Jealousy

[akitosama]

Who: Akito, Emmeline
What: Meeting and sorting out their differences
Where: small park near the Sohma house
When: After their conversation in Emmy's journal
Rating: unpredictable! (unlikely to be that high.)

Comments

[lady_rotterdale]

Emmeline had reached the park a bit earlier than she had intended, which meant she got to find a suitable place to station herself, in order to see Akito before she was herself perceived. Usually she wouldn't bother with such measures, but the other young woman seemed more hostile than was even reasonable, so she wasn't going to take any chances.

This park was familiar to her. It was the one where she had first met Shigure face to face - and learned of the curse, although that had been quite by accident. The memory made her smile a little, even though it was bittersweet. He had been kind to her, then and after, helping her whenever she needed it. He was like... what she had used to think an older brother should be.

Upon spotting the other, she toyed momentarily with making Akito wait for her. But it suddenly seemed a cruel thought - the young woman looked defenseless, as if being out in the open was to be entirely out of her element. Sighing, Emmeline moved to join her.

[akitosama]

Akito started at the other woman's sudden appearence, her expression turning into a frown. "You're late", she said, giving a rebuke out of instinct. She felt awkward suddenly, meeting Emmeline face to face, almost as if they were on the same ground. Which they were not of course; Akito knew that her own role and birthright put her in a much higher position than Emmeline's claim at aristocracy could put her.

"You came, then." Not that she had doubted that Emmeline would, the woman had seemed willing enough. It was the words they would exchange now that Akito did not trust. Even without knowing this woman she knew what to expect; lies, falsity, clever words. She wouldn't be any different from any of the others.

[lady_rotterdale]

Emmeline thought about it for a moment, decided there was nothing for it - you can't reason with someone who has insisted everything you say is a lie just because you're a woman, no matter how hypocritical that statement may be - and started to laugh. "I'm not late, I was waiting for you. And of course I came. I said I would. No sense in telling someone you'll meet with them and then not showing up."

This young woman was prettier in person. Delicate. And with her personality... Emmeline could see that she had been absolutely right in assuming this to be the young woman Shigure was in love with. They would suite each other so perfectly.

[akitosama]

Akito responded with a miffed noise, not having an eloquent comeback. She felt infuriated that Emmeline would dare to laugh at her - and also annoyed at herself that she could not find the words to defend herself with. Standing in the middle of the path like this, she felt at a disadvantage; especially as the other woman was slightly taller than she. And this woman, the one who had called her pretty, was certainly not ugly herself. Akito wondered what had drawn Shigure to her... if he had been drawn to her. Her long dark hair bore more than a little resemblance to-

No, she wouldn't think about that person! Not when Shigure was-

Banishing the thought from her head with a particularly angry glare at her companion, she nodded her head towards a bench that sat not too far from where they were stood. "Let's sit down. I wouldn't want our conversation to tire you."

[ooc: Emmeline looks tall :3]

[lady_rotterdale]

Emmeline managed not to smirk. Akito's look had said she felt the inch or two difference in their height distinctly, no matter that it was so very slight. Honestly, there was no obvious reason for her to be so - threatened? intimidated? jealous?

That was probably it. She was jealous because Emmeline knew Shigure. She didn't even know the extent of their acquaintance and she was already jealous. It was almost funny.

Emmeline put on another of her sweet smiles. "As you like, Miss."

[[ooc: She may, but she's shorter than Cain, and he's short. Oh. But how old is Akito? o-O;]]

[akitosama]

Akito sat down with a glower. She didn't appreciate the title that Emmeline seemed to insist on adressing her with. It felt degrading, to her; and it was also a constant reminder that the other woman knew who she was, despite the masculine clothing she was dressed in. Should one of the Sohmas find out... no, that was unlikely. But it was still a constant reminder that she could do without.

"So you visited him in the house," she commented, her light tone unable to hide the suspicion. "For what reason?"

[ooc: Akito is twenty. But she's a good deal shorter than Shigure and Kureno, IIRC.]

[lady_rotterdale]

Emmeline sat beside her calmly enough, a little smile still playing around the corners of her mouth. At the very least, Akito seemed angry that she continued to refer to her as "miss" instead of by her name. Well, she would just have to live with it. It was difficult to pass the time in polite society if you weren't willing to antagonize people a little, just to see what they would do.

Besides, that stiff anger was amusing, since she knew it was pointless.

"He was taking care of me." She could have said more, given the reason, told Akito that she'd been injured because of the man she loved, but that would be handing out information, and she simply couldn't. Let the woman ask, if she wanted to know. Careful questioning was always a useful skill.

[[ooc: Well, yeah, I know. But come on. Cain is short. I just wanted to know to see how much older than Emmy she is. Also, what's "IIRC" mean? o-o;]]

[akitosama]

Why would Shigure take care of someone outside the family? There was no profit in it for him, that Akito could see, and he had never seemed to her to be someone willing to hand out his support and care. It was often a struggle for her to receive more than polite mockery for him! Or it had been so, back home.

She waited for Emmeline to continue, but it was clear the other woman would not go into more detail. Would she be likely to tell Akito the reason if she were asked? This woman wasn't under her control like the Juunishi were, she would be unlikely to give out information on pure demand.

And just what did taking care entail? Did Akito even want to know? It was too hard not to ask further, though. "Taking care? What kind of care, exactly?"

