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tampered2008-06-30 01:29 pm
apostleofhope.livejournal.com) wrote in tampered2008-06-30 01:29 pm
Log; Complete
When; June 30th [Afternoon].
Rating; PG-13 [Language, Suggestive Content].
Characters; Rosette Christopher [![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
bound_by_time] & Joshua Christopher [apostleofhope].
Summary; After finding a way to block her thoughts from Joshua, she tries to sneakily have him let his guard down so she can attempt to remove his horns. ...Sadly, it doesn't work out that well, and she's just lucky she keeps her head.THE CAKE IS A LIE! End of the log dictated here.
WARNINGS; Incestual thoughts implicatedbecause Rosette knows how to trick him all too easily. Don't read if that offends you.
Log;
Joshua; The summer days had just been getting warmer and warmer, and he was beginning to miss living at the beach. Maybe he should find a building close to the water for him and Rosette to live in... It would be cooler, and would have a much nicer view. Still, he was attached to the cathedral for reasons he wasn't sure of, so these thoughts were never more than a passing fancy. Not that it was very difficult to distract Joshua, since he seemed to have the attention span of a goldfish when Rosette wasn't concerned.
Although he would have liked to follow his sister around every waking minute, Fiore had taught him that girls occasionally needed their space. It was all right, so long as she didn't leave and so long as nobody unsavory talked to her. He had to be careful of that one named Heinkel. What a pain.
At least taking a quick slightly cold shower was enough to lighten his mood again. While he normally was grateful for the heat, especially since his body didn't produce it's own, he just felt it a little overwhelming today, and standing under the stream of slightly cool water for a good ten minutes was refreshing. Of course, it took him a good ten minutes to dress afterward, just because he kept messing up the buttons. At least he'd gotten his pants on the right way. He gave up halfway through his shirt, wanting to see Rosette again. Being away longer than an hour was torture at this point.
Hair still dripping, his bare feet padded through the halls as he headed to first look in her room. Bingo! She was there...brushing her hair. She looked so pretty sitting there with the sunbeams hitting her just right, Joshua was content for the moment to just stand in the doorway and watch.
Rosette; The girl was daydreaming, brushing her hair with half hearted strokes, her mind elsewhere. This city, with all its sickness and the like rushing around the streets, it hadn't pierced the almost whimsical world that she was living in with her brother. The brush moved through the same section of hair over and over, eyes focused on something distant. She wasn't complaining about that, Protecting Joshua from the horrors of the city was one of her main goals, but not leaving the Cathedral in so long had made her exceptionally stir crazy. Especially after that horrible curse...
Her lips twitched down at the memory of how incredibly in love she had been with her brother. In a way that was not in the least bit Platonic. She and Joshua...
While nothing of the caliber of that curse day with Fakir had happened... Joshua didn't seem to be able to differentiate between the way she had been acting then, and the way she was acting now. His rare kisses and the like had increased... And being around him sometimes had become extremely uncomfortable.
The ring on her finger glistened in the sun, reflecting the light and blocking any of her stray thoughts.
She blinked at the sound of water dripping on the marble floors, and turned to catch sight of Joshua standing in the doorway, his shirt still open and hair wet. "Joshua." She sighed, placing the brush down and hurrying over to him, her bare feet cooled by the stone floor. It had become so unbearably hot lately, she had traded her militia uniform for light sun dresses the week before. "You should dry your hair before you come out here, you'll catch a cold." She chastised, unbuttoning the shirt he had done up crookedly so she could fix it.
Joshua; Her light scolding just made him smile more as he glanced down to watch her button up his shirt. "Hm, Sister, I don't really think the dead can catch colds. Besides, it's so warm out..." Joshua waited patiently for her to finish buttoning his shirt. She was very good at it, like Fiore had been. Of course, in his eyes, his sister was good at just about everything...sans cooking. But even then he didn't have the heart to outright insult it. He'd still eat it, even if it made him feel ill.
