyebrow twitching slightly out of reflex.
“It’s…alright…” she said slowly still eyeing Anju warily. Sure the woman was a natural nut. But this…this went beyond all levels of craziness. This was just a pure breakdown. Sakura furrowed her eyebrows slightly. Had what she said been that funny? She hadn’t thought so. After all, she was talking about her father…not a very laughable subject, at least in Sakura’s eyes. She felt a slight frown tug at the corners of her mouth. Well…maybe a little laughter was just what Anju needed at the moment. Sure it was quite random, and slightly unnerving seeing the timing of it, but those were minor details. She was positive the elder woman did not mean anything negative when she laughed. Odds were it just came. Simple as that. “You sure you’re alright, Anju-san?”
“Your father sounds like a gentle man…” Emerald eyes snapped to meet fellow green ones, widened slightly in surprise. Unable to keep her gaze with Lucien, Sakura darted her eyes back down to her hand, focusing entirely on her rubbing. Her father…well, she should have expected such a response from a comment like that. She bit her lip slightly. ‘Sakura, you baka…’ she thought, forcing herself not to break down. It was so stupid of her, to mention her father when she knew perfectly well that the subject alone was a major weak spot. But…at the time, it seemed appropriate…
She mentally cursed herself again. Stupid, stupid, stupid Sakura.
“My father was never so kind in dealing with hurts. He could hardly be bothered with them at all…” Sakura’s eyes automatically went back up to Lucien’s, a mix of confusion and surprise on her face. Lucien wasn’t the type who usually spoke of his past. Actually…Sakura never heard of anything about his family or history, this bit of information being the first. She kept her gaze on him for a few moments longer, her mind running a thousand thoughts. So Lucien’s father was not someone he considered to be kind. She frowned slightly. That idea…it didn’t sit too well with her. Sure, Sakura knew that not all people were as lucky as she had been in the father industry. But still…it bothered her.
Sakura glanced back down at Lucien’s hand, her fingers on autopilot, and then back to the redhead. Back down again. She bit her lip again.
Damn it. Damn it all to hell and back again.
Dropping Lucien’s hand suddenly, Sakura turned in her seat to fully face the man, her posture showing that she was bracing herself for something. She looked at him square in the eye before sighing slightly. “Don’t you dare get any ideas.” was all she said before she reached up, placed her arms around his neck and pulled his head towards her, the result being a warm hug.
Letting her fingers run stroke the back of his head, Sakura vaguely wondered if this was something she inherited from her parents, or if it was something she picked up from being with Anju. It was in Sakura’s nature to be a bit of a mother hen to others, but it was only recently that this nature of hers became more and more flamboyant. Usually she wasn’t a very physical person, but lately… Maybe it was because of her position and her current relationship with Anju? After all, the woman was practically a mother to her. Sakura mentally shrugged. Whatever.
On a normal day, Sakura would not be caught dead giving Lucien a hug. After all, any sort of physical contact was an invitation for the playboy to do what he loves best. But now was different from normal. Today, rather than being a flamboyant perv, Lucien looked like a child to Sakura, an innocent boy who was in need of a hug.
Sakura was a softie for children.
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Yekaterina Tsurugi
Black Knights
Secretary General[M:3564]
The pawns are the soul of the game.
Posts: 32
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Post by Yekaterina Tsurugi on Jul 17, 2009 19:40:03 GMT -5
4am, eh? Yekaterina walked slowly down the street, tottering slightly. The last call had gone some hour ago, but she was still on her way back to the headquarters. A bottle of liquor in her right and her kiseru pipe in her left hand told their own story. She seemed pretty much to be off-guard and way too careless with her going, but had anyone tried to meddle with her, would they be seriously mistaken to have thought she would be an easy pray. To make Yekaterina unable to defend herself or make her way cautiously back home required much more than some liquors and tobacco.
But fortunately tonight was peaceful. She turned around the corner and proceeded into the shadows, making it back to the headquarters as easily as ever. But with no urge to go to sleep yet she didn't head back to her quarters just yet, but headed instead towards the kitchen, maybe for a cup of tea before sleep, or then for a couple of more 'good night cocktails'.
And well, wasn't this the perfect moment for one more person to enter the kitchen. The Secretary General pretty much halted at the door as she had intended to step in, but her doing so was greatly interrupted by the sight inside the room. Anju laughing hysterically was one thing, Aoi apparently having wounded her hand another, and then there was Lucien - having actually burnt his hand, now had he? But. On top of it all Sakura there, hugging the flamboyant redhead. Yekaterina just stood still and stared at the sight. First thought coming to her mind was if she had drank a bit too much after all. For sure this had to be just her seeing things. She blinked once, and then twice, but the vision didn't go away. Another thought crawled into her mind - or then it was that someone else there had also been up for some sturdier than just tea...
At least they were quite a lot of people up and awake at such a time. Well, not that Yekaterina minded some company - and they were always way better than drinking alone. No totally untolerable cases around either. Slowly a faint smile made it's way on the Secretary General's face. Well, this night might yet end even quite pleasantly after all...
Finally, she took a step forward to finally enter the room and waved a greeting with her hand to those inside, instinctively also half bowing, half just nodding a polite greeting towards Sakura. "Good ev- morning to you - Shizuka-sama, the rest of you..." Considering the situation she had not bothered to stop smoking when she had come inside the building - which she usually did, at least in public spaces - and taking a draught of her pipe she seated herself at the other end of the table to observe the situation. Not much she could do to the vision she still witnessed anyway - seemed like Sakura had hugged Lucien purely out of her own will and thus, it was nothing for Yekaterina to meddle in.
