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 Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 8:26 pm
She can't help but continue to smile at him, hoping to soothe his worries in one way or another. He doesn't need to be scared, she knows he's not going to ******** it up this next time, and even if he does, it won't take as long for them to make up. She's sure of it, he won't leave her a second time, not after everything that's already happened. They can make it, and they can certainly make it work. "Good, coffee or tea?" It'll be two drink orders Last'll get today, she knows it'll help with what hangover he has. Even so, she's not about to move away either, tracing a hand over his side with a smile, relaxing more and more with a sigh. "Yeah, and you were drunk off your a**. Told me you were sorry more times you could count, among other things." She might as well help fill it in for him, the little bits and pieces he doesn't quite yet have. "You going to stay with me this time? Or do you still have that ridiculous notion you're going to get between something you could never get between if you tried?" She's keeping quiet, just in case he's worse off than he wants to let on, watching him carefully, though it's clear the more and more she settles in against him, the quicker she's getting sleepy again, even if she just woke up.
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:58 am
He can’t help but feel like he’s failed at something important, and that shows on his face and in his voice when he does speak, with not a single word containing any laughter. That’s probably the biggest change – not that he’s quiet, not that he sounds a bit worried by all of this, but there’s no bright Grimm grin, no teasing in his tone or mischief in the set of his mouth. Little wonder Ghastly’d gotten sick of him, if he’s been like this all this time. But at least he seems to be listening now, in a way he obviously hasn’t been listening to his brothers, or even to Unwelcome. “Whichever,” he mumbles at her question about the beverages, trying to look as if the whole of his concentration isn’t focused on the path of her hand down his side, on her warmth and nearness. Despite Ghastly’s influence, he ain’t touched a woman since he let her walk home alone that day, and the one time a woman had tried to touch him at his brother’s insistence it had ended so poorly Gee hadn’t tried again for almost a week. The next question is harder to meet with an answer, and he watches her settle against him, one arm over her middle with their cuffed hands together, as he tries to think of a response she’ll accept. “ .. I don’t want to hurt you,” is what he settles on finally, which is the only thing he can think of that’s true that she probably won’t sock him for. But he doesn't really want to face this conversation, not yet, maybe not ever, so he looks sidelong at her shoulder and asks, just as quiet, " .. how you been healin'? They tell you when you'll be up and about again?"
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 6:51 pm
It was extremely depressing. Never once had she ever wondered what it would be like if the twins weren't themselves, but now she's sure she never even wants to see a hint of it again. This isn't right, it's not the way things should be, he should be bright and mischievous, just like the day they'd met. Even if he won't come back to her, as much as it would break her heart, she knows he needs to be back to his old self, for everyone's sake. She's content to stay quiet, at least until he starts repeating what she already knows. It'll make her frown, a look that she knows he certainly won't want to see. "You're not going to hurt me, I know you won't. And I don't want to hurt you. You're just as important to me as your brother, I promise you that, and you know how much he means to me." Her voice is soft, trying to soothe him back into being comfortable with her, comfortable enough to actually talk about how he feels. "Are you hurt because I'm marrying him?" She hadn't actually gotten an answer out of him last night, she couldn't just ignore it completely. At least for now, she'll allow him this one change in conversation, just a little bit. "Healing up just fine, it's my arm that's got the worst of it." She shrugs a little, not seeming to think much of it. "I'll be up and about again when your brother lets me. He's never happy when I get out of bed on my own, likes to fuss about like a mother hen."
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Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 7:34 pm
For all her softness he seems to shrink down at the disappointment in her tone, and for all of his convictions he flushes with shame at her words. But to talk of how he feels .. no, that is not easy, not easy at all. Red-cheeked, having a hard time meeting her gaze, it is all he can do to shake his head fiercely and curl his arm more tightly around her, pulling her against his chest. No, no, that isn’t it at all .. but is he afraid to look at her because he’s lying, or because he’s afraid to continue the conversation as it is?
Licking his lips, he is readier to continue the other conversation they have begun, glancing back at her as if to get a better estimation of her wounds with his own eyes. “ .. he’s like that,” First says finally, with a slow breath which seems to be one of relief, glad to address some other subject. “He don’t like it none when somebody’s hurt or sick.” Slowly, moving inch by inch, he rests his head back on the pillow, clearly willing his body to relax since he is not going to be able to escape. “ .. had a little brother get sick once, when he were still tiny: I think that’s what done it. He were sick a long while, and then din't make it through winter. We were little when it happened, but .. he remembered, I think. "
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Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 8:05 pm
She knows it's going to be hard to get out of him, it's going to take an effort to get him to say, to finally tell her what he's been feeling all this time. There's a little bit of relief that he's not upset about her engagement to his brother, that it won't mess up anything between them, or so he says. But even so, it's so nice to be curled in against him, to just take in his warmth and feel each and every breath... "Why are you so scared to tell me?"