He really liked the sun dresses she had been wearing lately, especially since they didn't show off her thighs quite like that previous outfit had. That he didn't approve of--not if other people were going to be looking at her. If he had his way, he'd lock her away somewhere where nobody else could ever look at her...but this stupid place wouldn't let that happen. Even when he used his powers to 'stop' people, it never seemed to last more than 24 hours. He didn't like his powers being so limited.
Once his shirt was re-buttoned, the teen reached down to take her hands, tugging them up so that they cupped his face. "See? My skin's cooler now. It feels nice."
Rosette; She blinked, peering up at him as she let his cool skin be warmed by her hands, her lips quirking up a little. "Very smart." She replied brightly, patting his cheeks lightly before lightly trying to pull her hands away. "You're dripping water all over the place though, We should at least dry your hair." She insisted, smiling at him and nodding in the direction of the bathroom.
She wondered if she should try it today...He had no idea. They'd be drying his hair...no, why would she ask about his horns then? Maybe she should bring up another conversation that would lead to it...
Joshua; With a few confused blinks, Joshua let her hands go and ripped his head down to see that there was indeed a growing puddle beneath him.
Hm. Well it didn't matter too much to him, except he didn't want Rosette to slip in it, so he nodded silently in compliance before leaning over to firmly grip her waist with his hands. With one smooth movement, he picked her up, careful not to let her hit her head on the doorway, and set her down in the hallway outside the door. He'd walked too quickly to really let enough water drip to be hazardous out there.
Taking her hand in his, he leisurely laced their fingers together so that they could begin heading back to the bathroom he'd only just left moments before. He was content to let her think about whatever she was thinking about, walking in silence and looking over at her any chance he got. He didn't really need her to help dry his hair, but any excuse to spend time with her was a good one.
Rosette; The nun gasped as his hands closed firmly on her waist and hauled her up and over the puddle, setting her down with amazing strength and gentleness. Oh jeez, he never stopped amazing her with his strength, and she flushed a little in embarrassment. Focus Rosette! Focus! Picturing him as a helpless little brother was not going to help her when the shit hit the fan.
He snagged her hand moments afterwards, and they walked quietly for the bathroom, Rosette's mind full of ways to start up a conversation that would lead to him revealing his horns, each one being rejected in fear of him suspecting something. And the fear that he'd notice the lack of thoughts on her end or feel something from the ring that touched his fingers through their clasped hands.
She swallowed, brightening up when she saw the bathroom and slipped her hand out of his, ducking in to grab a towel. She fingered the fluffy material and turned around to face him, and offered him a smile as she tossed the towel over his hair, rubbing his blond hair gently with it. "Here we go, Nice and dry."
Joshua; Once in the bathroom, he stood still as she assaulted his hair with the towel, laughing a bit at how it tickled. Once it was no longer dripping and had just become damp, he pushed the towel back to peek from under it to grin down at her. "All better?" Leaning over, he gently kissed the top of her head before resting his cheek there, eyes shutting as he enjoyed the closeness. The hair she had just been brushing was so soft, and he couldn't resist the urge to comb his fingers through the light strands.
"Rosette, aren't you warm? You feel really warm... Have you tried taking a cool shower yet today? It helps."
Rosette; She flushed again as he kissed her, trying to slip away before he rested his cheek on her hair, shivering as his fingers invaded her hair. "Ah, no. I'm not." She said quickly, peering up at him as she held her hands up uncomfortably, before very slowly settling them around him. "I think I''ll be fine, I don't need one."
Joshua; Joshua stood there momentarily confused as she evaded his attempt to cuddle, but it was easily shaken off as he smiled again and quickly picked her up, hooking one arm around her thighs and the other around her waist so that she was secure against him. "Are you trying to act strong? You don't need to for me, you know... I like taking care of you."
Glancing towards the shower, he looked back to her with a shrug. "You can keep the dress on if you want. You might stay cooler longer if you do it that way. I do it all the time!"
