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 Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 5:46 pm
Zul was content with the answer. It would give the Kitten plenty to consider and chew on, which hadn't been his original intent, but anything to help his friend. If it would be of any benefit to try and make her see the situation from his standpoint - friends don't turn on friends - maybe she could garner enough hope to push forward and revisit the people that had been hurt by her possession. The demon simply smiled as she finished, inclining his head to her in acknowledgement. He'd said all he could say.
Noting that he was being watched, Zul turned his focus once more to the bag against his side, watching the colorful ribbons cling to his gloves and crawl up his forearm as his fingers sought the gift within the bag's confines. There was something soft, and with a curious curve of his brows, he drew the present out of the bag. It was a stuffed penguin! The demon's face slackened into surprise, his thumbs rubbing over the small wings, his eyes turning over the squishy bird. It had a tie that was modified much like the one Lucia had been wearing during their visit to the aquarium. Zul looked at the Kitten with wide eyes before his expression warmed into mirth, laughter bubbling in his chest.
The demon fell back into the sand, hugging the stuffed animal to his chest, his smoky laughter rolling over the sound of the waves not that far off. "Ah," he tried to catch his breath, lifting one hand to rub over his blue eyes despite the fact there were no tears, "open your present, Lucia!" Zul managed to wrestle his laughter into a wide, toothy grin, crooked and deeply amused.
She'd just have to love her gift now, wouldn't she?
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Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 1:34 am
Lucia watched Zul’s expression intently. When he was feeling in the bag, he seemed curious, but once he pulled it out, there was no happiness, no joy, none of the elation she had hoped to see. Blinking a few times, Lucia was surprised. Her expression slowly turned to show the hurt as Zul just stared at her.
Then he fell backwards! Was he in pain?! Had something happened? Lucia’s own hurt feelings turned to fear and panic as she floated up over him, trying to see if he was okay. ”Are you – are you alright?” Staring at the demon’s face her fear and panic became confusion. He – he was laughing! Why was he laughing?
Looking at the penguin in his hands, there was nothing funny about it. She sat patiently, waiting for him to calm down.
After he calmed down and looked at her, there were only questions remaining on her face. At his insistence, she looked at the box. Despite her confusion, she carefully regarded her present. Lifting it up to her ear, she shook it slightly, listening for any jingling or rattling. Nothing.
Looking at the paper and bow, she smiled. Very Christmas. Not at all April. Hopefully next year they could see each other more. She inspected the fold in the side of the box for a second. Should she delicately untie the ribbon? Slowly open the sides and undo the tape holding the paper together? Or rip it apart.
Using the nails that were still long, Lucia began ripping at the pretty paper and bow. Pulling on the ribbon rather than untying it, she pulled her hands in opposite directions, digging into the white paper with the snowflakes. Ripping the paper off she threw it up in the air and grabbed the ribbon throwing it at Zul with a smile.
It was nice to not think about the past months for once. Pulling open the box, the Kitten now knew what had made Zul laugh.
Pulling out the cute plush penguin that HE had gotten her, she looked at it. It was different from the one she had bought him. But still. Penguin. The round eyes were adorable, and it's plump body was stuffed with a very soft stuffing. But apparently this penguin was a little more hardcore than the one she had given Zul. Adorning its neck was a spiked Lucia-sized choker. She hugged it to her body and looked at the penguin in front of her friend.
Seeing both of the gifts in turn was too much for her. Lucia fell into Zul slipping her free arm around his ribs and giggling. ”Oh gosh!” she said, hugging him tightly. She laughed and laughed, her shoulders shaking while her breath was coming in seldomly and in small gasps. It was utterly ridiculous.
Letting out little mew-like crying sounds as she gasped for air; ”It hurts!” she said. Her lungs were on fire as she desperately tried to breathe but couldn’t through the laughter. Letting out a breath of air as she calmed down, small giggles escaped as she tried to stop laughing. Then she saw the pair of penguins and fell right back into giggling.
When she did finally stop laughing, the kitten didn’t know what to say. They had thought so much alike when picking gifts for each other. ”Now we both have a penguin at home.” Her bright eyes looked at him happily, her pain from before just a memory.
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Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 3:00 pm
Still in the grips of laughter, Zul snatched the thrown ribbon and looped it around one of his curled horns, holding onto his penguin and grinning with tremendous amusement into the stuffed animal's head. His central horn served to light his twinkling blue eyes, watching Lucia with baited breath as she began to withdraw the soft object within the box. The grin the demon wore widened until it positively hurt, and when she looked at his penguin, he lost his composure; leaning his head back, Zul laughed at the sky, his half-formed chest aching at his helpless outburst.
With the Kitten against him and his mirth shared, he allowed himself to laugh with her, though her mewling only served to tickle his funny bone into more spirited amusement. The demon felt like he was gasping for air, hugging Lucia to his side with the penguin nestled close to her, nodding his agreement to her statement because he couldn't yet speak. The Frei's somehow managed to wrestle their laughter into quiet giggles on her part and chuckling on his, his expression still merry with the moment shared. Zul glanced down to Lucia as she spoke again, smiling warmly. "You have good taste," he commented in a partially teasing manner, lips pulling over his teeth in the threat of another grin, one he barely managed to contain.
It felt good, laying there on the cool sand with Lucia nestled against him, their laughter a grand show with the night sky as their audience. Giving her a light squeeze with the arm around her, he said, "And when we go see the whales, I'll know what to add to the collection." Zul didn't mind thinking that he may have future meetings with Lucia that would end in him trying to immortalize the day in a cute, stuffed way; if anything, looking forward - beyond their heavy talk - was the best way he could conceive of getting over the pain Lucia had endured. She'd always have the memories of what had transpired, but goodness willing, they'd be able to build new ones. Better ones. And while she may not forget what had happened, she just might be able to forgive herself.
Exhaling through his nose with a sort of peace he hadn't felt in a long time, he gazed upwards towards the sky. They only had each other, after all. "I wonder if there's a penguin constellation," he muttered, eyes seeking the diamond-studded velvet sky for anything that might have looked like one...or a fish. It was ridiculous, but Zul wanted to hold onto the good feelings more than the bad. That's what he was here for, and quite frankly, he couldn't think of a better way to sweep Brian Sparks out of conversation for a long, long time.
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