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Take my breath away

Started by Anonymous, May 15, 2005, 07:55:26 PM

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Anonymous

Having finished making their copy for the city archives, the deputies handed Alexander's copy back to him.  It was now tied up with a scarlet cord, and on the end of the scroll rod was a small golden pendant, bearing the seal of the city.  "We have been informed of the nature of the man's death and will not be pursuing an investigation," one of them said.  "Thank you for making our job somewhat easier."  Without further word, he and his companions went into the tavern.

Meekly, Ti'Kuhn ventured to say, "Master--if I may ask--might I be set down?  I--I'm having a little difficulty breathing."  He gave a slightly strained cough.

Anonymous

Alex smirked at Ren's comment and looked over at her.  "Yeah.  It was pretty weak, wasn’t it?" he humored.  He turned back to Tikuhn, returning that military face.  He listened to the boy's reply and then noticed the boy's face.  Alex took the scroll handed to him and heard what the deputy had to say, but paid no attention.  Right now his attention was firmly on Tikuhn and that emotionless look he gave.  Setting him down, he controlled his anger and expression until Tikuhn was on his feet.  He then backhanded Tikun across the cheek, not too hard, but very firmly.  "Don’t you ever make that face again."  He retorted reprimanding him.  "That is not a face I ever want to see on a kid like you ever again! You are not a soldier!" he spoke sternly.  "You're a good kid and you need to be happy, but you also need to grow up a little." Alex continued.  

Neptune's grip tightened on Ren as Alex slapped Tikuhn.  She meeped softly and pressed her cheek into Ren's bosom again as she clung.

Anonymous

Renaki stiffened and glanced away, her lower jaw tensing along with the air around her. She inhaled deeply and barely noticed Neptune there, but her hand clutched even tighter around the leash. She focused on something different, something far away down the road instead of Alex and his new servant. She wouldn't mind going and slapping Alex right now, but she figured it was any of her buisness. But she was quickly going aggitated with him and decided that he wasn't worth her time.

New clothes, bathed, what the fuck more did she want? Nothing. And now, she was growing a bit uncomfortable with Neptune hugging her. She didn't want to be rude to the cat girl so she didn't know what to do beside have an arm loosely around her, a hand gripping the leash with her mind somewhere else.

Yes, that was the best thing to do while she was utterly appalled by Alex. She couldn't help, the air crackling slightly. Ren managed to take a deep breath and remain some composure.

Anonymous

Ti'kuhn winced at the all-too-familiar blow.  The only thing that seemed to be different now was that Alexander didn't seem to hit him quite as hard.  How was he supposed to be happy, he thought, if everything he ever did or said, no matter if he had done anything wrong or not, was responded to with a rod or a horsewhip or a slap across the face, or something else that often left him in pain for days?  He nearly said something out of anger at his new master but thought better of it.  What was this unusual man trying to get across to him?  Did he actually want him to have a mind of his own, or was he just trying to get him to speak out so that he could be punished yet again?  "I apologize for causing offense, Master," he said, still keeping the same expression because he did not know what else to do, or what was expected of him.  He had no clue as to what would cause offense, or what would not, and he had never been allowed to ask--or he would have taken that opportunity to do so.

Anonymous

Hearing Tikuhn's answer, his fist clenched and he closed his eyes, getting frustrated.  He took a deep breath and released it slowly, glaring down at the boy.  He then knelt down slowly, keeping eye contact with him.  He saw that face again and held back.  This wasn’t going to work.  Alex might have to attempt a new approach.  He hated himself inside for hitting Tikuhn, but had to do it for the boy's sake.  Suddenly, he pulled the boy closer to him and wrapped his arms around him and embraced him warmly.  "None of that anymore.  No more making that face." His voice was still firm, but it had some compassion this time.  "This is what you need, isn’t it?" he rubbed a hand up and down Tikuhn's back gently.  "This is how I want you to feel around me.  None of that other bullshit.  If yer gunna be with me, yer gunna have to learn to be treated like family and learn to treat us like family."    He continued, his voice a bit warmer this time.  

