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Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 11:25 pm
"Shove off, Seamus!" The exclamation ricocheted through the street, as loud and obnoxious as the clatters and bangs that had come from the rickety old bike the voice rode.
"I'm just saying, why do I always have to sit in the bloody little side-chair--" A matching voice countered grumpily.
"Because you drive like a grandmammy."
"Do not!"
The voices bickered, back and forth like a tennis match, as the decrepit old bike and side-attachment was left parked halfway on the sidewalk, leaning on its kickstand like an old nag at the end of her days. The twin voices sniped and snipped, bit and scratched all the way up the short stairway to the front of a comparatively plain-looking wooden door.
"You think he'll be in?"
"You kidding me? He's always in. Got no life, that one. Probably knitting as we speak."
Callused hands rapped a set of bony knuckles against the front of the door, knocking out an impatient tune accompanied by a kick.
"You might wanna go around the back in case he tries to get away again."
"You go around the back! That was the last time I got pegged as a thief, thank you! Those grannies next door are always watching."
"Baby."
"Jerk."
The twins were on a mission. Today was the day: Valeriu was going to fess up on everything. He would spill his princely guts before them, and they would finally get to the bottom of all this strangeness.
Little boys didn't just go away for a few months and return as men. And those men didn't disappear for a week to return as older men with eyes like that.
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 11:40 pm
At the sound of their voices, her face lit up. Sure, sure, she wasn’t supposed to see them, but…
But…!!
That matter could easily be settled with a good use of the puppy dog eyes. Besides, it was only polite to answer the door! Any snipes from Varu, and she could pull the ‘not everyone has cat hearing’-- She simply had no idea who it could have been.
Even if they had been loud enough for deaf ears to hear. (Valeriu didn’t know that, now did he?)
The door opened to her smile, though she still had to look up to see them. It had been a long time; seeing their faces brought back some of the normalcy that had been missing since Valeriu’s (And her) growths.
“Hell-o~” Was she coming across as too chipper? Shoot! She didn’t want to seem desperate to see them-- especially when it would take such a massive amount of explaining to -- well, explain the situation! “What can I do yeh for?”
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 11:52 pm
"Well," Murphy cut in before Seamus could speak, smiling and leaning against the doorjamb in what he was very sure was a suave manner, "For you, little lady? I'm free for one night only."
Seamus knew his brother wasn't exactly the smartest nut in the burlap sack, but...
"Murphy, that's-" He tried to get his brother's attention with a well placed jab in the back. He was quickly rewarded with an elbow to the gut.
"Dibs, Seamus! Dibs," Murphy hissed through his smile, turning back to the pretty and well-endowed little lady before him.
"And what would be your name? Must be pretty for a pretty girl like you," he winked, and his brother groaned.
"Murphy!"
"What, Seamus?"
"That's Tepin you're hitting on, mate!"
"What!" Murphy whirled back to blink at Tepin - her face, this time. Rather than...other assets. "Blimey! You're right! Tepin, you, you-- well, you didn't exactly grow taller," he noted, crossing his arms. "But, well--" He made a strange motion with his hands that greatly resembled outlining the curves of a woman.
Seamus kicked the back of his legs.
His brother was going to be a dead man at this rate.
"What's going on in this house? Next thing you know, Sydni will be sporting a fine set of-"
"Murphy!"
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 12:11 am
She couldn’t help but gasp and groan at every attack that the brother’s exchanged-- somehow she never really saw them coming. Maybe she was simply confused at just how strange Murphy (She assumed Murphy, what with how he was acting) was being towards her.
She frowned deeply at the two (Well, Murphy), arms akimbo in defiance. This was certainly no good! No good at all! Yes, she knew she had a good set of melons, but--
“What!? I totally got taller, you brat!!” Her arms crossed, only emphasizing her curves even more, “I was only, like, to your waist before!”
The girl backed into the house, holding the door open for the twins to enter. There was no sense talking in the doorway, not when she finally had the house completely to herself.
“If you came to see Varu, he’s out for the day with Sydders. They had to go shopping for a bunch of stuff.”
A quick glance at the clock and then the telephone, and she added thoughtfully, “But I could give him a call if you want to let him know you’re here.”
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 12:32 am
"That'd be grea-" Seamus started, cut off once more by his brother.
"No, no! Let him bond with his darling little seester," Murphy reassured, letting himself in with Seamus trailing along behind.
"But Murphy-"
"What was that, Seamus? You want to go get us drinks? Why, how kind of you! Off with you now, off," he shooed his brother, grinning. Seamus stared back peevishly, not amused. He saw right through his brother's tactics.
A dead man walking, if Valeriu ever found out.
Murphy threw himself down on the couch, patting the cushion next to him invitingly. Seamus moved to sit down, only to be warded away with a glare.
The seat was for Tepin.
