|
|
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/FourthMovement|Fourth Movement]]
| + | #REDIRECT ADanceOfAngels |
| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
| |
| − | | |
| − | == Breaking a Jade Bone ==
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' As much as she was loath to admit it, she was a mortal being. She had many of the same fobles and frailties that the humans around her had, including a need for both rest and nurishment. Though there were charms to stave off such embarassingly little habits, she sat quietly in Iron Tears' library, indulging in her hidden passion: books. They were spread out before her like the discarded remenents of an orgy, strewn here and there carefully and carelessly at the same time. Her eyes, behind her specticals, danced over the words of a grimore almost half as tall as she was, her nimble and eager hands stroking the binding like a lover.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Around her was also the barely touched remains of her mean, a half eaten peach the only victim of her appitite. She giggled softly to herself as she discovered an amusing, dry witism the offer left in regarding some obscure, arcane topic that only she could possibly find interesting. Not that the matting patterns of furnace rhinos in a cold climate was without any use, but probably not in their current circumstances.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' Knocking on the door as he walked by it, Moon strode into the library without much hesitation or waiting for invitiation.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "Hey." He greeted with a half-wave to the rooms only occupant, peering tired-eyed around the room and the carpet of books on the floor near Opal. Moon scratched the back of his head, screwing up his face slightly. "You sleepin' on these things or somethin'?"
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' She merely mutterd something unintelligable in reply... a first for Opal, as anything that comes out of her mouth is almost painfully so. Her nose receeds deeper into her book, her breath paused as she continued reading some crucial part of the book. She had always wondered what that horn was /really/ used for...
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' The Lunar cocked his head at her answer, or rather her lack of one, then shook it slightly.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "Ya wanna real bed, I can find ya one." he started, knowing from the first he was mostly just speaking to himself. "Nice warm one too. Get's fuckin' cold around here at night, y'know?"
| |
| − | | |
| − | Shrugging off his coat, he tossed it over a near by chair and began to pace the room. His finger tip slid over the worn leather or wooden book bindings. Piles of scrolls. Sloppy stacks of paper barely held together by pungent horse glue. The scent of old parchment and ink was worse than wood-rot in here. It was like the elderly scent in the room of a too-old working girl not willing to call it quits. Same sort of smell Vivian soaked herself in perfume to cover.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "Anythin' good in these things?" he plucked a book from the shelf at random, flipping it open to a full page illustration of some kinda perverted pornographic pentacle. All demon-things and screaming women wrapped up around one another. Was that actually a blood splatter on the page? Moon slapped the book closed loudly. "Girl I know use ta love shit like this. Sometimes I'd go out and hit a shop or two ta grab her some. Kinda made her smile a lil. Fuck knows why she wanted 'um though. Only the Lover's ladies really gotta know how ta read, y'know?"
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' She looked up from her books finally... whether it was because Moon had touched one, or connected her with a divinely horny harlot, one could never know. She looked over her shoulder at him, eyeing him incredulously.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "If your friend was interested in demonology, I doubt she was much of a friend at all." She attempted to go back to her book, but Moon rubbing his sweaty hands over her babies distracted her overmuch. So, she desided to give her full attention to the Lunar, immaculately composed dispite the way the flesh seemed to encircle her eyes, most humanlike, for her lack of sleep.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "Why would I need a real bed, when I can be roused at a moments notice out of it? Besides," she smiles wistfully, "the smell here is absolutely divine." She suddenly frowned at him. "So please don't disrespect the volumns contained herein by stating that only whores need read them."
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "Hey." The word was flat and heavy when he spoke it. Moon turned back to Opal, pointing at her with the obscene tome, his brows lowered darkly and the corners of his mouth wrinkled slightly. The sudden shift from the cold outside to the warm indoors had left his skin burnt and red, but now it flushed an angry hue as he stared at her. "Don't go throwin' that word around like it's somethin' for you ta look down on, bitch. Or like you got any fuckin' clue what it means. You think that was a insult? What the fuck do you know about it?"
| |
| − | | |
| − | "I said the Lovers girls were the only ones that ''had'' ta know how ta read this shit." He waved the book back and forth, then gave it a careless toss, letting it land with a violent slap on a near-by table. "Ain't no difference for the other workin' girls, but she read 'um anyway cause it made her happy. She was a lady. She had class, just like the Lovers girls. Don't matter what the fuck they did for a livin'. Ya do whatcha gotta do ta get by. Ain't everyone that catches a break and becomes a fuckin' god or demon or whatever the hell people like me and you are, so don't you fuckin' dare talk about them like they ain't worthy of your goddamn old-lady smellin' piles of shit paper."
