((Paris Ardennes continued from Rio Bravo))
A bright flame sparked in the darkness and illuminated the igniter in a warm, red glow. He smiled, hazel eyes half lidded and relaxed and lips slightly upturned.
The area was a dark one, surrounded by buildings which formed a sort of maze of the area. It was too late for them to go elsewhere and in the morning they'd find some place more hospitable. Though Zoe was no where to be found, he assured the others that she'd turn up eventually. She probably just got lost somewhere or wanted to be alone. This game was something that caused a necessity for self reflection among many.
He'd been casting a critical eye on both his companions now. Cho was nervous, scared and sad. She expressed frequent regret over the events thus far, mostly Katy. She was breaking down. She wouldn't willingly kill again and she didn't have the stomach for the game. The most merciful thing for her was also the more practical option for him. Once again, everything had aligned as if by Devine providence.
"Poor thing. The murder she committed has really put her on edge," he'd say when alone with Joachim, tracing his finger over the other boy's metal collar. He comforted both, tried to be reassuring and kind. He carried the other's extra gear when needed and was mindful to their needs for water, rest and food, offering them his supplies if they needed them. He'd protect them.
Now was time for sleep and there was a lookout order set up. Cho first, then Paris then Joachim. He set the flaming wood into an old metal trash barrel to provide light and comfort while they slept. Paris went to Joachim on the other side of the room to bid him goodnight.
"Be alert, okay. Try not to sleep too deeply in case something bypasses the guard..... night!"
And so they all settled into either sleep or guard, except one. About an hour into her watch, Paris woke up and sat next to Cho.
"Would you like company?" he whispered.
The Killing Moon
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Ruggahissy
- Posts: 1593
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:13 pm
[Joachim Lovelace, continued from Rio Bravo]
Zoe couldn't be found. Paris told them that she'd eventually return to them, though Joachim had formed some doubts. It irritated him, as it made the spent time with Zoe feel wasted. He never found out what was behind the careful facade of that woman.
Instead he exchanged mystery with tension. Perhaps a good trade. At least something which would fulfill some of Joachim's more special needs.
After Paris bid him goodnight, Joachim rested both his mind and eye on Cho for a while. She was without doubt mentally damaged, unstable and as Joachim laid there, a faint glimmer within him wished she'd snap as soon as possible.
Then he closed his eyes.
Zoe couldn't be found. Paris told them that she'd eventually return to them, though Joachim had formed some doubts. It irritated him, as it made the spent time with Zoe feel wasted. He never found out what was behind the careful facade of that woman.
Instead he exchanged mystery with tension. Perhaps a good trade. At least something which would fulfill some of Joachim's more special needs.
After Paris bid him goodnight, Joachim rested both his mind and eye on Cho for a while. She was without doubt mentally damaged, unstable and as Joachim laid there, a faint glimmer within him wished she'd snap as soon as possible.
Then he closed his eyes.
Gervais Frans Lambotte 
Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern
||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
((Cho continued from the same place as those fellas ^ ))
It shouldn't have been such a big deal to her, but Cho's thoughts kept circulating around Zoe leaving them. Paris had just stated that she the other girl probably only needed some space and would make her way back sooner or later and that was apparently the end of it. Joachim seemed to accept that explanation readily enough; and shouldn't he know? He was the one that had been with Zoe before, and if he wasn't bothered...
Rationality said that anyway. Sunny's gut though, that was twitching, and she was pretty sure that it wasn't entirely due to the crap food they'd been living off. Ever since they'd expanded from two, something had shifted in the dynamic. It wasn't obvious, but several days with one person made her sensitive to changes in behaviour. Though Cho couldn't put a finger on exactly where, Paris had been acting... differently over the past few hours. He definitely didn't interact with Joachim in the same way he had done Cho. They talked without her. Talked without Joachim, too, now and then. Not without Paris though. Always flitting back and forth between the two of them like... thinking about it gave her a headache. They'd stuck together and kept each other alive this long, right? That was worth more than some dumb ill-feeling.
The atmosphere here was no more pleasant than that in the school - nightfall cast the area into darkness, barely illuminated by the flickering, makeshift fire. Lighting a flame in a barrel... it was like some kind of post-apocalyptic scenario, out in the wastes around a detonated nuclear plant, watching for the mutated creatures that would be coming out of the shadows to try and eat them or worse-
Movement. Cho started out of her thoughts, realising guiltily that she'd just been staring into space without really trying to look into the darkness for anything suspicious. Her stomach lurched with fear a moment before she realised it was Paris.
