°˖✧ { ʟɪʟɪᴛʜ } ✧˖° (replies) – Page 10

MAKI.

✿
“-Oh! Um, thank you, Mr. Kaufman…”
She’d never asked for him to carry her groceries, and yet he forged on ahead , doing as he saw fit, recognizing her struggles and actively working to counterbalance them. It was a nice change of pace from their last private conversations, as stunted and uncomfortable as they were.

Perhaps their relationship as student and teacher could still be salvaged- maybe she wouldn’t have to live in fear of him any longer. The mere thought of that alone was more than enough to bring a reassured smile to her face. “Yes,” she replied dutifully between bouts of giggles, “I’ve been studying very hard recently, so I should be well-prepared when the time comes.”

Never mind that the true reason why she’d begun taking her English studies more seriously was so that she could make amends for the ‘spider incident’. Mio respectfully dipped her head at the sound of the passenger door being pried open- by the time that he’d delivered his next question, she had already taken the liberty of buckling herself in.

Having no reason to refuse him, Mio nodded in response while she settled her groceries on her lap. “-No, I don’t mind. You can go on ahead, I’ll simply wait here until you’re finished.”

_{———He nodded, pulling a half pack of Dunhills from his shirt pocket.
The brand had always been his favorite, the even smoke and delicate taste indicative of the luxury pricing. He could afford such luxuries, even without working the same job.}

The man had carved a little success for himself in place of his previous occupation. Killing had always paid well, and boy was he good at it. Retiring from that scene took balls, but in the end, he’d been clean for about a decade. Strange how one misses the rush that came with the job description.

Placing the end of the cigarette into his mouth, the man waited to make sure Mio was looking without showing he was aware. Pausing, he called forth White Lion, a mere fraction of the Stand enveloping his arm and lighting the end of the cigarette.

❝ I’ll be ready in a bit, Maki-san. ❞

HONEST.

_{there is a tiny LUMP that begins to form in his throat after hearing such words tumble from company’s mouth – they managed to turn cheeks of porcelain to wine within only seconds. it’s a dark color that spreads even toward pierced ears , SPANNING o’er bridge of his nose much like the horizon itself. he was easily embarrassed though , this was nothing new. after a moment ? lashes flutter && head turns AWAY. suddenly the glass holding his beverage was far more interesting. “ i’m only being honest. ”}

_{———❝ Honesty is a good trait to have. ❞
The flush to the other’s face was clear as day, a smile soon finding its way upon his lips. Elliot finished his drink, eyes loose with the late night buzz of alcohol and exhaustion. The bar had become empty with the passing hours, the two night owls still remaining as the sound of a broom hitting floor rang in Elliot’s ears.}

❝ Now, forgive me if this sounds like a line, but do you come here often? ❞

BENI.

_{nothing more than a small NOD of the head is offered at first , fingers gently tapped together to rid flesh of ash && a subtle burning sensation. “ . . then why don’t you ? ” he’s never smoked before so he cannot understand the addiction nor relief one may feel after smoking BUT he at least knows better than to put one down for their vices.}

_{———❝ I’ve no sense of consequences from the instant gratification. ❞
He’d never talked about his job to the other, for better or worse. The stress and adrenaline that came from his profession often kept the man at constant alert. He’d done his fair share of drugs and pharmaceuticals over the years, their effects as numbing as they were short lived. He’d sobered up, but his one vice remained.}

❝ It’s not like it will kill me, you know? ❞

WITNESS.

i. — ( @faustium / sc ) .

call her ‘ thrill seeker‘ or ‘ stupid ‘ or whatever , but mau was very FOND of getting up close to the action !! after all , nothing she’d ever encountered posed a real danger to her , and people that died before she came around didn’t make her bawl her eyes out like the child her appearance SUGGESTED .

so … no biggie ?

but now she was having a staring contest with a dead guy with bullet-brain— upside down , of course— and a voice was coming from behind her . she didn’t ask if they did it ; the smell of death permeated , but she DID turn her head and boldly state the following ;

“ does this face look like it needs help ? “

_{———❝ Depends, are you referring to him or yourself? ❞
It was a cool remark for a man who’d put the bullet in his brain to begin with.}

The girl had come at an inopportune time, Elliot just about to clean the scene of all traces of a struggle when he was sorely interrupted. Her demeanor, along with the silent sensation of fire at his neck, told him she was not exactly what she seemed. A demon?

