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Where's that Lady Luck?
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Where's that Lady Luck?
by Guest Wed Apr 03, 2013 7:44 pm
What a day it was.... Or rather, what a LONG day it had been. Running all around Creta with fresh orders from the higher ups, deliveries, running around and running and running and just... Non-stop. She was staying in some cheap hotel that was cramped and possibly dripping with mold, she wasn't positive about these things anymore. Things had been such a whirlwind with everything going on in the world that she had barely managed to keep her head on straight. Well.... that and her and Edi had been working on new projects alongside the rest of the work. It was insane to say the least. So what did she do when she had nothing left to do at the end of a very long day in a city that she hadn't visited in literally years? Go to the local casino/watering hole/nightclub. It wasn't like Zen had been around to talk with, or drink with, or....
She sighed lightly as she wiped the sweat from her brow, shrugging away the man that had decided to get a little too frisky with his dance. Or apparently had thought that a few dances meant she was going home with him tonight! He grabbed her arm and she wrenched away, "Oi, lay off. Thanks for the dances, bu' I'm off. Ta ta!" And with that she walked pointedly to the elevators to head up to the casino floor, snagging her coat along the way from the coat check. Nice of the Dresden Twins to have one. She pulled it on over her bare shoulders, the skinny black dress accenting her natural curves in all the right ways. Her purple hair swished just over her shoulders, her black boots thudding against the floor. They rose up and around her calves, simple but definitely not something one of these dick chaser would necessarily wear. These were the boots of a woman. And they were made for walking dammit!
The elevator dinged as the doors opened onto the casino floor, the bright lights greeting her as one of the lovely call girls floated past her offering a glass of... something. At this point, Rebecca was downing whatever was put in front of her. She was tired, and she was a girl, and she wanted fun. Cause girls just want to have some fun. Thats how that song went right? Whatever. She walked up to the window and exchanged for chips, heading out into what was definitely a danger zone. She knew she could hack the machines not that the owners would be able to prove it, but it wasn't like it was very wise to go about upsetting one of the most powerful criminal organizations in the world now was it? The answer was no sir, not at ALL. Ok so she was a little buzzed, it happens. With her decision basically made, she strode calmly over to the poker tables, letting her coat fall onto the back of her chair. She knew she caught some of the mens eyes, but the only thing those crimson orbs were staring at were the cards being dealt. Maybe if she was lucky, she'd wake up without a hangover and a few dollars more in her pocket.
She sighed lightly as she wiped the sweat from her brow, shrugging away the man that had decided to get a little too frisky with his dance. Or apparently had thought that a few dances meant she was going home with him tonight! He grabbed her arm and she wrenched away, "Oi, lay off. Thanks for the dances, bu' I'm off. Ta ta!" And with that she walked pointedly to the elevators to head up to the casino floor, snagging her coat along the way from the coat check. Nice of the Dresden Twins to have one. She pulled it on over her bare shoulders, the skinny black dress accenting her natural curves in all the right ways. Her purple hair swished just over her shoulders, her black boots thudding against the floor. They rose up and around her calves, simple but definitely not something one of these dick chaser would necessarily wear. These were the boots of a woman. And they were made for walking dammit!
The elevator dinged as the doors opened onto the casino floor, the bright lights greeting her as one of the lovely call girls floated past her offering a glass of... something. At this point, Rebecca was downing whatever was put in front of her. She was tired, and she was a girl, and she wanted fun. Cause girls just want to have some fun. Thats how that song went right? Whatever. She walked up to the window and exchanged for chips, heading out into what was definitely a danger zone. She knew she could hack the machines not that the owners would be able to prove it, but it wasn't like it was very wise to go about upsetting one of the most powerful criminal organizations in the world now was it? The answer was no sir, not at ALL. Ok so she was a little buzzed, it happens. With her decision basically made, she strode calmly over to the poker tables, letting her coat fall onto the back of her chair. She knew she caught some of the mens eyes, but the only thing those crimson orbs were staring at were the cards being dealt. Maybe if she was lucky, she'd wake up without a hangover and a few dollars more in her pocket.
Guest- Guest
Re: Where's that Lady Luck?
by Guest Wed Apr 03, 2013 9:23 pm
"Hit me."
Red two. Plus the ten and the three, that made fifteen. The sweaty Texan on his left had a nineteen or a twenty from the way his posture had changed when he got his cards and peeked at them, the PVC backing curling upwards. With some people, it was just too easy; this guy was clearly some rich amateur, from the Elvis-imposter white coat and wide-brimmed desperado hat, mid-fifties with a handlebar moustache and the stench of cigar smoke and Harley-Davidson fumes hanging over him like a bullseye.
The Xingese woman on his left, however, was slightly more composed. She had no tell that Zen could pick up on, and had been watching the cards astutely. Quiet, kept to herself, grateful winner, humble loser. The way he liked it. For the eyes in the sky, every time the waiter came over, he ordered a tonic water with lime and acted a little buzzed at every moment. This was Club Vivid, baby. If he got caught, he wasn't gonna get a warning. Everyone knew what the Dresdens were like. He was just outright fucked.
That said, the badge in his pocket would do him some good, hopefully. A regular RTF grunt would get a hiding and maybe a punctured lung or something, but he was IA, and there was a conspiracy in this club that was balls-deep in the military. It was probably his duty to investigate it, and things had changed in Vivid in the last year that he'd been absent, but, fuck, he didn't start work again til Monday, and it was Friday night. He'd got plans to go see Elastor on Easter Sunday, but til then, was just lounging about London alone. But maybe... maybe he could go see her-
No. Elastor was a priority. He had to sort everything else out before he even considered ringing her up.
The dealer was clearly wet behind the ears or of a lower calibre than he recalled. Jesus, had Creta's standards really dropped that far? He hadn't been to Vegas in eighteen months, but, still, this was weak. He was a tall, possibly Ishvallan individual with no noticeable accent, fairly amiable - as dealers went - clad in a red sweater-vest with a golden nametag on. The dance floor thumped downstairs and quiet Frank Sinatra played in the distance.
The Xingese drew another card - a three on top - and seemed to be content with that. The Texan drew out a heavy chuckle and indicated that he was very much sticking with his draw. So obvious. Zen tried not to roll his eyes and tapped the table once more, murmuring those same two words. Here it was, make or break; he'd had his eyes on the count all the time, he'd been working this table big, $900 of his chips in the pot and five times that coming his way if everything went to plan-
And then the face card hit the table.
Twenty-five.
Bust.
Zen tried not to let it get to him, but the deep drawl from the Texan on his right almost made a vein burst on his forehead. He didn't really care that it was almost a thousand dollars out the window. Well, he did. What he was more frustrated about was that he'd wasted three hours of his time, endlessly plugging away; and somehow he'd miscounted. "Looks like you done lost, boy! Oho!" The Texan sneered, raking in all of his chips.
Smug bastard. "Go fuck yourself, fatass." The count must have been off when he'd gotten in, the decks must have been rigged, or maybe he was getting rusty. Shaking his head and picking up that last hundred dollars insurance chip he had left, he thought he'd try his hand at making the money back. No windows in this godforsaken prison; he checked his watch over the Sinatra, cooling himself down and getting another drink - right, he had six hours til sunrise. That was enough to round on one of the poker tables and at least make half his money back. Maybe he could find someone to take home for all his shitty luck.
Rebecca had meant the world to him, but Zen was sore. A year in Xing had changed him and he knew that after everything he'd promised, a disappearance was the last card he should have played: long story short, he fucked up. He fucked up big-time. Part of him didn't even want to bother chasing after her to save himself the pain of getting turned down. "Tha' first good thing ya had goin' in years, and ya' let it get away from ya'self. Zen Howla', fuck-up extraordinaire." That same depressing thought circulated around his head as he drew up to the bar.
"Tonic water with li-" He stopped himself, groaning and waving his hand as if to shake the order away. "Actually, I'll take a double measure a' Jack. Neat." The bartender nodded obediently, and Zen turned around to prop his back against it. "Fukken need it fa' my troubles..." Money slid across the table, the investigator collected his change and his drink, sidling over to the poker table. One drink would do nothing.
And that's when he saw her. Back to him, dark hair, black in this lighting, dim glow illuminating a skinny black dress with the top portion of the back missing in a seductive v-shape, accentuating natural and... somehow... familiar curves. Maybe it was the loss of nine hundred dollars that fucked up his judgement, and maybe it was the lighting, or maybe it was the fact that he'd spent eleven months away from home and had just about gone stir-crazy over in Xing. Well, fuck it. If he struck out, he struck out. Things didn't start til Monday, anyway.
He set his drink down on the poker table and hung his coat over the back of the chair. "Twenty-dollar buy-in, sir." Zen nodded, flicking a single blue chip onto the table and snapping the other plastic discs down in front of him. For once, the detective wasn't wearing that horrid off-yellow shirt, having gone more formal with a white shirt, rolled-up sleeves, and a navy blue tie. Formal black slacks and dress shoes, with a charcoal-grey jacket hanging over the back. Wallet - badge and all - on his inside pocket and Calamity holstered at his ankle.
"Na' I dun' normally do this..." He trailed on, hoping he'd get her attention, cocking his body ever-so-slightly towards her. "But ya' a very pretty gal' lookin' very nice tonight if I may say so," He slumped down into the seat and propped his arm over the rest as he inched a little closer. "So what say ya' let me buy ya' a drink-" And that was where he stopped himself.
That hair wasn't black. It was purple. And there was a reason he'd recognised those curves. A year ago he would wake up one in three days with the girl they belonged to lying over him. That striking, defined face, that cocky little smile that curled up at the bottom of those lips, and that air of subtle control and definitive possession - even the accent that he hadn't even heard. He remembered her name just as it hit his tongue in instinct, awe clinging to every second of sound that thrummed forth, shaking from his throat. "...Rebecca..."
Red two. Plus the ten and the three, that made fifteen. The sweaty Texan on his left had a nineteen or a twenty from the way his posture had changed when he got his cards and peeked at them, the PVC backing curling upwards. With some people, it was just too easy; this guy was clearly some rich amateur, from the Elvis-imposter white coat and wide-brimmed desperado hat, mid-fifties with a handlebar moustache and the stench of cigar smoke and Harley-Davidson fumes hanging over him like a bullseye.
The Xingese woman on his left, however, was slightly more composed. She had no tell that Zen could pick up on, and had been watching the cards astutely. Quiet, kept to herself, grateful winner, humble loser. The way he liked it. For the eyes in the sky, every time the waiter came over, he ordered a tonic water with lime and acted a little buzzed at every moment. This was Club Vivid, baby. If he got caught, he wasn't gonna get a warning. Everyone knew what the Dresdens were like. He was just outright fucked.
That said, the badge in his pocket would do him some good, hopefully. A regular RTF grunt would get a hiding and maybe a punctured lung or something, but he was IA, and there was a conspiracy in this club that was balls-deep in the military. It was probably his duty to investigate it, and things had changed in Vivid in the last year that he'd been absent, but, fuck, he didn't start work again til Monday, and it was Friday night. He'd got plans to go see Elastor on Easter Sunday, but til then, was just lounging about London alone. But maybe... maybe he could go see her-
No. Elastor was a priority. He had to sort everything else out before he even considered ringing her up.
The dealer was clearly wet behind the ears or of a lower calibre than he recalled. Jesus, had Creta's standards really dropped that far? He hadn't been to Vegas in eighteen months, but, still, this was weak. He was a tall, possibly Ishvallan individual with no noticeable accent, fairly amiable - as dealers went - clad in a red sweater-vest with a golden nametag on. The dance floor thumped downstairs and quiet Frank Sinatra played in the distance.
The Xingese drew another card - a three on top - and seemed to be content with that. The Texan drew out a heavy chuckle and indicated that he was very much sticking with his draw. So obvious. Zen tried not to roll his eyes and tapped the table once more, murmuring those same two words. Here it was, make or break; he'd had his eyes on the count all the time, he'd been working this table big, $900 of his chips in the pot and five times that coming his way if everything went to plan-
And then the face card hit the table.
Twenty-five.
Bust.
Zen tried not to let it get to him, but the deep drawl from the Texan on his right almost made a vein burst on his forehead. He didn't really care that it was almost a thousand dollars out the window. Well, he did. What he was more frustrated about was that he'd wasted three hours of his time, endlessly plugging away; and somehow he'd miscounted. "Looks like you done lost, boy! Oho!" The Texan sneered, raking in all of his chips.
Smug bastard. "Go fuck yourself, fatass." The count must have been off when he'd gotten in, the decks must have been rigged, or maybe he was getting rusty. Shaking his head and picking up that last hundred dollars insurance chip he had left, he thought he'd try his hand at making the money back. No windows in this godforsaken prison; he checked his watch over the Sinatra, cooling himself down and getting another drink - right, he had six hours til sunrise. That was enough to round on one of the poker tables and at least make half his money back. Maybe he could find someone to take home for all his shitty luck.
Rebecca had meant the world to him, but Zen was sore. A year in Xing had changed him and he knew that after everything he'd promised, a disappearance was the last card he should have played: long story short, he fucked up. He fucked up big-time. Part of him didn't even want to bother chasing after her to save himself the pain of getting turned down. "Tha' first good thing ya had goin' in years, and ya' let it get away from ya'self. Zen Howla', fuck-up extraordinaire." That same depressing thought circulated around his head as he drew up to the bar.
"Tonic water with li-" He stopped himself, groaning and waving his hand as if to shake the order away. "Actually, I'll take a double measure a' Jack. Neat." The bartender nodded obediently, and Zen turned around to prop his back against it. "Fukken need it fa' my troubles..." Money slid across the table, the investigator collected his change and his drink, sidling over to the poker table. One drink would do nothing.
And that's when he saw her. Back to him, dark hair, black in this lighting, dim glow illuminating a skinny black dress with the top portion of the back missing in a seductive v-shape, accentuating natural and... somehow... familiar curves. Maybe it was the loss of nine hundred dollars that fucked up his judgement, and maybe it was the lighting, or maybe it was the fact that he'd spent eleven months away from home and had just about gone stir-crazy over in Xing. Well, fuck it. If he struck out, he struck out. Things didn't start til Monday, anyway.
