EZIO ♈ - 17

[punchesbards]

Who: punchesbards, somarium
Where: Everywhere
Style: I'll match
Status: Open.
Notes: Lawl mistletoe. Feel free to say he's...anywhere pretty much, because the damn plant will stalk him. U: He went to the brothel, the tavern, probably near the coliseum and blah blah everywhere through the course of the day

Comments

[shines_bright]

Lightning had had surprisingly good luck in the mistletoe department. Not only had she successfully avoided all of it up to this point with the efficiency and care that one would take in avoiding the plague, any that had dared drift near succumbed to a well placed bullet. Yes, Lightning chose to deal with this plant infestation the only way she knew how, with guns blazing. It was an effective method, the only downside being how completely insane she looked while doing it.

She didn't care though. Like Ezio, she had things she had to do and she'd sooner get stuck under one than just seclude herself and wait for it all to pass. Her only worry was getting blindsided by one with someone in public. She couldn't gauge what her reaction under those plants would be, with whoever had the misfortune of stepping under one with her. So far she had seen both kisses and hugs, and neither were something she wanted to get forced into.

Which is why when she saw the assassin exiting a shop, she quickly ducked into an alley. At least she already knew what her reaction with him would be, that removed the element of surprise, but that also opened up other problems. There were people literally everywhere, prying eyes, and she just wasn't prepared to deal with that. She was pretty sure she got caught though, she wasn't that fast.

So, since she chose a dead end without realizing, she simply leaned against the wall with folded arms and legs. She might as well try and look casual, and that was as close as she could get.

[punchesbards]

Speaking of avoiding things like the plague, that may or may not what he and Lightning had been doing since they found that secret room in the coliseum. He wasn't really doing it on purpose on his end, he was just extremely busy and assumed she was as well. If they met up in mentioned training room to clean it out then they met. If not then...oh well. It wasn't a big deal to him.

However, he did catch that brief glimpse of the pink-haired woman before she darted into the alleyway, a brow lifted curiously. If that wasn't an obvious avoidance maneuver he didn't know what was. Alleyways were dangerous places, Lightning, you know he won't approve.

Of course him sneaking through the crowd and following her probably didn't look any better to those that may have been watching. He doubted anyone was though. When he saw her leaning a bit too casually against the wall he just smirked.

"Really, Lightning," he started, unable to resist the small laugh that echoed out afterward, "If you were trying to avoid me I would have thought you'd do better than this." now he feigned a hurt look as best he could considering how stupidly amused he looked. No mistletoe in sight either. ...not yet anyway.

[shines_bright]

Busted. She tried her best to remain apathetic to it all, and even fought back an annoyed sigh. She wasn't annoyed with him, just more so annoyed with the fact that she got caught. Really, her stealth was starting to slip, but then again her stealth was a debateable quality above anything else. She didn't push off of the wall, but merely lifted a foot to rest on the cold brick, enhancing her casual indifference.

"There was nowhere else to go," she responded with a shrug. Not everyone can blend with whores, Ezio. She could tell that he was joking, his feigned hurt only resulting in a somewhat confused stare. Did he really think that this was funny? She failed to see the humour. "I wasn't expecting to see you out here, either."

Notice how she didn't deny that she was avoiding him? It was true, after all. At least in this circumstance, in general avoidance just came natural to her. She was busy, things here were starting to confuse her, and she wasn't exactly a social butterfly anyway. She liked her space, and she could only assume that he liked his. At least she wasn't clingy.

"Don't get the wrong idea, Ezio," at least she could clarify. She owed the man that much, at least. "I'm avoiding you, and everyone else, because of those," she nodded her head toward a green, pesky, floating little hindrance in the distance as it set upon claiming another victim.

[punchesbards]

It was funny only because it was Lightning. Despite his own paranoia about the mistletoe, he couldn't help but find it amusing that she was playing the same game he was. So far what he had seen hadn't been as bad as initially perceived, but that didn't mean he was going to let his guard down. That also didn't mean it wasn't funny to mess with her either. Lightning was an easy target for him.

"And I wasn't expecting you to blatantly avoid me, but I understand your reasons." at least it made more sense than avoiding him simply because he made her feel feelings. God forbid, right? He took a more serious tone now, casting his gaze back to the mentioned plant above the bewildered couple's heads on the street corner. Poor bastards. "Have you been fairing well thus far? They seem to pop up everywhere." which was code for; 'what is your strategy and how the hell long are these things going to be around?'

Honestly, he really wouldn't have minded it so much. Kissing was all well and good, but what if he happened to get stuck under the mistletoe with some man? Would the powers that be in Somarium force him to do something like that? He'd likely never live that down.

He took the chance to step closer to her, disliking the fact that he would have to raise his voice in the alleyway and risk everyone hearing their conversation, and he did want to ask her if she had been to that training room again since the last time. "Unfortunately I can't just hide from everything and everyone, I have things to do as well." Like babysitting his sister even if she insisted that she didn't need to be. "It's only a matter of time." he had already dealt with the things once, he didn't feel like doing it again if only to avoid more awkward moments.

[shines_bright]

Easy target indeed. Then again, he was an easy target for a punch or lightning bolt too.

"Glad you understand then," she responded absently as she watched the couple under the leaf, unable to tear her gaze away, though able to suppress a wince. If that was her under there, she'd have to suppress something else entirely, and that would be the urge to kill something. If she ever got stuck hugging or kissing Snow, for instance, murder suicide would be the only way out of that mess. She shifted against the wall, resting her eyes on the assassin once more. "They do pop up everywhere, but I carry this with me everywhere too," she nudged her holster with her elbow to indicate her use of violence. "They go down easy."

