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 Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2024 5:32 pm
It had been hard, extremely hard, working on Blaise’s snake bite. The smell of liquor that close as he cleaned and bandaged their leg had that itch turning into a burning in the back of his throat. It was getting a bit hard to hide as he went on but thankfully the man had been distracted enough by Melpomene and Desiree as they briefed him slightly on some things and got their hensin set up. As soon as he was done and they’d taken information down to contact the new senshi after they sobered up, they were ushered out of their home in the city. He hadn’t gotten up off the floor yet, still kneeling on the kitchen floor as he took slow breaths and tried not to think of that familiar smell. Powering down, he pulled his tie loose and rubbed at his throat while he settled back onto his butt on the kitchen floor. He could hear Liam waving the other off and then the door shutting, he also heard Desiree fiddling a bit with something else on the couch but it all felt dulled as that thought of alcohol came to the front of his mind. It hadn’t been this bad in a long time, almost a year if he could remember it correctly. “Liam…” Speaking softly, he lowered his head and pressed his forehead to the knee he had pulled up. Now that he was on the floor, he could also smell the lingering scent of ash from when he used to smoke in here frequently. It wasn’t something he noticed during his short visits here to teach lessons but he also never lingered in the kitchen then either.
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Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2024 5:41 pm
Shutting, and locking, the door behind himself Melpomene powered down, and headed back towards the kitchen. “Aloysius…” Whispering the words as he saw the state of his fiance. Sinking down onto the floor in front of them he moved to pull them into his own body. “I know, I really do. You did so well though, and you will continue to. I won’t let them near you if they smell like that - ever.” Even if he trusted Aloysius not to drink, because they both knew where that would lead, he also wasn’t going to torture his partner like this again.
“Do you want me to help you up and we can head home?” He whispered, not wanting to speak too loudly, as he held them close. A hand came up to rub soothing circles on the other's back. “I’ll see if I can’t make sure they aren’t like you were…or that they are in trouble somehow, that this drinking of theirs was an odd night for them.” Because he didn’t want, or need, a drunk for a senshi. It wouldn’t help his court and it would turn them into a walking risk, for themself and others.
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Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2024 5:49 pm
Reaching out to them as they pulled him in close, he nodded as he pressed his face into their shoulder. It was good that they would do that but he felt bad because of how much he wanted a drink right now, wanted a smoke. It was something he’d been avoiding but now that he’d been near it all the time really hadn’t seemed that long.
“Home and… maybe have a maid clean here. I can smell the smoke still…” Hinting at the other bit of his trouble as he looked over to see Desiree approaching. Their project was left behind once she’d realized more was wrong.
Nodding again, he shifted a bit so they’d be better able to help him off the floor. “Please do, it would be bad if it led them to the state you found me in…” It wasn’t something he was proud of, and if anyone else had found him well… he might not be here right now.
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Hopping down from the couch as she noticed the tone in both of their voices, Desiree slunk over and thumped her side into Aloysius and Liam to provide a bit of her own support to the pair. Thinking about there comment, she had nearly forgotten the smell they had mentioned. It wasn’t as present but she figured that the want of drink led to him being able to pick up the smell related to the other thing he’d given up.
“It’s alright, we can head home and then have a nice dinner. That sounds good doesn’t it Aloysius? Then maybe a bath or shower for us all… I think I need a bit of help getting some of the smell out of my fur as well.” Making a slight face, her back smelled strongly of things from where they’d been holding her.
Circling the pair, she brushed her fluffy tail on them and tried to squish in to help Aloysius as well.
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Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2024 5:53 pm
“I’ll arrange the cleaning crew for the day after tomorrow, it’s too late to arrange for them tomorrow.” He’d let Melody know, and fill her in on the reason for it, she’d likely want to know why he was arranging for it on such short notice. “I’ll have the place deep cleaned.” To get the smell out as best they could, of smoke and anything else.
Standing up slowly Liam made to help Aloysius get up and onto his feet, damn his partner for being so much taller than he was. It was like dealing with a very handsome giant. “I will, I don’t want to see anyone suffer like you did…no one deserves that.” Whispering as he ran his fingers over the others cheek softly.
“That sounds like a good idea actually. A bath so we can wash you as well.” Even if she wasn’t just a normal cat and it might be awkward as could be, it wouldn’t be that bad. They were all adults and Aloysius and himself could control themselves. “I have some things made for cat fur, for washing up, and it does smell nice - I think you’ll like it.” Since the smell was on her cat form, he didn’t think human products would work as well - or even the same.
“I’ll power up and walk us back to the house so we can distance ourselves from things.” That said he pulled his henshin pen from his pocket. Holding it to his side and powering up with whispered words, he didn’t make a show of powering up, as he leaned into his partner's chest and let his chin rest on their shoulder. “I’m proud of you - you’ve done well tonight love.”
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Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2024 5:54 pm
It all sounded good because he didn’t really want to be here when they deep cleaned. He was sure Liam had cleaned the room that had once been his small closed-off bedroom when they’d burned his cot but he would need to have them double-check otherwise questions about blood might come up. Though most of it was hidden under a small rug and the desk they’d set up in there so he could work when they’d moved him to their bedroom upstairs. Thinking about things, he really had been in a state that night too when they’d pulled him up there to sleep instead of sleeping in that small dark room.
