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 Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 6:59 pm
:: Waters Rising :: The Storm's Effect Early morning in the Delaran house was usually such a quiet, peaceful thing. It was one of the rare times Eiry wasn’t being obnoxiously mischievous, and with Isikoro often sleeping in lately, Aphismet would be able to go downstairs and have his coffee, read the paper, and just relax before he had to begin the usual housework. If Aphismet only had one wish to add to the usual routine, it would be for Alex to be around more often. She was so often away for work… But overall, Aphi could easily admit that he loved mornings. This one, however, would be far from the usual quiet and peace. Very VERY far. The first problem came the moment Aphismet woke up. He shivered from the cold and blearily wondered WHY it was so chilly in his bedroom. Shifting slightly on the bed to look at the thermostat, Aphismet gasped to hear a very unwelcome “squish”, followed directly by the explanation for that sound: a few droplets smacked the chef on the nose. Aphismet frowned up at the ceiling… ”Oh no!” he exclaimed, covering his mouth. His bed was soaked through! The storm must have pulled shingles off the roof! Peering over the edge of his bed, Aphismet groaned as he noticed how there wasn’t a very large puddle of water on the floorboards… The water must be dripping through to the room below! The paint room, or Eiry’s? Oh goodness, hopefully not the paint room! No one was staying in the minty Sigel’s room right now, so if it was dampened that wouldn’t be so bad, but… Cursing, Aphi got out of bed and hurried to find some dry clothes, his mind running rampant with worry. Oh gosh, what if it dripped even lower? The kitchen! And were there leaks in the other rooms too? Was Isi going to be catching a cold if he sleeps in a wet bed? Aphi himself didn’t feel all that good… This morning wasn’t going to be getting much better. Aphi first woke Isi and groaned to find another two leaks in the teenager’s room, though thankfully none that had landed on Isikoro’s bed. On the second storey they found a leak in the painting room, ruining some of the stored canvas. Aphi groaned again, covering his mouth. They also found one leak in Eiry’s room and two in Rivener’s, though the Scorpion didn’t seem to care. He’d woken when the humans barged in, looking as glum and lifeless as he had since the beach party… Then lastly, downstairs came the REAL shock. “AAARGHHH!” Aphismet screamed, grabbing at his hair. There was an inch and a half of water on the floor!! Everything was flooded!! Glancing outside finally, Aphismet gasped to see their entire yard covered in marshy water. “The garden! The CAR!! Your SCOOTER! Oh god, the KITCHEN! The TV, the couches, the-… Oh god!” Aphismet took a deep breath, telling himself to calm down. It wouldn’t do any good to freak out, he had to be level-headed and see to his family’s safety. They’d figure out how to deal with all the losses once the flooding receded. Okay, he needed to prioritize. He went back up to the second floor landing, staring down at the flooded lower level, tapping his chin. Ok, first, they needed to get somewhere dry until this storm blew over and the water receded. A motel would do, somewhere close to work maybe, in Durem. Then he needed to call Alex and let her know not to come back here while it was flooded, give her their new adress at the motel. Then he needed to call an insurance adjuster to come look at the damages… Though that would probably only be possible later when the flood waters receded. Still, there was no harm in calling now and at least figuring out what their coverage would cover. If Aphismet needed money to help with repairs he would have to go to the bank and get a loan. He had some saved up, but this looked like a LOT of damages… “WHAT?!” Came Rivener’s startled cry from his room, and Aphismet ran to the Sigel’s door before he could even comprehend what his feet were doing. The chef grabbed onto the doorway and he stared at his charge, silently looking for the problem. Rivener was sitting at his computer, fists clenched on the desk. He barely glanced at Aphi. “…Computer’s busted. Leaked on it.” With a sigh, Rivener leaned his head in his hands, shoulders deflating. Another loss, though material, stung no less than everything else had stung this week. He didn’t move even once Aphi walked in and patted his shoulder consolingly. ~~~~ They packed up whatever they could carry, hoping to keep it dry by wrapping it all in garbage bags, and then left the house. Aphismet made Rivener carry his bags so that the chef could in turn carry Isikoro piggy-back: they couldn’t take the car, since the water had gotten into the engine. Aphismet had tried to start it, but to no avail. They’d have to walk until they reached dry ground again, then use a cell to call a cab. Isikoro would have a hard time wading in water that reached Aphi’s knees, so the chef insisted on carrying his brother at least until the levels lowered. Rivener floated well clear of the water, staring at it with baleful acceptance. Eiry, whose attic had been hit quite thoroughly with leaks, carried only whatever books hadn’t been water-logged… which weren’t many. The Delaran men trudged on for nearly three hours in the water, Aphi finally putting Isikoro down half-way when the water reach only up to mid-shin. Their pace had slowed a bit then, but no one complained. Eventually they stepped out of the flood grounds, climbing up a short hill and finding only dry road beyond. Aphismet heaved a sigh and borrowed Rivener’s cell phone, and soon after the foursome were one cab-ride away from Durem Caves North. Aphismet had them brought to the Royal Durem, the hotel atop which the Crystal Carafe stood. Convenient, so why not? He booked them a room (all four would share a double-king bed room to save money) and they headed up. There, first priority complete. Aphismet set to work on his other tasks, sitting on a bed while the others began settling in. He called Alex and let her know about the water damages and the flooding, advising her to stay away for now. She assured the white-haired man that she‘d call Brad and have him arrange for someone to go look at the damages later. Aphi then called the insurance people and informed them of the situation, engaging into a long conversation about their coverage and its details. The news wasn’t nearly as horrid as Aphi had thought, far from it, but he’d keep that to himself until the appraisers had come to look at the house. Between Brad’s contact and the insurance inspector, Aphismet would have a good idea of what the cost of repairs should be. At least he didn’t think he’d need a bank loan, so one less thing to do today. Now that all that was taken care of, Aphismet turned back to his immediate family. Isikoro was taking this all very hard, he’d need Aphi’s full support. And Rivener, with the storm ongoing, he hadn’t fed in so long his rune was beginning to dim slightly… Aphismet didn’t know what he could possibly do about that, except try to keep Rivener fed on human food. He’d bring them things to eat from the restaurant later. Sighing, the chef wondered if they’d come out of this in one piece…  CLICK FOR RIVENER'S VIDEO BLOG ENTRY
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Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 7:00 pm
:: Breaking the Bad News ::
An MSN RP with Storei
featuring
Aphismet and Isikoro Aphismet hung up the phone and sighed deeply, covering his eyes with a hand. He knew this wasn't going to be good news to Isi, although really it could have been much worse... At least they wouldn't be left destitute, since the insurance settlement would be enough to afford them a home again. But breaking the news... hm. With another sigh, the chef turned to find his brother sitting in a chair on the other side of the room. A few short steps brought Aphi to the closest bed and he sat on the edge of it. Rivener was out to work, Eiry was elsewhere... It was just them. "Um, Isi. How are you holding up?"With a glare that could've withered plantlife, Isi glanced to Aphi. They boy had been as tense as he possibly could since the destruction to his ex-plantation home, and he had reached a new level of grumpiness. Sleep was something Isi only achieved when he exhausted himself to the point that he could do anything but and proof of his stress hung underneath his eyes in deep bags. He wasn't coping well, and even just trying to get him to talk was a task, so when Aphi approached, it was the first time in a while that someone had actually decided to wrestle him for answers. He didn't look too pleased with being accosted. Giving a slight twinge of his nose, making an effectively threatening snarl, Isi acknowledged his brother's presence with a voice that could've cut through ice. "Fine," he said, a default reply. Aphismet sighed and just looked down to the ground between them, frowning lightly. He was glad Isi didn't force an adult face with him, the boy could be himself around his brother and that's how Aphismet wanted it... But he also wished it wouldn't always be so hard to deal with the young man. "Listen, I just got off the phone with the insurance people." There'd be no point beating around the bush. Nothing Aphi said would soften this blow. "...They tell me the damage to the house is... ah, very extensive. The foundation's cracked in multiple places. Water seeped through the walls on the main floor and damaged the structural integrity. There was actually a short circuit while we were here, and part of the living room got burned, though nothing too big... Anyway, the point is they're writing it off as a Total Loss, recommending demolition, and offering us the full coverage amount so we can buy a NEW house."The information could've had the same effect as a cannon blast against Isi, although its effects weren't immediately visible to the eye. It was a slow and gradual kind of explosion, passing in slow motion it seemed, until finally Isi jerked up straight in his seat, looking as if he were about to explode in place. For a boy who had been orphaned before, a home, nonetheless his first and only home of rememberance, was more or less, his metaphorical church, a castle or monument. Simply said, it was more than just a house. To hear that it was essentially destroyed, scheduled to be demolished, was like hearing that his world was going to be blown up beneath his feet. A sinkhole seemed to open up in Isi's stomach, and his already tense body began to shake with anguish. "You're telling me that our home....MY home...Is going to be pushed over like it's a house made out of cards? Nothing more than that?! It's just going to be blown away?! That's STUPID!" Yanking himself up from the seat, Isi stormed away from the bearer of ill news. There wasn't much room for him to storm around in, their motel room was small at best. He wobbled to the window, grabbed the cheap plastic blinds and threw them against the glass, making a loud racket as he passed by and came to stand further away along the wall. He spun around on his heels then, holding himself steady against the wall as he looked at Aphi with a sense of betrayal, "That's ******** up!"Aphismet could only watch helplessly, clearly wearing his heart on his sleeve as the younger Delaran raged around the room. Aphi's brows were tacked up in the center, his lips pressed together to enforce his silence while Isikoro took his just reaction, causing as much racket as the boy could. When Isi spun around to face him though, after ranting about how HIS house, not just THEIR house but HIS, was going to pulled down, Aphi tried to remain strong, brows dropping back into a severe line. He knew it wasn't his fault, his failing that the house had flooded... But Aphi still felt like this was his failure. As though he could have done things differently and saved them from this. "...I know, Isi, it is stupid and ******** up. But to fix the house we'd have to rebuild it completely. It'd be too expensive, we can't afford that. ...I'm really sorry, there's nothing I can do."For those few painful moments while he still digested the information, Isi was, utterly and completely placing all the blame on Aphismet's shoulders. He looked at him as if Aphi himself had planned the foul weather, had somehow instigated the oldness of the house and raised the waters to flood