[ooc: IIRC stands for if I recall correctly~ (yay abbreviations!) and I have to confess to knowing nothing about the Cain Saga >.< How old is Emmy then?]

[lady_rotterdale]

Emmeline smiled truly at the barely concealed anger in Akito's voice. It was either that she was used to getting all her questions answered immediately, without having to ask, or that she didn't understand the concept of Shigure being so kind for no obvious reason.

Remembering his personality, Emmeline understood perfectly. She had the feeling that Akito rarely saw the person she was sure he was.

"I was injured, and required a place to stay until I was better. That's all."

[[ooc: Oh~ but it's so good~~~ o-o Anyway. She's just 17, because in Britain they marry young. >>;]]

[akitosama]

A place to stay? "You lived in that house?" Akito asked coldly. She wondered how long this had been before she had arrived in the world. Would Emmeline still be there now, if it hadn't been for her? She shook her head slightly; she was assuming too many things based on the simple facts Emmeline had given her. If they were facts.

"How good he must have been to you," she said, more than a little bitterly. "You must be heartbroken now that he-" She couldn't finish that sentance. After a moment she took a breath and continued. "What a pity that my arrival in this world must have come betweeen you."

[ooc: Unfortunately in Britain they also don't have a very good manga supply D= I must find a scanlation from somewhere. Haha, I googled "Emmeline Rotterdale" though and most of the pages that came up were from the RP.]

[lady_rotterdale]

Emmeline was tempted, but the bitter edge to Akito's voice stopped her. She'd had fun, anyway. "For a month or so, yes," she continued, almost as though the other woman hadn't spoken. "Until my fiancee could come for me. He would have come sooner, I'm sure, but this place is quite hectic."

No need to mention that Cain had no longer been engaged to her when he came for her. No need for Akito to even know it was Cain that she spoke of. She could easily lie, after all, and say it was Oscar - Akito seemed to know who Cain was, which meant she probably knew of his many misadventures, which would give her far too much to hurt Emmeline with, if she was still feeling spiteful. Best she didn't know.

[[ooc: Aww, you poor thing~ Let me think about that. >> Haha, and yeah... there's a little about her on Wiki, but nothing anywhere else except here. xD]]

[akitosama]

Akito hadn't expected that. She looked at the woman beside her and wondered how she could have ommitted such an important detail until now. "Your fiancee?" she asked sharply. It was a useless question for she knew barely anyone in this place outside the family circle.

Emmeline was right about one thing, though - the world certainly did seem to be quite hectic. Akito had not seen much of it; again, due to her reluctance to mix with the rest of its inhabitants, but the things she had heard about it from the rest of her family had confirmed that. She wondered briefly if Emmeline minded that events had caused her to be seperated from her fiancee, whoever he was. But she thought immediately afterwards that that could not be possible. Emmeline must be a manipulative person, Akito was sure, if she had persuaded Shigure to take her in. She must have been in control of this other man too.

[ooc: I cope XD I found the first volume online a while ago so it's around somewhere.]

[lady_rotterdale]

"Mm, yes," she answered, a small smile coming to her face just from the thought of Cain. But that question didn't require more than an affirmative. Let the other woman think what she wanted of Emmeline. She wouldn't think the truth, and that was what was so amusing. It was a wonder she could go through life, always assuming that everyone was lying to her and manipulating her or others.

"How long have you been in love with him, Miss?"

[[ooc: I have the whole thing scanlated, it's just I don't think I could send it to you, and Cain-mun's the only one who knows where to get it. :x]]

[akitosama]

"In love-" Akito stared at her, horror in her face. "I'm not in love with him!" The denial was instinctive. She felt her face redden - why would Emmeline even suggest it? Had Shigure told her something? But surely he wouldn't have made estimations on her feelings. So how could Emmeline know - no, why would she think it? Was she just guessing, or trying to catch Akito off her guard? She had known Akito was a woman easily enough, and - as she claimed - without any word from Shigure. Maybe she was very perceptive.

"Why did you think that?" she demanded angrily.

[ooc: I will hopefully be able to find it without too much difficulty. Thanks though! :D]

[lady_rotterdale]

The blush that crept over her cheeks, the instant and firm denial, the increase in anger - Emmeline was sure she was right. She hadn't actually needed to ask - the answer wasn't important - but she had been curious. It was obvious to her that Shigure loved this woman, and she would have hated it if he was in a similar situation to herself - in love with someone who did not return the feeling. She felt sufficiently reassured, now.

She gave Akito a smile, tilting her head to the side. "Well, you do. Or you wouldn't be so jealous about me even knowing him."

[[ooc: Good luck!]]

[akitosama]

"I'm not jealous," Akito said flatly, a warning tone in her voice. Even she knew that she was, though; she was jealous of any of the Juunishi having affection for another, even amongst themselves. But it was strongest with Shigure. She had wanted him to see her, and only her.

Emmeline sounded so assured in her words that denying it to her was pointless, regardless of whether it were true or not. And it was true. But Akito hadn't wanted anyone to know that, not Kureno, not Shigure, and certainly not this smiling woman who would surely use such a fact to her advantage. Not that she would ever be able to tell Shigure now, of course. That was a heavy thought that still had not fully sunk in. And besides, perhaps Shigure had known it himself. Perhaps they had both known, and had been so intent in keeping up the lies that they did not know that to admit it openly, to a stranger, was unthinkable. So, despite knowing that both she and Emmeline could see the lie in this, Akito repeated, "I don't love him."