soul_logs | ╰☆╮ ( CLOSED ) could it be that i played the game

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╰☆╮ ( CLOSED ) could it be that i played the game

Characters: Lucy Heartfilia and Sougo Okita.
Location: Some street! ... I am so good at this. Can you tell? [deadcat]
Rating: SM. Interpret that as you wish!
Time: Sometime during the Invasion; will update with specifics later.

Chaotic would have been an understatement to the current state of affairs in Death City. There were several, undeniable issues that were made genuinely more evident with each and every ongoing invasion. Each weighing more heavily than the first, and the shouldered collectivism of the entire farce caused her to a fair amount of discomfort and fatigue. However, though she was fully aware that she lacked the power and a partner to make a huge difference in the current events, she couldn’t dismiss the desire she had to protect others. Not to mention, the simple and slender desire to confirm the immediate safety of those within her tightly knit circle.

Sougo, naturally, was no exception to that rule, and was no stranger to her priorities. Though, with the madness that had permeated the atmosphere, her head was still swimming; fogging up her mentally established to-do list. Closing her eyes, she gives herself a moment to breath. A clean inhalation and exhalation of air. She wouldn't forgive herself if she fell victim to something like this. After all, she had her guild mates and friends to support her. That's all that was necessary. Her brows furrowing slightly, she mutes her stray thoughts almost instantaneously.

With a hand wrapped firmly around her temporary weapon of choice, she focused on the road ahead of her. It was latent with possible troubles, but she couldn’t allow herself to focus too heavily on those possibilities. After all, she had resigned herself to this task and she refused with the entirety of her dignity and pride that she would not retract her resolve. With more determination than ever, she sets out to move, her strides only managing to gradually come to a halt when a familiar figure is captured in her peripherals.

With a loud voice, she immediately calls out after him, “Sougo! I was looking for you!” Though, her voice contained a lot of volume, it did little to hinder the sounds of concern that were genuinely laced in her voice. Stepping in closer, her eyes are watchful and vigilant as they roam over his form, checking for signs of exterior injuries.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The morning had been active. Too active for Sougo's liking. In the midst of it there had been betrayal he didn't even have time to deal with and mayo...which he never WANTED time to deal with, but the important thing was they (the Shinsengumi) fought and fended off a good majority of the creatures. They kept their commander safe above all else, but something that never left the back of Okita's mind even in the heat of battle was finding her, getting to Lucy.

So once things became a bit more controlled, Sougo managed to get his hands on a real sword and parted ways from the Shinsengumi. It was reckless, stupid -- but he left her once and he wasn't losing her again. These things weren't kishin eggs and Sougo felt more at ease with a non-living weapon at the moment, slashing, slicing -- becoming a whirlwind of deadly movement as he beheaded and fatally wounded creatures and zombies in his path.

He was coated in blood, very little of it was his own, but although uninjured he was wearing down as the fights went on -- losing his stamina. Only sheer determination pulled him through the last few enemies. Sougo stood there, catching his breath after his latest kill -- and then he heard her voice, craning his neck in Lucy's direction. He spared her a weak smile before setting his attention straight ahead to make sure there were no enemies following or within sight.

"Lucy..." his tone was almost relieved before he asked: "Aren't your clothes supposed to be half torn off by now?"

From a distance, her eyes didn’t capture the entire image of his visage, it was only upon closer arrival that she noted the details. Particularly of the blood that adorned his clothes. Though, visibly, she could infer that a majority of it wasn’t his own, she can’t help but to downcast her eyes awkwardly. Just what did he have to go through? Could he even be considered all right? What was he even feeling or thinking? Though, she wasn’t an expert, his posture said more than enough. He appeared physically tired, perhaps even mentally, but she couldn’t entirely interpret that yet. Though, she strained to do so, regardless.

But, seeing as how she was never proficient enough to mask even the most subdued of her emotions, the distress and unease of trying to see through him easily touches upon her facial features. As she closes the distance between them, she hesitates slightly, still perturbed with the immense sight of blood. Even if it was necessary—“I—“

Then he said his piece and her expression flips, doing a complete 180. “J-just what are you suggesting is supposed to happen when I fight?” Not that it’s inaccurate, but hey. Still relieved, she reaches out towards him to brush some of the red flecks off of his cheek. “You’re safe.”