their bottom floor. Isi was red, his face contorted into an ugly mask of rage. "You don't get it, do you? You don't understand what that house is to me! That's my house, that's where I belong! That's where I was brought and that's where I want to stay! It's the first thing that was actually MINE, something that's a part of me, and you're just talking on about it like it's not important, like it didn't mean anything, like it can be replaced! WELL, IT CAN'T. You can't replace a place! You can't replace that house and everything in it, and I mean EVERYTHING, you can't replace the sounds, the smells, the way the light highlights the walls, the memories! You can't replace that! You just CAN'T. And it's going to be gone? All of it? Just gone, like that? And you don't care! You just...They just...!" Frustration became the clog in Isi's throat. He choked for a few moments, unable to get out any more words. He slapped a palm to his forehead and gave a passionate yell through his teeth, as if the noise would dislodge the lump in his throat. But it didn't. Instead, Isi slumped against the wall, and let his weak legs buckle out from underneath him, the friction of his back against the wall guiding him into a crumpled knot. Aphismet turned his gaze down and kept it there, accepting all of his brother's bile without saying a word. He knew Isi didn't mean all of it to sound as harsh as it was, he knew Isi didn't hate him as deeply as it sounded. The yell was the last of it, followed by Isikoro falling to the floor. Aphi remained seated for a while, calming himself down... He needed to be the rock, and that couldn't happen if Isi saw how upset and near-tears Aphi himself was. The chef swallowed thickly and finally moved, slowly inching over to kneel beside his brother, unsure if his presence would even be welcomed at this point. One soft hand placed itself on top of the dual-colored hair, patting consolingly. "I do care. Of course I do. That was my home too, my first real home. You think I want any of this to happen? Please believe if there was anything I could do to stop this, I would do it. Tell me, Isi, what you want me to do. What CAN I do."Underneath Aphi's hand, the boy quivered, angrily staring out from behind messy bangs at the man who dared touch him. For some time, he stared at his with nothing but ire in his eyes, but slowly, over time, Isi was melted by the somber look in his brother's eyes. That's right...Isi remembered that this man, although not related by blood, was his brother. There had never been a time when Aphi rose a hand against him, shouted at him, or threatened him. He was always patient, understanding and kind, always looking out for him even when Isi didn't realize it. This was another one of those times, and here he was, raising a hand against him, shouting, and threatening the man who agreed to be his brother. With his eyes softening while his face remained hot and red, Isi stared at his brother and gave a long wet sniff. The next movement he made was a series of awkward shuffles that landed him underneath the arm that patted his head, and, still bearing his teeth like an animal, Isi pushed his head against Aphi's shoulder. "This is stupid, this is all stupid, and I hate it. I don't know what to do. That's why I hate it. I don't know what to do about our home."Aphismet couldn't deny the relief he felt at feeling his little brother cuddle up like that. Thank goodness he doesn't really hate me now, the chef thought. He continued petting Isi's head, but wrapped his other arm around the boy's shoulders, hugging him tightly. "...It's normal to hate it. It's okay to feel powerless about it. I don't know what we can do either..." He knew he'd have to broach the subject of looking for a NEW home, but perhaps he could leave his poor sibling a few moments to recover from this shock. Aphi would just rock lightly and call "Shhh, shhh" until Isi's sniffles would calm down. Sinking into a secure grip in Aphismet's arms only reminded Isi of their staggering loss. For a couple moments he sat there, quiet and small, face scrunched up into complicated knots and folds. His brother's words did little as he tryed to reign his tired self back into control and before much time had passed, the anger welled up again. Clenching his fists tight, he gave another loud scream in his closed mouth. "I don't want this to happen! I just want to go back and everything be normal again. This is STUPID, why can't the house just...There's nothing we can do to save it? Nothing at all? Damn! That's so stupid! THIS is stupid!" Isi gestured at the cramped motel room with his free arm before he returned to wringing his grip on his shirt, threatening to rip the fabric. He moved away from Aphi to stare at him with tired eyes, still burning, "Aphi...! What about Eiry?" Aphismet frowned, though thankfully Isi wouldn't see from where he was currently hiding. The boy only looked up at the end, and Aphismet blinked in confusion... "Eiry? What about him?" The chef had been at work most of the time, or on the phone with insurance and contractors, or trying to deal with his own problematic Raevan... He hadn't known what problem Eiry was having exactly. "He's panicking! Do you know what he's doing right now? He's trying to hide from Fletcher. Fletcher's followed him, trying to get him to do something about the house, and there are so many other ghosts here. They've all been murdered or they died choking here in the hotel. They're bothering him too, and Eiry's already devastated about his books. He's a mess and I can't find any dead things around here for him to eat! There's nothing here in the city, because everything is kept so god damn nice and watered." Isi bunched up the fabric of his shirt into a firm grip. "At the marsh it wasn't so hard...I could find dead plants for him anywhere. And now we're here in this god damned place!" Aphismet's grip tightened on Isi without his express consent. The chef's jaw clenched with stress and he closed his eyes, trying to calm down and keep a level head. Isi wasn't trying to make him feel worse, he was only concerned, but-... there was only so much pressure Aphismet could take, and he could feel himself quickly approaching the edge. He forced his voice to be calm when he spoke. "Isi, I don't know what we can do. We CAN'T do anything about the house. I don't know how to help Eiry with Fletcher. What we CAN do is get out of the hotel... The insurance money from the coverage on the house is enough for us to buy something smaller than we're use to, so we can try and hurry to find something. In the meantime we might be able to move into the Lab instead, Eiry is comfortable enough there, isn't he? So we can go to the Lab and bunk there until we find a new house. As for plants... We could drive back to the swamps if Eiry needs food. Or he could do like Rivener and eat human things, until their food source becomes regular again. Alright? I'm sorry, Isi, that's the best I can think of for any of this."Caught tight in the firm grip of Aphi's arms, Isi, for the first time, didn't complain at being held so close. He bit his teeth hard together, waiting until his jaw ached to speak again. He didn't want to say what he was about to, but there was nothing else to be said. All of his displeasure had already exploded out of him, he had already complained about everything that was pinned against him. There was nothing else to say except, "....Fine. Just...If I can't have the house....Then I want to have Eiry safe. Let's get him away from this place, it's terrible...Whatever just...Do what we have to do, let's do that. I just...I don't even care anymore. I'm just so angry, I don't even care."Aphi's lips tightened into disapproval, but he couldn't very well ask Isi to suddenly be alright with all this. They'd pack up and go to the Lab, and like Isi said they would do what they needed to do. Find food for their Raevans, find a new house to live in... Aphismet could only hope that whatever cloud of misfortune had befallen them would lift soon. If Isi never made peace with having to move, it was just something Aphismet would have to learn to deal with. "Alright then. Let's pack." He slowly got up, pulling his brother along to the closest bed so they could start on their task. Maybe keeping Isikoro occupied would dull his pain for a moment. That was certainly how Aphi would be keeping his own sanity intact. He began pulling their suitcases, readying for the move. They'd check out as soon as possible.
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Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 7:00 pm
:: Temporary Home :: [ Temporary Home ]The Delarans flee their hotel and find refuge at the Lab thanks to Kyou's generosity.
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Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 7:02 pm
:: House Hunting :: [ House Hunting ]Aphismet and Isikoro have a sit-down to discuss their housing options.
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 6:51 pm
 A shoebox wrapped in brown paper arrives. The address is written in all capitals, hiding the sender's handwriting, and the return to sender is a post office box in Gambino.
The package is addressed to:
RIVENER DELARAN
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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 4:34 pm
:: The Shoebox :: A box had come for him, and so Rivener took it without question, carried it into the cafeteria (where, oddly, one could find the most privacy and solitude here; no one ever looked in the cafeteria) and set it on the farthest table in the back corner. With a soft sigh Riv flopped into the seat and looked in the box... Scraps of paper? With things written on them? The Scorpion pulled one out at random, finding a Shakespearean quote scrawled on neatly. ...What was this, a joke from Eiry? Something to make him feel better? Rivener sighed again, unable to summon the will to care. He up-ended the box on the table, figuring he might as well read all the damned things, when the folded letter placed at the bottom of the box tumbled out.
Hm, perhaps this would be a better clue as to the sender of this box of messages. Clawed fingers pulled the thing close and unfolded it, red eyes settling on the first few words...
Rivener read the whole letter silently, his posture betraying no feeling at all. That was just the thing, in fact; he felt nothing at all. He should have been something, right? Forgiving, angry still, confused, something. But there was only blank apathy, like he was reading a book involving someone else. Lucia was sorry. Alright, fine. She was telling Rivener how she felt awful, alright, fine. She'd spoken to Aphismet to check up on him, alright, fine. None of it made a lick of difference. Rivener just sighed once more, putting the letter down and setting to the task of reading all these notes. Might as well see this through to the end.
Some of them were depressing. Others were nice, and Rivener could see how they would be uplifting if he could manage any kind of a heart at the moment. A few were memorable enough that Rivener comitted them to memory for later, knowing he would need them when he could feel again. And as luck would have it, the one from Lucia herself was the last one Rivener found and read.
Something triggered his memory and Rivener gasped, frowning. He paled, his shaking fingers dropping the note. Th-this was... It was nice and all, but if Zul found this, he would think Rivener is leading Lucia on again! He would doubt Rivener's love again! This couldn't be here, Riv shouldn't have read it, this couldn't be here! What if Zul found it?! Alex worked here, she might see-...
Frantic, Riv grabbed the box and hurriedly shoveled all the notes back inside. He closed the top like he was holding a critter prisoner within, something with teeth and disease that would get loose and attack if he didn't keep the lid closed tight. Breathing hard, more animated than he'd been in weeks now, Rivener bolted out of the room so fast he sent his chair clattering to the floor. A fireplace, a fireplace... There was one in that bedroom Aphi used! This was where Rivener went, nearly knocking over half the things in the corridor in his belligerent race to destroy this evidence. His eyes were wide and wild, his ears strained to pick up the sound of anyone else, and his heart pounded so hard it physically hurt the inside of his chest.