He set his drink down on the poker table and hung his coat over the back of the chair. "Twenty-dollar buy-in, sir." Zen nodded, flicking a single blue chip onto the table and snapping the other plastic discs down in front of him. For once, the detective wasn't wearing that horrid off-yellow shirt, having gone more formal with a white shirt, rolled-up sleeves, and a navy blue tie. Formal black slacks and dress shoes, with a charcoal-grey jacket hanging over the back. Wallet - badge and all - on his inside pocket and Calamity holstered at his ankle.
"Na' I dun' normally do this..." He trailed on, hoping he'd get her attention, cocking his body ever-so-slightly towards her. "But ya' a very pretty gal' lookin' very nice tonight if I may say so," He slumped down into the seat and propped his arm over the rest as he inched a little closer. "So what say ya' let me buy ya' a drink-" And that was where he stopped himself.
That hair wasn't black. It was purple. And there was a reason he'd recognised those curves. A year ago he would wake up one in three days with the girl they belonged to lying over him. That striking, defined face, that cocky little smile that curled up at the bottom of those lips, and that air of subtle control and definitive possession - even the accent that he hadn't even heard. He remembered her name just as it hit his tongue in instinct, awe clinging to every second of sound that thrummed forth, shaking from his throat. "...Rebecca..."
Guest- Guest
Re: Where's that Lady Luck?
by Guest Fri Apr 05, 2013 3:25 pm
Sighing to herself, Rebecca flicked another chip down as she glanced at her hand, her mind barely focusing on the game at hand. "The man to your left--" "Not now Edi." She mumbled to herself as she glanced up at another call girl that went by with a tray. " E'scuse me miss, but um... Could I possibly have a Bailey's coffee please? Thanks love." She smiled and handed off a twenty to the girl who flashed her a coy smile before heading off towards the bar. "Reveal." Ah yes, she was playing a game wasn't she.... Sighing lightly to herself she placed her cards down on the table, those sitting near her bending in to stare at whatever it was she had. A full house. The man to her right grimaced while the man to her left sighed heavily in defeat.
She couldn't help but grin as she gathered up their chips with a soft chuckle, "Aw dun worry your heads chaps. I promise i's in good 'ands." She reassured them as a slight tease, the dealer taking her cards as the two men merely grumbled. One of them did steal another glance over her whole body, pausing at the edge of her skirt that reached down to the middle of her thighs. She was half tempted to make some smart aleck comment, but decided it was best not to. The men were already put out by her taking their money. Leaning her arms on the edge of the table she sighed heavily as she stared while the dealer began to shuffle the cards. "Morgana-" "Quiet Edi. Please." The last thing she needed was the Dresden's swooping in on her for having her AI in their security system. Ugh.... the nightmare that would be....
"Twenty-dollar buy-in, sir." Ah, so someone else was going to join them, a slender arm reaching around to place her Bailey's coffee beside her. "Thanks again. Dun worry abou' the change." She murmured softly as the swishing of cards being shuffled almost overpowered her voice, taking a sip of that delicious liquid. It swirled about in her mouth and burned its way down to her stomach, smiling in contentment at the sensation. Yes... this was definitely an evening of well-earned rest. She'd come out richer, drunker, possibly more hungover and--"Na' I dun' normally do this..." Her back straightened slightly at the sound of that voice. "Morgana-" Rebecca touched a hand up to her ear cleared her throat which cut off her AI friend quite quickly. He must be talking to someone else. "But ya' a very pretty gal' lookin' very nice tonight if I may say so," No... it was him... And she definitely knew that voice, the smell of his cigarette smoke already rising in her senses as she took another sip of her drink to keep that calm that she usually had about her.
The chair beside her squeaked at the new weight, but she still stared at the dealers hands as he dealt out the cards. Though, there was distance in those crimson depths for she could feel how her heart had begun to pound in her chest. There was literally no way it could be him. Men left, and they didn't come back. Not the ones she gave a damn about anyways. Menos hadn't, and Zen-- "So what say ya' let me buy ya' a drink-" Her head turned as she sat fully erect now, her hands shaking a little for once in her life as they rested there on the edge of the table, taking a breath as she finally looked at him. The messy green hair, the rolled up sleeves even if the color of his shirt had changed, the black jacket.... No... He was very real, and he was definitely sitting next to her right now, attempting to hit on her as he had more than a year ago. "...Rebecca..." "Hi Zen." She spoke softly, the corner of her mouth tilting up ever slightly into one of her smirks, "Been a while. Good to know your taste 'asn' necessarily changed." She couldn't help the teasing jab at him, chuckling while her hand reached out to grasp her drink, the other picking up her hand. Sipping quietly at the creamy liquid, she swore that her temperature had just raised by at least fifteen degrees at seeing him beside her. Tutting at the hand that she had, she placed her drink down and turned those crimson orbs back onto him, her smirk growing the more that she looked at him. "Lookin' rather sharp aren' we hm? I like i'."
She couldn't help but grin as she gathered up their chips with a soft chuckle, "Aw dun worry your heads chaps. I promise i's in good 'ands." She reassured them as a slight tease, the dealer taking her cards as the two men merely grumbled. One of them did steal another glance over her whole body, pausing at the edge of her skirt that reached down to the middle of her thighs. She was half tempted to make some smart aleck comment, but decided it was best not to. The men were already put out by her taking their money. Leaning her arms on the edge of the table she sighed heavily as she stared while the dealer began to shuffle the cards. "Morgana-" "Quiet Edi. Please." The last thing she needed was the Dresden's swooping in on her for having her AI in their security system. Ugh.... the nightmare that would be....
"Twenty-dollar buy-in, sir." Ah, so someone else was going to join them, a slender arm reaching around to place her Bailey's coffee beside her. "Thanks again. Dun worry abou' the change." She murmured softly as the swishing of cards being shuffled almost overpowered her voice, taking a sip of that delicious liquid. It swirled about in her mouth and burned its way down to her stomach, smiling in contentment at the sensation. Yes... this was definitely an evening of well-earned rest. She'd come out richer, drunker, possibly more hungover and--"Na' I dun' normally do this..." Her back straightened slightly at the sound of that voice. "Morgana-" Rebecca touched a hand up to her ear cleared her throat which cut off her AI friend quite quickly. He must be talking to someone else. "But ya' a very pretty gal' lookin' very nice tonight if I may say so," No... it was him... And she definitely knew that voice, the smell of his cigarette smoke already rising in her senses as she took another sip of her drink to keep that calm that she usually had about her.
The chair beside her squeaked at the new weight, but she still stared at the dealers hands as he dealt out the cards. Though, there was distance in those crimson depths for she could feel how her heart had begun to pound in her chest. There was literally no way it could be him. Men left, and they didn't come back. Not the ones she gave a damn about anyways. Menos hadn't, and Zen-- "So what say ya' let me buy ya' a drink-" Her head turned as she sat fully erect now, her hands shaking a little for once in her life as they rested there on the edge of the table, taking a breath as she finally looked at him. The messy green hair, the rolled up sleeves even if the color of his shirt had changed, the black jacket.... No... He was very real, and he was definitely sitting next to her right now, attempting to hit on her as he had more than a year ago. "...Rebecca..." "Hi Zen." She spoke softly, the corner of her mouth tilting up ever slightly into one of her smirks, "Been a while. Good to know your taste 'asn' necessarily changed." She couldn't help the teasing jab at him, chuckling while her hand reached out to grasp her drink, the other picking up her hand. Sipping quietly at the creamy liquid, she swore that her temperature had just raised by at least fifteen degrees at seeing him beside her. Tutting at the hand that she had, she placed her drink down and turned those crimson orbs back onto him, her smirk growing the more that she looked at him. "Lookin' rather sharp aren' we hm? I like i'."
Guest- Guest
Re: Where's that Lady Luck?
by Guest Sat Apr 06, 2013 9:08 pm
"Hi Zen."
Well.
Fuck.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Fuck, fuck fuck fuckety fuck fuck FUCK. This was not how he'd planned their reunion. Infact, it was kind of the polar opposite. Zen wondered what he'd done wrong in a past life to deserve this shit. He'd left his girlfriend without a word eleven months ago, and now, he'd just unknowingly hit on her, and from the look in her eyes and the smirk on her lips, he knew it. Beads of perspiration began to draw upon his forehead. "Been a while. Good to know your taste 'asn' necessarily changed."
Well, she was taking it better than she had license to, but, uh, still. For what felt like an eternity, he sat there gawking, his mouth hanging so comically open that his jaw muscles were beginning to ache intensely. "Rebecca, I, uh..." His hand went to the back of his neck and he cursed inside again. He knew she was more than astute. She knew his tells, every last one of them - and that was the greatest give away for when he was scrambling with his nerves. "...I'm a prick." First ounce of truth that had come out of his mouth that night.
"Your cards, sir?" Zen picked up the two cards without even looking at them and tossed them right back onto the table, scooping up his chips as quickly as he could. Twenty dollars down, but he was going to fold anyway. This... was too much. He hadn't even looked at the table since he'd sat down, just stayed pivoted on the side of the chair, gawking at her and hunched over, half in guilt and half in embarrassment. "Lookin' rather sharp aren' we hm? I like i'."
At least she saw the funny site. Her sipping at her drink reminded him to look at his - and he picked up the glass, knocking it back swiftly down his throat. He needed that more than ever to regain his composure. He inhaled, exhaled, and inhaled again, before sighing. "Itsuhh'..." Zen shrugged and turned back to the table. She was still in the game, even if he wasn't, so it was probably best to stick around, out of respect. He had just hit on her, under these circumstances, after all. "Just a lil' somethin' I threw togetha'."
The silence between them settled awkwardly. "Reveal." The hand finished.
"Look... ya' deserve an explanation." He murmured to her, keeping his stare dead ahead as he rose his arm in the air towards the bartender, pointing at his empty glass. He could do with another, to say the very least. "And I dun' deserve a second chance, but at tha' least I wanna clear tha' air." He shrugged, and sucked up what was left of his pride, currently writhing in embarrassment and screaming profanities on the floor of the halls of his unsettlingly vivid mind. "So whaddya say we finish ova' here and go an' get anotha' drink?"
Well.
Fuck.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Fuck, fuck fuck fuckety fuck fuck FUCK. This was not how he'd planned their reunion. Infact, it was kind of the polar opposite. Zen wondered what he'd done wrong in a past life to deserve this shit. He'd left his girlfriend without a word eleven months ago, and now, he'd just unknowingly hit on her, and from the look in her eyes and the smirk on her lips, he knew it. Beads of perspiration began to draw upon his forehead. "Been a while. Good to know your taste 'asn' necessarily changed."
Well, she was taking it better than she had license to, but, uh, still. For what felt like an eternity, he sat there gawking, his mouth hanging so comically open that his jaw muscles were beginning to ache intensely. "Rebecca, I, uh..." His hand went to the back of his neck and he cursed inside again. He knew she was more than astute. She knew his tells, every last one of them - and that was the greatest give away for when he was scrambling with his nerves. "...I'm a prick." First ounce of truth that had come out of his mouth that night.
"Your cards, sir?" Zen picked up the two cards without even looking at them and tossed them right back onto the table, scooping up his chips as quickly as he could. Twenty dollars down, but he was going to fold anyway. This... was too much. He hadn't even looked at the table since he'd sat down, just stayed pivoted on the side of the chair, gawking at her and hunched over, half in guilt and half in embarrassment. "Lookin' rather sharp aren' we hm? I like i'."
At least she saw the funny site. Her sipping at her drink reminded him to look at his - and he picked up the glass, knocking it back swiftly down his throat. He needed that more than ever to regain his composure. He inhaled, exhaled, and inhaled again, before sighing. "Itsuhh'..." Zen shrugged and turned back to the table. She was still in the game, even if he wasn't, so it was probably best to stick around, out of respect. He had just hit on her, under these circumstances, after all. "Just a lil' somethin' I threw togetha'."
The silence between them settled awkwardly. "Reveal." The hand finished.
"Look... ya' deserve an explanation." He murmured to her, keeping his stare dead ahead as he rose his arm in the air towards the bartender, pointing at his empty glass. He could do with another, to say the very least. "And I dun' deserve a second chance, but at tha' least I wanna clear tha' air." He shrugged, and sucked up what was left of his pride, currently writhing in embarrassment and screaming profanities on the floor of the halls of his unsettlingly vivid mind. "So whaddya say we finish ova' here and go an' get anotha' drink?"
Guest- Guest
Re: Where's that Lady Luck?
by Guest Sat Apr 06, 2013 10:27 pm
Rebecca took a calming breath as she tried to steady her hands, the fact that they were trembling really beginning to bother her. Her hands never trembled, and she could practically hear Edi's chuckle at her current state. NOW she understood why she had been trying to get her attention before. Damn she shouldn't have shushed her.... Then maybe she could have had a few more moments to prepare herself for this. Despite the light jokes and jabs she was making at him, she was actually very shook up. She was used to the floating around, to being in one place for a while before leaving and she sort of liked it that way. That meant that people came and went, it was probably why Meno and Zen had been rather paramount in her life thus far. So for him to actually return... What... did she do?
Heh, she had to admit though, it was rather amusing to see him gawking so. And with how he viewed his luck he probably never thought that this would happen, ever with ANYONE much less her. "Rebecca, I, uh..." She could see out of the corner of her eye how his hand went to the back of his neck in his unease, her features softening as she did know his mannerisms so well. Yeah.... this was a rather awkward situation, wasn't it? At least Meno had told her why they couldn't see each other what with the undercover work and all, but Zen? He had literally dropped from the map. Not even Edi had found traces of him, and believe you me, she looked. I suppose I discontinue that program now, She thought to herself just as he spoke again, "...I'm a prick." . She shook her head even as she stared at her hand for a moment again, tapping her finger twice while sliding three cards towards the dealer. "You ain' no prick. Jus..." She paused and looked up as she tried to actually define how she felt at the moment.
Don't get her wrong, she was actually extremely happy to see him. But at the same time.... "I'm detecting fluctuations in your hormone levels. Are you alright?" Rebecca gave the smallest of shakes as she sipped her drink and looked at her fresh hand. Who was she kidding, her head wasn't in the game at all anymore. "Itsuhh'...Just a lil' somethin' I threw togetha'." She lowered her hand to stare at him again, her smirk returning once more, "You done well for throwin' some'ing together real quick like." She commented before a silence fell between them, only the dealer breaking it. Seriously, what in the world did she do now? The man had somehow managed to remain off of her radar despite the search program she had written just to find some hint of him over the past year, hadn't sent any word, and yet here he was fit as a bloody fiddle. She was just.... at a loss.