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' Why, she never! If there was something that could get her goat up, it was mistreatment or insulting of her precious books. She leaps to her feet, her indignant breast rising and falling as she glared at him.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "Why you arrogant..." He was right of course. She did tend to look down on them, even though she treasured the learning she sacrificed so much for. But then, had they demanded of her those choices. She caught herself about to launch a tirade, and found her normal cool, calm sensibilities beginning to reassert themselves.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "Your right, I conceed the point," she calmly picked up the book as Moon said this, examining its surface carefully for marks of illtreatment. Finding none, she returned it to the table, and the very image of the proper little librarian, began to collect the books and sort them as to return them back to their appointed places.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "Why have you could, Master Moon?" she said, not looking at him as she asks the question.
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' Opals sudden surge of anger took Moon back a step and deepened his glare in riled surprise. He'd barely met her, but already had her pegged as a sort of frosty bitch. Kinda like the pale skinned half-living ladies who turned up in the pleasure houses from time to time, barely seemed to be there at all.
| |
| − | | |
| − | The surprise was short lived though.
| |
| − | | |
| − | ''Hit a bone, huh? ''
| |
| − | | |
| − | Moon folded his arms over his chest and crossed one leg over the other as he leaned back against the shelf, waiting in stern silence for the shouting to begin. Annoying as whatever speech she was about to give would be, In a way, it was sort of nice to be proven wrong about her. Nice to see that there was some hot blood running through her, even if it was over something as silly as this.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Besides, he noted with eyes watching somewhere lower than her face, it had a very nice effect on her chest.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Made her regaining composure all the more disappointing.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Smiling slightly in his victory, Moon unfolded his arms from his chest and moved them behind his head instead, watching her as she worked. "What? I can't just pay a social call?" he lifted his brows innocently.
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' "Mm, because that would be a lie, Master Moon. You have an alterior motive for being here. Though I wounder why one such as you would leave the thighs of Mistress Selina to pay such a curtisey on one so low as I."
| |
| − | | |
| − | Sarcasm dripped from her voice as she said this, even as she reorganized the scattered books that had been scattered so thoughtlessly. Moon was intruding on her personal time, when she could let down her hair and indulge in one of the few things that aroused her passion. She took up the book Moon had so abused and walked over to its shelf, past him with a grace that could be mesmerizing at times, and replaced the volumn where it was meant to be.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "So speak to me of your true motivations."
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "It ain't a key made take fit a single lock, darlin'." He grinned wolfishly, eyes sparkling with playful glee. "It fits in more than one."
| |
| − | | |
| − | They were back in familiar territory here. Better than your station could be so much fun to abuse. Of course, she wasn't some spoiled lil peach that rolled out of Highlane and hit the red-lantern looking for a quick fuck in the dirt to brag how daring she was at parties.
| |
| − | | |
| − | That made it a little more fun.
| |
| − | | |
| − | His eyes stayed fixed to her as she drew closer with the books, admiring the rock of her hips and the sway of her legs as she glided across the floor. As she began to reach to put the book back in it's place on the shelf, he slid over against the bookcase and unlocked his fingers from behind his head. Bringing his hands down into his pockets and jutting his elbows out, he presented her with the only path to the empty slot on the shelf as through his arm.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "True motivations?" he echoed without any apparent acknowledgement to the shift in position, looking into her eyes. "What makes ya think I ''didn't'' come here just ta hang out with ya a while?"
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' She eyed Moon for a time. Maybe the Exalt was just a bully, trying to harass someone he viewed as lower than he. She frowned at him, disappointed, and began sliding the book through the crook of his arm.
| |
| − | | |
| − | ''He's planning something'', she thought darkly. She sighed, making her form move provocatively... but then, as Opal was cut, she could be sweeping out a horse stalland still have that effect.
