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| [Graded][Arc] The Man From Neo Cortex; 3 of 4 | Poinsettia Portion | |
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| Topic Started: Jun 14 2016, 03:41 AM (1,494 Views) | |
| heiner777 | Jun 18 2016, 07:58 AM Post #21 |
"Sapientia Sola Libertas Est"
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A faint, resounding sigh of collective relief reached the young man’s ears despite being outside of the hotel. He could not fathom the reason as to why such a relative number of people felt it proper to express their reprieve from anxiety all at once, but whatever the case, it seemed that it had something to do with Tsuna, and as far as he was concerned, him. He still did not know the context behind the reactions and as such simply assumed that they viewed him as unfitting to be together in the same place as the Kushinada heiress; nevertheless, whatever he thought of the situation, the end result was still the same. He raised an eyebrow as he took her by the hand, pulling the young lady close to him if only to spite those whom he believed had judged him from the other side of the glass mirror; one grand gesture that was tantamount to shouting out ‘in your face’. As far as he was concerned, there was nothing more that needed to be proved since he already held the best proof right beside him. Satisfied with his apparent victory over the bigots, the raven-haired scholar proceeded to walk along the streets of Poinsettia towards their intended destination: the Unicorn Marketplace. The branching streets and stone pathways of the city’s biggest and best street market was as vibrant with activity as they left it a week ago. Peddlers advertised their goods with pomp and zeal while food vendors displayed wonderful tricks with their culinary cuisines and cooking utensils to garner the attention of potential customers and buy their wares. People haggled and hawked left and right for the best price, citing this’ and that’s, comparing the asking price of one stall owner to another, less expensive one. Noise was everywhere, just as a market should be, but this time his destination would not be one of the side-stalls. He had somewhere better in mind to bring Tsuna to. As he continued walking along the dizzying streets of the market, Vento stopped for a while when he recognized the street where he first met Tsuna who was then posing as Daiki. He remembered how much of a hassle that day was and how much trouble he had to go through before managing to have Tsuna come on board his cause, which ultimately caused even more problems to occur. The scholar wondered how things managed to end up that way when all he wanted was to have a competent assistant in the first place; if anything, he would have been content with just about anyone at that point had Tsuna not displayed a rare form of magic he had almost never seen before. “Hey Tsuna, remember that place?” he asked in rhetoric. “Who knew that everything that came to pass started out here; it might have just been a week ago, but it already feels like a long time since we first met. I even lost an arm to you – something that not even those who have been companions for years can say out loud without it sounding like a lie,” spoke Vento then chuckled. “Do you think I could have done better? Who knows. All I know is that, if I were given a chance to do it all over again, I would probably still choose the same path as I have.” The statement itself was true; Vento would admit that the current road he was walking on was filled with trials and tribulations which tested his nerve, drive, and even willingness to sacrifice. Despite that, after all the challenges were won, it ultimately resulted in satisfactory results, albeit less than one he had expected of himself on any normal day. There was, however, something that was gained which was far more important than personal goals on an assignment. In just a week, Tsuna's uncanny development with her powers slowly had her becoming a most useful asset in his own endeavors. With each passing day, he could feel her potentials gradually unlock themselves one after the other as if to respond to the obstacles they faced. She was on the way to becoming a skilled and powerful magus in her own right, and with it, control over her magecraft that would certainly serve both of them in the future. Her improvement rate was simply astounding, and by the rate she is going, she would probably be able to surpass her previous limits sooner rather than later. Although there was much to be desired from the young woman’s intellect, regardless of that small flaw, in the grander scheme of things, he did not mind making use of Tsuna more; even going so far as to consider her as a potential part of his usual line-up of tools to call upon during particularly difficult or arduous field assignments when he cannot rely on just himself for assistance. He, however, needed to reconsider that decision; with how he had been feeling towards her, he needed to scrutinize his own choices since, even if she did make him ‘happy’, personal and professional matters were best left separated. Nevertheless, he can save that pondering for later; right now, it was just him, Tsuna, and clothes shopping. After a few minutes of walking, Vento finally arrived at the boutique where Vento bought Tsuna’s chest binders the other day. It was a quaint two-floor building no larger than their hotel rooms on each floor, but its interior design worked well with its Victorian-meets-avant-garde selection of clothes that appealed to people of all sexual orientations and fashion genre subcultures from cosplay, to goth, to punk. True to this, the shop took its hodgepodge clientele and its vision to cater to their tastes with high fashion into account when they chose to aptly name it Hot Culture a portmanteau of the word ‘Haute Couture’ that cleverly mixed the phonetics of the two into a meaningful parody of the latter as while both pertained to fashion, they catered to entirely different spectra. “We are here,” Vento announced in a slightly commanding tone. “Now get in and pick out some clothes so we can have some time to stop by the bookshop before lunch.” Edited by heiner777, Jun 18 2016, 08:04 AM.
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| Mariko | Jun 18 2016, 10:39 AM Post #22 |
Phck.
