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Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2006 8:13 pm
Natsumi had a bit ago stopped her full out run away from the new area of duplexes. Her face was red and stained with tears from the bit of crying that had excaped her... Her breath was heavy, having lost it in the mixture of running and sobbing. She'd felt like crying as it was before finding out the one guy she loved thought she was a slut. And she still wasn't sure what to think about that. It both crushed and enfuriated her. He HAD promised... HE was the one that talked her into it, didn't that make him the slut? Or... whatever the word for men was.
Despite that, it was the word she'd been fearing the whole time she was pregnant... This wasn't right at all. None of it! She was supposed to be in America, translating anything other than hentai, have a husband and be well on the way to having a healthy child. But no. She was a slutty, childless, lizard.
Another sob slipped past her lips as she turned on the last path back to her duplex. Almost there... Her arms wrapped around her all too empty abdomen.
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 5:26 pm
Thom was on his way back to his own duplex after his encounter in the village with Zach. Surprisingly, or perhaps not so considering he had come out ahead, he was in an excellent mood, even chuckling softly to himself as he crutched along, the flattened top hat set upon his head. He was nearly to the duplex now, on his way indoors for a cool nap while the sun was highest before escaping to the beach for a few hours later that afternoon.
However, he fell silent at the sound of someone approaching, but only quickened his pace when he recognized Natsumi coming from the opposite direction, heading for the same destination. Not that 'quickened' meant much when one leg was toe-less, one was a crutch, and he was dragging a heavy tail behind himself. "Natsumi! Wait f'me at th' stairs!"
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 5:36 pm
She slowed as she got closer to the safe haven of her home, however a voice stopped her. A familiar one. She felt a wave of comfort just from hearing it... Thomas protected her. And her childish hurt mind decided he would fix everything... Like the times of her childhood when her brothers would fix a scraped knee or something of the sort.
She automatically spun around, various changes would soon become noticable.. Her large webbed feet for one. But the biggest change was the missing sweater and flat stomach. She waited for him as he said, attempting to whipe away the tears on her face only to have them be replaced by a few more.
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 5:52 pm
He flashed a grin when she paused to wait for him, though the look quickly faded as he neared enough to notice the changes. Mind, the first difference was the red of her eyes and the few stray tears, which on their own were enough to worry him, but a second, more thorough inspection quickly revealed the further visible changes, including her flattened stomach.
He paused in step a short distance away, completely at a loss for how to react or what to say. Finally, sighing, he gestured her towards his own door, crutching the rest of the way towards her. He looped his free arm around her shoulders, drawing her into a brief hug, then steered her towards the door. "C'mon, inside. ...A lot's happened since I've last seen you, I'd imagine?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 6:25 pm
She waited, fidgeting, sniffling, and even giving a soft sob here and there while he took the long trek towards her. She bit into her lip and locked her eyes to the ground when he paused... but soon enough he was at her side giving her a half a hug and inviting her into his duplex.
Part of her was releived and reassured... Another part, int eh back of her mind, was mildly spooked. She had felt her heartrate increase as he neared her, and only more now when his arm came around her. She had no idea why, but it felt like he was going to attack her...
Her human mind recycled that as verbal attacking, like Taro recently, and attempted to shove the thought away. And as she stepped into the duplex with him, she started talking... feeling unable to stop it as the days, or weeks, stresses started pouring out of her mouth.
Starting with the earliest. "He called me a.. a.." Her mind failed at a translation for the exact word Taro had used... She never thought she'd need to use the word slut. "Darashinai Onna." She frowned, knowing Thom wouldn't understand she tried to continue as the tears started foreward again, though mildly considering all the crying she'd been doing lately. Who knew one insult could hurt so much? "A woman that is... loose?" somehow that didn't seem to fit just right. But she hardly cared right now. "I am not." She stated pitifully, before going back even further on the day. Back to the reason why she had even left her duplex... To try and distract herself from reality again with the company and comfort of a friend...
The next thought seemed to break the emotional dam again, while she'd started crying over the last one she started bawling now. Turning to latch herself on the comforting body next to her in a hug, burrying her face in his shoulder. "It--was su--supo--possed to--be--in--december..." she tried to explain muffled and broken through sobs.
Her head was spinning with thoughts again. Taro's words, the baby... was it really better this way? Or had she just destroyed a potential life like her mind kept telling her? And a mixed feeling of not wanting to be out of Thom's comfort... but something in the back of her mind fearing being so close to him. It was all so overwhelming.