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' And as Opal reached through his arm to put the book away, almost in perfect unison, Moon leaned off the bookshelf and took a broad step over. It wasn't a forceful motion, but it was sudden. Her arm locked through his, the book swept away from it's place on the shelf.
| |
| − | | |
| − | There wasn't enough room for a breeze to pass between them and the dark skin of his tattooed arm brushed against her skin. But that was the only contact actually made. Moon kept his back arched back just enough that only the fabric of his thin shirt touched her at all.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Moon's smile never shifted. Her closeness made the air much warmer, filled it with her earthy inhuman scent. Even if he was just teasing her, be damned if he could deny it was having an effect.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "I mean really darlin', y'know how many guys would love ta just sit around a room with ya awhile and watch ya stare at these things? Or, hell, down there in that workship. Sheeyit. Half the Pack woulda been droolin' over ya for months they seen ya workin' back there, trottin' around in ya underthings 'n shit." As he spoke, Moon casually opened up his other arm and presented her with the empty space on the bookshelf again. "Ya really think I would need another reason ta wanna get alone in a room with ya?"
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' She wasn't an obsessive compulsive, though she did like to have a certain order to things. However, this was not something she was going to let pass. He was taunting her. Her breast began to rise and fall indignatly again, and the smallest of wicked smiles came to her face as she once again began to put the book back in its proper place. She bidded her time... after all, some found her speed rather surprising in a woman shaped as she was. Her robes, with their voluminous sleeves long and wide, tied off with pink ribbon at the elbow, tended to hide her hands when she wished to act deftly.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Her eyes held his as she began to put the book back once more..
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' A change came slowly over the Lunar's face. A slight narrowness in his eyes as his head tipped to regard her through a falling curtain of bangs and the shadows of his brow. The grin on his face took more of an edge even as it became more subdued. The light across the whole of his face, playfully bright, began to take on a slightly different hue as if saturated in the dusky glow of the sun that peeked through the library window.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Moon liked that smile. He liked the uncertainty of it. It could mean so many bad things. It could mean so many good things. He liked the challenge in it. A smile that spoke violence and defiance. Simma had a smile like that. Selina did too. So did almost everyone woman that stuck in his mind as more than just something pretty. Women he'd slept with. Women he'd fought with. More often than not, both.
| |
| − | | |
| − | There was nothing in the world more seductive than a smile like that.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Moon had thought she was fine to look at before and fun to play with. Now he really wanted her.
| |
| − | | |
| − | As her arm passed through the opening in his own, Moon's arms shifted suddenly, rolling up under her own to push her elbows in against his forearms and lock her arms out straight. It tugged her a little closer to him, barely pressed them together, making every breath either of them took only seal the contact more. He leaned forward just a little, pushing her back and keeping the book teasingly out of reach of the shelf.
| |
| − | | |
| − | He continued to smile and lifted his brows expectantly, as if to say. ''"Your move, darlin'." ''
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' She kept that smile. Something about Moon gave rise to something she hadn't explored before. All the teasing she ever had in her life had a tone to it of hatred... but she saw better than most did, the way little idiosyntricaies of face and stance could reveal something...
| |
| − | | |
| − | However, she had never met anyone like Seventh Moon before.
| |
| − | | |
| − | She slipped a curvatious, shapely leg from under the edge of her robe, and hooked it behind his knee, and with a sudden, surprising twist, she used her other hand to grab Moon's wrist, and her body suddenly /stiffened/ as she attempted to fling him over her shoulder.
| |
| − | | |
| − | However, it is in vain. He was simply too well routed for her deft manuver to be effected, and found herself instead wrapped up in her arms. Her cheeks start to blush quiet visably.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "...take that?" She said, rather sheepishly.
