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tampered2007-03-18 11:56 am
apostleofhope.livejournal.com) wrote in tampered2007-03-18 11:56 am
Log; Complete
When; March 18th. Morning.
Rating; PG-13.
Characters; Rosette Christopher [![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
bound_by_time] & Joshua Christopher [apostleofhope].
Summary; Rosette convinces Joshua to go on a picnic with her in the forest and tries to lure him into danger so that he'll reveal his horns. She manages to rip only one off of him, though, leaving him broken and betrayed.
Log;
Rosette: The walk to their picnic spot had been a welcomed calm after the insanity that had gripped the city the day before, and Rosette couldn't help but smile as she packed away the remains of the food she had slaved over all morning. It wasn't easy to cook with beer, so that morning was a rush to get everything ready. She was amazed it how good it had tasted, she had been worried that the damn kitchen would explode after the way that pot had been smoking. She had stepped out though a few times, and every time she had came back in, the problems had been solved already. No doubt that was the reason Fiore had been looming around the door every time she had left.
Joshua had been smiling from the moment they left the door, the entire walk out into the woods, and even now, a smile graced his features. It almost unnerved her, but she tried to push it off as her own paranoia that he'd see past her ruse. But she had gotten this far, there was no way that she'd just slip up that easily.
"Thank you for taking me out Joshua." She said prettily, packing away the basket and sitting back on the picnic blanket. She smoothed out the dress she was wearing, looking over at him and patting the space beside her.
Joshua: It was hard not to smile. He certainly didn't have anything devious planned... This was his saintly sister, after all. But she had put the time and effort into cooking for him, and he'd been ushered away from the kitchen every time he tried to sneak in to see what she was cooking. Finally, though, he got to eat some!
He honestly couldn't ever remember his sister cooking for him before. There had been that girl who looked just like his sister... She had gotten her own room, even. That room had been his sanctuary.
But now it was Aion's, and he didn't care anymore. That place was tainted. The cathedral was a better home, and they even got to share a room! Nothing was better than going to sleep to the sound of his beloved sister singing to him. Or at least he had thought, until he tasted the cooking.
It reminded him of someone... Fiore? No, better! It was his sister's cooking, after all.
"Ah, but, we have to remember to bring Rosiel back some berries! It was hard to convince him to let us come out this far. For some reason he wanted us to stay at the cathedral..." Completely stuffed, he almost didn't want to move again, but he couldn't resist the invitation Rosette offered.
Crawling over, he collapsed next to her and rested his cheek against her thigh, nuzzling affectionately. "Mm... It's warm out, Rosette."
Rosette: She blinked down at him, biting her bottom lip a little before lightly threading her fingers into his hair calmingly. She turned her eyes back out to the woods and nodded, "It is." She shaded her eyes with the other hand, playing with strands of her brother's hair as she looked about. "I don't see any berries around here though Joshua, we'll have to go look for them." She looked back down at him, smiling that perfect smile that had taken her a while to get right. "I wonder if there is a lake somewhere near here. We could take a little swim. It is warm enough."
Maybe she could pretend to drown...no. That wouldn't pull out his horns probably, just scare the bejesus out of him. Then forget ever getting out of arms reach of him, she'd be permanently handcuffed to his wrist no doubt.
Joshua: "A lake...? Ah, but I heard there's a monster in there!" Joshua grinned up at her. "I could take care of it for you! But... I don't want you to see that sort of thing." Reaching up, he tapped his fingertip against her mouth. "Pretty pretty sister..."
Hm, but if she wanted to go swimming, he couldn't tell her no. She had cooked for him after all, and it had been delicious! It really was so warm, and that wasn't just because of the sunlight. He truly did feel loved again...just like when they were children. "But I bet there are streams leading out of that lake!"
Immediately, he sat up and looked at her. "And I'll catch some fish to bring home for dinner! Do you think that would make Rosiel happy?"
Rosette: She laughed, shaking her head a little. "I'm sure that will make him very happy." She got up neatly, picking up the picnic basket and lightly pat his back to motion for him to get up as well. "Though I'm sure if we found him a orange tree, he might be far more fond of his gift." She smiled to herself, enjoying the sunlight that beat down on her back. Right now he seemed just like when he was a little kid, back when things were far simpler then they were in this city. Yeah. The lake monster, If it did come out...but would she be able to handle it once she freed him? She still didn't have her guns on her, that would be too suspicious. Maybe she could get one of the wood beasts to attack them, something a little less powerful.
"Why don't we get going Joshua?" She offered a dainty hand out to him, "We should get the fish last if we don't want them to get stinky before we bring them to Rosiel."
Joshua: "But I bet he's sick of oranges now... Besides, I think that's really just some weird angel metaphor I don't get." Joshua rubbed at the back of his neck as he watched her gather up the blanket and basket.
When she held out her hand, he was quick to take it, and used his other to snatch the blanket and basket from her. After all, she wasn't supposed to carry anything. He wanted his sister's hands to be soft...
Still, he had noticed ever since her arrival that there were calloused on her fingers and knuckles... Absently, he rubbed his thumb against one of her knuckles as he led the way deeper into the forest. "Rosette, before you came to the City, you weren't doing anything dangerous, were you? Like...handling a gun?"
Rosette: Her heart jolted, but she just smiled up at him calmly. "Of course not Joshua, it's from gardening." She leaned her head on his shoulder lightly. "While I was looking for you, I used to Garden as a hobby. You know how I like sunflowers." She hummed their song under her breath a little, hoping that her little lie wouldn't be called on. "You know, we should plant some at the cathedral, We can have our own garden. How does that sound Joshua?"
