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 Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 5:57 pm
"And WHAT do you want me to say? It's not like he'll be able to hear me, anyway."
"Mooom! Aunt Noyama already told you he can still read lips."
"He should probably learn to use his before he learns to read other peoples..."
Karoko was well aware she'd basically made the poor guy deaf, but when she said that, she glanced at her cluelessly. The teenager waved her arms around frantically, laughing nervously.
"Nothing!" she insisted innocently. Karoko didn't buy it, but also didn't prod about it. Didn't sound like anything she REALLY wanted to know...
"This is it," Karoko announced, knocking on the door once they'd reached it. This about the twenty-third time she'd had to do this, and each time it got more and more awkward. For her, anyway. Noharu didn't get embarassed over anything!
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 6:14 pm
Knocking on the door was really no good to anyone nowadays. Banda had never been able to hear the knock in the first place, so Lyrus was usually the one to answer the door for the few visitors they received. And now, with the lamb Sin gone, there was next to no chance of a warm welcome, much less any welcome at all. The few who had come a-calling had ended up wandering off, figuring Banda was out of the house.
Not so.
In fact, by sheer chance, Banda wasn't even the only one home this day. Venoch had just been settling down for a nap when the knock on the door attracted his attention. Leaving his comfortable pillow-bed, he hopped to the floor and, slinking from corner to corner, made his way to the far-too-open entrance hall. Only then remembering the door knob was too high.
Frowning, he changed directions and slipped towards the small living room, where Banda was catching a much-needed nap on the couch. Grinning maliciously, he crouched, sneaking closer, and closer... Without further ado he pounced, claws sinking deep into the flesh around Banda's nearest ankle.
The SkullMonkey awoke with a start and nearly kicked Venoch across the room before he recognized the demon. Wincing, he lifted his foot and attempted to pry Ven off, noting out of the corner of his eye the demon's mumbled 'Get the door, dumbass'.
Foot finally free, he stood and quickly limped the short distance to the front door, hopes rising as he opened the door. Maybe someone had found Lyrus? Who else would be coming to--oh. More than a bit confused, Banda glanced questioningly from Noharu to the little girl with her, debating whether he should just close the door and hope the woman didn't stab him or anything. "Um...Hello?"
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 6:21 pm
"Wow, you look like s**t," Noharu spat out, eyes a bit wider than before. Karoko glared dissaprovingly at her, but in all honest, it wasn't meant as an insult. Even so, the look from her daughter temporarily silenced her.
"Hello, Mr. Banda," Karoko greeted politely--a tone wasted on a deaf man, but she spoke in it automatically so it really didn't matter. Her smile was equally so. "My name's Karoko, I'll be over there." Facing Noharu, she covered one side of her mouth with her hands and mumbled, "And you better be nice and actually apologize, or I'll bring you back."
As the bat-eared girl walked away, Noharu turned and stuck her tounge out. She turned back to face Banda, raising an eyebrow. "Er..." Okay, how was she going to even START this one?
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 6:32 pm
Such a pleasant greeting. Really, he hadn't expected any less. And it was true, so why should she say otherwise? In recent days, Banda had all but given up on personal appearance, concerning himself instead with searching for his lost charge and avoiding Venoch's claws. Clothes were wrinkled, hair was matted, and scores of various sized wounds covered what parts of his skin were visable--and likely those that were not. He looked like he hadn't slept in weeks.
But at least he was clean?
"Thank you, Noharu, I'm well away of that," he replied wearily, nothing in his tone to show he had taken any offence, because he hadn't. Managing a genuine, if tired, smile to Karoko, he nodded slightly in reply, watching as she started away and, because of her hand, completely missing the exchange between her and Noharu.
Speaking of whom... "So... What brings you here?" he attempted, breaking the lingering silence. The mere idea of having a decent conversation with Noharu was bizarre, but the girl, Karoko, had seemed nice enough, so maybe the motives for the visit were good.
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 6:44 pm
"Daughters making me apologize to some people," the fox demon offered in a voice she was glad he couldn't hear, because it sounded pathetic. And by pathetic, she meant defeated. Noharu had lost to a kid she could just kill if she hadn't become so... not murderous.