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' She quick. And she was strong. Moon had been ready for a lot of things, but he hadn't really expected her to try and throw him. It was struggle to keep his balance and lock himself up enough to throw hers off.
| |
| − | | |
| − | They stood in an awkward balance, limbs twisted around one another, but it was Moon who was holding them up at the moment. His breath came a little faster, a hint of teeth flashing as his smile strained. Gutsy move. He liked her even more.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "Sure you wanna make that invitation?" he asked, teasingly shifting his leg to rub it against her thigh. "I mean, I ain't known for self control, y'know? Ya offer somethin' to a punk like me?"
| |
| − | | |
| − | Twisting his wrist free from her grasp and spun it over the back of her hand, pulling it up between them. He tipped back suddenly, a quick jerk carrying her with him. Guiding her outstretched hand to the empty spot on the book shelf, then letting her arm go and quickly throwing his own around her shoulders. The suddenness of the tug and release threw her weight against him as he started to fall back, the bookshelf shaking violently as he crashed into it, stirring up dust.
| |
| − | | |
| − | His shoulders braced back against the bookshelf, spine arching as he forced the one foot she had to the ground up onto tip toe. A roughly calloused hand pressing down over her elegant fingers, pushing her hand against his chest, trapped tight between them. "I might ''just'' take it and run."
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' Dispite the intoxicating aroma of all those books, dispite the fact that if she held any desire at this moment for Moon she'd find it incredibly erotic... she just didn't. She resumed her regular cool, calm composure, and with startlingly deftness, slipped out of Moon's sure grip.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "If Master Moon would excuse me, I have to clean up the fuel of my studies." With that, she smoothed out the gown of her robe, and turned her back on him, and went back to work.
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' Moon nearly fell on his head.
| |
| − | | |
| − | As he slowly inched his way back up the bookshelf and onto his feet, Moon peered quizzically at the white-skinned woman as she walked away. It had been dipping into a warm bath, only to have someone suddenly pour a bucket of ice water over your head. She'd transformed in seconds from something soft and real into... one of the statues of the Smiling Lover outside the Heaven House. Beautiful, but wickedly cold and hard.
| |
| − | | |
| − | He blew a sigh out of the corner of his mouth, frustration and disappointment and confusion. Fuck if he'd been expecting her to shed out of her clothes and wrap her legs around him right then and there, but damn.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Moon shook his head a little and dropped onto his haunches in a sort of slunk only a born punk could pull off. He nursed his disappointed with a crooked twist of his lips and narrowed eyes as he watched her start to clean up the room again. Place? Time? Position? Fuck if he knew but he did know that at least for a while she had been enflamed. She'd be warm and soft. Hell, she'd damn near ''burned'' for a few seconds.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Which meant she could again. The flippant smirk coming over his face again, Moon tossed back his head and shook the hair from his face. He'd just have to try harder, next time.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "A'ite darlin', if 'nough enough for ya for the moment, then guess it ain't gonna hurt ta say I ''did'' come for some other reason than ta rub up against ya a while."
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' "Its gratifying to know that my powers of observation have not diminished. I will remind you, however, that my oath does make me a woman to be toyed with, or triffled with." Though it was said with a soft, almost placid calm, when she looked up and at him once more, there was that fire again, like the liquid rock held back by the cap of a volcano.
| |
| − | | |
| − | It smolders, though... a half century of repression couldn't be broken in a moment, after all. "What may I do for you, Master Moon?" She said in a perfectly pleasent and polite voice.
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' Hot to cold to hot again.<br
| |
| − | Damned if he could understand it.<br>
| |
| − | not that it was all that different from most women he knew anyway.<br>
| |
| − | | |
| − | The hot, stiff scent that filled the air with that look stirred his blood again, sent the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end, but he kept where was. Selina had been fast for it, so was Simma and a lot of the Pack girls. He wasn't fool enough to think that every woman was though.
| |
| − | | |
| − | ''You ain't as cold as you like to act darlin''' His eyes brooded on her a moment, a predatory stare that sized her up, pricked every one of her defenses to find the place he'd have to bite to bring her down. ''I'll figure what makes ta tick, sooner or later''
| |
| − | | |
| − | Moon suddenly held up his hand, one finger thrust into the air. He slowly lowered it to his cheek and tapped once, twice, then suddenly brought both hands to his face. Forming rings with his thumb and fore finger, he twisted his hands upside down and pressed them over his face. Pale eyes blinked at her through the 'goggles' of his hands while his other fingers gripped his cheeks and stretched his mouth wide. Moon thrust out his tongue at her and made a drawn out noise in his throat.