Rivener met no one in the halls. He barged into Aphi's room without resistance, the chef being away at work. Making a fire was a quickly accomplished task, though made more difficult by the box he stubbornly kept under his arm, fearing it might be swept away by someone else if he put it down. Only when that box was thrown on the fire, bright licks of light edging up the cardboard, did the Scorpion begin to breathe easier. He wrung his hands in his shirt and tried not to fall apart. His careful shell of nothingness had been shattered for a moment and he wasn't ready to deal with the world yet, but he couldn't just cry, not here. There were witnesses here. So he had to hold it in and build up his fortress of nothing again.
Lucia's notes, her letter, and her apology were burnt to ash. Rivener watched it the entire time. By the time it was done, the Sigel had gotten himself under control again, and it was like none of this had ever happened. He'd never read that letter. He'd not even received a shoebox full of notes.
Though in his mind remained those few helpful snippets of prose.
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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 4:35 pm
:: A Heart-Shaped Hole ::
An MSN RP with Chrystali It was late, an hour that the woman often still worked at, but not tonight. Alex sat on the bed she and Aphismet had been sharing in the Lab, fully dressed with her legs tucked beneath her, a worried kleenex held in her vice-like grip. Work-worn fingertips lightly pressed over her brow and cheek, her eyes heavily lidded to hide the constant threat of tears that had sprung up since her talk with Zul two nights ago. She'd been unable to change his mind and, in the end, her hand was forced. She had to talk to Aphismet. She had to tell him...she would not be moving with him when the time came. Aphismet had returned from work happy, convinced that things were going to be looking up. He'd found their house, he'd started the process of buying it, even Isi didn't seem so reticent anymore... Soon they'd be out of the lab and back to a home of their own. From there, the other little things would begin to mend up: Eiry would hopefully stop being visited by city-ghosts, Rivener would cheer up a bit, the gap between Riv and Zul would lessen... The chef considered dropping by Alex's office to say hello to her, but he knew she was probably busy. He'd see her later, when she came to bed. Aph headed upstairs with a smile, shedding his coat and carrying it under an arm. When he entered the room, however, it was like cold water had been poured down his back. The smile dropped off his face, he paled, his arms twitched and dropped the coat to the ground. "Alex?" he asked, keeping his voice calm despite his inner panic. She NEVER looked upset! Something must be terribly wrong! He hurried to her side, sitting on the bed and wrapping arms around the Italian. "What happened?"Green eyes turned upwards at the sound of her name, startled; she hadn't even heard him come in! Her lips parted, but nothing came out as the chef sat next to her and wrapped her up in his familiar, warm embrace, prompting her lids to become heavy with unshed tears. "Aphi," she murmured in a wavering voice, lifting her arms to wrap around his shoulders and neck. Alex buried her face into his neck,the grief and upset for what she was about to do tearing her apart inside. This was going to be as easy as pulling her heart out of her chest...which was exactly what she felt like she was doing. Pressing a quick kiss to his neck, she pulled back enough to look at him; her dark cheeks reddened with the flush of tears that wanted to fall, her throat tight. "Aphi, um..." I have some bad newswas a bit on the obvious side. Cutting to the chase, she swallowed around her heart in her throat, saying softly, "Zul doesn't want to move back in." She paused with a small hiccup, one of the tears freeing itself from her tortured gaze, lips again moving without sound. Drawing in a shuddering breath, she squeezed out, "I can't leave him..." Aphismet's heartbeat began to pound in his ears as she half-whimpered his name like that, hugging him back tightly... The chef's mind was quickly running amok with the worst possibilities now. What could possibly make Alex this upset?! Had something happened to her brother? or to one of their Raevans? Was Isikoro alright? Aphismet was starting to think someone had died, and his breathing slowly accelerated with the onset of a panic attack. Alex pulled away to look at him, and the chef forced himself under control for the moment. He couldn't go to pieces, he had to be the rock. He pressed his lips together and listened closely to whatever she'd be telling him, knowing it was important... Zul doesn't want to move back in. The chef's face froze. His heart, his blood, his lungs, everything came to a standstill, shocked. He knew what she'd say next, and all he could do in response is blink a few times. "A-ah?" The sound was all that could escape, the chef struggling to figure out what he could say to that. What COULD he say to that?! A light frown pulled his gaze down to the floor, and he nodded faintly. "...Of course you can't leave him. I under-... stand." He did understand, but he couldn't help how he felt about it. With luck he'd be able to hide that. He wouldn't meet her gaze, and his arms began slipping free from around her, reluctantly. Did this mean they'd have to end? Or was this just a break? They should make it clear, but the white-haired man was afraid to ask. And the dark-haired woman was afraid to clarify. As Aphismet's arms and eyes slipped from her, Alex felt the need to cry welling hard in her chest. Removing her arms from him, she pressed her hands over her face and bowed her back, shaking violently as she warred to repress the tears that were squeezing past her shut eyes. Why did every stable thing in her life have to be torn asunder? The Italian wanted nothing more than to be able to put the blame on someone else, but that would mean blaming Zul...and in her heart of hearts, she could not do it. She loved him with all her soul, she loved Aphismet with all her heart, and separating the two was going to destroy her. Taking in a ragged breath, she lowered her hands; her lips trembled, her eyes staring sightlessly at the floor, the fight seeming to drain out of her body as defeat settled in. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting from Aphismet, but she supposed acceptance hadn't been it. "I'm sorry," she whispered in a tear-filled voice, lifting her index finger to brush away another tear. She moved away from him on her own the instant he'd begun to let go, and Aphismet had to fight every fibre of his being to let her go. He wanted nothing more than to hold her closer, fight this, yell about it, demand things, but what right had he? What right had he to anything? He knew, long before, that he was never going to be number one to Alex. Zul would come first. He couldn't begrudge her that. And he had made peace with it, he'd be content with whatever corner of her heart Alex could spare for him, but this-... Aphismet didn't think it would ever have come to this. He leaned forward with elbows on his knees and clenched his own eyes shut, lacing his fingers together and squeezed his hands until it was painful. "...What's going to happen, then?" he asked, his voice low to hide how weak it had become. He'd found the courage to ask, simply because the silence hurt more. "Are we-... is this over? Can't we just-... Can't we just go back to before you moved in? Can't I still be with you?" She wouldn't be crying this badly if she thought they'd still be together, right? Aphismet shook all over, wondering how far he should go to keep this. He wanted to keep this, he loved her. He loved Alex. But he never wanted to force his wishes on anyone, so how could he possibly fight to keep something when she didn't want it anymore? She couldn't look at him, not easily. She knew that if he was reacting even a fraction of how she was, she'd break. Alex did not break, never had, and damnit, even if it wasn't her turn to be the rock, it was all she knew to be. Squeezing the kleenex still squished pitifully in her hand, she had to take several breaths before she could respond, wrestling with the questions. As much as she hated it, she didn't have answers. Rubbing the curve of her knuckle against her lips, trying to gain some sort of foothold with the turmoil that had her blind and drowning, she replied with hitching words, "I don't--know. I can't...think. I can only--I only feel, and...it hurts. Oh, god, I hurt so much..." And the tears came with renewed vengeance, forcing her to hide her eyes with a shaking hand. She had one question to pose to him, and his answer, she supposed, would also answer his questions. "What if...he never...changes his mind?" Zul was her responsibility. Aphismet taught her to love after years of solitude. Was there no balance to be found? Aphismet let out a breath of relief. She didn't know the answer to his question, but that was so much better than a clear-cut "no". His hands relaxed from the deathgrip they'd had on themselves, and the chef's shoulders sagged from the tense line they'd been. Alex began sobbing then, and Aphismet felt centered enough that he could once again be a rock. He slipped one arm back around the woman's shoulders and hugged her close, turning his head to press his forehead to the side of her temple. He spoke quietly. "If he doesn't change his mind, it doesn't matter. Raevans, like children, will grow up and eventually leave the nest, right? I can wait. I love you, Alex, and I can wait for you as long as I need to. Just... don't-..." Oh great, NOW he was starting to feel the tears, but he frowned and shoved them back, swallowing. He didn't like even thinking of this possibility. "...