|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 4:58 pm
"Oh, you know," she shrugged, "the usual. Boring places makes some people start to wander. Other reasons being this isn't as... supernatural infested." She paused before saying those last two words, almost as if searching for the correct word to use. Which had actually been the truth. Indeed, not many humans were very happy with the vampires, demons and other "unnatural" beings that had come "out of the shadows" since the darker times of humanity began but to call them vermins, as she usually did, wasn't something she did outside "safe circles", so to speak.
"But you seem to run this place on your own," Jelena noted, casting a fleeting glance over the lower floor of the building. "Are your family elsewhere, or...?" she asked, tilting her head while looking at him.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 10:16 pm
"My parents are dead," Jackson said bluntly, meeting her gaze. Perhaps he wanted to let her know that it did not bother him. Or maybe he just wanted to see her reaction. "I have other relatives, but I'm not in contact with them. Or maybe I don't have other relatives by now," he gave a bitter laugh. "I never knew they apart from the occasional card or photograph and those stopped coming after my mother died."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 10:32 pm
At the revelation, Jelena's shoulder were jerked backwards somewhat but it wasn't violent nor very visible unless you were looking at her. Then she smiled at him again, a bit softer this time though. "I'm sorry, even if you now wanted that or not. I also know of family and relative losses," she offered as explanation. Tilting her head a bit backwards and to the side, Jelena looked at Jackson.
"Did you never consider leavingthis place and seeking out some of your relatives or getting a new family of your own though?" It was a casual question, no hints or anything for if it was something more to it. Or perhaps it was but she was just that good at hiding it? Heavens knew she was good at word plays and playing with others with simply her vocabulary.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 10:43 pm
Jackson laughed again, but it was lighter this time. "No. I don't particularly care about them. Why should I? They never expressed interest in me. As for a family..." Jackson smirked, leaning on the counter. "Do I really strike you as a family-man?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:02 pm
Jelena's face was calm and rather peaceful, that is, until his expression changed. Giving him a lopsided smile, which bordered on a smirk of its own, the woman didn't move her gaze away but boldly held it. "Well, no, I can't say that with an honest face. But standing in your bar all day, never moving your rump very far... why, you'd make the perfect housewife," she grinned at him. "Just the type of person their spouse like to come home to late in the evening, perhaps after closing, and push against the counter." Bold was getting bolder.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:25 pm
Jackson made a disgruntled noise and turned away. He was grinning, however, though he made an effort not to let her see it. "Oh, is that what you think?" He turned back, keeping his face straight, and looked her up and down. "I don't see why we have to wait until the night, if you see what I mean..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:32 pm
She just smiled at him sweetly, almost like a girl who couldn't tell a compliment from a blatant flirt. "Oh, I see. I can see all too well. I have a perfect pair of eyes you know," she said with a smirk and then turned halfway to lean back and support her balance once more with an arm on the counter. "However, I would feel sorry for any of your customers walking in when the place is a mess, if you catch my drift," she said almost nonchalantly, as if she actually really didn't care about the aforementioned people.
Tilting her head a bit, neck now partly exposed, she smiled charmingly at him. "Wouldn't you?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:37 pm
"Oh, I understand completely." Jackson said, his mouth twisting into something nearing a leer, "but I'm afraid have to disagree."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:56 pm
"Really?" she said, sounding somewhat astonished but most probably weren't. Twisting somewhat in her seat, lower torso still more in profil (not that it was visible due to the counter being in the way but some of her knee, which was crossed over the other, showed over the wood), she was now able to look him straight in the eye while at the same time not risking falling off the tall chair. She moved to lean her cheekbone against her fist, elbow on the counter top, as her eyes lazily roved over his face... or him in general at least.