Rosette; She gasped as he picked her up, windmilling for a moment before latching her arms about his neck, her eyes following his towards the shower. "Joshua!" She shook her head, "I don't want the dress to get wet!" She said quickly, laughing nervously.
Joshua; Easily mistaking her laughter for something more light-hearted, since of course his sister wouldn't actually object to anything he wanted, he just smiled and nuzzled against her ear. "It's okay. It's just water. It will keep you cool. I do it a lot, and my clothes end up just fine, don't they? If not, we'll get you new ones." Carefully, he set her down in the shower, leaving the glass door open as he fiddled with the settings. If he just pushed up, it should turn on at the same temperature he left it, right?
Ah, there it was. Even though he'd been the one to start it, he yelped in surprise when the water hit him, but that just made him laugh more as they both got soaked. "I guess we'll have to dry my hair again afterward!"
Rosette; "Ah, Joshua!" She squeaked, jumping as the cold water hit them, soaking her hair and sticking it to her skin, along with the white material of the sundress she was wearing. Oh great. She wrapped her arms about herself, sighing as the water pattered down around them, drenching her completely, her skin showing through the material that touched it. "Now you're clothing is all wet too!" She held up one hand, and nervously moved to turn the water off.
"I'm cool now, thank you!"
Joshua; Joshua laughed a bit, reaching out to brush some of her wet hair back out of her face as the water continued to pour down on them. He paused when he noticed the effect it had on her. He'd seen a girl in wet clothes before, sure. But he was brand new to the concept of a soaking wet white dress, and of course her undergarments had to match. Calmly, the boy reached out to take his sister's arms after she turned the water off, pulling them apart so that she couldn't hide.
"Ah... Pretty." It was almost like she was wearing nothing...except not quite. It was just close enough to stir up ideas that he hadn't played with in the longest of times... Not since he'd last been with Fiore.
Rosette; She blushed brilliantly as he pulled her arms apart, her eyes flickering downwards before back up to him, and she balled her fists, trying to restrain herself. She'd not last a second closed in here with him. "T-Thank you, I should change." She voice was a little strained, her smile more then a little fake as she tried to close her arms. "Joshua." Let go let go let go!
Joshua; "Hm? Why? Don't you feel better now?" He let go of her arms, only to circle his arms around her waist as she tried to slip out of the stall.
Gently, he tugged her back against him, the silence only interrupted from the dripping water from the faucet as he hugged her close. He'd always thought his sister was beautiful. Always. And touching her had always been a simple pleasure.
But his thoughts now were a lot less simple, at least they would seem so to anyone else, as he let his thumb tenderly stroke the wet cloth covering her hip.
Leaning down, he pulled his hand from her hip so that he could brush her hair aside, letting his lips just barely brush against the nape of her neck. "Sister... You smell like summer time. I bet you would like the beach. The air's so nice, and the waves are so soothing."
Rosette; Rosette shuddered as his arms went about her and his thumb slid across her thigh, her fingers gripping onto the side of the stall as she swallowed, her eyes focused on the glass door. This...was not happening. She had to distract him in some way, but her nervousness and his gentle touch was starting to impair her ability to think clearly. She closed her eyes, his lips brushing over her skin as he spoke, and she bit her bottom lip, trying to keep from bolting.
"I-I think I would!" She said quickly, glancing back at him and swallowing. "Actually, lets go there right now!" She tried to move out of his arms again, her bare feet slipping against the tile.
Joshua; "Right now?" He watched her foot slip on the wet tile, effortlessly looping an arm around her waist to keep her steady. "Mm... Not right now. Maybe later. I'll take you there today when the sun won't burn your skin. Then we can just lay in the sand. It will still be warm." Stepping back, he pulled her back into the stall with him, free hand tugging the frosted glass door shut behind them.
He preferred this... Locked away with her forever. Wouldn't that be bliss?