Seamus glared back, and sat right down in the offered seat, launching the beginning of a series of stealthy jabs and kicks between the brothers before they finally settled down on opposite sides of the couch.
Both leaned forward simultanously, peering inquisitively at Tepin (Murphy was totally looking at her face!).
"So, what happened?" they chimed.
"Come clean."
"We want to know!"
"First Valeriu-"
"Then you-"
"What's going on?" They crossed their arms.
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 12:46 am
“No no-- we got drin--” Okay, so that didn’t work! Being with these two meant involuntarily getting swept into their pace, and unfortunately for the little godling always took so long to readjust. “’Kayyy….”
It was made a good deal harder when the two launched into a barrage about the taboo subject of The Game.
“Oh, you guys~” She dismissed them with a flip of the hand, though the hair on the back of her neck began to stand, “You’re just being silly. You know puberty, it always hits ya like a brick!”
In some cases, a brick with a penchant for cannibalism! But a brick nonetheless! That was her story, it was Varu’s story, and they had to stick with it, no matter what!
She flopped into the small gap between them, a small and nervous smile on her face. Maybe, maybe she could just break the subject and move on. They could accept that, right?
“Yea, I got my you-know-what, and all of the sudden I grew like a weed! I guess it’s all those hormones and stuff in the food these days! I’m glad and all-- but now I’m just so bummed!”
She bounced in her seat, hoping that the result would distract them. Take the bait, this always shuts Varu up, so just take the darn bait!
“I can’t seem to find anyone to take me out!”
Take it. Take it. Take it. Move on! Please, please for all that is holy in this world, just move on!!
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 12:55 am
Murphy smiled, and wrapped an arm around Tepin's shoulders friendly-like.
It was the grip of the jaws of life.
"Now, now, Tepin," he began pleasantly, even as Seamus wrapped another arm around her (pre-emptive c**k-blocking at work).
"We're not stupid," he reminded with a roll of his eyes.
"And we grew up with four sisters-" Murphy added.
"So we know you're lying."
"Spill," they chimed, both smiling in a way that was reminiscent of a pair of crocodiles.
"I'll take you out on a date if you do!" Murphy was quick to add on, much to Seamus' surprise.
"Murphy-"
"Of course, we can go on a date even if you don't tell-"
"Murphy!"
"It will be our little secret-"
"Nine! Years! Old!" Seamus hissed at his brother, hand gripping his shirt to pull him in punitively.
"Why, Seamus! Whatever do you mean? A date between friends," Murphy tsk'd, leaning back. "Get your mind out of the gutter." He smiled, and wrapped his arm back around Tepin.
Seamus was going to throw his brother into the gutter.
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 1:13 am
She squeaked as the arms wrapped around her, beads of sweat starting to form. Crap. Crapcrapcrap!!
This was exactly why she was supposed to stay away from them! She knew that now! Varu hadn’t done it to be mean at all! No, he did it to protect her from the horrible suppressive aura that had worked its way over her head.
“B-bu-bu-- but!!” She yelped, glancing from face to face as they managed to persuade her, “I’m sworn to secrecy! Varu made me promise!”
Haha! There it was now, the axe! Once Valeriu had factored in, surely the twins would back off! They had to! The word of the Prince was absolute, or so they said.
Even so, Tepin didn’t feel much more at ease-- it was like being wrapped by a pair of deadly pythons, waiting for their jaws to snatch her up.
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 1:20 am
Their grip didn't tighten, but it may as well have from the sudden gleam in their eyes and the sharper smiles.
When the twins wanted information, they got information.
"Now, honey-"
"Sweetheart-"
"Darling-"
"Dear, little princess," Murphy grinned, giving her a coercing hug and once more taking the tone of a wise and weary minstrel traveler. "It's a matter of utmost importance. We have to know. To protect the prince!"
"Right, right. We know - Valeriu doesn't want us to be thrown recklessly in harm's way, the chivalrous bloke that he is," Seamus continued with a sigh of great exasperation, "So he's keeping it a secret from us."
Their eyes met, and then they turned The Look to Tepin. The twins had long perfected The Look - the intense, concentrated, and serious look that had drawn many a tidbit of information out of locked mouths.
"It's for his own protection that we must know!"
"Tell," they smiled, and it sounded like nothing more than the grinding of a rolling boulder smashing its way towards Indiana "Tepin" Jones.
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 1:33 am
She bit her lip, chewed on it, and mulled over this information.
For Valeriu’s protection? That sounded like a wholly good idea! Anything that would help him could be nothing but good.
But Varu had said not to tell anyone, especially not the twins.
The balance scale of her mind was wobbling fervidly, trying to figure out just which side she should take in the situation. On one hand, she could help Varu, but on the other, she would betray his trust. Again.
She pulled herself in, trying to get as small as she could to avoid the two beasts on either side of her. What had been a strategic move now proved to be her most fatal mistake!!
