|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:06 am
Petro hadn't been staying in one place for long since his return from the Trials. He hadn't been spending time with anyone and was gradually isolating himself. Which was fine with the horse boil, to a degree. His Clan was isolated and kept to themselves most of the time, so this wasn't too different from that. But he had also been paying attention to his surroundings and eventually discovered that Prom was coming up.
And after learning what Prom really was (namely: Not one big test of fighting but rather dancing) and that dates were going to be needed again, the horse boil decided he should cease his hermetic lifestyle. At least, long enough to seek out a certain pair of Engraver ghouls. Hey, he had two dates to Prom last year, so that settled his problem of who to ask.
The tikbalang was outside Needle's dorm, rapping the door lightly with his knuckles. "Needle? Y' in?"
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:29 am
Needle had been...less of a hermit lately. Lattice was recovering and so she felt the occasional allowance to leave their joined rooms in search of something - or someone - fun. Today was really no different, but instead of going out to seek company, she had decided to stay in and add onto her own tattoos; it had been a while since she had worked on herself, so it was something sorely past due. So when Petro came to call Needle was sitting on a pillow, her knees raised in front of her and her hakama bunched up to drape across her pale thighs. She was working upside down on her lower leg, incorporating Siobhan's childishly made tattoo into a more intricate design of her own, one that never not involved snakes and holly plants with the occasional unknown winding shape.
The sudden - however light - knock on her door startled her from her nearly-trance like focus, stabbing the ink needle too far into the skin on her shin. Like most pain she bore it in silence, though her lips did press into a slightly thinner line. The voice that had accompanied the knock was at least most welcome, and it loosened her lips back into something more of a smile.
"I am." She informed him, though she made no move to get up to greet him; she was busy wiping off the excess ink on her skin. "Please come in, my friend." Petro would find the door unlocked, yet still no Engraver rising to meet him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:42 am
The boil waited for an answer, bouncing on the balls of his feet, suddenly filled with a level of anxious energy he didn't have earlier when he made his decision. Part of him hoped the ghoul wasn't in, it would give him an excuse to run around campus to look for her. It would certainly help burn off the nervous energy. But then he heard her bade him enter and he found himself smiling, not realizing just how much he had missed the sound of her voice, despite the usual monotone the Engravers used.
He waited for the door to open, but when it became apparent he was to come in by himself, he tried the knob and found it unlocked. To the boil it was something dangerous, having one's room so accessible and square-root brows knitted in concern. "Why's y'r door unlocked?" he asked as he entered.
Then he saw what she was up to and suddenly it made sense. "Ah, forget I asked that question," he grinned wryly, approaching her with purpose. "'Cuz I got another one I wanna ask."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:58 am
At least she raised her head as he came in her room, her gaze easily drawn to the well-known tattoo on his face and the more personal tattoo on his chest. Ahh, it had certainly been a while since she had seen those! It brought a smile to her pale lips, one that grew slightly more amused at his question. Since she didn't have to answer it she didn't, and instead patted the floor in front of her stained feet in an invitation for him to sit.
"You may ask me anything Petro, you know that~" The Engraver reminded him softly, blindly picking up a cloth that had been near her hip to clean off the needle she was using; this seemed important after all, and trying to tattoo herself during would be a nuisance to them both.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 8:16 am
The boil smiled warmly at the ghoul, making his way to kneel in front of her. "Dunno if y' heard but the student council's having another Prom this year," he began almost solemnly. His heart was pounding against his ribcage, though he didn't quite understand why or even believe he had reason to be so nervous. He used to be able to talk to either Sister without any problems before.
The tikbalang attributed the sudden onslaught of anxiety from being away from other people for so long. He drew a deep breath, fixed his gaze directly at the ghoul's face, brown eyes staring at Needle's mask. "Would y' do the honor of allowing me to be y'r escort?" Straight to the point as always with Petro. Of course he may have neglected to ask whether the ghoul even knew about Prom. He certainly hadn't and it was a slightly embarrassing moment when he realized just how wrong his impression of the event was.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 10:32 am
"I did, yes." Needle nodded, setting the mostly-clean needle and the now inky cloth aside to rid herself of distractions as he spoke. Fortunately for Petro she did know about Prom; he had explained a little bit of it to her once, and the rest she had filled in with Muka's help. In places their views on it were so different they clashed, but on the whole the premise was the same, and that was good enough for her.
His question made her pause. Escort? That sounded like he wanted to take her there, as he escorted her to the Manor that one time. Yet with the intensity he asked it...did he mean take her there as in date? Hidden behind her mask, her eyes shone with pure confusion.
