Emerald orbs would be downcast, longingly gazing at the ground as it passed by underneath. Each stride bringing a saddened Nefertari closer to his ship. ”There’s no hope for me...He’ll never look at me the way he looks at her. No one will look at me that way...” His gaze would shift to the star filled sky, the sound of the night life filling the air. This town had a couple taverns and they were all occupied. Probably with sea farers, illegal and righteous alike. Nefertari was not one to ruin parties. He hated to leave a crew gathering early but to watch Asche fawn over Roselle yet again was not how he wanted to spend his night with his captain...
His jade colored eyes would look over to a man sweet talking a woman against a wall. She looked into it. This game was familiar to Nefertari but not one he wished to play anymore...at least not with just anyone. He wanted someone to die for, someone to live for. He wanted someone to live for HIM. He wanted it to be Asche... As he would make more progress to the ship, hastened footsteps and a loud beckon would draw the viper’s attention to a slightly injured Roselle and a drunk EZ. Roselle would explain the current situation. Marshal and Asche were fighting in the tavern.
This was to be expected. While the water hobo was still new, Asche was known to always cause trouble. Verdant hues would glare at Roselle’s bruised nose. ”...” No words. His expression composed yet still visibly annoyed. His eyes would roll as he would take a deep inhale then an exhale as his eyes would set back towards the tavern. ”Head back to the ship with the pink one. I’ll go grab the other two so we can set sail...and fix your nose. A bloodied face is unbecoming of a lady.” His words were rehearsed. Spoken not from a genuine place but a place of practice. It was very convincing though.
His mind was still on his own relationship with Asche but he had to keep up appearances. The illusion that everything is normal and as it should be, no matter how fractured his heart was becoming. The desert beauty would jog off before giving Roselle a chance to retort, quickly making his way to the tavern. A little ways there, he would notice other pirates gathering weapons and filing out of an alleyway towards the tavern. Nefertari would stop and hide behind a closed market stall.”Boss said to load up and dust everybody in the place. Apparently poor sap got mouthy!” The man would speak as he would hand out guns to the others. ”Man I’d hate to be that guy!” Collective laughter from the goons would occur as they would continue loading up for their assault.
Nefertari would point a hand to the ground as viscous purple liquid would exude from his being and glop onto the ground. The pool would grow larger and larger, taking shape into what appeared to be a large coiled serpent. A great hiss could be heard and as the men would turn to face the source, they would behold a large viper made completely of venom. Loud screams would occur as they would open fire in an attempt to kill the creature but this would be in vain for the serpent was purely a liquid construct unable to be harmed by bullets.
It would thrash its body about in the alleyway, drenching the assailants in the toxic liquid it was formed with. Their screams of pain would sound of a symphony to Nefertari as he stood behind the snake, glaring down as they would grown about burning and dying. The snake would sink down, turning into a large puddle and filling the alleyway. Washing over the assailants further and pushing them to the back of the roofless corridor. ”Don’t worry. You feel worse than it actually is. You’ll be better in a day or so.”
A slight but elegant smirk would adorn the sand vipers face as his journey back to the tavern would be resumed. Upon arriving, he noticed from the outside that the tavern had been severed. The tavern...had been cut...in half... ”Ugh...Asche.” Nefertari would step on an unconscious goon outside the door and head inside to find Marshall and Asche standing there. Everything looked fine. The attackers were down, not dead thank God, and Asche and Marshall had little to no injuries.
Eyes of emerald glow would gaze at the back of Asche...he stood so tall, so strong. Nefertari, even in his angered state, could not help but adore his captain’s visage. His scrutiny would cease and his sight would shift to flipped table and unconscious thugs to his right if Marshall or Asche were to look his way as he stood in front of the door...
(OOC: The elegance~) Word Count: ---
Combat Data
Techniques Used
N/A
Techniques In Use
N/A
Items Equipped
N/A
Items Used
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Deecee sama
a.renee.w
Sherlock Homeslice
CrspyDonut
Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 7:09 pm
Marshall
The results were the same.
No matter how many came at him, Marshall responded with frightening speed and precision. He was like a beast hunting its prey, nothing else mattered. He didn't think there was anything else that could make him even angrier. He was proven wrong.
Roselle's reaction to the sudden ambush upon Marshall was to be expected. However, she didn't deserve that. She didn't deserve to be hit to attacked in anyway. For Marshall, it was as if someone had attacked a sibling. His sister. A word that could accurately describe the relationship that he had with Roselle. And no one hits his sister and expects to get away with it.