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It seemed that Vento Aureo was spoiling her --- first with his gestures back in the hotel, then those sweet-sounding words that made her heart stop and melt as she never expected to hear the lack of regret and the desire to tread the same path that led to where they were now from Vento, to which she only replied with a deeply red-hued blush and currently, they were standing outside Hot Culture, when she thought they would just scout the flea market because no matter how elegant she looked that day, most of the 'best' bargains were on the streets. Tsuna's eyes almost watered upon seeing where Vento took her for this clothes shopping. A week ago, stepping inside this boutique was just a 'dream': she was broke, without any decent means to earn a single Jewel, and buying any clothes --- especially from this specific store where items could be pricey and haggling was not an option ---- was the least of her concerns. Now, she would have her grand time to shop right in the place where she thought would be unreachable due to her circumstance. “We are here. Now get in and pick out some clothes so we can have some time to stop by the bookshop before lunch,” said Vento, an air of authority was in his tone. "Pffft bookstore," Tsuna murmured before pouting her lips. For the lady with an intelligence as sharp as a rusty bread knife, bookstores had the same effect as listening to a monotonous history teacher after a hearty lunch or better yet, a lullaby. Internally she wished for Vento to change his mind, even if a part of her knew that was tantamount to wishing to a star on stormy night (when basically, you couldn't see any star). Oh well, she could worry about that later. The focus at the moment should be on buying a set of clothes that would not 'distract' the scholar. Though, it seemed that it wasn't going to happen. Tsuna trotted aisle after aisle and section after section, the glow on her visage comparable to that of a child left on her own device inside a toy store. Her dainty hand would glide over fabrics skimming how each would feel on her skin. One second she was holding a venus-cut dress inspecting it to her delight, and then after another second it would be swapped with a fur coat. She would lambaste one particular apparel for its texture, color, choice of fabric, choice of stitch, symmetry, design, overall impact, lack of decency and a lot more like it was her business, and then later on praise to the highest extent the elegance of another as if its designer was some fashion genius. For some reason, the girl exhibited a particular talent no one knew she had or at least the strangers around her: she had a keen eye in women's fashion and its details. It could not be helped. One of the many businesses of the Kushinadas back in Crocus was women's apparel, which explained the horde of clothes, bags, shoes and alike in her walk-in closets. This small talent of hers was pushed at the back burner when she lived in the streets since she had no choice but to settle with anything just to survive. Along with her picking the getup she fancied, whenever she happened to pass by the men's section she would toss an item or two at Vento after inspecting them with only one criteria in mind which was in contrast with her 1,000 requirements for her own garb --- was it appealing to the eyes? Not a word was spoken, but if he would try to put it back to the rack or discard what she picked the redhead would glare at him as if quietly screaming at him 'don't you dare', and in case he would, a war would be waged inside the boutique --- even if she had no idea how men's clothing functions. Because of her pickiness she ended up with only two sets on her hand, when she had picked three for Vento. One of the sales ladies later on led them to the fitting rooms. The heiress grinned widely at the scholar, which was more endearing than her literally killer glances earlier, "check out those and pick the one you fancy. Don't forget to show me, O-K?~" Without waiting for the raven haired scholar's answer, Tsuna merrily strutted inside one of the fitting rooms. In one part of the boutique there were two fitting rooms with an outswing door. The panels were of melamine finish. Inside the brightly-lit area was a small cushioned bench, a full length mirror and wall-mount rack of five hooks. It looked pretty normal, not like something extraordinary would happen. Besides, why would there be if the shop itself was often flocked by patrons? Eh. The red-haired heiress closed the door and locked it. Humming a happy tune, she carefully hung the articles she picked while deciding which to try first. However, she heard a voice not hers that hummed the same tune as hers, prompting her to stop. Tsuna raised her brow and tilted her head. "Was there... someone.... nah that's impossible." Thinking it was just her imagination, she hummed the same tune to hear that there were already three voices singing with her, which made her, of course, to abruptly stop. "Vento, are you playing a trick on me?" she asked in a loud voice, hoping the other person would hear it wherever he was. Tsuna sighed. "Or my exhaustion has taken over my brain again. I should ask Vento if we could skip the bookstore." Tsuna turned to face the mirror. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" A ruddy-haired young lad of scraggy built with full beard that covered his chin and arced over his lips appeared on the mirror. His arms were extended as if reaching out for Tsuna. His lips were moving as if saying something but fear overcame the lady she could not decipher what it was. She tried to open the door to escape but it would just not open. While she was attempting to escape the man in the mirror, a myriad of voices presumably from those who were damned filled her now throbbing head, all with one message: 'take him here, hurry up.' Couldn't find a way to escape what seemed to be a ghost and starting not to bear the pain in her head that slowly crawled to her eyes, the frightened girl slumped in a fetal position in a corner away from the mirror, hands on her ear, face on her knees as she screamed her lungs out, pleading and crying for help. "VENTO!" ---------- Tsuna's Picks for Vento
Edited by Mariko, Jun 18 2016, 12:43 PM.
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| heiner777 | Jun 18 2016, 05:52 PM Post #23 |
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"Sapientia Sola Libertas Est"
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Grumbling over the inane rituals ladies seem to do before picking out and trying articles of clothing, Vento took a seat in the store’s circular couches placed in the middle of the wide selection as if catering to the unlucky few – most likely the men – who had the ill-fated duty to accompany their wives, lovers, sisters, or friends, along due to reasons purely of their own. The softness of the material even appealed to the male demographic as the tweed cushions seemed to magically catch the field researcher’s weight more effectively than the chair in his hotel room could. He sighed as he settled into the comfort afforded to him for free since he knew that it was the only thing Hot Culture that was without a price tag attached to it. While the young man quietly assumed the temporary status of a typical struggling-to-be-patient boyfriend, his peace was disturbed when Tsuna tossed him a few of her own picks without giving as much of a reason why she did so nor justify why he needed some new clothes when he already had enough articles back in his room. Besides, this trip was all for her anyway; he was not in need of anything that could not be otherwise purchased for much less at a flea market bargain bin. Fashion and Vento, after all, were like oil and water – neither mixed well with the other. The young man did not follow the trends and just took whichever and matched it to whatever, miraculously looking decent enough in the end. Just as he was about to ask a store attendant to return the redhead’s choices, her blue eyes shone with a cold glow as it stared at him with a soul-piercing gaze, telling him in no uncertain terms that he was in her realm now; that right at that moment, he was in her world, and he had no right to refuse whatever she gave him to try out. He felt a chill run up his spine; it was the first time Tsuna had forced Vento to stay his hand and, reluctantly, accede to her request without as much as a verbal outcry. He sighed; if this was the moral dilemma that boyfriends had to undergo whenever they were out shopping with their significant others, he could almost sympathize with them, except for the fact that he was only this way provisionally. Once this was all said and done, the two of them would go back to being researcher and research tool – as it should be. Without as much as lifting a finger to try one of the articles on, Vento chose the second set Tsuna had picked out for him which consisted of a gray single-breasted overcoat, a black woolen wide-neck collar shirt, black form-fitting jeans, and black shin-length leather hi-boots. He cringed at the thought of dressing up like one of those prissy and effeminate Blue Pegasus members even if his own features would