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Aoi Akuma
Black Knights
Second Division Captain[M:6046]
"I have no more tears to shed, only blood."
Posts: 74
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Post by Aoi Akuma on Jul 22, 2009 17:30:42 GMT -5
Aoi watched numbly as everyone spoke. They seemed to be calming down more than they were at the begining, even though Lucien still wasn't quite himself, which was a good thing. She felt Anju tug her hand over as though she would try to snatch it back. Aoi made a "hn" noise at that. A habit she had picked up as a child that could mean a lot of things. It could mean that something was annoying, she had nothing to say, a yes, etc. Each one had a different tone so others had difficulties memorizing them all. Not that anyone tried to anyway.
The bluenette's thoughts were interuppted at the sound of Anju laughing. Aoi looked at the techie curiosly as she banged her head against the table. A confused look plastered on her face as Anju pounded the table three times with her fist.
"S-sorry, I d-don't know wh-why I did that." Aoi mearly nodded as she had that 'confused' look on her face. That was......odd. Considering what Shizuka had said wasn't entirely funny at all. Infact it was almost the opposite. Staring once more at Anju she finally turned her attention else where.
"Your father sounds like a gentle man,” Aoi gaze went to Lucien as he spoke. “My father was never so kind in dealing with hurts. He could hardly be bothered with them at all…” Aoi sighed unhappily as she heard him spoke. Damn it anyway. A urge to hug Lucien washed over her. She had never asked him about his past since he had asked none of hers. But she had a feeling they were similar to a point. And that's what ticked her off. Sure her parents were nice and all but that didn't mean that tragedy couldn't strike. It probably hurt Lucien even more considering he didn't have anyone he could go to as a child. "Hn." Aoi made that curious sound again except more in a low pitch tone.
“Don’t you dare get any ideas.” She watched as Shizuka brought Lucien into a hug. A small smile came on the bluenette's lips at that. At least she wasn't the only one who wanted to hug the poor boy. Shizuka stroked the boys head as she hugged him.
"Hn." A normal pitch. A sound of understanding. The bluenette watched the scene. Maternal instincts always did pick up at the weirdest points in life.
"Good ev- morning to you - Shizuka-sama, the rest of you..." Cerulean eyes glanced at the door where a Miss Yekaterina Tsurugi stood. She hadn't much interaction with her but figured Shizuka had by the way she addressed her. Aoi gave a curt nod of welcome towards her before turning her attention back the wall. She could smell smoke and figured that it was the newcomer who was smoking. Aoi wrinkled her nose in irritation. She was never one to like smoke. It reminded to much of the burning buildings of the Shinjuku Ghetto as a child so as such she hated the smell. Her hand tightened on instinct as she moved her free hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. Which was something she did when she was thinking or annoyed. After Anju was done with her hand she needed another drink. Extremely bad.
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Anju Saravati
Black Knights
[M:6241]
Of course I'm crazy, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong.
Posts: 46
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Post by Anju Saravati on Jul 23, 2009 0:25:21 GMT -5
Anju covered her mouth with both hands; she just couldn't stop giggling, but at least they weren't as loud. What Sakura had said wasn't even remotely funny and while Anju usually prided herself on her 'I don't give a fuck' attitude, this was mortifying. She mentally sighed. Sakura had noticed; the girl would be paying more attention to her now. Crap.
Her fingers slid on her cheeks, and she noticed that her eyes were still tearing. Anju wiped at them, sniffing, and she kneeded her cheeks. The laughter was stretching her face and it was starting to hurt.
“Your father sounds like a gentle man,” Lucien spoke up. Anju's giggles abruptly haulted and her chest constricted. Oh, no. No, nononono. Shut up. “My father was never so kind in dealing with hurts. He could hardly be bothered with them at all…” Oh...
Against her better judgement, Anju looked at him. The tears were blurring her already disasterous vision, but she could see him. She couldn't pretend she knew a damn think about what he had gone through as a child - she was a spoiled rich girl - and she didn't know why he was acting like he was now. But she could see him enough. He was lost, lost and in pieces.
Anju griped her fingers tight against her cheeks and furrowed her brow. Sometimes people hold themselves so tightly, they let things fall out, like holding sand in the cup of your hands. The tighter you try and grip it, the more slides through the gaps in your fingers. He looked like he was trying to pick up the lost grains.
This wasn't doing her heart any good. She'd come down to the kitchen to have an alcohol induced blackout and shove away the misery nightmares loved to throw at her. It wasn't the solution, but it was an answer and it helped keep her heart in one piece. Sometimes - a lot of the time - her chest felt like it would explode like a poorly shielded radiation drive. It hurt and it was all she could do to keep it bound together.
Meeting Sakura was a bit like finding a steel band that was organic adhesive, something she could weld to her heart to keep it steady. But the girl had her own problems; making her deal with Anju's was cruel and over-bearing. The chit was already too motherly for her own good.
Like now. She hugged him. Her baby was hugging the faded flamboyant and damn her if it didn't look like he needed it. Anju choked and snickered under her breath. 'I could use one too...' The snicker caught in her throat and came out a muffled sob. The tears were speeding up too, and Anju dropped her face quietly into Aoi's lap before anyone could see her face turning red and her eyes puffing.
She whispered low enough so no one other than Aoi could hear her, "Say something and I'll cut off all your hair." Her fingers trembled in the knees of the youngers girl's night dress.
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Lucien "Ishtar" Darcy
European Union
Internal Cleaning Supporter[M:6109]
The world is full of pain. I want to control how I get hurt.