"Reveal."
She flipped over her cards without looking at them, her crimson eyes still searching his features. There had to be a reason, some cause that prevented him from saying anything or giving her some kind of word. God she wasn't used to actually feeling a bit upset at someone sliding out of her life for a time. "Look... ya' deserve an explanation." She sipped her glass as the man to her right pulled in the chips. "And I dun' deserve a second chance, but at tha' least I wanna clear tha' air." Her hand paused as she was about to gather up her chips, her brows furrowing ever so slightly. Why wouldn't he deserve a second chance? Well, maybe she shouldn't but.... ARGH THESE BLOODY FEELINGS WERE INFURIATING. "Morgana I-" "Edi. Not. Now." She muttered sharply, taking a deep breath herself to steady her own nerves. Heh, that must be new for him hm? Seeing her not as a picture of calmness and ease. "So whaddya say we finish ova' here and go an' get anotha' drink?"
Rather than saying any words, she only gave him an odd smile as she gathered up her chips and flicked one to the dealer as a tip. It was a mix of tenderness, sadness, her normal joviality, and quite possibly amusement thrown in there as a little added sprinkling. "Abso-bloody-lutely." Picking up her drink in her free hand, the other grasping her bag of chip holder, she rose up from her stool and paused for a moment. She was half-tempted to.... Oh why the hell not. She leaned over and kissed his cheek gently, whispering into his ear, "It really is good to see you though Zen. You 'ad me worried." She pulled back slowly to stare into his eyes for a couple of seconds before moving onwards to the bar, her purple hair swishing about her shoulders.
Heh, she had to admit though, it was rather amusing to see him gawking so. And with how he viewed his luck he probably never thought that this would happen, ever with ANYONE much less her. "Rebecca, I, uh..." She could see out of the corner of her eye how his hand went to the back of his neck in his unease, her features softening as she did know his mannerisms so well. Yeah.... this was a rather awkward situation, wasn't it? At least Meno had told her why they couldn't see each other what with the undercover work and all, but Zen? He had literally dropped from the map. Not even Edi had found traces of him, and believe you me, she looked. I suppose I discontinue that program now, She thought to herself just as he spoke again, "...I'm a prick." . She shook her head even as she stared at her hand for a moment again, tapping her finger twice while sliding three cards towards the dealer. "You ain' no prick. Jus..." She paused and looked up as she tried to actually define how she felt at the moment.
Don't get her wrong, she was actually extremely happy to see him. But at the same time.... "I'm detecting fluctuations in your hormone levels. Are you alright?" Rebecca gave the smallest of shakes as she sipped her drink and looked at her fresh hand. Who was she kidding, her head wasn't in the game at all anymore. "Itsuhh'...Just a lil' somethin' I threw togetha'." She lowered her hand to stare at him again, her smirk returning once more, "You done well for throwin' some'ing together real quick like." She commented before a silence fell between them, only the dealer breaking it. Seriously, what in the world did she do now? The man had somehow managed to remain off of her radar despite the search program she had written just to find some hint of him over the past year, hadn't sent any word, and yet here he was fit as a bloody fiddle. She was just.... at a loss.
"Reveal."
She flipped over her cards without looking at them, her crimson eyes still searching his features. There had to be a reason, some cause that prevented him from saying anything or giving her some kind of word. God she wasn't used to actually feeling a bit upset at someone sliding out of her life for a time. "Look... ya' deserve an explanation." She sipped her glass as the man to her right pulled in the chips. "And I dun' deserve a second chance, but at tha' least I wanna clear tha' air." Her hand paused as she was about to gather up her chips, her brows furrowing ever so slightly. Why wouldn't he deserve a second chance? Well, maybe she shouldn't but.... ARGH THESE BLOODY FEELINGS WERE INFURIATING. "Morgana I-" "Edi. Not. Now." She muttered sharply, taking a deep breath herself to steady her own nerves. Heh, that must be new for him hm? Seeing her not as a picture of calmness and ease. "So whaddya say we finish ova' here and go an' get anotha' drink?"
Rather than saying any words, she only gave him an odd smile as she gathered up her chips and flicked one to the dealer as a tip. It was a mix of tenderness, sadness, her normal joviality, and quite possibly amusement thrown in there as a little added sprinkling. "Abso-bloody-lutely." Picking up her drink in her free hand, the other grasping her bag of chip holder, she rose up from her stool and paused for a moment. She was half-tempted to.... Oh why the hell not. She leaned over and kissed his cheek gently, whispering into his ear, "It really is good to see you though Zen. You 'ad me worried." She pulled back slowly to stare into his eyes for a couple of seconds before moving onwards to the bar, her purple hair swishing about her shoulders.
Guest- Guest
Re: Where's that Lady Luck?
by Guest Sun Apr 07, 2013 10:40 am
She murmured into what he could only presume was the AI thrumming in her ear and Zen smiled. It seemed like some things hadn't changed, at least. "Abso-bloody-lutely." Came the response; he smiled in turn, and widened his eyes as she drew closer, planted a kiss on his cheek, and began to whisper in his ear. "It really is good to see you though Zen. You 'ad me worried."
Leaving the green-haired man awestruck, she eased off and begun to saunter over to the bar, his eyes following her every step. As that look of true sterling surprise begun to fade, a grin etched its way onto his face. And that was only partially because her dress was really low-cut. Genuinely? He was happy. He wasn't going to keep pottering and being regretful about this; she'd given him an honest fortunate surprise, the first of months, in at least allowing him to explain things. For once, the dame in his life wasn't ready to give him an impromptu castration. He knew Rebecca had been different.
And, hell, if things went well tonight, maybe they could pick up where they left off. He'd like that.
In a manner not unlike Zen, slightly stumbling with giddy amusement, he almost tripped from sheer puppy-like happiness on his way over to the bar, but regained himself and sat down next to her, trying not to look down her dress as best he could. He didn't want to be crude, but he hoped that his goofy nature at least had some sort of charm to it - after all, he figured that's why she'd gone for him in the first place. Either that or his toned, Olympian physique, and the general aura of a bronzed god that seemed to, of course, simply radiate from him.
"One more fa' me, and anotha' fa' tha' lady," The bartender nodded, half-smiled at Zen, and fetched his empty glass, leaving Rebecca with hers - still half-full - as he went off to prepare the drinks as asked. A moment later, he returned, handing the Spectre her fresh coffee and him his small glass of whiskey. "I really didn't mean ta' run off like that, ya' know, right?" He sighed, and sipped at the golden brown liquid, exhaling before he set it back down. "Things, uh..." He didn't really want to tell her the extent of it all. Not in a public place, anyway - it wasn't for a lack of trust, but he'd feel like a prat for pulling the sympathy card. He'd vanished for eleven months, he deserved some sort of retribution. That was how he felt, anyway. "Things got outta' hand."
He felt his muscles began to ache and weaken almost immediately; perhaps it was the alcohol, perhaps it was the emotional strain of seeing her again under these specific circumstances... but in reality, it was neither of those. Zen's gaze narrowed and he looked off down into a distant wall. The facts were affirmed in his mind and he cursed underneath his breath as he was grounded, brought crashing down from his illusion into the cold vice-grip of real life. The syringe pen was heavy in his pocket; with a sigh he lifted it out and flicked off the cap, the sharp metal nib at the centre for the moment retracted.
"Gimme a sec," He murmured sheepishly to Rebecca, lifting the syringe to his neck and pressing the surface of the cold metal against warm flesh. His nape lined up with goosebumps and he closed his eyes, sighing gently, hoping that she just wouldn't ask questions til they were out of here. In truth? This whole thing was one big embarrassment. He had a laundry list of character defects already - weakness wasn't one he particularly desired to add. He prepared himself to grimace, and hit the button, with the tiny alkahestric array on it glowing with an off-green energy.
The needle stabbed into Zen's neck with a startling pain that he'd never gotten used to, pumping the liquid straight into his veins with an acid-hot burn. He opened his mouth to gasp, but the cold air did nothing but sting. Every second that the alkahestry spread - even with the soothing numbness of the painkillers - was a flash of fire through every vein, every artery. "F-fuck," He murmured, before retracting the pen with a hiss, a tiny globule of blood beginning to trail down his quivering neck. He never got used to it. Three times a day for the past nine months, and he still never got used to it. He'd begun to fear it, as stupid as it was, just like he feared her shying away, and the true ice of one of Elastor's glares when he knew it wasn't just irritation hanging in those lavender eyes.
The cartridge slid away from the body of the syringe-pen with a mechanical hiss, empty save for a few droplets of viscous blue liquid clinging to the edge of the plastic. "Hey, man," He murmured to the bartender, giving him the empty phial and hoping he wouldn't ask questions. He didn't; but the look in his eyes was one of apprehension. For a moment, Zen had forgotten he was in one of the biggest and shadiest dens of sin in the entire country, and he waved his hand shakily. "It's insulin. Can ya' chuck it in tha' bin a' somethin'?"
Zen tried to shrug it off, and the bartender tossed it away with a silent nod and a look of enlightenment. A few seconds had passed, and a good ninety percent of the brunt of the pain had worn off - the worst was over, but the ache still hung underneath, his very blood still hot and boiling beneath his skin with the effects of the Xingese "traditional" medicine. He fetched a fresh cartridge from the same pocket, before he forgot, and loaded it into the pen, before snapping the cap back on and tucking the syringe neatly away, murmuring off to Rebecca as he took a well-needed sip of his whiskey. "That, uh," Well, now wasn't this a grand fucking mess. "...wasn't insulin."
Leaving the green-haired man awestruck, she eased off and begun to saunter over to the bar, his eyes following her every step. As that look of true sterling surprise begun to fade, a grin etched its way onto his face. And that was only partially because her dress was really low-cut. Genuinely? He was happy. He wasn't going to keep pottering and being regretful about this; she'd given him an honest fortunate surprise, the first of months, in at least allowing him to explain things. For once, the dame in his life wasn't ready to give him an impromptu castration. He knew Rebecca had been different.
And, hell, if things went well tonight, maybe they could pick up where they left off. He'd like that.
In a manner not unlike Zen, slightly stumbling with giddy amusement, he almost tripped from sheer puppy-like happiness on his way over to the bar, but regained himself and sat down next to her, trying not to look down her dress as best he could. He didn't want to be crude, but he hoped that his goofy nature at least had some sort of charm to it - after all, he figured that's why she'd gone for him in the first place. Either that or his toned, Olympian physique, and the general aura of a bronzed god that seemed to, of course, simply radiate from him.
"One more fa' me, and anotha' fa' tha' lady," The bartender nodded, half-smiled at Zen, and fetched his empty glass, leaving Rebecca with hers - still half-full - as he went off to prepare the drinks as asked. A moment later, he returned, handing the Spectre her fresh coffee and him his small glass of whiskey. "I really didn't mean ta' run off like that, ya' know, right?" He sighed, and sipped at the golden brown liquid, exhaling before he set it back down. "Things, uh..." He didn't really want to tell her the extent of it all. Not in a public place, anyway - it wasn't for a lack of trust, but he'd feel like a prat for pulling the sympathy card. He'd vanished for eleven months, he deserved some sort of retribution. That was how he felt, anyway. "Things got outta' hand."
He felt his muscles began to ache and weaken almost immediately; perhaps it was the alcohol, perhaps it was the emotional strain of seeing her again under these specific circumstances... but in reality, it was neither of those. Zen's gaze narrowed and he looked off down into a distant wall. The facts were affirmed in his mind and he cursed underneath his breath as he was grounded, brought crashing down from his illusion into the cold vice-grip of real life. The syringe pen was heavy in his pocket; with a sigh he lifted it out and flicked off the cap, the sharp metal nib at the centre for the moment retracted.
"Gimme a sec," He murmured sheepishly to Rebecca, lifting the syringe to his neck and pressing the surface of the cold metal against warm flesh. His nape lined up with goosebumps and he closed his eyes, sighing gently, hoping that she just wouldn't ask questions til they were out of here. In truth? This whole thing was one big embarrassment. He had a laundry list of character defects already - weakness wasn't one he particularly desired to add. He prepared himself to grimace, and hit the button, with the tiny alkahestric array on it glowing with an off-green energy.
The needle stabbed into Zen's neck with a startling pain that he'd never gotten used to, pumping the liquid straight into his veins with an acid-hot burn. He opened his mouth to gasp, but the cold air did nothing but sting. Every second that the alkahestry spread - even with the soothing numbness of the painkillers - was a flash of fire through every vein, every artery. "F-fuck," He murmured, before retracting the pen with a hiss, a tiny globule of blood beginning to trail down his quivering neck. He never got used to it. Three times a day for the past nine months, and he still never got used to it. He'd begun to fear it, as stupid as it was, just like he feared her shying away, and the true ice of one of Elastor's glares when he knew it wasn't just irritation hanging in those lavender eyes.
The cartridge slid away from the body of the syringe-pen with a mechanical hiss, empty save for a few droplets of viscous blue liquid clinging to the edge of the plastic. "Hey, man," He murmured to the bartender, giving him the empty phial and hoping he wouldn't ask questions. He didn't; but the look in his eyes was one of apprehension. For a moment, Zen had forgotten he was in one of the biggest and shadiest dens of sin in the entire country, and he waved his hand shakily. "It's insulin. Can ya' chuck it in tha' bin a' somethin'?"
Zen tried to shrug it off, and the bartender tossed it away with a silent nod and a look of enlightenment. A few seconds had passed, and a good ninety percent of the brunt of the pain had worn off - the worst was over, but the ache still hung underneath, his very blood still hot and boiling beneath his skin with the effects of the Xingese "traditional" medicine. He fetched a fresh cartridge from the same pocket, before he forgot, and loaded it into the pen, before snapping the cap back on and tucking the syringe neatly away, murmuring off to Rebecca as he took a well-needed sip of his whiskey. "That, uh," Well, now wasn't this a grand fucking mess. "...wasn't insulin."