-don't get over me or forget me while we're apart, okay?"The woman's body tensed for a brief moment at the touch, but realizing that he was reaching out to her, Alex relaxed against the chef, leaning into him and drawing strength from his reassurance. It was true...one day, Zul wouldn't be with her anymore. While the idea gave her a cold shock, the notion that she would have the ability to be with Aphismet again outweighed it. The words he spoke to her made her sit up abruptly, her tear-laden eyes very nearly glaring. " Forget you? Agh! Aphi!" She actually smacked him on the shoulder for that in a loving, chiding manner, surprising herself by laughing through the tears. "I love you, you...you doofus, don't you dare forget me--" She moved off the bed then, putting a leg over the chef's own so that she was in his lap, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and leaning in to impart a salty tear-kiss. "Don't wait," she finally said at length, finding focus in him. If she didn't have to deal with her own emotions, she was better off. "Be happy, Aphi. If we're in a g-good place when that day comes..." What would be, would be. Knowing he loved her and supported her was all she could a ask for. Aphismet flinched in surprise at the smack on his shoulder, attempting a sheepish grin. She seemed adamant that she wouldn't forget him, and hearing that she loved him drew an elated chuckle from the chef, though he blinked back a tear. Alex repositioned onto Aphi's lap and the chef wrapped her up in a hug, feeling his insides flutter. This wasn't going to be bad. It wasn't going to be the end. This was just a hiccup, a road bump. After their kiss, Alex declared he shouldn't wait, and the chef only raised an eyebrow, eyes hard and severe. "Alex, you can't tell me not to wait. Why would I want to be with anyone else? I'll wait if I feel like it. And just because we're not living together, it doesn't mean we can't still be together, right? I can still go see you, can't I? Unless-... Unless it's me Zul doesn't want to see?" Dark eyes frowned. If that was the case... A smile curved her lips then, though her face was still flushed and tears still clung to her long lashes. "I know, Aphi," she replied softly, touching her brow to his. "I'm sorry. I wont tell you what to do. I just don't want you to deny yourself happiness, ever." Alex knew well that hearts could heal and distance didn't always make it fonder. Clinging to 'being a rock' to her core, she sniffled and pushed back the encroaching wave of sadness that lingered just behind her eyes. Focusing on Aphismet allowed her to deny her own inner demons. The part about Zul made her hesitate, her expression somewhat apologetic. "He didn't say directly. He didn't...say a whole lot of anything, I just know he...never saw the house as a home." His less-than-supportive opinion of the chef was not something she wanted to share. Aphismet pressed his brow back to hers with a soft smile, desperately clinging to the belief that everything would be alright. They'd survive this. Alex wanted Aphi to be happy, but Aphi wanted the same for her. He would have said so as well, but alex continued on to answer his question about Zul. The chef sighed and figured he'd best assume Zul disliked him. But to the extent that he'd destroy his guardian's happiness, just because of his own opinions on her boyfriend? Aphismet's already low opinion of the demon was dipping to near-abysmal, but he made sure not to show a single hint of it. He raised a hand to caress the Italian's dark hair, trying to be soothing. "...Alright, it's alright, we'll deal. You just do what you have to do, and I'll do what I have to do, and we'll see what comes of it. ...I'll wait, Alex. Really. But... you be happy too, alright? If you can't-... I mean if something happens, or something... just, follow your heart. I'll be okay." He'd be devastated, but he wanted her happiness first and foremost. "We'll figure it out," she promised him, as it was all she could do. She didn't want Aphismet to pledge himself to her when she was very clearly not doing that just now; she'd had to pick sides, and in the end, Alex would never choose herself over another. Tilting her head into his touch, she lifted one of her hands to lightly twine into his hair, giving him another sad, trembling smile. "There will never be another you, Aphi." The words were spoken from the heart, as she could not express just how much he meant to her, how grateful she was for all he'd done, what he continued to do even then. Lifting her head, she pressed her lips to his brow, slow and lingering. She didn't know when...or if...she'd ever be able to do this again. "I should...get back to work," she murmured against his white hair. "We can talk more later if you want." Alex needed to breathe, some space to figure out what to do now, once her heart stopped bleeding. There was something in the way she was speaking, acting, that left Aphismet's throat in knots. She wasn't all better from this. They were both still confused and hurt. She wasn't agreeing to Aphismet's last-ditch plea for them to try... The chef sighed at the kiss on his brow, and kept his eyes down when she spoke again. She wanted to go back to work, now, and as much as Aphismet wanted to deny her that and ask that they spend this one last night together, warm in one another's arms, he once again found he couldn't force his wishes on her. He had no right. "...Alright. Go. I'll be waiting." He doubted there was more for them to talk about now, but he would be waiting for her far beyond tonight. He'd wait years if he needed to. "I'll always be here when you need me. When we're ready."Aphismet Only once he couldn't hear her footsteps down the hallway did Aphismet let himself move from where he'd been sitting on the edge of the bed. Only then did he let his front fall, his guards drop, his true feelings on the matter show. The face that had been desperately hopeful, tentatively smiling, and stoicly calm during this whole thing now twisted up into an angry, anguished grimace. Aphismet walked into the bathroom adjoining his bedroom and closed the door, walked to the mirror, took hold of the white porcelain sink. He kept his head down, shoulders hunched up... He wanted to scream and break everything in here, wanted to yell for the world to stop trying to ******** with him, wanted all this to somehow be better, but all he could do, all he allowed himself, was the few tears that fell into the sink now. He watched them, splats of wet on the white porcelain, slowly making their way down the drain... He had no time to feel sorry for himself past that. He forced the urge to sob down into the pit of his stomach. There were others who needed him. Isikoro, Rivener, Eiry... They needed him and he couldn't go to pieces on them. He needed to get some sleep now because tomorrow he had to take care of arranging things for their move, go to work, make food for everyone... No time to feel sorry for himself. No time to wallow in his heartbreak. Sniffling, wiping his face with the back of a hand, Aphi straightened and walked back out of the bathroom, ready to be a rock again.
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Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 5:21 pm
:: Settling In :: The buying of a house was a new experience for Aphismet, but it had gone much smoother than the man had been expecting. It had also gone much quicker, and once the house had been chosen it was less than a month before the Delarans were moving in. There’d been fees and taxes and what have you, but all in all the price had been well affordable within the insurance settlement amounts, so Aphi had splurged on a moving company to do all the lifting and packing for them. All the boxes now sat in the proper rooms in the new house, and all the boys had left to do was unpack, settle in, and get used to the place. The chef had of course headed for the kitchen first, and was now making a racket downstairs as he rattled pots and pans around, organizing things how he felt would be best. Upstairs, on the third floor, Rivener stood in the room he’d be calling his own. Boxes were piled in a corner, Riv’s bed was pushed to the back of the room right under the skylights, his dresser and computer desk had been placed against either of the other walls, his full-length mirror tucked into a corner. Riv just needed to unpack whatever he’d had left: a few clothes, a few books, the blankets for his bed… But he just couldn’t muster up the energy to do any of it. Sighing deeply, Rivener floated forward until he stood beside his bed, and turned his gaze up to the windows adorning his sloping ceiling. He’d lost a balcony, but gained skylights. It was pretty cool, and had he still been able to let himself feel anything, he’d have been very pleased at the new, interesting room. Currently it only registered as a faint blip of interest, dying almost instantly.
Sighing, feeling the last of the dregs of his energy leaving him, Rivener slumped to the floor and sprawled his arms over the mattress, leaning his forehead against a forearm. He was so tired. Of everything. Tired of Isi’s constant complaining. Tired of Eiry’s puppy-dog-like attachment. Tired of Aphismet’s careful aloofness and forced concern. Tired of all the questions, the looks he was getting from everyone. He was tired of having to get used to living in different places. He was tired of being tired.
Closing his eyes, Rivener tried to pretend the world stopped existing.The cacophony downstairs ended a while ago, and now Rivener found himself assaulted by Aphismet’s presence. The chef appeared in the doorway with a large, forced grin. ”Hey Riv, have you explored the house yet? There’s a pretty cool bathroom up here for you and Eiry, you know? It’s all checkered-wood-patterned, and there’s a Jacuzzi! Did you see?Rivener just sighed again and moved subtly so that his arms draped over his ducked-down head. He hoped Aphismet got the message: Riv didn’t want to have a pleasant little chat about their pleasant little house.Unfortunately for Rivener, Aphismet either didn’t get the rather blatant message, or he ignored it. His tone was a little more desperate when he continued, however. ”Do you think you’d like to get some kind of blinds for the skylights? It might be hard for you to sleep in late if the sun pours in right onto your bed, hm? We can get some kind of bamboo shade thing that can be set up on an angle, and you could easily pull those up and down from the bed, hm? Would you like that?”Another sigh quickly turned into a groan and Riv’s eyes finally lifted to Aphismet, the red gaze level. Even a glare would take too much effort. ”Would you please leave me the hell alone for a little while? The house is great, I get it, good job buying it, whatever. Just go.” Oh god, he was so tired.Aphismet’s carefully-put-up smile faltered for a moment, the dark eyes losing their happy glitter as eyebrows curved up in the center… A moment later Aphi forced another smile, though he couldn’t lose the sadness apparent in his features anymore. For a while he stood there, eventually offering a slow nod. ”…Okay. I’ll go. Sorry, Riv.” Shoulders slumping, the white-haired man turned and disappeared from view again. Rivener groaned again, gritting his teeth as his head returned to the mattress, to be hidden under his arms. He was so tired of feeling guilty! He couldn’t help it, though. A new house wasn’t going to magically make everything better.