Posts: 37
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Post by Lucien "Ishtar" Darcy on Aug 10, 2009 19:31:16 GMT -5
It had never been Lucien’s intention to withhold information about himself. He hadn’t come to Area 11, to the Black Knights intending to keep secrets and make himself out to be some mysterious ally. On the other hand though, he also hadn’t planned on openly discussing anything. That would have just made for awkward conversation, and not the type of awkward that Lucien liked. He hadn’t come with any kind of plan regarding that, mostly because he wasn’t sure how much information He had disclosed to the Black Knights. Lucien had always only intended to follow along with what people knew, and give any additional information necessary. The thing was that no one had ever given any indication that they knew anything about him or his past in particular. What was more, no one seemed to care. It didn’t matter. No one cared from where an ally came, or what he’d previously done so long as he was on their side. Lucien had used that to his fullest advantage, and reformed his identity a bit. He could never fully change himself since he was still bound Him. There was still a collar around his neck, even if it was metaphorical here. It was there as a constant reminder of who Lucien really way no matter what game he played at while with the Black Knights.
Now that he had given a bit of information, however, Lucien didn’t know if he should elaborate, or if he wanted to. As far as friends went, the three women at the table were probably as close to friends as Lucien had, although to be fair, he didn’t know their opinion of him overall. The three had varying degrees of acceptance regarding his play, but none shunned him for it. So if he was going to discuss his past, and technically his present, with anyone it would be them, and his mind was certainly in a place to talk. Lucien just didn’t know if it would help any. He didn’t know if he’d feel any better to talk about himself and eventually what had spooked him enough to shatter his puzzle. He’d never done it before, and on some level… it scared him. Talking about it could change everything. Talking about it could make it as real here as it was back home. Making it real… might take away his smile. With that in mind, Lucien didn’t know if he wanted to volunteer more information, but if they asked, he’d answer. He’d obey, and hope it would be okay.
Lucien said no more as he watched Sakura’s hand continue to rub his hand, but when she stopped, he quickly looked up. Had he done something? Should he not have said anything? Sakura looked at him, and Lucien couldn’t hold her gaze. He didn’t know what she was looking at him like that for, but he had to glance away. “Don’t you dare get any ideas.” Lucien heard her move and glanced back to her confused. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and Lucien didn’t resist as she gently pulled him forward. For a moment, he had no idea what she was doing or why. As he rested his head on her shoulder and settled into the hug, Lucien was still wondering why she was hugging him, but no part of him was going to ask.
The warmth that filled him was nothing like the fire he’d woken up feeling. It comforted him, something he’d only felt in much smaller increments. If he would have noticed Anju, Lucien would have frantically searched for his smile’s puzzle piece in an attempt to divert Sakura’s attention back to Anju, but he knew nothing of the pain he was inadvertently causing the woman; his surroundings had faded out of focus.
Lucien slowly wrapped his own arms around Sakura, but as the smell of smoke reached him, he clung to the girl, numb to the dull pain in his hand. Smoke, alcohol, sex, drugs. They all went together, and they all only meant one thing to Lucien, and it terrified him. He didn’t want this to be his imagination; he didn’t want it to be a dream. He didn’t want to abandon the warm, safe place he’d found. He didn’t want to be taken away from it and dragged back to whips and chains. Tears Lucien rarely shed and never showed came quickly and fell from green eyes to Sakura’s shoulder. Lucien shook in her arms as he desperately clung to Sakura and his precious little puzzle pieces.
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Sakura Shizuka
Administrator
Commander-in-Chief[M:419]
When the game is over, the King and Pawn go into the same box.
Posts: 297
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Post by Sakura Shizuka on Aug 12, 2009 15:21:17 GMT -5
The sound of the door opening and the presence of someone entering caused Sakura’s eyes to roll towards the door behind her. "Good ev- morning to you - Shizuka-sama, the rest of you..." An eyebrow rose up. Ah. Yekaterina, was it? A soft smile tugged the corners of her mouth. It seemed even the Secretary General of the Black Knights was having trouble sleeping tonight. Not that she complained or anything. Having the woman here would hopefully lighten up the atmosphere. Sakura’s hands continued to stroke Lucien’s hair as her eyes followed Yakterina as the woman sat down at the opposite end of the table. Her eyes closed as her head tilted out of reflex in response to her greeting.
“Good morning, Tsurugi.” she raised an amused eyebrow as she caught eye of the liquor bottle in her hands. “I see you’ve been relaxing.” She smiled gently. “About bloody time.” Seeing the slightly confused look on her comrade’s face, Sakura’s eyes flashed to the redhead in her arms and then back to Yekaterina. Her mouth dropped slightly. “Ah.” Of course, this scene would look odd in any person’s eyes. After all, she was Sakura Shizuka, Commander-in-Chief, her popularity being the result of her cynicism. And yet, here she was…comforting a person…more specifically Lucien Darcy. It was only natural that the Secretary General would be confused by all of this, given Sakura’s relationship with the man.
A somewhat sheepish smile came to her face and Sakura shrugged lightly. She opened her mouth to give an explanation, but the sounds of a muffled sob caught her ears. Turning her head to look behind her, Sakura’s eyes widened at the sight in front of her. There, hunched over, practically in fetal position on Aoi’s lap, was Anju. Sakura felt her heart drop and slight panic began to fill her. Anju was crying. Anju never cried. Why was Anju crying? Was she hurt? Was she feeling sick? What was she doing out of bed if she was ill?