❝ If you’re referring to him, I’m afraid I did all I could to save him. ❞
The sarcasm was not lost in his tone. Unscrewing the silencer from the muzzle of his weapon, the man slid each into their respectful places on his person.

❝ Do you mind telling me how it is you got here? ❞

VALE.

✮– Despite the poetic and inspirational atmosphere, Valentino wasn’t sure to be in the mood for inquiries like that. Death was a grim topic he was forced to face daily – his profession made passing a plausible danger – but he hated dwelling over it. He neither wanted or needed to keep himself busy with philosophical paradoxes and dilemmas on the ephemerality of life.

Avoiding the man’s gaze, he looked at the horizon in silence, as if it could yield an answer. It didn’t, of course, and he sighed, his eyes sliding closed. He had an answer, but that remained an unusual conversation.

❝Now, this is a question I wasn’t expecting. Money can make your life better, but what the point if you’re going to die so soon? A year may seem a lot, but it’ll be over before you realize it. I’m a bit too attached to my life to accept the cash and sleep peacefully; besides, no one is saying I won’t be able to find a better deal later…❞

Valentino offered a bitter smile, looking at Parker with the corner of an eye. He was curious to hear what else he had to add. That man could be surprising, sometimes.

_{———❝ A better deal, hmm? ❞
He hadn’t even thought of it that way. In his world of hypotheticals, the idea that he could find a third path seemed so impossible. Still, the world did not entirely work on principles and rules. Had he realized this all those years ago, he might have been a completely different person.}

❝ Humor me, then. ❞
He lifted his dusted glass of bedside water, eyes on the horizon still as twilight became darkness. The man had called Valentino to his room, unsure of what exactly they had in store for them the following morning. This job seemed slightly more than they could bite off, but the German had endured worse.

❝ If you were guaranteed the money and twenty more years, a small life time in our line of work, would you take it over a chance to live your full life? ❞
It was a question that depended on their combined idea of how long they had left.

_JUDE.

_{He’d let himself in, thinking nothing of it — thinking Elliot home, so it wouldn’t matter if he came in unannounced or not. But there’s no answer to his sing – song calls of ‘ Ellie? Elliot? Elliiiiot? ‘ There’s no sound, either: not the rush of water, music, or voices come from a TV station.}

_{Jude’s child – like hope of being able to bug the other man is dashed. Frowning, eyes skim over the living room, stopping when they come upon the apartment’s other occupant: angular, coat soft and white, he traipses over looking to get the pretty kitty to let him pet her. This is enough of a distraction for a while, but not forever: minutes aggressively tick by and he’s not the most patient person or creature in the world. He may have a tendency of being obsessive, but that’s not working out in Elliot’s favor today, when Jude disengages from his furry princess to explore the apartment.}

_{Furniture is draped across. The floor rolled around on. Eventually, he’s up on his feet, poking his nose in cabinets and drawers, looking at the contents but not daring lift a hand to push them about and discover what might be hidden behind or beneath what he gets at face value. He doesn’t want to upset anything from its place.}

_{In hindsight, he can understand this as going too far, but when he extends his hand to a door that he doesn’t think will actually open with a twist of its know. “ Huh… “ It’s not only cats that can end up victims of their own curiosity: he’s instantly enthralled by the contents of this room he’s found, and how different it is from the rest of the apartment. It’s got — substance, to it. Personality. Memories, Jude discerns, eyes dragging over photos and fingers over the spines of tomes in their organized lines along their many shelves.}