"Fanservice," he replied simply to her mild freakout.

But he found his target, hadn't he? So this was a mission accomplished. Or at the least, a mission accomplished part way. Lucy was alive, but he had to get her to safety. The communal seemed so far away with so many enemies standing between there and them. He could only fight, though -- fight to the death to protect what was most important to him.

His sword lowered arm sagged, the tip of his blade scraping the ground as he brought his free arm forward to reach out for her, pull her flush against him and dip his head to brush a light kiss over her lips. It was brief, but he at least wanted to get one more in. You know, just in case. He let the it linger for a few seconds -- just long enough for Sougo to bring out the familiar chain and collar (where he kept it, who knew), sliding it on Lucy and securing it in place.

He wrapped the chain around his wrist a few times, ensuring that it was taut and without flaw. "I'm not letting go of you unless I have to -- so don't leave my side. I'll keep you safe. I promise."

Fanservice?! Lucy was unsure of the definite meaning behind the word, but she’s fairly certain that being left in the dark was the preferable option. However, before she could even attempt to completely process his response, she’s pulled towards him in a single, quick motion.

Her foot skitters slightly against the gravel and she repositions it absent-mindedly. There’s mild shock evident in her features and it’s made even more obvious in the immediate stiffening of her shoulder and her quick, almost jolted inhalation of air. However, the entire notion is not unwelcomed in the least. Rather, she had come to appreciate it. Her cheeks flush upon lip to lip contact, her head unintentionally pressing on closer. However, despite the butterflies in her stomach, she soldiers through with zero intentions of retracting or pulling away. Her eyes close obediently and remain that way until Sougo pulls away completely.

Though, the lack of squawking on her end may have been uncharacteristic, she couldn’t help but to comply. ... because she didn't want to harbor any regrets. Sougo had left once and though the experience may have been short, she couldn’t deny the message it inevitably engraved on her heart. … Their time together was fleeting and irrepressible. Still blushing she looks up at him with half-lidded eyes, still in the usual aftershock of their intimacy. However, just as she was readying herself to speak, she’s greeted by the usual collar and leash.

… Lucy could only curse her own dropped guard.

“You…! Where did you—How— You're the only one I need protection from!“ There’s a frustrated sound that exits her lips as she reaches over to undo the clasp. “Don’t think I haven’t figured this out.” … cause she sort of didn’t, but hey, at least she’s trying!

"Yeah, yeah," he'd become so used to her complaints by now that it was easy to tune them out. "Don't even think about trying to get loose until we're safe. I'll have to punish you if you do." He tugged her closer and started back in the direction of Casualty Communal. He wasn't sure if the building itself was safe, but it was where the rest of the Shinsengumi currently were, it was where Lucy's teammates probably were, and there were bound to be others. Safety in numbers. And since they didn't have numbers here, a chain and a collar was really the only way Sougo could think of to make sure she didn't get snatched away from him. The ravens were swooping down and lifting people. He didn't know where they were being brought, but he wasn't about to let Lucy become a victim.

"Death City sure went to hell over night, huh?" He walked forward, keeping his sword poised and ready for an attack. Dark eyes narrowed, focused on their surroundings. But even so, even if he was alert and ready for whatever may have come -- he was tired. Exhausted, even. This battle was ongoing and he'd been fighting since the beginning. If only the spider he'd taken control of earlier hadn't gotten killed somewhere along the line. He sure could have used the extra insurance right now.

“Punish me!? It’s not like this is something normal people get used to! I mean, think about it, does this seem like something you should do right upon seeing your girl….f…riend…” She rambles on a little longer before she lets the last letter of her sentence die out on her tongue. While part of this was due to embarrassment, she couldn’t deny the more predominant factor.

Sougo was worn-out and it just became more and more distinct to her.

Though, she had absolutely no intentions of letting him drag her around by the neck (…literally), there’s something about his posture and the weary way that he carried himself that made her unable to reject his usual tactics of sadism. The corners of her mouth tugging downwards, she looks at him through more listless eyes. She can sense his apprehension and distress, whether it showed in his misuse of a collar or not. From this she can’t help a small tinge of guilt from creeping up on her conscious, but seeing as how that could be potentially detrimental to the current (but remote) sense of peace in the situation, she shakes it off.

