[Closed]

[rahl_loyalist]

Who: mirageof-deceit and rahl-loyalist
When: Backdated to the day of cake. A delicious birthday cake that Cara didn't partake in. Birthdays aren't her thing, really.
Where: Cloud and Cara's apartment.
Format: Paragraph.
What: Cara returns to the apartment after training to find that Cloud has an unexpected surprise for her. She's not a big fan of surprises.
Warnings: None

Comments

[mirageof_deceit]

The fact that Zack had felt the need to celebrate his birthday with a box of gifts outside of his door was one thing, but to have an actual birthday cake arrive later one was sweetening the deal. He reflected as he stared at the lopsided bundle of sugar that he hadn't celebrated any sort of birthday since he was sixteen years old. The cake had come long after his birthday, but it was a nice touch regardless.

Sitting at the table, he had already cut and removed a hefty piece and picked at it. There was a certain touch to it, like a child had made it. He couldn't tell if it was Zack's way of cooking, but he suspected that his friend had employed young help. It brought a smile to his lips even as he turned his head at the sound of the door opening.

Slowly, he rose to his feet from the chair, making it silent as he grabbed a fork and headed in his roommate's direction. "Didn't manage to kill yourself this time? No zombie attacks?" He tilted his head at the sight of her and held up the plate. "Look what arrived today. Someone and I can't imagine who made me a cake for my birthday. I saved you a piece."

[rahl_loyalist]

Her motions were smooth as she walked over and placed her bow against the corner wall. The quiver went next while Cloud's voice drifted through the air, and as she placed the bundle of arrows next to her weapon, the Mord Sith grunted in return to the zombie question.

"I'm here, aren't I?" She bluntly said before turning herself around to catch sight of the plate held up in her direction. There was a momentary glance down to regard the piece before her sharp gaze flicked back up to regard the blonde fighter, "Not interested."

Such things were hardly for Mord Sith, and those who had such things in the Midlands were those rich with gold.

[mirageof_deceit]

Well, she was here, but it appeared that she was only mildly less cranky than usual. He glanced towards her sparring gear, wanting to inquire how it went, but he could assume well enough. "As long as I don't have to check you for injuries, that's all," he replied with a wave of his hand.

He frowned with a feigned hurt expression in his eyes as she refused, and he plucked the fork out of the cake to take a taste of it. "You probably have never eaten cake before. It's good," he reflected and offered it out to her again in hopes that she would take it.

"Unless you don't celebrate anything to do with birthdays?" He knew that she wasn't all that believing in such things, but he would get her to eat cake no matter the cost.

[rahl_loyalist]

"I'm more than capable of taking care of myself," Cara snapped back. Even if she had gotten injured, the Mord Sith wasn't so weak that she needed anyone else to check her for injuries. Besides, the only injuries sustained during those moments had been to her opponent and not herself.

The expression of hurt she was gifted with was only returned with a hard look. Such tactics wouldn't work on her, and even as he made a point to test the cake, Cara's expression remained unchanged. "A Mord Sith is not in need of such things," she said before dismissing the attempt to entice her as she moved to step passed Cloud.

"While others in our world celebrate as such, the Mord Sith live only to serve Lord Rahl," Cara said matter-of-fact while she began heading over towards the bathroom.

[mirageof_deceit]

"What's wrong with being concerned about my roommate?" He knew what was wrong with it in her eyes, but that didn't stop him from teasing her about it either. She needed to learn to lighten up and not be so bent on just trailing after him like he was a walking accident waiting to happen. "Besides, I didn't oppose you going out to spar, so you should be happy."

He sighed heavily, and he dropped the cake down to his side as he watched her walk passed him. He didn't know why she wouldn't just try it when it was good, and she probably needed the break to something sweet anyway. "I think you're just being stuffy."

There was only one way to get rid of Cara's stuffiness, and while it would cost him in blood, it would be worth it. He slipped his arm around hers again, presenting the cake as if hoping to convince her to take a piece. However, he used all of his speed to lift the plate cake first into Cara's face so it smushed all over her features. "It's my birthday, so you have to taste whether you want to or not."

...and then he was sprinting for the nearest window.

[rahl_loyalist]

Cara rolled her eyes at his question, but didn't bother dignifying it with an answer. Cloud should have known well enough by now just what was wrong with it, and she the Mord Sith felt no desire to repeat herself. He'd get it through his thick-skull eventually. "My wounds are healed," she bluntly pointed out in return to his mention of sparring.

She glanced over at him as Cloud took a hold of her arm. Gifting him with an impatient look, Cara waited for whatever nonsense the blonde fighter thought it important enough to tell her. She found herself momentarily caught off guard as the cake found itself up and literally in her face. There was little time for shock though, and as she felt the touch on her arm release, the Mord Sith's hand snapped out to capture Cloud's wrist.

Her displeasure was obvious to see as what remained of the cake fell down onto the floor. It didn't matter that she'd got some of the mess down along her chest and leather. No, all that mattered was the instant rage she felt at just what Cloud had done as she yanked hard to pull him back in.

"How dare you," she hissed, and without hesitation, Cara went to unhook the agiel at her side.

[mirageof_deceit]

His escape plan wasn't all that well thought out in the first place, and he was hoping that her shock would have lasted longer than it had. She seemed to recover a lot faster than she should have, but then again, she was very well trained as well. The cake on her face clearly didn't have much of an effect on her ability to grab him.

