Old 181 Drabbles Pt 1
Title: Old 181 Drabbles Pt. 1
Author: Esana Bridges (Co-designed/created by akilei)
Notes: Old Drabbles...check for new ones
5. Lawyers, Hane/Tetsuya
*cough*
Tetsuya glared at Hane, who was dressed very neatly in a white blouse under a woman's suit, knee-length fitting black skirt, and black wedge, strap sandals. She was carrying a folder under one arm and someone - Tetsuya suspected that it had been Rie - had placed a pair of glassless glasses on her nose and she was staring over those at Tetsuya.
He pointed turned his back on her.
Pause.
*coughcough*
Just ignore her, Tetsuya thought, just ignore -
*COUGHCOUGHCOUGH*
"What?!"
As if she had been waiting for that - and she had - Hane flicked the folder out from under her arm and opened it. "My customer, Ms. Ryoko Chang, has asked me to tell you that if you do not leave her alone, she will be forced to file a restraining order against you."
When Tetsuya's mouth drops open - as it was then - he loses his handsome image and instead begins to resemble a frog. Finally, he managed, "Excuse me?"
"My customer, Ms. Ryoko - "
"I HEARD YOU!" He snapped.
"Well then, I must ask that you please stop pestering my client." Hane stared holes into Tetsuya's head over her owl-rimmed glasses which looked more and more precariously perched with each moment.
"Pestering?! I haven't been - "
*coughcough*
Hane cleared her throat again and flipped through several pages. "My client claims - and there are witnesses to this effect - that you have been excessively clingy with her, abusing her private space, calling her more then ten times a day, pushing yourself onto her whenever possible, sending her all sorts of little gifts - "
"Okay, shut up!" Tetsuya snapped, face blushing.
"Mr. Kagawa, please refrain from insulting me or I will be forced to sue you for traumatic damage."
Tetsuya was reduced to a airless fish.
"And this - " Ryoko said, popping in from out of nowhere. " - is why you don't harass the sister of a lawyer-to-be!"
51. Boom, Kei/Kei
*BOOM*
The sound of the gun going off echoed in the simulation room. It was followed by a duller boom - the thud of a body hitting the simulated packed dirt. There was blood seeping from the man's wound and his eyes were wide and terrified, pleading with someone who would not listen.
They were dead eyes - desperate ones.
*BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM*
The sound went on and on and on until - finally - Kei's arm dropped to his side, trembling with something that was both grief and anger, the gun in his hand emptied of all its ammunition.
The man's body was now peppered in dark black holes and blood stained his clothes, his skin, the dirt that he lay on. His eyes had glassed over and the panic that had shone from them had dulled to nothingness.
Just like she had -
Kei chucked the gun at the man, fury coursing through his veins. The simulation flickered and the body was knocked back slightly. Blood coated the gun as it rolled heel-over-head and slid to a stop in a pool of blood.
Her blood, dark, tainting the floor - her eyes open wide, defiant but with an unmistakable spark of fear -
He dropped to his knees and punched the floor, screaming.
How - could - it - HAPPEN?! TO HER?! To - an - all-powerful - MAGE!
Blood covered his knuckles as the skin bruised and then broke and blood smeared the simulated dirt and simulation grains got into his wounds and he knew if it was the real world, he would have gotten an infection, but that didn't matter - none of it mattered - because she was gone and she wasn't going to come back - she would never come back - not from death - no one ever did, not even her, not even the wind mage -
Finally, he stopped, exhausted, hands covered in blood. The simulation had long ended and he was staining the gray steel of the simulation room with blood. Kei raised his hand one more time and punched -
Pain - even in his numbed state - shuddered down Kei's body and he tumbled forward, landing hard on the floor. He didn't move. He closed his eyes and tears leaked from between them.
So many years -
But the pain never stopped.
So much power -
But that's what had gotten her killed.
Because power inspired envy -
And envy inspired hate.
Hate brought enemies -
And enemies brought assassins.
Like the one -
Kei shut that thought off and more tears dropped to the stainless steel.
So much power...
BUT WHAT'S THE USE IF I CAN'T PROTECT -
"Rie," Kei whispered. "Rie."
He lifted a hand and pounded the ground again -
*BOOM*
128. Misunderstanding, Tetsuya/Kyuki
"Hey - Hey, Kyuki!"
Kyuki glanced backwards. "Oh, hey Tetsuya."
"Can I talk to you?" Tetsuya asked, leaning down and bracing himself on his knees.
"Oh yeah su - "
"KYUKI!" Miaki's voice echoed far, even though she was already out of sigh. "Kyuki, hurry up or we're going to leave you behind!"