"I'm so happy you're here. I love you, Sister. I love you so much. I want to share everything with you." Loosening his grip on her waist so that he could pull her around to face him, his eyes were gentle, though they still seemed to stare right through her as he stroked her cheek with his free hand. "I want to make you the happiest girl in the world. How can I do that? Should I lay a thousand bodies at your feet? I can do it for you. I can stop time for you. Time doesn't really matter here, does it?"
Rosette; "J-Joshua..." She stammered, staring up at him and placing her hands on his shoulders, her mind running a mile a minute. If she didn't do something now, this could probably go really really bad. And If she DID something, and it went bad, she wouldn't be able to protect herself like this! Her gun was in her room, and in this small area... She'd have to get him back there! And to do that... She shuddered again, closing her eyes before steeling herself and then gave him a easy smile. Her fingers twitched as she settled her arms jerkily about his neck. "There's only one thing I want from you." She said slowly, sweat rolling down her temple with the beads of cold water that covered her, and her stomach turned even as she took his face in her shaky hands.
Quickly, before she could change her mind, she leaned up, brushing her lips against his, eyes closed tight.
Joshua; Joshua felt his body stiffen and eyes widen a bit at the initiated kiss. The only time she had done that had been awhile ago...and for some reason she hadn't done it since. He had missed it, but hadn't really thought too hard about it. He just thought maybe she liked being the lady and allowing him to initiate. Still...it was amazing to stand there and be kissed by the perfect woman, and Joshua felt a swell of emotion at that.
With a shaky breath, his lips parted a touch and he wrapped his arms around her, fingers digging lightly into her back to pull her up against him so that he could return the kiss fervently. By now he was such a practiced kisser, also thanks to Fiore, that he knew just what to do to get her to part her own lips, allowing him to complete the kiss.
Rosette; Her stomach turned as he pulled her close to him, her arms remaining loose around his neck, unable to make herself hold him as close as he held her. It was a bizarre feeling, kissing her brother, and she felt her heart jump as he invaded her mouth, trying to keep herself from pulling away.
Ugh, she had never disliked kissing someone so much, and as much as she loved her brother, it had never been in such a way, and she had only kissed Doumeki like this once in a blue moon. She had to get him back to her bedroom.... She tugged on the back of his shirt with one hand, eyes crunched closed as she returned his kiss weakly.
Joshua; She was trying to move them back out of the stall again, the door swinging open as they stumbled out, but it took him awhile to figure out why.
Ah, right. Rosette needed to be comfortable. She deserved nothing but the best after all. Still, he was reluctant to break the kiss, especially since she had been the one to start it. Gently, he let one hand settle against her back, the other smoothly sweeping her legs out from underneath her so that he could cradle her against his chest.
Like this, he could move as fast as he wanted, appearing in her bedroom only seconds later. There, he let her feet settle back onto the ground as he pushed the door shut and locked it. Nobody deserved to see his sister the way he did. Nobody.
He just wanted her to feel wonderful. He just wanted to share everything with her. As Joshua looked back at her, there was an alien glint in his eyes, though his smile as was gentle as ever as he took her hand, lifting it touch his lips to her knuckles. "I love you..." Over and over, he could tell her that forever. "Not even angels can compete with you, my sister."
Slowly, he sunk down to his knees in front of her, holding her hand to his cheek as if she was blessing him. "You're above the angels. Above God. You're everything. The City should bow to you. I'll make it happen if you wish it so." Turning his head, he tenderly kissed her palm, lips skimming up to where he could individually kiss each fingertip. The floor was already soaked from their dripping wet clothes.
Rosette; She watched him with half lidded eyes, her back stiff as he kissed her palm, her voice trembling as she spoke, cupping his chin as he kissed her fingers. "You're so strong Joshua." She whispered, blue eyes watching him distantly, afraid he'd see through her. "Very strong. My strong little brother..."
Her free hand moved through his hair gently, water draining off of her fingers. "You're stronger then the city, stronger then anyone. And you're on your knees..." She smiled at him, her smile passing fleetingly over her lips. ".....Can I see them?" She asked after a moment, her heart pounding as she swirled her fingers around the spot one of his horns occupied on his temple.