Neptune smiled at Alex's warm side, her grip loosening.  She held onto Ren relaxed again and sighed in relief.  Little Neptune hadn't noticed Ren's tension and she looked up at her sweetly and smiled.

Anonymous

Renaki's hazel eyes were suddenly drawn back to Alex, for one reason or another. He constantly surprised her and she really didn't know what to make of this guy. One minute she wanted to belt him and another minute she wanted to smile at him. Would he just make up his mind already? She sighed and dropped her shoulders and slightly shook her head, trying to rid herself of the climbing tension. Fine, fine. Remember, you should care, because you have no reason too. Stop it, Ren, she thought.

Her eyes dropped to the catgirl and she gave a slight smile, trying to muster it up for her. But she was mulling over what she had just witnessed in Alex. This.. guy was going to drive her crazy. She narrowed her eyes on him and just watched him - like he was some foreigner she just couldn't figure out. And in her mind he was. She wanted to just say, bluntly, without restriction, "What the fuck?" But then again, she threw back her head and she just started at the sky, thinking, "Why should I care? I don't know him, I shouldn't get involved, none of my buisness!" But she had this creepin', irkin' feeling that she was already involved and deep in it. Fun.

She sighed and lifted her eyebrows and glanced down at Neptune.

"I've hard my fair share of drama today, have you Neptune?" She asked her softly.

Anonymous

"I--I don't understand, Master," Ti'Kuhn said, his expression becoming a bit more readable.  "How can--how can you treat your property like family?  And I don't know what it's like having a family...not a real family.  What are my duties?  How am I to know what will anger you, or please you?  What is expected of me?"

Anonymous

Alex sighed deeply at Tikuhn's thick-skulledness and pulled away from the hug to look him in the eyes with his hands on the boy's shoulders still.  "Woah, woah, woah.  First off, you are NOT property.  You are a person.  ...And your duties...is...well, I guess its living like family.  And finally, knowing is learning.  It's up to you to find your own way of being family and getting along with us.  Yer expected to be a person.  Now c'mon kid, smile!" he smiled and rubbed Tikuhn's head vigorously.  Alex then stood up and took Tikuhn's hand and walked over to Ren and Neptune after seeing the deputies off politely.  "Now then.  Where to?" he asked.  "Y'all wanna go somewhere for..." he looked at his watch.  "...Dinner?  Somewhere nice and cozy?  Fit for a family?" he grinned happily.  

Neptune smiled happily too and nodded her head in agreement.  It was a very lovely suggestion; especially since they've been at the bar all day and she had nothing to eat except peanuts.  She was hungry for a good meal right now...and a cozy place to sleep for the night wouldn’t be bad either.

Anonymous

She listened to Ti'kuhn and Alex exchange words even more and was elated, perhaps even a little more than she should have been at a mention of family. She raised a slim brow, more to herself as she watched them, reflecting now and again from earlier. She had been an innocent, just wandering the outskirts of villages, finally having to stop she entered Serendipity Village. In turn, she wound up clashing horribly with the late master of Ti'kuhn, Alex and Neptune came.. And a series of small, nearly imaginary details happened and now there they were. Suddenly, she really appreciated the mess, however chaotic. A smile flickered upon Renaki's face, slightly lifted higher to the right.

"Dinner at a nice cozy place sounds wonderful," she said with a slight grin, humming a slight tune.

She almost wanted to link arms with Alex, but that movement would be a little too bold for her. Thinking back to earlier when she walked through the streets, looking for the bar she remembered, vaguely, a cozy little place that sounded right. It wasn't too far, but nice for an enjoyable walk. Her mind flickered down the road, invisioning in her head. She lazily lifted a hand a pointed her index finger down the road.

"Aye, hmm. I saw a place down the road when I was coming in," she said suggestively, hazel eyes meandering to Alex for approval or, well, not.

Anonymous

Still reacting instinctively, Ti'Kuhn said with sincere cheerfulness, "Would you like me to make the arrangements, Master?" as he looked up at Alexander.  "I could find a really good table, and even secure rooms for the night if needed."  Realizing that he had probably come across as being in the same old mindset as he had been all the time before, he added with perhaps a little too much reassurance, "I really wouldn't mind sir; I'm pretty good at that, I mean, if you'd want me to."