Daughter was such a weird word to say, and it wasn't often she did say it. Usually, if she said 'Karoko' people knew who she was talking about. "So, uh..." Scratching her head, she sighed heavily. "I'm sorry I kissed you and made you deaf and tried to kill your kid--or brother or whatever--multiple times, probably some you're not aware of. And I'm sorry for telling my sister you were gay, though I don't really know if that's a lie or not."
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 6:56 pm
Woah, woah, woah, hold the phone. Noharu, Noharu had a daughter? And was actually listening to her? This was certainly something new. But Noharu's family life wasn't exactly something he had ever concerned himself with, so he let it slide by. She would probably be surprised by the little demon he had living with him.
As the apologies began, Banda was hard pressed not to look away. He couldn't, really, if he wanted to know what she was saying, but at the same time it was all rather embaressing. It was like some high school bully coming back years later and randomly apologizing for everything. He hadn't done anything to deserve her attacks and, well...Lyrus might have, but all the same.
And the last flat out surprised him. He blinked, then blushing faintly, lifted a hand to brush his hair out of his eyes, sighing. "Yes, well, apology accepted." He was silent a moment, then, turning, started back inside. "And I'm not. If you'd tell Noyama. Or something."
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:01 pm
Making this guy blush was too easy. She bet if she had mentioned something about him being a good kisser, she could've gotten him to look more like a tomato than a person--or whatever he was.
"Yeah, I will." Another sigh, and she tucked her arms behind her head. "Listen, for the record, I never had anything against you personally. I think your kids a little a a*****e, but as far as men go I think you're...okay. At least, I wouldn't have came near you if my sister didn't like you, because I only hurt you to hurt her, ya know?" Because that totally justified it. At least, she thought so.
Her eyes moved away, a thoughtful look directed to the sky. "He's gone, hm? Lyrus?"
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:17 pm
It was completely by chance that Banda happened to notice her speaking and paused to 'hear' her out. He hadn't expected much of a conversation from her after the apologies, but he wasn't adverse to talking with her, at the very least.
In terms of something he would do, he logic made no sense whatsoever to him. But in terms of what she would do... Well, yes, he could see her being a bit vindictive. "It's alright, really," he assured her, managing another weak smile. "I kinda had a feeling that was it, actually. My brothers used to do the same sort of thing to each other. It's no big deal."
Of course, he hadn't heard a thing since she had smashed his headphones, and Moo had been too out of it to remember to make him new ones. But he could deal with being deaf. He had no choice in the matter, after all.
With her final words, his smile faltered, eyes falling towards the ground as he nodded. After a pause, he sighed, shrugging slightly and pulling up one sleeve to display the grotesque array of wounds. "I've been having a lot of trouble with these lately, finally got to the point where I asked an..aquaintance of mine to help out. He gave me some stuff to aid the healing, but it knocked me out to boot. And, from what I gathered, while I was out Lyrus pissed him off..."
Again pausing, he sighed once more, letting the sleeve fall. "Drugged him up, left him somewhere is my guess. He wouldn't tell me where. I've been looking for him, but..." He shrugged.
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:30 pm
Yep, she knew it.
Noharu was no seer, no mind reader. It was just, for someone with only one working eye, she could read other peoples well. Noyama had the same look in hers all the time when Kilah had gone missing however many amount of times. She had to give the kid credit, she'd survived a lot.
Modest as ever, Noharu. Which, as always, was not at all. Without blinking, her hands reached out and took his arm, pulling the sleeve back up and making an unpleasent face. Damn, she'd killed people without ******** them up this bad before.
Her face lowered a bit so she was looking up at him, so she knew he could see her talking. "Listen, these Sin'aeis things... I've tried to kill a few of them. A lot. They're like throwing a tennis ball at a wall--they keep bouncing back and smacking you in the face. Wherever that little brat is, he'll eventually come back."
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:41 pm
Out of habit, Banda cringed away when she eached for his arm, but, realizing she meant no harm, patiently held it still while she inspected the wound. It was a rather disgusting sight, all in all. There was no way he could bandage so many and still function properly, and so he had left them open, cleaning them well every so often, and temporarily covering them with gauze when excessive bleeding had him feeling light headed.
Though hands and neck were flecked with wounds, they were nothing compared to what his clothes hid. His arm was literally caked with scabs and reopened scars, some of which had taken on a greenish tinge despite his care. There were just too many. It was a wonder he could sleep at all, having to put pressure on such injuries.
