Sortilege of Creation IC Thread

[Payne]

Illya

Jester sensed the change in her mood and knew he'd said the wrong thing. She hadn't turned and walked away at least, but any progress he might have made was definitely at an end for tonight. Asche had once more retreated behind the icy walls of the castle she had built around her heart.

As she turned to leave, he heard her words, although they were barely louder than a whisper. In response, he said some of his own in a similarly low voice, making sure they were just loud enough for her to hear them. "Then I'll just have to wait until you are."

Jester stood in place for a moment, looking somewhat downcast, but he seemed to recover from it fairly quickly. "Allow me to walk you back to your place. It's getting late." He said as he caught up to Asche.

After he had dropped her off at her room and extinguished the flames he had sewn into the flowers, Jester stepped back down the stairs and towards the flat that Tear and Darien shared. He needed to ask if he could use the kitchens in the morning, and he doubted that disturbing them when he woke would be a good idea.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tear gave Darien a weak smile as he touched her face. It hurt her to know she'd made him feel bad, but she couldn't help herself about this. Unable to suppress the urge any longer, she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. "No, I trust you. It's just..." She trailed off for a moment, thinking about not saying it, but she had told herself she would be open with him. So, she continued. "It's just that I've not had anything to call my own in a very long time. So, you'll have to forgive me if I don't react very well when I have to share it." She knew it was selfish of her, but this was one time that she couldn't lie to herself about her own feelings and just shrug it off like it was nothing.

[foolcoolylover]

Noin, Payne

Atticus nodded to the man before he left and wrapped Dubhe's arm across his shoulders. "This should be easier for you. he said supporting her injured side. "We aren't all that far from my flat, so Yin can patch you up there. After that well we'll see I suppose." He said easily before he started to head back towards his flat. Yin, that's your name, right? he asked the familiar who was following. Your master didn't exactly cause trouble. In fact if it wasn't for him there would have been a lot more trouble for us." About halfway back Atticus called out to the crow that joined overhead. Have you laid out anything could be needed? the gruff voice replied. "Yes, your friend there can start patching'er up right when you get here. Oh good, you aren't completely useless then. Atticus said mockingly. When they reached the door Atticus opened it and looked to Yin. "I'll let you handle it from here."

Illya, Payne

Following the man was easy enough, although now he felt like he was intruding on privacy. In his eyes the business he was so accustomed to he rarely saw what came before in that person's life. All he saw was that his arrival signaled the end. He landed himself in an nearby alley and walked out. He knew he was intruding on a private moment, but it would have been rude of him to not at least thank the man. "I hate to be rude, but could I borrow him for a moment?" Not waiting for an answer he walked over casually and said "Don't worry, it will only be a minute of his time."

[NoIn-LoKi]

fooly, Payne

As much as she didn't want to admit it, this actually made her feel better. It meant she wouldn't have to be alone tonight and the fact that Yin was a woman herself added to the comfort. She nodded. "It's fine" She somehow felt Yin would probably do a better job of stitching the wound than she could.

With the support of Atticus they made her way back to his flat. He was right, it really wasn't far. With all that had happened so far, it felt like this would be another sleepless night. She sighed. She must be looking pretty ragged with those few hours of sleep she'd gotten. He set her down on the couch and she leaned back into the softness for a few seconds closing her eyes. When she felt her mind drifting off to sleep, she forced herself to sit up again. "Do you have some water?" she asked Atticus, her voice rasping.

The touch from Yin on her leg caught her attention and she moved her hand over the wound, making the rune that held it closed disappear. She gritted her teeth when the pain returned. "It's all yours." she said, smoothing out the painful expression. "Is there anything I can do?" she added, looking for a way to keep her mind occupied, so she wouldn't fall asleep right away, even though it was already hard for her to stay awake, even with the pain in her leg.

[Payne]

fooly, LoKi

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of you." Yin said soothingly as she produced an ornate wooden box, seemingly from out of nowhere. She pulled out a small jar of yellow paste and dipped her fingers in it. "Just try to relax. This will be very cold, but it will kill the pain if you can bear it for a few seconds." With a gentle touch, she rubbed the paste into the wound, keeping a firm grip on Dubhe's leg so she wouldn't thrash around. After she was sure that it had taken effect, Yin pulled a needle and thread out of the box and began to pull the skin back together, leaving the paste inside.

While she worked, her eyes drifted to the two men that were present, and then to the state of the flat around them. "I said that I'd leave after I patched you up, but if you'd like, I can stay. My master won't mind if I don't come back until tomorrow." Her tone made it obvious that she didn't exactly trust these two men with taking care of a wounded woman.

[Prisma*Illya]

Payne, Fooly

Asche watched Jester leave her room and head down to talk to Darien and Tear, whenever they happened to return. She sat down on her bed, the springs of the mattress creaking slightly in protest, as she clutched the small bluebells Jester had picked out. They no longer cast their magical glow, but they were lovely all the same.