Anonymous

"All right then." He grinned happily at the acceptance of his suggestion.  "Dinner it is."  He then looked over at Tikuhn as he spoke and then smiled a little.  "We'll see when we get there.  Until then, just relax." He rubbed Tikuhn's head again.  "Yer aloud to help out, but don push yourself into doing things if u really don wan to.  You have me here now.  So watch out cuz I might just steal your duties." He smirked.  Neptune just smiled and giggled at the way Alex treated Tikuhn.  She then reached over and grabbed Ren's hand and held it happily.  Alex smiled at little Neptune and then turned to Ren.  "Shall we?"  With that, he took Ren's hand in his free one.  Then he remembered something and stopped, realizing he did not know which way the restaurant was.  "Uh, where to?" he asked sheepishly, looking over at Ren.

Anonymous

Renaki contentedly smiled and watched things unfolded, and her hazel eyes tilted to poor Ti'kuhn. He'd definitly have to get used to things as a normal kid. She never saw someone so.. programmed. Then again, didn't he mention that he had been a slave for a long while, now? She strained to think back, but she quickly dismissed it. What was with her into entering the past, lately anyway? It was, afterall, the past. While sometimes it was necessary to overview, it wasn't now.

She was a tad surprised when Neptune took her hand. It was even more of a surprise when Alex took her other hand. She felt a bit awkward - but it was fine, she decided. When Alex realized he didn't know the way she smiled, shaking her head lightly and jerked her chin in the direction, tugging on their hands gently.

Maybe it was a subconscious move but she squeezed Alex's hand lightly, and couldn't help study each person. But of course she managed to keep herself on track. Interesting people indeed. Especially the duo holding her hands.

Anonymous

"What is the name of the place where we are going?" Ti'Kuhn asked as they walked along.  "Maybe if the owner knows me we can get a better price.  I've--had to go to a lot of places, so a lot of the tavern owners know me."

Anonymous

Alex blinked over at Ren as she squeezed his hand and he chuckled softly, squeezing back playfully as they walked in the direction of the restaurant.  Alex shook his head at Tikuhn and set his free hand on the top of his head again.  "I dunno what the place is, but sure, if that’s what you'd like, then by all means, go for it."  He grinned down at him, rubbing his head.  "Jus remember, don work too hard, or I'm gunna have to punish ya." He continued jokingly, though maybe he might have been serious.  He rubbed Tikuhn's head a little rougher and then pulled him against his side.  "Okay?" he asked, looking down at him.  

Neptune smiled happily, peeking around Ren and watching Tikuhn with a small giggle.  She then latched her other hand onto Ren's and clung cutely, leaning against her side with her cheerful expression.

Anonymous

"Um...okay," Tikuhn said, albeit still rather nervously.  "Well, I--guess, if you don't mind--since milady seems to have an idea of where we are going, maybe she could take care of things."  At least it was a start.  That was about the best he could do for the moment.

[ooc: don't ya love how i'm spelling the name now?  much more easy to type eh?]

Anonymous

Two men approached the group, one in front, the other following.  The man in front was of average build with unruly purple hair with long sideburns and an unshaven face.  However, his most distinguishing features were the metal that plated most of the right side of his head and his cybernetic right arm.  He wore his uniform perfectly, but one could wonder if the sleeves of his jacket were supposed to be torn off.  As he approached in a calculated march, he wore a stern look on his face.  He stopped just in front of Alexander and looked him over.  "Your uniform is out of order, soldier."  He crossed his arms behind his back and shook his head with a disappointed look on his face.  Suddenly, a blissful smile spread over his features, "How are you s'posed to drink when you look that uptight?  And what if you spill on yourself?  That's just not showing proper respect for the duds."

He looked down to Neptune and flashed a wanton smile before looking between Alexander's other two companions for the evening.  "Wow, Al, I didn't know you were into that kind of thing."  He leaned in and whispered a few inches from the Simidan's face, "I hope the little boy's not for you."  Leaning back to a more acceptable distance, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bit of food and handed it to Neptune.  "I hope you're keeping him out of trouble."