Eyebrows furrowed in a mix of confusion and worry, Sakura let one of her hands leave Lucien and traveled over to Anju’s back where she began to rub up and down in a soothing manner. “A-Anju-san? Are you alright?” Never had Sakura seen Anju break down like this before. The woman was always the one cracking jokes or flipping those who opposed her off. Never the one crying. Never the one who looked so vulnerable. Never the one…
Sakura paused mid-rub. Well…that was just naïve of her, wasn’t it? Thinking that Anju was some solid wall 100% of the time, that she would never need to cry like this. How stupid of her…of course Anju would have her moments when she would break down. As for what instigated it, Sakura could only presume the general air in the room was to be blamed. Seemed they were all on borderline of Emo.
Sakura smiled sadly at Anju’s curled up form for a few seconds before turning her gaze up to look at Aoi, emerald staring straight into cerulean. The look she gave the second captain only had one message: ‘let her be.’
Turning her head back to the front, Sakura’s hand took its place back at Lucien’s head, the stroking resuming once again. It was a habit…ever since she was little, Sakura found that stroking one’s hair to be very soothing. Heaven knew this man needed it. She felt Lucien’s arms slowly encircle her, reciprocating the hug, causing her to smile softly. Eyes rolling over to look at Yekaterina, Sakura cracked a somewhat crooked grin. “Just a little emotional this-oy-
She stopped short as she felt Lucien suddenly pull himself closer to her, his face buried in the crook of her neck. “Dar- The she felt it. Wet. Wet drops on her shoulder. Sakura’s eyes widened as they stared out straight in front of her. Tears. Lucien was…crying.
Out of reflex, Sakura held Lucien closer to her, her hands on autopilot. What the hell? First Anju, now Lucien? The last two people Sakura ever would expect to see cry…breaking down one right after the other. Sakura’s eyes flashed to look at the redhead, worry clearly etched on her face. But…he had seemed to be doing better. Sure he was still a little off, but Sakura was certain that Lucien was feeling better before. She had seen the smile he had given her. So why…why the sudden breakdown?
Sakura’s eyes flashed back to Yaketerina and then over to Aoi. The former one was taking a puff of her beloved kiseru, the later was holding the bridge of her nose.
Emerald eyes widened slightly in realization. Could it be? It was clear that Aoi was not fond of the smell of smoke, that much was evident from body language, but perhaps…perhaps Lucien also disliked the scent and to a much larger degree. Sakura personally hadn’t noticed the smell; she was far too used to the scent for it to bother her anymore. But perhaps for Lucien the scent of smoke brought back painful memories? Or perhaps they were a reminder of something unpleasant in the present? Either way, it was clear that something had caused Lucien to suddenly fall apart like this…and Sakura was willing to bet on the smoke.
“Shh shh…there, there…I’m here Darcy….I’m here….I’m here.” Sakura said in a soothing voice, trying to calm the shaking playboy down. Gently pushing Lucien back off from her, Sakura held his face between her hands, her thumbs wiping away the tear streaks that had stained his cheeks. She shook her head gently, a soft smile on her face. “Look at you, Darcy. What’s come over you, hm? Baka ne…” she halfheartedly scolded while brushing some loose strands from the redhead’s face before leaning over and planting a kiss on the forehead. It was another one of her quirky habits. She blamed her father for this one in particular; a kiss to the forehead always made her feel better when she was small. It was his way to tell her ‘good job’ when she rose in rank or ‘get better soon’ when she fell ill…if it worked back then, surely it could be used now to tell a certain playboy he wasn’t alone, right?
Sakura looked at Lucien with worry-filled eyes for a few seconds longer before pulling him back into another warm embrace. Resting her chin on top of his head while her arms wrapped themselves around his head, fingers resuming their stroking, Sakura let out a sigh. “Told you I can be a good comfort pillow…” She muttered before she bent her head so that her nose buried itself in his hair and she murmured so that only Lucien could hear.
“You wanna step outside for a bit? Morning air might do you some good.”
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Aoi Akuma
Black Knights
Second Division Captain[M:6046]
"I have no more tears to shed, only blood."
Posts: 74
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Post by Aoi Akuma on Aug 16, 2009 21:21:07 GMT -5
A muffled sob brought Aoi out of her thoughts. Feeling a pressure on her lap her eyes snapped over to Anju. The indie techie lay in her lap. Alarmed Aoi quickly placed her hand on her. “Anj…” "Say something and I'll cut off all your hair." Anju cut off her statement quickly. Smiling sadly Aoi calmly stroked Anju’s hair in a calming motion. “If it helps,” Aoi muttered so only Anju could hear. “I have more alcohol in my room. It may not be as cold but…” Aoi trailed off as she continued to stroke Anju’s hair. Anju’s fingers trembled on her nightdress as the bluenette weaved her fingers through Anju’s hair, a calming motion for both Anju and herself, and sighed. This is a bad night isn’t it?
“A-Anju-san? Are you alright?” Aoi turned her head towards Shizuka. Seems like she finally noticed. Cerulean eyes met emerald as Aoi stared at Shizuka. Her eyes said everything that she didn’t. ‘let her be.’ Aoi gave a short small nod. She wouldn’t do anything unless Anju asked of it. And by Shizuka’s reaction it seemed Anju wasn’t one to cry. It would do her good to let it out. Though… Aoi’s thoughts trailed off. I suppose that’s hypocritical of me. After all not crying in ten years can’t be healthy.
Trying to focus her thoughts elsewhere she looked over towards Shizuka and Lucien. Shizuka was stroking the boy’s head in a calming fashion a bit like how Aoi was doing to Anju. Aoi smiled softly as Lucien slowly returned the hug. She watched as emerald eyes rolled to look at Yekatrina. “Just a little emotional this-oy- Aoi’s eyes widened as Lucien seemed to pull her closer and bury his head into the crook of her neck. “Dar- Cerulean eyes widened as she realized why Shizuka was so concerned. Lucien he was…crying.