What can she do to ease him? What words were left to say?

“Yeah, it did, but…” Lucy looks hopeful as she passes him a side-glance, “I don’t believe it’ll remain this way for long. After all, we have our friends." And she believed in their collective strength. That hasn't failed them so far, at least.

"Our friends are pretty useless here in case you haven't noticed," Sougo's words were irritated, and after a moment he realized maybe he was taking it out on her -- the fact that Hitsugaya had partnered up with Gin. He stopped in his tracks, turning around. "Look, I'm sor--" his eyes veered past Lucy to see a few zombies were closing in on them. He gripped her shoulders, moving her behind him and unlinking the chain around his arm just a bit -- enough to give them more slack and allow him more movement without strangling her in the process.

As the undead approached to attack, Okita was swift and deliberate. It took only three lightning fast strikes for three heads to roll. And that was him getting lucky that they didn't put up much resistance. He didn't have it in him to keep a prolonged fight going. Sougo instantly rewrapped the chain and turned back toward the communal, quickening his stride.

"It would just be better if we were all less useless without having a partner. If you even had an inkling of the type of power you had back home, I wouldn't have to even wor--"

It seemed all of his decent-human-being statements were being interrupted today. But this time, it was by a zombie tackle. He hadn't even seen the creature coming and yet it somehow lunged at him, knocking him off his feet and causing him to drop both the chain and the sword in the process.

Lucy releases a sound from her mouth that sounds curiously like dissatisfaction in regard to his first statement. While that may have been true to some extent, she couldn’t stop believing in the power that her guild might have possibly been able to retain. As naïve as it was, she could not dismiss the trust she had built in them, no matter their lack of power or anything else in between. But, before she could express this in return, she hears the “I’m so-“ and is pushed firmly behind him.

And it’s only when Sougo quickly and deliberately slays the zombies that her attention is snapped back to the reality of their surroundings; the ultimate weight of the situation re-dawning itself on her. She was undeniably reassured, perhaps even a little touched by his swift movements to offer her protection, but she was, above all, extremely disappointed in herself and her ability to react in a timely manner. She holds onto the makeshift weapon at her side almost disgracefully. And Sougo’s statement seemed to echo her sentiments exactly; if only, if only, if only. If only she had the power to defend him as well as he had.

Nevertheless, before she can ponder on this more intensely, her peripherals caught sight of a stray zombie. Her throat releases a sound of alarm, one that is too late, however. But, that wasn’t to say it was over. She had an opportunity to beat it. Utilizing as much power as she can muster she grips the steel pipe in her hands tightly and smashes the zombie in the head. It teeters to the side and as if it wasn’t enough, she lunges forward with her leg out and ready, a loud “Lucy kick!” following straight afterwards.

Even if it wasn’t much of a special attack, it did its job and Lucy was immensely grateful for that. “I admit I’m weaker here, but I’m not weak enough to do nothing while you get hurt.” She places her weapon back at her side, dusting her hands off. “Let’s do this together, all right?”

After all, being a ... c-couple was about mutual reliance, right?

.....what.

What did she just do. What was that.

Sougo just stared at Lucy after she landed from her own special attack Lucy kick. He stared at her for the longest moment before a smile broke free on his face and he branched off into an almost uncontrollable laugh.

"That was...the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. Congratulations, Lucy. 'cause I've seen some really weird stuff." He couldn't say his pride didn't take a blow being 'protected' by his girlfriend, but Lucy had spirit. And it was probably one of the reasons he liked her (because he liked to crush people's spirits and all). Slowly, he regained his fallen items -- the sword and the chain (what? Did she think she was getting out of it that easily?) and headed forward. They were close by now -- so close that he jogged to close the distance and subsequently dragged her to the doors, yanking them open and ushering her inside. He was honestly surprised that no one had blocked off the main entrance, but they probably figured people would be returning and blocked their own personal apartments against attacks instead.