Guest- Guest
Re: Where's that Lady Luck?
by Guest Mon Apr 08, 2013 10:13 am
Rebecca didn't have to turn around to know how he was gawking at what she had just done. She knew how harshly he must be berating himself, and honestly? That was enough for her. As long as she heard his reason, she was sure that if it was a good cause for his absence, then that was that. After all when she was younger, she gave people less than he had when she left. She hadn't come back. Now? She made sure to leave something even if it was a note, a recorded message, something that people could latch onto whenever she left. Maybe.... No, that was definitely one of the contributing reasons as to why she wasn't absolutely infuriated with him right now. Also, it had been 11 months. If she had gotten angry, it would have diffused already by now anyways. There were fewer things that she remained angry at, seething over time. This was not one of them.
She watched him as he came derping up to the bar beside her, chuckling at the sight of it since... it was something she had missed. Edi was a fantastic companion and learning everyday, but her humor hadn't quite been Zen worthy humor. He was just such a goof, how could a person get offended at him? It was, in a sense, what made him so honest to her. It wasn't some show that he was putting on to try to be charming, thats just how he was. "One more fa' me, and anotha' fa' tha' lady," Rebecca looked up and smiled at the bartender, thanking him quietly for the fresh Bailey's as she placed it down in front of her, finishing off the current one she had. The bartender whisked it away the moment it came down and out of her hand. "I really didn't mean ta' run off like that, ya' know, right?" One of her arms rested on the bar, spinning her seat so that she was facing him while her legs crossed, her other arm resting leisurely in her lap. "I know. I's why I'm no' boiling you over some fire." She really hoped he could tell that she was teasing him, chuckling to herself at the mental image as if to try and lessen the potential tention from her statement.
"Things, uh..." Her brows furrowed a little as she stared at him, watching how he had sipped at his drink, the shifting unease rolling back and forth inside of him. What... had happened? "Things got outta' hand." Clearly. But it hadn't just been out of hand, something beyond his control must have happened because she knew him. The only possible reasons for why he wouldn't try to contact her or come back to her were: A) He had been captured by some enemy. Not likely considering he didn't seem like he had been tortured, or dealt with some sort of extravagant escape. B) He had taken some mission-- No, no even then he would have left something for her to find. C) He had been..... Rebecca noticed how his eyes had narrowed and looked elsewhere, her own crimson orbs trying to search for some hint as to the reason in those handsome features of his.
"Gimme a sec," She nodded once as he drew something from his pocket which she squinted to look at. Instantly her back straightened more as her legs uncrossed, allowing her to sit a bit more forward on her stool. That was a syringe. Why did he have to inject himself with a syringe now? It wasn't meth, that went into the arm normally. Insulin was also normally in the arm. So... it had to be option C then. She was practically hawk like with the intentness she observed him, her jaw tightening as a sign of her worry. "Already investigating Morgana. It would appear that there is alkahestry involved." She only nodded ever so slightly as she caught that off-green light, her hands tightening into fists at how he was clearly in pain from whatever he injected into himself. "F-fuck," Glancing about the bar, she picked up a fresh napkin from the nearby stack of them, already leaning forward to very gently dab up the blood that had begun to roll down his skin. Folding the napkin a bit to hide the blood from before, she touched the napkin there again and held it so that more wouldn't come flowing out of the injecting site. She was used to doing this, but for other reasons and not in this situation.
Her friends + needles = A sour taste in her mouth. And with it being her Zen? She liked it even less. "Hey, man," She only glanced to the bartender as Zen spoke to him, "It's insulin. Can ya' chuck it in tha' bin a' somethin'?" Insulin her ass. "I am unable to identify anything of use, there are too few factors. I'm sorry. You will have to wait for him to explain." She straightened now and crumpled the napkin before placing it on the counter, now taking a good gulp of her Bailey's. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly and turned back to him, her usual calm rising to the surface despite how she was flooded with worry beneath it. She thought she was hiding her apprehension rather well. "That, uh...wasn't insulin." "I know." She said quietly, cursing to herself at how her voice had shook a little. Reaching a hand forward, she slipped it into his own and squeezed, not needing anymore explanation than what she had just seen. Not... for the moment at least. "You are better now at least?" She would ask later, when they weren't here anymore with the eyes and ears of the Dresden twins all about them. And who knew who else....
She watched him as he came derping up to the bar beside her, chuckling at the sight of it since... it was something she had missed. Edi was a fantastic companion and learning everyday, but her humor hadn't quite been Zen worthy humor. He was just such a goof, how could a person get offended at him? It was, in a sense, what made him so honest to her. It wasn't some show that he was putting on to try to be charming, thats just how he was. "One more fa' me, and anotha' fa' tha' lady," Rebecca looked up and smiled at the bartender, thanking him quietly for the fresh Bailey's as she placed it down in front of her, finishing off the current one she had. The bartender whisked it away the moment it came down and out of her hand. "I really didn't mean ta' run off like that, ya' know, right?" One of her arms rested on the bar, spinning her seat so that she was facing him while her legs crossed, her other arm resting leisurely in her lap. "I know. I's why I'm no' boiling you over some fire." She really hoped he could tell that she was teasing him, chuckling to herself at the mental image as if to try and lessen the potential tention from her statement.
"Things, uh..." Her brows furrowed a little as she stared at him, watching how he had sipped at his drink, the shifting unease rolling back and forth inside of him. What... had happened? "Things got outta' hand." Clearly. But it hadn't just been out of hand, something beyond his control must have happened because she knew him. The only possible reasons for why he wouldn't try to contact her or come back to her were: A) He had been captured by some enemy. Not likely considering he didn't seem like he had been tortured, or dealt with some sort of extravagant escape. B) He had taken some mission-- No, no even then he would have left something for her to find. C) He had been..... Rebecca noticed how his eyes had narrowed and looked elsewhere, her own crimson orbs trying to search for some hint as to the reason in those handsome features of his.
"Gimme a sec," She nodded once as he drew something from his pocket which she squinted to look at. Instantly her back straightened more as her legs uncrossed, allowing her to sit a bit more forward on her stool. That was a syringe. Why did he have to inject himself with a syringe now? It wasn't meth, that went into the arm normally. Insulin was also normally in the arm. So... it had to be option C then. She was practically hawk like with the intentness she observed him, her jaw tightening as a sign of her worry. "Already investigating Morgana. It would appear that there is alkahestry involved." She only nodded ever so slightly as she caught that off-green light, her hands tightening into fists at how he was clearly in pain from whatever he injected into himself. "F-fuck," Glancing about the bar, she picked up a fresh napkin from the nearby stack of them, already leaning forward to very gently dab up the blood that had begun to roll down his skin. Folding the napkin a bit to hide the blood from before, she touched the napkin there again and held it so that more wouldn't come flowing out of the injecting site. She was used to doing this, but for other reasons and not in this situation.
Her friends + needles = A sour taste in her mouth. And with it being her Zen? She liked it even less. "Hey, man," She only glanced to the bartender as Zen spoke to him, "It's insulin. Can ya' chuck it in tha' bin a' somethin'?" Insulin her ass. "I am unable to identify anything of use, there are too few factors. I'm sorry. You will have to wait for him to explain." She straightened now and crumpled the napkin before placing it on the counter, now taking a good gulp of her Bailey's. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly and turned back to him, her usual calm rising to the surface despite how she was flooded with worry beneath it. She thought she was hiding her apprehension rather well. "That, uh...wasn't insulin." "I know." She said quietly, cursing to herself at how her voice had shook a little. Reaching a hand forward, she slipped it into his own and squeezed, not needing anymore explanation than what she had just seen. Not... for the moment at least. "You are better now at least?" She would ask later, when they weren't here anymore with the eyes and ears of the Dresden twins all about them. And who knew who else....
Guest- Guest
Re: Where's that Lady Luck?
by Guest Mon Apr 08, 2013 1:05 pm
"I know. I's why I'm no' boiling you over some fire." Zen became slightly apprehensive at the potential of her being serious, but a moment later, he realised the sarcasm and humour in her tones. It was a tease. She was taking this... far better than he'd expected. That was... a refreshing change from his usual unluckiness. It seemed it wasn't raining shit all the time in Zen Howler's world.
After the droplet of blood made itself an ugly presence on his neck, Rebecca silently and attentively dabbed it. Her earpiece was thrumming gently - he could hear that from her proximity - but it was nothing he was exceptionally keen on knowing. She was quiet for the whole ordeal, and if the events had confused her or made her apprehensive and investigative in any way, she was doing the best job he'd ever seen of hiding it. Then again, Zen wasn't the best judge of character. He sipped at the whiskey once more; a few moments on, the pain had vanished aside from a small ache in his muscles. That was normal, from all he could tell. "You are better now at least?"
The officer nodded slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. "'Better' wouldn't be tha' best way a' puttin' it, but, sure..." Nerves were piling up; where was that "charming", funny, goof that she was so used to seeing, and he was so used to being? So much had changed in the past eleven months; but Zen had never thought that it was enough to throw him so off-balance like this. "Should keep things at bay fa' tha' while, at least." He began to nod with more force, slightly more confident and assertive of his current medical status for the moment. The last thing he wanted was to start that conversation whilst they were inside a casino, with God knows who watching.
Perhaps he hadn't quite been ready to face Rebecca - but things had been like this with Sidney, and they hadn't spoken in almost eight years, so if he wasn't ready to face Rebecca now, when would he have been? In truth, watching her, for all his fuck-ups and all his stupidity, he knew that he wanted her in his life, and that was the long and short of it. For all the time he'd spent in Xing; he just hadn't wanted her to see him like that. He didn't want to become dependent. That was a problem he had to tackle. On his own.
Zen quickly necked the last of his scotch and sighed, turning back to Rebecca and smiling. Something warm began to buzz in his stomach - and it wasn't just the alcohol. From her reaction, and that unshaken trust, even through the strange injections and the eleven months of no radio contact... for once, he had a good feeling about this. "So," He said, sliding the glass over the bar and turning back to the Spectre. "What say ya' knock back the lasta' that drink, and we get outta' here for a more..." He tilted his head ever so slightly in the bartender's direction. "...private discussion?" There was no cheeky, dysfunctional wink; until they cleared the air completely, old Zen Howler was going to have to wait to get back to work with his incompetence and antics.
"Afta' all," Don't look down her top. Don't look down her top. Don't look down her top. "God knows ya' deserve boobs." DAMMIT. Well, so much for a lack of incompetence and the usual antics until he cleared the air. Seemed like old Zen was coming back already. The gambler grinned like the moron he was and shrugged. "I mean "it". Sorry 'bout that. Force a' habit, I guess."
After the droplet of blood made itself an ugly presence on his neck, Rebecca silently and attentively dabbed it. Her earpiece was thrumming gently - he could hear that from her proximity - but it was nothing he was exceptionally keen on knowing. She was quiet for the whole ordeal, and if the events had confused her or made her apprehensive and investigative in any way, she was doing the best job he'd ever seen of hiding it. Then again, Zen wasn't the best judge of character. He sipped at the whiskey once more; a few moments on, the pain had vanished aside from a small ache in his muscles. That was normal, from all he could tell. "You are better now at least?"
The officer nodded slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. "'Better' wouldn't be tha' best way a' puttin' it, but, sure..." Nerves were piling up; where was that "charming", funny, goof that she was so used to seeing, and he was so used to being? So much had changed in the past eleven months; but Zen had never thought that it was enough to throw him so off-balance like this. "Should keep things at bay fa' tha' while, at least." He began to nod with more force, slightly more confident and assertive of his current medical status for the moment. The last thing he wanted was to start that conversation whilst they were inside a casino, with God knows who watching.
Perhaps he hadn't quite been ready to face Rebecca - but things had been like this with Sidney, and they hadn't spoken in almost eight years, so if he wasn't ready to face Rebecca now, when would he have been? In truth, watching her, for all his fuck-ups and all his stupidity, he knew that he wanted her in his life, and that was the long and short of it. For all the time he'd spent in Xing; he just hadn't wanted her to see him like that. He didn't want to become dependent. That was a problem he had to tackle. On his own.
Zen quickly necked the last of his scotch and sighed, turning back to Rebecca and smiling. Something warm began to buzz in his stomach - and it wasn't just the alcohol. From her reaction, and that unshaken trust, even through the strange injections and the eleven months of no radio contact... for once, he had a good feeling about this. "So," He said, sliding the glass over the bar and turning back to the Spectre. "What say ya' knock back the lasta' that drink, and we get outta' here for a more..." He tilted his head ever so slightly in the bartender's direction. "...private discussion?" There was no cheeky, dysfunctional wink; until they cleared the air completely, old Zen Howler was going to have to wait to get back to work with his incompetence and antics.
"Afta' all," Don't look down her top. Don't look down her top. Don't look down her top. "God knows ya' deserve boobs." DAMMIT. Well, so much for a lack of incompetence and the usual antics until he cleared the air. Seemed like old Zen was coming back already. The gambler grinned like the moron he was and shrugged. "I mean "it". Sorry 'bout that. Force a' habit, I guess."
Last edited by Zen Howler on Tue Apr 09, 2013 6:16 pm; edited 1 time in total
Guest- Guest
Re: Where's that Lady Luck?
by Guest Tue Apr 09, 2013 2:45 pm
He was rubbing the back of his neck again; he was still apprehensive about things. She didn't really want him to be, especially not with whatever illness was plaguing him still. Sipping at her drink, she took a deep breath as the alcohol flowed so freely through her veins, the fog that slipped around the edges of her mind beginning to grow and file in. She slid her drink away a little bit, taking a deep breath as she tried to calmly think through what she knew. He hadn't been well during the last war, she remembered that. She had been worried then as well, but then again, they also hadn't really spoken so she hadn't been sure what was wrong. They had been separated as well, she had made it to the outside of the apartment where that bitch had taken the King, but then.... she had to leave. She hadn't gotten to see him before he vanished except for earlier that morning when they had briefly exchanged words.
Sighing lightly, she met his gaze and smiled softly, her thumb running softly against the skin of his hand. "So," "A needle pullin' thread." She murmured with a little chuckle, wondering if he'd even catch her little joke. "What say ya' knock back the lasta' that drink, and we get outta' here for a more..." Her eyebrow raised as she glanced towards the bartender as well, smirking at his raised eyebrow. Oh he shouldn't ever try to pretend that he didn't know what they were talking about. "...private discussion?" She had half-expected him to wink, some small part of her sad that he didn't. At the same time, she understood, however, for it had been so long since they had spoken to each other. He.... might not realize that it was fine for him to do so, or even feel comfortable with it. Oh well, it would come along with time. "I think tha' could be arranged." A rather coy smirk rose to her lips, a rarity for her since she didn't really smirk like that to anyone unless she was on a job.