have him as a shoe-in for being one since the guild is famously full of attractive men and women from all over Fiore. He saw them as useful tools and decent enough human beings, but when it came to their abnormal degrees of vanity, it was where Vento could say that he was creeped out of. After all, there was casual hygiene and then there was Blue Pegasus-level obsession with outward appearances. After confirming his selection with the attendant, the raven-haired young man stepped out of the store and back into the bustling sea of people that flooded the streets. Out of all the people who were there, he wondered how many who were, just like him, as confused with their feelings as he was. In fact, the mere fact that he was confused meant that he was betraying himself and his lifelong battle against needless emotions. Yet despite that, it felt as if something inside him sprang to life whenever he was near Tsuna and he could not explain what it was. To deem it as ‘happiness’ was to regard it without analyzing the subject; a form of brevity over a thing without a designation. Vento had yet to confirm what the feelings were, and if he had to guess, it would probably take more time to— —AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! A bloodcurdling scream ripped through the air and reached Vento's ears as the young man almost instinctively, ran back inside expecting the worst. His eyes instantly saw the best route to go for Tsuna and he bounded for it like a man possessed until he knelt down to attend to a terrified young woman in response to her calling out for him. His single arm wrapped around her and cradled her, a silent assurance that he was there and that whatever it was that scared her would be hard-pressed to do so now that he was here. By how Tsuna had reacted so intensely to whatever it was that scared her, and after connecting the dots to her earlier statement about being unable to leave the hotel, he had a vague idea of the cause and he can only assume that it was the phantom’s way of expressing the urgency of the situation. However, Vento had other plans in mind, and he would be damned if he would let a dead person have his way. Even if it were not the case, however, it would not hurt to try since he had nothing to lose by doing so. “Let me handle this,” he spoke with icy determination. With eyes closed shut, the scholar mentally conveyed his message to Frederick since he already assumed that he was already with them in some form. Silence was the only reply he got every time he told of his circumstances and that he would attend to him in due time and that if he wanted his help, he needed to cooperate, if only to expedite things to their inevitable conclusion, at which point he would go to Ranunculus to face whatever it was that was waiting for him over there. He wanted time to fix his matters first – that was all he asked. He did not know as to whether or not Frederick managed to get his message across the thin barrier of thought that seemed to connect them to each other, but Vento liked to think that he did and that he would no longer interfere with the rest of his day; at least, not as much as before. Haste makes waste, after all; and as the old adage goes, the sooner he can set straight the matters that need fixing, the sooner he can leave at his deceased former assistant’s behest. He had all the cards in his favor and Vento was not afraid to play a Straight Flush against a Dead Man’s Hand in a poker game of wits and wills. Dead or not, he will not be lead around – he was free to do whatever he wanted. Once more opening his eyes, the young man patted Tsuna by the shoulder as an expression that he had done his part in preventing – or at least lessening – the influence Frederick had over them. He had no idea if it worked though since he never really got a solid response; whatever the case, they still had things to do and they were burning daylight the longer they stayed. So, seeing no other choice, Vento offered to accompany Tsuna inside the dressing room, if she would allow for it. |
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| Mariko | Jun 18 2016, 07:49 PM Post #24 |
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Phck.
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ooc: brain is mushy. awake for 23 hrs. apologies for any inconsistencies. ---- Tsuna was trembling in fear in her little spot within the fitting room as the chorus of voices kept on harassing her head. When she was about to let another shrill for help escape her lips once again, a firm arm wrapped around her. The presence was familiar, and the way how her head and eyes suddenly stopped giving her agony meant only one thing: Vento arrived. Without any questions the woman clung to the newcomer, her damp face press on his right shoulder as she kept on weeping. "M-man! In the mirror! T-t-there's a man in the mirror! A lot of voices in my head!" Tsuna clutched the fabric that covered the scholar's back. "R-Red hair! B-beard! Thin! Ventooooo!" It was the best she could do to tell him what happened, and it was done in a manner how a child would cry to an adult when she was scared or hurt. Besides, she had no idea who the man in the mirror was, nor knew his purpose. The heiress was also unaware of the possible connections between her supposed 'curse' and what just transpired. All she knew was it scared her out of her wits, the chill that ran down her spine was strikingly similar to the one she had felt in Lavender Forest which only added alarm to what she was already feeling. The only difference was that, now that he was cradling her, now that they were together, oddly enough the fear was slowly being washed away. “Let me handle this,” Vento had his eyes closed and as if meditating for some reason. Perhaps he could not bear to see the redhead in this way, hence even the remotest possibility of ... what was that... praying? ... to whatever being? ... became his recourse to alleviate the distress she was feeling. Whatever. Currently she did not have the capacity to question his choices. One thing was sure though: whatever Vento was doing, it seemed to have worked as one by one the voices in her head seemed to vanish, until all she could hear was his and her breathing. The freaked-out cries transitioned into quiet sobs. Finally, silence. When he patted her shoulder to signal the end of whatever he did to take care of the situation, Tsuna opted not to let go. Her body pressed against his. Her hands still clutching his garment. Her head was resting on his shoulder. Her breathing remained fast-paced, and as she waited for it to normalize... without her knowing that her breath and heartbeat was synching with his... She waited for herself to stop shivering... She waited for her to calm down... and for reasons unknown the way they were somehow made 'recuperating'... easier? Comfortable? Odd. It wasn't like this before. The comfort was beyond what she had experienced from someone before. The desire for Vento seemed to grew, and it seemed like it was starting to turn out that he was already becoming a necessity to her existence. This could not be. She knew she could do things on her own. She had been there. She had proven it, no matter how hard or hopeless it appeared... but ... why was it that lately she had been depending on him too much? No, it could not be. In her entire lifetime, there should only be one person she should fully be dependent on and it was her brother. Not in any way she would be replacing him in her life, even if at the moment most of the things Daiki did was covered by the teen researcher. Sure, perhpas the dependency on basic necessities would be alright, but the one such as this moment? This wasn't right. This shouldn't continue. Not in any way her dependency on her brother should be replaced ---- it might frustrate his soul. Further, that was the only way she could preserve him --- his memories, his existence --- in her life. She had already stripped herself off his persona in front of Vento... it was already a violation for itself... not another one should be added. Moreover, this would just add to the mishmash of pleasant yet confound and frustrating emotions she had for the scholar that made it more difficult for her to label what they really were. Like having a change of heart, despite the act hurting her own feelings, Tsuna peeled herself off him and lightly pushed Vento away. "I... I'm fine," she lied and then pulled herself up. The lady lowered her head, obviously swallowing something to force herself to do one thing. With a heavy sigh she continued, "thank you f-for the help. I... I think I'll be fine." The girl heaved before biting the inside of her cheek in an attempt not to shed a tear. "Just... wait for me by the door... I guess... maybe... please... then... tell me if the l-look suits your palate... I mean... not to distract... y-you." Tsuna was avoiding his gaze. Their eyes should not meet, because if her gaze would lock with his she might change her mind and blurt out what was wrong... only to perhaps figure out it was a one-sided issue... and he would laugh at her. Her hand held the knob. Twist. Slowly she was opening the door for him. Edited by Mariko, Jun 18 2016, 08:28 PM.