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Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 5:22 pm
:: Red Blooms :: It’s been over a month since the Summer Beach Party. Over a month since the Storm, since we lost the house. Over a month since Zul left. It’s not fair that the house was destroyed by the flood. He’d already left by then, taken all his things from my room, and I knew he wasn’t going to come back… But now it’s like every trace of him was completely wiped from my life. No more room where I’d wake up to find him resting in bed beside me. No more desk where he kept his fishbowl. No more balcony where I’d given him that flower… Where he became MY Flower. All that is gone now. He said he loved me… It’s so hard to breathe. I kept going to work, but everyone knows something’s up with me. I just can’t make myself smile anymore. I do my work as I should, but I don’t laugh with the guys anymore, I don’t talk with them. Felix tried to get me to agree to see a shrink, but I told him there was no need. I already know the cause of my behavior, I don’t need some PhD telling me about it. He wouldn’t be able to get me to accept it all any faster. And I’m trying to accept, I really am… It’s just so hard to think straight when breathing hurts this much. Most nights on the job I just pretend I’m asleep, and let my body go through the motions without me. It must be effective: most people I’ve knocked around end up coming clean faster than usual. James said it’s because seeing someone look so impassive while they kick your a** is really disconcerting. I suppose that’s good, then. At least something good is coming from this. Over a whole month without my Zul. I’ve lost track of how many nights I couldn’t sleep. Lost track of how many times I DID sleep but woke up from nightmares. Lost track of how many times I had to rush to a bathroom, both at home and at work, to hide the fact that I was crying. It’s like my whole world has lost its meaning, now that Zul’s gone. I feel like I’m trying to stand upright on a steep hill, and it keeps tilting further and further… How can anyone survive this kind of feeling? Do humans feel it this intensely, when someone they adore leaves? I’ve thought about asking Aphi, since he went through heartbreak before, but… then it would mean he’d know. He’d see how weak and pathetic I’d become. What if he made me see a shrink too? No. The less people see me so broken, the better. …Even if I am doing a piss-poor job of hiding it. So now I’m sitting in the boss’s car, pretending I’m fine again when I’m really not. Ah, Felix is talking to me. The car’s pulled to a stop, so I have to start paying attention to my surroundings again. I would say “what a shame”, but see where my thoughts go when I let them wander? Always right back to the most torturous, painful things. My chest hurts. My eyes sting. Just my luck that I feel like crying when we’re in the car, and there’s no bathroom around. I just have to keep it together. I’ll do as Felix says and get out, hold the door for him like I always do, and follow him into the warehouse. Another trade with our sellers, it should be no problem. I just have to look impassive. No crying, not now. Pull it together, Riv. I get out. I hold the door open. I reach into my leather coat to check on my weapon: gun is there. Cellphone’s in my pocket. Extra bullets in my other pocket. Everything’s ready. I look around before Felix leaves the vehicle: looks clear. I give him the nod and he gets out; I fall into step behind him, James at my side. The other car empties of its people as well, though these will stay outside: our backup, just in case. It’s night. It’s always night when we come here, it seems. Pretty cliché. At least it gives me a chance to check with the stars a bit, see if anything urgent is coming… Listening to the stars helps me forget. They hardly ever talk about Zul to me anymore, as though they know better than to remind me. Or maybe I forced them to block it out? If only the absence of his name didn’t make me listen for it all the more, though. I miss the sound of it. I miss his voice. I miss my Zul… No, get it together. No crying now. Impassive, be impassive. Listen to the stars, pay attention to the world around you. Don’t let anything happen to Felix. Ah, seems the stars do have something to say to me today. Scorpion enters the cave and finds an iron sting. Red blooms from regret. I wish they’d speak clearly sometimes, damnit. At least I know some of their usual spouting bullshit by now. Scorpion is obviously me. The cave is the large building, hollow inside like a cave… I know what an iron sting is. A weapon. They’re going to attack us? As for red bloom… I flinch. I stagger. James reaches an arm out to grab my bicep and holds me steady, Felix turns to frown at me. He’s talking to me, and it takes so much effort to focus and figure out he said “Are you alright, Rivener?” I know I must look a mess. My face is red from the effort of not showing how close to tears I am. I can’t breathe right, there’s something in my throat. My chest feels like something with large, sharp talons is crushing it tightly. Red blooms… Flowers? Is this something to do with Zul? I have to force myself to speak. The others are staring at me with differing hues of concern. “…I think something’s wrong inside,” I say, motioning to the warehouse with my chin. “Let me go in first and check it out, okay?” It’s not the first time my “hunches” have manifested, and by now Felix knows to let me do my thing when I get these feelings in my gut. I never told them I hear from the stars, and I don’t really care where they think my sixth sense about this stuff comes from. They know I’m not human, so they must attribute it to that somehow. Whatever the case, it gives me a good excuse to escape them now, a good reason to be able to move into the warehouse by myself and make sure Zul’s not in there. Maybe he’s in danger. Maybe he’s come to see me. I have to find him if he’s here, I have to save him if he’s in danger. Maybe he needs me. James lets go of me, and Felix nods for me to go ahead. I know the drill. I set the timer on my cell phone: it’ll call Felix in five minutes. If I’m unable to turn the timer off in time, they’ll assume something went wrong. It’s a good failsafe, and I won’t have to reach for my phone myself during whatever I need to do in there… Technology is such a big help. They also have the number to call if something happens to me… Why am I thinking about this tonight? Nothing ever happened to me before. I always managed to turn the timer off before five minutes, and come out relatively unscathed. Maybe it’s the fear. For Zul. …Or of Zul. I don’t know, but I’m afraid. With a final deep breath, hoping no one noticed how shaky I am, I move. Only an idiot would come in through the front door, so I move to the side of the warehouse. It’s kind of odd, how I’m watching all this happen. I feel like I’m not in my own body, but watching a screen showing everything that my eyes are picking up, like cameras. A hand that I recognize as my own raises to the doorknob and slips it open quietly. It’s dark within, but I advance anyway, hiding among the crates and letting the camera- my eyes- adjust. Almost instantly I see that something IS wrong. Our usual contact isn’t here. Who is this man, standing behind the dealing table with a briefcase of money? Everything looks normal, but the man is different. In this line of work, every change is dangerous. I watch myself float silently, a shadow, around the warehouse. I find no one else. Even upstairs, in the overlooking offices, I see no one. …Is Zul really not here? I have to smother my disappointment. Five minutes will be up soon, I have to hurry and confront that new person. I watch myself float around to the front door and finally reveal my presence. I suddenly realize this might have been a bad mistake on my part, but I can’t stop the events from playing out. Now the world in my vision really does seem like a movie. The stranger appears startled. Nervous. I’m not what he was expecting, obviously. “Wh-who are you?” he asks me. “Where’s Felix?” He receives no answer, and that only unnerves him more. He is becoming larger in my vision: am I moving towards him, or is he moving towards me? …I must be the one moving, since he is still behind the small dealing table we’ve set up in the middle of the large warehouse. “I-I’m here to see Felix, I’m the-… I want to buy from him! So-…” Again the man receives no answer. He’s closer now. I can see his resolve breaking, he’s sweating and glancing around for an out, his fingers are twitching… I’ve seen a lot of movies, I know he’s up to something. When the bad guy feels the pressure he always fidgets like this. With a whispered curse the man gives up all pretence and reaches into his inner pocket. I know what he’s reaching for, the stars told me: a weapon. And yet I don’t react. Normally I’d have flown over that flimsy table instantly and wrung the man’s neck, but this time I can’t move, I’m just watching this movie. The stranger whips out a gun, silver and shiny: it’s new. No wonder this guy was nervous, he’s never shot anyone before. What’s he doing trying to take over the usual seller’s turf? The gun’s barrel points towards me, but it shakes and jitters. “Don’t come any closer!” The man screams. “Don’t move!” I obeyed, I suppose: the camera didn’t move any closer. Everything stood still, relatively speaking. His gun hand still trembled, and his eyes glanced around frantically, but apart for that there was absolute immobility. His nerves were growing worse, odd considering I wasn’t being a threat at all. Perhaps James had been right: seeing someone be so impassive in the face of such things really did make people uneasy. There was a long silence. Neither he nor my body did anything, maintaining the status quo. And as usual when my mind had nothing else to focus on, it wandered back to painful things. Zul wasn’t here after all. Whatever the Red Blooms had been about, it hadn’t been my Flower. I have to admit I’d hoped he’d be here. Even if it had been as my enemy. I just want to see him, to hear his voice. I keep playing it over in my mind, that voice, and I keep trying to imagine his face with that serene smile, those handsome eyes… I always desperately try to remember what his smoky, wonderful voice was like, exactly. Every day it becomes harder. Every day it doesn’t measure up to reality anymore. My brain feels raw and frazzled from over-use as I try and try and try to bring him to life beside me with nothing but my memories of him. It hurts so much to breathe… If only I didn’t have to think anymore. Something moved. I watch, detached and curious, as a hand I recognize as my own slips into my jacket. Muffled sounds barely recognized as the stranger’s voice filter through to my mind, delayed: “Don’t move, I said!!!” My fingers feel the cool metal of my own gun. It’s not silvery and shiny like the other man’s, oh no. This gun is scuffed and beaten and bruised. As my arm pulls it out, something vibrates against my hip: the cellphone is going off. The five minutes are up. Good. Because something is about to go very wrong, isn’t it. The arm holding my gun moves slowly, pulling the weapon out. The muffled sounds the stranger is making don’t even register anymore. The beaten-up gun languidly moves to point towards the stranger, and everything slows down… I can see the man’s eyes flash with terror. He comes to a split second decision. His finger squeezes on the trigger of his brand-new pistol, and a dull concussion of a blast occurs. Sharp pain blasts reality back into normal speed, and I step back into my body. No more watching from afar. This pain is too real. I stagger, but I finish what I started: my hand doesn’t tremble as I point my gun. I pull the trigger and the man collapses. I follow suit not long after. There’s a clatter as my .45 hits the concrete, but the rest of me makes a hard thump as I collide with the floor. I press my hand to my chest, and pull it away to look… Of course. The pattern in the palm of my hand is like a slowly blossoming rose. Red blooms. I chuckle humourlessly and let my arm drop to the ground. The stars were wrong, though. I don’t regret anything. Soon, I won’t have to think anymore.
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Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 5:24 pm
:: Room 308 :: “…Nnghh,” Rivener groaned, his eyes opening against his will. Bleary at first, his vision finally focused and found he was looking up at a white, foam-tiled ceiling and neon lamps. The Scorpion frowned. He tried moving; horrible pain stabbed through him. “Ggn!” With a grimace Riv tried to settle back into the position that didn’t hurt as much. That clinched it: he wasn’t dead. Death wouldn’t hurt that much, would it? So where was he-?