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 8:01 pm
He guided her inside, pausing just long enough to close the door behind them before continuing towards the bed. Releasing her, he sunk down on the edge and propped the crutch against the bed at his side, patting the space beside himself for her to join him ever as she began speaking.
Thom listened in silence while she explained, frown deepening to one of anger at her tale. He? Who was 'he'? Though she hadn't said, he had a good idea, especially when Japanese words were her explanation of the derogatory term 'he' had used. Making a mental note to have a talk with this 'he', he began to reassure her when the story grew worse.
And then Natsumi was sobbing and hugging him and whimpering something about December, and Thom was completely at a loss for how to correctly respond in such a situation. Somewhat awkwardly he returned the hug, heart sinking into his stomach. So he had guessed correctly: She had lost the baby. Sighing once more, he made himself relax and attempted to organize his thoughts. Meanwhile, he allowed her simply to cry, offering some comfort by rubbing her back or petting her hair, or so on and so forth.
Finally, when her sobs seemed to be fading, he gently pried her away enough to glance down at her, offering a weak smile. "Firstly, we both know whatsisface is in denial, far from mature, and quite likely lashin' out at people for bein' stuck on this damned island. We also know that you, Natsumi, are most certainly not, ah.. that d word that I would certainly mangle if I dared attempt. Chin up, don't let him get t' you, alright? He'll realize his mistake in time." Meaning, as soon as Thom got in trouch with him.
"Secondly," but he hesitated. What could be said? Was there anything that could be said? Thom had never known a woman who had miscarried before the island. He had never known a woman who had been pregnant period, excluding perhaps his aunt when he was younger. Life had just worked out that way. And now this? "...All I can say is I'm sorry. I'm sorry for your loss, I'm sorry you 'ave t' go through this... I suppose th' best you can do is be grateful th' child does not 'ave to as well."
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 8:29 pm
Her crying died down as he simply held her, offering comforting touches and the like. She could have stayed there forever... Or atleast it had felt that way. It was a tad less awkward than hugging Newt... Thom just felt more.. confidant about the whole issue. But it wasn't hard to beat Newt at confidance... That and she hadn't been ribbited at this time, amusing as it was.
She wasn't really thinking about that though, her mind was still trying to figure out those thoughts that were fighting for dominance of her brain. That was broken when he pulled her away from him, to which she went easily giving a small sniffle. She listened almost questly, a little sniffle or squeak here and there... Thom was right though. Taro was anything but mature, and he was quite prone to lashing out at people... Of course it had never been her before. Not like that anyways.
Her lip trembled at the second part, not breaking eyecontact as she waited... What came wasn't nearly as harmful as her doubtful mind had expected. "S..So... You think..." She made another squeak as she tried to hold back her tears long enough to actually say something. "It is better? Maybe?" She continued to frown... however a bit of hopefulness shown through all that at the idea that the child was better off away from this place. It had been the only thought that had kept her atleast a little bit sane through her time in the labs, and hearing it from another person made it seem all that more reasonable.
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 8:49 pm
Again he hesitated, carefully considering his words before speaking. "I would never...say that it is good that you lost th' baby, Natsumi. But this island... The island can be dangerous even for the adults 'ere. Better this than somethin' more painful later on, right..? Or bein' taken by th' labs?" It was a hard argument to make, a rough subject to talk about at all, but it was the best he could do. It wasn't Natsumi's fault the child had died, nor did he want her lamenting over what might have been and longer than absolutely necessary. The island was no place for a baby, but it was still a hard loss to bear.
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 9:13 pm
Natsumi nodded... It made sense. Which helped, her mind felt so muddled she couldn't think clearly anymore. Her eyes breifly trailed over the black forboding scales... For some reasonthey kept jumping otue very time she looked at them. She knew she had been uncomfortable about hte whole snake thing but.. it hadn't been this bad before had it?
Eventually her eyes ended up back on the bed they were sitting on, giving another sniff before pulling her hand away from Thom to whipe at her eyes again, noting just how horrible she probably looked from the "busy" day she'd had. "Thankyou..." she quickly added in as she fussed, seeming to have stopped crying for the most part by now.