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' Her eyes go a little wide at this, incredulous that Moon would make such a childish gesture to her. She began to fume again, and stomped off, resolving someday to invent a repellent for Lunars that was strong enough to melt their labidos at seven paces. Maybe a field of acid, hmm...
| |
| − | | |
| − | Tapping a child and stomping off, she soon lost her anger as she made it more a mental persuit on how to melt Moon's genitles, and removed herself from the library, moving with that same unearthy grace she displayed before...
| |
| − | | |
| − | ...but why, oh why, did her ass have to sway so?
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' His snickering laughter and the steady regard of his eyes followed her out the door. Then, moments later, he did too. Hastily yanking his coat back on, he jogged to catch up with her before she could get too far.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "Masks, darlin'." He called over her shoulder. Grinning still as he half-ran past her, Moon moved in front of Opal and spun about. Walking backwards in front of her, Moon passed a hand over his face. "My boys say they saw ya take a buncha' the things from those dead fucks we made extra dead."
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' "I was currently wearing a suit of sixteen foot tall, superhumanly strong armor at the time. I supposed I was the most suitable for collecting the minor, if useful, Artifacts our opponents had on them." She looked toward Moon, and her slender brow arched ever so slightly. "For what reason do you inquire?"
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' Moon stopped in front of her, making her come to a halt in the hallway of the manse as well. Folding his arms behind his back, he tipped his head and he smiled at her. "Wanted ta sweet talk ya inta lettin' me have 'um."
| |
| − | | |
| − | Expecting a protest before an answer could even be given, he whipped an arm back out and held his palm out, waving in slight dismissal. "Or least ''borrow'' 'um for the night. Y'know, if they ain't gonna turn inside out and bite my face off or nothin'."
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' "And your... friends can make use of my new found cache?" She said, quite calmly, as she came to a halt, though didn't dare his closeness again. She brushed a few stray hairs from her ivory face, and her perfect lips turned into another little frown. "Many of them require attunement of some kind, you know. And while there are devices that would allow them to make use, I have no access to such treasure."
| |
| − | | |
| − | She placed a hand on a hip which jutted out defiantly, and frowned down at him.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "For the new Exalt I will lend some. But I would want to know what you would want them for."
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' something more than that, now that she was one of them. He brought his hand to his jaw and rubbed it thoughtfully a moment. "Yeah, and some shit for Hanna. Just so she ain't helpless."
| |
| − | | |
| − | "But mostly I wanna get those masks." He hastily went on. "I wanna use 'um ta get as close ta that fucker Barr as we can."
| |
| − | | |
| − | Moon paused to take a breath and collect his thoughts. He met Opal's gaze evenly as he tried to put into words the faint plot that had been stirring in the back of his mind. Listening to impulses had always been easier than thinking things out, so it wasn't an easy process. This was important somehow though, that he talk her into this, and as playful as he'd been before, that was how serious his face became as he started to speak again.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "The kid's gonna with us. Y'know Kanti? The scared one? Figure she's spent enough time around those dead fucks that she can tell us how ta act like 'um enough most of those traitor bastards working for Barr won't know the difference. Less of those shits we gotta fight, the better. I don't wanna get my boys killed tryin' ta cut down every one of those shits we bump inta. And I don't wanna kill every last one of 'um either. Just Barr. Once he'd dead, shouldn't take much ta make them side with us. Doubt the dead bribed every last one of 'um personally."
| |
| − | | |
| − | "Course, that's all kinda pointless if they can just take one look at us and see we ain't dead and rottin'." Moon finished with a shrug. While he had spoken, his hands had slowly drifted to the pockets of his pants and his thumbs hooked into the edge. The Lunar watched Opal for some kind of reaction or insight to what she thought, tried to sniff it out of the air.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "That's why I want 'um. As long as they ain't gonna do anything bad, I don't care if whatever magic they got works on my boys or not. They just gotta wear the damn things and pretend ta be dead."
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' "So you want them for disguise purposes?" She placed the tip of her nail against her chin, and considered this softly. "They aren't terribly powerful. However, they do contain worked Moonsilver, which is rather rare for me to find." She sighed a bit. "Very well. But attempt to bring them back, if you could . The design is simple, and easily improved. Such work gives me freedom to experiment." She just watches him for a long moment. "It... might not work, you know. I really... don't want Kanti to be hurt anymore." She bit her lower lip, her cool facade breaking and a look of concern washing over her face.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Exceedingly Subline Opal, crafter of wonders both dread and transendent, who's beauty outshone the gem she was named for... looked very, very concerned over the fate of a woman she barely knew. "I could always make you an explosive, you know. Something strong enough to bring down a room or building. You wouldn't have to put Fiona or Kanti in harms way with that." She looks down a little bit, as her mind starts to whirl over what would do the trick... Pyroclast Gel... but she didn't have the ingrediants on hand.
