shacklebreaker | IC Inbox: cerealia

Wait— I wasn't—!

[ orz orz orz ]

I was just curious what you thought of it... sorry.

[ She's all better now thanks to Leia and her healing magic, so she runs to him and tugs on his sleeve. ]

Edited 2015-07-12 13:55 (UTC)

[He can't tell what annoys him more: Athena messing with him, or the fact it hurt his feelings at all. What should he really care, if Athena did want to do anything like that? It's her choice.

When she runs over, he leaves Taka on his perch, scowling as she tugs on his sleeve.]

Hmph. Now you know.

Don't get mad anymore? I'm sorry for even joking...

[ Ah, and she gets an idea. ]

Can you give me ten minutes? Just wait here.

Fine. I was about to feed Taka, anyway.

[And it will give him time to cool off and retain a little of his dignity.]

[ More than ten minutes later, she comes back out with a red heart-shaped card. It's about the size of Athena's palm. ]

This is for you.

[ If he opens it, he'll find another heart pop out of it! Kind of like those pop-up projects little kids in kindergarten make. The heart has a small note, though! It reads: I'm sorry. I'm sorry. But my heart only beats for you, so don't ever forget it, okay?
I'll remind you everyday, too. ]

If you'll have me, I'll give you one each day.

[He reads it, and then pulls a face.] ...How perfectly soppy. I should have expected nothing less.

[Despite making fun of it, though, he folds it up and puts it inside a breast pocket for safekeeping.]

[ She really does feel bad for even being curious and trying to see how far his jealousy may go.... but what's she to do now? She can't get mad at him, even though she wants to, because at some point, he should be nice and forgive her, right? ]

Sorry... sorry... [ She even bows her head. She knows from her mom that bowing - the longer and deeper the bow, the strong the emotions are represented. So it's a pretty long, probably ten seconds or so. ] You can have Taka bite me, it's okay.

Edited 2015-07-12 14:20 (UTC)

[It's hard to stay angry at her when she's sincerely sorry. So after a few seconds of her bowing, he reaches over to ruffle her hair.]

I'll do nothing of the sort, you hopeless girl. Just don't do it again.

[Perhaps it's normal for teenagers to toy around with one anothers' feelings like that, but he really has no patience for it.]

[ She takes Simon's hand and puts it by her own chest. ]

I won't. Trust this. I'm sorry again.

[He can feel her heartbeat, strong and steady. This must be what it feels like for her around other people, all the time. Even after all these years, it's still something he can't always wrap his mind around.]

...All right. I trust you.

Thank you. [ And when she lets go- ]

I think I'm going to go to my apartment and maybe clean up.

I haven't been inside Ryuko's room in a while, and it might be messy.

[ You know, coping mechanisms... ]

Edited 2015-07-12 14:44 (UTC)

Very well. [He figures she might want to keep busy, and Ryuko is weighing on her mind a lot, so he won't interfere.

Before she goes, though, he pulls her back to him by the waist, and gives her a quick kiss.]

...Thank you for the card.

[ The kiss is probably just what she needs; it's means of comfort. Especially Simon's kiss.

Not that she's locked lips with anybody else. Though he might have wanted it to be a quick kiss, she pulls him by the lapels of his shirt to extend it. ]

[It's unexpected, but he offers no resistance, melting seamlessly back into the kiss. He lets out a soft hum of contentment, one hand still supporting her waist as he presses her to him.]

[ She really is sorry, and if she can translate her guilt into this kiss, then she'll kiss him as hard as she can without making him too uncomfortable.

Did she says she was going back to her apartment, though, because it looks like she might be staying with Simon longer. ]

[He's taken off guard a little by how hard she kisses him, but again he follows her lead, cradling her face in his hand to deepen the kiss.

He'd apologise for sidetracking her, but really, he'll go along with anything that makes her happy right now.]

[ They'll probably just make out for a while because Athena goes to do some actual work. But that's okay. Simon come first - he's always been her top priority ever since she was a kid. The connotations of why he's first on her list now have differed, though.

She breaks off the kiss, both arm around his neck. ]

I really, really, really, really, like you, Simon Blackquill. You always know how to make me happy.

[ And sad, but mostly happy! And to say that she loves him would probably be a bit too early; and she isn't sure yet if she should say such a big word yet.

And she kisses him again. ]

Edited 2015-07-13 10:16 (UTC)

[He's always felt affection for Athena, but whereas before it was born from a simple sense of duty to Metis, now it's different. She's grown into a young woman, someone wholly independent of Metis, someone fierce and persistent and selfless. Somehow she managed to force her way back into his life in court, and she hasn't stopped since, showing him such love and affection that he's often been overwhelmed with it

What words she uses, or chooses not to use, don't matter to him. Though this has all happened so suddenly, it only seemed like a natural progression of his feelings for her.

Your happiness means everything to me. [His breath ghosts against her lips, and he kisses her again, before continuing,] Don't ever forget that.

Mm, [ she nods, resting her head on his chest to listen to his heart. Maybe some day, she can listen to the beat of his heart and what his heart is trying to say before she sleeps, but for now, she settles with what she can get. ]

I'll be back later, then.

[ But three or more hours later, she hasn't come back. She's too busy sulking in her own apartment. ]

Edited 2015-07-13 13:47 (UTC)

[Blackquill spends that time tending to Taka, checking the network (something he's taken to doing increasingly, lately, as the city has become more dangerous), and doing a few chores of his own. It's all time-consuming, so when Athena doesn't return hours later, he grows concerned.

Maybe he's worrying too much and she just got distracted. He'd certainly believe that if Athena were her usual self, but with how she is now... Well.

He knocks on her door, announcing himself just in case she doesn't want strangers disturbing her.]

It's me, Athena.

[ Athena doesn't answer, but Widget does, telling him he can come in. He'll find Athena just hugging a pillow, eyes red, and a bunch of pieces of paper scattered on the floor. It looks like she's been studying the rules in Cerealia and what constitutes imprisonment and how to get Ryuko out and whatnot.

But she quickly pulls up a smile when Simon enters. ]

Hi there.

[He should have expected something like this, but somehow the sight squeezes at his heart nonetheless. Was this what Athena was like while he was on death row? She said it had been just as hard for her as it had been for him, but it was always so hard to tell, with how strong she had become.

And now she was trying to do it again -- hide her grief behind a smile.

He crouches down, picking up one of the pieces of paper and affecting nonchalance.]

Having a study session?

[ She rolls on the bed, her head now looking at the ceiling. The HoloGM in her room is designed like outer space, so it's like they're floating in the cosmos. ]

I'm resting now. Why?

[He puts the paper down and straightens.] You were gone a long time, so I came to check on you.

[And because unlike her, he has no interest in dodging around the subject:]

Even if you found something that could save her, it means nothing so long as CERES continue to bar us from their legal system.

[ She just looks at him, not even moving or straightening up. ]

I was thinking of pandering to Mr. Mosley.

... but that wouldn't be right, would it?

[ A beat. ] It's just not right.

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