He had slept very little of late.
"I know the Sins're good at...bouncing back from the grave, but," he shrugged helplessly, fighting a pained expression. "I can't help but worry. He's been gone for weeks now. This happened shortly after he heard Kilah died, and.. I'm honestly not sure what to think. How he's managing, if he is, and if he'll ever come back at all, given how upset he was over her death. It's weighing on my conscious knowing he's out on the streets somewhere. I've been there."
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:52 pm
Found out Akilah died? How?
Noharu didn't know about Karoko parading around handing out her 'death tapes' as the girl called them. If she had, she'd probably have been angry over it. Because she was Noharu, and she was just like that.
"What do you mean?" she asked without thinking, then shook her head. "Nevermind. But, Akilah's alive, so when he comes back you can tell him not to worry about that. And, if he surived being her friend, I'm sure 'the streets' aren't going to hurt him any. Hell, he'll probably be better when he comes back. Chicken girl was."
Noharu had never been on 'the streets', but she had been locked in a cellar for years, had her eyeshot out thanks to her own mother, and had her first daughter thrown into a volcano. That was probably close enough, right?
You'd have thought she was a friend of his, examining his arm so intensely like that. Finally, she let him go and lifted a hand to his face, tilting it forcefully so she could see his eyes better. Having only one, she had to strain usually to focus on something. "You should try sleeping. I hear it's great."
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 8:10 pm
"She's alive?" He raised a brow, then shook his head. No surprise there, really. This was Kilah, after all. She always popped up again sooner or later. "Glad to hear she's alright," he continued absently, preoccupied. Well, that would certainly cheer Lyrus, but...
He frowned, shaking his head once more. "There's a lot that goes on out there. And knowing Iago, he wouldn't have left him in anywhere nice. Not to mention it's midwinter and his coat's still in his bedroom. How'm I supposed to not worry?"
He let his arm fall back to his side, the sleeve lazily falling back into place to his his wounds. However, any further words were cut of as she raised her hand to his face, causing him to tense immediately for fear of who knew what. Grinning sheepishly with her words, he let himself relax with a nod, half-heartedly attempting to tug his head free. "The cuts keep me awake, mostly."
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 8:18 pm
She had to admit, it was kind of amusing to watch him flinch or cringe every time she touched him. Did he really expect her to hurt him with Karoko standing right over there? If she didn't care what Karoko thought, she wouldn't be here to begin with. Ah, emotional ties were such a pain in the a**.
"You got some psycho b***h girlfriend or something?" Noharu wouldn't be surprised with the answer, she had a feeling. When he tried to pull away she let him, crossing her arms and gazing up at him expectantly, ears twitching.
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 8:30 pm
It wasn't so much that he expected her to hurt him. More that past experience around her had resulted in some form of hurt or other and, regardless of earlier apologies, it was hard reminding himself that she might just be...remotely nice? That, and most touches of late resulted in a wince due to the cuts and such. So flinching was habit.
"No," he replied shortly. Though a psycho b***h girlfriend might just be less trouble. "I have a short tempered demon with a love for blood living with me. His name's Venoch, he's about a foot tall, he's killed so many birds that they don't come near out house anymore, and his claws are about as long as my fingers," he finished, voice holding almost a bored tone. Venoch was Venoch. He was used to it. Or, as used to it as he could get.
"I'm too nice to kick him out," he added sarcastically.
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 9:00 pm
"True," Noharu agreed, despite his tone of voice. He was one of the only people she knew still alive who would give shelter to such a horrid little thing. Lock him in the cellar and shoot his eye out, she thought with a snort. That'll fix any kid.
She decided against saying that out loud since he wouldn't be able to hear her tone, and her past records didn't support her speaking jokingly of such things. "Birds are extremely annoying creatures," she offered half-heartedly. What? They were.
Quickly, she glanced over her shoulder to see if Karoko was ready. As always, the probably too patient for her own good kid just sat there and examined the grass. Noharu's eyes flickered back to Banda.
"You know, in all seriousness, that kid might be smart enough to fix your little headphone things soon. Admittedly, I almost feel guilty for doing it. Except the first part." She grinned and tapped her lips playfully, eyes sparking.
Not that she honestly enjoyed kissing men, but it was too good an opportunity to make him red again to pass up. For whatever reason, it was amusing. Maybe she liked the color.
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