Joshua; Of course he was on his knees. Anything for her. She really did deserve to be worshipped... "Hm? The horns?" His eyes fluttered open and closed again at the touch to his temple, the skin there surprisingly sensitive. It would have alarmed him if anyone else had touched there, but with her it just seemed special. If he'd been able to purr, he would have.
Rosette wanted to see his power? He didn't really understand why, but he was happy to impress her, taking her hands in his as he stood back up with a nod.
"Of course. For you..." Besides, he didn't have to worry about the noise bothering him when he was around her. In fact, she was even more quiet lately, which was strange but...beautiful. It didn't hurt at all.
Pressing his lips to her forehead, Joshua murmured her name under his breath, savoring the closeness before opening his eyes again and pulling back just a few inches, revealing the demon's horns to her.
Rosette; She swallowed, her heart pounding as she reached out and gently touched his cheek, caressing it softly as she stepped closer to him, smiling up at him warmly. "You're so amazing Joshua." She murmured softly, cupping the other hand against his other cheek, her thumb running over the corner of his lips. "So strong and sweet and perfect."
She bit her bottom lip softly, sliding that hand into his hair, lightly brushing her fingers over the base of his horn feather light. "Is it OK If I touch them? They look so perfect on you." She whispered, lifting her eyes up to meet his.
Joshua; He didn't like people touching them...not at all. It could be perceived as a threat. But...this was Rosette. He shouldn't mind, right? "Uh..."
Joshua trailed off, clearly feeling divided about how to answer. He didn't want to deny his sister anything, especially when she was showering him with such kind words, but...why did she need to touch them? Maybe he could understand. He liked touching her, after all.
Faltering, the boy's gaze drifted off to the side as he debated on an answer, flinching a bit at the light touch she offered.
Rosette; Damnit! He'd be on guard now, she couldn't just pull on them- She pursed her lips together tightly before giving him a soft pout, turning his face so she could look into his eyes, her own blue innocent and carefully needy.
"Joshua..." She turned her voice pleading, carefully sliding her fingers away from his horns and deeper into his hair, pressing her lips to his again, leaning against him just slightly as she stood on her tip toes, her chest barely brushing against his. If this would save him...She would do anything. They could even be grossed out about it tomorrow together, when he was sane again and Chrno had his horns back..
This would work! It had too!
Joshua; Rosette certainly knew how to play him, because as soon as she gave him that look and leaned up to kiss him, he was putty in her hands.
"Yes... Whatever you want, Sister," he mumbled out weakly in between the tender kisses, looping his arms around her small waist to hold her there. He was still tense just because someone was actually touching his power source, but he was still letting her do what she wanted, and that counted for something.
Rosette; She let him hold her close, kissing him gently as her fingers slid through his hair, gently brushing his horns. Slowly, making sure he was used to the touch, she slid her hands up the horns and back down, touching them gently, reassuringly, almost seductively. He had to relax, just relax Joshua.. So close...She resisted the urge just to go for it. "Joshua..." She whispered out his name between the kisses, fingers tightening slightly on the horn.
Joshua; It took some time, but eventually Joshua found his muscles relaxing as his mind welcomed that pleasant numbness that came with such pleasant activities. There was nothing in his world except for her. Like this, he couldn't even be bothered with missing Rosiel or Fiore. She was it. And she loved him just as much as he loved her.
This simple truth was enough for him as he reached up to push his fingers through her wet hair, careful not to catch any tangles and cause her pain. He would never cause her pain.
"Rosette..." he murmured silkily against her lips, kissing his way to her ear so that he could whisper so quietly that only she could understand. "You're the only one perfect enough to accept all of me. Thank you." And he really meant it. Asking to see his horns and touching him like that...she really did love him, didn't she?
Rosette; Rosette felt her heart squeeze at his words, her eyes closing tight as she spoke thickly into his ear, "I love you so much Joshua." She whispered, like a prayer. She wouldn't let him down, wouldn't... Her fingers tightened on the horn slightly, tears slipping from her eyes as she took a small breath and pulled her arms in opposite directions, straining to tear them from his head.