The sound of a smack called to Marshall as he turned around to see Roselle staggering back, holding her face. That did it. The one thing that broke his composure had just happened. Hell was coming. Not only would it come from him, but his captain as well. Asche had already taken care of the recent additions and set his sights on his next victims. He unsheathed an ornate, red katana and yelled for Marshall to duck before unleashing his attack. On instinct, the skypiean bent backward as if he were playing a game of limbo and rebounded to his original position, slamming his fist into the face of a guy in his direct line of sight. Leaping forwards, he sailed into the air, planting his knee into the face of another as Roselle and Ez left on the captain's orders.
Asche and Marshall thrashed every enemy that came their way, movements chaining and flowing like a fluid dance. Quick work was made of the thugs and all had come to an abrupt silence. Calm. Serene. Peace. Marshall's anger subsided, leaving him empty and relaxed. A wave of exhaustion swept over the young man as his knees buckled and he fell to the ground on knees like a newborn baby goat, learning to walk for the first time. Fatigue had caught up to him and overpowered his now weak and battered body. It was time for the Ocean Dog to rest, his hunt was over. Before sleep took him, his arms dropped to his side, gazing up at the moon as he took a deep breath and howled.
STR 015 || PRW 010 || DEF 009 || SPD 015 || STA 010 HP 190/190 || STA 180/180 || SPI 014
Everyone around the two had fallen and the entire place was in shambles. Looking through the chaos of bodies, the rabid destruction to the place only caused Asche to scratch the back of his head. Who was going to pay for all this?"Marshal, if we book it now the owner won't be able to pin it on us. Let's get outta here be. . fore. ."After a few steps he saw the man standing there, howling off into the distance and part of him snickered, bringing a hand up to cover his mouth. "What is he, an actual dog?" But their dog had done well and as he fell over his captain was at his side, letting the smaller man rest on his shoulder. Who would've thought he'd get this scrappy?". . Good job. As a man you always protect what you believe in. . I'm proud to call you my nakama. ." With a hoist he'd push the man onto his shoulder and turn to head out the bar, only to see none other than Nefetari standing there. Oh. . Right, he was supposed to talk to him - or at least that was what Roselle said after she'd shrugged him off for the hundred time.
Maybe. . maybe he had to address the elephant in the room after all.
As he walked on by, a free hand touched Neff's shoulder as a way to get him to walk along. For a moment he was quiet, the sound of their patter filling the air before finally speaking. ". . I see it. . The way you look at me. I've been noticing it for a long time. . " Again, he grew quiet, but this needed to be said, he had to continue. ". . Adom, you are the closest person to me in this entire world. You're my best friend, someone I could tell anything and everything to. . but I can't give you what you're seeking. I. . I just don't feel the same way. ." It wasn't like it was entirely difficult to say, but he felt if he'd approached this too soon Nefetari would take it wrong. He didn't want to hurt him but he realized that, that was probably going to happen regardless. ". . If that makes you hate me, I'm sorry. I honestly should've told you that sooner but. . Well, what could I do? What could I say? It was just all so. . so. ." It happened at a slow pace, but Asche's body suddenly started to feel heavier. The edges of his vision grew dark - faint coming on faster as he fell to one knee, dropping Mashal around the time they arrived to the docks.
". . N-Nefet. .ari. .S-Sorry. ." And then just like that he was out, falling to the floor and breathing harshly. At least there'd been no pain.
STR 362 || SPD 125 || END 100 || ACC 00 || INT 00 DEX 160 || HP 1040/1040 || SPI 168
a.renee.w
Panda King ta-tai grim
Sherlock Homeslice
CrispyDonut
Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2018 12:43 am
Roselle Stark
XXX It was a huge relief to know Nefertari was going to assist Asche and Marshall. Roselle had no doubts about how skilled he was, and while she knew how strong Asche was, she felt ever better having him along to help the duo back at the bar. "Thank you.." To his comment about her nose the Doctor would simply nod once, furrowing her brows slightly to touch the forming bruise. "Be careful." That was all she had left to say as her crewmate took off to assist the rest of the team, leaving her and EZ to head back toward the ship. Roselle complied, making her way to the docks with her companion, but she stopped just before boarding the S.S. Maribel, opting to wait for the trio. In the meantime she obediently did as she had been told, using some gauze to clean the blood from her face, though there was nothing she could do about the discoloration of her skin. As the time ticked by, the young woman paced anxiously about the docks, feathers ruffling and smoothing over and over again, clearly agitated by their absence. The past year, Asche and Nefertari had been her first and only home. The idea of losing either of them was a thought too horrible to bear.
