Re: Hide and Seek

by Red 19th September 2012, 10:36 pm

First topic message reminder :

Cage nodded. "He got there before me," he said. "He pretended to be Jack..."

Dom closed his eyes for a moment, taking a breath. "We were with each other the entire time. We... fled, while he was busy..." He opened his eyes again, his shame apparent. "I can vouch for these two," he said. "I figured there was nowhere else to go but here..."

by Red 25th July 2013, 1:00 am

Evening came quickly, and soon the feast was upon them, the villagers gathering around candlelit tables, the children running and playing around the dancing grounds. Rosalind left Raziel alone to find Laura, and some time later she came down, leading Laura with her.

She was in the cream dress, barefoot, and it looked like she'd taken a hacksaw to her hair, cutting back what hair had grown back by then unevenly. Her eyes darted to Raziel, and she sat near him, but didn't speak a word - her gaze darted between the floor and the crowds of people around them.

by **EphPhoenix** 25th July 2013, 1:36 am

"Uh..." Raziel began awkwardly, "except for the tragedy that's your hair, you uh...look really nice..."

by Red 25th July 2013, 1:52 am

Laura reached up to her hair a moment, feeling at it as she seemed to shrink. Fucking... deal with it. The hair had been intentional. Hadn't worked though, if she still looked nice. He was waiting for an answer, so she shrugged. She'd fix her hair once they were out of here...

by **EphPhoenix** 25th July 2013, 2:19 am

"Uh..." he said. Her scent reeked of discomfort, maybe...shame? "You shouldn't be so...uh...downtrodden about it. It...uh...being pretty isn't...oh, I don't know. I'm just gonna shut up. At least that thing isn't completely impractical. It has plenty freedom of movement for you to fight in, unlike this monkey suit. I kinda like the vest, though..."

by Red 25th July 2013, 2:47 am

She sighed, and for a moment, she smiled. "We could always trade," she commented. She wanted to go invisible so bad right now, but she didn't know how the town would react...

by **EphPhoenix** 25th July 2013, 11:05 am

"I'm not sure it would match my skin tone," he said with a chuckle. "Not to mention," he added going into a Southern belle accent, "if I'd be able to keep all these fine gentleman off of me--" He gasped as he realized who he was talking to. "Oh shit! I'm sorry! It's not like they're going to try anything like that. I've been interacting with them all. Really sweet town. Promise. I won't let anything happen to you. Promise."

by Red 25th July 2013, 9:25 pm

Her smile returned, and she turned her head away to hide it. That... that was the Raziel she'd followed.

"The vest suits you," she commented, taking a breath to calm her nerves and starting to relax.

by **EphPhoenix** 25th July 2013, 11:08 pm

He blinked. To his surprise, she seemed to actually calm down. Huh. Well, let's not question miracles.

At her comment about the vest he beamed. "Thank you!" he said cheerfully.

He turned his attention to the food and began to fill his plate, eating voraciously as he listened to the others, soaking up the good atmosphere. The people were jovial and friendly, laughing over tales and mishaps of setting up. Raziel couldn't help but feel excited for the dancing. He loved music.

by Red 26th July 2013, 11:54 pm

As the feasting started to wind down, more people drifted out from the tables, and someone sat down on a bench near the tables and started tuning a guitar. Soon the dancing took off with gusto, and Laura only watched as she picked at her food.

by **EphPhoenix** 27th July 2013, 12:22 am

Raziel lost himself in the rhythm. He knew a couple of their dances and had fun learning the ones he didn't know. Before long, he'd danced with nearly every girl in the town, from young girl to aging grandmother. There was no distinction and it was great fun.

by Red 27th July 2013, 12:33 am

Laura stayed back, far out of the dancing, instead watching Raziel going around to each of the girls in turn. He practically went down the line of them - each and every one got a turn, and as he started to reach out towards the tables, she got more and more suspicious. I am so next...

by **EphPhoenix** 27th July 2013, 12:40 am

He laughed uproariously as the song ended and the line dancing drew to a close. He was sweating and having the time of his life. It was the first time in weeks and something he had needed. And then he saw her.