And from the sound of it, there were zombies already on the bottom floor of the building. "C'mon..." Sougo let go of the chain in order to take her by the hand and drag her up the steps. Even though he was exhausted, he managed to take all the flights to his floor fairly swiftly -- reaching his apartment in record speed and pulling open the door. He pushed Lucy ahead of himself into the room before slipping in behind her, pulling the door shut, and sliding all the locks into place. Sougo had to lean against it for a few seconds to catch his breath. Eventually exhaustion crept in and he slid down to the floor, legs spread out in front of him.

"I can see your panties from this angle so c'mere," he waved his hand for her to sink down to his level. Sougo was done moving for a little bit, so he expected Lucy to cater to him.

There was a tinge of mirth in her expression as her eyes lock on his, a bit of a hopeful smile finding its way on her lips. However, it’s only when he manages to speak up that she realizes the response she receives is hardly the expected norm (in her opinion, anyway – Lucy kick was a classic, right?).

“H-hey..! Ridiculous is a bit harsh.”… she does get a gold star just for effort, right? Though the previous task wasn’t physical exerting, her nerves are still unsettled. She takes a moment to gather her breath but it all falls in vain as she hears the overly familiar sound of metal clicking in place – the sign of her collar being tugged. Her feet start moving instinctually, her complaints drowned out by the movement of their feet and the sound of the chain dragging against the ground.

Lucy does her best to remain alert, not desiring to loosen her guard or tension in favor of a surprise attack. She follows behind Sougo tightly, generally pleased that the guild marathon preserved some sort of merit in the form of her stamina. They go up the familiar stairs and she can’t help but constantly look back, her eyes weary of the possibility the zombies would follow in pursuit and it’s only when they don’t and they arrived at the security of Sougo’s apartment that she releases a heavy sigh. It was over. For now.

Though, Sougo beats her to the first sentence.

“W-well, you shouldn’t have even been looking!” A self-conscious flush reaches her cheeks as she averts her gaze, her hands reaching to pull her skirt down, but seeing as how that went to no avail, she joins him hastily. Her upper arm grazes against his before she fixes herself in one position; her arms around her knees. Once comfortable, she speaks up, her question being the obvious one: “…. will you be okay?”

His arm moved up, dropping around Lucy's shoulders and relaxing there comfortably. He didn't mind this part -- the closeness, having her there. It filled a small ache in him that he didn't realize he'd been missing ever since leaving his sister behind and going to Edo. But the fact that Lucy still got flushed every time they touched was more than enough reason to do it -- her embarrassment was priceless.

"I'll be fine," he brushed her comment off with a wave of his free hand. "Just earned myself some nice, paid time off via Shibusen for all that overtime." At least, he would once he threatened them. (Either that or he would get thrown in jail -- one or the other). "What were you doing out in that chaos anyway? You should've stuck around inside. Do I have to chain you up at night so you can't go anywhere?"

He thought about this for a moment before canting his head toward her, asking as innocently as possible because it just dawned on him what a good idea this was: "Can I chain you up at night?"

Wow, you look too tired to be waving off her concern, mister!!!! But, she’s more than aware of how futile it’d be to argue against his peculiar misconception of “fine.” (Was this what Elfman candidly called a “man’s pride?”) But, whether it was skewed or not, she was infinitely grateful for his ability to curve the guilt that she had previously been feeling victim towards. Though, Sougo generally had an inexplicable way of functioning, she couldn’t deny the genuine way in which she found herself drawn to it. ... it wouldn't be an overstatement to say she was ... fascinated. It's in this fascination, however, that she finds herself constantly struck in an opaque state; unsure of which route to tread down next.

When she first speaks, it’s quiet, gradually raising volume as she continues; “you’ll really get yourself in trouble one day.” She chastises him lightly, though she can’t deny the natural, but superficial appeal of money or a vacation, but it’s one she avoids contemplating the matter too seriously. After all, it wouldn’t do to get sucked into the slacker’s de-motivational pace. “And isn’t it obvious what I was doing? I was trying to help people.

“They’re always showing people who get hurt or are suffering on the news and through the network and I can’t help but want to make a difference.” Even if the odds were against her. Lucy once again opens her mouth, her lips forming over words mid-sentence before they’re horribly strewn into a series of sounds before – “w-what are you saying!?”