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| heiner777 | Jun 19 2016, 04:47 PM Post #25 |
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"Sapientia Sola Libertas Est"
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Tsuna cried as much as she could into his chest and Vento, for his part, simply allowed the young woman to release all of her emotions regardless of how long it took for her to do so. The way she held onto him felt like she never wanted to let go, scared that if she did, the heiress would suffer the same fate as before and fall prey to the perverse machinations of the specter that seemed to be the source of all her trouble. The scholar felt guilty about her current state. She should have been freed from her servitude to him after their successful exploration of the Genie’s Lamp, but even now, she seems to have been inexplicably tied to him by reason of forces beyond their power to control. He felt responsible for having her involuntarily shackled to him due to his circumstances. When the teenager broke contact with him after at one point clinging to him as if her very life depended on it, Vento could not help but notice the distress in her voice which, despite the meaning that her words conveyed, reflected the opposite; a fact buttressed by the redhead’s uneasy mannerisms as if trying to deny herself of what she truly felt on the matter at hand. The scholar did not know if the decision to suddenly hold back was simply a manner to save face or spurned by internal conflict of whatever kind; regardless, what was clear was that her apprehension was directly related to the incident, and in extension, to him. Now more than ever, he felt that he had the obligation to set things right since it was by his actions did Tsuna get dragged into his own problems. A finger reached out and undid the bun on Tsuna’s head, allowing her fiery mane to fall down and frame her tilted face in streaks of red. Elegant as it was before, the teen’s vermilion tresses looked more natural flowing down; he thought the same of the young woman’s thoughts as well since it seemed like she was thinking about something too much. “Tsuna,” he started, softly stroking strands of her red hair, “I can read you like an open book, so you would have to try harder than that to convince me.” It was the truth; in the short time that Vento employed Tsuna as a temporary assistant, he took note of her mannerisms and her states of mind in order to better use her in certain situations. Based on his observations he found that she was the type who was headstrong and reckless, but at the same time, tended to make rash decisions without fully realizing the consequences of her own actions. Moreover, she bottles everything up, as if doing so would allow her problems to rot away into nothing, only for it to come back with a vengeance later on and ultimately lead her into trouble. That night in Lavender Forest was ample evidence of such trait. Vento continued expressing his point. “You do not have to hide it, nor can you; not from me, at least. If there is something bothering you speak up and say it out loud. People would not be able to know if you just bottle it up inside of you,” he said. “I told you before, did I not? I take care of my precious tools, no matter what; and since you seem to have become my tool once again – be it voluntary or out of coercion – that duty once again falls upon me.” A sigh escaped him knowing well what his statement entailed, but he meant every word of it since – this time – it was his fault for involving Tsuna into his affairs. He had no idea why Frederick would appear to the young woman in the first place, but knowing his former assistant, he had plans for Tsuna and he was pushing her into becoming an unwitting tool in his schemes. Where exactly did the redhead fit in and up to what extent would she be used were things only the ghostly plotter himself knew, but at the very least, Vento wanted to make sure that things would not go overboard. Frederick always did have a lack for temperance and was prone to setting into motion one extreme plan after the other. The scholar resumed his train of thought and spoke once more, inadvertently addressing Tsuna’s inner turmoil as of the moment. “Day after day, you tended to my needs without being recompensed; unnoticed and unrecognized, yet you did so without question. I have no idea what motivated you into such servitude when there was nothing to be gained, but whatever it was, I plan on remedying that.” Vento continued. “I may not be like you or anyone you know, nor do I want to replace them in your heart for I am only myself and I can only do things that I – as Vento Aureo – can. One of those things is to listen to you if you have something to say, no matter how idiotic or stupid it is. As long as it makes you feel better.” Another sigh escaped his lips as he ended his speech. “So then, Tsuna, what in heaven’s name are you hung up about this time? If you want me to do something, say it with your own words and not using those you fashion just because you do not want to say it out loud. I may not be strong right now, but the least I can do is to make sure no ghosts bother you while you are changing. That is, of course, if you trust me to watch your back while you undress.” |
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| Mariko | Jun 20 2016, 01:41 AM Post #26 |
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Phck.