She looked back up at him, trying out her convincing smile again. Great, what was she getting herself into? If she kept lying to him like this, eventually she was going to forget something and he'd call her on it. She played with her dress a little, looking down at their feet as they walked, trying to match his stride.
Joshua: His eyes lit up a bit at that, and he released her hand so that his arm could wrap around her shoulders, hugging Rosette against his side while they walked. "Of course! Gardening. That makes sense. We can have our own little corner in the cathedral's garden... We'll plant you sunflowers, Rosette."
There was a pause in his step then, and Joshua glanced over his shoulder warily. Someone following them? Something?
No, it must have been his imagination, but... "Rosette, maybe we shouldn't go swimming. You'll be vulnerable."
Rosette: She let out a breath she forgot she was holding, slowly as not to sound strange about it, and looked up at him with a smile. "That sounds great, And we can have Fiore bake the seeds when they're ready too."
She let him hold her to him as they walked, honestly enjoying the calm. It unnerved her that she was starting to get used to him acting like this. She noticed his misstep the moment it happened, and looked up at him with a blink, furrowing her eyebrows. "Is there something wrong Joshua? I know you can protect me from anything." Was it a monster? She couldn't be that lucky could she?
Joshua: Her words made Joshua laugh a bit. "Of course I can! But I don't want you to see me fight. It's so messy." Leaning over, he squeezed her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. "And with such a pretty sister, if you show off your body, you might attract all the monsters!"
Finally, he could hear the trickle of water in the distance, and without any warning, he scooped her up into his arms to carry her bridal style, letting her hold the blanket and basket over her stomach. "But maybe you could attract a unicorn! Like the virgin in the stories. Remember? Ah, hold on, this is faster than walking."
The wings spread out easily, as if they had been there all along, and it only took a few flaps before they were in the air. The trees weren't too thick here, so it was easy for him to glide through them, following the sound and scent of crystal clear water.
Rosette: She blinked as he kissed the top of her head, blushing despite herself and gasped as he suddenly scooped her up into his arms. She clutched to his neck to keep balance, leaning against him as the picnic basket was placed onto her lap. His words made her flinch a little, and she smiled at him as his wings spread out. They really were beautiful, her brother the Apostle, the angel. Not the type of angel Rosiel or those other weird people were, he was something far more perfect. Except for....
"A unicorn. Wouldn't that be nice...." She couldn't, wouldn't, refused to ever let him know what had happened between her and Fakir that night. Honestly, she didn't want to even admit it to herself. She rested her head on his chest, cursing the beast that had been following them for being so slow. "Maybe we can catch a leprechaun left over from yesterday." She said lightly, enjoying the smell of the fresh water despite herself. All that beer yesterday had corrupted her senses.
Joshua: "A leprechaun? It would be better to find a rainbow. The pot of gold is on the other side." The stream he found was small enough that you could easily see the bottom, and there would be no creatures other than normal fish lurking within.
The wings flapped a couple times as his feet touched the ground, and they folded in to disappear as if they had never been. Gently, he set his sister down, relieving her of the blanket and basket to set them on the ground as well. "When it rains again, Rosette, I'll find you a rainbow. Okay?"
Rosette: She looked up at him, pursing her lips before nodding, smiling. "That sounds nice." She began to pull of her shoes carefully, and turned her back to him. "Do you mind helping me with the dress?" She was wearing a couple layers under the dress, so it wasn't any big deal. Maybe wading in would help her think of a way to distract him enough to get something to attack them.
She gathered her hair up and pulled it to the side for him, watching the fish swim about the shallow river. Damn, plans like this really wasn't her strong point. She glanced over her shoulder at her brother a little, pouting. "You're coming in too, right Joshua?"
Joshua: He had just been noticing a bush that had some kind of mysteries berries on it when Rosette spoke up again, and he turned to look over at her in surprise. "Help you with...?" To undress? "Y-yes. Sure."
Relieved that she was looking away then so his blush remained secret, he stepped over and reached out to untie the ribbon around her waist. Next was the zipper, and he stared at the nape of her neck before finally tugging the zipper down, watching as it revealed more and more of the slip beneath.
By the time he was through, he felt incredibly dizzy, and his hand lingered at her waist for a moment before he finally turned and cleared his throat. "I'll join you after I pick the berries."
Rosette: She smiled up at him, honestly oblivious, and wormed out of the pretty dress, folding it and placing it to the side. She rolled up the slip to mid-thigh, and tied it into a knot, stepping into the water. The liquid was cool and comfortable, and she sank into it, letting her head go under the water. She surfaced a few moments later, shaking her head with a little laugh. Now all they needed was Chrno and it would be just like old times.
She watched him carefully, water bubbling from under her nose as she stayed mostly submerged, knees to the ground. Hmnn.... She smiled lightly, eyebrows pushing down almost demonic as she formed a plan in her mind and stood up. With a smile on her face, she very innocently, sent water flying in his direction in a wave.
Joshua: It had been very hard for Joshua not to stare as his sister waded into the water. Of course, he was only watching for her safety. ...Of course.
When she was about to turn back to face him, he was quick to look back to the bush, and crouched down to pluck one of the berries to pop into his mouth. Mmm... Tasted like a blackberry. Did Rosiel like those?
Tugging the basket over, Joshua began to pluck the berries and dump them in. Fiore could wash them when they returned, and perhaps make a pie or something.
His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a cold splash of water against his back, and he looked over his shoulder in shock, as if expecting to see some monster attacking. But no, it was... Rosette. Joshua didn't even know what to think at first, and he stared at her for a moment as water dripped from his bangs.