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' A hand closed over her shoulder as her gaze fell away. "Hey." Moon's voice beckoned softly. His eyes were hooded again, but there wasn't the same sort of heat burning out from under them. Just a soft glow that offered understanding and looked for the same. "I ain't really keen on the thought either, y'know? But I already tried ta leave her behind once. She didn't wanna stay. The kid ain't helpless and we ''need'' her. We promised her she could fight in this with us. Can't go back on that now"
| |
| − | | |
| − | He didn't know why Opal might have been worried for Kanti's fate. Or for Fionas. He could understand someone mistaking them for helpless. For young girls caught up in something far larger than themselves. And they were. But so was everyone else around here. Princes and punks and generals and assassins; none of them were really in control. About the only thing any of them could do was cling together and hope they don't get pulled under. Maybe that was reason enough for Opal to be concerned.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "I'm gonna look out for her, a'ite?" he reassured the distracted artisan, his warm hand rubbing her shoulder slightly. "I ain't gonna let nothin' happen to her. Already kinda been through a lot with the kid, y'know?" More than he really understood or could understand or would ever really be willing to try to explain. Instead, he just smiled at Opal. "Don't know what the fuck to think about her sometimes, but she's kinda grown on me. And I ain't lettin' ''no one'' hurt her."
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Exceedingly Sublime Opal: ''' She finally looked up at him and looked into his eyes, and quietly wiped a bit of moisture from one of the corners of her eyes. Her face lost the sarcasm, the jaded shell she put against a world so ugly that nothing she could make would let it be beautiful as when the world was new. It surprised her, even as she did it.
| |
| − | | |
| − | She suddenly closed the brief distance between them and kissed him. Suddenly. Swiftly. Passionately. Her surprisingly soft lips merged with his, her open mouth trembling with gentle desire. She pulled back just as suddenly, her breath coming fast.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "Take...take whatever you need."
| |
| − | | |
| − | With that, looking unsure and confused of her own feelings, she walked off quickly.
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' It was over before his startled arms could even try to wrap around her. It was just a lingering warmth against his body. Just a scent in the air. Just a taste on his lips.
| |
| − | | |
| − | And she was already gone, little more then words bouncing around the suddenly empty hall. He spun after her, one hand touching his lips and the other stretching out to grab her, but she was already out of reach and Moon was too dazed to chase after her.
| |
| − | | |
| − | He stood instead in the hallway, the wondered bewilderment on his face giving way slowly to it's usual brooding scowl. Hot to cold to hot and back again. And then clear into something else. There had been a tear in her eye. There had been an openness in her face. A sort of defenseless moment where every defense had fallen and the hound in him urged him to bite. There might not have been another time like that.
| |
| − | | |
| − | But he didn't go. He didn't chase. Much as he wanted to, much as his mind was still gripping tightly to the feel of that kiss and of her body against his, he didn't track her down. Not yet. Because there had been emotions in her face and those could be dangerous. He'd handled Sarah's wrong and she loved him for it. He'd handled others wrong and ended up with enemies for life.
| |
| − | | |
| − | There as never any real way to tell if they wanted to be chased or not. And if they did, would they love you or hate you when it was over?
| |
| − | | |
| − | Moon stood and watched as Opal hurried down the hall, waited for a look back over her shoulder, for a motion in her hand, for a shift in her stance that gave him some clue what she wanted him to do. And when she had finally vanished out of sight, he shoved his hands deep into his pockets, sunk into his coat, and turned to walk the other way.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Maybe it was the right thing to do, maybe it was the wrong thing, but well, fuck how was he to know? He just didn't understand women.
| |
| − | | |
| − | | |
| − | | |
| − | ----
| |
| − | | |
| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/FourthMovement|Fourth Movement]]
| |
| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
| |