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The door was closed once more when a hand reached out to undo her hair, the scent similar to a bouquet of fragrant flowers filling up the small place as her soft vermillion locks cascaded over the sides of her face. Vento's current approach was unbelievably gentler than his previous ones. He was quite being out of his character, based on how the heiress knew of him. It wasn't to say that the lack of savagery in his actions was awful; Tsuna was not complaining after all. It was just... different... Albeit he still chose to use two words reminiscent of that night in the forest. Tool. Precious tool. He had been saying those quite often, and to be honest, hearing it from Vento that particular moment did not help Tsuna in any way. From being called 'his woman' and then a 'precious tool', the heiress once more doubted the previous realization she had together with another burden adding up on her chest. Was she really just a tool, and thus, dispensable? To her mind, Vento was being inconsistent of what he claims the girl was to him, just when she thought she was the only one confused where to fit the ravenhead in her little circle. There were now three things that demanded to be looked over: her blooming dependency,her confusing feelings for him, and what she really was for the scholar. Amid the weight in her head and chest, something slipped off his lips that made the heiress raise her head and look at him surprised. Did he just really addressed her fear of him having to replace her devotion to Daiki? Vento's claim that he was able to read her like an open book seemed to be the truth and not just a part of a string of words to force her to speak. In just a short while he managed to deconstruct Tsuna's behavior to quickly deduce that a handful of issues were bothering her that perhaps aided him to partly answer it before she even say a word. There was really no use of hiding anything to this guy. Especially when her gaze met his. His crimson eyes was drawing her to reveal more. Fine then. Tsuna closed her eyes and lightly shook her head, a sigh escaping her lips which would quickly be a give away of how much internal struggle she was facing, may it be necessary bout or not to the scholar's eyes it did not matter. Having decided which one to tell him, she had her azure orbs cast on Vento. "Do you really want to know? Alright," she lightly bit her lower lip for a second trying to shrug off the hesitation before resuming, "I... I shouldn't be depending on you too much. Lately when I'm in trouble I always just... call your name... go to you... ask you for help... when before I know I can somewhat manage things on my own... not to a perfect extent as you do, but still... and I'm afraid I would get so used to this. I shouldn't... I shouldn't do that. I've depended on Daiki all my life, even in his passing I did things I thought he would do or want me to do. He finds pleasure in that, and if I suddenly.... suddenly sway and rely on you... it might disappoint him. I know he is disappointed already because I'm here, standing in front of you, as Tsuna, in complete disobedience to his words. But it isn't your fault. I know it is my fault." When she had planned to only let Vento know that single issue, it seemed that her lips had a much more brilliant idea. "But why am I like this to you?" she continued, pouring out more of her emotions, "I'm not even sure why I'm running to you. Right now I'm not sure why I did everything I did, why I attended to your needs. Heck, I could just let you die of starvation inside your room but I don't have the heart to do that..." the leash on her thoughts was decaying in an increased rate she could not stop talking, "I know I told you we're friends, but it felt it doesn't fit. It was like it's more than that but less than it as well. I just find pleasure serving you. I am happy when I see you. My brain plays tricks on me when I don't. Do you even know how many times I dreamt of you scolding me for my stupidity when you were having the time of your life inside your hotel room? Darn it! I worry of you too much. I'm too concerned of your well being that I'm scaring myself at times, prodding me to do more of this... silliness... whatever it is I am doing. I am just drawn to you for no reason, and it hurts my brain. I dislike it whenever I hear from you that I'm your tool, but in the same time it assures me I am something, when I don't really know what you are to me. I hate it when people try to hurt you or attempt to, I hate it too much that I could kill anyone and anything. When I was told that pig died, I didn't feel any remorse when normally I would be guilt tripping by now. He deserves it because he insulted you, he tried to hurt you. Argh, what am I even doing?" Tsuna rubbed her forehead vigorously, pausing for a while to catch her breath. "You know what's the worst?" Tsuna dropped her shoulder, "I don't even mind undressing in front of you. Hell, did I even feel ashamed when we were venturing Genie's Lamp with me just in chest binders and pants?" During that assignment, the redhead's shirt housed the bits and pieces of Vento's severed right arm, forcing her to finish Genie's Lamp almost half-naked, the chest binder was the only one covering her fleshy mounds. She carried it as they walk pass the magical traps that lost their powers for an unknown reason in their presence. When the girl was given her salary and learned she could not leave the hotel, she phoned in a known taxidermist to reconstruct, clean and stuff the field researcher's arm. It ate up more than half of her pay, but for some reason she felt the need to have Vento's arm in her possession. Tsuna started undressing as she continued with her rant, letting Vento see her only in a pair of magnolia-colored lace lingerie, the curves of her body screaming for attention despite the fact that several bluish and greenish bruises, which were inscriptions on her body to narrate that rough day at Lavender Forest, aesthetically marred her form. If she would turn, her back was more of a disaster --- a bruise as thick as Vento's arm, as it was from Vento's arms when he tried to make her pass out on their first meeting, could be seen along with several small shallow cuts thanks again to that nightmare with his former assistant. "I wasn't this much comfortable ever since Daiki left me!" she exclaimed while taking the dress out of the hanger, "Do you not understand how much that hurts my brain? I don't understand a thing at all. This isn't right, having myself changing in front of you ----" she carefully wore a high-waisted pleated dress with a cute bow knot on collar. "And what's with that thing you did earlier in the hotel? You're confusing me. You said before we are equals, then you said I'm your woman, and now your tool?" Her fingers run through her hair, combing it until neat. Out of the blue Tsuna asked, "what do you think?" referring to how she looked in the dress. The change was sudden as if she wasn't pouring out her heart earlier... it was an innocent query in a light mood. "It's a pretty dress, isn't it?" ---- Dress
Edited by Mariko, Jun 20 2016, 02:24 AM.