"You are not getting out of here without dancing," he said, coming up to Laura, slightly winded and looking alive. He held out his hand. "Come with me so that you may feel alive."

by Red 27th July 2013, 12:45 am

She rolled her eyes, then shrank down as she was suddenly aware of the eyes on them. She waved her hand. "Just cuz I'm in a dress doesn't mean there will be dancing," she said, pulling her hand back and hiding both her hands under the table, trying to find something to grab onto. If she knew him - and she did - he wasn't taking no for an answer. She smirked.

by **EphPhoenix** 27th July 2013, 12:54 am

"Hmm...how about...I'll grant you one favor. Any favor you name no matter what it is, available for you to claim at any time for any reason, no questions asked. But you have to dance, and you have to really try, and you have to do several dances."

by Red 27th July 2013, 4:56 pm

She relaxed a moment - so he wasn't dragging her out yet - but as she glanced at the town again her heart pounded. "You're asking for quite a bit..." she said, as if she was joking. That favor would be nice to have, but just thinking about going up there...

by **EphPhoenix** 27th July 2013, 9:03 pm

"And I'm giving quite a bit in return," he said evenly with a wink. "Equivalent exchange and all that..."

by Red 27th July 2013, 10:27 pm

She closed her eyes, rubbing at her temples with her hands. "Thanks," she said. "But no." Assuming he really was giving her a choice. Maybe she could escape to the room soon...

by **EphPhoenix** 27th July 2013, 10:32 pm

"Wow," he said. "You missed out on a good offer. Hey guys!" He called to the others. "Are we just gonna sit here and let the rest of them just sit on their duffs?!"

"No!" they called.

In an instant, all the women swooped down on any woman sitting out, including Laura, and they were all up and dancing. The men had done the same, and they formed a line facing the women. Raziel gave Laura a smile that said, "You should've taken the honey."

by Red 27th July 2013, 11:04 pm

Laura stood, turning to escape before she was dragged back by the other village women, bringing her into the dancing even as she tried to pull away. Asshat! Damn it, she felt crowded, pressed in on both sides as the women formed a line and the men formed up opposite them. I'm going to be sick, she realized, or pass out, as her heart pounded and her breathing came faster. She turned in the line, starting to duck away desperately before she fell on her face - or hit someone, whatever came first.

by **EphPhoenix** 28th July 2013, 12:59 am

"Now, now, none of that."

Raziel had her by the elbow, still dancing to the music. The line had dispersed into couples and he spun with her in tow.

"You wanted to come with," he said, "it's all part of the experience. Different people, different cultures. They're not all a bunch of rape gangs that are gonna hurt you."

by Red 28th July 2013, 1:13 am

Laura stumbled as he started dancing with her, her face going red. She used to dance. But she was out of practice. And it was harder still when she felt so damn dizzy.

"I know," she muttered, and on some level she did. "I... shit," she muttered, as she stumbled again, clinging to him to keep from falling over. I'm fucking ridiculous. "Just let me go," she whispered.

by **EphPhoenix** 28th July 2013, 1:20 am

He tipped his finger under her chin and brought her eyes to meet his--though in the back of his mind he could only see her being afraid of his yellow eyes. "I'm here," he told her calmly. "You're safe. Promise. Focus on me and my voice, make us an island until you can branch out."

by Red 28th July 2013, 1:37 am

She looked up at him, then away. "I can't," she said. "There's too many people, I can't just pretend they're not there," she said. It was almost claustrophobic. Whatever fear or anger she had for him before was gone, and she clung to him like a drowning man to a rock.

by **EphPhoenix** 28th July 2013, 2:15 am

Raziel began humming a songless tune. He didn't know where it came from, but it felt right. As he did so, something shifted inside of him as a nameless feeling rose to the surface.

He took her hand and danced with her slowly in a circle, his palm vertical in the air and pressed against hers. His eyes never left hers as he hummed the melody.

by Red 28th July 2013, 2:21 am

He kept looking down at her, and she tried meeting his gaze at first, but couldn't. She felt tiny next to him. But the steady motion of the dance and the song was...soothing.

She didn't feel... quite so dizzy anymore, but she kept her head down, ashamed.

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