Then, he quickly tugged off his coat and shoes, a playful glint in his as he stood and walked over, crouching down at the edge of the stream and leaning over. She was already wet, but it would still be satisfying to get a good splash right into her face, which he was quick to do.
Rosette: She laughed as he grinned at her, backing up and putting her arms up to defend against the splash she knew was coming. "Joshua!" She grinned, reaching for his tie as he leaned over, getting a good mouthful of water as she did, and gave it a good hard yank the moment her fingers caught the material. She took a few steps back in the process, not wanting him to land directly on top of her.
Joshua: He should have backed up when she reached for him... After all, he was faster than she could ever even hope to be. But this was his sister, so he let her have her way, even if it did strangle him a bit and cause him to fall face first into water.
It could have been worse, though. He still had her to hold onto.
Quickly, he surfaced and tugged her up with him, shaking his head to get the water out of his eyes. Keeping an arm around her waist to keep her from trying anything else sneaky for a moment, he was able to loosen his tie and finally pull it off, abandoning the sopping wet article of clothing on the shore.
Then he looked at her and moved his hand to settle between her shoulder blades. Like this, all he had to do was lean over, and she would be taking a dip. Which he did, just enough so that her back touched the water, and her hair spread like a halo. "Give me one good reason not to shove you under right here!" Despite the 'threat', his eyes were dancing with laughter.
Rosette: She yelped as she went under with him, laughing out loud as he dragged her up with him, looping her arms about his shoulders again, as not to flail about, which was hard to do once he placed his hand on her back and set her against the water. She had to slowly loosen her hold on his shoulders, until only her finger tips gripped onto his shirt, a playful smile on her lips as she had to hold onto his hip with one of her slim legs, more out of instinct then doubt in his ability to hold her up.
"Because you love me?" She asked innocently, trying not to laugh between words. "You wouldn't do that to your sister would you? Its cruel and unusual punishment!" Her eyes twinkled, dancing as she giggled, pulling on his shirt a bit.
Joshua: His smile died a bit at her words, and Joshua stared down at her as she laid on the water, floating with his support. The water trickled gently, tugging and pulling at her hair and slip, and nothing could have looked more beautiful to him at that moment.
She wasn't just his sister. She was the one person he had sought after, the only one he wanted and needed. Life without Fiore was hard, but not for the same reason. Fiore was his, but Rosette was his love.
Still, that didn't excuse her from a good dunk in the water, so he moved his hand from her waist to grip at her thigh, and let the hand between her shoulder blades grip the silky fabric of the slip to yank her clean under.
Only for a second, of course, and he had a snarky little grin on his face as he quickly pulled her back up, a mop of her hair in her face. "Of course I love you."
Rosette: She squeaked, the water dulling her senses for a moment as she yanked on his shirt, only to be pulled up again a few seconds later, blonde hair falling over her face. She shook her head, sending droplets of water everywhere, clearing her eyes as she pouted up at him, kicking her leg a little. "That was mean Joshua!" She stuck her tongue out at him, closing her eyes to make her point known. For a moment there she had thought she had said something wrong, the way his smile had faded, but she must have misread it. She pulled one hand from his shirt, placing it against his cheek and patted it twice, opening her eyes back up. "You're just lucky I cant dip you."
Joshua: Almost looking apologetic, he let her go and reached up to push her hair back, threading his fingers through it to comb it a little. "What do you mean? You ruined one of my favorite ties! Aion got that for me. That's worse than dipping me."
Once her hair had been tucked back behind her ears, Joshua tried to wipe the water off of his face, though that was pretty pointless with a sleeve that was soaking wet. Still, it gave him an excuse to not stare at her. Why did the slip have to be white? It was clinging to her, and he could see the undergarments beneath.
This was torture.
Rosette: She smiled as he put her down, then crossed her arms and pretended to still be mad, though she smiled at him to reassure him. "Oh? Then its old then anyway." She smiled up at him, straightening his collar.
"I'll get you a new one Joshua, one just for you. Is that ok? We can go out shopping together and pick one out." She teased him, letting him go and splashing him again. "But first, you have to catch me." She laughed, scrambling up onto the bank and taking off, laughing as she did.
Joshua: The simple bliss her suggestion and attention to his collar brought him was quickly decimated when she splashed him as a cover to run off. Immediately he panicked and leaped out of the water.
What if she stepped on something sharp and cut her foot?! What if she slipped and hit her head? What if something came out of nowhere and attacked her?!
"Rosette, no! Come back!" He wasn't going to risk getting her in danger, and if that required him calling upon the demon in him, then so be it. The now visible horns made him too fast for the human eye to follow, and it was easy to track her scent, so it would only take moments for him to catch up with her.
Just as soon as he was close enough, he reached out to snatch her wrist, quickly halting her escape. "We can't play this game here! You'll draw--" Ah, too late.
Before he could even finish his sentence, something dark slammed into him, knocking him away from her and right into a tree. When it halted, it was revealed as something akin to a panther, though the eyes glowed with something murky, and antennas seemed to constantly wave about.
With Joshua winded, it was quick to turn on Rosette.
Rosette: She stopped short as he grabbed her wrist, and she looked up at him sharply, gasping as the beast she had headed towards slammed into her brother, slamming him into a tree. "Joshua!!" She yelped, instantly noticing the horns that extended from his head. She crushed her teeth together painfully, and she picked up a rock, hurling it at the beast before turning about and dashing away from her brother. She curved towards the river panting as she snagged the picnic basket, hurling it at the beast's face. Hopefully it was heavy enough to distract him.
"JOSHUA!!" While it was distracted, while he was distracted. She had to do it now....