"Afta' all," Her eyebrow raised slightly, holding back a snicker as she noticed how he was trying so very hard not to look down her cleavage. Thank you flattering dress... [i]"God knows ya' deserve boobs." Rebecca laughed a little, very much relieved that at least some things would never, ever change. [color=cyan"I mean "it". Sorry 'bout that. Force a' habit, I guess."[/color] Her hand squeezed his before she let go, taking one last sip of her drink before she slid off of her stool. "Aye, le's be off. Though, whose house are we goin' to? Cause..." She had to try and not chuckle (failing in the process), a hand coming to rest on her hip. "Well, i's either my bike, or a car. 'ow'd you ge' 'ere?"
Sighing lightly, she met his gaze and smiled softly, her thumb running softly against the skin of his hand. "So," "A needle pullin' thread." She murmured with a little chuckle, wondering if he'd even catch her little joke. "What say ya' knock back the lasta' that drink, and we get outta' here for a more..." Her eyebrow raised as she glanced towards the bartender as well, smirking at his raised eyebrow. Oh he shouldn't ever try to pretend that he didn't know what they were talking about. "...private discussion?" She had half-expected him to wink, some small part of her sad that he didn't. At the same time, she understood, however, for it had been so long since they had spoken to each other. He.... might not realize that it was fine for him to do so, or even feel comfortable with it. Oh well, it would come along with time. "I think tha' could be arranged." A rather coy smirk rose to her lips, a rarity for her since she didn't really smirk like that to anyone unless she was on a job.
"Afta' all," Her eyebrow raised slightly, holding back a snicker as she noticed how he was trying so very hard not to look down her cleavage. Thank you flattering dress... [i]"God knows ya' deserve boobs." Rebecca laughed a little, very much relieved that at least some things would never, ever change. [color=cyan"I mean "it". Sorry 'bout that. Force a' habit, I guess."[/color] Her hand squeezed his before she let go, taking one last sip of her drink before she slid off of her stool. "Aye, le's be off. Though, whose house are we goin' to? Cause..." She had to try and not chuckle (failing in the process), a hand coming to rest on her hip. "Well, i's either my bike, or a car. 'ow'd you ge' 'ere?"
Guest- Guest
Re: Where's that Lady Luck?
by Guest Tue Apr 09, 2013 6:12 pm
"I think tha' could be arranged." Excellent. Chance to clear the air, sort things out, have a few drinks - all of the booze in his house had been left for a solid year, anyway, so it was probably stronger than when he'd departed. Always a good thing. In most cases, anyway. "Aye, le's be off. Though, whose house are we goin' to? Cause... well, i's either my bike, or a car. 'ow'd you ge' 'ere?"
Zen winced visibly at his not-so-fond memories of the monstrosity she called a vehicle. "No offense to ya', Rebecca, but I've already had one shock ta' tha' system seein' ya' again tonight, so I think a ride on ya' deathtrap-" He stopped himself, stuttering once more. "Uh, bike," Once more, he scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed and apprehensive again. It was either Freudian slips or general conversational fuckups. And that dress was not helping his boobs. I mean case. "It might just push me ova' tha' edge, so..." Diving into his pocket, with a single movement, fumblings within aside, he pulled out his keyring by the embossed Lotus fob. "I can drive, if ya' like."
Zen shrugged. "Or you can take ya' bike and I'll take my car," He said, leisurely shrugging, and turning, gesturing for the pair of them to start walking towards the elevator down to the ground floor, from where they could head to the parking lot opposite. "Wouldn't surprise me, though, if ya' bike's got some sorta' Batman shit in it an' can drive itself back a' somethin'." The pain had all-but vanished from his fingers; the officer flexed his hands routinely and sighed, shaking his neck from side to side as the pair of them sidled into the elevator.
The doors slid open with a ping and hissed shut a moment later. Silence descended on them save for the muffled thumping of the dance floor below. For the first time in too long, they were alone, save for the small cuboid video camera in the elevator's top corner interior. She'd been idly touching him all night, stroking his hand, poking his arm, and now it was time to link things back up, or so he thought, sliding his arm behind her lower back, pulling her a little closer, and leaning in to peck her on the lips, breaking away a second later. That would have to tide the pair of them over for now.
"Ya' know, Rebecca," He paused, whispering. Their faces were close enough to. "I missed ya' more than anythin' else whilst I was out there," He smiled that little goofy smile of his, and tilted his head. For once, they had a proper, true, romantic moment, savouring it between the pair of them- "Except maybe Twinkies." Or not. "Sorry. It was neck an' neck fa' a few months, but then I really started ta' miss them. Addiction's addiction, I'm afraid." He beamed at her like the idiot he was, and moved in to kiss her on the cheek once more.
"Anyway," He backed up a little, keeping his hand at her waist, but turning around to face the elevator doors. "I'll leave it ta' you, Miss Wong." He smiled at her once more, and tilted his head in reply. "As they often tend to say, 'your place a' mine?'"
Zen winced visibly at his not-so-fond memories of the monstrosity she called a vehicle. "No offense to ya', Rebecca, but I've already had one shock ta' tha' system seein' ya' again tonight, so I think a ride on ya' deathtrap-" He stopped himself, stuttering once more. "Uh, bike," Once more, he scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed and apprehensive again. It was either Freudian slips or general conversational fuckups. And that dress was not helping his boobs. I mean case. "It might just push me ova' tha' edge, so..." Diving into his pocket, with a single movement, fumblings within aside, he pulled out his keyring by the embossed Lotus fob. "I can drive, if ya' like."
Zen shrugged. "Or you can take ya' bike and I'll take my car," He said, leisurely shrugging, and turning, gesturing for the pair of them to start walking towards the elevator down to the ground floor, from where they could head to the parking lot opposite. "Wouldn't surprise me, though, if ya' bike's got some sorta' Batman shit in it an' can drive itself back a' somethin'." The pain had all-but vanished from his fingers; the officer flexed his hands routinely and sighed, shaking his neck from side to side as the pair of them sidled into the elevator.
The doors slid open with a ping and hissed shut a moment later. Silence descended on them save for the muffled thumping of the dance floor below. For the first time in too long, they were alone, save for the small cuboid video camera in the elevator's top corner interior. She'd been idly touching him all night, stroking his hand, poking his arm, and now it was time to link things back up, or so he thought, sliding his arm behind her lower back, pulling her a little closer, and leaning in to peck her on the lips, breaking away a second later. That would have to tide the pair of them over for now.
"Ya' know, Rebecca," He paused, whispering. Their faces were close enough to. "I missed ya' more than anythin' else whilst I was out there," He smiled that little goofy smile of his, and tilted his head. For once, they had a proper, true, romantic moment, savouring it between the pair of them- "Except maybe Twinkies." Or not. "Sorry. It was neck an' neck fa' a few months, but then I really started ta' miss them. Addiction's addiction, I'm afraid." He beamed at her like the idiot he was, and moved in to kiss her on the cheek once more.
"Anyway," He backed up a little, keeping his hand at her waist, but turning around to face the elevator doors. "I'll leave it ta' you, Miss Wong." He smiled at her once more, and tilted his head in reply. "As they often tend to say, 'your place a' mine?'"
Guest- Guest
Re: Where's that Lady Luck?
by Guest Wed Apr 10, 2013 3:19 pm
And that was why she asked him considering she remembered how vehemently he had kissed the ground once they had come to a stop on her bike before. She found it a bit funny, she thought that he might've liked it, but apparently that was not the case. "No offense to ya', Rebecca, but I've already had one shock ta' tha' system seein' ya' again tonight, so I think a ride on ya' deathtrap- Uh, bike," She waved a hand and chuckled softly, taking one last sip of her drink before finally placing it aside for good. "It might just push me ova' tha' edge, so..." Oh it most certainly would. Especially since she had had a few drinks in her this evening before she found him sooooo it could make driving her bike interesting. Though, at that point she could always just have Edi take over, though that might concern him more given his only recently growing knowledge on the wonders of technology. "I can drive, if ya' like." "That would be lovely." She didn't have anyone else who would drive her around, so she might as well let him hm?
"Or you can take ya' bike and I'll take my car," HAH. Now wasn't that a rather amusing mental image? Well... but she had made that drive in the dress she was wearing here so perhaps it wasn't TOO strange. Though the added man on the back screaming for his life definitely would. "Wouldn't surprise me, though, if ya' bike's got some sorta' Batman shit in it an' can drive itself back a' somethin'. She laughed at that, sensing that Edi was also chuckling wherever she was. Probably playing something on xbox Live. Ever since they had played with Tsurita and Aaron, Edi had discovered a new fascination with this console and system. Her arm slid into his as they sauntered to the elevator, the warmth of his hand refreshing and so very familiar against her body. It called out to her, and reminded her just how much she really had missed him.
The doors shut and it was just them, no sounds of chips being won and lost, no background noises or anything. Just... them. His arm moved and drew her closer to which she did not resist, instead taking that little step closer to him as his lips met hers. That peck was not enough, not nearly enough to fill the gap of the past 11 months. But for now...? It sent such sparks through her veins as to light up an entire room. Her eyes lingered in their closed state for a few seconds, taking in that soft, quick sensation even as he began to speak. "Ya' know, Rebecca," Her eyes opened slowly to half-lids, her arms sliding up and inbetween his to his back, keeping her close to him. "I missed ya' more than anythin' else whilst I was out there," She bit her lower lip in the slightest for she felt a weight in her throat at those words, her gaze lowering to the ground for just a second before crimson met brown. And there it was, his goofy smile. The smile of the man that she loved 11 months ago, and even to this very second.
"Except maybe Twinkies." She raised an eyebrow with a smirk, "Sorry. It was neck an' neck fa' a few months, but then I really started ta' miss them. Addiction's addiction, I'm afraid." Another chuckle rolled out from within Rebecca's body, tilting her head slightly into that kiss on her cheek. "Well, good t'know I was missed so. Even managed to compete with Twinkies, I swear tha' migh' be a new record." She mused softly with another little giggle. Ah Zen, keeping the world a less serious place. "Anyway," The elevator doors dinged to signal that they had reached the lower level, "I'll leave it ta' you, Miss Wong." Her one arm remained around his waist, keeping her close but not too close as she glanced out to the crowded parking garage before them, the chill of the night air blowing through them both. "As they often tend to say, 'your place a' mine?'"
Taking a couple of steps out, she clasped both of his hands in her own, leading him out behind her with a grin, "I think yours definitely. I go'a be reminded wha' i's like driving in a car again. So lead on my McDuff!" She gave him a little wink as she led him out, letting go of one hand as she moved about to his side in a fluid motion, slipping her arm through his own. Yes.... she had missed him very dearly.
"Or you can take ya' bike and I'll take my car," HAH. Now wasn't that a rather amusing mental image? Well... but she had made that drive in the dress she was wearing here so perhaps it wasn't TOO strange. Though the added man on the back screaming for his life definitely would. "Wouldn't surprise me, though, if ya' bike's got some sorta' Batman shit in it an' can drive itself back a' somethin'. She laughed at that, sensing that Edi was also chuckling wherever she was. Probably playing something on xbox Live. Ever since they had played with Tsurita and Aaron, Edi had discovered a new fascination with this console and system. Her arm slid into his as they sauntered to the elevator, the warmth of his hand refreshing and so very familiar against her body. It called out to her, and reminded her just how much she really had missed him.
The doors shut and it was just them, no sounds of chips being won and lost, no background noises or anything. Just... them. His arm moved and drew her closer to which she did not resist, instead taking that little step closer to him as his lips met hers. That peck was not enough, not nearly enough to fill the gap of the past 11 months. But for now...? It sent such sparks through her veins as to light up an entire room. Her eyes lingered in their closed state for a few seconds, taking in that soft, quick sensation even as he began to speak. "Ya' know, Rebecca," Her eyes opened slowly to half-lids, her arms sliding up and inbetween his to his back, keeping her close to him. "I missed ya' more than anythin' else whilst I was out there," She bit her lower lip in the slightest for she felt a weight in her throat at those words, her gaze lowering to the ground for just a second before crimson met brown. And there it was, his goofy smile. The smile of the man that she loved 11 months ago, and even to this very second.
"Except maybe Twinkies." She raised an eyebrow with a smirk, "Sorry. It was neck an' neck fa' a few months, but then I really started ta' miss them. Addiction's addiction, I'm afraid." Another chuckle rolled out from within Rebecca's body, tilting her head slightly into that kiss on her cheek. "Well, good t'know I was missed so. Even managed to compete with Twinkies, I swear tha' migh' be a new record." She mused softly with another little giggle. Ah Zen, keeping the world a less serious place. "Anyway," The elevator doors dinged to signal that they had reached the lower level, "I'll leave it ta' you, Miss Wong." Her one arm remained around his waist, keeping her close but not too close as she glanced out to the crowded parking garage before them, the chill of the night air blowing through them both. "As they often tend to say, 'your place a' mine?'"
Taking a couple of steps out, she clasped both of his hands in her own, leading him out behind her with a grin, "I think yours definitely. I go'a be reminded wha' i's like driving in a car again. So lead on my McDuff!" She gave him a little wink as she led him out, letting go of one hand as she moved about to his side in a fluid motion, slipping her arm through his own. Yes.... she had missed him very dearly.
Guest- Guest
Re: Where's that Lady Luck?
by Guest Wed Apr 10, 2013 7:58 pm
"That would be lovely." At this point, Zen should have stopped the pair of them dead in their tracks and said 'Wait! Let's get a cab. Neither of us are fit to drive.' But that was not the way Zen Howler functioned. All he could think was that there was a large bottle of red wine and a fresh pack of cigarettes waiting for them back at his place. And her boobs. He could think of her boobs.
GODDAMNIT ZEN BACK ON TRACK. "Well, good t'know I was missed so. Even managed to compete with Twinkies, I swear tha' migh' be a new record." He grinned at her, shrugging sheepishly and smiling as the elevator doors opened, the warmth of her hand sliding up and down his back comfortable. Not just comfortable... familiar. And that's what made their reunion that much more poignant for him.
