The Customer is Always Right... right?

[reflectedstasis]

Who: OPEN.
When: The day of August 31
Where: Sector 5, at the Cat's Eye Bistro
Summary: Mysterious flowering cherry trees have sprung up overnight. They're beautiful, but their petals have some strange effects...
Warnings: Eventual violence thanks to an out of control 07 Ghost. Aside from that, just mark your warnings in the subject!

The up side of

Comments

For Kurogane and possibly Sakura?

[reflectedstasis]

[The wound at his neck was already closing, so as soon as Fai stepped away from the spare room and Frau, he made his way right back down to the cafe, frowned at the spill of blood on the floor when he headed towards the front door.

He stopped, glanced at the windows, then stepped past it to pull the curtains shut. Best to simply close up for the rest of the day, until he can figure out what was so different that the customers had been rude, short-tempered, loud, and in Frau's case, deadly-violent.

For now, he simply had to get the place cleaned up, and himself, before Kurogane arrived, probably with Sakura in tow.]

[not_yourdaddy]

[Unfortunate thing in that, because once the story had come to light, Kurogane hadn't wasted much time in getting from Point A to Point B. Even if the place was spotless, the air would have been something else entirely, and with the truth already laid bare before him (what was known of it at least), there was no point in dancing around playing coy.

He lets himself into the cafe without much warning, tread light despite his size, movements quick and accurate. And yet, it's hardly the look of a man worn by worry that surveys the scene, but rather, the keen-eyed gaze of one set for whatever hell might have greeted him. Completely unperturbed.

Only to find. . . .

So much for that. Though, it wasn't entirely surprising. After all, he knew a good damn deal about what Fai was capable of underneath it all.

Lifting his sword to his shoulder -]

So, where the hell is he?

[reflectedstasis]

[Fai didn't turn with the question - he simply let the last curtain fall into place. Once that was done, he crossed back to re-lock the door, his steps wavering slightly before reaching the door. Only then did he turn to face the ninja, and he did so with a small, hopefully reassuring smile despite the crimson stains trailing thickly down the front of his chef's tunic.]

In Miss Nemu's old room, sealed behind several barriers. How's Sakura-chan?

[not_yourdaddy]

[Kurogane gives a hard stare at that, making it well known that he saw that waver, can see the blood, and even if he didn't quite condemn the man behind the door, it didn't mean that Fai was entirely to blame either. Rather, leveling the situation for what it had probably been and leaving it at that.]

She's fine.

[Safe. Folding his arms over his chest, he sets Fai with those crimson eyes. No escape.]

How much blood have you lost?

[reflectedstasis]

[Ah, that was clearly Kurogane's patented 'no more of your games' look, mixed in with a healthy dose of 'don't even attempt to lie to me right now' just for good measure, right there.

Which, of course, meant Fai would be doing both of those, in that order. And with an equally stubborn smile for his own good measure as he moved over a few steps to clean up the pile of leftover cherry blossom petals that had been scattered across one of the tables.]

I'm fine - or well, I'm relieved. I was worried she'd be too distraught. Frau really is a good person, normally. He's even a Bishop of his religious order... though I must say they do sound a bit off at times.

[A beat as he dropped the last of the petals back into the bag then lifted a hand up to pull aside his collar a bit more.]

Hmm, though I suppose I should see to this. It's closing too slowly for my liking.

[not_yourdaddy]

[Though he didn't know the man that well, he knew enough to understand that this was not the making of a malicious killer. Something else entirely, though what that was still escaped him currently. Right now however. . .

The distance between them is consumed by quick, purpose-heavy steps. A hand reaches out, tugging the collar down further, exposing the wound for what it was, and with it, his mouth draws a tight line.]

Tch. . .you know damn well why it's not healing.

[Crimson eyes lock on Fai's. Even as he hand slides away, there's no intention of letting this man go - not in this moment.]

[reflectedstasis]

[For once, however, Fai's gaze didn't skitter away. Instead his eye narrowed stubbornly and he lifted his chin. He didn't step back either, no.

As a matter of fact, he took a half step forward, face set in an equally grim line.]

Then I can bandage it now and worry about the rest later. This mess, however, needs cleaning now - before Sakura gets home.

[A beat, before he continues softly, his tone flat.]

Now please step aside, Kurogane.

[not_yourdaddy]

[Despite the inner wince at that name (only ever when Fai said it, weapon-sharp and precise in aim), no move is made to obey. That should have been expected. At least, that's what that look is telling Fai.

Don't go barking orders at me when we both know better.

Hand wraps around wrist, hold tight with intention.]

You can go ahead and blame me for you ending up in the hospital like that before, but I'll be damned if you think I'll stand by and watch it happen a second time.

[reflectedstasis]

[Fai had expected him to move, actually. What he hadn't expected was to have that iron-grip catch him like that, hold him there with an equal stubbornness. It was enough to snap a quickly fraying temper unlike ever before. He actually stepped in a little more, his gaze hard, cool fire snapping in the cerulean depth as he, too, glared up at the ninja.]