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 10:05 pm
Meanwhile, Newt had spent the entire morning slaving away as he used that misused brain of his to come up with a rather exciting picnic lunch he packed in a basket he had borrowed form the cafeteria. Dragging it behind him as he hopped, it was rather difficult to catch himself in a landing with the large burden of their meal. Enough that by the time he had reached Natsumi's duplex, he had tripped over his own feet and tumbled into the downstairs entrance's door in a heap of froggish limbs and basket.
He was wearing his cleanest jumper that day on top of the nicest outfit Aubrey had given him, including the white suit shirt and black tie, the jumper unbuttoned just enough to see the collar. What was left of his hair was combed in a mad attempt to tame it, which left it looking greasy and plastered to his head, but at least tidier than usual. He had also collected a half decayed boquette of long stemmed fruit covered in maggots and beatles he had prepaired as a boquet. This lay scattered about his chest and the front step as he landed.
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 10:23 pm
Thom managed a smile when his words seemed to have some positive effect, at least, and allowed himself to relax once more. Good. That was over. Natsumi wasn't happy, persay, but she would be alright. "Mn. Glad I could help," he assured her, giving her a comforting pat on the shoulder.
And then there was a loud thud outside his door, and Thom looked over, briefly losing interest in the woman. That hadn't been a knock. What was going on? His thoughts immediately went to the recently passed meeting with Zach and his smile faded, eyes narrowing and hood flaring a fraction simply out of caution. Without a second thought, he retrieved his crutch and climbed to his feet, making his way over to the door. He cracked it, peeking out before pulling it open completely at the sight of the crumpled frog-man--in the same motion, opening the way for a clear sight of Natsumi perched on his bed, and vice versa. Thom quirked a brow, relaxing somewhat, though his frown remained. "Problem?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 10:35 pm
The reassuring peaceful moment was abruptly interupted by a loud thump against the door. It didn't sound like a knock... But... Hopefully no one was hurt. And hopefully it wasn't Taro... it didn't take a genious to figure out he hadn't taken to Thom, and if Thom was right-Which Natsumi was sure he was, God only knew what Taro'd think about doing just to let off steam.
Natsumi tensed visably as the hood flared out, while something did reason the hood flare wasn't exactly made for eating her... It just reminded that gecko in her mind all the more what the Cobra-man was capable of. Though that didn't turn into cohernt thoughts, and just left the Japanese woman confused as to why her heart was in her throat and she was thinking about ducking under Thom's covers.
She distracted herself with following Thom's movements to the door, letting out a sigh of releif when it wasn't someone dangerous... But harmless little Newton. Upon reconizing that, she moved up off the bed, following Thom's tracks to the door to offer Newton a slightly teary-eyed smile. "Are you alright...?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 10:42 pm
Newt caught a glimpse of Natsumi for a breif, blessed moment befor the frog spotted the snake, and instinct kicked in, the man scrambling backward in horror, his throat puffing out as he tried to make himself look bigger. "Ah! Aaah! Ah duh-don't... d-don't!" He managed, scrambling back away from him in terror and finally tripped over his own basket.
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 10:54 pm
Now really, he wasn't that terrifying! Thom's frown deepened, hood angrily flaring to its full extent, which really wasn't much further. Briefly, the cobra piped up in his head, recognizing the floundering creature as food--and an easy catch at that, judging by it's state. However, Thom shoved the thoughts aside on the grounds that he couldn't possibly eat something the side of a human and that Natsumi seemed to know this frog man.
Ah, Natsumi knew him. Scowling, Thom backed away a few paces, then turned and stormed back towards the bed--as much as one can storm with a crutch--waving Natsumi further out. "You know 'im, you deal with 'im. I'm not goin' to eat 'im, ruddy idiot..." Mumblemumble.
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 11:04 pm
Natsumi's eyes widened as Newton promptly fell back. She wasn't sure who to feel sorry for in that moment, Thomas for invoking such a fearful reaction.. Or Newton for being so afraid.
She shifted awkwardly, moving out of Thom's way as he retreated back into the duplex... her heart had picked up a bit more when his flare came out, but it was mostly ignored since he wasn't focused on her but some other prey object.
Eat him? Had Newton even claimed that he was going to eat him? And more importantly... why on earth would Thomas eat Newton? Either way... she took a step out of the door.. All the action and excitment ridding whatever was left of her thoughts from earlier. "Newton?" She questioned to the man on the ground. "Are you alright?" she repeated her earlier question.
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