"Hey, don't get ahead a' yaself, Wong," He put on a mock stern tone, smiling down at her. "Ya' still got a long way ta' go before I start missin' ya' as much as cigarettes an' alcohol." Hey, that reminded him of an Oasis song! Singing along idly in his head, he bumped it to and fro, humming gently as Rebecca lead him, shaking the daze out of his mind, into the crowded, subterranean parking lot with that signature grin of blissful ignorance, unwitting, unknowing, and perfectly happy with all of that - because he had her, and she wasn't angry at him for disappearing like he had.
Not that he ever would again, after all. That was... a one-off. His gaze narrowed and things focused; Xing had... changed him. For the better. He'd found his centre, his chi, and tempered his will as he'd had to become independent. Fuck, for a few weeks, he even quit smoking. Then they opened up a new newsagents' just down the road from his motel room, with a big glowing neon sign reading Marlboro on the front in flashing lights. "Lead me not into temptation" be damned. You can lead a horse to water, but you can never stop it from trying to kill itself slowly with noxious fumes. "I think yours definitely. I go'a be reminded wha' i's like driving in a car again. So lead on my McDuff!"
...not that his driving would be particularly good in his half-drunken daze. He'd only had a couple of scotches, but both had been double measures, and, well... yeah. Zen was a lightweight, and he hadn't drunk in something like six months. Xingese alcohol was too expensive, and the only stuff he had out by where he was staying was some bootlegged sixty-five percent firewater that would probably burn holes through his liver on contact, let alone anything else. "That'd be Bond, you mean, Miss Moneypenny," He corrected her falsely, once more putting on the thick Knightsbridge drawl. "Now, where did I park the Aston..." He trailed off, diving into his inner jacket pocket, fumbling once more for his keyfob.
He then proceeded to hold it up in the air, detaching from Rebecca's grasp, and throwing it around him in a three-hundred and sixty degree arc, viciously jabbing the button marked with the icon of an open padlock until he heard the signature blip-blip-blop of his Lotus, to the left of the elevator exit. Straightening his tie, adjusting his posture, and lowering his arms, he dropped the Bond voice with another goofy grin. "Gotta' mysterious hunch it may be ova' thaddaway," He shrugged with mock ignorance in his voice, pretending as if that childish display had never happened.
GODDAMNIT ZEN BACK ON TRACK. "Well, good t'know I was missed so. Even managed to compete with Twinkies, I swear tha' migh' be a new record." He grinned at her, shrugging sheepishly and smiling as the elevator doors opened, the warmth of her hand sliding up and down his back comfortable. Not just comfortable... familiar. And that's what made their reunion that much more poignant for him.
"Hey, don't get ahead a' yaself, Wong," He put on a mock stern tone, smiling down at her. "Ya' still got a long way ta' go before I start missin' ya' as much as cigarettes an' alcohol." Hey, that reminded him of an Oasis song! Singing along idly in his head, he bumped it to and fro, humming gently as Rebecca lead him, shaking the daze out of his mind, into the crowded, subterranean parking lot with that signature grin of blissful ignorance, unwitting, unknowing, and perfectly happy with all of that - because he had her, and she wasn't angry at him for disappearing like he had.
Not that he ever would again, after all. That was... a one-off. His gaze narrowed and things focused; Xing had... changed him. For the better. He'd found his centre, his chi, and tempered his will as he'd had to become independent. Fuck, for a few weeks, he even quit smoking. Then they opened up a new newsagents' just down the road from his motel room, with a big glowing neon sign reading Marlboro on the front in flashing lights. "Lead me not into temptation" be damned. You can lead a horse to water, but you can never stop it from trying to kill itself slowly with noxious fumes. "I think yours definitely. I go'a be reminded wha' i's like driving in a car again. So lead on my McDuff!"
...not that his driving would be particularly good in his half-drunken daze. He'd only had a couple of scotches, but both had been double measures, and, well... yeah. Zen was a lightweight, and he hadn't drunk in something like six months. Xingese alcohol was too expensive, and the only stuff he had out by where he was staying was some bootlegged sixty-five percent firewater that would probably burn holes through his liver on contact, let alone anything else. "That'd be Bond, you mean, Miss Moneypenny," He corrected her falsely, once more putting on the thick Knightsbridge drawl. "Now, where did I park the Aston..." He trailed off, diving into his inner jacket pocket, fumbling once more for his keyfob.
He then proceeded to hold it up in the air, detaching from Rebecca's grasp, and throwing it around him in a three-hundred and sixty degree arc, viciously jabbing the button marked with the icon of an open padlock until he heard the signature blip-blip-blop of his Lotus, to the left of the elevator exit. Straightening his tie, adjusting his posture, and lowering his arms, he dropped the Bond voice with another goofy grin. "Gotta' mysterious hunch it may be ova' thaddaway," He shrugged with mock ignorance in his voice, pretending as if that childish display had never happened.
Guest- Guest
Re: Where's that Lady Luck?
by Guest Mon Apr 15, 2013 10:52 am
Though.... That was a good point, was HE actually able to drive right now? They had clearly had plenty to drink, and... Bugger. Now she had to try and wrack her brain for the last time they had gone drinking. She knew that she drank more than him, but how much? Ack, there was no way it was going to come to her at this point. "Hey, don't get ahead a' yaself, Wong," Rebecca raised an eyebrow as she looked up at him, already starting to chuckle for she already knew where this would head towards. IT wasn't anything bad, if anything it was just the opposite. "Ya' still got a long way ta' go before I start missin' ya' as much as cigarettes an' alcohol." Her chucklings grew and echoed in the parking structure, hugging herself a bit closer to him. That was what she missed. The quiet, playful banter, the flirting, the... Zen-ness (no pun inten--Ok, maybe a little intended). The longer that they wandered about while attempting to find his car, the more she was reminded just how much she had missed him.
"That'd be Bond, you mean, Miss Moneypenny," She laughed, "Oh I'm Moneypenny? Not Q? I make all the fun gadge's!" She teased right back, the giggles rolling like waves at his attempt to immitate Bond. "Now, where did I park the Aston..." She grew quiet as he began to spin and furiously click the button, one arm folding beneath the other as she touched a hand to her face. "His 'Aston' is over--" "No, its ok Edi. This is hilarious to watch." Oh and it was. Nothing quite beat a goof being a goof, especially not when it was her goof. Ooo that was still delightful to say even if it had been a year since she could say it. He fixed himself, "Gotta' mysterious hunch it may be ova' thaddaway," Her expression softened as one last quiet chuckle escaped her, walking up to him as she pecked his lips quick and light, taking his hand while she led him towards his car. "I really missed you Zen Howler." She commented quietly, spinning herself closer to his body as her arm wrapped around his waist, her expression a little complicated to read. She was content, she was happy, she was sad, she was amused, she was.... Alive. Sometimes... Sometimes spending so much time around machines and codes and metal made her forget that she was a human. That she liked human contact to some degree, and enjoyed to go out in the world and be silly. The two of them slid into his car and they were off into the streets of Philly, winding and weaving their way.
(( Should we just skip to them being back at his apartment? ))
"That'd be Bond, you mean, Miss Moneypenny," She laughed, "Oh I'm Moneypenny? Not Q? I make all the fun gadge's!" She teased right back, the giggles rolling like waves at his attempt to immitate Bond. "Now, where did I park the Aston..." She grew quiet as he began to spin and furiously click the button, one arm folding beneath the other as she touched a hand to her face. "His 'Aston' is over--" "No, its ok Edi. This is hilarious to watch." Oh and it was. Nothing quite beat a goof being a goof, especially not when it was her goof. Ooo that was still delightful to say even if it had been a year since she could say it. He fixed himself, "Gotta' mysterious hunch it may be ova' thaddaway," Her expression softened as one last quiet chuckle escaped her, walking up to him as she pecked his lips quick and light, taking his hand while she led him towards his car. "I really missed you Zen Howler." She commented quietly, spinning herself closer to his body as her arm wrapped around his waist, her expression a little complicated to read. She was content, she was happy, she was sad, she was amused, she was.... Alive. Sometimes... Sometimes spending so much time around machines and codes and metal made her forget that she was a human. That she liked human contact to some degree, and enjoyed to go out in the world and be silly. The two of them slid into his car and they were off into the streets of Philly, winding and weaving their way.
(( Should we just skip to them being back at his apartment? ))
Guest- Guest
Re: Where's that Lady Luck?
by Guest Tue Apr 16, 2013 6:02 pm
"I really missed you Zen Howler."
"And I really missed ya' too, Rebecca Wong."
The door of Zen Howler's apartment swung open once more with its owner and his girlfriend in hand. The cardshark lowered his head to peck Rebecca on the cheek, and looked out. Thanks to having left in such a rush, when the investigator had returned, almost everything was rotten or broken, and in a spur of the moment activity that some had thought truly impossible of the green-haired buffoon, he actually cleaned the place out. And not just the fridge.
He restocked the wine rack, added a few bottles of something strong to the spirits cupboard, reloaded the fridge, dusted every table, threw out all the Twinkie wrappers lying around and old Xingese takeaway boxes, and even brought home a few canisters of air freshener to try and dampen the stench of stale smoke and old alcohol. Zen kind of knew from the start that that was the biggest lost cause he'd ever so much as heard of.
Xing had taught him that above all else, a tidy home was quintessential to a tidy mind, and thus: things had been re-organised for the first few hours; after that, when he'd begun to try and ease up the old machine and work through a few card counting mechanisms - which, apparently, according to tonight's events, hadn't worked entirely as planned - the old ways kicked in soon enough. Perhaps you can teach an old dog new tricks - but the oldest habits are still the hardest to kick.
Three decks of fresh PVC-backed cards - and another engraved with his specialised arrays - sat on the coffee table next to a china bowl filled with cigarette butts and the remnants of ramen noodles. That said, the place was still tidy enough; it just had a lived-in feel, just not as if a Zenpocalypse* had ravaged every corner of the landscape. Though, that "lived-in" atmosphere of the 'freshly-cleaned' apartment was one of six months. As opposed to three days.
"An' ya' must rememba' Chez Zen, in all its glory, eh?" He turned back to Rebecca, and pecked her on the lips once more, shutting the door behind them and twisting the key shut as he flung his coat onto the couch in the living room and tossed his keys off onto a brass tray by the door with a near-deafening CLANG before leading the way into his living area. With that, he stood and surveyed the place, smiling and letting loose a gentle sigh as he leant back against the dining table. He'd been home for almost seventy-two hours and this place hadn't felt proper. No matter how much time he'd spent, what he'd done, where he'd done it - it still felt... partial. Incomplete. Somehow empty. But now that she was here, back here... after all those times they'd been united here before his absence? It felt like everything had come together, like this place was finally starting to belong again. Seemed that Chez Zen, the so-called "bachelor pad of the year 2010, 2011, and 2012", seemed to ironically benefit from a woman's touch.
"I'mma get myself a drink," He said, having shed down to his shirt, rolled-up sleeves and top button undone, the tie still hanging loosely from his collar. "Ya' want anythin'?" Zen grinned in his new-old-sort-of-okay-unsure-girlfriend's direction and jerked his head over to the wine rack and the spirits cupboard. "I jus' restocked. We got hard stuff an' harda' stuff."
*The word 'Zenpocalypse' is trademark of Zenith Howler Industries PLC.
"And I really missed ya' too, Rebecca Wong."
*****
The door of Zen Howler's apartment swung open once more with its owner and his girlfriend in hand. The cardshark lowered his head to peck Rebecca on the cheek, and looked out. Thanks to having left in such a rush, when the investigator had returned, almost everything was rotten or broken, and in a spur of the moment activity that some had thought truly impossible of the green-haired buffoon, he actually cleaned the place out. And not just the fridge.
He restocked the wine rack, added a few bottles of something strong to the spirits cupboard, reloaded the fridge, dusted every table, threw out all the Twinkie wrappers lying around and old Xingese takeaway boxes, and even brought home a few canisters of air freshener to try and dampen the stench of stale smoke and old alcohol. Zen kind of knew from the start that that was the biggest lost cause he'd ever so much as heard of.
Xing had taught him that above all else, a tidy home was quintessential to a tidy mind, and thus: things had been re-organised for the first few hours; after that, when he'd begun to try and ease up the old machine and work through a few card counting mechanisms - which, apparently, according to tonight's events, hadn't worked entirely as planned - the old ways kicked in soon enough. Perhaps you can teach an old dog new tricks - but the oldest habits are still the hardest to kick.
Three decks of fresh PVC-backed cards - and another engraved with his specialised arrays - sat on the coffee table next to a china bowl filled with cigarette butts and the remnants of ramen noodles. That said, the place was still tidy enough; it just had a lived-in feel, just not as if a Zenpocalypse* had ravaged every corner of the landscape. Though, that "lived-in" atmosphere of the 'freshly-cleaned' apartment was one of six months. As opposed to three days.
"An' ya' must rememba' Chez Zen, in all its glory, eh?" He turned back to Rebecca, and pecked her on the lips once more, shutting the door behind them and twisting the key shut as he flung his coat onto the couch in the living room and tossed his keys off onto a brass tray by the door with a near-deafening CLANG before leading the way into his living area. With that, he stood and surveyed the place, smiling and letting loose a gentle sigh as he leant back against the dining table. He'd been home for almost seventy-two hours and this place hadn't felt proper. No matter how much time he'd spent, what he'd done, where he'd done it - it still felt... partial. Incomplete. Somehow empty. But now that she was here, back here... after all those times they'd been united here before his absence? It felt like everything had come together, like this place was finally starting to belong again. Seemed that Chez Zen, the so-called "bachelor pad of the year 2010, 2011, and 2012", seemed to ironically benefit from a woman's touch.
"I'mma get myself a drink," He said, having shed down to his shirt, rolled-up sleeves and top button undone, the tie still hanging loosely from his collar. "Ya' want anythin'?" Zen grinned in his new-old-sort-of-okay-unsure-girlfriend's direction and jerked his head over to the wine rack and the spirits cupboard. "I jus' restocked. We got hard stuff an' harda' stuff."
*The word 'Zenpocalypse' is trademark of Zenith Howler Industries PLC.