Red eyes glanced around, hazed with pain. First to the left; a large window through which he could see the night-time lights of Durem, below. He was in some tall building, then. There were machines against the wall, one of which beeped from time to time. …A Hospital? Riv’s gaze followed the cables dangling from those machines, all the way to his own bandaged body. One stuck in his arm, two taped to his chest. He wore one of those silly pale green nightgowns, the bandages showing clearly along one of his arms, around his chest above the collar. That bandaged arm was slung tightly to his body, in fact, and a heavy gauze thing bulged below that shoulder, just above his chest. His free hand raised to touch it, but he thought better of it and let his hand drop. Continuing his examination of the room, Rivener looked to the right…
Aphismet sat in a chair there, looking living. Arms crossed, a frown digging his brow deeply, the white-haired guardian’s lips drawn tight… Rivener sighed. Great. First the gunman misses, and now Riv has to sit here and be glared at. “You were shot,” Aphismet informed his ward, to which Rivener just nodded lightly. “…How the hell did this happen, Riv.”“I don’t know,” the Scorpion lied, wondering what his chances were of getting away with claiming he didn’t recall anything.“Bullshit!” …Not very good chances at all, apparently. Aphismet continued, his voice shaking with the need to scream though he wouldn’t raise his tone in a hospital in the middle of the night. “You think I don’t realize you’re not telling me the truth about your work? What am I saying, you don’t tell me ANYTHING about your work. But I’m not stupid, Rivener, I know it’s not lawful! I just thought, as long as you’re safe, I don’t have a right to meddle in your business. But now you’re NOT safe, Rivener. I want you to tell me what the hell happened!”“…” Riv turned his head to look out the window. He didn’t want to have to explain, or deal with this. The Scorpion was already devastated enough that he’d survived the damned gunshot. His insides felt hollow and sharp with agony… “Don’t they have painkillers in this place?” he asked, diverting attention for a moment.“They gave you a whole syringe earlier,” Aphi replied tersely. “I’m still in pain. I might need a double or triple dose, I’m resistant to chemicals and toxins.” With a huffed breath Aphismet shoved himself to his feet and stomped out to get a nurse. He’d continue being mad once his charge wasn’t suffering. It gave time for Rivener to collect himself a little more. The confusion about his location, the shock of survival, it was all wearing off. Rivener was left with a growing feeling of loss, and a swirling, descending vortex of depression. He’d given up. He’d thought this would all be over, and now… Now a nurse was coming in with Aphi in town, looking sceptical as she filled another syringe of painkillers. They didn’t quite know how the floating half-people would react to things, so they were willing to entertain the guardian’s request as long as he took full responsibility, which of course Aphismet did. The needle was administered, the nurse retreated, and Aphismet waited until the tense lines in Rivener’s face receded somewhat before he asked again.“What. Happened.”“…How did you know I was here?” Rivener retorted softly, honestly wondering how he’d even ended up in a hospital. He’d made sure Felix knew to call the lab, not Aphi, if something ever went wrong…Aphismet threw his arms in the air and grunted in frustration. “Will you just-!! Gah! Alright fine, here’s what happened: Kyou called me and said some strange, suspicious men brought you over with a gunshot wound to your ******** chest! He sent them to the hospital with you since they can take better care of that here, and then I drove over! You were in surgery to mend some ripped things inside you and pull out pieces of bone from your broken clavicle, one of your wings has a damned HOLE in it now, and here we are. Now will you just TELL me-!!!” The man looked about ready to lean over the flimsy protective side of Riv’s bed and throttle the Scorpion if Rivener didn’t answer him this time. With a deep sigh, the Sigel figured he’d best get this over with. “…I got shot while working.” Aphismet only raised his eyebrows at this, obviously not satisfied with this answer, so Rivener continued on in a quiet voice. “I work for a, uh. Shady business guy. I’m a bodyguard, and there was an accident today, that’s all. I got shot, it was bound to happen. But I’m careful usually, this won’t happen again.”“You’re damned right it won’t happen again, because you’re quitting that job.”“I can’t just leave-”“You’re quitting that god-damned job!!! I don’t care if I have to call the cops and report every single last one of those guys, you are NOT going back to that work! Do you hear me?” Hospital or no, Aphismet WAS raising his voice this time. Rivener knew this wasn’t an argument he would win, and even if it was, the Scorpion just didn’t see the point in butting heads about anything anymore. “Alright,” he agreed, once again turning to look out the window. Aphismet seemed actually taken aback by the easy concession, blinking in surprise for a moment before he flopped back in his seat and crossed his arms again. “Well, good. That’s good.” Rivener doubted quitting would be all that simple… Or maybe it would be. Felix seemed like such a nice guy. With a deep sigh, Riv lay back down. He didn’t want to deal with that, with anything, right now. Tomorrow. He’d deal with things tomorrow, or sometime after that. As the Sigel closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep again, he vaguely heard Aphismet get up off the chair and head out, a cellphone flipping open.
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Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 6:29 pm
:: Hospital Visitors :: [ Rage and Worry ]Isikoro and Eiry are the first to visit Rivener. Isi's yelling and Eiry's cuddling both seem to leave Riv no better... [ Save Your Goodbyes ]Alex and Zul rush to the hospital upon learning of Rivener's condition... surprisingly, this helps heal Rivener much more than anyone could have predicted. [ When Things Go Wrong, The French Bring Food ]Vivette visits Rivener, bringing along enough food to feed the entire hospital! [ A Constant Worry ]Doucette drops in to wish Rivener a prompt recovery. [ Healing Hugs ]Rivener is suddenly woken up from a nap by someone throwing themselves onto his bed, sobbing. ... Ebony!? [ Flowers from a Secret Friend ]Rivener receives another bouquet, though this one is mysteriously devoid of a signature... [ Thank You ]Lazarus visits Rivener both to wish him prompt recovery, and to thank him for playing cupid.
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Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 6:07 am
:: Rage and Worry ::
An MSN RP with Storei
Isikoro and Eirdirsceol visit Rivener in the hospital following his accident There were many times when Isi defied the slowness in his naturally weakened legs, and this just happened to be another one of him. He was moving nearly as fast as Eiry was, who was sliding along the wall, peaking into other hospital rooms in search for his brother. When Eiry gasped ahead of him and vanished into the wall entirely, Isi knew they had found Riveners room and he threw himself in with such force that he had to catch himself against the wall. "Rivener!" Isi called, his voice high and cracking with shock, "Rivener, what the hell happened?! We got the call!" Eiry, who pushed himself through the wall at the first sight of red and black, moved over to Rivener's bedside, his wings erect and trembling. He was struggling to keep himself from crying, while, at the same time, fighting to keep himself from twisting his face into a gruesome mask of rage and anguish. "Brother! Brother mine, who dare broke and rendered your body so? Who would dare? Brother!"Rivener startled at the sudden racket, turning his head towards the door to find the rest of his family. Eiry and Isi both looked distraught, of course, the minty Sigel rushing to Riv's bedside while Isi hollered from the doorway. Heaving a deep sigh of depressed acceptance, realizing that this was only going to be the first of a wave of obnoxious, unwarranted concern for him, Rivener let his eyes slip closed and settled back into the groove of the bed. "...The one who broke me, Eiry, I've already taken revenge on. I don't know his name, it was just some a*****e with a gun." He figured this would answer Isi's question as well: he'd gotten shot, of course. "Aphi's out in the hallway," Riv added, knowing it wouldn't get the two to leave, but half hoping it would. Let Aphi deal with all the sympathy and the worry and all that. Riv turned to stare out the window again, feeling hollow and heavy.Isi stomped over to Rivener's bedside, pushing Eiry away and through to the other side of the bed. He was awkward and clumsy with his crutches, equal signs to his worry and anger. He loosed one hand from his forearm crutches, letting it slip back into his elbow as he waved and pointed at Rivener as if he were going to sentence him to a time-out, "What the ******** were you thinking?! Guy with a gun?" the boy shouted, "Why the hell were you even around a guy with a gun? What kind of stupid s**t did you get yourself into Rivener? God! You can be so stupid sometimes! Don't you realize that you not only have gotten yourself in deep s**t, but you could've gotten the rest of your family into trouble too? Those kind of sick bastards don't care about anything, Rivener! They could come and kill Aphismet and I in our sleep just to get back at you! Those kinds of guys are sick, and you just "took care of them" like you're doing a ******** load of dirty laundry? I thought you were smarter than that Rivener!" Eiry, in the meanwhile, couldn't hold himself together any more, and as he was pushed to the side, slipping through the bed and wobbling to the other side, he gave to blink ghostly tears onto his pale face, "For all the world, might I have bequeathed mine own power to you, Rivener, so that you might've let fly that bullet through your manly breast as easily as one might bound through air!"Like with Aphi, Isi's every word slashed Rivener open like a blade, though this time the Scorpion wasn't raw from the shock of having survived. He managed to hide the pain behind a mask of careful uncaring neutrality, keeping his red eyes angled out the window. Eiry was within his field of vision, crying, and this the Sigel tried to ignore as well... He just wanted them gone. He wanted them ALL gone, he wanted HIMSELF gone, he couldn't deal with any of this anymore. That hollow, heavy feeling was getting worse, and Rivener's shoulders sagged in response. "I know," he said quietly once the young human stopped yelling. He meant it for Eiry too, and he showed this by briefly glancing at the green Sigel. "I know." What else could he say. It was too late to take back anything he'd done, and he doubted he would take any of it back anyway. Being yelled at wasn't going to change anything, it only made him feel worse, but Rivener knew he deserved every harsh word. He didn't try to defend himself: surely Isikoro wasn't done screaming."You always think about yourself, don't you? You never think about anyone else unless it means something for you! Now look what you did! You went and got yourself torn up and now there's a BULLET HOLE in you! You think that nobody cares, Riv? Do you think that we just don't care at all about what you do to yourself?" Isi's face was red, his teeth clenched tight, and with a frustrating prod at Rivener's chest, the boy finished his tirade with a growl, "You have a family, Rivener, a family that would do anything for you, a family that tries everything to keep you happy, or keep you safe, and there you go, just parading about like an idiot with nothing else better to do than give us ulcers and unnecessary hospital