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| heiner777 | Jun 20 2016, 06:59 AM Post #27 |
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"Sapientia Sola Libertas Est"
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Intently listening to her every word, Vento examined Tsuna’s sentiments word per word as well as the wide spectrum of emotions she had displayed when she proved one point after another so as to add emphasis to her two main points: first, her conflicting sentiments on her seeming dependency on Vento; and second, her inability place whatever relationship they had within a definite line since it was too complicated to even try to do so, mostly because of the mixed signals he gave off which threw off every attempt to classify whatever acts he did. At first, she explained how she felt like she depended on him too much and even admitted to the fact that she somewhat harbored a taboo desire to regard him as a substitute for Daiki, whom he just came to know as having passed on due to the heiress’ ambiguous explanation of her circumstances back in that shabby hotel room where they first shared an ‘intimate’ experience, if it could even be called that. It was, at best, a strange ‘getting to know you’ phase that ended up more like a cheesy afternoon soap opera episode more than anything. Continuing with her mental stride, the teen thereon moved to her own misperceptions with regard to her feelings for the scholar. She was confused of how she regarded him as important, how she somehow looked forward to him berating her, the teenager’s seemingly obsessive desire to please and serve him regardless of his actions towards her, and even right down to a feeling of uncontrollable and murderous rage whenever she saw him being hurt or abused. Despite how it tried to present Tsuna’s situation in a sympathetic light, it only managed to paint a picture of Tsuna as a loyal dog trying to earn her owner’s affection, even more so considering that she had a strong martyrdom complex which she had displayed time and time again that practically made her a seemingly constant companion through and through. She finally ended with a question as to what he meant when he referred to her as an ‘equal’, ‘his woman’, and a ‘precious tool’, and thereafter lightheartedly asked what he thought of her dress in a sudden mood swing. However, this was not before she stripped down to her lace underwear which showcased her bruised, yet magnificent body, effectively stirring Vento’s loins with prurient desire. Her body was a stunning vision of ivory nakedness that was pleasantly juxtaposed by the fire of her vermilion that snaked across the contours of her lithe frame, with every part complimenting the entirety of her being. His lust for Tsuna grew even more as soon as she put on her newest garb – a cherry-toned pleated dress that accentuated her peerless physique as if the dress was made specifically for her. In a similar turnabout fashion, Vento moved from the heavy subject of their tete a tete into an unabashed critique of her choice. “Yes, it is pretty, but the one wearing it is much prettier, I believe,” he said as-a-matter-of-factly with a straight expression. “If anything, it makes me want to strip you down and take your body for myself even more than your dress before. It is annoying how every proper article of clothing you wear seems to suit you so well and makes you even more stunning than you already are. Why not try something a bit risqué? I usually have no problem ignoring indecently-dressed whores when I am out alone.” After his assessment, the raven-haired researcher just as easily shifted back to their main topic of discussion and proceeded to address Tsuna’s queries methodically and purposefully with a response that was equally honest, if not even more so since the lady only deserved that much for being true to herself and to Vento when she was asked a question. He did not want to disappoint. He started. “Going back to the subject matter at hand, well, I personally believe that there is a difference between dependency and asking for assistance. Being dependent pertains to the fact that you allow another to dictate every aspect of your life and control your actions through their own; asking for assistance, however, simply means that you acknowledge that there are things that you cannot do on your own and you simply require some manner of aid to get you back rolling again,” explained Vento. “What you are doing is merely asking assistance from me whenever you feel like you cannot do things on your own; otherwise, you did things on your own not because I asked you to, but because you wanted to – that in itself is independence. So no, I do not think you are dependent on me; all this time, you have always acted on your own.” Vento moved on to address her second query as to where she stood with him. It was a much trickier question to answer since even he himself had no idea as to how to view her as, but that would not stop him from trying his best to do so. She was neither a friend, but at the same time more than that; a tool both useful and useless, depending on the situation. If anything, it was a good opportunity to sort his feelings out in as much as he helped Tsuna out with hers. “As for how I view you, it is a simple matter of taking things into context as all the words I use to refer to you are the truth. As a colleague, I do consider you as an equal; as your date for the day, I do consider you my woman in as much as you consider me your man; and as a researcher, I do consider you my precious tool. In short, they may sound differently, but in the end, I guess what it actually means is that I like you… I guess?” explained the scholar, ending with an introspective question to explore the idea further. “Well, it is not to say that I like you outright; how you make me feel is complicated. For example, I can allow myself to hate you to the depths of my being, but I also consider you a precious and irreplaceable treasure. I can even bring myself despise your existence, but I also feel like a world without your presence is not one where I can bear to live in now that I met you,” explained the scholar. “Think of your status as like my favorite article of clothing; while I can continue to function while wearing different kinds of clothes, there is something special about that one garb that makes me feel complete – something like that. Thus, to me, you are like a person’s best friend and his worst enemy at the same time… probably.” Vento lowered his head and grunted, hoping Tsuna would accept it. “I guess that pretty much explains it...” Edited by heiner777, Jun 20 2016, 07:16 AM.
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| Mariko | Jun 20 2016, 02:56 PM Post #28 |
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Phck.
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It felt good letting it all out. Maybe she should indeed try to be more honest and open more often, the experience was liberating, aside from it saved her a lot of energy. Maybe not. Despite the words used in the commentary were laced with libidinous longing, the way how Vento uttered syllable by syllable with a prosaic vibe and a face bereft of any emotions made the whole thought less offensive to the ears and more flattering, or that was the reception of the red-haired young woman who could be biased because of the inexplicable ties she had with him. The same straightforward approach made it somewhat sincere, that he was not toying with her feelings through words so as to score a nookie but was merely giving his shameless review. If the words were not convincing enough, a quick scan on his physique would reveal the honesty. However, the heiress who had been used to wearing proper and chic dresses most of her life cringed at the thought that she would wear a too revealing ensemble as what the scholar suggested, which was aimed to quell the young man's thirst prompting him to focus on his work and not on the redhead's allure. It was quite inconceivable that what turns an ordinary man on ---- the flagrant showcasing of cleavages, rears, and skin ---- was the same thing the scholar had no interest with. Based on what Tsuna knew about men, it was rare for this gender and there was just a diminutive percentage of men who shared the same preference as Vento. Even if it would help the researcher as he would get less distracted when she would be in the said suit, Tsuna just could not bear to see herself wearing those. Indecent garments just lacked class, and it would never help showcasing a woman's true beauty or worth. Besides, men usually would not take a woman seriously if she was in such an attire. They would play with their bodies clad with little to no fabric and fragile hearts, and sadly sooner would be shelved when they were bored. Tsuna knew better; she was more than just a pasttime. Despite the urge to undress and change as she was hearing faint voices on the other side of the door expressing their wonder what was taking them too long, Tsuna held back and listened to the teen researcher with undivided attention. Vento enlightened the teen heiress between the difference of dependency and asking for assistance. One bore control from the dominant party, the other was a humbling realization that everyone had weaknesses and needed one another to survive. To his eyes the teen was merely