She'll listen though, to what little explanation he has for his brother's behavior, nodding quietly. She knew there'd been a bunch of siblings, but...she hadn't known about this, and frankly she didn't blame anyone for not telling her. It really wasn't something she'd like to bring up if it had happened to herself, though.... "...I.....I lost my dad like that." She murmurs, closing her eyes as she just takes in another breath. "He got sick, really sick, and I had to take over the shop. We didn't have enough for a doctor for the longest time, and when we finally did....it was too late. He died that night." It's a little bit easier to say this time around, far less painful than it had been with Rajani, and she can't help but wonder if just getting it out helped that much. It's the first she's ever said about her old man to either of the twins, and would usually be more than happy to avoid the subject instead.
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Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 6:34 pm
“Hells, Rosa,” he tells her, his thumb moving over her closed eyelids, then over her cheekbones, as if trying to smooth away the sorrow. “I din’t know. I’m sorry.” Still his voice is low and slow and quiet, because somehow it’d seem wrong to raise it, or to bring up any other topic, because he has some sneaking suspicion of what such a confession must cost her. So fearful or not, he treats her words with all the solemnity they are due, and curls his arm more tightly around her. Before he can say much more, there are soft steps coming up the stairs, and a small groan actually escapes First: as if he knows already who is coming, and the reception he is likely to receive. Indeed, Last comes up the stairs with a tea tray and plenty of company; if he’d been able to coax Shuu, he’ll have a rook on each shoulder and a lazy grin set between them, looking very much like a man who believes that all is right with the world. The fragrant scent of a darker tea than usual follows him, and there’s even (as if he’d wanted to spoil them today) sugar and cream beside the cups and the heavy pot. Unwelcome bounces up and down in cheerful greeting, mimicking high-pitched spring birdsong, accompanied by a chuckle from Last. “So, he behavin’ up here, Rosa? Gee says he’ll show y’how to give ‘im stripes if he ain’t heedin’ you.” He pulls over a chair, the furniture in her bedroom being either limited or already occupied by clothing or food, and sets the tea tray there, pouring three cups. He will know, by now, how it is that Rosa takes her tea, and of course he knows his brother’s preferences there, so he does not even ask: but fixes it, grinning at them sidelong.
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Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 8:15 pm
"I'm the one who didn't tell anyone, it's not your fault." She hadn't wanted to for the longest time, and realizing that she had been putting a lot of blame on herself for it, well, she might as well get it out there. "Haven't even said a word of it to your brother." It's a good sign that she trusts him this much, to tell him something she hasn't wanted to bring up in the year they've known each other, but she sighs again, settling further up against him, hoping he won't let go, not for a long long while. "I didn't know either....You must've been really little, huh?" Carefully, she'll brush her fingers through his hair, not knowing how much hurt is still lingering after all these years, and how much he still is from what's happened.
The footsteps draw enough attention, enough that she'll steal a quick kiss from First with a grin that speaks of more happiness than she can express, settling back down in time for him to come in. Shuu has rather made himself at home, trying to preen Last's hair to his liking, just enough to make him presentable for his lady. The smell of the tea is something she knows she doesn't own, and the fact he's spoiling her rotten today says enough for what he thinks on the matter. She's in no hurry to sit up though, too comfortable, too warm and settled in.
"I don't think there'll be any need for that." It all comes out in a lazy sigh, Making it even clearer she might be of half a mind to fall asleep again if she continues to be cuddled and held like this. "He knows better." Not because he'd hurt her, oh no, but because she'd raise hell if he did. "One more spoonful of sugar today, since you're already spoiling me with cream and tea I didn't have before."
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Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 10:04 pm
Quick as that little kiss is, she’ll hear First suck in a deep breath from it, startled into silence: perhaps he’d been about to complain, or make some comment to his brother, or even protest — but instead he licks his lips as if savoring her taste and looks as if he’s having trouble focusing. This may be a trick to remember; if she can so thoroughly disrupt his train of thought when he’s upset, surely that means he needs more kisses!