_{Despite how good he’s been about leaving everything in its rightful place thus far, hound picks up one framed family photograph on impulse — a soft ache taking deeper root in his chest the longer he stares at the melancholic portrait, detailing each face until attention befalls the one belonging to a little girl. A miserable little girl.}

_{He knows who it is.}

_{But it’s neither realization, or shock: just confirmation of what he’s already known.}

_{What does come as a shock is the unregistered appearance and chilling tone from behind him. Taken off guard, Jude jolts and fumbles, the picture sliding through hands usually more deft than what they are in this moment… it hits desk’s edge with a soul – splitting CRACK! before continuing onto the floor.}

_{No, no, no… “ Fuc— “ As much as he wants to apologize, he doesn’t get a chance. Not one to so much as respond to his mishap before he’s being manhandled. “ Elliot, Elliot— I’m sorry, listen— “ He’s stronger. This is a fact. Bodily, cur could overtake the other man with ease if he weren’t so inclined to yield to his punishment. He knows he’s done wrong and worse by touching — by BREAKING — an heirloom he had no business knowing existed in the first place.}

_{Heart’s pace has quickened, as he’s not quite a fan of letting anyone loom over him when they’re inexplicably pissed off. Fists are curled into tight balls and tucked against the opposite side of their respective arm so to not start swinging; Adam’s apple shows with a nervous swallow that clears his throat of unvoiced sorry’s and excuses that won’t do him any good in making Elliot less upset with him. “ …I-I’m not opposed to it. “ The joke makes a jittery escape, though Jude’s got wits enough to wince at his stupid blip. It’s not bound to to go over too well when the atmosphere is this tense.}

_{“ I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… well, I meant to come in here, but I didn’t mean to— “ get caught? You fucking asshole— “ I didn’t mean to drop it. “}

_{———❝ Shut up. ❞|
You could see it, on his face, in his movements. A stiff paralysis continued at odds with his urgent desire to lash out. At once, he was holding back another part of him, that other half wanting nothing more than to burn all proof of his weakness. This was his face, more than genuine, more than real. He’d throw every part of his identity away if it meant no one had to see it for themself.}

_{Tossing Jude back with a strength unlike any in his reserves, the man gripped his fist until joints cracked. He knew better than this, the risk of divulging his abilities to another agent monumental, considering what this was. He’d never kill Jude, not like this, not right here. Were this real, he’d have no hesitation.}

_{❝ Do you ever just… Stop and think before you speak? ❞}

_{Tremors in the fist. Hard as diamond, the man’s exoskeleton had become brittle under the force of his emotions. He bent down, face obscured as he gripped a large shard of glass from the shattered frame. Blood collected at his palm, trickling down the wrist, and dripping onto the hardwood floor. He would clean this up. He would fix this mess.}

_{Gathering the rest of the frame together, the man tossed the bloodied mess into the trash. The man’s stubborn nature prevented him from making this any better than it could have been. His palm had already stopped bleeding, skin as pristine as the day he was reborn. To him, it was almost as if his body could not bring itself to mourn the loss. It would just keep fixing itself.}

_{❝ Accidents happen. Get over it, and get out. ❞
He hadn’t once looked the man in the eye.}

???

* IT SQUIRMS ON THE DIRT._{it is an abominable &. volatile thing , how it squirms like a worm in your shadow}( &. YOU WONDER IF THIS IS HOW YOU LOOK BENEATH THE HOLY FATHER )_{, basking in the darkness cast from you , your nose wrinkles in disgust at the thing . byproduct of the CULT that tainted the town , the memory of these loathsome things writhing around sticks fondly with you . &. when heel of boot grinds down upon the WRETCHED creature , a surfeit of sticky red mixes with the soil , there is a certain foul odor that wafts from the leech – like carcass . your skin crawls , yet your composure &. facade remain apathetic .} ❛❛ _{… IT’S GONNA COME BACK . they always fuckin’ did . not what i’m here for , though .} ❜❜ / OPEN STARTER !