She shifted slightly, shrugging.
"If you're awake I guess... but you should really try and get some sleep..."
It shouldn't have been such a big deal to her, but Cho's thoughts kept circulating around Zoe leaving them. Paris had just stated that she the other girl probably only needed some space and would make her way back sooner or later and that was apparently the end of it. Joachim seemed to accept that explanation readily enough; and shouldn't he know? He was the one that had been with Zoe before, and if he wasn't bothered...
Rationality said that anyway. Sunny's gut though, that was twitching, and she was pretty sure that it wasn't entirely due to the crap food they'd been living off. Ever since they'd expanded from two, something had shifted in the dynamic. It wasn't obvious, but several days with one person made her sensitive to changes in behaviour. Though Cho couldn't put a finger on exactly where, Paris had been acting... differently over the past few hours. He definitely didn't interact with Joachim in the same way he had done Cho. They talked without her. Talked without Joachim, too, now and then. Not without Paris though. Always flitting back and forth between the two of them like... thinking about it gave her a headache. They'd stuck together and kept each other alive this long, right? That was worth more than some dumb ill-feeling.
The atmosphere here was no more pleasant than that in the school - nightfall cast the area into darkness, barely illuminated by the flickering, makeshift fire. Lighting a flame in a barrel... it was like some kind of post-apocalyptic scenario, out in the wastes around a detonated nuclear plant, watching for the mutated creatures that would be coming out of the shadows to try and eat them or worse-
Movement. Cho started out of her thoughts, realising guiltily that she'd just been staring into space without really trying to look into the darkness for anything suspicious. Her stomach lurched with fear a moment before she realised it was Paris.
She shifted slightly, shrugging.
"If you're awake I guess... but you should really try and get some sleep..."
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Ruggahissy
- Posts: 1593
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:13 pm
"It's no trouble at all, really. I'm a light sleeper. I always have been. And I'm happy to keep you company."
He quietly scooted over to where she was and took a seat.
"Listen, Cho," he said quietly.
He'd moved in to a whispering distance and although he was close enough to move just a fraction and be touching her, there was no contact.
"I've been taking some asides to feel out Joachim. I think maybe Zoe knew something we didn't and that's why she's taken such a sudden absence. I didn't want to bring this up during the day because I felt like he was watching us very closely and I did it alone because I didn't want him to be suspicious of you as well if he decided that we needed to be dealt with."
The fire crackled steadily and their shadows flickered against the stone floor as one many limbed creature while he moved in to whisper into her ear.
"I noticed you've been getting more on edge and I think that it's because of him. I feel the same way. He's a killer and though he tried to convince us that we'd be safe with him, I think he only did so because of our weapons. I think he wants them. We should take our leave tonight while he's still sleeping, but there's something I need for you to do."
He lowered his head and his eyes were partially shielded by his hair. He moved his hand and fully extended his long, slender fingers to curl around her hand.
"Grab his bag quietly so we have the extra supplies and we can leave together. He's already become very suspicious of me because of all the questions I asked during the day to feel him out, so it would be a death sentence for me, but he doesn't have any opinions on you. If he sees you he'll think it's you waking him up for his shift."
He closed the distance and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Don't worry. We'll make it out of this. Okay?"
He quietly scooted over to where she was and took a seat.
"Listen, Cho," he said quietly.
He'd moved in to a whispering distance and although he was close enough to move just a fraction and be touching her, there was no contact.
"I've been taking some asides to feel out Joachim. I think maybe Zoe knew something we didn't and that's why she's taken such a sudden absence. I didn't want to bring this up during the day because I felt like he was watching us very closely and I did it alone because I didn't want him to be suspicious of you as well if he decided that we needed to be dealt with."
The fire crackled steadily and their shadows flickered against the stone floor as one many limbed creature while he moved in to whisper into her ear.
"I noticed you've been getting more on edge and I think that it's because of him. I feel the same way. He's a killer and though he tried to convince us that we'd be safe with him, I think he only did so because of our weapons. I think he wants them. We should take our leave tonight while he's still sleeping, but there's something I need for you to do."
He lowered his head and his eyes were partially shielded by his hair. He moved his hand and fully extended his long, slender fingers to curl around her hand.
"Grab his bag quietly so we have the extra supplies and we can leave together. He's already become very suspicious of me because of all the questions I asked during the day to feel him out, so it would be a death sentence for me, but he doesn't have any opinions on you. If he sees you he'll think it's you waking him up for his shift."
He closed the distance and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Don't worry. We'll make it out of this. Okay?"