Thankfully she had EZ by her side, a newer member of the crew, but a woman she already considered to be akin to her sister. Of course, with each addition came more worry, as she was experiencing the same gut-wrenching fear of losing Marshall despite the fact they hadn't known each other long. Just when she thought about heading back to check on them she saw them in the distance. Breathing a huge sigh of relief, she'd place her hand over her chest, thankful to see they were well. Er.. Mostly well? Squinting her eyes, Roselle could make out that someone - presumably Marshall - was being carried, but if they weren't rushing her way then there was no reason for her to panic. The Doctor resisted rushing over to them, hoping that Asche and Nefertari were able to finally talk to each other. It was a conversation she didn't need to be a part of.
Right when she thought everything was fine, the young woman looked on in confusion as Asche fell to one knee, Marshall falling from his shoulder. Confusion turned to horror and she ran over to the fallen pair on the ground, dropping to her knees beside them and looking between Nefertari and the injured men. Taking in a deep breath, she forced herself to quell her panic, closing her eyes for a moment, pressing her palms together and then slowly pulling them apart, a translucent barrier forming around them all as she did so.
"「 R O O M 」"
Golden eyes shifted to Marshall first, focusing on his broken nose. Holding her hand over his face, she suddenly twisted her wrist, a loud crack resounding through the area as she reset the bone. Other than that, all their beloved Ocean Dog had was some bruises that would take a couple of days to heal. The doctor shifted her focus over to their Captain, brows furrowing. He didn't have any obvious wounds. No blood that she could see. So why had he dropped, and why was he panting so hard?
Closing her eyes, she ran her fingers over her eyelids, placing the back of her hand on Asche's forehead. "Heart rate: 112 beats per minute. Regular rhythm. Temperature: 99 degrees. Respiratory rate: 26 breaths per minute. Shallow. Decreased blood pressure." Roselle opened her eyes, one hand moving to his chest, the other to her ear. She'd shift the positioning of the hand she had on Asche a couple of times, listening to his lung sounds. They sounded clear. "Did he get hit with anything that you saw? Maybe he just overexerted himself?" She turned to Nefertari, the worry in her expression returning as she realized she was facing a problem she didn't have an answer for. "If he's sick it.. it could be anything.. Please help me move them back to the ship, a-and I'll start researching..."
Presumably with help, the crew would once more board the ship. Marshall was given simple bed rest and a written note at his bedside explaining that he could fetch Roselle for ice or if he was experiencing pain. Asche was set up back in his bed as well, the young woman sitting anxiously by his side as she flipped through pages of the books she had, desperately searching for an answer. "The answer has to be in one of these.."
Marshall would be carried piggy back. It was heart warming to see Asche caring for others but this emotion wouldn’t be conveyed on Nefertari’s face. He felt defeat when looking at Asche. Distant. He felt alone. Seeing him reminded him that he couldn’t have what he desired because what he desired had desires of its own. Such was the curse of men in Nefertari’s peculiar circumstance...if only he was a woman.
Asche would approach the beauty who’s arms were wrapped firmly around himself to combat the n** in the air. As he would place his hand on Nefertari’s shoulder, the desert flower would feel his skin tingle. The tingle would surge through his body like a tiny spark of electricity but would then grow cold as the contact would cease. Jade eyes would turn till the ship was in view and the party would begin to walk towards it.
It was silent for a moment. It wasn’t awkward and Nefertari actually enjoyed it but then it would be broken. Asche would speak on the sort of tension between them. It wasn’t like Nefertari necessarily hid his emotions however he knew there was no hope for him so he just stuck to admiring from afar. A small shock would come as the viper would hear his real name. He rarely allowed his true name to be spoken unless it was a serious moment. It seemed like this was such a moment...
His full attention was now on his love as he spoke though he really wished it wasn’t for the words he was hearing were not the ones he wished to hear. This level of rejection was quintessential. “I just don’t feel the same.” These words were all it took...his heart would writhe in pain. Asche would get farther and farther away as Nefertari retreated further and further into himself. This was worse than his time spent as a slave, worse than every punishment from his masters, worse than any indignity that he had suffered up to this point. This...was true annihilation.
His attention would resurface as Asche would fall to the ground. Shot? Injured!? There was no sign of any attackers. Roselle would appear and take quick action though the sight of her didn’t bring the viper anger. Nefertari felt nothing from seeing her. Even her ignorance as to what was ailing Asche was not angering in the slightest which judging from her expression is what she expected. His gaze would be empty when looking at her and he would just proceed to do as she asked and hastily take them inside the ship.