Rolling his eyes, Kyuki began running toward the sound of Miaki's voice. "I'll talk to you later, Tetsuya."
"Uh - but - "
Tetsuya clenched his fist and glared at Kyuki's retreating back.
Ryoko stretched. "Ah ~ That was fun ~ " She grinned at Kyuki. "You're pretty good for a beginner."
Kyuki shrugged. "Yeah, I know."
"Cocky little - " Lia muttered under her breath, rubbing her arm, where a badly aimed hit from Kyuki had almost severed the shoulder from her body.
"But you need to work on your bumping. You swing your arms way too much - "
"Yeah, yeah," Kyuki said, waving her off. He slung an arm over her shoulder and the three of them continued down the way -
Off to the side, Tetsuya glared. "WHY ISN'T SHE CHASING HIM OFF?" He demanded of the girl next to him.
Hane flipped through Yuzuki's notes, clearly much more interested in them then her future brother-in-law. "It's probably your influence on her," She said absentmindedly. "She's used to guys randomly hugging her or glomping her at any opportunity and she knows that nothing she does will have any effect - "
"BUT THAT'S WITH ME!!! THAT KID ISN'T ME!!!"
"Obviously. But, like I said, she's been trained - "
"RYOKO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"...Uh huh..." Hane patted Tetsuya on the back with one hand as she flipped the pages with the other. "It's okay. She still hates you the most."
"So what did you want to talk about?" Kyuki asked, leaning against the oak.
"Okay. So - "
"Tetsuya!"
The sound of Aiko's voice startled the two of them into glancing behind Tetsuya, who wanted very much to strangle Aiko's pretty little neck as she trotted up to them. She offered a brief, flirtious smile to Kyuki, who returned it with one of his own and then took Tetsuya by the arm and began to drag him away.
"Ah, wait, Aiko! I need to talk to Kyuki."
Aiko stopped. "Talk fast ~ "
Tetsuya glared at her and then muttered, "Never mind. I'll do it later."
Kyuki stared at him as he walked away and then, the puzzle clicked -
Ahah.
"So. We finally get some time alone."
Tetsuya rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sorry about dragging you all the way out here." He tossed Kyuki a Coke and then popped open one of his own. "It's just been hard to get you alone." He rolled his eyes again. "Everyone seems to be trying to get in the way."
Peace. For a moment.
"Well, Tetsuya, about what you wanted to tell me."
His head jerked up, and Tetsuya looked at Kyuki. "Yeah, about it. You - do you like - "
Kyuki grinned.
Proof.
"Well, normally, I don't like guys, but if you can really prove to me that you like me and you're worthy of my attention, I might consider going out with you."
...Going out - ? Tetsuya's jaw dropped.
"WHAT?!"
80. Polka-dots, Ryoko/Hane
"...No way."
"But, Hane ~ It's pretty ~ "
Hane gave Ryoko a side glance. "Sorry. It's not my style."
Ryoko pouted and started waving the curtains she held around, creating a loud flapping noise. A store attendant looked over, thought about saying something, and then decided against it. Ryoko's reputation proceeded her in many, many places.
"They're POLKA-DOTS. POLKA-DOTS. HOW COULD YOU NOT LIKE THEM?!"
The curtains that Ryoko held were white with a miasma of brightly colored polka dots, usually outlined in some other color. There was a slight sheen on half of the polka dots, which - according to the tag attached to them - glowed in the dark.
"...It's too bright. How am I supposed to fall asleep with glow-in-the-dark curtains anyways?"
"...THEY'RE PRETTY."
Sighing, Hane went through the other curtains. "I like this one."
Ryoko paused in her ranting about polka dots and glow-in-the-dark things and how Hane really needed to loosen up and find something nice to lighten her room up and turned to look at Hane's prime choice.
"...What? You don't like it?"
"...It...looks like...white chocolate...with hot fudge poured over it."
Hane snorted. "Such a profound statement." She tugged the white cream curtains, which were covered with a black leaf and branches design. "It's nice. And it'll look better in my bedroom then something so..." She looked at the curtains that Ryoko was still waving around. "...Flashy..."
"BUT THIS ONE IS PRETTY."
"...So's this one."
"It's - it's - it's...SO PLAIN ~~~~~~ "
"It's simple. Too much decortaion ruins a room." Hane checked the number on the tag attached to the curtain and carefully noted it. "I like this one, so I think I'll take it."
She was halfway to the checkout counter before she thought to check for her gift card - a present from Luu as congratulations for having finished her freshmen year. Eh? Where is it? Hane searched in the other pocket. ...What...?