Cho responded with a little smile and didn't comment further. Company was good, much better than sitting out alone with her thoughts as they wandered along strange paths. Especially Paris. Disquiet about their new travelling arrangements put to the side, he was one of the main reasons that she'd kept it together this long.
There were a few quiet moments, but then Paris spoke up again, serious mode. Instinct told her that this was going to be, one way or another, about what had had her so unsettled earlier.
Turned out that with hunches like hers, Cho should be all set for a day at the races.
Sunny listened quietly, not saying anything, letting Paris finish - more importantly letting herself process all of it. That the slight weird-acting-ness had an explanation was good, the explanation himself was less so. Shit. Joachim had been setting her off a little already and here was the kicker.
Yeah. In this case, best off getting out and getting out fast.
So they could just pack up quietly and-
- apparently not.
Cho hesitated, a slight colour coming to her cheeks as Paris drew away, skin tingling where he'd kissed her.
"I..." she swallowed. "Okay. I agree, I don't trust him either. I'm on board with this but... do we really need to rob him? We'd practically be killing him ourselves."
There were a few quiet moments, but then Paris spoke up again, serious mode. Instinct told her that this was going to be, one way or another, about what had had her so unsettled earlier.
Turned out that with hunches like hers, Cho should be all set for a day at the races.
Sunny listened quietly, not saying anything, letting Paris finish - more importantly letting herself process all of it. That the slight weird-acting-ness had an explanation was good, the explanation himself was less so. Shit. Joachim had been setting her off a little already and here was the kicker.
Yeah. In this case, best off getting out and getting out fast.
So they could just pack up quietly and-
- apparently not.
Cho hesitated, a slight colour coming to her cheeks as Paris drew away, skin tingling where he'd kissed her.
"I..." she swallowed. "Okay. I agree, I don't trust him either. I'm on board with this but... do we really need to rob him? We'd practically be killing him ourselves."
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Ruggahissy
- Posts: 1593
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:13 pm
Paris kept his head down and near her ear, hidden away from Cho. Slowly he moved away, but had the same reassuring half smile that he normally had.
"It'll be for the best. He's already suspicious of us and when he wakes up and sees us gone, he'll come after us anyway. This way, if we take his things we hinder him. Finding more supplies will be his top priority, not us. It's an investment of some danger now to make sure we're safe later. Just do it quickly. It'll be like taking off a bandaid. We can maybe go look for Zoe again after. You'll see. We can make it out."
"It'll be for the best. He's already suspicious of us and when he wakes up and sees us gone, he'll come after us anyway. This way, if we take his things we hinder him. Finding more supplies will be his top priority, not us. It's an investment of some danger now to make sure we're safe later. Just do it quickly. It'll be like taking off a bandaid. We can maybe go look for Zoe again after. You'll see. We can make it out."
Cho shifted again and then let her hands drop to her sides. He had a point. She wasn't sure if it sat one hundred percent well with her to screw someone else over in the name of going that little bit further, but... if they were going to split she didn't want Joachim tailing them either. Not an easy choice, really.
She rubbed her nose a second, before slowly nodding.
Here went nothing.
Sunny stole over to Joachim's sleeping form, taking careful steps, setting each foot down slowly after the other to muffle the sounds. There was his bag right there, leaning down, hand brushing over it...
She rubbed her nose a second, before slowly nodding.
Here went nothing.
Sunny stole over to Joachim's sleeping form, taking careful steps, setting each foot down slowly after the other to muffle the sounds. There was his bag right there, leaning down, hand brushing over it...
Joachim opened his eyes and all he saw was a figure looming over him.
The next part of a second seemed to be unbound by time. It felt as if eternity passed and as if everything was over in less than an instant.
Truth to be told, Joachim had been imagining this scenario for quite some time. First, because he figured that somebody would disturb him in his sleep eventually. Second, because he actually hoped that this situation would arise.
A foolish soul, thinking that they had an advantage over Joachim being suddenly slaughtered by an awakened beast. Yes, that thought pleased him. It was new, it was exciting, it was art.
His art.
The grip around the ballistic knight tightened. And just one little moment later, all the tension that was built up in the past hours was unleashed in the form of a stained piece of metal.
The next part of a second seemed to be unbound by time. It felt as if eternity passed and as if everything was over in less than an instant.
Truth to be told, Joachim had been imagining this scenario for quite some time. First, because he figured that somebody would disturb him in his sleep eventually. Second, because he actually hoped that this situation would arise.