“This is not some….” She struggles for the right vocabulary that could fill in the blank, but is well met with silence and finally a poorly improvised word. “Circus or something!” Curiously, she feels this may have not been the picture-perfect choice of diction, but regardless, it was a done deal. But, what she finds the absolute worst is that she can’t help but to take his words seriously.

Blushing, she inwardly reprimands the discomfort of her beating heart, but seeing as how a method of evading it entirely was lost somewhere in her creation, she instead leaves it to her loud voice to fill the gaps of awkward stillness.

"I don't know. You seem like a freak show to me," he remarked in good humor after her circus comment -- giving her shoulders a weak squeeze. His eyes drifted toward his bed somewhat longingly, but moving there seemed like too much effort. Besides, there were still several zombies on the loose in the complex so although they got a temporary reprieve, it wasn't safe to let their guard down at all. Sleep was out of the question.

He mulled over her words quietly -- prior to the circus comment. Her words about wanting to help people and make a difference because that was exactly the type of person Lucy was -- optimistic, kind-hearted, and heroic (although a little bit ditzy and a whole lot of masochistic.) "How many people do you think you can make a difference to? Let's be reasonable, Lucy. You're pretty useless, don't know how to fight, and don't even have a partner. All you'd wind up doing is causing more trouble if you can't manage to pull something lucky off." He paused, but not long enough for her to explode in between this and his next statement.

"It's selfish of you to need to make a difference to everyone..." he closed his eyes, his words are weary and tired. "Can't you just be happy making a difference to one guy? One guy who might not seem grateful that you put up with him, but really is. One guy who might've forgotten you when he got sent back, but it made him realize he doesn't want to risk losing you again and going out in a battle like that ain't exactly helping? One guy who really doesn't take it well when he loses the things he cares about," he cracked his eye open to peer at her. "That guy's me, by the way."

Her brows furrow slightly as a diminutive look of disapproval makes its way on her features. “Well, it’s not like you’re better…!” Lucy has a curious feeling like she hadn’t entirely evaded his insult, but regardless, her piece was said and she found contentment in that (it has nothing to do with the fact she was shying out by him touching her shoulder, okay?). Though, like most transient things, her feelings readjust itself to a different sight. … Sougo eyes were definitely trailing across the thin spread on his bed, weren’t they?

He needed sleep, but before she could pressure this idea on him by interjecting with her usual complaints, she gets caught up in his next series of words. …. And she can’t help but feel slightly affronted by this. No matter how she slices this, it sounded inquisitively like … he was picking a fight with her. … And the latter half only asserted itself as a confusing factor to the interminably long equation that was Sougo's vagueness. …. Who was he even referring to? Though, he often said a lot of disquieting and potentially problematic things, this may be one of the first times where she lost her entire sight on all forces of conceivable implication. There’s a troubled noise that slips out from her mouth as she tries to mind map the possible meaning behind what he said; unfortunately, it’s to no success.

It’s only at his very last sentence that everything clicks together. And, honestly, it was just like him to concern himself over issues like these…

“… You’re not as smart as you pretend you are.” Smart was an s-word. “Can’t a girl have everything?” she tilts her head, a genuine smile playing on her lips. She brings her arm up, reaching to grasp the hand that held her shoulder and she returns the squeeze. A little late, but it was better than nothing, right? “You won’t lose me and I absolutely won’t lose you. You gave me the key, remember?” A slight pause before a teasing: “Unless, you’re saying you’re unreliable…?”

Sougo's lips set together -- his version of a frown because his expression didn't really change all that much. Even though she was trying to be comforting, it didn't really work out all that well. This could be the last moments they had together if the zombies inconveniently had anything to do with it. (After all, wouldn't it just be plot convenience if they found them there? Sougo already felt like he was signing his death flag.)

His head withered against her shoulder, soaking up the comfort of her presence, "I just don't think life is fair sometimes. There were only two people in the world that I cared about. Kondo-san is one. The other one was my sister. Our parents died when we were still young so she took it upon herself to take care of me. She did nothing for herself and gave me whatever I wanted. So it wasn't fair that she was so sick. It wasn't fair that all I could do was send money back to her to get her to the clinic. And it wasn't fair that she died."