bills! Dammit, Rivener, we care about you, and I hate...I HATE...Seeing you like this! I hate all of this! I hate this room, I hate this place, I hate hospitals!" And with a terrible growl, Isi clumsily shoved his arm back into his crutch and hobbled away from Rivener's bedside, going instead to find Aphismet. The boy was pale, and underneath all that anger was something else, an easily discernable fear. "Aphi!" the boy called, his voice audible from the hallway, "When can we take Rivener home? I hate this place! He should be home with us! Not in this dump!"Eiry was left behind, his face deathly white, and his cheeks stained with streams of tears. He was drifting closer to his brother, and with the gentle lay of his arm and tuck of his head, he gave Rivener a gentle and awkward one arm hug. His shoulders were shaking and as he gave his brother his comfort, he tucked his own wings tight to his back. "Brother, I entertained thoughts of the worst when I heard tell of what ill fortune set itself upon you in the form of a bullet. I'm just....I'm so glad you're not dead, Rivener, my heart aches to...Rivener, I'm so glad..." the minty Sigel crooned, his red eyes still blinking tears that fell onto Rivener's hospital gown. Rivener let Isikoro go on, though it was becoming harder to pretend nonchalance about all this. It's true, Rivener WAS selfish. He didn't WANT there to be a family that waited and cared and worried. If only that damned stranger hadn't missed, Riv wouldn't need to listen as the short human laid into him like that. Everything was such a pain, so pointless... There was nothing good to climb out of this hole to find anymore. Riv's head hung lower with every scathing word, until Isi left the room to yell at Aphi. Eiry, quite conversely to his guardian, didn't say anything bad at all, simply hurried to cuddle the dark Raevan and croon his relief at Riv's survival. A relief the Scorpion didn't share in the least. He raised his free arm and patted at Eiry's back more out of reflex than anything, red gaze still angled out the window. "I'm alive, Eiry," Rivener said in what he hoped would be a reassuring tone... It came out hollow and insincere, barely veiling Riv's disappointment in the fact. Aphismet was about to make another phone call (It took a good five or ten minutes per, either because Aphi chatted a bit with the person, or because the chef needed a moment to compose himself before dialing again) when his brother yelled for him. The loud voice in the hallway earned a severe glare from a passing nurse, but it did catch Aphismet's attention. He jogged nearer and sighed, lips drawn tight. "He has to stay here for a while yet, Isi. They need to keep an eye on his wound until it's healed enough that it's not risky anymore. ...Or so they tell me. He can't come home." Not yet anyway. "I'm glad you came, I know this isn't your favorite place." The chef smiled sheepishly upon seeing the pallor in his brother's face. "I hate this place, I want to get out!" Isi snapped, unable to hide his terror, he glared at any nurse that walked by, daring her to come over and reprimand him for his high volumes, "Rivener's so stupid, I can't....God..." and, in front of his brother, the younger Delaran choked back on his words, his eyes growing misty. He looked up at Aphismet, his cheeks hot, "Why is he so stupid?"Edging himself so that he lay on the very edge of the hospital bed beside his brother, Eiry kept himself there, underneath the resassuring pat of his hand. He tried to compose himself, and, once he was able to speak again, he swore quietly, "I'll do whatever you need, Riv, if such aid would assist you in your recovery. I want you home." Then he lapsed into silence, just hoping that being there for his brother would somehow get through to him and heal over the wounds of the mind. Brotherly connections were supposed to do that, right? Eiry hoped that his was still strong enough to do just that for Rivener. Aphismet sighed and walked over to Isi's side, wrapping up the crutch-dependent young man into a big hug. "I don't know, Isi. I don't know why he does these stupid things. C'mon, being all upset isn't going to help him get better any sooner. You should go home, okay? Thanks for visiting him, but I know you're going to be upset if you stay here... I'll keep Riv company and I'll bring him home as soon as possible, I promise. Alright?"Rivener kept looking out the window, even when Eiry offered everything in his power to help. It was nice of the younger Sigel, of course, but there was nothing that could be done. Rivener's body would have to heal at its own pace. Rivener's heart on the other hand, who knew if that wound was ever going to close. Eiry would be sad, devastated maybe, if Rivener died... The Scorpion couldn't help the guilt. Just one wave of sadness, it'd be better in the long run, he told himself... But out loud, he spoke very differently. "Thank you, Eiry. There's nothing you can do for me, but thank you." Hollow words, as the heavy, chest-constricting feeling grew worse still. Lying to his own brother...Isi nodded his head, immediately grasping at the opportunity to go back home and away from that awful place. He leaned his weight onto Aphi, breathing tightly as he calmed himself down enough to make the journey back to their new house. Even if Rivener was here in the hospital, even if Aphi would spend many days and nights here too, Isi didn't want to be within these white walls. He wanted out. So, turning away from his brother, Isi started down the hall, "I'm going back home by myself. Eiry will want to stay here sometime more, and you can take him back home when you drop by to get clothes or whatever. I just need to get home right now. I don't want to be here. I'll see you later, Aphi." As he walked away, crutches forced to support his body, he slumped hs shoulders and glanced into Rivener's room. "Eiry, come home later. Rivener...You get better quickly, okay?" he said, and with that, the boy was out of the hospital. Still lying with Rivener, Eiry refused to leave his side. He would stay there until Rivener needed something, a glass of water, an open window, anything. He nodded at Isi as he left, and instead, he chose to stay with Riv, his own eyes dropping closed as he fought to stave away the burn from the tears. He hoped that he would be of use somehow, perhaps the longer he stayed here, he might actually get a chance to be useful to Rivener.Aphismet nodded at Isi... How unlucky for them all. This year had been horrible for all of them so far. The chef truly hoped that things would look up soon. "I'll bring Eiry back later, then. Be careful Isi." Aphismet only walked his brother a few steps before letting him go on his own: there were still calls to be made. The white-haired man peeked into the room for a moment before he returned to his chore, smiling sadly at the two brothers cuddled on the bed. Rivener stayed quiet, pretending he'd fallen asleep. Isi called out his goodbye, announced Eiry would be staying for a while, and Aphi walked away to call more people. If Rivener pretended enough, maybe he would really fall asleep and that would be that. Taking a deep breath, the Scorpion closed his eyes and tried to drift off.
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Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 11:15 am
:: Flowers from a Friend :: Yuurei-dono The delivery guy in his crisp white and gold uniform gave a sigh. The middle-aged guy had fallen into this job when he was laid off. It wasn't the worst job, and, he looked at the card, at least he didn't have to sing this time. Rivener. Weird name. Walking into the hospital had been easy enough. Figuring out where this guy was being housed was a little harder. The receptionist was seemed to be sitting on some object that was penetrating - well it didn't matter. As long she gave him the directions. Walking to the right set of escalators, he waited until he could board one. The flowers in his hands were kind of pretty. The card was nice too. He stepped into the elevator and pushed the button to get the the right floor. It had some weird hippie quotes or something. But they kind of resonated with him. "The ship is safer in the harbor, but no one built a ship to sit in a harbor." Well that made sense. His father had served in a nasty war, working in the navy. Too many people for his taste had climbed in the elevator after him. So of course they were making like 10 extra stops and his was the furthest away. So the ship reference was pretty telling. "Enjoy life. There’s plenty of time to be dead." What a morbid person. But it was true. What was he doing in this job again? From: A friend? Really?! This bouquet wasn't cheap; it was being sent to a hospital as a get well. And the person didn't sign their name? Something seemed weird, but it wasn't his job to question it, he thought as he finally found the right unit. It was almost noon. Perfect timing. He didn't really want to do this job. And it made sense. He had taken the safe route. He had stayed on Gambino instead of relocating his family to an area of Aekea that was much further away. He could have had a great job, but he hadn't wanted to uproot them. But maybe, with his older son getting bullied in school and his daughter wearing shorter and shorter skirts, relocating might not be a bad idea. R. Delaran. This was where the nurses had directed him. The door was partly open and knocking a few raps against the door, he walked in. "Delivery for Rivener?" he asked the patient. But the sheets stopped about half way of where they should. Wow this guy had had a mess happen to him. He lost both of his legs. Smiling pleasantly, he didn't know if this Rivener would take the card's advice, but he was thankful to this mysterious flower-sender. There was plenty of time to be dead. Handing the flowers to the guy -- with horns and wings?! Crazy hippie kids, he left, leaving Rivener to the flowers.  On the card in neat hand writing someone To: Rivener The ship is safer in the harbor, but no one built a ship to sit in a harbor. Enjoy life. There’s plenty of time to be dead. I hope you feel better soon. Halloween is coming up; so get better before that important holiday. From: A Friend
Rivener admired the flowers first, smiling to himself. They were such dark hues... lovely. He could instantly tell they weren't from Zul: Zul would unfailingly have picked bright vibrant reds, or the blues Riv had once admitted he'd adore. These, in shades of purple and mahogany, were from someone else.
Red eyes eventually turned to the card. The Scorpion read through the message and a corner of his lips turned up. A Friend, it said. The Scorpion quickly made a few theories, and all in all there weren't many people who would send him flowers without signing. Melisande perhaps. Lucia, too. Or maybe Varun or someone else too prideful to admit they'd done it. But something about the color chosen and the small message about the ship in the harbor told Rivener that it was probably from Lucia. She'd sent him a similar batch of quotes before, some of which he still recalled. And she was the one most likely to mention something about death and how he should try and live. ...So these were most likely from the kitten-frei.
For about a split second Rivener wondered what he should do. He surprised himself: all of his thoughts were "Will Zul misunderstand if I keep these?", not a single thought hinted at "Do I even want anything from Lucia?". When had this happened? When had Rivener stopped hating her, exactly? He wasn't positive yet that he was ready to face her, and she'd been wise to send these without showing up herself (that might have sent Riv into a fit of confusion), but he found that he wasn't feeling angry anymore.
He let himself smile. With his good arm, Rivener placed the flowers on his nightstand near Zul's bouquet. He left the card with the flowers, and settled back into his bed. Things really were healing, now, weren't they.