“Eh,” says Last cheerfully, “so long’s yor sure. Not like he can go nowhere, leastways. Just don’t let him near none’ve yor hatpins, okay?”
The elder twin finally lifts his head with a slight frown for them both, blinking slowly and gathering his wits thought by thought. “Don’t I get any say in this?”
“Nope,” Last tells him, carefully adding the extra spoonful of sugar to Rosa’s tea, without so much as looking up. “And just so’s you don’t get no funny ideas, I gave Mister Romantic here the key to them cuffs.” He rolls his shoulder, indicating little Shuu: a bold move on his part, since on one hand Shuu isn’t near as smart as Unwelcome is, and Last hadn’t been entirely certain the bird would fully understand an order to not give the key back until Rosa allowed it. But on the other hand, Shuu isn’t First’s pet, he’s Rosa’s. Unwelcome might have held out against his pleas for a time, but she’d have given in eventually.
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Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 11:32 pm
She can't help but beam a little bit more, adoring every little bit of his reaction. Clearly he needed more, she was going to have to give him more kisses to better distract him, maybe even to win him back little by little. Finally, hesitantly, she'll pull back to sit up, leaving her cuffed hand where it was, so she doesn't jerk First up without him wanting to, watching her betrothed prepare their tea. "Hatpins? I've only got one, and it's not even mine." She shrugs, obviously not thinking much of the feminine clothes she does own. "Don't much care for them. They're hell to make." She doesn't much care what the boys think of this, they know they can probably spoil her rotten by getting her new ones....and only then will she wear them. "What, you don't want to spend time with me?" She frowns, trying to give him her best puppy eyes, knowing damn well they'll work. "I've missed you so much...Do I not get to spend time with you anymore?" But all and all she finds Last's idea absolutely brilliant. Shuu is a lot smarter than he looks, though certainly not as witty as Welly. She'll probably have trouble getting the key back when it's time too. "You didn't even answer my question this time either. Why are you so afraid to say how you're feeling?" This time, it's a little firmer, she's going to demand it out of him if she needs to.
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Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 8:12 pm
First will sit up as well, tucking himself against her back as if she might need the support; he presses his lips together at the talk of hatpins, since with a single hatpin and a few moments undisturbed the cuffs would be little more than a distant memory. For now it’s probably for the best that she doesn’t have any within reach, but it’s safe to say that with the twins now aware of this lack, it won’t be long before they have remedied it.
They will share a glance, in fact: perhaps the first thing they ought to acquire for her is a very large jewelry box, as it would give them both great pleasure to slowly fill it.
But she gives them promptly something else to think about, and indeed First will pale again under her pitiful gaze, and no matter that he knows she’s putting it on for his sake: it remains effective nonetheless. He licks his lips, and glances back and forth between the two of them, but there’s no help from Last; he has folded his arms across his chest, and leans against the bed, grinning. That’s his Rosa, all right!
“I ain’t afraid,” First mutters finally, his cheeks starting to heat. “But — I ain’t —“ He looks again to his brother, unable to find the words, and then looks back at Rosa, somewhere between frustration and desperation. When he pulls the words together, his tone is outright pleading. “ .. why we gotta talk about feelings? Ain’t it enough I come back?”
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Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 9:59 am
She can only murmur a few words of thanks for his support, absolutely relieved he's willing to do this much for her. She'll be careful to keep an eye on him, and if he even tries to get free before it's time, well....She knows how to make him feel guilty enough to give up. She'll catch the glance the two share, unable to keep from smiling, knowing this is a very very good sign that the two will be back to their closeness soon enough. The answer she gains isn't in the least satisfactory, causing her to frown even more. It doesn't matter how much he tries to plead with her to just forget it, to change the subject, she is the one in charge here, and she knows it. Just to distract him, just to get him more inclined to answer, and surely to make up for all the time they've lost, she'll cover his face in kisses, starting at his forehead, moving to press two soft ones above each of his eyes. It'll be some time before she finally gets to his lips, giving them the most attention. It will only be after she's quite satisfied that she'll press one last slow kiss to his lips, pulling back with a smile. "Love you..." She murmurs, though in truth it's a bit of a test. There's a few words she wants to hear, she wants so desperately to hear them, though she'll do her best to encourage them, lacing her fingers with his. "...You going to stay for good now, or are you going to leave me again? I'd really like you to stay, but...I don't want to end up with you being miserable, I want to make things better. I know it'll take time, this isn't just something that gets fixed overnight, but...talking will help, won't it? That's why we've gotta talk about it..." Rosa is trying to be delicate with him, trying to get him to understand he's important to her. Resting her forehead against his, she'll sigh, closing her eyes and just waiting for him to answer.