Joshua; The pain was sudden, shooting from his temples into his mind like molten lava, and it made him let out a rather undignified shriek in surprise, making sounds that no human should have been capable of. It was only seconds later that he realized just what was causing it, but even though he should have been frozen in shock, his instincts reacted first, roughly shoving her away and onto the nearby bed.
"Sister!" he cried out, voice broken from the throbbing pain in his head as he staggered back, clutching at his head and looking at her as if she had just grown horns. "Why did you do that?!" He didn't understand. It wasn't computing. He trusted her far too much to jump to conclusions just yet.
Rosette; She didn't stop pulling until he shoved her away, and she yelped as she hit the bed, scrabbling for a grip on it before she hit the ground beside it, her hand darting underneath it as he stared at her with that heartbreaking stare, her fingers clasping around the handle of her gun. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" She stammered, tears still staining her cheeks. "I'm sorry!" She clicked the gun off safety, hiding it behind her back as she stumbled to her feet.
Joshua; She didn't...mean to? How could someone accidentally pull that hard? Honestly, he hadn't even known she was capable of such strength! What was his sweet little sister doing with strength that belonged to a man? He didn't like it...at all. But still, he felt awful for throwing her like that, fingers digging near where his horns were as he shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut.
"Ngh... It's... It's okay, sister... It was an...accident." He had to believe her. Because if he didn't have that, then there was nothing worth existing for. Oh, his head was pounding. He was having trouble standing up.
Rosette; She swallowed, walking towards him carefully, her free hand reaching out for him, settling on his cheek carefully. "I'm so sorry..." She caressed his cheek gently, very very aware of his difficulty getting up. She couldn't baby him, this was for his own good!
She brought the gun around quickly, the tip just barely brushing over his horn before she took in a small breath and pulled the trigger. Just let it come off! Joshua!
Joshua; Joshua flinched a bit as she touched his cheek, but stayed still, waiting for the throbbing pain to subside. But his entire body stiffened once more when he felt something oh so lightly click against one of his horns. Something metal. Again, he moved on instinct, anything to protect the source of his power, and Joshua moved in a blur, darting away to the other side of the room in a panic.
What was going on?! This was really his sister, wasn't it? It couldn't just be a fake... After all those things she had said to him...! Staring at her like she was a stranger, Joshua stayed crouched by the bed. It was clear now that she wanted his horns, and there was one easy way to keep that from happening. It was with a shallow breath that he let them disappear before she could even turn around.
He should just kill her. How dare she...!
Rosette; Rosette whipped about, stumbling as he disappeared, blue eyes wide as she found him staring at her in an unfamiliar way, the horns no longer visible on his head. Her heart beat spiked sharply, fear filtering into her veins. SHIT!
"Joshua, this is for your own good! You're not you when you're like this." She tried to reason, slo0wly backing up towards the door, her fingers brushing and then gripping around her PDA on the table near the door. "You have to understand!"
Joshua; "How can you... How can you say that!" he rasped out, the water trickling down from his bangs enough to hide the light tears that spilled over. "This is me! I became this for you, Rosette! You're the one who's not acting like you... My sister would never say that!"
Joshua watched as she edged for the door, then with a growl got up and darted over to her, grabbing both her wrists and yanking them up to make her drop the gun and whatever that other device was. "What is this...?! Are you..." He faltered, and his grip weakened. "Are you under a curse?" That had to explain it!
But then...did that also mean everything Rosette had just said to him was a lie?
Rosette; She yelped in pain, the PDA bounding on the ground, clicking and turning on as it clattered to the floor. She clung to the gun longer, but it slipped from her fingers after it, hitting the ground with a thump. "Joshua!" She looked up at him desperately, that same forlorn desperate look she had given him all those years ago. She crushed her eyes closed, tears welling as she tried to free her wrists. "You're not acting normal Joshua! Please!" Oh god this wasn't good! If he snapped...She was in big trouble!