A foolish soul, thinking that they had an advantage over Joachim being suddenly slaughtered by an awakened beast. Yes, that thought pleased him. It was new, it was exciting, it was art.
His art.
The grip around the ballistic knight tightened. And just one little moment later, all the tension that was built up in the past hours was unleashed in the form of a stained piece of metal.
Gervais Frans Lambotte Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern
||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
There was a dull thud and Cho jolted, feeling like she'd been punched.
Her eyes refocused. Joachim was there, Joachim was awake, he'd...
Flickering down. An inch and a half of blade was sticking out of her chest, right side of the ribcage. That wasn't right though, that was-
She straightened and it shifted. Oh jesus fuck the rest of it was in her, in her lung.
Cho looked to Joachim, tried to say something that died before it even made it to her mouth. She couldn't get the breath to talk.
He'd been awake. How could he have been awake, how could he have-
Paris.
Paris had told Joachim. It was a set up.
And she'd fallen for it. The smiles and the reassurances and the-
Fuck.
Cho staggered away, or tried to, willed her legs to work. They were weak, unresponsive. She could hardly feel where she'd been stabbed, which could not in any way be a good thing.
She was crown prince dead.
Sunny tried anyway, and little by little those staggering steps became a loping run as she bolted into the darkness, choking on something that tasted like rust.
Cho wasn't sure how far she got before all the life went out of her legs and she crashed to a stop, falling to her side.
She looked down again. Her shirt was saturated red, stained dark. She coughed and wished she hadn't. There was blood on her lips.
A trembling finger sketched it out on the bare concrete, daubing the message in her own lifeblood.
IT
WAS
PARIS
A moment's consideration, blackness creeping at the edges of her vision.
Cho collapsed onto her message and closed her eyes.
SUNSHINE CHO LEE: DECEASED
Her eyes refocused. Joachim was there, Joachim was awake, he'd...
Flickering down. An inch and a half of blade was sticking out of her chest, right side of the ribcage. That wasn't right though, that was-
She straightened and it shifted. Oh jesus fuck the rest of it was in her, in her lung.
Cho looked to Joachim, tried to say something that died before it even made it to her mouth. She couldn't get the breath to talk.
He'd been awake. How could he have been awake, how could he have-
Paris.
Paris had told Joachim. It was a set up.
And she'd fallen for it. The smiles and the reassurances and the-
Fuck.
Cho staggered away, or tried to, willed her legs to work. They were weak, unresponsive. She could hardly feel where she'd been stabbed, which could not in any way be a good thing.
She was crown prince dead.
Sunny tried anyway, and little by little those staggering steps became a loping run as she bolted into the darkness, choking on something that tasted like rust.
Cho wasn't sure how far she got before all the life went out of her legs and she crashed to a stop, falling to her side.
She looked down again. Her shirt was saturated red, stained dark. She coughed and wished she hadn't. There was blood on her lips.
A trembling finger sketched it out on the bare concrete, daubing the message in her own lifeblood.
IT
WAS
PARIS
A moment's consideration, blackness creeping at the edges of her vision.
Cho collapsed onto her message and closed her eyes.
SUNSHINE CHO LEE: DECEASED
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Ruggahissy
- Posts: 1593
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:13 pm
Paris watched as Joachim saw her and woke up, but averted his eyes to the floor. He heard a wet sound and a female sigh, sort of. It sounded a bit like a sigh. He lifted his head and she stumbled clumsily away.
If only she'd stayed still she would have had a more peaceful death. As it was, she was just making more work for everyone. However, it would be over soon.
Paris blinked sleepily and got up, moving to Joachim.
"Are you alright? What happened?" he murmured.
And as he thought, she didn't get far. He heard her collapse not far away on a stairwell. He got up, and walked over to the source of the noise.
She was indeed, extremely dead. She'd tried to write out that "it" was him. Who knew what "it" could have meant.
"Bye, Cho. You're in a better place. A peaceful place, now."
Without seeming to care much, he walked through her message, smudging it, but not looking down. It was more a careless smudging.
"Well..." he said softly, sitting next to Joachim. "I'm sorry that happened."
If only she'd stayed still she would have had a more peaceful death. As it was, she was just making more work for everyone. However, it would be over soon.
Paris blinked sleepily and got up, moving to Joachim.
"Are you alright? What happened?" he murmured.
And as he thought, she didn't get far. He heard her collapse not far away on a stairwell. He got up, and walked over to the source of the noise.
She was indeed, extremely dead. She'd tried to write out that "it" was him. Who knew what "it" could have meant.