Guest- Guest
Re: Where's that Lady Luck?
by Guest Tue Apr 23, 2013 6:41 pm
The first thing that Rebecca noticed when she stepped in the door was that the air was.... somewhat fresh? Not quite stale but not quite circulated. There was also a lack of that lingering stench of cigarettes that was so very familiar, her eyes glancing about as her hand remained in his. In fact, it smelled.... Her eyebrows raised as she saw how clean the place looked, slowing a little bit as her smile faltered a little. Yes... he really hadn't been here for all of that time. When was the last time that he had cleaned before he had vanished? How often had she teased him about it? It did mean she couldn't test a couple of her new bots anymore, but that was besides the point. This was... quite the transformation from what she knew as Chez Zen.
"An' ya' must rememba' Chez Zen, in all its glory, eh?" Their lips met in another brief kiss, only making her smile softly as the door shut quietly. Her jacket was quickly removed and placed on the couch as she followed him further inside. "Aye, I do. You did a bi' of cleanin' up I see." She noted, chuckling at the sight of the cards and cigarette butts in their bowl on the table. Well, at least some things didn't change at all. That was a relief. "No place like home right?" "Thats so true..." She whispered under her breath, her hand drifting along the kitchen table as her crimson eyes moved slowly to look at the whole apartment. From the kitchen with the wine, then around towards the couch with the giggles and laughs, the.... Yeah, this was where she belonged. Odd considering she never really considered herself as someone that "belonged" anywhere. No, she belonged here in this place with the man pulling off his jacket. "I'mma get myself a drink,"
Blinking a couple of times, Rebecca straightened up, unable to stop the smirk that rose to her lips at the sight of how he had relaxed so with his sleeves rolled up and button undone. "Ya' want anythin'?" Mmmm, more to make her even tipsier and possibly drunk? She hummed in her throat as she pondered, "I jus' restocked. We got hard stuff an' harda' stuff." Well then, that was a solidifying factor. "I think I'd love a drink. How abou'...." She walked up towards the rack after him, her arms sliding about his waist as she peered over his shoulder. Sure she wanted a drink, but she also just wanted to hold him. To really soak in that he was there with her at that moment despite how real she knew that was. How she wasn't imagining this at all. "How abou' a blush? Swee', relaxing, but still able to ge' a couple drunk." She asked him softly in his ear, pecking him on the cheek as she pulled back, her heels clacking softly against the floor. Ugh, they were loud. So she removed them and carried them over to where she had left her coat on the couch, placing them down on the floor.
Though.... how did they breach what was unknown to her? She turned to face the kitchen again, arms folding over her chest as she strolled leisurely back. "So um..." She began, biting her lower lip as she gazed with some concern at her boyfriend, "Where did you go?"
"An' ya' must rememba' Chez Zen, in all its glory, eh?" Their lips met in another brief kiss, only making her smile softly as the door shut quietly. Her jacket was quickly removed and placed on the couch as she followed him further inside. "Aye, I do. You did a bi' of cleanin' up I see." She noted, chuckling at the sight of the cards and cigarette butts in their bowl on the table. Well, at least some things didn't change at all. That was a relief. "No place like home right?" "Thats so true..." She whispered under her breath, her hand drifting along the kitchen table as her crimson eyes moved slowly to look at the whole apartment. From the kitchen with the wine, then around towards the couch with the giggles and laughs, the.... Yeah, this was where she belonged. Odd considering she never really considered herself as someone that "belonged" anywhere. No, she belonged here in this place with the man pulling off his jacket. "I'mma get myself a drink,"
Blinking a couple of times, Rebecca straightened up, unable to stop the smirk that rose to her lips at the sight of how he had relaxed so with his sleeves rolled up and button undone. "Ya' want anythin'?" Mmmm, more to make her even tipsier and possibly drunk? She hummed in her throat as she pondered, "I jus' restocked. We got hard stuff an' harda' stuff." Well then, that was a solidifying factor. "I think I'd love a drink. How abou'...." She walked up towards the rack after him, her arms sliding about his waist as she peered over his shoulder. Sure she wanted a drink, but she also just wanted to hold him. To really soak in that he was there with her at that moment despite how real she knew that was. How she wasn't imagining this at all. "How abou' a blush? Swee', relaxing, but still able to ge' a couple drunk." She asked him softly in his ear, pecking him on the cheek as she pulled back, her heels clacking softly against the floor. Ugh, they were loud. So she removed them and carried them over to where she had left her coat on the couch, placing them down on the floor.
Though.... how did they breach what was unknown to her? She turned to face the kitchen again, arms folding over her chest as she strolled leisurely back. "So um..." She began, biting her lower lip as she gazed with some concern at her boyfriend, "Where did you go?"
Guest- Guest
Re: Where's that Lady Luck?
by Guest Thu Apr 25, 2013 11:50 am
He felt her arms slide around his waist as she made a drink suggestion, and he smiled. "How abou' a blush? Swee', relaxing, but still able to ge' a couple drunk." Sounded perfect to him. He gently ran her fingers over hers, before breaking the grip for just a moment, to slide off into the kitchen, bottle in hand, grasping dexterously - and fumbling - for two of his nicest wine glasses. New, of course - when he came home, most of his unattended glass cupboards had been reduced to jagged shards of glass, so the first thing he did was go on a mass spending spree, before adjusting the feng shui of the place. "So um... where did you go?"
With a shallow pop he eased the cork free of the bottle and sighed. "Xing." Zen murmured. "I saved Elastor's life up in Vanity's flat in Amestris." Came the dull, low-pitched admission. Evocations of memories hung in front of his eyes and the words hissed out in a distant, monotonous murmur. "But that was atta' price. She'd poisoned me, too. I jus' didn't realise it til' lata'."
The green-haired investigator explained further. "Some genetics shit. My blood itself ain't poisoned. S'my kidneys. They're corrupted, no longa' able ta' clean my blood." With a subtle shrug, as if it were just a scratch or a skinned elbow, he continued. "Infact, they produce toxic blood that'll kill me if I don't manually clean it once a coupla' hours a' so." With a gentle glug, he poured out two glasses of wine, and held one out to Rebecca, gesturing with his head that they should move to the couch, doing the very same. Bottle in hand, of course.
"Transplant ain't a viable option, so I went fa' tha' next best thing." Zen dove into his pocket, fumbling around for his syringe pen, before tossing it over to his girlfriend. "Alkahestry." With a grin, momentarily ignoring the fact that he was in shitloads of pain and his very genetic structure had been corrupted, he continued. "The painkillahs act asa' vecta' and..." The investigator shrugged. "Well, painkillahs." The alkahestry's function itself was to actually clean his blood.
His tone dropped again as Zen realised the context of their discussion to be as dark as it actually was. He was simply putting his death off - and when it came, it'd be a slow and painful one by blood toxicity. All he had something now was a way to keep the poison at bay, but eventually, he'd have to change his alkahestry. It was intelligent - fuck, it had come from a homunculus - he'd guess, which meant that like any virus or bacteria, it'd soon start adapting. And alkahestrically-resistant bacteria floating around in his blood were not good. He was living on borrowed time.
"I didn't wanna be a burden on anyone here, and hafta' stay in a hospital bed til I was "fit fa' duty"," Zen murmured sheepishly. "It was somethin' I needed ta' do on my own." As goofy and incompetent as it was, it appeared the first sliver of one of the investigator's more self-sacrificial virtues was shining through. Pride. This was something he had to do on his own - because owing his life to anybody, even her, was just truly too much. That was an obligation and a tie you could never sever. And the amount of guilt and gratitude?
Even for Rebecca, it was something that would drive him crazy. "But I'm back, I'm in tha' besta' health, and..." He shrugged, half-smiling at her with humility. "I'm sorry. I shoulda' called." With that, he began to chew vigorously at the inside of his cheek, apprehensive and nervous of her response to all this. "Are we... good?" Because all he wanted was what she wanted: to just be here, with her, for as long as it took for things to get back to normal.
With a shallow pop he eased the cork free of the bottle and sighed. "Xing." Zen murmured. "I saved Elastor's life up in Vanity's flat in Amestris." Came the dull, low-pitched admission. Evocations of memories hung in front of his eyes and the words hissed out in a distant, monotonous murmur. "But that was atta' price. She'd poisoned me, too. I jus' didn't realise it til' lata'."
The green-haired investigator explained further. "Some genetics shit. My blood itself ain't poisoned. S'my kidneys. They're corrupted, no longa' able ta' clean my blood." With a subtle shrug, as if it were just a scratch or a skinned elbow, he continued. "Infact, they produce toxic blood that'll kill me if I don't manually clean it once a coupla' hours a' so." With a gentle glug, he poured out two glasses of wine, and held one out to Rebecca, gesturing with his head that they should move to the couch, doing the very same. Bottle in hand, of course.
"Transplant ain't a viable option, so I went fa' tha' next best thing." Zen dove into his pocket, fumbling around for his syringe pen, before tossing it over to his girlfriend. "Alkahestry." With a grin, momentarily ignoring the fact that he was in shitloads of pain and his very genetic structure had been corrupted, he continued. "The painkillahs act asa' vecta' and..." The investigator shrugged. "Well, painkillahs." The alkahestry's function itself was to actually clean his blood.
His tone dropped again as Zen realised the context of their discussion to be as dark as it actually was. He was simply putting his death off - and when it came, it'd be a slow and painful one by blood toxicity. All he had something now was a way to keep the poison at bay, but eventually, he'd have to change his alkahestry. It was intelligent - fuck, it had come from a homunculus - he'd guess, which meant that like any virus or bacteria, it'd soon start adapting. And alkahestrically-resistant bacteria floating around in his blood were not good. He was living on borrowed time.
"I didn't wanna be a burden on anyone here, and hafta' stay in a hospital bed til I was "fit fa' duty"," Zen murmured sheepishly. "It was somethin' I needed ta' do on my own." As goofy and incompetent as it was, it appeared the first sliver of one of the investigator's more self-sacrificial virtues was shining through. Pride. This was something he had to do on his own - because owing his life to anybody, even her, was just truly too much. That was an obligation and a tie you could never sever. And the amount of guilt and gratitude?
Even for Rebecca, it was something that would drive him crazy. "But I'm back, I'm in tha' besta' health, and..." He shrugged, half-smiling at her with humility. "I'm sorry. I shoulda' called." With that, he began to chew vigorously at the inside of his cheek, apprehensive and nervous of her response to all this. "Are we... good?" Because all he wanted was what she wanted: to just be here, with her, for as long as it took for things to get back to normal.
Guest- Guest
Re: Where's that Lady Luck?
by Guest Sun Apr 28, 2013 10:26 pm
Mmm.... the feels of his fingers on her own... The arch of his back... All the familiarity and warmth was returning to her at these simple little things even as he returned to pour them their wine. Pop went the cork, "Xing." Her brows furrowed, Xing? Why Xing-- "I saved Elastor's life up in Vanity's flat in Amestris." Her lips tightened as her hands seemed to falter at her sides, as if they had been doing something else when they had been rather still. When she hadn't been able to get up to him. When she had been ordered to evacuate with the rest of everyone else. His tone was doing nothing to ease her worry, nor tell her that she hadn't failed him. Oh yes, she still felt like she had. "But that was atta' price. She'd poisoned me, too. I jus' didn't realise it til' lata'." She heard Edi's beep in her ear, but she was standing there stock still as if someone had stabbed her right in the gut. "Morgana, your blood pressure is dropping you need to sit down. Heart rate... Her voice was lost to her as his words replayed in her mind. He... had been poisoned... by that bitch whom had put Dietrich in a coma.... And she had just left when she hadn't been any part of their military. She had been an independent, why didn't she stay and go up to him?
Rebecca slowly found herself descending onto the edge of the table, both gripping the edge so hard that her knuckles were almost white. "Some genetics shit. My blood itself ain't poisoned. S'my kidneys. They're corrupted, no longa' able ta' clean my blood." Of course. It couldn't be simple. It couldn't JUST be poison. She didn't even see his shrug as she stared without seeing at the distant floor. "Infact, they produce toxic blood that'll kill me if I don't manually clean it once a coupla' hours a' so." "Rebecca. Rebecca you couldn't have done anything, you had no way of--" A glass was held out before her, raising those crimson eyes with a look that did not immediately say she understood why he was handing her a glass. But it was her fault. She hadn't got there fast enough. She should have just stayed with him, they hadn't even needed her for most of the fight! Taking the glass, her gaze lowered down into that pink liquid, following after him as she forced herself to look at him.
And he had suffered all of this alone? He hadn't called any of them, hadn't reached out, hadn't.... She had to take a descent sized gulp to keep the visage of her calm. "Transplant ain't a viable option, so I went fa' tha' next best thing." Her hands were trembling, barely reacting in time to catch the pen that he threw at her, fumbling with it until she held it in her free hand. "Alkahestry." That would explain earlier then. She examined it VERY carefully, or as carefully as she could without all of her proper equipment to look it over. "The painkillahs act asa' vecta' and...Well, painkillahs." She barely cracked a smile at that, that weight starting to grow in her throat as she was already reaching the conclusions that were meant the instant he said that his genetic code had been altered. "Rebecca you have to-" She shut off her implant, blocking out Edi because she didn't want to hear what she had to say. She didn't want to be comforted or told or... He was dying.
Her gaze had lowered into his lap, the trembling in her hands growing worse against her wine glass, the syringe-pen almost falling out of her grasp until she gripped it tighter. He... "I didn't wanna be a burden on anyone here, and hafta' stay in a hospital bed til I was "fit fa' duty"," She almost interjected, her voice finding its place amidst her stunned and spinning brain. "It was somethin' I needed ta' do on my own." "You wouldn' 'ave been a burden Zen." She spoke so low and so quiet it was a miracle that they were at all audible, her lips tightening against each other. Why hadn't he called her? She should have been there for him! No... No there was more she could have searched for, she could have looked harder, she could.... Dammit. What was she even doing?!
"But I'm back, I'm in tha' besta' health, and..." Rebecca looked back up at him, tears glistening in her eyes though they would not fall. She wouldn't let them fall. She couldn't. Not now. She could cry and fret and worry all she wanted to later but right now she just couldn't let him see that. "I'm sorry. I shoulda' called." It wasn't what he needed and GOD DAMMIT TEARS STOP IT. One had rolled its way down her cheek at his words, exhaling a jet of air in some sort of cut off laugh, staring down at her wine as she bit down on her lower lip. "Are we... good?" Her body flowed, burying her face in his shoulder as a single tremble ran through her whole body. "Yeah, we're fine I just..." Dammit, she couldn't even think in Cretan anymore. "I'm sorry... I had been trying to get up to you at that apartment building and I didn't and I didn't help you and..." She bit down on her lip again, an instinctive way to shut herself up from rambling on, not even caring that she could taste blood on the inside of her mouth now.