"I wonder.." she mused softly, turning them over in her hands. Yes, she wondered if he knew the meaning behind bluebells. Her mother had been a florist when she was alive and had passed her knowledge on to Asche as a small girl.

Bluebells.. a symbol of constancy and eternal love.

No, he couldn't possibly know. She moved her hand toward the trash bin, but her hand maintained a vice-like grip on the small flowers. Her hand shook slightly as she tried to force herself to let them go, but after a moment she gave up and set them on the desk.

"Already, I.." she whispered, staring at them. With a heavy sigh, she shook her head and crawled into bed, hoping to put her tempest of thoughts and emotions to rest - at least for the night.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Darien gave a soft laugh as he held Tear close, her arms around his neck and her guilty words ringing in his ears.

"Hey, who said you have to share me?" he smirked, pulling her face up to meet his. "I don't plan on sharing you with anyone."

He pulled her into a tender kiss, hoping that someday his affections would erase her fear of losing him. It probably wouldn't be soon, but he was patient.

Suddenly, he broke away as he heard a noise and turned around, muscles tensed to react when he saw the man who had intercepted them in the alley.

"Well, so much for not sharing me," he said teasingly to Tear before stepping forward to look more sharply at Angelo.

"How can I be of service?" he asked in a guarded tone, wondering what this man could want with him.

[foolcoolylover]

Noin, Payne

"Of course." he went into the kitchen and got a glass of water. Setting the glass down on the table next to Dubhe. "Just let me know if you need anything else." he said warmly. Flint called Atticus over to the door. "Pardon me for a moment." Atticus walked over to the door when Flint started. "So about my pay.." Nodding Atticus stopped him. "Well I said that I would pay you for a new job. This one should be easier as well. A couple of doors down from your motel room is the girl that was attacked tonight. Keep an eye on her until I can get there tomorrow morning." Flint simply nodded and took the key Atticus pulled out for him. Leaving quietly Atticus brought his attention back to Yin who suggested that she spend the night. "Well its fine with me. If you require sleep you can take the couch while Dubhe takes the bed." he said after scratching his cheek in thought.

Payne, Illya

"Well you did just save my partner five minutes ago. I would feel ashamed if I didn't get a chance to thank you properly." Angelo said easily. "Thank you. If it weren't for you Emily would be dead right now." He paused in thought for a moment then sighed. "Now allow me to give you two some advice. You already are aware of the dangers of this business. But have you ever considered what would happen should one of you die?.. Relationships are ropes and love is a noose. You two still have time to get out of the noose, something I wasn't granted. I learned it the hard way, but both of you can put hunting vampires behind you and live your lives together." He breathed out a big sigh knowing that he was caught in the noose just as tight as they were. "That's all, and unless you have anything to say I'll be taking my leave." He said with ice coating his tone now walking away.

[NoIn-LoKi]

fooly, Payne

She gratefully drank the water Atticus had brought her, quenching some of the thirst. She nodded and leaned back, taking Yin's advice. The rune from earlier had burned the jeans a little bit when she applied it to the skin, making the wound easily accessible now. She heard Yin unscrew the lid of something and then felt a cool paste touch her leg. Her thigh became so cold it stung and burned, but she kept her leg relaxed, instead gritting her teeth and squeezing her eyes shut. Slowly the pain subsided until it was nothing more than a dull ache was left. Dubhe let out her breath in a long slow and steady flow and kept her eyes closed and covered them with her arms as if to shut out all light and sound.

When Yin spoke again, she moved her arm and rubbed over her eyes. "Yes, please stay." she said and couldn't quite suppress how much she had hoped for an offer like that. It wasn't that she didn't trust Atticus, but she'd only just met him. "And thank you. You probably did a much better job than I would've done" she added, watching curiously how Yin's capable fingers moved the threads through her numbed skin. She hardly felt anything, but that was probably a good thing.
She looked at Atticus, gratefully. "No, it's fine. I can stay right here. I don't want to inconvenience you any more than I have to" she said, her voice already sounding a little sleepy, the words getting that sluggish edge. I'd probably stumble on my way to the bed anyways she added in her mind.
Yin said something else and Dubhe tried to listen, but couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. Drifting off more and more often, at some point she couldn't fill the gaps anymore and drifted off to a deep sleep, bordering the unconsciousness.

[Payne]

Illya

"Mhh... Good. I wouldn't want to be shared." Tear said as he pulled her into a kiss. When he broke away, black keys formed in her hands, resting on his back before she slipped to the side and stashed them behind hers in the same motion. Who was this man, and why was he ruining their moment?

He said something about a partner, and Tear's mind connected the dots. The dead apostle that Darien had been talking to was apparently working with him. Something was odd though. It wasn't considered smart to thank a vampire hunter for saving a dead apostle. Was there something going on below the surface here? Tear's suspicions were almost nearly confirmed when the man attempted to give Darien and herself relationship advice. Maybe the dead apostle was more than just a partner to him.