Leaning into him, he made sure to pick Desiree up as well. Keeping her in his arms took quite a bit of effort with how big she was, he was amazed how easily the new senshi had lifted his cat. Well… mauvian. It was still hard to think of her as someone other than his cat, given the fact she’d been with him for ten years. Honestly looking back it made sense because she might have had health problems for being such an old kitty. “Time for home, our nice quiet home away from all this.”
Smiling as they powered up, he did enjoy the petals that seemed to fall around them. It was cute even if his fiancé wanted to do without the flair. He didn’t bother powering up, he didn’t need to for a quick jaunt through the mirror. “You did well too darling, bringing someone new in. And Desiree, you did very well finding a spark in someone older. I know it can be difficult to find one after a certain point. Melody was the same way and that means you both need to help him stabilize his magic.”
It was something that piqued his interest, though he wasn’t sure if his methods would work on someone in the mirror court. Running his fingers through Desiree’s fur, he felt a bit of that grossness she’d mentioned and he knew they would help get her clean and brushed.
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Letting Aloysius pick her up, she was careful to try and not wiggle too much because she knew he had trouble lifting her. Liam was honestly her favorite moving perch at this point with how easily he carried her to and fro with just one arm even when he wasn’t powered up.
“Yes yes, it was easy to find them once they were in trouble. Though I did sort of have an odd feeling beforehand.” Purring slightly, she settled into the crook of Aloyius’s arms and watched as Liam powered back up to bring them all home. She quite liked the feeling of going through the mirror even if right now she wished it was like actual water to clean her fur off.
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Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2024 6:01 pm
“I’m really not sure how to go about that, you’ll have to help me figure some of that out. I know it won't be exactly the same as with Melody, or even the same as with corrupt senshi, but I’ve never brought anyone in.” So this was his first time bringing someone into his court, and training them, but he’d manage it with some help which he knew Aloysius could provide.
“Come on, time for home. I’ll handle this place in the morning.” Though he might shoot Melody a text tonight letting her know, so they could deal with it in the morning. He’d talk to her, over the phone, while having breakfast in order to properly handle this little project. The main house still needed cleaning, as he worked on clearing rooms, that would be something he’d need to talk to Melody about more extensively when he wanted that all deep cleaned. With all the dust that would be kicked up, and the room cleared, he wanted a deep cleaning so it would feel fresh and new - cleaner for them all. A fresh start.
“I wonder if those who are beyond have any spark at all - any way to tell that there had once been potential. For those who cannot power up, due to age, perhaps new generations born will have the chance…” And should perhaps be watched, to find who would carry that spark next. It was an idea, one he was hinting at but not voicing out right - did he really need to? It did seem to run in families…so that would make sense.
Bringing them both to one of the mirrors in the city home he pulled them, through with ease and right out in to the manor home. “Bath time…a nice hot soak for us all.” Powering down Liam pressed a kiss to his partners cheek before heading right up the stairs so he could get the water going, taking the steps two at a time, he was in a hurry to relax and let the others get cleaned up.
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Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2024 6:03 pm
The trip through the mirror was quick and as he watched them power down and head upstairs, Aloysius followed behind slowly as he pet Desiree. The process of getting a bath and cleaning her before washing his hair took a bit more extra time but after a while he was clean, Desiree was rolling in a towel on the counter to dry off after hissing at the blowdryer he used on his own hair, and Liam was already handling helping him.
Wrapping a towel around his waist as he worked on braiding his hair, he felt better with that smell gone from everyone. That itch was still there, lingering in the back of his throat but it wasn’t as bad as it had been. “Thank you, I feel… a bit better. Not completely but it is manageable now.” Which was as good as it could be because he knew that if he wanted to, he could rifle through things and find the cooking wine wherever the other had hidden it. But it didn’t seem as worth it and he knew that they trusted him to stay strong even if sometimes he wanted to give into things like when he caught Brassite smoking from time to time.
“I will help you though darling, as long as you can keep him sober near me. I still want to keep us being together out of their knowledge until we make sure that they are not going to cause trouble for us.” As a civilian, he didn’t care who knew, if anything he talked to people about Liam when he could and showed off the ring they’d given him. But when powered up and handling things, he wanted to keep his fiance safe.
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Bath time was… alright, the new soap Liam mentioned had smell nice but she felt a bit cramped in the bath with both of them. At least it went quickly and she was content rolling in the warm towel to dry off after stating her grievances against the hair dryer.
“Yes I look forward to seeing what kind of senshi that one turns out like. Adoration could be useful and it does remind me a bit of your magic Liam. Though not quite the same. It’ll be interesting either way and I’m sure with all three of us, we can figure out how to fix his magic. It would be the third one fixed with Aloysius’s aid I believe.”
Eyeing her musician as they braided their hair, she purred slightly and kneaded at the towel now that she was sufficiently dry. “I do believe that I need some brushing after you finish with your hair.”