She took a deep, shaky breath as she straightened up to look him in the eye, bringing herself up more so she could kiss him, feel his lips against hers again. It was short, but she did not move far, her forehead now resting against his. "I'm sorry, here we are supposed to be reconciling and I'm being a git and losing my calm." A small chuckle escaped her, brushing her nose against his in an eskimo kiss. "I'll find a way to fix thi' Zen. I'll find some way to make you be'er." She whispered before her lips pressed against his once more, two more tears rolling down her cheeks.
Rebecca slowly found herself descending onto the edge of the table, both gripping the edge so hard that her knuckles were almost white. "Some genetics shit. My blood itself ain't poisoned. S'my kidneys. They're corrupted, no longa' able ta' clean my blood." Of course. It couldn't be simple. It couldn't JUST be poison. She didn't even see his shrug as she stared without seeing at the distant floor. "Infact, they produce toxic blood that'll kill me if I don't manually clean it once a coupla' hours a' so." "Rebecca. Rebecca you couldn't have done anything, you had no way of--" A glass was held out before her, raising those crimson eyes with a look that did not immediately say she understood why he was handing her a glass. But it was her fault. She hadn't got there fast enough. She should have just stayed with him, they hadn't even needed her for most of the fight! Taking the glass, her gaze lowered down into that pink liquid, following after him as she forced herself to look at him.
And he had suffered all of this alone? He hadn't called any of them, hadn't reached out, hadn't.... She had to take a descent sized gulp to keep the visage of her calm. "Transplant ain't a viable option, so I went fa' tha' next best thing." Her hands were trembling, barely reacting in time to catch the pen that he threw at her, fumbling with it until she held it in her free hand. "Alkahestry." That would explain earlier then. She examined it VERY carefully, or as carefully as she could without all of her proper equipment to look it over. "The painkillahs act asa' vecta' and...Well, painkillahs." She barely cracked a smile at that, that weight starting to grow in her throat as she was already reaching the conclusions that were meant the instant he said that his genetic code had been altered. "Rebecca you have to-" She shut off her implant, blocking out Edi because she didn't want to hear what she had to say. She didn't want to be comforted or told or... He was dying.
Her gaze had lowered into his lap, the trembling in her hands growing worse against her wine glass, the syringe-pen almost falling out of her grasp until she gripped it tighter. He... "I didn't wanna be a burden on anyone here, and hafta' stay in a hospital bed til I was "fit fa' duty"," She almost interjected, her voice finding its place amidst her stunned and spinning brain. "It was somethin' I needed ta' do on my own." "You wouldn' 'ave been a burden Zen." She spoke so low and so quiet it was a miracle that they were at all audible, her lips tightening against each other. Why hadn't he called her? She should have been there for him! No... No there was more she could have searched for, she could have looked harder, she could.... Dammit. What was she even doing?!
"But I'm back, I'm in tha' besta' health, and..." Rebecca looked back up at him, tears glistening in her eyes though they would not fall. She wouldn't let them fall. She couldn't. Not now. She could cry and fret and worry all she wanted to later but right now she just couldn't let him see that. "I'm sorry. I shoulda' called." It wasn't what he needed and GOD DAMMIT TEARS STOP IT. One had rolled its way down her cheek at his words, exhaling a jet of air in some sort of cut off laugh, staring down at her wine as she bit down on her lower lip. "Are we... good?" Her body flowed, burying her face in his shoulder as a single tremble ran through her whole body. "Yeah, we're fine I just..." Dammit, she couldn't even think in Cretan anymore. "I'm sorry... I had been trying to get up to you at that apartment building and I didn't and I didn't help you and..." She bit down on her lip again, an instinctive way to shut herself up from rambling on, not even caring that she could taste blood on the inside of her mouth now.
She took a deep, shaky breath as she straightened up to look him in the eye, bringing herself up more so she could kiss him, feel his lips against hers again. It was short, but she did not move far, her forehead now resting against his. "I'm sorry, here we are supposed to be reconciling and I'm being a git and losing my calm." A small chuckle escaped her, brushing her nose against his in an eskimo kiss. "I'll find a way to fix thi' Zen. I'll find some way to make you be'er." She whispered before her lips pressed against his once more, two more tears rolling down her cheeks.
Guest- Guest
Re: Where's that Lady Luck?
by Guest Mon Apr 29, 2013 6:00 pm
"You wouldn' 'ave been a burden Zen." He bowed his head, inclined it once, and sighed. Sure he wouldn't have. But when you've got a sickly, frail, detective lying around going pale whilst for eleven months - maybe longer - his family and friends congregate around him and just watch him get weaker and weaker? The burden falls on them harder than they'd realise. That was the alternative he'd never wanted to come to grips with.
OOF. Without warning, she jumped forwards and buried her face in his shoulder. Zen tried to smile to himself humbly, happy that they were at the very least reunited, but the context... could have been better. Instinctively, his hand wreathed around her back and pulled her tighter as he took a long, deep sigh, the air almost prickly to the interior of his throat. "Yeah, we're fine I just..." Aerugese.
"I'm sorry... I had been trying to get up to you at that apartment building and I didn't and I didn't help you and..." Oh, wow. For someone usually so composed... Zen held her tighter. It was clear things were starting to take a toll. He nodded understandingly, staying silent for the moment til she looked up, eyes crimson, and he smiled humbly back down at her. For that split-second, a freeze-frame held in all of time, it really didn't matter. It could just... wait. Filed to the back of the queue.
"Hey. I'm fine." It was a complete lie and the pair of them knew it, but the reassuring tones helped him get to grips with her being upset and would hopefully reinforce the futility of the situation within her - and maybe spur on an ideal to look ahead instead of dwelling solely in the past. Zen exhaled a sharper breath just as she pressed up and poised her lips against his. Pulling away, he tasted an all-too-familiar sensation on his mouth, staring off into the distance for just a moment, tapping his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Is that... blood?"
In Aerugese, his accent was a lot less noticeable, and fluency came as something of a virtue, but it still felt somewhat unnatural. "I'm sorry, here we are supposed to be reconciling and I'm being a git and losing my calm." Zen's brow furrowed. Maybe it was lost in translation, but the apologies here should have been coming from him if anything. He'd disappeared without a trace, and left her worried as all hell. For now? Things were... fine.
"If I start blaming you for caring this much about me, then so help me but I think the whole thing'll fall apart. No need to apologise." He beamed down at her as she pressed back upwards, pushing him down onto the couch and nuzzling him with the smallest and cutest of smiles, silence between them save for a single touch of lips on lips. And then she said one last thing that in spite of all the alkahestry, all the drugs, all the alternatives that had failed and all the grief, just made him feel as if it'd be alright.
"I'll find a way to fix thi' Zen. I'll find some way to make you be'er."
And that made him feel like crying. Zen kissed his girlfriend back and held her tight, pressing her body down into his as he sighed sharply, rhythm and regularity breaking within it. No doubt this would be tough, but the next coming months would have been regardless. Trials and tribulations of the chosen few, he guessed. And at the end of it all? He was lucky. For Ela. For Sid, wherever he was. For her.
"C'mon," He smiled up at her, suspended above him in semi-motion. "S'been a long day. Let's get some sleep, eh?" With that, he smiled as purely as he could up at her and jerked a thumb towards the bedroom door. And by sleep, for once, that's exactly what he meant.
OOF. Without warning, she jumped forwards and buried her face in his shoulder. Zen tried to smile to himself humbly, happy that they were at the very least reunited, but the context... could have been better. Instinctively, his hand wreathed around her back and pulled her tighter as he took a long, deep sigh, the air almost prickly to the interior of his throat. "Yeah, we're fine I just..." Aerugese.
"I'm sorry... I had been trying to get up to you at that apartment building and I didn't and I didn't help you and..." Oh, wow. For someone usually so composed... Zen held her tighter. It was clear things were starting to take a toll. He nodded understandingly, staying silent for the moment til she looked up, eyes crimson, and he smiled humbly back down at her. For that split-second, a freeze-frame held in all of time, it really didn't matter. It could just... wait. Filed to the back of the queue.
"Hey. I'm fine." It was a complete lie and the pair of them knew it, but the reassuring tones helped him get to grips with her being upset and would hopefully reinforce the futility of the situation within her - and maybe spur on an ideal to look ahead instead of dwelling solely in the past. Zen exhaled a sharper breath just as she pressed up and poised her lips against his. Pulling away, he tasted an all-too-familiar sensation on his mouth, staring off into the distance for just a moment, tapping his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Is that... blood?"
In Aerugese, his accent was a lot less noticeable, and fluency came as something of a virtue, but it still felt somewhat unnatural. "I'm sorry, here we are supposed to be reconciling and I'm being a git and losing my calm." Zen's brow furrowed. Maybe it was lost in translation, but the apologies here should have been coming from him if anything. He'd disappeared without a trace, and left her worried as all hell. For now? Things were... fine.
"If I start blaming you for caring this much about me, then so help me but I think the whole thing'll fall apart. No need to apologise." He beamed down at her as she pressed back upwards, pushing him down onto the couch and nuzzling him with the smallest and cutest of smiles, silence between them save for a single touch of lips on lips. And then she said one last thing that in spite of all the alkahestry, all the drugs, all the alternatives that had failed and all the grief, just made him feel as if it'd be alright.
"I'll find a way to fix thi' Zen. I'll find some way to make you be'er."
And that made him feel like crying. Zen kissed his girlfriend back and held her tight, pressing her body down into his as he sighed sharply, rhythm and regularity breaking within it. No doubt this would be tough, but the next coming months would have been regardless. Trials and tribulations of the chosen few, he guessed. And at the end of it all? He was lucky. For Ela. For Sid, wherever he was. For her.
"C'mon," He smiled up at her, suspended above him in semi-motion. "S'been a long day. Let's get some sleep, eh?" With that, he smiled as purely as he could up at her and jerked a thumb towards the bedroom door. And by sleep, for once, that's exactly what he meant.
Guest- Guest
Re: Where's that Lady Luck?
by Guest Tue Apr 30, 2013 12:37 pm
Why.... Why couldn't she keep her normal calm in front of him right now? He knew far better than her how serious this was and she couldn't even give him that normalcy. She had had friends, family even, leave this world due to whatever reason and she had dealt with it. No big dramatics, not too many tears (with obvious exceptions), because she had always focused it all back into her work. Work allowed her to channel the pain and grief into something else. Hell, half of Edi came about after her best friend in college died unexpectedly. Oi that had been rough.... She felt him holding her tighter, closing her eyes tight as she took a deep breath. Calm down Rebecca Wong. You have to calm down. "Hey. I'm fine." She almost scoffed at that, but it only formulated itself in a little twisted smile, her lips pressed tight despite the pain against the tears that wanted to fall. DEEP BREATHS GOD DAMMIT. "Is that... blood?"
Her eyes opened at that, touching a couple of fingers into her mouth to find that, yes, it was blood. "Yeah I... Heh." What could she say? She was stressing right now. In reality she knew exactly why she couldn't remain calm about this. Because it was him, because he was Zen Howler, the man that she loved. How long had it taken her to get over Menoistos? A long time. How... How would she fare without Zen? It sent a shiver through her body as the thought was immediately pushed to the far corners of her mind, her stomach churning at the very thought. No. No she wouldn't let that happen. Not till they were old farts and and... Yes. "If I start blaming you for caring this much about me, then so help me but I think the whole thing'll fall apart. No need to apologise." Heh.... That.. was a good point. She was apologizing a lot, and she knew it was because she felt like she hadn't done enough. She would now. By god would she do more now.
The kisses, these tight embraces, she would drink them in and hold them close, keep these sensations locked away in a chest close to her heart that she could unlock when she needed to remember. Her arm slid around him as she held herself closer to him, one last tear falling in the tumultuous ocean of emotion that she was going through right now. "C'mon," She pulled away slightly so she could look at him, showing him a little smile since.. well.. her lip was bleeding so no need to show that off too much. [i] "S'been a long day. Let's get some sleep, eh?" A chuckle actually escaped her as she nodded in agreement, sliding off of him, wiping away those trails of tears as she sniffled. But she was calmer now. "Yeah, tha's an excellen' plan." She said softly, placing down her wineglass as she held her free hand out to him, those crimson eyes watching the man that meant the world to her. He really was, and she would find some way to preserve her world because otherwise... what did she have left?
Her eyes opened at that, touching a couple of fingers into her mouth to find that, yes, it was blood. "Yeah I... Heh." What could she say? She was stressing right now. In reality she knew exactly why she couldn't remain calm about this. Because it was him, because he was Zen Howler, the man that she loved. How long had it taken her to get over Menoistos? A long time. How... How would she fare without Zen? It sent a shiver through her body as the thought was immediately pushed to the far corners of her mind, her stomach churning at the very thought. No. No she wouldn't let that happen. Not till they were old farts and and... Yes. "If I start blaming you for caring this much about me, then so help me but I think the whole thing'll fall apart. No need to apologise." Heh.... That.. was a good point. She was apologizing a lot, and she knew it was because she felt like she hadn't done enough. She would now. By god would she do more now.
The kisses, these tight embraces, she would drink them in and hold them close, keep these sensations locked away in a chest close to her heart that she could unlock when she needed to remember. Her arm slid around him as she held herself closer to him, one last tear falling in the tumultuous ocean of emotion that she was going through right now. "C'mon," She pulled away slightly so she could look at him, showing him a little smile since.. well.. her lip was bleeding so no need to show that off too much. [i] "S'been a long day. Let's get some sleep, eh?" A chuckle actually escaped her as she nodded in agreement, sliding off of him, wiping away those trails of tears as she sniffled. But she was calmer now. "Yeah, tha's an excellen' plan." She said softly, placing down her wineglass as she held her free hand out to him, those crimson eyes watching the man that meant the world to her. He really was, and she would find some way to preserve her world because otherwise... what did she have left?
Guest- Guest
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