Joshua: He needed a moment. Just a moment. "Nn..." He hadn't been ready for battle, that was all. But now he could see his sister was not there with him, and he looked up and to the side to find her running off with the monster in tow.
Flexing his fingers as he staggered up, they curled into makeshift claws, and Joshua released a snarl before breaking into a run back towards the stream.
It was his turn to slam into the creature, knocking it away from his sister and into the water. He couldn't let it hurt her. Not something like this. It was fast, and Joshua found he was surprised to find it claw at his chest before managing to dart out of the water and away.
The wound drew blood, but certainly not enough to merit any serious concern, and all it managed to do was infuriate the boy more. Wings spread, and he flew at the panther to knock it off it's face once more, just about knocking a tree as they both rolled into it.
Like that, he was able to keep it within his grip, and it was a flurry of limbs and claws before Joshua finally let out a triumphant cry and more or less ripped the head clean off.
It was quickly tossed away, and his fingers smeared blood against the grass as he scooted away from it to look over at Rosette in weary concern. "You're all right?"
Rosette: She ground her teeth together, balling her fists as tears welled in her eyes, half sickened by his brutality, half by how horrible she was herself for betraying him like she was. Before he had even turned she had rushed to his side, and the by time his eyes met her's, by time he was able to get words out, Her fingers were already about his Left horn, planting her feet firmly upon the rocks and she yanked with all her strength, not letting go until she would hear that satisfying sound of that horn coming loose.
I'm so sorry Joshua. But this is for your own good!
Joshua: He was confused. What was she doing? She was supposed to be hugging him, wasn't she? Telling him she was all right, and asking him if he was all right? Wasn't that what siblings did?
Then why did his head hurt so much?
Joshua's body spasmed then when he realized what she was doing, much too late, and he screamed as the horn came loose, ripped right out of him, bloodying him up even more than he already was.
"Rosette, no!" he cried desperately, but it was too late. It was gone, and he was left with one.
Right then, the pain wasn't the worst thing. He was getting a flood of images, a myriad of memories. Things he'd done as a child and as a teenager, both good and bad...but mostly awful...and he felt...he felt...guilty.
"NO!" He screamed again and reached out to try and snatch it back. "No no no no!"
Rosette: She hit the ground hard from the force of her pull, and rolled up to her feet quickly, blood covering her hands, the horn, her slip. She backed up, holding the horn away from him as tears rolled down her cheeks. "No Joshua!" She cried, tying the horn up in her skirt. She had to get the other one off, but she couldn't let him take this one. She'd have to hide it or something. "No! They have to come off!" She backed up quickly, ready to flee if he tried to persist.
She was scared that he'd be too hurt to do anything, to afraid that if she left before she had to, that he would fall prey to those creatures in the woods. The guilt of doing this to him, to cause him this pain, already ate at her stomach, despite knowing that it was the best for him. "Joshua Please! Listen to me!" She bit her bottom lip painfully. "That horn, you have to get it off! I know you hear me, please. Get it off!"
Joshua: Shaking his head, Joshua groaned a bit, his eye stinging as blood got in it. Get it off? Why? "No! They make me strong! Give it--ngh...!" He shut his eyes and hung his head.
It hurt, it hurt so much! His head hurt, and his heart hurt. How could she have betrayed him?! Not his beloved sister! Had someone tricked her into doing it? They had been having such a nice picnic... With good food and water fights and...and his sister, she...
Still, some reason was trying to get him. The absence of one horn was creating conflict, and for just a moment he opened his eyes to look up at her. Tears spilled over in his moment of clarity, as the guilt swamped him. "Ro...sette...? What have I..."
Rosette: She felt her heart pinch, twist, ache. She shook her head, closing her eyes painfully before Shaking her head. "You're not getting it back Joshua." She wanted to hug him, take him into her arms and soothe the pain. But she couldn't, she couldn't take the risk of him trying to kill her, or turning her to stone with that one horn he still had.
She took one step forward though, wiping some of the blood that had landed on her cheek off with her wrist, before offering a wary hand out. "You haven't done anything we cant fix, that we can't make right. Just you have to trust me Joshua." She pleaded. "Let me get rid of that horn."
Joshua: With a pained groan, Joshua shook his head and began to reach out for her hand, only for another wave of emotions to hit him. Guilt and pain were quickly replaced with fury. She had betrayed him! She wasn't really his sister!
His jaw clenched, and a low animalistic growl came out of him before he snagged her hand and yanked it close, reaching for her dress. "Give it back!" Oh, the noise, it was getting so loud. Her noise.
"I'll make you stop! I'll make IT stop, and I'll take back what's mine!"
Rosette: She gasped as he grabbed her wrist, eyes dropping to his hand as she grabbed where the horn was stashed with the other hand, twisting his wrist outward as she brought her leg around at his knees, meaning to sweep him off balance and break his hold on her.
Shit Shit Shit Shit!
"I wont let you Joshua!" The moment she was free she didn't waste time on rushing away from him, leaving her shoes, dress, and her brother behind. It was in his best interest, she could always reason with him better now, hopefully, but there would be no changing his mind if he got hold of this horn. She had to escape.
Joshua: "Rosette!" he screamed as he tried to scramble up. If he tried, he could catch her. Even with only one horn, he was far faster than any human. But he...couldn't. The shock of her betrayal was too much, and he was starting to feel faint from blood loss.
Joshua as unable to heal himself, after all. He could heal everyone else, but not himself. Already, he could tell that he would need bandaged for his head and chest, and there was that raspy...weak feeling that he remembered having as a child. Sickness. SICK. She had taken half of his strength away!
With another shriek, he flapped his wings, clutching at his chest as he flew up above the trees to race back to the City. The cathedral, he needed to get back. Fiore would fix him. Fiore would make it better!