asking for assistance, and her actions would not tantamount to dependency. Somehow it relieved Tsuna but in the same time the thought that her brother was being a 'dictator' bothered her. There was a voice inside her denying it, but whether it was true or not it wouldn't bring the dead back and thus, there was no point of pondering on it. Yet, she was still quite guilty for reneging from his words. Continuing, the young lady's eyes widened in disbelief when it dawned to her that somehow they were having the same issues, with slight differences. Comparing their confused thoughts, Vento's seemed to keep it systematic ---- an organized clutter, if it actually made any sense --- which was the exact opposite of Tsuna's. Moreover, his was a tug-of-war between opposites: the fact that she was a useful yet useless tool, the existence of hatred and longing, etc., while Tsuna's delved more on the why's. While the girl in her outburst did not find any resolution except for the liberating sensation within her chest, Vento on the other hand, with his methodical deconstruction of his own feelings towards Tsuna, came up with an answer which perhaps sorted out everything in his head: he liked her. Even if prior to this she had already a hint, which she dismissed several times whenever he would do an action that contravened this idea, it was still a surprise to hear it straight for him. The man who said emotions were unnecessary was liking someone, and of all people, it was his opposite --- an overly emotional and irredeemably stupid girl. The teen's cheeks turned red as she could sense her heartbeat increasing once again. Tsuna just stared at Vento for a good while as he put his head down, unable to figure out what she should do or say. She had received a lot of confessions before, but this one, even if anticipated, bore more 'gravity'. Yet, the gravity of it did not remove another reality that there was still vagueness and uncertainty. It cannot be helped since it had been just a week. And the girl kind of overlooked it. Then she thought... why did she not consider that perhaps she liked him that was why she was burdening herself with all the work and worry? It did not cross her mind that it was what she was really feeling, because despite all other relationships she had the heiress never liked anyone in return, thus she had no idea how exactly that felt. Stage plays overly romanticized the meaning of 'like' though, and revelations were grander than just confessing inside a cubicle after a ghost encounter. Thinking about it now, fancying him as the reason for all of this was a fitting explanation. Yeah, maybe she indeed liked him, but the two of them were on different levels. However, she opted not to say it yet as Vento might think she was just following his lead and the confession would lack sincerity. "F-fair enough," she blurted in a faux condescending tone. She let her gaze be upon him for some time before sighing loudly, a faint smile could be gleaned on her lips, eyes shining brighter than before. By not doing or saying anything relevant, it could be said that she was bottling it all up again, with reasons as stated above. She turned her back and started undressing once again to wear her previous clothes. "I don't wear slutty clothes. I'll rather be dead." Edited by Mariko, Jun 20 2016, 03:18 PM.
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| heiner777 | Jun 21 2016, 03:45 AM Post #29 |
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"Sapientia Sola Libertas Est"
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Vento groaned in bitter acceptance since he could not very well force Tsuna into wearing things she did not want, even if it meant that every time he would chance upon her wearing some ravishing new dress or gown, he would lust over her elegant allure and sensual sophistication. He would just have to learn how to work with a constant erection each time he would bring Tsuna along. “Well then, that is that,” he said, standing up from his seat to head to the changing room door with the intention of going out. “I will just be waiting outside then while you finish up here. The attendants are getting suspicious,” Vento explained before walking out completely, “and more importantly, if I see you in a dress one more time, I might just pull you down to the floor and have you all to myself.” The young man walked out of the changing room into the stares of the male and female attendants, some of whom brandished mischievous smiles as if they knew exactly what had taken them so long. They wordlessly summed up the situation and thought of how perverted both parties must be to do it in public where just about anyone can catch them in the act of fulfilling their roles into each other’s bodies. They did not judge, however; Poinsettia was not called the city of dreams for nothing. Every fantasy and wish can come true within its streets so long as one had the money and the will to make it happen. “How did the fitting go, sir? Was your companion okay? We were worried,” one of the female attendants asked with a smile that feigned ignorance of the hot and steamy action that supposedly went on inside. Seeing the spark of mischief etched on her lips, Vento decided to humor her graces in proper Poinsettia manner. “Yes, it was a tight fit, but I managed to get her into it,” said Vento with stone-faced countenance then gave the servicewoman a black debit card from the Clover Town Bank. “Charge everything there; call me if my companion has finished up with her shopping.” With that, along with the pleasant surprise from the attendant in question who saw their two latest customers as the high-roller types, Vento left with his thoughts and went outside the store to wait for Tsuna to finish. As soon as he stepped out into the hustle and bustle of Poinsettia’s famous Unicorn Marketplace, he was once more greeted by the smell of coffee, pastries, and roasted meat. Instantly, he got hungry, as due to one man’s devious little ploy, both he and Tsuna’s breakfasts were ruined and neither of them managed to finish their respective orders. Yearning to satisfy the grumbling in his stomach, Vento wandered about the street until he chanced upon a kiosk that sold Oriental dishes like dumplings and noodles, and partnered the viands with a wide variety of iced teas and other drinks. The young man’s mouth watered and he instantly and quickly ordered the nine-piece jumbo dumpling special and a cold can of gray tea for himself while he ordered sweet and sour noodles with fried crab meat and shrimp bits with a bottle of water for Tsuna. He did not want their snack to be particularly heavy since Vento wanted to treat his date for the day in a restaurant that was as refined in her taste in clothing. Still, ambience was just icing on top of the cake; in truth, wherever one may go in Poinsettia, even the smallest stall can still serve up a dish on par with any high-class cuisine in the whole of Fiore. While he was waiting for his and Tsuna’s orders to be filled, a few members from Blue Pegasus came through the area with unusually serious tones. They nearly impossible not to miss – the squealing of legions of their fans heralded their arrival. “Did you hear about what happened to those three that just reported in yesterday?” one guild member inquired, sparking up a serious conversation with the others. “I heard they were on their way back after their mission at Snap-Dragon Creek. They were attacked by some thugs and got their butts handed to them. They even took Vert.” Vento’s ears sprang up from the tidbit of information that just passed him. He knew that he had no right to eavesdrop on a matter he deemed to be for guild members only, but the facts coincided with those men whom they chanced upon several days ago since he still remembered their simple conversation, their mission at the mentioned place, and most importantly, the familiar name he had heard only once as that which belonged to the green-haired man when he was chastised by his comrade. The men continued their conversation-in-passing. “Vert?! That is impossible; he is the strongest in their team! What about the others? What happened to them?” one quipped. “They are staying at Blue Creek Hospital in critical condition. It seemed like they barely made it out alive of there. Whoever attacked them knew exactly how to take them down.” All of the men in attendance were shocked, unable to comprehend the monsters who managed to take down one of their strongest teams and leave two of them in a near-death state. They muttered something about ghosts and demons or some such, prompting Vento to almost jump in to inquire further. He held his tongue instead, grimly satisfied that he managed to obtain some interesting bits of information on-the-fly. He would examine it later, but now, his date with Tsuna held more importance as an appointment that was penned it at an earlier time. Order needs to be maintained since he had no mission to put precedence upon; haste – after all – makes waste. Once done with their respective orders, Vento paid the store owner his dues, took their food, and went back to Hot Culture to wait for Tsuna to finish and give her share of the snack after she finally came out. |
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| Mariko | Jun 21 2016, 06:50 AM Post #30 |
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Phck.