Aoi’s hand accidently tensed in Anju’s hair before slowly, but barely, relaxing. Her other hand also clenched the bridge of her nose as another wave of the smoke hit her hard. Flashbacks occured. Burning buildings. Screaming. Blood. The burning sensation of smoke riddled her nose. Her face tensed slightly as the hold of her nose increased. “Damn memories.” She cursed underneath her breath eyes still close. Those memories. She may have not broken down but that was the closest she had been in a long time. Aoi let out a shuddering breath at the thought. Easing her breathing her eyes opened slightly to watch as Shizuka glanced between Yekatrina and herself getting the picture Aoi’s eyes slowly trailed to the crying boy in Shizuka’s arms. It seems like I’m not the only one with smoke issues.
“Shh shh…there, there…I’m here Darcy….I’m here….I’m here.” Shizuka tried to calm the boy down. Aoi turned her head away and focused on the techie in her lap. She couldn’t bare to look for fear of bringing up more painful memories. Going back to the motion she had been doing before she stroked Anju’s hair. Sighing softly cerulean eyes glanced at her hand. “You want to go to my room and drink.” Aoi muttered so Anju could hear. She watched as her hand shook. “I think we both might need it right about now.” She muttered mostly to herself but loud enough that Anju could hear.
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Yekaterina Tsurugi
Black Knights
Secretary General[M:3564]
The pawns are the soul of the game.
Posts: 32
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Post by Yekaterina Tsurugi on Aug 21, 2009 21:35:29 GMT -5
For the most of it, Yekaterina just sat still and watched the show going on around the table, in front of her eyes. She had settled to lean her cheek to the kiseru holding hand of hers, the other hand hanging loosely below the edge of the table, the liquor bottle still in the grip of her fingers.
“I see you’ve been relaxing.” Hearing her Commander's words, the Secretary General snapped out of the pure dullness for a moment. Seeing Shizuka's gentle smile - “About bloody time.” - the older woman slightly lifted an eyebrow. "Now what was that supposed to mean, Shizuka-sama?" She asked, a bit of laughter in her voice while she made quite an indicative glance towards the people around the table. "I think that's something you should be telling to them, not me..?"
She couldn't help it, but after a while a low, deep sigh escaped her lips. It hadn't been for too long ago when she still had been on even a pleasant mood, but now it all seemed to be quite efficiently ruined by the homecoming. Looks like everyone besides her up tonight had more than just usual trouble of sleeping weighing down on their shoulders. She made a dull glance over the table. Well hurray for the cheeriness. And here had she thought she would have had quite the perfectly refreshing night and some good company with some good comrades. Wrooooong, guess again. The air was almost so thick with melancholy that she could have stuffed her pipe with that instead of tobacco and smoked the angst away.
Well, maybe it would not have been the best option after all - as Yekaterina sure had noticed from the reactions the smell of smoke had brought into the room with already too gloomy an atmosphere. First fell Anju, then Lucien. Seeing that it was better after all, she lifted her head a bit to make a small gesture with her hand - tapping the pipe against the edge of the table to knock out the little ember. A burning ball of ash fell on the table, but before it had time make any visible scorches on the piece of furniture's surface, with the shame flowing move of her hand she crushed the ember to put it out. It was out of her habit to smoke inside such places anyway - and sure for a good reason if not for just common courtesy, it seemed. But today she was the least one to be out of their habits as far as everyone present were taken into account.
And considering the current situation of the Black Knights in general, the least they now needed was that nearly everyone out of their leading forces were to lose it. Had there tonight been an attack of some brain-eating mind-crashing black worms or something which of Yekaterina had not been informed about? Well, probably not. But something wasn't right here. Too gloomy, too quiet... Like all of them had had some couple of degrees worse than gruesome nightmares during the same night. Which would be utterly impossible, now wouldn't it?
Quiet enough for Yekaterina to hear Aoi's words to Anju, though they were most likely meant to be quiet enough not to be heard by anyone else than the woman curled up on the bluenette's lap. But Yekaterina couldn't help it, now could she? With no second thought, the Secretary General suddenly made a move with her other hand and swung the bottle on the table, though laying it quite delicately before Aoi. "If a drink is what you want, you're welcome to share mine. No need to go away - the more the merrier, eh? If this won't help you out, then will no liquor do it." For Yekaterina's taste for liquors, her words would be quite true.
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Post by vierre on Aug 22, 2009 23:29:31 GMT -5
While the somber and oppressive weightiness of mood smothered the kitchen area, a lone figure wandered the halls unaware and free. Vierre was not having any trouble sleeping that night, and no doubt he would have managed to secure a deep slumber had he decided that was what he wanted. Instead, he was simply awake by preference, even at this empty, lonely hour. After all, nothing much of interest ever happened while one was asleep, unless you counted dreams, and Vierre did not. He idly fiddled with a coin in his hand, flipping it head to tails and tails to head repeatedly between his fingers.
It was a peaceful night, and Vierre had to admit that even he enjoyed the tranquility. These were moments that floated away from the responsibilities they held as Black Knights, and there wasn’t a single person, whether Japanese, Britannian, or otherwise, that did not risk a mental burn out by trying to shoulder such a load without the occasional moment to breathe. So he would take them when they came, and hope that they did not languish for too long. Head to tails, tails to heads. Pressing his lips together lightly, he whistled, a bright and energetic tone rolled out and away.
Vierre rounded another corner. ‘Hmm?’ The soft light flowing from the kitchen area painted the floor just beyond the doorway in muted warmth. He tilted his head to the side, curious. Unconsciously, the coin rotated several more times.