Sister sister sister... That bitch!
Rating; PG-13.
Characters; Rosette Christopher [
bound_by_time] & Joshua Christopher [apostleofhope].Summary; Rosette convinces Joshua to go on a picnic with her in the forest and tries to lure him into danger so that he'll reveal his horns. She manages to rip only one off of him, though, leaving him broken and betrayed.
Log;
Rosette: The walk to their picnic spot had been a welcomed calm after the insanity that had gripped the city the day before, and Rosette couldn't help but smile as she packed away the remains of the food she had slaved over all morning. It wasn't easy to cook with beer, so that morning was a rush to get everything ready. She was amazed it how good it had tasted, she had been worried that the damn kitchen would explode after the way that pot had been smoking. She had stepped out though a few times, and every time she had came back in, the problems had been solved already. No doubt that was the reason Fiore had been looming around the door every time she had left.
Joshua had been smiling from the moment they left the door, the entire walk out into the woods, and even now, a smile graced his features. It almost unnerved her, but she tried to push it off as her own paranoia that he'd see past her ruse. But she had gotten this far, there was no way that she'd just slip up that easily.
"Thank you for taking me out Joshua." She said prettily, packing away the basket and sitting back on the picnic blanket. She smoothed out the dress she was wearing, looking over at him and patting the space beside her.
Joshua: It was hard not to smile. He certainly didn't have anything devious planned... This was his saintly sister, after all. But she had put the time and effort into cooking for him, and he'd been ushered away from the kitchen every time he tried to sneak in to see what she was cooking. Finally, though, he got to eat some!
He honestly couldn't ever remember his sister cooking for him before. There had been that girl who looked just like his sister... She had gotten her own room, even. That room had been his sanctuary.
But now it was Aion's, and he didn't care anymore. That place was tainted. The cathedral was a better home, and they even got to share a room! Nothing was better than going to sleep to the sound of his beloved sister singing to him. Or at least he had thought, until he tasted the cooking.
It reminded him of someone... Fiore? No, better! It was his sister's cooking, after all.
"Ah, but, we have to remember to bring Rosiel back some berries! It was hard to convince him to let us come out this far. For some reason he wanted us to stay at the cathedral..." Completely stuffed, he almost didn't want to move again, but he couldn't resist the invitation Rosette offered.
Crawling over, he collapsed next to her and rested his cheek against her thigh, nuzzling affectionately. "Mm... It's warm out, Rosette."
Rosette: She blinked down at him, biting her bottom lip a little before lightly threading her fingers into his hair calmingly. She turned her eyes back out to the woods and nodded, "It is." She shaded her eyes with the other hand, playing with strands of her brother's hair as she looked about. "I don't see any berries around here though Joshua, we'll have to go look for them." She looked back down at him, smiling that perfect smile that had taken her a while to get right. "I wonder if there is a lake somewhere near here. We could take a little swim. It is warm enough."
Maybe she could pretend to drown...no. That wouldn't pull out his horns probably, just scare the bejesus out of him. Then forget ever getting out of arms reach of him, she'd be permanently handcuffed to his wrist no doubt.
Joshua: "A lake...? Ah, but I heard there's a monster in there!" Joshua grinned up at her. "I could take care of it for you! But... I don't want you to see that sort of thing." Reaching up, he tapped his fingertip against her mouth. "Pretty pretty sister..."
Hm, but if she wanted to go swimming, he couldn't tell her no. She had cooked for him after all, and it had been delicious! It really was so warm, and that wasn't just because of the sunlight. He truly did feel loved again...just like when they were children. "But I bet there are streams leading out of that lake!"
Immediately, he sat up and looked at her. "And I'll catch some fish to bring home for dinner! Do you think that would make Rosiel happy?"
Rosette: She laughed, shaking her head a little. "I'm sure that will make him very happy." She got up neatly, picking up the picnic basket and lightly pat his back to motion for him to get up as well. "Though I'm sure if we found him a orange tree, he might be far more fond of his gift." She smiled to herself, enjoying the sunlight that beat down on her back. Right now he seemed just like when he was a little kid, back when things were far simpler then they were in this city. Yeah. The lake monster, If it did come out...but would she be able to handle it once she freed him? She still didn't have her guns on her, that would be too suspicious. Maybe she could get one of the wood beasts to attack them, something a little less powerful.
"Why don't we get going Joshua?" She offered a dainty hand out to him, "We should get the fish last if we don't want them to get stinky before we bring them to Rosiel."
Joshua: "But I bet he's sick of oranges now... Besides, I think that's really just some weird angel metaphor I don't get." Joshua rubbed at the back of his neck as he watched her gather up the blanket and basket.
When she held out her hand, he was quick to take it, and used his other to snatch the blanket and basket from her. After all, she wasn't supposed to carry anything. He wanted his sister's hands to be soft...
Still, he had noticed ever since her arrival that there were calloused on her fingers and knuckles... Absently, he rubbed his thumb against one of her knuckles as he led the way deeper into the forest. "Rosette, before you came to the City, you weren't doing anything dangerous, were you? Like...handling a gun?"
Rosette: Her heart jolted, but she just smiled up at him calmly. "Of course not Joshua, it's from gardening." She leaned her head on his shoulder lightly. "While I was looking for you, I used to Garden as a hobby. You know how I like sunflowers." She hummed their song under her breath a little, hoping that her little lie wouldn't be called on. "You know, we should plant some at the cathedral, We can have our own garden. How does that sound Joshua?"