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"--- and more importantly, if I see you in a dress one more time, I might just pull you down to the floor and have you all to myself.” "But you never and will never hear me complain about it," Tsuna, who was starting to put on her top, quickly retorted in a manner that was meant to slightly tease Vento who was about to leave the fitting room. Thereafter she smacked herself in the head for saying those words without thinking: yeah she did not tell him she liked him as well, perhaps, but with all of these indirect words and knowing how sharp his mind was it was not impossible that sooner or later he would have a hint, and how or when she would finally tell it to him would be spoiled. For some reason it was harder to control her mouth from uttering nonsense now knowing how he viewed her, and what he could be to her. Perhaps the girl needed to practice keeping her mouth shut more often --- or Vento could help with that by keeping her lips busy. Though how he would do it would entirely depend on his fancy. As she was fixing her garments in front of the mirror, thankfully the fear of it subsided thanks to the scholar's presence earlier, her brain kept on harassing her by replaying on her head the bitter grunt that escaped the man's lips when she mentioned that she would never wear racy clothes and surrendered to her without pulling a verbal spat or pressing his dominance over her, since even if they had mutual feelings for each other he was still her boss. Guilt started to become a drag that weighted down her chest. She rubbed half of her visage as she sighed, who could have thought clothes shopping would be this much of a headache? Finally coming up with something that would serve as a middle ground for the two of them, she dropped her shoulders and from within the room called the fitting room attendant who promptly heed her call. Tsuna tilted her head when the woman came in with a mischievous smile on her face --- as if telling her she knew something that Tsuna did not know, or Tsuna did not know she knew. In fact, the heiress of the Kushinada household was oblivious of the fact that people outside the fitting room thought that what took them so long was because they were having some steamy sexy time. "Oh, is there anything wrong ma'am? Were you not satisfied?" Clueless of what the attendant was saying Tsuna, whose brows were furrowed, blurted out without any intention of putting color on her words, "It's great actually even if it's quite large for me." She was referring to the dress, when the woman thought she was referring to Vento's size, "Though I think people would not really notice that it's not my size. I mean, looks can be deceiving." This earned a suppressed squeal from the other woman, who was starting to imagine the scholar naked. Oh, if Tsuna only knew of this she would have stabbed the girl right then and there with the heel of her shoes. "What?" she blinked profusely in reaction to the suppressed squealing. "Oh nevermind..." The heiress gave the attendant the cherry-colored pleated attire and asked to get her a few items, along with other instructions. The other woman acceeded, but before leaving Tsuna behind she giggled and gave her an unsolicited advice, "Ma'am, being on top works when his baby arm is a full grown adult." "Wait --- What --- what?" The door was shut, leaving Tsuna, who was seated in the comfortable cushioned seat provided in the fitting room, confused of what was happening. Just when she was about to draw out thoughts, her head suddenly throbbed, yet still manageable compared to the one she felt earlier. The maiden rubbed her forehead and cursed under her breath knowing fully well what this meant. "Where do you think you're going, Vento?" After two minutes that felt like an hour, the woman with lewd thoughts came back with the clothes placed in a neat and taut paper bag. The attendant handed her Vento's debit card as well. All of these and the dress were already paid using his account, much to the heiress' surprise --- which just made her head hurt more. Left on her own again, the redhead swiftly changed attire and then left the area after inquiring the ladies where her partner went, only to find herself standing in front of Hot Culture without a glimpse of the ravenhead. Now clad in a loose black statement shirt which said 'Y So Srs' in red spooky / horror-type font, underneath of which was a chest binder constricting the evidence of her femininity, taper-cut dark denim pants and a pair of rubber shoes while her hair was hidden under a beanie, the ensemble making her look like an effeminate guy once again, the girl waited outside the boutique while watching the bustling city life hoping nothing bad happened with the researcher. With almost everyone knowing that he finished the Genie's Lamp it would not be impossible that people who were envious of this achievement might ploy something against him. If it involved something with magic, to Tsuna's mind the man would be doomed. The thought of danger made the girl feel more uneasy. Then, the battery on her head drastically decreased in intensity. Eyes roaming on the streets, she finally caught glimpse of the man she was looking for, relieved to see he was safe. "Where did you go?" Tsuna asked while feigning annoyance. Her palm was pressing her temple even if the throbbing pain came to a full stop already once he was standing a few steps away from her, while she had the other on her waist to completely achieve the 'woman-with-zero-patience' vibe. "I know you went somewhere because my head hurt. It always does lately when we're apart, so I do feel before I know about it. I've been waiting here for two minutes and twenty two seconds, and it sucks to miss you for that long, don't you understand that? Tchn, and I thought you're intelligent," she lightly shook her head before dropping the whole facade with an endearing smile. In case Vento would close the gap between them, the lady would whip out his debit card from one of the jean's pockets and return it to him. Noticing the items in his person, the redhead playfully taunted, "oh why didn't you buy butterbeer? Scared that someone might chug it and then push the liquid straight to your throat?" Edited by Mariko, Jun 21 2016, 07:09 AM.
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4:47 PM Jul 13