"What do you mean by escort?" It was important for her answer, really!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 9:55 pm
The ghoul's question confused the horse boil. He thought he was rather obvious with what he meant by escort. With a slight cant of his head, the tikbalang answered "By escort I mean as y'r date. Y' and y'r sisters' date," he added. "Think I told y' about me going to Prom as two ghouls' escort last year. Was hoping 'd have the honor'v again this year."
Perhaps it was selfish of him, or perhaps he'd taken the sisters for granted ever since his isolation. The thought that Needle or Lattice would refuse had never crossed his mind. Looks like the monster boil was in for a rude awakening.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 10:34 pm
Oh, his date? Err, well, that made it complicated. Thankfully her mask hid the uncertainly that filled her eyes then, pondering the best way to refuse him without upsetting him. The last thing she wanted to do was upset him, and this put her in a rather unusual spot. Which was weird, considering she barely felt any remorse in the past.
"You did explain it once." She assured him, giving herself a little more time to consider her next words. Why she was being careful was beyond her, unable to explain even to herself why it bothered her to have to turn him down. Curious, maybe she could ask him about it after...?
"My apologies, Petro...I do already have an, ah, escort for this prom." In the end she decided to go with honesty; no beating around the bush, no trying to ease out the rejection. Just the truth; she already had a date, as if the day prior.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 10:13 am
"Oh." The horse boil felt his stomach plummet to his feet upon discovering Needle's unavailability. It shouldn't have surprised Petro that Needle already had a date, there was absolutely no reason why she wouldn't. Perhaps surprise wasn't the right word for the situation. If it were possible for his posture to straighten any further, it would. But as he was already kneeling with his back ramrod straight, the tikbalang could only let his gaze drop to the spot between himself and the ghoul.
"Y' don't gotta apologize. Ain't a reason for it," he stated, making no attempt to hide his disappointment and maybe even a twinge of hurt. "Should've asked y' as soon as prom was announced," he apologized. He was at least grateful that the ghoul hadn't dangled the promise of an answer and had set him straight immediately. "Who're y' going with, if 'm allowed to ask?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 10:47 am
"Of course you are...have I ever refused a question before?" Needle asked sweetly, a hint of amusement in her voice. She noticed the way he sounded disappointed, she picked up the hurt in his voice, and slowly that ball of remorse grew in her belly. "Ulmuka Knobwalker, he is a Monster as well." She had no reason to refuse his name, or to not give it in full; Muka was a good boil, he had been nothing but kind and generous to her. Plus, he was as literal as she was, and it was almost refreshing to have someone on her page.
"Please do take Lattice, though! I do not think she has a date yet!" She wanted Lattice to come, and if she went with Petro she'd feel better about leaving her room! "However...I would like to see you again. It has been a while, I miss your company." Petro had always been a good friend to her, there was no disputing that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 5:39 am
The boil allowed himself a small smile and a faint chuckle, "No, y've never refused a question before. Y' ask a lot'v 'em though." And he'd done his best to answer them, perhaps not to her satisfaction, though? An unfamiliar name reached his ears, but that shouldn't surprise Tro either. He had been placing a divider between himself and his fellow students. As far as Tro knew, this Ulmuka might have been at school even before Tro himself had gotten in!
"This Ulmuka didn't ask Lattice as well? Why?" the surprise and disbelief in his voice was genuine, as if the thought of taking Needle but not Lattice was an impossibility. Obviously this Ulmuka wasn't as familiar with the ghouls as he should be. Not that he was going to complain about it, because it meant he got to go to Prom with one of the sisters. "'M sorry if 've not been around as much. Things at the Trials just..." he trailed off, trying not to remember what he'd seen and what he'd felt. Thankfully he blacked out from rage the instance that Hunter ghoul got on his back, who knew what else she'd done to him in that dream.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:49 am
"I do." Needle had acknowledged with a slight giggle, seemingly amused that he would bring it up; she did ask a lot, and he did do a very good job of answering, she supposed. There were a few topics that he wouldn't talk about easily, but even then she got the gist of it; it left her curious for more, but at least she had something to go on.
His surprise made her tilt her head, observing him in an almost incredulous manner; thankfully, he wouldn't see it in her eyes.