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Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 7:32 pm
:: Laying the Blame ::
An MSN RP with Chrystali Aphismet pondered saying something. He'd spotted Zul on the street, and the chef knew he might be late if he said something now, but he just couldn't keep quiet. Frowning only slightly (and covering that up soon after, not wanting to appear abrasive), the white-haired man crossed the street and intercepted the Frei. "Zul, can I talk to you for a second? I won't take too much of your time." He was probably on an errand or something, so Aphi wouldn't keep him. The look that crossed the demon's face when the white-haired chef came into view was beyond surprised. In the time he lived with the Delaran's, they hadn't really spoken...at all, and now...? Zul was certain it wasn't just a coincidence. Wearing a good-humored smile, the Frei inclined his tri-horned head with curiosity in his blue eyes. " Afeezmet, what a surprise." Crossing his arms over his half-formed chest, he gave an inquisitive tilt of his head. " Certainly. I'm in no hurry." The chef slowed his pace to a stop as he neared the Frei, raising an eyebrow lightly. He couldn't recall ever really conversing with Zul before, but had he always spoken like that? ...Not that it mattered. The chef put his hands in his pockets to keep them warm and out of the way (he wasn't sure what to do with them otherwise; they seemed to want to hang at his sides in tight fists, and that wouldn't do), smiled back rather tensely, and just dove into the heart of the matter. "...Alex broke up with me. You knew this, right? You must have. ...Did you ask her to do it?"Zul stared at the chef without blinking for several moments, trying to determine if the human had a bad sense of humor or if he was serious. When no punchline followed, the Frei could only assume he meant it. " No," he said at length, a touch of surprise in his smoky voice. " I only told her I wasn't moving back in. That I'd stay with Bear, if she wanted to go with you." He finally blinked, cocking his head to the side. " I don't know you." It was as blunt a reason as the chef would get as to the demon's opinion of him. Aphismet actually did frown at that. Zul didn't know him, fine, he could understand that. He could even understand Zul not wanting to live in their house, if he felt uncomfortable there. But... "Didn't you even think about what you said to her? You made her choose. She loves you, and she loves me, and you honestly didn't know what you were doing when you said that to her? That you'd stay with Bear IF she wanted to go with me?" Maybe he was just lashing out now, knowing there was no way this could have worked out, but unlike Alex, Aphismet DID blame Zul for this. Even if he didn't do it purposefully. The chef opened his mouth to say more, but he knew whatever came out would just be frustrated and angry words with no real point. He sighed and glared to the sidewalk. "Don't ever make her cry like that again, you selfish p***k. Take care of her better."Zul remained silent, staring at the chef with his passive smile. He wasn't going to explain himself to Aphismet anymore than he did to his woman - his reasons were his and his alone, a burden he would carry on his shoulders by himself. Yes, he may have inconvenienced the Italian, but he also believed she would have been more upset if he'd told her now, after eight months of abuse. He could have made some quip in return, be it about Alex or Rivener, but wisely, the Frei said nothing. Zul still had limited grasp of human emotions and reactions, this being no exception. After staring at the white-haired man for a few more moments, he turned away. " Neil is waiting on me." And he had nothing else to say. Typical. Aphismet scoffed and let his frown develop to a full, hateful, angry glower as he watched the Frei turn and leave. By all appearances, Zul hadn't listened to a single damned word. The chef swore to himself and turned around to go, crossing the street again and trying to push this unpleasant experience under the rug. If Zul ever did hurt Alex again, Aphismet would not let it slide. But until then, he had no more right to speak about this.
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Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 9:04 pm
:: Thank You ::
An MSN RP with Kyoupiruchi
Lazarus visits Rivener in the Hospital, and thanks him for playing cupid between Laz and Xiu. Crimson eyes scoured the room numbers as Lazarus walked along the corridor, following the nurse's instructions. In his hand he held a large bouquet of assorted flowers. This is what people bring to visit a patient in a hospital right? Room 308, ah there it is. Quietly the incubus turned the knob and peek in. "Rivener?"Rivener had been re-reading the same magazine for what seemed like the twentieth time. He already knew about everything written in here, but it was better than being bored doing nothing. When the door opened though, Rivener brightened. Visitors were pretty much the only thing to distract him here. And today it was- "Ah, Laz! Hi! Come in!" He smiled.Well, that was quite a greeting from Rivener, especially considering the consequences and his depression since the storm. "Hey!" He closed the door quietly behind him as he entered. "You're looking good, how are you doing?"Rivener's smile only broadened as the other Sigel came in. "I'm feeling very good! Well, considering," he added, lifting the arm in the splint lightly. "Thanks for dropping by though, my biggest problem is being bored out of my mind lately. Hahah! ...What about you, things are going good? ...-with Xiu?" The Scorpion winked, pleased for his friend's situation.Lazarus couldn't help but color as Xiu was mentioned, it was only a little bit more than two weeks ago that they got together. "Y-yeah... we went on a date in the weekend." He admitted shyly. As he took a seat beside the bed, he looked around curiously, there was already a vase of red roses in the room, so where should he put his..?Riv chuckled happily. "That's great, Laz! I'm glad the two of you are happy. Ah, did you bring those for me? Thanks!" Riv asked, pointing at the flowers. He glanced around as well for a place to put them, not wanting to replace the precious bouquet on the nightstand... "Maybe just leaving it at the foot of the bed? It's not like I have legs taking up that spot." "Oh alright." He didn't mind really, but there was something else. "Uhm... I don't think alcohol is allowed in the hospital right..?" Taking a peek at the door's small window, he made sure no nurses were peeking in as he pulled a small bottle of liquer from among the flowers. "Just something light..."Rivener could have kissed Laz when the Fire Sigel produced that bottle of liquor. "Awww, Laaaz! That's so sweet, bringing me our mid-month-booze since I couldn't go out to get it!" The Scorpion laughed, using his good arm to clap Lazarus' shoulder lightly. "I could really use a bit of that, thanks so much! Hmm, glasses though..." He glanced around again, trying to find glasses...Lazarus chuckled at Rivener's words, that was exactly what he was thinking too. If the scorpion couldn't go to the booze, the booze will go to him then. The incubus glanced around as well to look for a glass, but all he found was a plastic cup on the bedside table. Reaching over, he lifted the cup up. "Well, one of us could drink from the bottle?"Riv shrugged his good shoulder with a grin. "Fine with me! I'd like the bottle, if you don't mind. Easier to hold." Since it was just a small thing, it would easily fit in his hand without him needing to balance it or shift his grip too much. "What is that stuff anyhow, wine cooler?" He snickered. Laz said something light, so not pure vodka, right?"It's just coffee liqueur, french vanilla kahlua." Popping open the bottle, he poured some into the cup for himself before handing the whole bottle to the scorpion. "Low alcohol volume, sorry. But I figured that it wouldn't be good if we're drunk in a hospital in broad daylight.""You've got a point there..." The doctor would have his head, probably. "And sounds delicious!" Rivener did love coffee! He took the bottle with a smile and "clinked" it against the plastic glass, a small toast. "To surviving!" he declared, taking a big gulp of the stuff and raising both eyebrows. This was GOOD!"To surviving!" Lazarus echoed and found himself laughing with Rivener's enthusiasm, this was the Rivener that he knew well, not the moody, depressed one. He didn't know what happened, but he was glad the scorpion is back to his usual self. Taking a gulp of the drink, he had to admit. "Not a fan of coffee, but this ain't too bad."The Night Sigel smiled and took another big sip, grinning over at Laz. "So, tell me about this date you went on!" he prompted, interested in any kind of conversation.A soft blush graced Lazarus's cheek at the prompting. "I-it's nothing too special... we just went to a movie, then I sent him home." But despite that, he grinned as he recalled the date.Riv's own smile softened, easily seeing how happy Laz was. "Sounds like it was fun! ...I can't wait to get out of here so I can go on dates too." A movie with Zul... That'd be so nice. Maybe the four of them could double-date sometime? "I gotta say, Laz, I never figured you'd be such a shy guy." Riv smirked and elbowed his friend lightly, teasing.Lazarus narrowed his eyes when the scorpion elbowed him, showing his non-amusement. "I-I just... I blush easily! I can't help it!" But speaking of dates and hospital stays. "How long did the doctor say you need to stay anyway? And... did Zul come to visit?" Does it have anything to do with Rivener's mood? And those red roses...Riv chuckled at Laz's sour expression, amused. He didn't press though, not wanting to really piss Laz off... He sighed and glanced sideways at the roses when the other asked him if Zul had been by, smiling in the same way Laz had when thinking about his date with Xiu. "...Yeah, Zul came to see me. Pretty much as soon as he learned I'd been hurt. And the doc says I have to stay a month."So Zul really do care eh? Perhaps his discussion with Zul did help the baphomet after all. There was no need to ask further about the scorpion's situation with Zul, as it was clearly written on the other's face. "A month eh? That's a really long time."Rivener shrugged. "Bah, it's like half done. Boring as hell though. And even after I'm out, I still gotta wear this lame splint for two months." He made a face. He wasn't going to be very impressive as a bodyguard, with one arm strapped like that. ...If he even managed to keep his job, that is. "I guess this is like very boring vacation?""Wow, three months stuck in that splint sounds awful." He commented, that thing looks uncomfortable. "I'll bring some magazines over tomorrow if you want?" He wished he could do more, like getting those portable DVD things to watch movie with. But he's not earning his own money yet and he would feel bad using Kyou's.Riv made a face that basically said 'Well, what can we do?', rather easygoing about it all. It happened, and he'd just have to make sure it didn't happen again. At the mention of more magazines though, Riv perked right up, nodding. "Oh god yes, please. I'm so sick of reading about the same stuff over and over, hahah. About any topic, anything new is good!"Nodding in acknowledgement, Lazarus made a mental note to go get some new magazines later. He took another sip from the liqueur as he pondered about the next words to say, not forgetting one of his purpose for visiting. "Hey Rivener? I'm... sorry about what happened at the carnival, I was being a sour apple."Riv was rather surprised at the sudden apology, but he soon smiled again, giving the other Sigel a soft nudge. "Nah, it's okay. I was kinda being a d**k to you that day, sorry about that. Figured you needed a bit of a push in the right direction." After all, Riv would be a sour apple too if he'd been in Laz's shoes.Cocking an amused smile, Lazarus couldn't quite believe what he was about to say. "And also, thank you for being a d**k that day. You're good at it." He grinned cheekily at the scorpion.Rivener laughed out loud, both eyebrows arched high. "That I am! Hahaha! And you're very welcome, Laz. I just wanted to help out." He smiled and took another sip of liquor. "Though for a while there I was worrying that you'd just end up hating me for real. You and Xiu can both be pretty stubborn.""Sorry." Lazarus apologized again. "I guess I was too blinded by emotions, I should've seen through your ploy earlier." If he was level-headed, he would have. But he was too busy getting jealous and angry at the time to notice."That's usually how it goes when emotions enter the picture." Riv knew firsthand how confusing emotions could be, and he could definitely sympathize. "But, everything worked out great so that's all that matters! Be sure to treat Xiu well!" Riv raised his bottle for another toast. "To love!""I will, don't worry." He know he will never forgive himself if he hurt Xiu in any way. "To love!" He raised his cup and clinked it softly against Rivener's bottle.
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