That? That took months of starvation, Kurogane. Months of feeding off myself just to trick my body into functioning a little longer. Months of eating meals every day that Sakura-chan made for me with good intentions, and using magic to keep her from hearing when my body - this body that you condemned me to - rejected it.

So don't stand there and lecture me about starving myself. This is nothing compared to that. This can't even compare to back then, when food was a distant memory and all you can eat is sn-- no! Just back off already!

[not_yourdaddy]

[A series of surprises it seems, and now it is his turn to bear the weight of them. Eyes go wide at the explosion of sound, truth dripping freely like water from cloud. All of that. . .months? Had he really been gone that long, so completely unaware of it?

His grip spasms, fingers coiling tighter only to loosen as the shock rolls down his spine. Not quiet letting Fai go, but no longer staking him in place. His gaze shoots off to the side, one brief moment of guilt making itself known before he looks at the blond once more. A steady sort of gaze, open but not offering easy answer. Those would have to be found, but they were there.]

It's not a choice I would have made. I know damn well what I've done, and I've never had any intention of leaving you out to dry with it. [Kurogane pauses, pulls himself to his full height. A weight he would certainly bear.] What happened before. . .that's not something I can change, but I'm here now. So, don't think I'm gonna let you off easy on this just because of all of that.

[reflectedstasis]

[Why? Why did he have to keep pushing? Why did he has to stand there so calmly, when Fai felt anything but calm?

Why did that little flash of guilt only make him feel more agitated?

Questions without answers, because even now Fai was too stubborn to ask them.

Despite, or maybe because of that, whatever had loosened his tongue also loosened his reactions - because before he could even recognize for himself exactly what he was doing, a low, frustrated, growl slips out of him at the same time his palm smacked the ninja square in the chest, pushed him down into the empty chair there.]

Fine. Fine. Have it your way - you always do, right? My pain doesn't matter, because my history doesn't matter to you, so fine. You want me to feed? Then let's do that.

[He doesn't hesitate then to step forward and settle right on the ninja's lap, blue eye flashing to gold as he brought a hand up, threaded it through dark spikes, and fisted there - not hard enough to hurt, but enough to tilt the man's head to the side. Full lips brushed along the curve

[not_yourdaddy]

[Truth be told he could have avoided this. There was no reason his skills couldn't have prevented this situation, and yet there's something to the air around the other man, emotions long unacknowledged, that stills his instincts and allows Fai the run he needs

[reflectedstasis]

[The touch at his hip, restraining, reminding him that even when he wanted, even now, his control over their situation was only ever illusionary at best

[not_yourdaddy]

[If nothing else, it's a move that sparks confusion within him. The act odd, given everything between them, and yet. . .no. Perhaps it was nothing more than a reaction drawn from feeding in such a position.

Confusing indeed.

He's careful not to twist his head with teeth still embedded within his neck. But, touch alone tells him what's needed of this situation - the relenting of fingers, the slowly drawn close of mouth over skin, the warmth swipe of tongue. . .the roll of those hips. His hand clamps down at that, tight against Fai's hip. Another warning.

That wasn't a game to be played. Not like this.

Far too much going on to even consider the consequences, and for his part, Kurogane didn't care to add to the tangled lines between them. After all, there was enough here to unravel, questions still unanswered. Voice is smooth, even despite the unrest within him. All that's given of that storm within is a dark glint in his eyes, that bite of weapon-worn fingers against skin.]You can think what you want, but you don't get to tell me

[reflectedstasis]

[Fai scowls at the firm grim and low words, right before his brows furrow. He stays silent for another moment lips barely pausing over skin a moment... then he simply makes a choice. He's not going to simply let this go, this time. Or hide everything, bury all his frustrations and confusions back down once again.

And he proves this by brushing his lips across blood-slick skin, lets his tongue flick out once again to catch the last few drops, clearly unwilling to listen to the warnings being given to him right them.

And proof of that came in the brush of bloodied lips up the column of the ninja's neck, lips barely brushing the delicate shell of his ear, accompanied by another little shift despite the hand at his hip.]

...I don't recall saying anything of the sort, Kurogane.

[not_yourdaddy]

[That fine line. . .it might as well have been drawn in sand as the tide rolled in with the way this was progressing. He sits there, patient, as those lips make their way along his throat, brush against ear.]

You made it plain enough. . .

[His grip tightens. Tipping his head away from that roaming mouth, Kurogane sets his other hand upon Fai's wrist. This wasn't. . .Mouth forms a hard line.

With his next breath, Kurogane rises to his feet. A swift release that comes with no prior warning. Only the slip of hands from the blond's body, complete extraction. Because this. . .well, it wasn't them. . .and it sure as hell wasn't how he'd ever want any of that to go.]

I don't know what the hell's gotten into you tonight, but this is over.