"I suppose that is because he has not met her?" The Engraver mused, looking down to pick up the long, thin needle she had been tattooing herself with prior. Truth be told she had no idea if Muka knew Lattice or not, but if he did he didn't acknowledge it; which to her had been the key. She could always tell who met Lattice before her; they always called her Lattice at first. Always. There had been no exceptions, though a select few did call her by her sister's name with some confusion to their voice, recognizing there were minute differences to not be a perfect match. Muka had never called her Lattice, never made any other hints; but on the flip side, he a Gentlemonster in such an extreme he might have been good at hiding it. As she considered it she picked up the needle, teasing the sharp points between her index fingers, no matter how odd it was for her to fidget.
"Besides...my sister and I are two different ghouls, we are not attached at the hip in everything!" There was not a hint of malice in her voice, not an ounce of disapproval. Nothing but amusement, really. Silly Petro, thinking they always had to be a package deal! Regardless of their dates being different, she would be keeping an eye out for her dear sister, even if she agreed to go with their protector.
The way his voice dimmed made her frown and put down the needle, instead leaning and reaching forward to place a cold hand on whatever skin she could though she was aiming for his hand or knee, hoping to be reassuring. "It is alright, I understand. I am sorry I have not been to visit you, either." She tried...once! But the Monster dorms were a maze, and in the end it had been fruitless. The normally stubborn Engraver had given up in light of how difficult it was, though she hated herself every day for failing. "This school is difficult on us all - some more than others, of course - but it is good to see you out and about."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:48 pm
The tikbalang canted his head in curiosity as the ghoul began to fiddle with the needle. He at first thought she was going to pick up where she had left off when he arrived and would have offered to leave her to finish her work in peace. But then she simply held the needle and continued to speak.
"Heh, yeah, y' two are different and are y'r own persons. 'M sorry if I sounded like y' weren't, guess 'm just, dunno. Not thinking." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, eyes darting to the side. The ghouls are different, and even Tro himself felt differently around each sister. Oh he wanted to protect them both, was ready to sacrifice himself for their sake even under pain of permanent dissipation. However, there was an odd sensation he felt for Needle specifically, something he didn't quite know how to put into words. But then again, words were never the horse monster's strong suit.
He was brought out of his despondent musings with touch of the ghoul's hand on his skin. Brown eyes studied the sharp contrast of her blood-stained fingers against his tanned thigh, and without thinking his hand closed over hers. "No need for y' to be sorry," he murmured, leaning forward slowly until his forehead was resting gently against the ghoul. "Hardships're meant to toughen us up, and we gotta deal or we die." Then the corners of his mouth curled up slightly as he teased, "Dunno what that means for ghosts, though."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 8:43 am
"It is all right, I suppose it is very rare for you to see us apart." At least on the surface; she was aware that prior to her enrolling in the academy, Petro spent a great deal of time alone with her sister. That fact never bothered her of course, since ultimately her goal was for her sister's continued safety and general well being. The last time she had been alone with Petro, she was in excruciating pain and had, in an effort to overcome it, urged a small bit of intimacy; certainly not a very good impression, but one she wasn't going to regret or apologize for.
"Mmm..." She breathed out in amusement, a small smile curling on her lips. The feel of his warm forehead on hers was comforting in a somewhat odd way, her eyes closing behind her mask. "That is just another day for us." Hardships they had to deal with or die - in her case, death meant disowned - was just your average day. She had a difficult enough time with the clan prior, but now that she had tasted freedom and kindness, she knew going home would be less hardship and more of a personal hell.
"But I would appreciate it if you did not die~" Needle informed him matter-of-factly, her free hand raising to gently brush against the tattoo on his chest. "Nor do I want you to break under these hardships." She added, recalling how easily Lattice had broken down under the pressure; and Lattice had the added 'benefits' of a brutal upbringing. "If you can manage those things, I will be happy." Because who else was going to Protect the Protector?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 11:03 am
This seemed like the appropriate moment for Petro to make a joke, to continue the conversation with a jab at his own mortality. Except he didn't. Because he knew death was not his to control or command. Knew it was the other way around and all he could do was make sure he had no regrets when his time came. Knew that there are fates worse than death and that Lattice had nearly fallen to it. And he hadn't been able to do anything about it.
No matter how much anyone assured him that it was not his fault, that he couldn't have done anything about it, the intense helplessness ate away at him. "Won't break. 'M more likely to die before that happens," he murmured, making a grim promise that he would keep no matter the personal cost. The memories, both real and imagined threatened to surface and overwhelm him, but the comforting touch of the ghoul's hand over his heart kept him grounded, kept him from running. Just barely. He was sure Needle would feel the sudden spike in his pulse but he wouldn't make anything of it.
"Just want y' and y'r sister to be happy," he whickered softly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