Joshua; No. The longer she looked at him the more he understood. This wasn't his sister. It couldn't be. He should just kill her right there. Snap her neck like a twig. It would be easy. And he would have...if he had found out immediately after finding her. Instead she'd spent so much time with him, loving him, calling him little brother, keeping him warm at night when he was cold and couldn't sleep.
He could remember just lying there and watching her sleep, and knowing it was the happiest time of his life.
Kill her. "No!" Joshua shook a bit as he tightened his grip even more on her wrists to a bruising degree. "You tricked me! You lied to me! Where is she? Where's my sister?!"
Rosette; "I am your sister. I'm sorry you only have me." She growled, gritting her teeth as her wrists burned with agony. She flicked her eyes to the gun and then back up to him. She couldn't give up. She leaned back against the wall, bringing her knee up and into his stomach. "I'm not going to let this fail!"
Joshua; With his head still pounding and his emotions in turmoil, it was fairly easy for her to catch him off guard with the swift kick. It forced him to quickly step back with a yelp, arms crossing over his stomach, before the slick floor finally did him in, causing him to slip and fall flat onto his back. It winded him, but then he didn't absolutely need oxygen to live anymore. Still...it left him dazed.
Coughing a bit, Joshua was soon divided between the pain in his head and stomach as he sat up just in time to see her reaching for the gun. He snarled.
"You can't have my power! Are you going to shoot me? You have nothing to aim at now, unless you want to go for the heart!" His voice cracked as he glared angrily. Dying was no real loss for him. He would wake up later, he knew that. "Go ahead! But you better kill me with the first shot, because if not, I'll make you regret it. You're really nothing but a lying, cheating bitch. I don't know why Aion ever bothered with you!"
Rosette; Rosette hesitated, her fingers clasping around the gun as she looked down at him, her heart pounding. "Just...Joshua! Don't you remember anything? Anything at all?! You don't want to be like this!" She grit her teeth, trying not to let her voice tremble. His words hurt, but not as much as her failure.
What could she do now except retreat? She didn't want to! She didn't want to leave him! Her feet moved jerkily, stepping backwards through the door, the cool water from their previous exploits chilling her toes. "Just let me help you...And we can all be happy. Me, you and Chrno. " She tried to smile at him, the movement pained. "Don't you remember the good times? Please Joshua..."
Joshua; Joshua's eyes narrowed. "Help me? You tried to shoot me! All you want is for me to go back to being an invalid, stuck in bed and sick all the time, isn't that right?! Everyone wants my power! But it's mine!"
Slowly, he stood back up, watching her as she retreated. His horns were visible again, but it didn't matter, because he left her no room to react. He was once again nothing but a blur, freeing the gun from her hand with a low, animalistic growl. The look in his eyes went beyond anger, and beyond simple pain. He would never forget this.
But still he couldn't bring himself to kill her. "I said I'd make you regret it." Aiming the weapon at the PDA, Joshua offered it an offending glare before pulling the trigger, shattering it to pieces. He then snapped his gaze back to her, the barrel aimed right for her head.
"And if I ever see you again, I will! Get out!" It was the most merciful thing he could do for her...to not kill her for her complete betrayal. At least not this time.
Rosette; She stumbled backwards as the gun was out of her hand in an instant, the PDA shattered and the gun aimed for her again. She watched him, blue meeting blue, one hurt and angry, the other hurt and desperate. She hesitated only for so long, a silent desperate plea in her gaze, the thought blocked by the ring on her finger. And then she turned, tears streaming, and ran.
Joshua; It would have been so much easier if Joshua had found out that she was a liar at the beginning. He could have disposed of her, not wasted his time, and continued looking for his real sister. It would have been nothing.
But this was different. He could still remember the way she had looked at him before, and the way she held him when the 'noise' hurt. As he watched her run, Joshua kept the gun poised, as if truly contemplating just shooting her dead. But he didn't, not dropping the gun until she was out of sight. Everything had been a lie. Everything. The kisses, the words, the hugs. Joshua didn't even understand what was real anymore. How would he ever find his sister?