The fact that she caught his wrist wasn't too bothersome, since he was more than aware that he could overpower her without effort. He could even make it to the window, but that wasn't the point of this exercise even if he knew that she was enraged at him. No, he instead allowed his weight to shift so that she couldn't draw him in but he couldn't make further gains towards the window either.

"How does it taste," he murmured with a smirk on his lips. "It's a new look for you... makes you appear less stuffy."

[rahl_loyalist]

Whether he was letting her 'win' or not didn't bother to the Mord Sith - not at this point anywhere. The fact that she'd just had the cake shoved into her face clouded such things from her mind even as Cloud purposefully shifted his weight to keep distance between her.

If Cloud wasn't going to come to her, then she'd go to him.

Her movements were quick as she stepped in towards the other blonde. Ignoring the arrogant words that fell from his lips, Cara didn't hesitate as she moved to strike out against his ribs with her agiel.

[mirageof_deceit]

He knew that she would close the distance if she couldn't force him to move towards her. He shifted his weight to his back foot and stepped back when she approached, though not fast enough to avoid the glow stick from hitting him in the ribs.

He grunted as the pain of the weapon snapped up his side, bowing him to the one side that forced him to take a step. He suspected that he was going to have a bruise there, but he could have revenge of his own now that she was no longer in a stuffy mood and now in a bad one.

Swinging a leg out quickly, he moved to trip her and send her to the floor. "You're supposed to be nice to me on my birthday, you know," he remarked dryly. It wasn't his actual birthday anymore, but he had cake now.

[rahl_loyalist]

The grunt of pain was a reward in itself as she pressed her agiel up against Cloud's ribs. She didn't deny the fact that she felt satisfied, and it was only in that moment of satisfaction that Cara had let her guard down.

Her eyes widened as her feet were swept out from beneath her. The Mord Sith inwardly berated herself for her lack of foresight, and without hesitation, Cara reached out to grab at Cloud's arm and sweater in an attempt to pull the blonde male down with her. If she was going down then he was going with her!

Cara grunted as he back hit the ground, and after hearing that dry remark, she snapped, "Your birthday was weeks ago now."

[mirageof_deceit]

He was pleased when his foot knocked hers out from under her, but the ache in his ribs prevented him from freeing himself too much from her grip when it landed on him. He offered a silent sigh as he allowed himself to be dragged down to the floor next to her, landing on an elbow to protect his sore side.

"Yeah well... when you get as old as I am, the days seem to blur together," he remarked smartly as he rose up and attempted to pin her shoulders to the floor with his hands. Now he just needed to get her glow sticks out of her hands so she didn't wack him with them again.

[rahl_loyalist]

"Age means nothing," There was some satisfaction felt when Cloud came toppling down along with her. Recovering from the fall, Cara began to roll herself back up in an instant, but found the blonde male too quick for her as her shoulders were pinned against the floor.

She didn't hesitate in reacting. Bringing up her legs, the Mord Sith wrapped them tightly around Cloud's waist before she attempted to roll the blonde male.

[mirageof_deceit]

His hands managed to settle on her shoulders enough to press her back to the floor before she could rise up against him. He smirked at the sight of cake and icing smeared all over her face and neck. It had been totally worth it in his mind. "Age gives me leeway."

He shifted his weight as her legs grappled his waist, and he resisted his rolling before grunting as he was pulled over. He landed hard on his side, and his grip on her shoulders shifted to her arms.

[rahl_loyalist]

She made a soft growl as her shoulders were successfully pinned back down. He may have had the advantage now, but Cara wasn't a Mord Sith for nothing. Leeway, he says? What a joke.

The icing and cake on her face went entirely ignored as she eventually managed to roll over their positions. Rocking herself over until the blonde fighter was perched beneath her, Cara quickly moved to slap her agiel in towards Cloud's side. It didn't get far, as soon enough the blonde fighter's grip on her shoulders shifted down to keep them out.

"If that's the case then you should be listening to me," Cara snapped right back as she remained pressed with her chest against Cloud's. The glare remained on her expression. She couldn't used her arms to attack him, and her legs remained locked around Cloud's waist. All that remained was--

There was no hesitation as her mouth swooped in to capture Cloud's. Parting her lips, Cara purposefully pressed their mouths firmly together to transfer part of the cake mess onto Cloud while her teeth moved to latch onto Cloud's lower lip.

[mirageof_deceit]

With his side hitting the ground, he knew what Cara would do with him. He allowed himself to be shifted to his back, since it meant that he would have her legs pinned under his weight. His hold on her arms tightened to prevent her from striking him with her glow sticks, and he smirked up at her cake covered face.

"You can't beat me, Cara," he replied with an arrogance. "Even you being an old lady won't prevent that," he added in reference to her age. It wasn't her birthday after all.

He wrinkled his nose in disgust as cake bits were smeared on his lips and nose, and he lifted his head up to shove her off of kissing him. Of course, his lip was caught, so there was only so much that he could drive her off with. If he let go of her hands, she would most certainly use her agiels against him. A kiss couldn't be that bad, right?

[rahl_loyalist]

Cara ignored the arrogant words as her mouth swooped in to capture Cloud's own. She was hardly an 'old lady', and the mere thought that Cloud would suggest such a thing. She had killed people for far less of an insult, and the blonde swordsman was just fortunate that she'd sworn to protect him.

When her teeth latched onto his lower lip, the Mord Sith didn't hesitate in biting down on the flesh. Her lips curved up into a smirk at the gesture while she peered up in challenge at the one who'd slighted her in the first place. There was no hesitation as the taste of blood was on her lips. Releasing Cloud's injured one, Cara took the moment to slip her tongue within as she crushed their mouth's together.