Sougo didn't show any pain over it, but his voice did waver -- it was a wound that hadn't fully healed, no matter how much time had passed. He reached out, collecting the thin chain of her necklace with his free hand and trailing down the length of it to get to the key. "Now I have someone else worth fighting for, but it'll be gone in a moment, Lucy. If BREW sends either of us back, that's it. We don't remember anything, and it's not fair." He held up the key. "This won't make it back with you. And that's the harsh reality. So can you really blame me for wanting to keep you all to myself while we have our time here?"

Knowing that she failed to alleviate his pressing anxieties and possible ongoing apprehensions was a little discouraging, but maybe to some degree she had anticipated it. Comforting a sadist wasn’t such an easy task, she supposed. But, more seriously, she can’t avoid the inevitability of a frown squirming its way into place.

“….” The proper response she planned to implement fall dry on her tongue and the tightening of her throat. The weight on he shoulders reminded her of the constant struggles in Sougo’s life and perhaps the innate pressures and burdens he carried along with him; whether they were verbalized and clearly articulated or not. She knows these words are profoundly distinctive, even without him even defining it as such. Lucy is silent as he speaks, respectfully allowing the stillness of the atmosphere to swallow up and contemplate on its magnitude. In some ways, she could relate. Her mother died young and she can’t deny the fondness she had for her and how akin they really were.

She senses this deep-rooted and all-inclusive respect in Sougo’s feelings for his sister as well.

But, she’s fairly certain by the way he described her that the feelings were more than mutual. His sister loved him in the same manner and somehow placing these thoughts together, tears build up and glaze over her eyes. She closes her eyes, bringing her hand back to her face to rub them. As his fingers trace the chain on her necklace, she calls him, “Sougo,” her voice is soft and full of affection. “It’s unfair, but…

“I don’t believe things will end so easily.” With her tears wiped clean, she leans in, reticently planting a chaste kiss on the crown of his head. She honestly wasn’t sure of her own words, but if they could support him even in the slightest….

He didn't say anything in response because he had nothing positive to say. And weirdly that bothered him because normally Sougo thrived on bringing the negative things to light.

So he chose to initiate a topic change without necessarily using words, lifting his head when her chaste kiss came and intercepting her lips with his own. The hand holding her necklace allowed the chain to slip from his fingers so they could tuck in her hair instead, drawing her close to him like this was some cheesy, shoujo manga where the world around them stopped for a few moments just because they were kissing.

Of course, the moment didn't last long because the world and danger didn't stop around them. There was suddenly a loud bang against the door that jolted his back and caused his attention to quickly snap toward it. His eyes narrowed and he grabbed for his sword again. "Lucy, help me up. We need to pull some furniture over and block off the door."

And he needed to somehow find strength to do this since he couldn't seem to pull off standing on his own. Shit! This was the worst time for fatigue to make him useless.

Naturally, Lucy had her own marvels about this intimate moment and though they were nothing like the “shoujo manga” he thought of or Erza’s “smutty novels,” she supposed they were just as special if not superior. But, of course. Of course. Knowing her luck, they weren’t given the time. She cringes immediately upon hearing the scraping sounds at the door and she resigned herself to continue to do her best.

Lucy stands up, her legs feeling slightly weak from all the running she did prior to the current state of affairs. Despite this, however, she decidedly evades the feeling lethargy, dusting herself off in a swift motion before offering him a hand. She glances around the room. “Should we start by pushing the bed first … or?” Her eyes scan towards the nearest chair and using her foot, she reaches out for it and drags it into her grasp. With this she puts it under the door, wedging it between the handle and the ground. She only hopes it could hold until they could devise a better safe covering.

“Once we’re safe, I owe you one.” A nap that is. That’s the least she could offer, at least once these abrupt threats were tossed out of the way.

He accepted her hand with his free one, pushing the sword into the floor to help drag himself to his feet. He just needed a bit more fight. Just a little more. He may have been at the end of his energy supply right now -- but he could pull something else out. Why was he so weak, though? Sougo never felt this exhausted, this beat up, this...physically drained. And then it dawns on him. His meister ability. He had been pushing it to the limits, using power he wasn't used to having and it damaged him.