After they would be settled in, Nefertari would sit beside Asche’s bed. His visage revealed no emotion. No sadness or anger, just a empty gaze into the vast unknown as he stared at Asche’s form. His mind however ran rampant. It repeated the scene of rejection, it laid out all of his fantasies, it relived all the memories he had with him, and it even revealed some of his dark thoughts that involved Asche...
He would look over to Roselle and see her frantically flipping through pages in search of an answer. She cared for his health and well being as much as Nefertari did...perhaps even more so? The viper would walk over and grab one of the books before sitting down and starting to read. He was relatively calm if not somewhat unresponsive. Though his goal was clear...to find a cure...
(OOC: The elegance~) Word Count: ---
Combat Data
Techniques Used
N/A
Techniques In Use
N/A
Items Equipped
N/A
Items Used
N/A
Deecee sama
a.renee.w
Sherlock Homeslice
CrspyDonut
Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2018 1:04 pm
Marshall
Marshall's eyes opened and he quickly sat up. He was in his room, back on the Maribel? Who brought him back? The feeling of another person besides him, startled him. It was Scarlett. Why was she here?! The man slipped out of bed and he walked over to the mirror. His nose was fixed and bandaged. Must have been Roselle. Slipping on a pair of pants, he opened his door.
Exiting his room, he roamed the ship in search of anyone. The deck was vacant, but it was really bright outside. How long had he been out? Noting the sea, he assumed that they had departed to the next row. "Anybody here? Somebody? What's going on?" he shouted as he returned into the hallway. Shrugging his shoulders, he walked into the kitchen and began to eat.
He made two sandwiches, picked up a couple of drinks, and walked back to his room. Scarlett was still asleep and he set her food down and ate his in record time. Given his state, he figured that he'd go back to sleep and let himself heal.
STR 015 || PRW 010 || DEF 009 || SPD 015 || STA 010 HP 190/190 || STA 180/180 || SPI 014
*♔.--█████████████!THEY NEVERSAW USCOMING( ⇈) SHERLOCKHOMESLICE'TILL THEY HIT THE FLOOR ---- SHERLOCKHOMESLICETHEY JUST KEPT BEGGING FOR----
( " MORE, MORE " )♔￤ Ezekiel had gone out with the intention of having a good time, but the cards just weren't in her favor. First, she wasn't allowed to spill any blood, and that took up about sixty percent of what constitutes as a good time for EZ. There was something romantic in the coppery smell of blood; the thickness of how it hung in the air. How it lingered. How it stained. It was warm, thick, messy--a viscosity that was unlike most things, in texture and density. Something distinctly...alive. Its warmth was comforting, in a way. Ezekiel really needed therapy.
Tonight, in lieu of that, she was going to seek out the next best thing: debauchery! Inebriation, copulation, elation! Those were the plans, at least. Ezekiel didn't get very far into that; she barely got buzzed before she felt a familiar icy cold swill up within her stomach somewhere between her second and third mixed drink. It was something green, something tart, sweet but bitter. Paired with dizzying sounds of the bar, the cacophony of voices buzzing around her...it brought to mind a familiar man, her former husband, Welkin. As alcohol tended to do, it brought out the loneliness in her, all the dark feelings she kept under her eccentric demeanor. Easiest to spot was her bloodlust, but there was her insecurity about the strength of her character. The parts of her that were still soft for Welkin, after everything.
Suddenly, her appetite for debauchery was gone. Before things had popped off within the bar's four walls, Ezekiel performed an Irish Goodbye and slipped out unannounced to breathe in the cool night air; chase away the panic attack rising in her gut. She flipped up an eyepatch to let the air come in, collecting her thoughts. Nefertari ambled past first, looking similarly downtrodden, and Roselle appeared abruptly--not enough to scare Ezekiel, but enough to make her forget to lower her eyepatch. Something was obviously going down in the bar. Without her license to kill, though, Ezekiel couldn't make herself get excited enough to help. She offered Roselle a concerned look to the bruise purpling on her nose, but otherwise said nothing. Roselle looked like she was in the same boat as Nefertari, and Ezekiel couldn't comment. Though she had little to go off of, she knew that one of these nights, the cat-and-mouse between Asche, Nefertari, and Roselle would come to a head. The dance these three kept doing around each other was as awkward as it was obvious, and from someone who had been through two husbands and a cocktail of attachment and various traumas of the bedroom variety, their situation was almost entirely unrelatable.