"The poor people," but this time not even her voice really held a compassionate tone. "Now, now, show some restraint and discipline, my good man. Why don't you get yourself something to eat? That might be just what you need," she said with a bright smile that seemed to have been put there to hide something else that lay lurking beneath the surface.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 4:22 pm
"Yes, I do think I want something to eat," Jackson responded, eyes dark. "In fact, I believe we have plenty of time. I can predict that no one will be coming here for quite some time. Even more so if we lock up for an early private lunch break." He placed his hands down on the counter and leaned in over Jelena, his lips meeting hers.
((Was there to be a time jump somewhere around here?))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 9:50 am
Time passed, and steadily it grew darker outside. Just as the sun was setting on the horizon, Ruka had managed to get through the better portion of the back-stocked goods. She smiled a bit, glad with the amount of work they had gotten done…She knew she wouldn’t have been able to have gotten all that they had done on her own, and that just made it even better to have Ai there.
“Ruka, can we take a little break? Let’s go upstairs for a little while, just for a change of scenery,” suggested Ai, as he put his head on her shoulder. He seemed almost sleepy.
“Well, I guess a break couldn’t hurt,” she replied, leaning her head against his for a moment. After just a pause, she gave him a quick hug and then said “Come on,” before getting to her feet and helping him up. “Horatio, we’re just going to take a little break, okay?” she said with a smile, as he led her outside and then upstairs, careful to stay out of what little light remained.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 7:59 pm
Horatio smiled and nodded, but his mouth quickly slid into a frown as soon as Ruka was no longer looking. He did not feel comfortable letting the two of them out of his sight yet, even if it was just because he was being over-protective. He toyed with the idea that he was simply feeling jealous, but discarded it. Similar as it was, that was not quite it.
He sighed and got to his feet, looking down at Jesse as she stood patiently by his side. "Come," Horatio spoke softly to the dog, "it's quiet today and getting late anyway. Let's run the risk of missing a customer or two and take you for a short walk."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 8:10 pm
Ruka smiled as they made it up the stairs and then inside. This was amazing...He wasn't dead. He was here. He was laughing with her. The vampire could hardly believe it. They had only been in the room about a minute when he spoke.
"Hey Ruka, don't you think it’s about time we get going?" said Ai, his eyes almost lighting up the room.
"Go? Where? Horatio said it was okay if we took a break..." She asked, obviously a little more than confused.
"That's not what I meant. I meant we should be going home of course," he replied, holding the almost frozen seeming smile that he wore.
"What are you talking about? I am home..." she replied, not really liking the look of his smile all of the sudden...
"Oh come on Ruka...This pitiful excuse for a room is what you call your home? I think not. Look at you, your dressed like one of those worthless snacks,” he replied, a slightly bizarre and even cruel laugh in his voice.
"Ai...What's with you?" Ruka found the sudden complete change in him very unnerving...His eyes didn't even have the same light that she had always loved...somehow the brightness they held felt cold, like candle light reflecting onto the floor by way of a mirror.
"Really, quit wasting time. Father is waiting for us,” he said, ignoring her concerns as he stepped forward, hand wrapping around her wrist in a vice-like grip.
"...You’re hurting my wrist,” she said, quickly pulling it back and managing to break his hold.
"Don't make this more difficult than it needs to be," he sounded annoyed with her. "Come on now, get your things and let’s go," he added, sounding more than a bit annoyed with her.
"I'm not going anywhere,” Her eyes darted to her silver sword, which was resting against the wall opposite them. Ai noticed the glance, and at once they both ran for the blade. Fortunately, Ruka got there first.
Discarding the sheath in one fluid motion as soon as she had gotten her hands on it, raising the point to his neck. "I don't want to hurt you, Ai," Ruka's voice trembled ever so slightly as she spoke, only her will keeping back her anger.
This was not the way it was supposed to be...He wasn't like this...This wasn't him. Ai wouldn't have tried to get her go back to a house where she wasn't happy. Ai wouldn't have called humans 'snacks'. Ai would not have hurt her wrist.