He laughed a bit, "Magic..." the sentence was out of the blue and he spared a glance toward her when she wedged the chair under the door. "I used it all up. So how do you recover from that? You'd know, right?" It paid to have a mage girlfriend! Sougo stumbled forward, moving toward the opposite end of a long book shelf. He gestured for Lucy to come over and grab the opposite end.

"The chair should hold temporarily, but we need something more solid. If we put this in front of the door, we'll buy ourselves more time. Maybe we could move to the bathroom for double security, block the door off in there and wait it out. I can drag my pillows and blankets off the bed and it'll be just like having a hangover." He said this like it was supposed to be something exciting and romantic -- passing out at the foot of a toilet.

Sougo’s question comes off a surprise to her, not to a startling degree, but it was an inquiry she never dreamed of receiving. There’s a smile that appears on her lips before a thoughtful pause as she skitters across the room the shelf. She grasps it tightly, signaling with a nod that she had secured the other end. “Well, I don’t think there’s much you can do. Usually magic restores itself after rest and time. There’s only certain types of people who can restore it on their own, but it’s usually due to an external factor.” Like Natsu and his fire, or even when performing a joint magic, but after much secondary consideration, maybe it was the miracle performed by the users themselves. That was a thought.

“I’m ready when you are.” She took in his idea and agreed wholeheartedly (though, admittedly there was an ample amount of (unsure) at his hangover comment). The zombies strength was only in their numbers, they lacked intelligence and their speed hardly met up with theirs so there was that advantage as well. Regardless, if they did make it through, they had the advantage of terrain and weapons. “As long as you don’t start drinking. We wouldn’t a repeat of--”

The day you confessed, but …. how embarrassing. Lucy forcibly shifts her thoughts elsewhere. What was she doing reflecting on that moment at a time like this? … especially with a guy who’s idea of romance was a bathroom party for two.

Well hey. The bathroom has a shower and they can get cleaned up together. Sougo doesn't think it's all that bad of an idea, okay.

But he assisted with the bookshelf as best as he could, shoving it in front of the door and leaning against it for a moment to recuperate. Once he gathered the strength the move again, he snatched his covers off the bed and stopped by the kitchen to pluck up a bag of chips (they could be in there for a while! Food was essential) and guided Lucy into the bathroom. He gestured for her to grab a chair from the kitchen table in passing because his arms were kind of full at the moment.

But with the sound of the banging behind them, he hurried into the bathroom -- dropping the items on the floor near the toilet and waiting for her to enter before he shut the door and locked it. The chair was used the same way as before when Lucy had blocked off the front entrance -- Sougo jammed it up under the knob and let out a breath.

"Alright. That's it. That's all we can do. The rest is all up to how lucky you really are. So don't let me down," he rubbed her head as though for good luck, letting his hand rest atop it to pull her in close and plant a kiss on the side of her hair. Then, he headed toward where the blanket was dropped, spreading it out on the floor.

"In the meantime, we can make out?" It was suggested so-very-innocently.

Now that the shelf was put into place, she goes through the motion of wiping her brow, allowing a fraction of time for relief to settles before going on to the next text. She was arduous in her tasks and was sure to follow directions and keep her eyes locked on the other, being sure to watch his back with vigilance. There was always room for error, after all. Nodding towards him once more she reaches over, grasping the other free chair and dragging it into the bathroom, her feet moving swiftly over the room she slowly became surprisingly familiar with.

“Are you questioning my luck?” she interjects soon after the bathroom door is shut and the safeguard (the chair in this case) is put into place. “It’ll be fine, I can assure it.” And well, if not, she would do her part to protect him as deemed fit and necessary. Lucy finally allows a brief drop in her guard, seeing as how they at least created a safe house, first thing was first- “You should re—

“What! What are you even thinking!!! How could you even suggest something like…” She reaches out her arm to touch the place upon her head before reaching out to grab his, motioning downwards. “R-rest comes first!”

His head hit the blankets with Lucy's forceful push, and he lingered there -- not really putting up much of a fight. "I can't rest." His voice was muffled into the fabric before he turned his head to speak clearly. "Not while they're out there. And especially not if they get through." He eased up onto his arms, slowly sitting upright. Besides, there would be plenty of time to rest if they got killed. Right now, he needed to spend time with her because it could be their last few moments. His hand came up to reach for the back of her head, and he drew it close to his chest, holding her there for a minute.

