Welcome to Gaia! ::

She looked at her! Well, of course she did. First of all, Tamiya stuck out like a sore thumb even amongst cultists. The fact that she had called Odette’s name was secondary, of course. Either way, Odette turning to spot her made Tamiya’s chest ache as though she had been surprised with this development.

“Odette! I heard all about you. Why? How? We—ah!” Tamiya bumbled. She looked at the redblood with new eyes. She was taller now, more elegant, more poised, and certainly less overtly pathetic than before. But her story… How could anyone survive something so tragic without faith? Tamiya’s only comfort was her constant support through the sweeps. “I did… I did not know your past! But…”

“I feel as though I know you now.”

Inwardly, Tamiya was spiraling towards complete disarray. The conflicting feelings that she held towards Odette and the new revelations of her rebel experience were stray thoughts. They were disconnected nonsense, interpreted by the forever optimistic synapses in Tamiya’s mirthful mind as a complete restart of their love story. She reached forward to grab Odette’s hands in her own.

Odette had practically wrenched her hands from Tamiya, leaving the purpleblood with a confused twitch of the lip. Now with nothing in her grasp, Tamiya scratched the back of her hands. She leaned in close to Odette as the starlet spoke. Tamiya was hard of hearing and even harder of understanding. And this she simply could not abide.

“What I… What I did.” Tamiya repeated. Her voice was deep and cool, the bottom of a stone well. “I was not the catalyst of your destruction.”

Her nails were beginning to tear at her own skin. She drew a limp hand up to point in Odette’s face, expression furrowing. “How, dearest. How do you denounce me still after my devotion towards you? How do you stand and ignore the harbinger of your darkest nights, the path you cut with your avian associates? You were all set to burn and you emerged, through no help from your darling Initiative. I have torn you from death and corruption, but you are still cursed if you so believe that your repugnant lover holds you in her pusher to this night. She is the source of your ********> corruption. What I did you was destined, ensured by her salacious slurry of entanglement in your piteous life.”

Tamiya’s desperation was cut with rapidly boiling fury. She reached forward again to take Odette’s shoulder, her eyes wide. Tamiya’s tone was taut, her muscles a tense wire “That is all over now, Odette. It is finally over, and I am here for you now. No more pretending.”

Tamiya opened her mouth to speak, and then closed it. She cocked her head. “I… Hmm.” Even Odette’s warm hand on her cheek didn’t make her feel all that better. Her words felt empty and evasive. Why?

For once, the clown was at a loss for words. Tamiya curled up her mouth and let a breathe escape when she realized she had been holding her breath. Such emotions seemed… Long in the past. Odette had grown so much since they were children – and clearly she had surpassed her ills. And now, even though she had saved her time and time again, Odette felt fear inside of her. Tamiya could not understand.

“I…” Tamiya began once again. This was a situation that was difficult for her to place. Not expecting their reunion to become so awkward, Tamiya’s hands twitched. She clasped them together in her sleeves and leaned forward to kiss Odette on the forehead. “I merely mean to protect you. Bloodfest and your new fame is clearly overwhelming. I will be in touch.”

Tamiya would have to talk to Sinter about this. Between fruitless rebel hunting and yet another failure to launch with Odette, something simply seemed amiss.

Just when she had thought there could be no further confusion to add to the mix, Odette caressed Tamiya. The clown flushed through her make-up, her mouth tensing in a tight-lipped frown as she restrained any reaction that surged through her. Odette’s eyelash flutter sealed the deal. “Y-yes…” Tamiya acquiesced. She now had no possible inkling of what was going on.

How could someone so distraught by her turn around and… And do such a thing? Tamiya scratched at her wrists under her sleeves. She bowed sharply, cleared her throat, and then turned quickly away. The heat in her face made her want to dive into the snow. This was unacceptable. This was no rejection – was it? This was… An invitation? Or was this a warning? She could still feel the subtle pull of Odette’s nails on her exposed neck. Tamiya’s lip quivered as she hustled away. Why was romance so complex?