_{———A careful exhale of smoke, eyes of emerald glass angled underneath his feet.
It’s not much of a kill on his part; he’d merely missed the cigarette thrown beside the damn thing.}

❝ May I at least ask you what the fuck is that dripping off my boot? ❞
Travelers rarely found themselves by these parts. He’d gone from shithole to shithole over the years, searching on mere rumor of the various occult spots in the US. Most led to tourist traps in decaying rural towns, some amounting to a childish cult of robed amateurs. There were few instances had drawn his attention like this.

This was real.

JUDE.

^{“ I’m going to die. Why does it have to be so warm already? “ Spring has eased into summer, bringing with it heat both welcome and unwelcome. It’s not the weather or it’s attributed temperature that causes Jude to sweat and fuss, hand plucking at the collar of his shirt and undoing the first several buttons of it to give him more air. It’s the swelter at the core of him that causes discomfort as it throbs, fissures in his resolve overtaken by the pulse and rush of liquid heat that’ll do the same to his self – respect and senses if he has to wait around at this pub any longer for the mechanic next door to finish diagnosing whats wrong with the engine of his bike.}

_{———❝ I don’t exactly know why you called me over, but since it’s close, I don’t mind you camping out in my air conditioned living room. ❞
The man finished his chilled beer, noting the differences in Jude’s (mood as he complained about some kind of heat. Personally, Elliot found it to be somewhat manageable next to the fan, warm air circulating rather than remaining stagnant and heavy. Leaving a tip next to the empty bottle, the man pat Jude on the back and started crossing to the door.}

❝ Think you’ll make it two blocks to the U-bahn? ❞

LOVELY.

_{arm bends && head leans into SOFT palm ‘fore a curious twinkle GLEAMS within half – lidded eyes. perhaps they had PIQUED his interest. “ you’re so young . . ” words tumble from the bat in a whisper , somewhere deep down he even felt a tad ENVIOUS. although he wasn’t ancient per se , a hundred was far better than FOUR hundred. “ you look lovely for your age – is that a BETTER compliment ? ” lips shiny with gloss then curl , revealing but the FAINTEST of dimples within porcelain cheeks.}

_{———❝ I’m only human – that means a lot to me. ❞
Unchanged and immortalized, the man felt his age with each passing day in ways apart from his body. He saw friends and acquaintances grow rich and old and dead, days spent categorizing the few he let close to him in his silent hubris. Rarely did he find himself in the company of mortals; it was more humane to live apart, than to live alone.}

❝ I find it kind of ironic how the pot calls the kettle black. ❞
Lovely was the word he used.

He’d hardly met a lovelier facade.

MAKI-SAN.

✿
“-Mr. Kaufman?”
Well, wasn’t this quite the unfortunate surprise? Not that Mio had come to expect anything else from the unlucky streak that she simply couldn’t seem to break. Besides that, in a town as small as Morioh, it was only inevitable that they’d meet each other outside of school grounds.

Still, knowing all those facts didn’t help ease the tension running between them in the least.
While had nearly turned up her nose at Elliot’s initial offer, but the borderline ridiculous amount of groceries that she’d stocked up on easily tempted her into nodding her little head.

“Yes, please. My hands are a little full, so I’d very much appreciate any help I can get.”
Laughing out half-heartedly, the girl would shuffle herself behind Elliot’s shadow and hold her breath. “Shall we get going then? I’ll be following behind you, so there’s no need to worry about me.” Who knows? Maybe this time around, nothing bizarre would happen. Maybe.

_{———❝ Here, let me help you with those. ❞
The man reached out to take some of her groceries, waving her towards a parked BMW. How a teacher could afford a luxury vehicle like that, one could only wonder.}

❝ How are your English studies going… Will you be ready for my quiz this Monday? ❞
The man smiled, hoping his humor got through his accented Japanese. Dropping his bags in the trunk, the man opened the passenger door for the young woman. His car smelled faintly of smoke, a scent the man carried around with him through his addiction.

❝ Do you mind if I smoke a cigarette before we go? I don’t want to seem rude and smoke with you in the car. ❞