Which is to say, it was beneath her. She couldn't touch it, because it made her bitter.
So Ezekiel didn't think about it. She didn't touch it, she didn't try to offer consolation, didn't even address it past the knowing look in her eye. She knew a different kind of heartbreak, and she had never known the kinds of affections her shipmates held for one another. Frankly, she didn't think she was capable anymore after all she'd been through, and she was fine with that. So their romance took a backseat to Asche--and once Ezekiel had expressed her concern for her captain, she realized she was out of her depth yet again.
How to help when she didn't have a medical background? Easy: help the person who did, doing something she knew how to do. Manual labor, fetching things for Roselle, and keeping a cool rag on Asche's forehead.
Hopefully by morning the heavy cloud over the ship's atmosphere would subside.
「STR 13 . PRO 20 . DEF 8 . SPD 19 . STA 7 . VIT 10」 「HP: 100/100 . STA: 100/100 . SPI: 0/0 」:Goe Goe no Mi Wordcount: 604
Deecee-Sama
Panda King Tai-tai Grim
a.renee.w
CrspyDonut
Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2018 6:20 pm
Marshall
Marshall gripped the wooden handles of the wheel in his hand and skillfully spun it to the starboard side, the vessel complying with the gesture and leaving the port of Bighorn Village. He hummed a small tune, simply to keep himself occupied while he commandeered the boat towards their newest destination, Alabasta. Before departing, the Skypiean made sure to check the rigging and all the other odds and ends of the S.S. Maribel. She was in top condition for yet another voyage across the vast blue and it was high time she set sail. Marshall wrapped a headband around his head to prevent any hair from impeding his vision and eyed the map and compass to get a bearing on their current position. A gust of glacial wind blew into the sails, pushing it away from the island. It wouldn't be long until Drum Island was merely a speck in the corner of Marshall's eye as the weather underwent a dramatic change. A cool breeze swept through, warming up the air as the sun shined radiantly in the clear skies. Marshall held the wheel steady as he soon began to merrily sing a few tunes to pass the time and stave off his boredom. For the most part, it was just him on deck as the rest of the crew were off in their rooms or about their business. Over the period of a couple hours, Marshall would check back to make sure he was on course and would occasionally nap when permitted, leaving Scarlett to man the helm while he slumbered. It was harder to navigate at night, but there weren't any severe alterations to make in the course, so it was safe to leave surrender the helm until morning. Marshall cozied up by the wheel and laid back, staring up at the stars alongside Scarlett as the day came to a close.
STR 015 || PRW 010 || DEF 009 || SPD 015 || STA 010 HP 190/190 || STA 180/180 || SPI 014
*♔.--█████████████!THEY NEVERSAW USCOMING( ⇈) SHERLOCKHOMESLICE'TILL THEY HIT THE FLOOR ---- SHERLOCKHOMESLICETHEY JUST KEPT BEGGING FOR----
( " MORE, MORE " )♔￤Ezekiel's hands grew raw from scrubbing plates. While the rest of the crew were on deck heading for open air and the reunion up topside, Ezekiel was doing...other things. By herself things. She'd been putting on a good face so far, as far as she was concerned, but things had not been all right with Ezekiel. The same could be said for much of the crew, naturally. Even though they'd cured whatever malaise had been attacking Asche's system, it only seemed to be skin deep. At least, it seemed that way to Ezekiel. She'd spent enough time around crazy to sniff it out, even when it bubbled under the surface. Hell, she'd been married to crazy.
Twice.
That's the problem, I think. Ezekiel told herself, plate in hand. She regarded herself briefly in the reflection of the freshly-washed platter. He's starting to act like-- The thought stopped abruptly once she'd heard the sound of someone moving around below deck with her. Was it her captain? She peered around the corner outside of the galley, but it was only Nefertari, pretty as ever, going about his business. Ezekiel scolded herself under her breath for getting spooked like that. It wasn't like Asche could hear her thoughts! Still, it was the principle that she'd become wary enough to even develop a fear that irrational that really bothered her. As if on cue, Asche had reentered the ship.
For the briefest of moments, she'd spotted that malicious grin split across his face, sharp as a scythe, wicked enough to send her whipping back around the corner. Did he see me?! Does he know I...?!