She looked back up at him, trying out her convincing smile again. Great, what was she getting herself into? If she kept lying to him like this, eventually she was going to forget something and he'd call her on it. She played with her dress a little, looking down at their feet as they walked, trying to match his stride.
Joshua: His eyes lit up a bit at that, and he released her hand so that his arm could wrap around her shoulders, hugging Rosette against his side while they walked. "Of course! Gardening. That makes sense. We can have our own little corner in the cathedral's garden... We'll plant you sunflowers, Rosette."
There was a pause in his step then, and Joshua glanced over his shoulder warily. Someone following them? Something?
No, it must have been his imagination, but... "Rosette, maybe we shouldn't go swimming. You'll be vulnerable."
Rosette: She let out a breath she forgot she was holding, slowly as not to sound strange about it, and looked up at him with a smile. "That sounds great, And we can have Fiore bake the seeds when they're ready too."
She let him hold her to him as they walked, honestly enjoying the calm. It unnerved her that she was starting to get used to him acting like this. She noticed his misstep the moment it happened, and looked up at him with a blink, furrowing her eyebrows. "Is there something wrong Joshua? I know you can protect me from anything." Was it a monster? She couldn't be that lucky could she?
Joshua: Her words made Joshua laugh a bit. "Of course I can! But I don't want you to see me fight. It's so messy." Leaning over, he squeezed her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. "And with such a pretty sister, if you show off your body, you might attract all the monsters!"
Finally, he could hear the trickle of water in the distance, and without any warning, he scooped her up into his arms to carry her bridal style, letting her hold the blanket and basket over her stomach. "But maybe you could attract a unicorn! Like the virgin in the stories. Remember? Ah, hold on, this is faster than walking."
The wings spread out easily, as if they had been there all along, and it only took a few flaps before they were in the air. The trees weren't too thick here, so it was easy for him to glide through them, following the sound and scent of crystal clear water.
Rosette: She blinked as he kissed the top of her head, blushing despite herself and gasped as he suddenly scooped her up into his arms. She clutched to his neck to keep balance, leaning against him as the picnic basket was placed onto her lap. His words made her flinch a little, and she smiled at him as his wings spread out. They really were beautiful, her brother the Apostle, the angel. Not the type of angel Rosiel or those other weird people were, he was something far more perfect. Except for....
"A unicorn. Wouldn't that be nice...." She couldn't, wouldn't, refused to ever let him know what had happened between her and Fakir that night. Honestly, she didn't want to even admit it to herself. She rested her head on his chest, cursing the beast that had been following them for being so slow. "Maybe we can catch a leprechaun left over from yesterday." She said lightly, enjoying the smell of the fresh water despite herself. All that beer yesterday had corrupted her senses.
Joshua: "A leprechaun? It would be better to find a rainbow. The pot of gold is on the other side." The stream he found was small enough that you could easily see the bottom, and there would be no creatures other than normal fish lurking within.
The wings flapped a couple times as his feet touched the ground, and they folded in to disappear as if they had never been. Gently, he set his sister down, relieving her of the blanket and basket to set them on the ground as well. "When it rains again, Rosette, I'll find you a rainbow. Okay?"
Rosette: She looked up at him, pursing her lips before nodding, smiling. "That sounds nice." She began to pull of her shoes carefully, and turned her back to him. "Do you mind helping me with the dress?" She was wearing a couple layers under the dress, so it wasn't any big deal. Maybe wading in would help her think of a way to distract him enough to get something to attack them.
She gathered her hair up and pulled it to the side for him, watching the fish swim about the shallow river. Damn, plans like this really wasn't her strong point. She glanced over her shoulder at her brother a little, pouting. "You're coming in too, right Joshua?"
Joshua: He had just been noticing a bush that had some kind of mysteries berries on it when Rosette spoke up again, and he turned to look over at her in surprise. "Help you with...?" To undress? "Y-yes. Sure."
Relieved that she was looking away then so his blush remained secret, he stepped over and reached out to untie the ribbon around her waist. Next was the zipper, and he stared at the nape of her neck before finally tugging the zipper down, watching as it revealed more and more of the slip beneath.
By the time he was through, he felt incredibly dizzy, and his hand lingered at her waist for a moment before he finally turned and cleared his throat. "I'll join you after I pick the berries."
Rosette: She smiled up at him, honestly oblivious, and wormed out of the pretty dress, folding it and placing it to the side. She rolled up the slip to mid-thigh, and tied it into a knot, stepping into the water. The liquid was cool and comfortable, and she sank into it, letting her head go under the water. She surfaced a few moments later, shaking her head with a little laugh. Now all they needed was Chrno and it would be just like old times.
She watched him carefully, water bubbling from under her nose as she stayed mostly submerged, knees to the ground. Hmnn.... She smiled lightly, eyebrows pushing down almost demonic as she formed a plan in her mind and stood up. With a smile on her face, she very innocently, sent water flying in his direction in a wave.
Joshua: It had been very hard for Joshua not to stare as his sister waded into the water. Of course, he was only watching for her safety. ...Of course.
When she was about to turn back to face him, he was quick to look back to the bush, and crouched down to pluck one of the berries to pop into his mouth. Mmm... Tasted like a blackberry. Did Rosiel like those?
Tugging the basket over, Joshua began to pluck the berries and dump them in. Fiore could wash them when they returned, and perhaps make a pie or something.
His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a cold splash of water against his back, and he looked over his shoulder in shock, as if expecting to see some monster attacking. But no, it was... Rosette. Joshua didn't even know what to think at first, and he stared at her for a moment as water dripped from his bangs.
Then, he quickly tugged off his coat and shoes, a playful glint in his as he stood and walked over, crouching down at the edge of the stream and leaning over. She was already wet, but it would still be satisfying to get a good splash right into her face, which he was quick to do.