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Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2024 6:07 pm
“I’ll keep him sober, I’ll make sure of it, I’m not about to risk you and the progress we’ve made - that you’ve made.” Was it odd of him to be proud that he had a former alcoholic for a fiance? He was proud because Aloysius had overcome addiction and was recovering and doing well…and it was not an easy battle, he knew it. It showed just how strong his partner was and it was why he was proud. It wasn’t something he was going to tell people, it was no ones business, but he was silently proud and had no issue thinking of his partner as a former alcoholic.
Having helped with washing Desiree, and helping Aloysius with his hair, Liam had washed himself off as best he could so none of the smell would linger on his skin or in his hair somehow. Washing himself, and his hair, took no where near as long as Aloysius washing up - he didn't have as much hair.
“I think I’ll let Meloldy know about this one of mine, just incase she runs into them.” Adoration might be useful magic to have around, helpful for her as well, and he was determined to keep his soon-to-be sister-in-law safe as well. He’d find out, in time, what their magic did and how best to use it. Watching Aloysius braid his hair, something he’d helped him brush out, Liam was leaving his own hair brushed and air-drying as he went to get some loose loungewear.
“I’ll brush you out Desiree. We can do it downstairs if you want, I think Aloysius could use some tea and perhaps some food for everyone? Something light and small?”
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Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2024 6:08 pm
“Thank you.” Finishing up with his hair as he turned to face them and smile, Aloysius was glad that they were supporting his particulars. They just accepted the fact he needed the distance from things still and would make sure he got it if they could.
“You can do that, just avoid mentioning Desiree. That is a little secret we should keep because I still think our friend here would claw my sister’s eyes out if given the chance.” She hadn’t liked his sister before she awakened and now she had even more reason to not like her with how she came over and invaded what was their home.
Picking up a fresh towel, he bundled Desiree up and carried her downstairs. “Bring me a pair of lounge pants and a shirt too? I can bring her down and settle in on the couch.” Calling over his shoulder as he left the bathroom, mauvian in hand. He hoped they would notice he was leaving out an article of clothing to hint at something he wanted later that would help him keep his mind off alcohol.
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Desiree was content with being carried down the stairs and stretched as they placed her and the towel down on the couch. “Yes I would like to avoid crossing paths with your sister after all the things I’ve heard her scream at you. She’s a vile woman and she deserves to have her face clawed up some even if Liam likes her.” Huffing, she preened herself a bit as she waited for the blond to come down with the brush as Aloysius put the TV on low.
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Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2024 6:09 pm
“Of course, I know Melody isn’t to know about Dessire. But I think knowing there is someone out there, dark mirror or not, who she can call on if she needs help might be good. They could also help each other.” And perhaps train as well, despite being different factions they both were chaos. It didn’t matter much to him which sort of chaos someone was. He knew the Negaverse didn’t all like his faction but he was fine with them all personally, not about to attack one of their members for no reason.
“I know you dislike her Desire…and you know I’m alright with her. But I do know her dislike for my partner and how Melody is. I won’t deny it but I accept it and how she is with me. It just means I can work with her and keep the balance.” Shrugging as he came to sit on the floor and get to work on brushing Dessire out, as he grabbed for the brush.
“What are you putting on Aloysius?” Looking over to the tv screen, curious.
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Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2024 6:09 pm
Taking the clothing they’d brought for him, he got dressed and settled back down onto the couch as he decided on a channel finally. “Cooking shows, the bakery war one is on this evening and I believe they are abroad this time.” It was something he watched from time to time even though he didn’t really watch TV much. It had become more of a thing once Liam had gotten him to take more breaks and rest. He’d needed something to fill the time while they were at the gym and he was resting.
“Mel.. is who she is. While we may not get along, she is still my sister and I worry for her. Liam has done well keeping things calmer though.” Which was a blessing because she didn’t just randomly show up and barge into his home just to yell at him. It had helped him more than he’d thought because he actually got to rest and not worry about things as much. He got to actually feel safe somewhere.
Watching his fiance brush Desiree, he was glad she had warmed up to him. It would have been hard if they hadn’t gotten along because even if she was simply a cat for many years, he didn’t want to have to choose between them.
“It will work out fine I think, you did well keeping me from getting hurt albeit indirectly at first. Only time will tell how this one turns out but I doubt it will because of you not trying to help.” If it didn’t work out it would be because the other made the choices to not listen and not play by the rules of this war.
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Purring and kneading the couch as Liam brushed her fur out, Desiree flicked her tail. “You are too kind you know.” It wasn’t quite an insult but a fact and it was probably why Aloysius was doing so much better now than he had in the past. Liam always did what needed to be done to keep the peace and to try and keep relationships as pleasant as possible, much as he had bribed her and kept her happy so that she didn’t dislike him after having Aloysius to herself for so long.
It would be fine though, she did end up liking the blonde for the things they did that weren’t directly for her as well. They really were too kind and she knew Aloysius worried about them because of that so it had also become her job to watch over them as well, which was fine because it brought some excitement to things without causing too much trouble.
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