It was gone in a moment. Things of that nature were...at first. Before whatever was festering within sweet talks you enough that you start to get comfortable and let it out more, thinking you've got a leash on it, and then...Ezekiel unconsciously touched her eyepatch. She only had a few seconds to gather her composure before Asche had swung around the corner himself, tired but jovial, to ask how she was. Naturally, she said she was fine and changed the subject to Asche's health as quickly as she could. He accepted the change easily enough, and said something unremarkable about his lack of energy, yet she couldn't help but feel like he knew she wasn't fine. Asche hadn't said anything about it, but when he took his leave, Ezekiel realized that she'd been clutching the plate so hard that it had cracked. When she held it up to her face once more, rotated the plate, the crack lined up in such a way that it resembled that awful smile.
She broke it over her knee and tossed it out.
Ezekiel busied herself by cleaning up around the ship once they'd all clambered back in and set sail. It was the only way she could flee the rising discomfort in her gut without alarming the rest of the crew. How would she bring it up? There didn't seem to be a way to mention it that made sense. Was there a book about how to casually tell your crewmates that your captain's tenuous grip on his sanity is making him look like your ex-husband, and that it gave you nightmares? Better yet, a book on how to out a budding psychopath without getting murdered immediately? No, she didn't think so.
So instead, what Ezekiel did was go above deck for some fresh air. Count the stars. Spend some time with Ocean Dog and his partner Scarlett in traditional Cat Fashion, which was to sit up in the crow's nest and simply enjoy their company. With Thaddeus, her blanket, her pillow, and her favorite apricot cluster up in tow, it was a regular slumber party up there. Every now and again, she'd harmonize a shanty with Marshall and Scarlett, but Her Pinkness didn't say much, her eyes on the stars.
At least up there, she felt unreachable, separate from the fears and anxieties that were swarming below deck. It felt like her past was infecting the new home she'd made to leave it all behind. Ezekiel cast a tentative glance back on deck and swallowed her fear, then snuggled in for a night's rest. Nothing could touch her up here except the birds and the rain. Her husband had never liked heights anyway.
「STR 13 . PRO 20 . DEF 8 . SPD 19 . STA 7 」 「HP: 100/100 . STA: 100/100 . SPI: 0/0 」:Goe Goe no Mi Wordcount: 722
Deecee-Sama
Panda King Tai-tai Grim
a.renee.w
CrspyDonut
Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2018 11:03 pm
TThe sounds of the ocean were more soothing than anything else.
No more sweat. No more pain. No more feeling like he was going to keel over and die. Finally, Asche knew relaxation. With a hefty sigh and a smile, he sat on the edge of his bed looking across the room. A free hand rising with his gazing looking to it, memories of his time out of it flooding back. How he killed. . How he loved the feeling of it. . How so easily he could slip back into that mindset if he even so much as tasted blood. That same hand coming in to touch his face with a soft grip to the chin ; an utter congruent chain of ecstasy just from the thought. No. No more trying to suppress it. Maybe it was the near death experience, but he figured if he accepted it, then things would work themselves out and man did he already feel so good from the thought.
"Accept it. . You're a monster. ."
It echoed.
"Yeah. ."
"Don't worry. Don't spill innocent blood. They don't deserve it. But the next person who threatens you. ."
"The very next one. . "
"I'm gonna slaughter em'."
Inwardly as he spoke footsteps echoed as his gaze turned upward. There was Roselle coming on over and his smile seemed to spread even further. Feeling alright? "I'm feelin' really good actually. ." He'd say quietly, grasping her hand as she reached for his and pulling her closer into his lap. Eyes of a stranger mix between deep gold and his usual shimmering color looking down. "I'm feelin' even better now that you're here. Say, funny story." His head would come downward, onto her shoulder as lips touched to the ear. "When I was under I heard a little voice say something on the lines of. . Oh, I don't know, I love you too? I wasn't goin' crazier than normal, right?" Fingers briskly touching her chin, turning it to face him as lips dangled dangerously close. "You couldn't have been the one to say that to me. . Unless, you know. . I'm not nearly as crazy as I was thinkin' I am. . Roselle. ."
A coo of his voice as the situation presented themselves. Embers of youth bared themselves for the wicked and the wise, but Asche? He was riding the high of self acceptance and young romance. Either he danced dangerously close to a pyre or. .
Maybe he was more lit than he thought.
STR 362 || SPD 125 || END 100 || ACC 00 || INT 00 DEX 160 || HP 1040/1040 || SPI 168
XXX Things were perfect on the surface; a serene sheet of glass that only barely concealed the frigid depths below. One crack, one real good chip into the armor or any of them and their lives would all come tumbling down just as easily. Perhaps that was all Roselle's life was fated to be now. That of a woman wearing an intricate mask so delicate that a single touch would shatter it. And around her it seemed as if everyone else was just as brittle. It didn't matter if Nefertari had given her his blessing, he was clearly not fine with the situation. Ezekiel had gone about her duties on the ship, and Marshall passed his time with Scarlett, but she could sense it. The chip in their armor was already there. Somehow, she couldn't help feel as if it was all her fault. A monstrous murderer like her was only kidding herself trying to find a happy life hiding among this crew that had taken her in, and she was sapping the joy from them all, leaving only misfortune and despair in her wake as always. Could she, someone who had only broken things her whole life, actually manage to put this back together?