"We're well aware of the risks that our profession presents." She said dismissively, not bothering to look at the man while he walked away. It was the bitter truth though. If Darien died in front of her, it would be the death of her. Trying not to let the change in her mood show on her face, Tear slowly headed towards the flat.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jester sat on the bench in Tear's courtyard, looking up at the red sky. Even at night, the tint was visible, a constant reminder of what the world had lost. With a sigh, he pulled out the remainder of the cigar he had started on earlier and lit it. "Asche..." He muttered that single word before taking a drag of the cigar and blowing smoke into the air.

A few moments later, Tear and Darien came into view, and he waved to them. Tear glared at the cigar as if trying to melt it with her thoughts, but greeted him anyway. "Jester... What can I do for you tonight?"

He smiled in return and put out the cigar on the bottom of his boot. "Actually, it's what you can do for me tomorrow. I'd like permission to borrow the abbey kitchens. In return, I'll treat the two of you to breakfast in the morning." He said, trying to ensure that she didn't have a reason to refuse.

Tear raised an eyebrow, but there didn't seem to be anything wrong with his request. "Sure, I don't see why you couldn't use them. Just make sure you don't burn the place down."

"Of course not." Jester replied, putting on a face that said he was being falsely accused of something. "I'll be sure to take good care of it." He tipped his hat to the both of them and headed for the alleyway that led back out of the courtyard. "Good night to the both of you."

Tear waited until he was out of sight before unlocking the door and stepping inside the flat. "Well, that was... strange..."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

fooly, LoKi

"I've been sewing up wounds since before your mother's mother was born." Yin said as she tied off the stitching and put the needle and thread back into her box. "Rest now." She ran her fingers through Dubhe's hair, massaging the top of her head until she fell asleep.

When Atticus asked her if she'd like to sleep elsewhere, Yin waved him off. "I said I'd stay with her. So, I'll sleep here." She had propped Dubhe's legs on top of her lap when she sat down, and it wasn't exactly uncomfortable, despite being an unknown place. Keeping one eye open, Yin leaned back into the couch, letting a light sleep overtake her.

[Prisma*Illya]

Everyone

Darien frowned at Angelo's words, wondering if he understood correctly. Apparently there was more to the relationship between him and that Dead Apostle than meets the eye.

"We'll face that risk together," he said quietly, nodding to Angelo. He watched the man walk away, looking like he might never see another sunrise. Darien wasn't sure what feeling or premonition the man might have, but from one man to another he felt the need to speak his mind.

"You should tell her, while you still have a chance," he called to the man before turning his back and putting an arm around Tear to guide her back to the chapel. Something in the man's words... Darien felt like the next was going to bring trouble, maybe more than they knew how to deal with.

---------------------

Soft footsteps sounded in the street as a the figure of a man approached the wrecked house. With a sigh, Faust pursed his lips and watched as a cat slinked its way out of a crack in the wall and moved toward him, sitting impertinently at his feet with its back to him.

"You let her get away," he said flatly, staring down at the cat. It gazed back at him defiantly, eyes flashing, before turning away. Clearly it was more annoyed than he was. He held out his arm, and the cat ruffled its fur before leaping onto it and climbing up to his back.

"I suppose we'll need to find a new location by sunrise," he said, walking carelessly down the street. He wasn't annoyed or upset by Dubhe's departure, but he began to wonder if holding a vendetta against her might be amusing. Yes, perhaps he'd hunt her down tomorrow and see true fear in her eyes.

[Payne]

Day 21

Illya

A loud tap-tap sounded on Asche's door. On the other side of it, Jester sat a vase of the bluebells from the night before on the table across the hall. He slipped a note under the corner of the vase that gave directions to the abbey kitchen and said 'breakfast is ready' in large letters. Whistling to himself, he headed back down the stairs, knowing that Asche would get the message.

A few minutes later, the same sound echoed on the door to Tear and Darien's flat. "You two can grab some breakfast whenever you want." He called through the door, and then headed back to the kitchen. With a satisfied grin, he sat down at the end of the table, overlooking the spread of croissants, eggs, peaches, and cinnamon rolls. On the stove, two pots were steaming, one filled with coffee and the other with hot chocolate.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I'll kill him..." Tear mumbled as she rolled over, trying to cover her head with a pillow. "I don't even care if Asche likes him. Waking me up at this hour is a sin worthy of death." She sluggishly pulled herself closer to Darien, as if hoping he wouldn't get out of the bed just yet.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LoKi

Yin purred, burrowing deeper under the covers with Dubhe. At some point during the night, she had reverted to her fox form, and her tails drooped over the edge of the couch, almost touching the ground. It was rare that she got the chance to have company while she slept, and it reminded her of times long gone by.