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 Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 4:57 am
Post-Shard
They touched like victorious soldiers after a triumphant battle, friendly and warm and solid. Contact no longer made him queasy, nor did it send him roiling in disgust.
It was just what it was, nothing more, and nothing less.
Despite Obadiah's exit souring it a little, for the both of them, Kostya let himself be led to wherever America took him, an arm around her shoulder.
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 4:59 am
Post-Taym-Twitter
He began screaming curses and obscenities in Russian about the time that Taym had told him to piss off.
Kostya stalked around his room, phone in hand, eyes narrowed and so frustrated he couldn't explain in a way that the other man could understand. It wasn't even the language barrier. It was wilful ignorance, complicit cowardice.
He hated him. He wanted him safe. He hated his inability to grasp that utility was a fact of life, and he was diminishing his ability to be a multi-tool.
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 5:02 am
Cuddle-Puddle
He learned very swiftly that America could sleep nearly anywhere, under any circumstances, for any reason. He also learned that she appreciated the company of another in her bed, and fortunately, that could remain platonic.
So he laid his head upon her chest, below her chin and above her breasts, serving as a pillow more than anything else. She held him as if he were a teddy bear, and that was fine with him.
(But still, the nightmares came, as bad as ever. He woke up shaking, a scream dead in his throat.)
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 1:23 pm
Post Shard
Leaning into him, America used her free hand to pull out her own shard and pull it out, a happy little skip-bounce finding its way into her step. "Other worlds huh?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 1:40 pm
Post-Taym-Twitter
She'd been aware that they were arguing of course. How could they not be? Calling Taym out publicly like that was another booted kick, and while Kostya was really taking to this whole feelsy friendship thing, it made him so damn hard on their friend. Being disappointed in and scared for a friend was a lot to handle, but handle it is what he needed to do. Like a ******** adult.
"That's enough, leave off Taym for a bit!" The order was called out absently from across the hall in her own room as she painted her nails and watched the twitter feed, noticed the pause and sudden quiet of it and figured they'd taken it to DMs.
A few minutes later, loud Russian yelling filled the basement hall and she was up and out of her room and rushing into his. Finding the man stalking angrily about the small room, America closed the gap and wrapped her arms around him tightly, almost painfully. It was less and attempt at restriction and more of an invitation to do the same. To hold on to someone, to keep them where they are with all your strength, to find comfort in that even if it hurts both them and yourself to do so.
"I know, " she said quietly. "I know and don't you think he doesn't either."
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 1:54 pm
Cuddle-Puddle
The rise and fall of his chest, the tilt of his head. The subtle flex and gentling of arm and leg and torso. Breath slowing and pulse thrumming under hand and all about her. Drowsing and waking and everything in between, it was a new conversation between them that slowly filled in the gaps of whatever it was they had, never lovers and so much more than friends.
The nightmares were expected. It was hard to hide such things for long in the basement, and Konstantin would never avoid sleep the way he had recently without reason. His shaking body was held by hands, firm and gentle, gripping him, slowly stroking his arms and back. His silent screams were met with a stream of quiet whispers, I'm here honey, you're fine. It was a dream and now it's gone and I've got you I've got you I've got you.
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 3:00 pm
Post Shard
"Possibility," Kostya said, reaching around to steady her arm, so she wouldn't cut herself on the glass, "are endless. Careful, still glass, America."
He wondered what they'd be like. If they'd remember, like they had for New Year's, or if it would leave a hole in his head and his heart, when it was over.
"Vonder if Obadiah vill use vith us?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 3:29 pm
Post-Taym-Twitter
Kotsya almost dropped his phone at the order, clenching his fists as he resisted the urge to disregard her. Her orders had never been diametrically opposed with order and utility before, but she was right.
He was not in a mind to listen, certainly not to Konstantin.
America's entrance made him drop his phone for real, after the last tapped message, edging away from where it clattered on the floor as though it had burned him. He hadn't meant to disobey, but it appeared that America didn't resent him for his mistake. She held him and he wrapped a single arm around her, nails digging into the space below the nape of her neck, huffing once, angrily.
"He is a fool, he is a coward. He is using his recruitment to a death wish as a fulfilment for his perceived transgressions against the world. He uses it as a shield to weather the blows that anyone might throw his way, a casual excuse that he claims to take seriously, but in actuality, he does nothing of the sort."
He took no comfort in physical contact. It did not feel like home, nor did it elicit any feelings of true fondness. But it could be a tool, and a reminder that he was here, right now.
"He is valking into death," he snapped at her, but it was weary and so, so bitter. "If he vant it so much, surely other vay to go vithout sahara."
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 7:22 pm
Cuddle-Puddle
He struggled against her as he jolted awake, teeth gritted and a low sound of pain coming from his throat, chasing the tails of a nightmare he wanted out of but never wanted to leave.
"Cannot follow," he murmured, sleep sick, "need to go," Kostya burrowed his face into her hair, and she smelled of strawberries, and she was warm. His mind was a fever-pitch. She was his friend, his leader, his confidant. "Bring it back, bring it back, bring it back," whispered into her red curls, the most fallen apart anyone had ever seen him.
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 10:18 pm
Post Shard
She rolled her eyes at the mothering, and carefully repocketed the piece nonetheless. New Years hadn't brought with it any grand revelations for her, it'd been enjoyable, yeah. But beyond that, it'd just reminded America that it'd been over half a year since she'd lain with a man. Still, they sounded like an adventure, ones that could be useful in the long run.
"Mhmmm, if you ask him right, I think he will." Probably better to request than invite.
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 10:30 pm
Post-Taym-Twitter
She let him rant, in Russian than English, without interruption. When he finished, America remained quiet for quite some time. Finally she asked, "If your division assigned you to go there...." she paused, voice heavy with unhappiness, "...what would you do?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 10:46 pm
Cuddle-Puddle
Strong arms held tight against the struggle, as if to anchor him from falling back into whatever made his dreams so much more terrible than the waking horrors he fought as a Hunter. Stay, she murmured, you can stay. The girl wrapped herself around him, holding the boy together until he could do so for himself.
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 10:56 pm
My Treehouse, Let Me Show You It
Legs dangling over the edge, America rested her head against Kostya's thigh and stared up into the leafy canopy above. Sketches surrounded the two, some less skillfully drawn than others, each describing tree house after tree house. Allan, bless his heart, wanted to make some sort of hidden tree house village. The continuing assignment made her love the man, just a little, enough to make her get a good glimpse of the devotion he inspired.
Chewing the end of her pencil, she wondered if she'd really be able to transfer out, when the time came for such things. A few minutes later, she'd left the matter for another time, by simple dint of falling asleep.
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 11:11 pm
Post Shard
"Is better if you do it." He didn't smile, but the tone was light, almost teasing. "You ask him to do anything, he probably do it, except stay out of sahara because he is being assbutt."
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 11:26 pm
Post-Taym-Twitter
He paused, and the silence stretched.
The question weighed heavy on Kostya's mind. He was either loyal towards his division, or his loyal towards his friend. Until now, his obedience towards America and his obedience towards Deus had remained segregated, equal in their own rights, but unbothered by each other's existence.
She had taken Mimsy's place as the leader of his pack (but oh, if Mimsy asked, he would still slit a throat, and resent her for asking, resent her for leaving, resent her for not doing it herself), but in Death, it was a dog eat dog world.
She would not have asked this question had he been staying in Moon, but she knew his course was changing.
"Chance of such thing happening very slim. Not build for it, not suited."
It wasn't an answer. Kostya wouldn't meet her eyes.
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