The thoughts left her mind as she entered Asche's room, feeling an immediate sense of comfort and contentment although she knew she didn't deserve it. "I'm glad you're feeling better. We were all so worried about you." Breathing a sigh of relief, she jolted in surprise as she was suddenly pulled into his lap, tensed up for a moment before she relaxed against him. A light flush to her face, she looked up to the man with a soft smile, suppressing a shiver as his lips brushed against her ear. For as brutal as he was in combat, she'd always been fond of how gentle he was around those he cared about. The way he always played with her hair or caressed her cheek had never been rough. Truly... It was only the dunking in the ocean that marred his perfect record... Hearing his words though, Roselle tensed again, blinking several times and immediately emitting a nervous laugh. "W-What?"
At first she looked away, her heart hammering in her chest, face on fire. This she didn't know how to handle. It was a first for her; finding people she actually cared enough about to feel the emotion called love. This was also the first time she'd ever felt such pure feelings directed at her. He'd even said it too her a while back, when he'd still been sick. "Well.. Well that's.. That's because.." It was okay, right? To be happy? Even after all the things she'd done, was it possible that she deserved anything other than suffering? "Because I.. I did say that.." Asche had almost died, and knowing how this world worked, Roselle was all too aware of how quickly it could happen again. It was better to confess than to live with the regrets of words she could not say. "I love you." She'd finally turned her gaze back to his, bringing up her arm to cup his face in her hand, slowly leaning closer to press her lips to his.
Deecee Sama
Panda King Tai-tai Grim
CrspyDonut
Sherlock Homeslice
Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2018 7:32 pm
"Well.. Well that's.. That's because.."
Hand holding tight. Eyes drifting. Eyelids lulling momentarily as he established a very subtle look to himself.
"Because I.. I did say that.."
He knew he hadn't gone crazy. Well, more than the average. Not less than the norm. Taken a bit back by her sudden advance, Asche seemed surprised as her hands came up to his own face. Taking a moment while heated breath exchanged between the two, his own lips went to meet her own. The pause there for the moment as the two danced around one another and met in the middle. For him this was euphoric. How long had he wanted this? How long did he feel he deserved it -- the it being her? Hands drifted down her person to her hips as arms stretched around to deepen the embrace. A momentary stop between notions to catch some breath and after, his face slowly parted from her own while looking into her eyes.
Remember when you saw fireworks for the first time? The explosion of various colors and feelings you just weren't used to. Seeing the sky light aflame as your heart skipped a beat to each explosion. Boom. Boom. Boom. It excited you. Trapped you. Then wrapped you in a veil of anticipation. That's how he looked at her now. Face turning to see they were alone and the door was closed. Was he supposed to take advantage or. . or just. . Well, he honestly didn't know. With the usual women he knew what he was getting himself into, but with Roselle he never wanted to mess up so he was always trying to keep his best foot forward. Even the dunking, but that was just outta love. ". . We're alone. . " He'd voice silently, head tucking to the nape of her neck.". . You've always ran from me. I honestly thought it was because of someone else. Or that maybe I just wasn't good enough. ." Even now he was second guessing himself.
STR 362 || SPD 125 || END 100 || ACC 00 || INT 00 DEX 160 || HP 1040/1040 || SPI 168
XXX It was such a wonderfully strange feeling to finally hold - and be held - by someone she actually cared about. Roselle was not as innocent and inexperienced as the rest of the crew believed her to be, but this truly was the first time she'd ever felt affection for someone on this level. It was warm, and she felt her stomach react to her strange new nervousness, as if she had disrupted a group of butterflies. As their kiss broke, the young woman looked up at Asche with a light smile, closing her eyes and leaning her forehead against his. How long had it been since she'd had anything even close to this? Society had never shown her love, nor had those from her past she had hunted with for so many years. Infatuation, perhaps. A strange sense of camaraderie, maybe, but never love. After all the things she had done, it was almost unnerving to feel inexperienced and as confused as she was at the moment. What was she supposed to do now? All she really wanted was to stay by his side, to be in his arms. To feel the beating of his heart and the warmth of his skin against hers.