"I really am glad to have met you," his arms encircled her shoulders and his chin came down to rest atop her crown. "I didn't really have a lot of good going for me, Lucy, so I'm not so sure you're the lucky one." A pause. "I was lucky you gave me a chance." This sure sounded an awful lot like goodbye -- because Sougo would never be this 'nice' otherwise, right? In his mind, they were in here, waiting for the death that would inevitably come. Neither of them had enough strength to ward off an attack and the bathroom left them trapped.

But he was prepared to throw his life away for the task of protecting her. Who knew. Maybe she would be able to live if he did.

She wasn’t used to such cynicism, rather even if she suspected it’d be her last, she’d keep her held up high, no words of “can’t” or “impossible” lining her rose-tinted vision. Perhaps because it was exactly in times like those that she felt what innate amount of valor or heroism was necessary to express; there were no other options but to live. “You can rest…

“Isn’t that all you do on your day off, anyway?” Lucy’s weakly attempt at humor slips out from her lips unceremoniously and dies on her tongue more readily than she has previously anticipated. There’s a pregnant reticence that comes with the suddenness of their contact and the words that came after. Taking them in, she’s more than aware of its implication. Bringing a hand up from the side she reaches over to pinch his cheeks. Both a reminder of her presence and an action that came with the intention of drawing him out from the dark spaces that seemed to confine his mind.

“I’m the one who’s lucky. I always say it, don’t I?” A soft expression graces her features, there’s no curve of her lips, but the feeling remains. “I won’t let you die. And of course, I won’t die either.” Strength always came in times of need, right? At least she’d believe in that, she preferred mysticisms to cold hard logic any day; it’s the base of what being a mage was all about, right?

"Owowowow," he overexaggerated when she grabbed his cheeks and said her part with her usual, enthusiastic optimism. Sougo furrowed his brows. How did he retaliate that? How did he crush her bright burning spirit right now when she sounded so sure and positive they were going to survive this together? He supposed he could allow her to live in the illusion. (Part of him must be going soft).

"Alright, fine," he reluctantly agreed, drawing back and sinking wearily onto the blankets. Sougo scooted so he could rest his head on her lap, laying on his back and looking up at her. "But I think you should at least let me get to second base -- you know, just in case you're wrong. All the way wouldn't hurt anything either, but I know that's a no-go. Maybe third base?"

He always had to push it with Lucy simply because she was so easy to rile up. He didn't actually expect her to agree (he wouldn't argue if she did!) but this was the girl who was stingy with kisses. Psh, her whole ten a day rule. Or was it five? He couldn't remember.

Immediately upon his agreement, her shoulders slump downward slightly, generally pleased by his final agreement. Relief was an understatement and being a mage who’s experienced drainage of magical energy, she knows exactly how detrimental that could be and how exhausted it makes one; both physically and physiologically.

She watches as his head finally recedes into a relaxed position on her lap and though normally Lucy would feel embarrassed, she’s somehow at peace with this--- that is, until he opens his mouth. …. There’s a pattern with these things, she notes.

“Is that the only thing you can think about!? At this rate you won’t even get to 1st base.” …. What were the specifics behind these again? … could they have already reached it? It’s a thought she’s rather not give fuel to. “Just rest!! Geez, every time you say something…”

Sougo looked up at her (it was hard to see her face from this angle, but he did have a good view of her breasts.) "We got to first base way back when we first hooked up. Man, Lucy, get with the times." He fought to keep his eyes open, not just to be defiant, but because he feared if he closed them now, he wouldn't wake up -- that the zombies would get in and Lucy would be helpless. Sougo may have been a lot of horrible things, but he was also old-fashioned and believed that to be a man, you had to protect the things you cared about.

Laying down should have been good enough, why was it such a struggle to stay awake? His eyelids drooped and he started to drift off before promptly jerking himself awake. "You'll wake me up at the first sign of trouble, right? You're not gonna be stupid and take matters into your own hands, are you?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

╰☆╮ ( CLOSED ) could it be that i played the game

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sorry for such a long wait! [dead]

it's always well worth it for your tags my Bijou <3

oh jean..... you know i feel the same except you're always so beautifully fast u///u

nooo not at all. ;A;

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