Within the kitchen, the cheerful whistling grew louder, drawing closer and closer until Vierre walked pass the doorway, looking directly into the room but without breaking stride. The whistling stopped abruptly. Then he took two steps backwards, stopping in the middle of the doorway, still looking in. There was a pause. The coin settled on heads. “Oi?”
“Good morning ladies!” Vierre announced, bright eyed and with a complete lack of grasp over the current atmosphere. “And gentleman,” he added.
The Commander-in-Chief, the Secretary General, the Chief of Science, and the 2nd Division Captain. And Lucien. Vierre frowned slightly, entering the kitchen. “Have I missed an important meeting? Was I not invited? Commander, truly I’m hurt,” he joked and placed an open palm up to his chest, feigning heartbreak. He continued to speak, though his tone shifted suddenly to one of recital. “This is a timeless hour of night, deep with introspection. I sense epiphany. Or is that the aroma of tea?” And with that he rooted through the cupboard for a clean mug.
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Anju Saravati
Black Knights
[M:6241]
Of course I'm crazy, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong.
Posts: 46
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Post by Anju Saravati on Sept 2, 2009 20:26:58 GMT -5
Anju felt Aoi jerk as she mumbled into her lap. There was a pause, and she felt a small hand begin stroking the back of her head. Anju was never really into the whole 'cuddle-me' concept, but it felt nice and the blunette was a dear friend. She sighed and closed her eyes, resting her head fully on the girl's legs, scrunching Aoi's dress into little bunches with her fingers.
It was nice. She felt the younger girl shift under her and the light weight as she leaned over Anju's head to whisper into her ear. “I have more alcohol in my room. It may not be as cold but…” She smiled into the fabric, spent tears dripping sideways down her face. Good ol' Akuma, bringing on the booze. Originally, all she wanted was to get smashed and black out but right now she was too tired and too exhausted from the mental ring-around. Maybe later when her head didn't feel so heavy and Aoi's lap didn't feel so soft.
“A-Anju-san? Are you alright?” Anju flinched at the sudden noise and the hand suddenly on her back. She recognized it as Sakura's and relaxed. So much for being subtle. She kept her mouth shut and her eyes closed as her two girls patted her. She cocked her head as she heard skin moving and then Sakura moved away. Somehow, it sounded like when a person mouths words. Oh well. Whatever it was, Anju just wanted to stay down. She didn't care anymore.
The petting and the gentle movement of Aoi's thighs as she breathed lulled her into a half-doze, letting her ignore the other going's on in the room. Right up until Aoi's hand suddenly gripped her hair tight.
The techie jerked and lifted her head up. She smelled smoke.
Anju looked into Aoi's face as she flinched, and blearily noticed another person in the room. She couldn't make out anything other than female attributes and long hair. The person turned and she saw a long...thing in her mouth. 'Oh. Yekaterina.' She was the only person she knew who smoked a kiseru, other than her auntie Padame. The smoke was a thin, blurry texture in the air that wrapped around the kitchen like a many headed snake. The sent was thick and minty; it reminded her of summers in Denali with her aunt.
Anju turned her head back to Aoi as she shuddered slightly and mumbled to herself. "Damn memories.” The girl continued to stroke her hair and Anju put her head back down, this time wrapping her arms around the girls waist in an awkward hug. There, there, baby, there, there.
She felt the girl lean over again; the weight on her crown and the feel of her spine curving under her fingers. “You want to go to my room and drink.” Aoi muttered so Anju could hear. She felt as her hand shook. “I think we both might need it right about now.”
A drink. That sounded nice. Right now, her charge was busy with Lucian, so getting drunk with her other baby would be nice. She stared sightlessly sideways at Aoi's arm. When had the other girl become important to her? Enough even to call her baby, something she only reserved for Sakura? She choked on a laugh; at this rate she would be a mother of dozens, everyone in the Black Knights. She hoped to Shiva not. One was bad enough. Two was worse.
A chair scratched across the floor and a body plopped down near her. A clink as weighted glass was set down on the table. "If a drink is what you want, you're welcome to share mine. No need to go away - the more the merrier, eh? If this won't help you out, then will no liquor do it." Yekaterina. So much for quiet advertising.
Anju liked her liquor, but not when she was miserable and certainly not in a public view, not where Sakura could see how much of an alcoholic she was. A drink would be nice, but not here, not in the light.
“Good morning ladies!” Only the mouthful of Aoi's dress muffled the shriek as Anju jumped. What the hell!? She'd nearly hit the blunette in the chin. She peeked under her arm and saw a blonde man. There were many men in the Black Knights. He could be anyone. Whoever he was, he was tactless and dense. The atmosphere in the room this night was, to be kind, burdened. To charge in cheerfully was thick and unkind.
“Have I missed an important meeting? Was I not invited? Commander, truly I’m hurt," he joked. “This is a timeless hour of night, deep with introspection. I sense epiphany. Or is that the aroma of tea?” And a series of clinks by the cupboard revealed a mug hunt. She scowled and buried her head deeper into Aoi's belly. Don't be rude, mystery man. Either fuck someone to relieve one of the depressed's pressure or be useful. Do not make jokes.
Her head hurt. She clenched her fingers and suddenly the thought of one of Yekaterina's peel-the-paint-off-the-wall bottles was starting to sound good.
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Lucien "Ishtar" Darcy
European Union
Internal Cleaning Supporter[M:6109]
The world is full of pain. I want to control how I get hurt.
