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 Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:25 pm
Valiant had been in a constant state of depression, rarely going to the festivities held by others in her territory. She was becoming a solitary figure, always in shadow, always ready for the unexpected. After she had come home with Ishtar she had rarely been able to show how she really felt. It was only when the child had become entertained with dancing with females that Valiant had ever had time to herself, tonight was such a night. The others were partying and doing what they usually did at this time around the fire and she was up in the tree tops attempting to rid the pain of a broken heart. For Val, her job now was her life, and if she was not doing something, she felt she was useless. She tilted her head towards the fire and could make out the shadows of certain cats. There Ishtar was dancing with a female for a second night in a row; vaguely Val thought he must like her; Raco and Youko tight as ever… it was as though they were in a time warp, never changing, never really moving.
It is clear why she was depressed, but even worse, the young Manx did not even know it herself.
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:35 pm
Raco say back around the fire drinking. He was turning down every chance to dance, he wasn't in the mood for, in all truth it was rare no matter what for him to dance. Normally he provided the music, that was his addition to these 'parties'.
He had noticed Val's depression seeming to only get worse rather than better. Youko had been called off to dance with one of the girls, he was free to get up and leave without being questioned by his friend. upon his leaving though he took the bottle of aged sake with him, he wasn't leaving this behind for Youko to take advantage of.
He approached Val, far from the others and sat down. "Val, come on. T'is is ridiculous." he said pouring out a glass of the strong spirit. "'Ere, drink t'is. Relax a little, you need it." he said pushing the glass into her hands, taking a swig from the bottle itself.
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:42 pm
Valiant was shocked to hear a voice next to her, usually the other cats had learned to leave her alone, but Raco seemed to deem himself her protector. She rolled her eyes as he handed her a glass of sake and mumbled with hardly any clarity.
“As if drinking ever helped anything, besides I’m fine.”
She set the class down and looked away, for some reason the male always made her uncomfortable, seeing as he was one of the few remembrances of a old life. Lightly she shook her head and brought her knees up to her chin, ignoring the throbbing off beat her heart was making. At least she had ended anything that could have been before she got too involved with anyone, but there was something about this night… it was just odd to her. The night seemed to breathe life upon her charges in every direction, it was one of those between spring and summer, where everything in the world feels perfect, and for some romantic even.
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:50 pm
Raco picked up the glass took Val's hand and put it back. "I said to drink it." he said staring at her with his half smile. "I don't give just anyone some of t'is sake. I only bring it out on t'e rare occasion." he said taking another swig. A slight blush was already creeping into his tanned cheeks.
"Don't keep giving me t'at crap t'at you are fine. You do not join us, you do not laugh, dance or even just sit by t'e fire. It is almost un'ealthy." he pushed on. He was't going to leave Val alone. He was almost starting to get tired of her consistent hesitance to join them, staying away while everyone else laughed, and smiled, ate and drank until they could no more and the fire died down to glowing ashes.
"If you don't drink it, I will make you." he laughed, but he meant it. Even if he had to pour it down her throat he would get her to at least drink that one glass.
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 8:00 pm
Valiant glared at him through a moonlit veil of hair, her hands tightened painfully on the glass before she actually looked at him.
“I am perfectly serene, Ishtar has never seen me break down, nor have I since… well for a while. And your one to talk! I have never seen you grab up a dancing partner. Hypocrite.”
She mumbled the last while downing the glass of sake and talking herself into agitation.
“And how exactly do you plan on making me do anything? You have no such power over me.”
Valiant did what she was told out of respect to Raco for saving her life, but in no way did she believe she was indebted enough for him to force anything upon her. Annoyed at him and her own thoughts she took the bottle from his hands and took a swig, ignoring his protests that would more than likely be there.
“It tastes like normal sake; I don’t know what you’re getting on about it being special.”
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 8:08 pm
Raco gaped at her protests and the theft of his sake. "Ah, I'd...not...o' never mind" but he was too late, she'd already dipped into it. He knew she would pay for that later. He had been drinking the stuff for quite some time so it did not effect him as much as it was likely to effect the slim manx.
He tried reaching for the bottle praying she wouldn't dip into it again, she would quickly overdo herself. He was already beginning to get tipsy and he knew it, and even he had not drank very much of the sake.
"It's very old, it may taste t'e same but it is muc' more potent. T'e longer it ages, the stronger it is." he rambled. "I do not often bring out sake t'is strong, but I was t'inking tonig't wouldn't be a bad nig't to get a little drunk." he muttered towards the last part. it wasn't often he intended to get drunk, but since Youko had returned he needed it now and then to keep himself sane.
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 8:16 pm
Valiant merely grinned and took another sip. She handed the bottle back to him and rested back against the rough bark, and for a moment she was back to herself. What the hell was she doing? This was not like her in the least, but while looking up at the stars she found for the first time in awhile they seemed to be twinkling at her with promise. When she came back to her now impossibly intoxicated small form she started giggling like mad to Raco’s seemingly useless ramblings.
“What the hell are you rambling about?”
she asked, proud that she did not slur her words as horribly as she thought she would. It was then she made the second mistake of the night, she attempted to stand to get away from this man and his liquor, but rather found herself the next moment on top of him.
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 8:26 pm
Raco clung to the bottle watching Val. This surely would not turn out well, if not for just her but himself as well and he could feel it. But at least Val did seem to be relaxing, at least a little, she didn't seem mopey and anti-social in fact quite the opposite really. This was going to be one hell of a night, oh he would he pay for it.
When Val attempted to stand Raco saw what was coming and quickly set down the bottle only to be landed on by Val, staring straight into her face. "I forgot to warn you, standing up is not t'e best idea after 'aving sake." he blushed. What was it with her. He didn't have feelings for her, it must have been the sake getting to him, he's drank quite a bit of the bottle he had to admit. As the seconds and minutes ticked by the alcohol took more and more effect on him, the blush on his face deepening from both the liquor and Val.