Rosette: She laughed as he grinned at her, backing up and putting her arms up to defend against the splash she knew was coming. "Joshua!" She grinned, reaching for his tie as he leaned over, getting a good mouthful of water as she did, and gave it a good hard yank the moment her fingers caught the material. She took a few steps back in the process, not wanting him to land directly on top of her.
Joshua: He should have backed up when she reached for him... After all, he was faster than she could ever even hope to be. But this was his sister, so he let her have her way, even if it did strangle him a bit and cause him to fall face first into water.
It could have been worse, though. He still had her to hold onto.
Quickly, he surfaced and tugged her up with him, shaking his head to get the water out of his eyes. Keeping an arm around her waist to keep her from trying anything else sneaky for a moment, he was able to loosen his tie and finally pull it off, abandoning the sopping wet article of clothing on the shore.
Then he looked at her and moved his hand to settle between her shoulder blades. Like this, all he had to do was lean over, and she would be taking a dip. Which he did, just enough so that her back touched the water, and her hair spread like a halo. "Give me one good reason not to shove you under right here!" Despite the 'threat', his eyes were dancing with laughter.
Rosette: She yelped as she went under with him, laughing out loud as he dragged her up with him, looping her arms about his shoulders again, as not to flail about, which was hard to do once he placed his hand on her back and set her against the water. She had to slowly loosen her hold on his shoulders, until only her finger tips gripped onto his shirt, a playful smile on her lips as she had to hold onto his hip with one of her slim legs, more out of instinct then doubt in his ability to hold her up.
"Because you love me?" She asked innocently, trying not to laugh between words. "You wouldn't do that to your sister would you? Its cruel and unusual punishment!" Her eyes twinkled, dancing as she giggled, pulling on his shirt a bit.
Joshua: His smile died a bit at her words, and Joshua stared down at her as she laid on the water, floating with his support. The water trickled gently, tugging and pulling at her hair and slip, and nothing could have looked more beautiful to him at that moment.
She wasn't just his sister. She was the one person he had sought after, the only one he wanted and needed. Life without Fiore was hard, but not for the same reason. Fiore was his, but Rosette was his love.
Still, that didn't excuse her from a good dunk in the water, so he moved his hand from her waist to grip at her thigh, and let the hand between her shoulder blades grip the silky fabric of the slip to yank her clean under.
Only for a second, of course, and he had a snarky little grin on his face as he quickly pulled her back up, a mop of her hair in her face. "Of course I love you."
Rosette: She squeaked, the water dulling her senses for a moment as she yanked on his shirt, only to be pulled up again a few seconds later, blonde hair falling over her face. She shook her head, sending droplets of water everywhere, clearing her eyes as she pouted up at him, kicking her leg a little. "That was mean Joshua!" She stuck her tongue out at him, closing her eyes to make her point known. For a moment there she had thought she had said something wrong, the way his smile had faded, but she must have misread it. She pulled one hand from his shirt, placing it against his cheek and patted it twice, opening her eyes back up. "You're just lucky I cant dip you."
Joshua: Almost looking apologetic, he let her go and reached up to push her hair back, threading his fingers through it to comb it a little. "What do you mean? You ruined one of my favorite ties! Aion got that for me. That's worse than dipping me."
Once her hair had been tucked back behind her ears, Joshua tried to wipe the water off of his face, though that was pretty pointless with a sleeve that was soaking wet. Still, it gave him an excuse to not stare at her. Why did the slip have to be white? It was clinging to her, and he could see the undergarments beneath.
This was torture.
Rosette: She smiled as he put her down, then crossed her arms and pretended to still be mad, though she smiled at him to reassure him. "Oh? Then its old then anyway." She smiled up at him, straightening his collar.
"I'll get you a new one Joshua, one just for you. Is that ok? We can go out shopping together and pick one out." She teased him, letting him go and splashing him again. "But first, you have to catch me." She laughed, scrambling up onto the bank and taking off, laughing as she did.
Joshua: The simple bliss her suggestion and attention to his collar brought him was quickly decimated when she splashed him as a cover to run off. Immediately he panicked and leaped out of the water.
What if she stepped on something sharp and cut her foot?! What if she slipped and hit her head? What if something came out of nowhere and attacked her?!
"Rosette, no! Come back!" He wasn't going to risk getting her in danger, and if that required him calling upon the demon in him, then so be it. The now visible horns made him too fast for the human eye to follow, and it was easy to track her scent, so it would only take moments for him to catch up with her.
Just as soon as he was close enough, he reached out to snatch her wrist, quickly halting her escape. "We can't play this game here! You'll draw--" Ah, too late.
Before he could even finish his sentence, something dark slammed into him, knocking him away from her and right into a tree. When it halted, it was revealed as something akin to a panther, though the eyes glowed with something murky, and antennas seemed to constantly wave about.
With Joshua winded, it was quick to turn on Rosette.
Rosette: She stopped short as he grabbed her wrist, and she looked up at him sharply, gasping as the beast she had headed towards slammed into her brother, slamming him into a tree. "Joshua!!" She yelped, instantly noticing the horns that extended from his head. She crushed her teeth together painfully, and she picked up a rock, hurling it at the beast before turning about and dashing away from her brother. She curved towards the river panting as she snagged the picnic basket, hurling it at the beast's face. Hopefully it was heavy enough to distract him.
"JOSHUA!!" While it was distracted, while he was distracted. She had to do it now....
Joshua: He needed a moment. Just a moment. "Nn..." He hadn't been ready for battle, that was all. But now he could see his sister was not there with him, and he looked up and to the side to find her running off with the monster in tow.