Posts: 37
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Post by Lucien "Ishtar" Darcy on Sept 16, 2009 1:44:57 GMT -5
Tears were reserved for times of solitude only. When targets were dead, when play was done, when doors were closed, and Lucien was mercifully left alone. If tears ever came, it was then. They were grounds for punishment any other time, and while Ishtar often invited some sort of punishment, it was never by tears. Tears were personal, emotional, real. Jeers, smirks, and rebellion were false, cold, and controlled, and anytime Lucien could have even the smallest bit of control, it meant he wasn’t helpless, it meant he wasn’t entirely a pawn, it meant He didn’t completely own him. Open tears represented a weakness, a wound. They were an invitation to continue prodding the same sensitive spot, and Lucien guarded those spots carefully behind Ishtar’s quick tongue.
In pieces as he was right now, however, Lucien couldn’t even begin to find the tender spots that were reacting to the smoke and connecting together to make a picture he didn’t want to be reality. All he could do was cling to the warmth and hope it didn’t shun him or try to exploit his tears. “Just a little emotional this-oy-” Lucien tensed a bit, and tightened his grip. If she was going to shove him away, he needed to get as much comfort as he could. “Dar-” She’d noticed. For a moment Lucien desperately tried to stop his tears, hoping he could stay where he was if he did, but instead of being met with rejection the arms encircling him held him closer.
Green eyes widened in surprise for only a moment before Lucien melted against his comforter. “Please… I’ll be good. I’ll behave. I promise.” It was barely a whisper, and he wasn’t even sure if he was talking to Sakura or echoing a past plea, but Lucien needed the comfort now that he’d had a taste of it. He’d learned to go without warmth, comfort, or security, but now that he had it, Lucien needed it. “I’ll do whatever you want… Just let me stay. Please.” Lucien’s voice shook along with his body’s trembling, but he kept whispering as he clung to the young woman. “Just for a bit. Please. I’ll be good. I promise…”
“Shh shh…there, there…I’m here Darcy….I’m here….I’m here.” As much as Lucien didn’t want to leave the warm spot he’d found, he obeyed the gentle push back. Wet green eyes slowly focused on Sakura’s face, and Lucien processed her as familiar. When her hands came up to his face, the redhead flinched out of reflex, but was quick to relax again at the surprisingly gentle touch. “Look at you, Darcy. What’s come over you, hm? Baka ne…” Lucien’s smile still eluded him, but if he would have found it he would have tried to smile for Sakura. As it was, however, Lucien didn’t have the mind to answer her, and didn’t trust his voice anyway. Instead, he gratefully leaned back into her offered embrace, taking comfort in her gentle touch and trying to calm his tears. “Told you I can be a good comfort pillow…” Again, Lucien said nothing but took several deep, albeit shaky, breaths in an attempt to relax. Breathing usually helped, right? As long as he could breathe through it, he’d be okay, right? “You wanna step outside for a bit? Morning air might do you some good.” The question processed quickly, and Lucien was quick to nod against her shoulder. He never refused an offer to go outside. Never.
“Was I not invited? Commander, truly I’m hurt.” Lucien froze at the voice, and his breath caught in his chest. That was a man’s voice, and it, combined with the lingering smell of smoke urged several of his puzzle pieces to formulate the proper scenario for the words.
“Was I not invited? Good thing I decided to invite myself anyway. I’d hate to miss a chance to play.” A heavy fog of alcohol poorly covered with strong cologne.
“Commander, truly I’m hurt that you started without me. That’s not very polite of you.” Smoke from flame and cigar overpowering perfume and sweat.
Struggling to make himself draw breath again, Lucien clung to Sakura. “Outside… Please. You promised…” The redhead begged for a taste of freedom, voice shaking with the same fear his eyes had displayed earlier. Mentally, Lucien clung to the pieces of his puzzle he had properly put together. He couldn’t lose them again. He might never find some of the small pieces again, but the longer it took to complete his puzzle, the further away his smile slipped from him.
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Sakura Shizuka
Administrator
Commander-in-Chief[M:419]
When the game is over, the King and Pawn go into the same box.
Posts: 297
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Post by Sakura Shizuka on Sept 18, 2009 19:37:46 GMT -5
Sakura continued to hold Lucien close to her, her chin still resting on the top of his head. Well. Wasn’t this turning out to be an eventful evening? All Sakura had wanted when she padded out of the security of her office was a cup of tea. Honestly. And what does she get instead? A room full of depressed individuals. One of them currently clinging to her, after having successfully burnt himself on a kettle. Sakura let out a sigh. What was up with Lucien, anyways? The man was a perv by nature, but he was a happy perv. Never the gloom and doom type. And yet, here he was, crying in her chest.
Her grip on him tightened. ‘What’s going on in that head of yours, Darcy?’ Turning her cheek to the right, Sakura raised an eyebrow as she took notice that Yekaterina’s kiseru had been put out. She smiled gratefully at the Secretary General. While she herself did not mind the smell, it was clear that the others in the room did. Why, she had no clue. She could only guess they had bad experiences involving smoke and that the smell was a not-too-lovely reminder.
"If a drink is what you want, you're welcome to share mine. No need to go away - the more the merrier, eh? If this won't help you out, then will no liquor do it." Sakura cracked a smile. That Yekaterina…always came prepared, didn’t she? She flashed a glance at Aoi and Anju, the latter’s head still buried in the other’s lap. Her smile gentled. Perhaps Anju could use a drink. While it was against Sakura’s school of thought to drink at the ass-crack of dawn, there were always exceptions. This was one of them. Besides, perhaps having a little alcohol would bring the techie out of her little depression. Booze usually cheered her up, right? ‘As for Akuma…’ Sakura flashed the bluenette a quick glance. Yeah. She looked like she could use a shot glass right about now too.