"Um...excuse me?"
The store attendant looked up. "Do you need help with anything?" She smiled at the short girl in front of her. "Did you lose your parents?"
A vein twitched in Hane's head. "No. I did not. I'm fifteen, thank you." The store attendant winced. "I was wondering if you'd seen a tall girl, about six feet, short-medium black hair - "
"Ah. Ryoko?"
...Everyone really does hear about her. Hane nodded.
"She was headed to the checkout counter the last I saw."
...The checkout - oh geez...
Hane turned over in bed and pulled her covers over her head to block the unyielding light from outside and the insistent glow of the polka dots.
...I hate you, Ryoko...
16. Piano, Kei/Hane (My favorite number!)
The last notes of the song faded away and then stopped completely. Kei looked back at Hane. "Well?"
Immediately, Hane informed him, "You missed a note. Several notes, actually. And several tempo and volume points." She walked over and began to mark the music pages. There was a sullen pause as Kei leaned back to allow her better vantage, and Hane went through all six pages, her red pen seeing plenty of exercise."
"...At this rate, I'm not going to be able to read it."
Making a final mark, Hane drew back and recapped her pen. "Well then, don't make so many mistakes." She stepped back a few feet and gestured at Kei to begin again.
Grumpily, Kei did so. When he got to the end, Hane moved in again with the pen.
Kei threw up his arms. "Why don't you just STOP me when I make a mistake?"
As she wrote little notes, Hane murmured, "Well, I would, 'cause it would probably fix the mistake faster, but if I did that, you would never get to the end of the song."
...
"I hate you."
Stepping back again, Hane told him, "Tell that to your parents. They're the ones who hired me. And sit up straighter. Good posture is essential to good music."
Annoyed, Kei straightened his back, relaxed his shoulders, placed his curved fingers on the starting keys, took a deep breath, and began. He concentrated completely this time, trying to remember how to play the piano properly, with emotion and his own personal touch while still following the music notes written on the page. It'd been years since he'd played. And his parents would have to get him started again with Hane as a teacher.
He played the final note with the wistfulness he imagined it should be played with and looked back at Hane.
She was blinking at him.
"What? Are you that surprised that I can actually play?"
"...I'm surprised that your last piano teacher didn't kill herself."
Author: Esana Bridges (Co-designed/created by akilei)
Notes: Old Drabbles...check for new ones
5. Lawyers, Hane/Tetsuya
*cough*
Tetsuya glared at Hane, who was dressed very neatly in a white blouse under a woman's suit, knee-length fitting black skirt, and black wedge, strap sandals. She was carrying a folder under one arm and someone - Tetsuya suspected that it had been Rie - had placed a pair of glassless glasses on her nose and she was staring over those at Tetsuya.
He pointed turned his back on her.
Pause.
*coughcough*
Just ignore her, Tetsuya thought, just ignore -
*COUGHCOUGHCOUGH*
"What?!"
As if she had been waiting for that - and she had - Hane flicked the folder out from under her arm and opened it. "My customer, Ms. Ryoko Chang, has asked me to tell you that if you do not leave her alone, she will be forced to file a restraining order against you."
When Tetsuya's mouth drops open - as it was then - he loses his handsome image and instead begins to resemble a frog. Finally, he managed, "Excuse me?"
"My customer, Ms. Ryoko - "
"I HEARD YOU!" He snapped.
"Well then, I must ask that you please stop pestering my client." Hane stared holes into Tetsuya's head over her owl-rimmed glasses which looked more and more precariously perched with each moment.
"Pestering?! I haven't been - "
*coughcough*
Hane cleared her throat again and flipped through several pages. "My client claims - and there are witnesses to this effect - that you have been excessively clingy with her, abusing her private space, calling her more then ten times a day, pushing yourself onto her whenever possible, sending her all sorts of little gifts - "
"Okay, shut up!" Tetsuya snapped, face blushing.
"Mr. Kagawa, please refrain from insulting me or I will be forced to sue you for traumatic damage."
Tetsuya was reduced to a airless fish.
"And this - " Ryoko said, popping in from out of nowhere. " - is why you don't harass the sister of a lawyer-to-be!"
51. Boom, Kei/Kei
*BOOM*
The sound of the gun going off echoed in the simulation room. It was followed by a duller boom - the thud of a body hitting the simulated packed dirt. There was blood seeping from the man's wound and his eyes were wide and terrified, pleading with someone who would not listen.
They were dead eyes - desperate ones.
*BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM*
The sound went on and on and on until - finally - Kei's arm dropped to his side, trembling with something that was both grief and anger, the gun in his hand emptied of all its ammunition.
The man's body was now peppered in dark black holes and blood stained his clothes, his skin, the dirt that he lay on. His eyes had glassed over and the panic that had shone from them had dulled to nothingness.
Just like she had -
Kei chucked the gun at the man, fury coursing through his veins. The simulation flickered and the body was knocked back slightly. Blood coated the gun as it rolled heel-over-head and slid to a stop in a pool of blood.
Her blood, dark, tainting the floor - her eyes open wide, defiant but with an unmistakable spark of fear -
He dropped to his knees and punched the floor, screaming.
How - could - it - HAPPEN?! TO HER?! To - an - all-powerful - MAGE!
Blood covered his knuckles as the skin bruised and then broke and blood smeared the simulated dirt and simulation grains got into his wounds and he knew if it was the real world, he would have gotten an infection, but that didn't matter - none of it mattered - because she was gone and she wasn't going to come back - she would never come back - not from death - no one ever did, not even her, not even the wind mage -
Finally, he stopped, exhausted, hands covered in blood. The simulation had long ended and he was staining the gray steel of the simulation room with blood. Kei raised his hand one more time and punched -
Pain - even in his numbed state - shuddered down Kei's body and he tumbled forward, landing hard on the floor. He didn't move. He closed his eyes and tears leaked from between them.
So many years -
But the pain never stopped.
So much power -
But that's what had gotten her killed.
Because power inspired envy -
And envy inspired hate.
Hate brought enemies -
And enemies brought assassins.
Like the one -
Kei shut that thought off and more tears dropped to the stainless steel.
So much power...
BUT WHAT'S THE USE IF I CAN'T PROTECT -
"Rie," Kei whispered. "Rie."
He lifted a hand and pounded the ground again -
*BOOM*
128. Misunderstanding, Tetsuya/Kyuki
"Hey - Hey, Kyuki!"
Kyuki glanced backwards. "Oh, hey Tetsuya."
"Can I talk to you?" Tetsuya asked, leaning down and bracing himself on his knees.
"Oh yeah su - "
"KYUKI!" Miaki's voice echoed far, even though she was already out of sigh. "Kyuki, hurry up or we're going to leave you behind!"
Rolling his eyes, Kyuki began running toward the sound of Miaki's voice. "I'll talk to you later, Tetsuya."
"Uh - but - "
Tetsuya clenched his fist and glared at Kyuki's retreating back.
Ryoko stretched. "Ah ~ That was fun ~ " She grinned at Kyuki. "You're pretty good for a beginner."
Kyuki shrugged. "Yeah, I know."
"Cocky little - " Lia muttered under her breath, rubbing her arm, where a badly aimed hit from Kyuki had almost severed the shoulder from her body.
"But you need to work on your bumping. You swing your arms way too much - "
"Yeah, yeah," Kyuki said, waving her off. He slung an arm over her shoulder and the three of them continued down the way -
Off to the side, Tetsuya glared. "WHY ISN'T SHE CHASING HIM OFF?" He demanded of the girl next to him.
Hane flipped through Yuzuki's notes, clearly much more interested in them then her future brother-in-law. "It's probably your influence on her," She said absentmindedly. "She's used to guys randomly hugging her or glomping her at any opportunity and she knows that nothing she does will have any effect - "
"BUT THAT'S WITH ME!!! THAT KID ISN'T ME!!!"
"Obviously. But, like I said, she's been trained - "
"RYOKO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"...Uh huh..." Hane patted Tetsuya on the back with one hand as she flipped the pages with the other. "It's okay. She still hates you the most."
"So what did you want to talk about?" Kyuki asked, leaning against the oak.
"Okay. So - "
"Tetsuya!"
The sound of Aiko's voice startled the two of them into glancing behind Tetsuya, who wanted very much to strangle Aiko's pretty little neck as she trotted up to them. She offered a brief, flirtious smile to Kyuki, who returned it with one of his own and then took Tetsuya by the arm and began to drag him away.
"Ah, wait, Aiko! I need to talk to Kyuki."
Aiko stopped. "Talk fast ~ "
Tetsuya glared at her and then muttered, "Never mind. I'll do it later."
Kyuki stared at him as he walked away and then, the puzzle clicked -
Ahah.
"So. We finally get some time alone."
Tetsuya rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sorry about dragging you all the way out here." He tossed Kyuki a Coke and then popped open one of his own. "It's just been hard to get you alone." He rolled his eyes again. "Everyone seems to be trying to get in the way."