Flexing his fingers as he staggered up, they curled into makeshift claws, and Joshua released a snarl before breaking into a run back towards the stream.
It was his turn to slam into the creature, knocking it away from his sister and into the water. He couldn't let it hurt her. Not something like this. It was fast, and Joshua found he was surprised to find it claw at his chest before managing to dart out of the water and away.
The wound drew blood, but certainly not enough to merit any serious concern, and all it managed to do was infuriate the boy more. Wings spread, and he flew at the panther to knock it off it's face once more, just about knocking a tree as they both rolled into it.
Like that, he was able to keep it within his grip, and it was a flurry of limbs and claws before Joshua finally let out a triumphant cry and more or less ripped the head clean off.
It was quickly tossed away, and his fingers smeared blood against the grass as he scooted away from it to look over at Rosette in weary concern. "You're all right?"
Rosette: She ground her teeth together, balling her fists as tears welled in her eyes, half sickened by his brutality, half by how horrible she was herself for betraying him like she was. Before he had even turned she had rushed to his side, and the by time his eyes met her's, by time he was able to get words out, Her fingers were already about his Left horn, planting her feet firmly upon the rocks and she yanked with all her strength, not letting go until she would hear that satisfying sound of that horn coming loose.
I'm so sorry Joshua. But this is for your own good!
Joshua: He was confused. What was she doing? She was supposed to be hugging him, wasn't she? Telling him she was all right, and asking him if he was all right? Wasn't that what siblings did?
Then why did his head hurt so much?
Joshua's body spasmed then when he realized what she was doing, much too late, and he screamed as the horn came loose, ripped right out of him, bloodying him up even more than he already was.
"Rosette, no!" he cried desperately, but it was too late. It was gone, and he was left with one.
Right then, the pain wasn't the worst thing. He was getting a flood of images, a myriad of memories. Things he'd done as a child and as a teenager, both good and bad...but mostly awful...and he felt...he felt...guilty.
"NO!" He screamed again and reached out to try and snatch it back. "No no no no!"
Rosette: She hit the ground hard from the force of her pull, and rolled up to her feet quickly, blood covering her hands, the horn, her slip. She backed up, holding the horn away from him as tears rolled down her cheeks. "No Joshua!" She cried, tying the horn up in her skirt. She had to get the other one off, but she couldn't let him take this one. She'd have to hide it or something. "No! They have to come off!" She backed up quickly, ready to flee if he tried to persist.
She was scared that he'd be too hurt to do anything, to afraid that if she left before she had to, that he would fall prey to those creatures in the woods. The guilt of doing this to him, to cause him this pain, already ate at her stomach, despite knowing that it was the best for him. "Joshua Please! Listen to me!" She bit her bottom lip painfully. "That horn, you have to get it off! I know you hear me, please. Get it off!"
Joshua: Shaking his head, Joshua groaned a bit, his eye stinging as blood got in it. Get it off? Why? "No! They make me strong! Give it--ngh...!" He shut his eyes and hung his head.
It hurt, it hurt so much! His head hurt, and his heart hurt. How could she have betrayed him?! Not his beloved sister! Had someone tricked her into doing it? They had been having such a nice picnic... With good food and water fights and...and his sister, she...
Still, some reason was trying to get him. The absence of one horn was creating conflict, and for just a moment he opened his eyes to look up at her. Tears spilled over in his moment of clarity, as the guilt swamped him. "Ro...sette...? What have I..."
Rosette: She felt her heart pinch, twist, ache. She shook her head, closing her eyes painfully before Shaking her head. "You're not getting it back Joshua." She wanted to hug him, take him into her arms and soothe the pain. But she couldn't, she couldn't take the risk of him trying to kill her, or turning her to stone with that one horn he still had.
She took one step forward though, wiping some of the blood that had landed on her cheek off with her wrist, before offering a wary hand out. "You haven't done anything we cant fix, that we can't make right. Just you have to trust me Joshua." She pleaded. "Let me get rid of that horn."
Joshua: With a pained groan, Joshua shook his head and began to reach out for her hand, only for another wave of emotions to hit him. Guilt and pain were quickly replaced with fury. She had betrayed him! She wasn't really his sister!
His jaw clenched, and a low animalistic growl came out of him before he snagged her hand and yanked it close, reaching for her dress. "Give it back!" Oh, the noise, it was getting so loud. Her noise.
"I'll make you stop! I'll make IT stop, and I'll take back what's mine!"
Rosette: She gasped as he grabbed her wrist, eyes dropping to his hand as she grabbed where the horn was stashed with the other hand, twisting his wrist outward as she brought her leg around at his knees, meaning to sweep him off balance and break his hold on her.
Shit Shit Shit Shit!
"I wont let you Joshua!" The moment she was free she didn't waste time on rushing away from him, leaving her shoes, dress, and her brother behind. It was in his best interest, she could always reason with him better now, hopefully, but there would be no changing his mind if he got hold of this horn. She had to escape.
Joshua: "Rosette!" he screamed as he tried to scramble up. If he tried, he could catch her. Even with only one horn, he was far faster than any human. But he...couldn't. The shock of her betrayal was too much, and he was starting to feel faint from blood loss.
Joshua as unable to heal himself, after all. He could heal everyone else, but not himself. Already, he could tell that he would need bandaged for his head and chest, and there was that raspy...weak feeling that he remembered having as a child. Sickness. SICK. She had taken half of his strength away!
With another shriek, he flapped his wings, clutching at his chest as he flew up above the trees to race back to the City. The cathedral, he needed to get back. Fiore would fix him. Fiore would make it better!
Sister sister sister... That bitch!