"Bye, Cho. You're in a better place. A peaceful place, now."
Without seeming to care much, he walked through her message, smudging it, but not looking down. It was more a careless smudging.
"Well..." he said softly, sitting next to Joachim. "I'm sorry that happened."
The climax was reached. The point of the most intense tension, passed. All that would await him now was the fading. The deflation. The decay.
The end.
"You were right. This... this was too much for her."
Joachim only regained complete control over his senses and his focus as Paris' sat down next to him. He threw a glance towards where his former companion and most recent kill laid. His whole body was trembling, his breath and heart only slowly returning to their calm state.
Then he closed his eyes and smiled.
"But that's how it works here, no?"
Paris said something about Cho being in a better place, but where she or her soul was now was of little concern to him. Worrying about what Paris would do wasn't something on Joachim's mind either. There was that high, the thrill of taking a life. And Joachim wouldn't let such concern cloud his bliss.
Eventually, sleep overcame him.
[Joachim Lovelace, continued in Schwarze Rosen]
The end.
"You were right. This... this was too much for her."
Joachim only regained complete control over his senses and his focus as Paris' sat down next to him. He threw a glance towards where his former companion and most recent kill laid. His whole body was trembling, his breath and heart only slowly returning to their calm state.
Then he closed his eyes and smiled.
"But that's how it works here, no?"
Paris said something about Cho being in a better place, but where she or her soul was now was of little concern to him. Worrying about what Paris would do wasn't something on Joachim's mind either. There was that high, the thrill of taking a life. And Joachim wouldn't let such concern cloud his bliss.
Eventually, sleep overcame him.
[Joachim Lovelace, continued in Schwarze Rosen]
Gervais Frans Lambotte Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern
||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
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Ruggahissy
- Posts: 1593
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:13 pm
Paris looked down at his own hands as he sat next to Joachim. His hair fell forward a bit, shielding his eyes somewhat from view. The fire cast flickering, unreliable shadows on the boys as they sat. Slowly, Paris put a limp hand on Joachim's shoulder.
"You're right. It was too much."
There was something electric about the point of contact. He could feel Joachim shaking and breathing until both subsided back into relative normalcy. Gradually, Joachim went back to sleep. Paris stayed awake, hand still on the other boy, apparently deep in thought.
He ran his hand up Joachim's arm up to his neck until he felt the metal of his collar. Paris curled his long fingers around the collar and held onto it possessively as Joachim slept.
However, it reminded him of his own bondage. He reached up and touched his own collar with the tips of his digits.
He'd replaced one person with another, but he didn't feel any less lonely. Paris was certain that this was what was best for Cho and so wasn't terribly conflicted over what he'd done, but there was still something that made him feel cold inside. Maybe it was that no number of people would bring back his best friend, or maybe that this situation befell them at all. He wished that there were better ways to be tested, but reminded himself that if it were easy, it wouldn't be a test.
All he could do was remind himself that time makes all things easier. There were some things in his life that he wouldn't ever forget, that he would always carry with him as anger and sadness and regret, but with time he'd not remember them as much. Every day he thought about his father and Sven a little less than the day before.
That was what he wanted. He just wanted to survive more and to remember less. With that, he curled up near Joachim and slept.
((Paris Ardennes continued in Schwarze Rosen)
"You're right. It was too much."
There was something electric about the point of contact. He could feel Joachim shaking and breathing until both subsided back into relative normalcy. Gradually, Joachim went back to sleep. Paris stayed awake, hand still on the other boy, apparently deep in thought.
He ran his hand up Joachim's arm up to his neck until he felt the metal of his collar. Paris curled his long fingers around the collar and held onto it possessively as Joachim slept.
However, it reminded him of his own bondage. He reached up and touched his own collar with the tips of his digits.
He'd replaced one person with another, but he didn't feel any less lonely. Paris was certain that this was what was best for Cho and so wasn't terribly conflicted over what he'd done, but there was still something that made him feel cold inside. Maybe it was that no number of people would bring back his best friend, or maybe that this situation befell them at all. He wished that there were better ways to be tested, but reminded himself that if it were easy, it wouldn't be a test.
All he could do was remind himself that time makes all things easier. There were some things in his life that he wouldn't ever forget, that he would always carry with him as anger and sadness and regret, but with time he'd not remember them as much. Every day he thought about his father and Sven a little less than the day before.
That was what he wanted. He just wanted to survive more and to remember less. With that, he curled up near Joachim and slept.
((Paris Ardennes continued in Schwarze Rosen)