Turning her head back to the Secretary General, Sakura smiled crookedly. “I think that would be-
“Good morning ladies!” Sakura visibly jumped, her voice getting caught in her throat, the result being a startled ‘eep!’ Sakura whirled her head around, a glare making itself present on her face. Who the hell in their right mind would come barging in at this time in the bloody morning, acting like the world was full of gumdrops and jellybeans?! Did they not sense the depressed air that filled the room?
“Who the fuck-“ “Have I missed an important meeting? Was I not invited? Commander, truly I’m hurt.” Sakura’s mind finally processed who the invader was. Vierre DeMara. First Division Captain. Had a tendency to be a bit of a cheeky bastard at times, if she remembered correctly. She let out a sigh of relief. “It’s only you…don’t do that, DeMara…” Sakura said, one hand letting go of Lucien long enough just so she could rub her temples tiredly. “This is a timeless hour of night, deep with introspection. I sense epiphany. Or is that the aroma of tea?” Sakura raised a dry eyebrow at the man. Wow. Someone was perky. Quite odd, given the trend of emo characters that had made their way to the kitchen table, the only exception so far being Yekaterina. “Just a sleepless night, DeMara…no meeting of any sort…” She cracked the man a grin. “…no need to feel unloved.” She gave her companions a brief look over before turning her attention back to the First Division Captain. “Just seems we’re all a little depre-
“Outside…” Sakura turned her head back to Lucien, the redhead clinging closer to her. Her eyebrows furrowed in worry. The scared look was back in his eyes. “Darcy?” “Please. You promised…” Emerald eyes softened at the pleading tone. Really…Lucien really was a child right now. A little lost child.
“Alright.” Sakura smiled warmly down at Lucien and gently pushed him off of her, brushing a few strands of hair away from his face. “Alright Darcy…lets go outside…but first…” Sakura turned her head towards the stove, DeMara standing next to it by the cupboards. Standing up, Sakura strode over to the stove, turned the kettle on full blast and began to bustle around the kitchen for a second time. When she turned back to the kitchen table, she was holding a tray with two steaming mugs on it, one of which had a generous serving of whipped cream. “Tsurugi? If it’s not too much to ask, would you be so kind as to see to it that Anju-san and Akuma have a couple of glasses of whatever it is that you are holding? I know I’m usually against early drinking, but…” She flashed a glance back to Anju’s curled up form. “I think now’s a good time to say ‘screw the rules, I’m emo.’” She turned her head back to Vierre and offered him a somewhat crooked smile. “You. You seem to be in a somewhat perky mood. Kindly be useful and try to cheer this lot up, will you please? I have a French Playboy to deal with. Come on Darcy.” And with that, Sakura balanced the tray with one hand and with the other, grabbed Lucien by the arm and hauled him out the door.
She was armed with tea and hot chocolate. The Emo Act would come to a close.
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Yekaterina Tsurugi
Black Knights
Secretary General[M:3564]
The pawns are the soul of the game.
Posts: 32
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Post by Yekaterina Tsurugi on Sept 30, 2009 19:05:56 GMT -5
“Good morning ladies!”
“Who the fuck-“ The sudden loud voice made even Yekaterina to slightly flinch and lift her head fully up to see the door and the one coming in. Well, didn't he seem cheerful - unlike any other of the kitchen's habitants up at this hour. A dull snort from Yekaterina. About time. And yet, the worst timing ever. “Have I missed an important meeting? Was I not invited? Commander, truly I’m hurt.” A laughter escaped Yekaterina's lips. "Well, aren't you cheerful this morning, DeMara. Beware - be too cheerful and you indeed might end up being hurt." Taking first a draught of her kiseru, actually having forgotten that she had put it out already, she made a small wave with the long object to make a point out to him of the people around the table. "See? Hate to say, but not your best timings, this morning. Epiphany‘s hardly the word I‘d use for you - call it tactless and you’re closer to the truth."
“Outside…”
At some level Yekaterina still shared Vierre’s cheerfulness and would have rather partied a bit more than settled down yet, but now there were comrades to be taken care of now - whether the ‘taking care’ part included a drink or not - and for the Secretary General, they came first, before any party or drinking spree. Her Commander had her lap full of French Playboy - a pity, Yekaterina though, that he wasn’t up to anything tonight. Apparently her smoke had made his condition even worse, which made the woman feel a bit guilty, but no way to help that now. She saw her Commander rise up with Darcy, and turned her full attention to her when she spoke. “Tsurugi? If it’s not too much to ask, would you be so kind as to see to it that Anju-san and Akuma have a couple of glasses of whatever it is that you are holding? I know I’m usually against early drinking, but…” But… A smile made its way on Yekaterina’s face. “I think now’s a good time to say ‘screw the rules, I’m emo.’” ”Wakarimashita, Shizuka-sama.” She replied to the red-head with a slight bow with her head, and as Shizuka went with Lucien, so rose Yekaterina up and went to get a couple of glasses. Soon enough she came back with them, and clouted them on the table. Then she sat back down and poured a good deal of the liquor evenly into both glasses - one for her, one for Akuma. Sliding the other glass to it’s intended owner while keeping the other herself, she waved the bottle in the air and laid on the table to be reached by Anju. Knwing her, she would need it more than the Secretary General did at the moment… Not that it was her last bottle, anyway. And her voice softly told the two: ”Now, you heard what our Commander-in-Chief has told us - free booze on me. And see, not much people around anymore. If we mind or mind not DeMara - whatever.” She gave a quick wink to the man. ”Now, shall we? She lifted her glass from the table. “Kanpai.”
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