❀ ◆ ❂Ϊlluminatioɳ❂ ◆ ❀

[The Chernokozel]

Ouzu Shozo

Ouzu was pleased enough with the dance, only separating from her once the song inevitably closed, and then taking the opportunity to follow Rion to the bar. Behind it, in fact, which was a curiosity that made Ouzu nearly hesitate, but the monster was more than capable of handling a fight at this distance. He kept his gaze on Rion and awaited the inevitable questioning, though the course the man chose was yet again a slight surprise. It made the corner of Ouzu's lips curl up in a grin.

"I'll drink whatever you want me to."

Still, as the man made him something to drink, he couldn't help but smirk somewhat. The man seemed protective of his sister, and it was possible he would become a problem if things went the way he intended to make them. It would be complicated. Difficult, and somewhat uncomfortable. After all, he was large, but each time he'd eaten more than one at a time, he always came out of things with a bellyache.

Spoilsport.

Though, to be fair, he hadn't had a good meal in quite some time, and the opportunity to have two to dinner didn't seem entirely unappetizing, even with Elaine's fabulous food in his stomach. He cast his gaze back to the piano, and witnessed the departure of Adam. Although he wasn't sad to see him go, it seemed that Elaine was a little disappointed in his absense, though she hid it expertly. Even so, he wasn't sure if he could trust his eyes on this one. Even he could be deceived, and thus far, she had seemed so poised, so elegant, and so very flawless, that he suspected the thing he perceived as sadness could have been something entirely different, or merely a trick of the light. He didn't feel safe trusting that judgement at the moment.

So he cast his gaze back to Rion a moment before the man finished mixing his drink, and accepted it, holding the glass a moment before smelling it and taking a sip. Rion certainly was as skilled a bartender as his sister was a dancer, and Ouzu wasn't the type to let such a satisfying drink settle too much. He considered for a moment the possibility that Rion may have had something of import to say to him, that he hadn't been brought to this distance from Elaine for no reason. But what that motive could be varied in Ouzu's thoughts. Simple protectiveness of a perceived threat, or even more likely, a singular jealousy. The corners of the monster's lips curled up as his eyes watched the man. Could've easily been jealousy.

He took another sip.

[ASHLEYASDFGH]

[********]

A wisp of a girl bolted down the sidewalk, arms clutching her side. She dared steal a glance over her shoulder,
eyes widening in the evening light. The streets weren't terribly busy, but that didn't stop her from bumping into just
about everyone on the sidewalk as she hustled down the way. "Sorry, ********... 'scuse me... sorry..." It was no
use, really. With a cringe, she tore a corner, and then whipped into an alleyway.

Still holding tightly to her side, she held her breath, leaning as flat up against the brick wall as she could. In that
moment, everything was still; her pulse seemed to stop, the air laying heavy on top of her, a lead blanket. She
stood there for what seemed like hours, eyes shut tight. This was it. If they rounded that corner, she'd just...
let them take her.

After what was only roughly a minute, she crumpled forward and began dry heaving, eyes wide and watering and
staring at the ground. On all fours now, she coughed, feeling the full force of her rapid heart beat and trembling body.
It took her several minutes to compose herself, and even then one could hardly consider her "composed."

She stood up very slowly, leaning against the wall for support. She wobbled on her noodley legs, reaching up with a
shaking hand to push her pink bob-cut behind her ears, one of which was a little bloody and appeared to have a
small chunk bitten out of it. When she pulled her hand away and saw the blood, she had another moment of
panic, of fight or flight. Looking around quickly, she noticed the a dim light further down the alley. It couldn't be any
more dangerous than the streets.

The thin girl made her way slowly down the alley to the double doors, entering quietly. She was surprised to find people
inside, although she had realized just outside the doors that it was a bar. Regardless, it was such a... hidden thing.
How did anyone find this place?

How did she even find this place?

Waves of nausea rolled over her, her body's way of saying "******** you, that was really terrifying." One hand on her ear,
and one holding her side, she moved to the bar, green eyes piercing anyone or anything that looked at her with a
menacing gaze. Quite a contrast to the melted heap she had been outside.

"Bar... barkeep." she stammered quietly. "Can I get... some water? And, like, a paper towel?" Rion looked at the girl
and nodded, noticing the small traces of blood at her ear. He offered her a tall glass of water, and simply moved a
roll of paper towels near her before returning to whatever barkeeper thing he had been doing before.

The girl gingerly dipped a paper towel into the water, and then pressed the cool thing to her ear. Her heart continued
to explode in her chest, but on the outside she looked... somewhat collected. Somewhat.

[B e a u t i f u l D e r t]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxADAMxxOf The White Kissxx

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
xx☨ s⋮ oulless one ⇂ ▐ lethal kiss ❜「S - sarwa ↷ Maitri


He hadn't realized it when she sat down at first, sapphires hues nearly glued to the piano as the song faded away in his mind. Despite the previous happy sound that floated through the room, Adam was all but that. When her hand gently grasped his wrist he looked over at her, ebony locks falling away from his eyes. For a moment he looked like he was about to say something, but Elaine had beat him to it.
The beautiful French that she spoke to him, reminded him of a simpler time between them, one he wished he could return to.