“Look-- look--” She shuffled uncomfortably, biting at her lip once more, “I’ll tell you, but you gotta promise you’re not gunna tell him! It’s between us! I don’t wanna get in trouble!”
“And if he finds out, it’s all your fault! I’m completely innocent, you got that?”
With that taken care of, her muscles untensed, though only slightly. Fear still struck at her heart that Vale would come home, horrified to find that she had betrayed him once more.
“You guys know about that Game that everyone is talking about, right? Well,” Another awkward movement as she tried to think of the best way to tell them, “Varu and I are players, is all. So we had to grow to play better.”
As if it would help, she added to that, “Its not like it’s a big deal, or anything.”
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 2:09 am
They listened and nagged, prodded and goaded until she had spilled all her knowledge - most of it, anyway. Seamus fell silent many times, whereas Murphy couldn't stop talking; asking about these gods, these fights, this world inside their own.
In the end, though, both were quiet, digesting the information they'd dragged out of her.
"Gods, huh?" Seamus murmured thoughtfully, sharing a glance with his brother. This was weighty - weighty indeed. This was definitely something people like them should not have known about. It was life changing, it was terrifying, it was-
"Boring," Murphy announced to the world, pushing himself up off the couch with a grin and pulling Tepin after him. "We weren't invited to play - so obviously this party is as boring as it gets. Gods don't know how to do things right!" He sniffed haughtily, as if offended that he'd been passed over in favor of a nine-year-old.
Seamus was disturbed, and he knew Murphy was too. But his brother had a point: they'd been living while this was going on, and they would continue to do so. The world wasn't so radically changed.
Fate of the universe aside, anyway.
"Definitely boring," he conceded, standing up himself. "Boring enough to make me hungry, you know."
"Hungry for sandwiches?"
"Well, I know a little place if you're up for it," he grinned at his brother.
"Always, Seamus, always. Bartleby's?"
"Bartleby's."
They turned their grins to Tepin.
"Hungry?"
Might as well treat the girl to lunch for all that she'd spilled for them. For Murphy, he got the added bonus of getting to look at a nice set of-
Seamus crunched Murphy's toes beneath his heel. He knew what his brother was thinking.
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 2:34 am
Her head continued to swivel from twin to twin, trying to follow what bits of their conversation she was able to catch.
“Wa-wa--uh-um---Kay!”
She would never understand how these two worked. Here she had bared all, letting them know the complex inner workings and her and Vale’s lives… And they simply shrugged it off in favor of sandwiches? Wha-- There was no way she was ever going to understand these boys, it was high time that, like Valeriu, she simply gave up trying.
A fact that was only reassured to her by the destruction of what she thought was Seamus’s toes? God! These two just made no sense!
“Is that really it, though?” Her eyes darted from face to face, being urged to lunch by two devils, “You’re done with the questions? And you’re not gunna tell Varu?”
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 2:41 am
"Cross our hearts-" Murphy began, crossing a finger honorably over his chest.
"-And hope to die," Seamus finished with a grin. "We won't tell him, promise."
Of course they wouldn't tell him. He'd eventually figure out that they knew, but he would never know how they did. And that was the way they liked it - things like that tended to drive Valeriu insane.
With that particular case closed, they looped their arms through hers, forcefully escorting her out the door and to their trusty steed.
Their trusty, rusting, only-made-for-two-people steed.
"Shotgun!" Murphy exclaimed, breaking off to leap ahead.
"Hey!"
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 3:48 pm
Her red eyes looked over the rickety old bike. This was not going to work.
“How is this supposed to work? There’s only two seats! There’s no room!”
Unless…---
Oh.
Okay, that could work, maybe. “I guess I get the side thingie, right?”
Please! The side-thingie didn’t require gripping on for dear life. Actually, no, with this bike, it still did, just slightly less than the bike itself. She was going to die either way!
“U-Uhm… Maybe we should just stay home--” A last ditch attempt at keeping her life, “I can just make sandwiches!”
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 3:57 pm
Just like on the first day they had met her, they plopped a helmet down on her head. Rather than bright orange, this one was a dull brown with peeling and faded stickers, ear flaps, and a pair of bulky pilot's goggles that were promptly pulled over her eyes.
"Nonsense!" they both crowed. Murphy grabbed the other helmet, leaving Seamus defenseless, throwing a leg over the seat and revving the engine.
It sounded like the dying coughs of a smoker. Chugging and hiccuping, sputtering out for the longest moment before it roared to a cackling start. A bang, and a puff of smoke drifted out the tail pipe.
Seamus hoisted himself into the sidecar, settling down with his long legs bent askew, before patting the space of chair left between his legs.
"Get in! It doesn't have a seat belt, but I'll make sure you don't fall out," he informed her. "Just...lean with the bike, yeah? The connection's kinda old."
Another bang, another sputter, and the rust was all too apparent on the death trap.
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