She said that so smugly, like the fact that whipping out a gun in the middle of public to shoot off rounds randomly into the air wasn't a big deal. To her it wasn't though, it wasn't like she'd hit someone. Unless they were under there with her, in which case it would be random draw between the plant and the person.

As he stepped closer, she simply remained in her position, pressed up against the brick. "What about you, speaking from experience?" It was only a matter of time, huh? Unlikely, at least in her eyes. She couldn't directly control where these plants were going to show up, or when they were going to float on over and ruin her day, but she could control the outcome. Again, she believed that to be true, but it was, in fact, still out of her hands.

[punchesbards]

"Experience." He made a face; looking like he was either ready to laugh or he was about to say something super awkward. "I've witnessed their 'power' first hand, si." and he stole some innocent girl's first kiss and probably traumatised her forever. Well..she kissed him, and it could have been worse right? She could have ended up kissing Javert. Then he'd just feel terrible. He didn't want to imagine that.

Now, ignoring or simply unaware of whatever magically appearing mistletoe that may or may not be above their heads, Ezio pushed closer. He could only assume that Lightning was not a fan of PDA. And he wasn't just assuming that because she was shooting mistletoe, a concept that sounded ridiculous even to him, and he was admittingly running from the plant. Alas, teasing poor Light was a bit too much fun for him, even more so after their last encounter.

"I usually just tear them down." He said with a shrug as he inched closer, sweeping to the side at the last minute and taking to leaning beside her on the wall. "So far no one has gotten hurt from what I saw--" Oh, ouch. Except that guy that they spotted earlier with that girl, he just got a nice punch to the jewels. "I stand corrected."

[shines_bright]

It was her turn to laugh, albeit just a tad bitterly. "First hand, huh? Poor you," was her uncomforting response. Really though, underneath that facade, she did feel a bit of sympathy for him. The fact that she did was even surprising to her, since she normally couldn't care less. Yes, she did care about him enough to worry and want nothing but the best for him.

Again, as he inched even closer, she didn't flinch away. She simply locked her eyes on his, rapidly becoming lost in them, not even thinking about the fact that there might be mistletoe above them. The fact that he had such a spell over her made her want to punch him, and then punch herself for letting it happen. As he dipped to the side to lean next to her, she snapped out of it. She rolled her eyes to finally check above her, and when she saw nothing, she finished it with a huff of cold air.

"I was waiting for that to happen," she stated as she watched the poor bastard across the way stagger, on the verge of falling over from that brutal assault. Now, that woman had the right idea, and she inwardly cursed herself for her inability to act upon it only moments before.

[punchesbards]

Please don't kick him in the crotch, he really really couldn't live with shattered jewels. Just saying. And he hadn't technically done anything yet.

When she looked up, he couldn't help but do the same. Glad to find that nothing was there he just sighed and continued to lean against the wall. "I know you care so deeply about my tragedy." He said teasingly. She really didn't, he figured, but oh well. He had gotten rather use to Lightning's demeanor. Besides, he was the one that knew about 'Claire' so she had better be a little nice.

"Cruel." he noted bluntly, leaning closer to her side a bit. Now was when the mistletoe would just 'magically' pop up above their heads, for those two seconds Ezio wasn't even paying attention, "Have you been to the coliseum recently?"

[shines_bright]

She wouldn't kick him even if he did do something. She'd just get huffy and flustered, but that's nothing new either.

"I do care," she mumbled, obviously she just had a really lame way of showing it. Because to Lightning, feelings were a totally new, reintroduced concept that she was still learning how to deal with. She craned her neck to give him her full attention, his question valid and welcomed. "I have, I've noticed some of the changes." They had come far with it, from a dank, dusty secret room to one that could be practically inhabitable. "You'll notice a few of my own changes as well," like some added furniture here and there, some more rearranging and cleaning. Serah may have been the better cook in the family, but she was definitely the better housekeeper.

She was about to ask him the same thing when she felt a strange, overwhelming urge. She gasped lightly, finally placing the urge to the action. With eyes widened, she pushed off of the wall abruptly and ducked her head to lift and touch a finger to her lips. This was not good.

Just as quickly as she had shoved off of the wall, she turned to push her body against Ezio's, hands on his chest. Without warning, and just a little hesitantly, she leaned in and pressed her lips against his, eyes closing with the contact. It started out chaste and soft, but rapidly became a bit more forceful and angrily passionate, like she wanted more. She was already kissing him, she figured, and she couldn't find the energy to go for her weapon, so she'd have to channel her frustrations into something else.

What better outlet than the one provided?

[punchesbards]

"I know, Lightning." He did, he was just a jerk and liked to tease her and everyone else he considered a friend. For now he remained where he was, somehow resisting the urge that she would feel in a few seconds. Probably because the urge to kiss a beautiful woman was something that happened of his own free will at times, so when he felt it he tried his best not to act on it. "I did notice, it's coming along nicely, si?" He was going to say something else but was absolutely blindsided by the woman lunging herself at him.

Again, this wasn't all too abnormal. But considering the conversation they just had about mistletoe and the fact that this was Lightning he was dealing with really threw him for a loop. Still, even Ezio couldn't resist the magic of that damned mistletoe. So after a pause of surprise ( much like the one he exhibited at Angela's ), he set a hand on her hip, pushing so he could lean her back into the wall she had been standing against previously and returning the impromptu kiss with just as much aggression. Although his was more passionate than forceful.

Ezio wasn't entirely stupid, luckily, and the main reason he even pushed her back to begin with was so anyone that waltzed passed the alleyway would see his back instead of the woman he was currently locking lips with. You're welcome, Lightning.