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Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 8:18 pm
He goes still again when she starts up with those kisses, like a wild thing that ain’t quite used to kindnesses, like he hasn’t yet relearned what to expect. But he holds himself still, and breathes slow, and when she pulls back he very nearly follows after, catching himself only at the last moment. Color creeps back into his cheeks before sense returns to his brown eyes, and once more he has a hard time meeting her gaze. He knows what she’s really asking him, the simple question writ in between all her words, and he wishes profoundly that he knew how to answer her. A silence draws itself out, until he can get his thoughts in something enough like order to fool someone who looked at a glance.
“ .. I ain’t good at talkin’,” he tells her, looking down at their bound hands. “And I .. I ain’t a good man, Ros’, nor a strong one. I ain’t gonna stop being afeared I’ll do you wrong, jest ‘cause ..” He shrugs again, words either inadequate or his own will insufficient to explain that there are some things he won’t do just on her say-so. “ .. but I … ain’t no strong man,” he says again, muttering the words, clearly ashamed. “I knew I couldn’t see you none, that’s why I stayed away.” His voice grows softer and softer yet, and he still won’t lift his head to look at her. “ .. I cain’t turn from you. Not again. So’s I stayed away.” He knew, once he'd felt her hand on his, once she'd touched his skin with her kisses and held him back, he knew he'd give in. He'd known it then, and he knows it now, that he can't leave her now that she's found him: but then, as now, he's afraid for her because of it, afraid that his weakness for her will hurt her, soon or late.
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Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 9:10 pm
She's so happy to shower him in affection, nuzzling her nose against his with a happiness that seems nearly contagious. She loves him, she really does, and she hopes at least he'll understand that....But the way he won't look at her, the way he keeps trying to put himself down, it's clear it's hurting her from the way she looks at him. She doesn't want to hear this nonsense, there's only three little words she wants to hear from him, three little words she's been so sure were meant for her, and she doesn't want to start doubting them now. She'll shake her head again at his answer, no, no, this isn't right, he's wrong again, before finally trying one last time.
"I don't care. I know the family business, I know about everything that's going on, and it hasn't stopped me yet, now has it? You're strong, and it's okay to be afraid, I promise you it is, because I'm scared of losing either of you. If anything happens again, we can work it out, I know we can, and it's not just your fault for what happened. I'm sorry for what I did, I shouldn't have left you, I should've been there for you." She's trying to coax him back, voice soft like one would use on a frightened child or animal, and she's not going to let him take all the blame for this. But slowly, ever so slowly, she's starting to realize why he's so scared, what he's left unsaid, and ever so quietly will finally bring it out into the open, eyes on his, even if he won't meet hers.
"...You love me, don't you?"
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Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 11:05 pm
That little nuzzle — so simple in its joy, containing in its simplicity something enough like innocence to make his heart ache — causes him to catch his breath in one deep gulp. He still looks almost panicked by all of this, by all this talking, because who the hell wants to just talk about something like this, over and over? (And no matter that she’s coming to a dawning realization about how he thinks, by pressing him.) He and Last don’t need to talk about things! Certainly not like this. If they get into a tiff they duke it out, straight up, fists up, punches thrown, bruises and all.
But Rosa speaks a different language and plays on a different playing field, and inch by inch he’s trying to learn.
This time when he looks up it isn’t at Rosa, but sidelong at his brother, gaze tired and sad and thoroughly apologetic. “I .. it — .. yeah,” he whispers, still ashamed, because he feels like he oughtn’t love her, he shouldn’t, only somehow he does. “ .. yeah. I do.”
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2014 9:07 am
It's painful to think this had been so much easier when he was drunk, when he had let his guard down enough for her to truly get him to accept her little advances, but now it is so much easier to just get him to understand her, to know he can understand so much more, and remember it this time. But it's when she gets what she wants, when she finally gets it out of him, that she'll smile even more, eyes fluttering shut, brushing the slightest against his. He's made her so happy just by admitting it, perhaps he should imagine how happy it would make her if he actually outright said it! "You don't need to hide it. I promise you won't ever need to." She murmurs, each word close enough for him to taste, "Will you let me be yours?" It was only fair, wasn't it?
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