Sighing heavily he shook his head after a moment, taking his other hand and placing it on top of hers.
<< No, I will not leave if you do not wish it >> He replied, french a mere whisper, if not slightly strange on his tongue. After all his voice had the underlying tone of English accent, one that was surprisingly standard and often times considered posh. His was unlike the beautiful grace that she exuded in the room, it also came from her lips as well and sent many people to heaven and back from that alone.

Icy hues looked down at their hands, his a deathly pale in comparison to her beautiful luster and soft peach colour. He wondered for so long how she had been, words obviously unspoken for a length of time that shouldn't have been. Slowly his gaze turned upwards catching those beautiful jade eyes for a mere moment. Her smile of concern warmed his heart, and he returned it. They hadn't spoken hardly at all since he arrived at her bar a week ago. Surprisingly she had many other things going on and their moments were only a passing glance and an occasional 'How is your day'. A soft sigh fell from his pale lips and Adam found himself leaning a bit too close to her before sitting up straight.

<< I am merely tired. I traveled far before reaching here. >> He explained shortly a scent suddenly entering his sense and he snapped to attention. With sharp eyes he was suddenly irritated. The scent he tried to stay away from, but at one point would irritate his senses to no end and nearly make him a raving lunatic.
Thankfully that was a long time ago.
Turning his attention to the door he noticed a rather frail young thing enter the bar swaying as she approached Rion asking for water and paper towels. Surely her injury would need more than that?

She did not look well to say the least and he knew in his mind that Elaine would likely wish to speak with her, make sure that the lost duckling was alright at least.
Turning back towards Elaine he smiled and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek before grabbing his tumbler of whiskey. Standing he returned to their private table, the one slightly secluded in the corner. Taking his seat and a sip of his drink he waited for Elaine to return to him, not leaving like he had promised yet not wanting to be close to the young girl till she was squared away.

Ouzu seemed to be enjoying his drinks though. The jealousy that was roaring in his own head had finally died down. Indeed Adam was an incredibly emotional man, but outwardly you would have never imagined. Granted the lack of emotion he showed could have given way to that as well. He had missed Elaine greatly, and yet to see another man dancing with her, well... He had no right to tell her what she could and couldn't do. That would be unlike a gentleman, which he at one point prided himself on. Glancing over at Rion he raised his now watered down glass knowing that Rion would likely bring him a fresh one.





T h e__v o i c e s__l a u g h i n g__ t o g e t h e r__
D r i f t i n g__i n__ t h e__w i n d__
T h e__g l i t t e r i n g__s u n__i s__a__p r o m i s e__f o r __t o m m o r o w

[Hobo_Bob]

【 ¨*•.¸❊¸.•*¨】ℰlaine ℑanette-ℑacqueline ♏inot 【 ¨*•.¸❊¸.•*¨】






Rion was never one for mixed drinks.

Adding sugar to alcohol killed the flavor of it, made it that much more like a treat than a get away. Rarely anyone drank for the flavor. It was for that abyss, the very thing to make one forget the past and present. Also, ignore the future. Women did it to get drink and then get laid, men did it to forget who they slept with. And then there were others - like Rion himself - that did it to get away.

His life was s**t.

That fear that he would be left alone. That Adam would finally take Elaine from him hurt so much every day that he focused it all on drinking. So, when he made drinks for others like Ouzu and the little squirrel that walked in, half bloody and dead, he fell more into the oblivion of unfeeling. Sweet sweet numbness.


Elaine's heart was glad that Adam was not going to leave her alone. She somehow did not want to be very far from him, and yet he seemed to want the same. From the gentle caress of his hand along her own to the smile he gave as he looked into her eyes. She swam in the depth of his frozen blue eyes, so bright and lively, one could hardly tell he was un-dead. Not that it mattered to her, Adam was-...well, everything.

He shared with her what none ever could, and she had given herself to him completely before their parting. This time, she told herself, would be different. He would not leave here until she had said her piece. And if that meant their bond picked up from where it left off, or the less desirable option, he left and never returned to her - so be it. She leaned in towards him as he did, and let her smile falter once he pulled away.

As he explained his distress, she was almost glad that he decided to stay until he just as quickly move away. Elaine roared in her heat in outrage, for just a moment. That was when the salty scent of blood reached her nose. Irritable, and yet never faulting her in smile, she watched Adam step away and back to her table with his drink.

It seemed that she was to help this girl. Or, young looking woman.

Sighing in dissatisfaction, she stood and moved to stand behind the bar with Rion. He served drinks to those here for the live show in a few hours, and yet all suddenly gathered at the bar. Some reached out to try and touch Elaine, get her attention while others seemed to fume that she all but ignored them. Not until she turned and gave the group a smile did they seem to calm down and return to what they were doing.

What is it with these humans and this woman to drive them so insane? Rion himself did not get the same attentions, which was perhaps why he was overly protective of his sister.

From under the bar, Elaine gingerly pulled out a first aid kit and set it on the bar in formt of the woman.
" Tsk-tsk-tsk. Such a mess you are in, mon petit écureuil. Lets clean you up and you tell me of your troubles, hm? "





❝→ Setting – Back Alley Bar
→ Current Company – Rion, Adam, Ouzu, écureuil
→ Theme Song - The Music Box ❞