Swallowing hard Raco was frozen, unsure of what to do at all...
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 8:36 pm
Her eyes widened as she landed on top of him, looking straight in his face. She frowned which eventually turned into a radiant blush to match his own. If she had been a wander as she usually was this would be something she would turn away from or ignore and continue on… but being in the situation, that was a completely different story. It seemed unusually difficult to figure out what to do. For she was in a worse position then him, with the already short skirt making her long legs appear to be more than just legs, the leather was slowly creeping upward, and if she moved she would flash everyone in the distance, only making their situation worse. No brilliant idea came to her as it usually would, so instead she did what she had recently taken to, hiding behind her hair. A frustrated flush creeped up her neck turning her blush into something that should only be seen in a comic strip. She observed his face from her veil of hair, what she found was obscure, for she had never before seen Raco so unsure.
“I… can’t get up.” She mumbled, fumbling for words.
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 8:46 pm
Swallowing again Raco cringed slightly, she couldn't get up?! This was a complete mess right here. He knew something was going to happen, but nothing like this! "Alrig't...um...w'y can't you get up?" he asked, squirming a little in his nerves.
it was really being nervous, but Val really was very pretty and like any man a pretty girl on top of you, you didn't just ignore. Every second of this was just getting worse and worse for the both of then. God forbid anyone look their way and see this, neither of them would ever hear the end of it, especially from Youko; he would be the worst of them all. This wasn't good, not good at all and Raco couldn't believe he was getting to pardon the expression but, hot under the collar.
This had been the wrong night to bring out that sake, but it was too late now.
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 8:54 pm
Val cringed from his awkwardness, and from her own, she really really did not want to have to tell him that. She swallowed hard and looked over her shoulder at the way he had come from and dug her fingers into the ground. She believed he was awkward because something was wrong with her, which she truly believed and could not blame the male. With the last thought of ‘what the hell my reputation is ruined anyway’ she swung her other leg from his side as though dismantling a horse and sat next to him tipping to one side, in a nearly complete straddle. She quickly fussed with the leather, wishing she had more to work with and looked back to him.
“That’s why.”
She adverted her eyes from him and looked into the thick forest wishing desperately she could run away like she once would have. Valiant was still cringing inwardly from the display of distain she had wrongly read in the others face.
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 9:08 pm
Raco turned even more red at this, for a few moments he did nothing more than stare at the ground. His mind was going on way too many directions at the moment, ways that intrigued him and disgusted him. He didn't know how to react at all. He hid his face in his hands breathing hard. Something was wrong, very wrong with him. No, he could not have those thoughts, there was just no way he could allow himself to have those thoughts!
At that he grabbed the sake bottle gulping down a large amount of the liquid, feeling the burn in the back of his throat. His entire body was overly warm, on the verge of breaking out into a sweat. Setting down the bottle again he began a nervous, rapid tap with his index finger on his knee.
What should he say? What could he say without Val hating him? He shook his head over and over, the image playing in his head again and again. So long, so long ago it was since he had been THAT close to a woman...that though nearly killed him, the pain so deep.
"Val..." he started, but stopped himself there, not sure what to say next.
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 9:18 pm
It was with her name that something stirred inside of her, and she grabbed the sake bottle from behind her, as though she planned to drown out whatever the hell it was plaguing her. She thought of Remi and took a sip, of Schmee, of the male that ruined her, of Youko and the others, and lastly she took a gulp for the male behind her, truly not caring how screwed up this made her. She was already screwed up, she knew that… but seeing it in another’s face that was something she could not begin to handle. She stood using a tree for support and tried to ignore the dizziness in settling in her mind, and that ever persistent throb in her stomach that was telling her the only thing that would quench it was behind her, merely sitting there. She lifted a shaking hand to her hair and ran it though, brushing it back as she did so. For awhile she just stood there, gathering her thoughts and feelings, and placing them in order, attempting to sort out what she was thinking and what the liquor was thinking for her. The bottle rested in her limp hand and swirled lightly as she let it hit her leg.
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 9:29 pm
Raco looked up to Val standing there, not looking at him. It almost hurt. He slowly raised himself, also using the tree for support. Once he thought he had his balance settled enough to move forward he approached her.
"Val" he called again, taking the bottle from her and setting it down, but still holding onto her hand in fear that she would try to run for it. He wouldn't let her do that, not here, not now. He drew himself closer to her, wrapping an arm around her, the same hand that held hers, pulling her even closer to him.
Her scent filling him, making his mind buzz, his heart ache, his arm tingling from the contact. Slowly all of this was driving him crazy, slowly, slowly, he was losing himself to pure, rare emotions and less rational thought, he was losing his shields. Those that kept him cold and complacent, safe from hurt.
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 9:41 pm
Everything Val had to hide herself away came to a shuddering stop when Raco had come to her. Her breath let out in a harsh gasp as he pulled himself close to her, and she felt her cold heart beginning to rip itself from her rib cage.
Raco, being Raco, did the worst possible thing.
Dully, in the back of her numbed mind was a voice screaming at her to run, but she found herself shaking, and shock still. After a few attempts she did try to run, to break the larger males hold on her, while she still had that breath of sanity left. She wanted him in a impossible way, she wanted him more then she wanted everything, it trapped her, forcing her into this small box.
Fighting for her freedom she tugged and tugged, but you knew something was wrong if Valiant herself forgot where her knifes were placed on her body. She sobbed harder and harder as her world was crashing around her, bringing every bit of pain to the surface. And then… she was greeted with silence and fell into his arms like a drowning woman.
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