|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 4:27 pm
It had been the first time something like that happened to Chuppi, and to Sparrow, and both of them had been in the school for a while. So Lark, who had just gotten here, how was she coping?
He sighed, wondering if he was being an idiot, going around, trying to calm people down. There was probably someone that'd come before him for her, right? But--nobody had dragged Chuppi out before he did. Lark probably knew less people than she did.
So here he was, standing in front of her door, one hand in his pocket, the other lifted and knocking on her door.
"Larrrrk!" he called through the door. "Lark, you home?"
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 4:38 pm
It had been difficult to walk back to her dorm but she'd made it just barely. The stretch of time that yawned between then and now had been spent in solitude. Lark remained curled up in her bed for the entirety of that duration and she'd had no plan in getting up. No groanspring, no HIM, no nothing.
Simply put, Lark had shut down.
This was the longest that Lark had gone without talking to Ben. She was terrified to summon him, terrified that if she did he would pop up by her side incomplete or mangled. It hurt to think about watching him shimmer away into nothingness before the fires had started, but she couldn't stop reliving the moment in her mind.
When a familiar voice called through the door, she just started sobbing quietly into her hands. Maybe if she ignored Roch, he would just go away?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 4:41 pm
"Lark, darklin, I will tell you now, I am NOT afraid of bustin' this door down," Roch called through the door. "Which would make me look REALLY stupid if it turns out you're not here," he added, dryly. "But I'm pretty used to lookin' really stupid, so I don't really care. I'll give you the count of ten. I'd go farther, but sometimes I forget numbers," he teased.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 5:40 pm
Lark hadn't known Roch long, but she knew by the tone of his voice that he meant every word that he said about busting down her door.
"M'fine," she called out in muffled tones, sounding anything BUT fine. "Y'can... y'can go away now." It was sweet of him to stop by to check on a ghoul he hardly knew, but she didn't want anyone to see her like this, let alone someone she'd instantly admired.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 5:43 pm
"I can, but I won't," he said. "Open the door, Lark, I'm not jokin. One! Two! Threeeee!"
He reached out and summoned his guitar, deliberately flicking one of the strings so it cried out. "I got my guitar, Lark! I still haven't sharpened it, so I won't worry about ruinin' the edge!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 6:00 pm
With an annoyed little growl Lark tossed back her blankets and stomped to the door. Nevermind that she was clad in her pajama shirt and shorts, nevermind that it was obvious she'd been crying -- the sooner she opened the door and let him in, the sooner he would maybe leave. She swung it open and stalked right back to her bed where she promptly curled back into the depths of her blankets.
"Said I'm fine," she grouched, her voice muffled. "Y'can go now." Her voice broke here and there when she spoke. Her back was turned to him as she curled up on her side.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 6:05 pm
Fiiiine, he thought with amusement mixed with concern. Hell, if this was fine, he was jackin' dandy. "Okay," he said as he stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. "I think we covered the going thing already." He followed her to the bed, sitting down on the edge of it and sliding his guitar strap over his shoulders.
"I think I'll just sit here for a while," he told her, tuning his guitar. "Maybe you should summon Ben? He could keep me company while you're busy being 'fine.'"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 6:09 pm
Oh, such a wail had never been heard before. First the wail, and then came the tears.
"I-I c-caaaaaaaan't s-s-suu-suummon h-him!!"
That was the only explanation he got for the time being. Lark was far too busy sobbing into her hands to explain exactly what she meant by that half-wailed, half-sobbed comment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 6:13 pm
Now, usually, it went against Roch's grain to climb into a ghoul's bed--much less one he barely knew, but she was under the covers, and he was climbing on top of them. Besides, this was definitely a reaper problem if he'd ever heard one.
"Lark?" he said quietly, stopping when he was beside her and leaning over her slightly. "Lark, what happened to Ben?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 6:30 pm
She had to get herself under control. This wasn't fair to Roch, and she couldn't blame him if he just decided to leave and never talk to her again. Thankfully... well, he wasn't going anywhere, and Lark found comfort in that.
Rubbing her eyes with fists until they were red, Lark peered up at Roch from behind swollen lids.
"He disappeared out there on t'field, Roch." Her voice trembled, but she seemed to have a grip on it. "Now m'scared that he's gone f'ever. Like... what if I try'n summon him n'he shows up all jiggered?" Her lip wibbled. She couldn't even remember the last time she'd cried like this. It was mortifying, but she just couldn't stop!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 6:33 pm
"Lark," he said quietly, bringing the guitar up in front of her. "Perfectly fine, see? Beautiful as ever. Well, other than the dinged edge," he said. "Hey," he went on abruptly. "Have you ever seen a reaper sharpen a guitar?"
She needed to get her mind off of the problem for a few, he thought. And this was as good a way as he could think of. "You'll have to wear a mask, of course. But it might be interesting."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 6:48 pm
Lark nodded. He was right, but then again... it was just a guitar. She didn't want to say anything on account of hurting his feelings. He'd been nothing but kind to her, and demeaning his beloved guitar would be way out of line. Her eyes did brighten when he mentioned sharpening the blade.
"Mask?" She sniffled quietly, using the edge of her blanket to whisk away any moisture that lingered on her cheeks and nose. "You'd let me watch ya sharpen her?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 6:56 pm
"Sure I will," he said. "But it might take a bit, so you should probably bring something to do if you get bored with it," he told her, climbing off the bed and looking around. "You should probably get dressed first," he told her. "I'll go into the kitchen while you do it? Cuz I don't trust you not to lock me out of the room."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 7:14 pm
Lark scrambled from the bed, grabbed her clothes from the back of the couch and shot into the bathroom immediately -- before he'd even finished speaking, really. The door closed with a soft click. Running water indicated Lark was washing her face and brushing her teeth, and when the ghoul reappeared from the bathroom she was almost back to normal. Aside from the puffy eyes, red nose and sallow complexion Lark almost looked normal.
Almost.
Shoving her feet into her boots, she straightened and peered at Roch.
"Ready. Won't get bored, promise." No way she would get bored. This was the opportunity of a lifetime as far as Lark was concerned.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 7:17 pm
"Alright," Roch said, heading to the door. He opened it, motioning for her to go first. There was no way he was going to lead and just expect her to follow, not when she had been hiding away from everyone.
"After you," he said. "There's a small smithy building next to the dorms, it's got an operating grinder. And I'll tell you how I learned how to do it--something I ain't ever told anyone before," he told her. "As soon as we're there."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