"Do you think you could?" a cold smirk crossed his pale lips. He spread his arms out; giving her the chance to run him through should she feel the need. "What's stopping you?" he said, entirely confident she would do nothing.
When Ruka didn't move, save her hand shaking just slightly, he took the opportunity. In a flash, he was behind her, his previously concealed dual Kodachi making an X just in front of her neck. "Ruka...Please, I don't want to have to take you home unconscious, but if I have to I will,” he said, pressing one of the cool blades against her throat gently, so not as to draw blood, more just to intimidate her.
"...I said I didn't want to hurt you, Ai...But I've realized something...You, are certainly not Ai," In a quick movement, she had managed to hit his arms away from her neck. Only the blade that had actually been touching her cut her, leaving an unfortunate crimson line with blood dripping from it in its place.
Ruka turned and faced him, now thinking of him as best she could an enemy rather than someone she loved.
Ai couldn't deny being a little surprised that she had tried anything quite as foolish as getting away, but the small amount of crimson she had left behind on his blade only proved to make him hungry.
"Don't you see Ruka? I am the same man, just better. Better for you, for the family, for everyone. My reputation is almost as Fathers back home...The Terrans respect me, they fear me. We could have that life together," he said, speaking softly and eagerly, as though this were his vision of a wonderful, ideal world.
"Fear and respect are not the same thing,” the other vampire replied, feeling the blood trickle down her neck a bit; she could already feel the wound beginning to close, but not nearly fast enough for her tastes if she was going to need to fight him.
Ruka took her stance; bracing herself for the fight she knew was coming. If at all possible, she would try and get it out into the street, and then out of the city, where it was less likely they would hurt anyone, or cause too much damage.
"Fine. If this is the way you want it, so be it...But don't think I'm going to hold back. Let’s see if you are really worthy to be called the 'Silver Flower'," Ai's eyes narrowed as he too took his stance, conceivably ready for any attack.
In the next moment, there was the clash of silver on steel; the clang of metals hitting each other resonated through the night air.
For several moments, this continued, until Ruka managed to position herself close to the door. She bolted outside, and stood on the handrail, hoping that having the high ground would give her the advantage. Instead, Ai simply cut the flat wooden rail out from under her feet, and forced her to back-flip herself onto the roof.
In only seconds, he was after her, on the rail, and then his feet touched the roof tiles. Their fight would not take place in the city streets, but above them, Ai steadily guiding her towards the edge of town as darkness crept into the sky.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 8:22 pm
Horatio had been rounding the corner of the building as a large shadow passed quickly overhead. He looked up just in time to see Ruka land on the roof of the building across from his. Even as he watched, stunned into silence, Ai hurtled after her and this time he caught the unmistakable flash of metal in the moonlight.
"Oh, Lord," Horatio breathed, momentarily forgetting the danger in those words.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 8:35 pm
The way Ai was fighting, "aggressive" was an understatement. Fortunately Ruka was light on her feet and kept up, but she was entirely on the defensive as the backed across the roof they had jumped to.
"Ruka why not just give in? Your wasting both our time,"said the male vampire, as he pressured her into jumping to the next roof top.
"Stop it! This is stupid, why do you want to go back there?"she asked, having a little trouble fighting and not walking straight off the roof backwards while keeping her guard up. At this point, she still felt conflicted about fighting him...She couldn't bring herself to raise her sword offensively.
"You of all people should know better than to just run off like this. You've caused Father a lot of grief,"he said, seemingly ignoring her question in its entirety as he made a move with the blades, one going for her shoulder, the other for her hip.
She only barely managed to tilt her blade in time and back away, blocking both at once with her silver rapier. There was just no getting through to him! When had he become so block-headed?!
The shop was disappearing behind Ai quickly as Ruka flipped to another roof top, slipping a little on the ledge at first, but quickly regaining her footing. She noticed however that during the slight fumble, she had left an opening...why had Ai not taken it?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