Peace. For a moment.
"Well, Tetsuya, about what you wanted to tell me."
His head jerked up, and Tetsuya looked at Kyuki. "Yeah, about it. You - do you like - "
Kyuki grinned.
Proof.
"Well, normally, I don't like guys, but if you can really prove to me that you like me and you're worthy of my attention, I might consider going out with you."
...Going out - ? Tetsuya's jaw dropped.
"WHAT?!"
80. Polka-dots, Ryoko/Hane
"...No way."
"But, Hane ~ It's pretty ~ "
Hane gave Ryoko a side glance. "Sorry. It's not my style."
Ryoko pouted and started waving the curtains she held around, creating a loud flapping noise. A store attendant looked over, thought about saying something, and then decided against it. Ryoko's reputation proceeded her in many, many places.
"They're POLKA-DOTS. POLKA-DOTS. HOW COULD YOU NOT LIKE THEM?!"
The curtains that Ryoko held were white with a miasma of brightly colored polka dots, usually outlined in some other color. There was a slight sheen on half of the polka dots, which - according to the tag attached to them - glowed in the dark.
"...It's too bright. How am I supposed to fall asleep with glow-in-the-dark curtains anyways?"
"...THEY'RE PRETTY."
Sighing, Hane went through the other curtains. "I like this one."
Ryoko paused in her ranting about polka dots and glow-in-the-dark things and how Hane really needed to loosen up and find something nice to lighten her room up and turned to look at Hane's prime choice.
"...What? You don't like it?"
"...It...looks like...white chocolate...with hot fudge poured over it."
Hane snorted. "Such a profound statement." She tugged the white cream curtains, which were covered with a black leaf and branches design. "It's nice. And it'll look better in my bedroom then something so..." She looked at the curtains that Ryoko was still waving around. "...Flashy..."
"BUT THIS ONE IS PRETTY."
"...So's this one."
"It's - it's - it's...SO PLAIN ~~~~~~ "
"It's simple. Too much decortaion ruins a room." Hane checked the number on the tag attached to the curtain and carefully noted it. "I like this one, so I think I'll take it."
She was halfway to the checkout counter before she thought to check for her gift card - a present from Luu as congratulations for having finished her freshmen year. Eh? Where is it? Hane searched in the other pocket. ...What...?
"Um...excuse me?"
The store attendant looked up. "Do you need help with anything?" She smiled at the short girl in front of her. "Did you lose your parents?"
A vein twitched in Hane's head. "No. I did not. I'm fifteen, thank you." The store attendant winced. "I was wondering if you'd seen a tall girl, about six feet, short-medium black hair - "
"Ah. Ryoko?"
...Everyone really does hear about her. Hane nodded.
"She was headed to the checkout counter the last I saw."
...The checkout - oh geez...
Hane turned over in bed and pulled her covers over her head to block the unyielding light from outside and the insistent glow of the polka dots.
...I hate you, Ryoko...
16. Piano, Kei/Hane (My favorite number!)
The last notes of the song faded away and then stopped completely. Kei looked back at Hane. "Well?"
Immediately, Hane informed him, "You missed a note. Several notes, actually. And several tempo and volume points." She walked over and began to mark the music pages. There was a sullen pause as Kei leaned back to allow her better vantage, and Hane went through all six pages, her red pen seeing plenty of exercise."
"...At this rate, I'm not going to be able to read it."
Making a final mark, Hane drew back and recapped her pen. "Well then, don't make so many mistakes." She stepped back a few feet and gestured at Kei to begin again.
Grumpily, Kei did so. When he got to the end, Hane moved in again with the pen.
Kei threw up his arms. "Why don't you just STOP me when I make a mistake?"
As she wrote little notes, Hane murmured, "Well, I would, 'cause it would probably fix the mistake faster, but if I did that, you would never get to the end of the song."
...
"I hate you."
Stepping back again, Hane told him, "Tell that to your parents. They're the ones who hired me. And sit up straighter. Good posture is essential to good music."
Annoyed, Kei straightened his back, relaxed his shoulders, placed his curved fingers on the starting keys, took a deep breath, and began. He concentrated completely this time, trying to remember how to play the piano properly, with emotion and his own personal touch while still following the music notes written on the page. It'd been years since he'd played. And his parents would have to get him started again with Hane as a teacher.
He played the final note with the wistfulness he imagined it should be played with and looked back at Hane.
She was blinking at him.
"What? Are you that surprised that I can actually play?"
"...I'm surprised that your last piano teacher didn't kill herself."