Opening her eyes as he shifted to press himself to the nape of her neck, Roselle nodded to his words and smiled, raising her hand to run her fingers through his hair. As he continued to speak, she paused her motions, simply resting her hand on top of his head. "Yes.. It was not my place to.. To cut in when Nefertari clearly had.. Has.. Feelings for you. He saved my life, it was the least I could do to wait until he.. Gave me permission, I suppose." The Doctor sighed quietly at this, the guilt of the situation still weighing heavily upon her shoulders. Maybe it still wasn't right. Navigating relationships with people she actually cared about what surprisingly difficult. To the last of what he'd said, a short, nervous laugh followed. "You're more than good enough.. Trust me. It's.. It's me who isn't good enough.." If only he knew. Would the Captain still look at her with such a tender gaze? Would he want to hold her so close? It was selfish of her to keep her past a secret, she supposed, but the old her was dead. Did it truly matter anymore? "You're kind. Passionate. Strong. You make me smile and laugh.. You gave me a home." A bright smile lit her face at that thought. "I'm lucky and grateful to be in your presence, Asche."
Deecee Sama
Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2018 9:00 am
[So she didn't want to step on any toes? He could understand that. Taking a few moments to listen in on everything that was said and formulate a response. Nefetari. . He hadn't really spoken to him since he got better and it was more like, he didn't know what to say. The man clearly had gotten his feelings hurt from the exchange, but what was Asche to do? He couldn't just say sorry for feeling the way he did but he couldn't just act like hurting his Nakama's feelings was right too. There wasn't a way for him to resolve this without someone getting hurt. "Maybe I'm selfish for not thinking of how my words would impact him. ." He thought saying it openly was the best way to do it. Mincing words only let confusion in and that's not something he wanted at all.
"You're more than good enough.. Trust me. It's.. It's me who isn't good enough.."
He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Head perked up to look her dead in the eye as she spoke, eyes intensely staring. "There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. In every way I think you're a beautiful person. You take care of us. You help when we need. You do so much just by being here. I don't want you ever thinking you're not enough, especially for me." Twisting her over, he'd lay her back on the bed with himself on top. Hues burning gold and heart beating a mile a minute. "From your eyes. . To your lips. . To those horns and your wings. . Every part of you is beautiful. .Amazing. . Don't ever think you're less than that. . " He hadn't made any advances. It was more like, he had this itch in the back of his head. This restraint that was beginning to bend the more he looked at her.
"Take her."
No, he couldn't. What if he scared her? Or hurt her?
"You want this. . Do it. Take her. You've wanted this smokin' piece of a** for months now and you're just gonna sit here and pass up the chance. . You know what. . If you don't, then I will. ."
Snap.
He was ravenous. Hungry. All at once his lips took hers as Asche heaved her into the air, placing her legs around the midsection while strong, tough hands gripped the fabric of clothe.".You want me as bad as I want you?" He'd utter between hot, sultry breaths that ran the lining of her torso.
STR 362 || SPD 125 || END 100 || ACC 00 || INT 00 DEX 160 || HP 1040/1040 || SPI 168
XXX The words Asche spoke to her were kind, and they made the woman's heart ache for more than one reason. Roselle couldn't help but feel guilty at how wonderfully he was describing her, as if she were deserving of such kind depictions. Even if she had turned over a new leaf, wasn't it wrong to hide the parts that made her ugly? Despite that, she couldn't bring herself to divulge her past to them. She couldn't bear to see Asche look at her the way everyone else in her life had. Like she was a disgusting, hideous monster. Selfish, yes, but if he old self was dead then perhaps.. Perhaps it wasn't so bad to bury her. "Thank you.." She smiled up at him as he pushed her onto the bed so that she was on her back, admiring the warmth and passion in his gaze. To be accepted for what she was, both physically and emotionally, it was all she could have asked for.
Though her persona would suggest otherwise, she was no stranger to the position she was in, and the way Asche was staring at her. Slowly, she'd loop her arms around the back of his neck, lightly running her fingers through his hair, but otherwise waiting for him to decide what he wanted to do. And then suddenly it was as if the man had flipped a switch, his lips against her own, lifting her once more, the heat of his breaths against her skin. Surely he'd be able to feel how fast her heart was beating or see the way her cheeks were flushed. It had been a long time since she'd given in to carnal pleasure, and here at last she had a chance with someone she actually cared about. Someone she loved. "I do.." She whispered the words in his ear, angling her head down to trail kisses along his neck.
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