How would he ever know?
Frustrated and pained beyond belief, the apostle turned and shoved at the nearest piece of furniture, which just happened to be a dresser. It cracked and fell apart as it hit the opposite wall, but it couldn't mask the inhuman howls that bounced off the walls long after.
Rosette; Damn it! DAMN IT! She couldn't stop crying, even as she ran through the cathedral, her bare feet echoing through the halls as she tried to keep from sobbing out loud. All this time, all this time she had been with him, all the work they had done to get this far. It was gone, He'd never trust her again.
And yet, he didn't kill her when he had the chance... She jumped at the sound of something crashing behind her, followed by desperate howls that followed her out the front door and into the street.
The low sun set shadows across the streets, flickering light through the buildings as she ran as far as possible until her steps slowed, water dripping around her as she stopped half way to the Opera house, her hands clutching into her dress as she leaned forward, her shoulders shaking with desperate sobs.
"Joshua...." How could she go back...When she had failed. Failed again. Failed her brother, who was still under the influence of something that caused him pain... Something that ruined everything. "Damn you Chrno... Damn your horns...." She dropped to her knees, burying her face in her hands as she cried, to ashamed to go back to the Opera House just yet.
Rating; PG-13 [Language, Suggestive Content].
Characters; Rosette Christopher [
bound_by_time] & Joshua Christopher [apostleofhope].Summary; After finding a way to block her thoughts from Joshua, she tries to sneakily have him let his guard down so she can attempt to remove his horns. ...Sadly, it doesn't work out that well, and she's just lucky she keeps her head.
WARNINGS; Incestual thoughts implicated
Log;
Joshua; The summer days had just been getting warmer and warmer, and he was beginning to miss living at the beach. Maybe he should find a building close to the water for him and Rosette to live in... It would be cooler, and would have a much nicer view. Still, he was attached to the cathedral for reasons he wasn't sure of, so these thoughts were never more than a passing fancy. Not that it was very difficult to distract Joshua, since he seemed to have the attention span of a goldfish when Rosette wasn't concerned.
Although he would have liked to follow his sister around every waking minute, Fiore had taught him that girls occasionally needed their space. It was all right, so long as she didn't leave and so long as nobody unsavory talked to her. He had to be careful of that one named Heinkel. What a pain.
At least taking a quick slightly cold shower was enough to lighten his mood again. While he normally was grateful for the heat, especially since his body didn't produce it's own, he just felt it a little overwhelming today, and standing under the stream of slightly cool water for a good ten minutes was refreshing. Of course, it took him a good ten minutes to dress afterward, just because he kept messing up the buttons. At least he'd gotten his pants on the right way. He gave up halfway through his shirt, wanting to see Rosette again. Being away longer than an hour was torture at this point.
Hair still dripping, his bare feet padded through the halls as he headed to first look in her room. Bingo! She was there...brushing her hair. She looked so pretty sitting there with the sunbeams hitting her just right, Joshua was content for the moment to just stand in the doorway and watch.
Rosette; The girl was daydreaming, brushing her hair with half hearted strokes, her mind elsewhere. This city, with all its sickness and the like rushing around the streets, it hadn't pierced the almost whimsical world that she was living in with her brother. The brush moved through the same section of hair over and over, eyes focused on something distant. She wasn't complaining about that, Protecting Joshua from the horrors of the city was one of her main goals, but not leaving the Cathedral in so long had made her exceptionally stir crazy. Especially after that horrible curse...
Her lips twitched down at the memory of how incredibly in love she had been with her brother. In a way that was not in the least bit Platonic. She and Joshua...
While nothing of the caliber of that curse day with Fakir had happened... Joshua didn't seem to be able to differentiate between the way she had been acting then, and the way she was acting now. His rare kisses and the like had increased... And being around him sometimes had become extremely uncomfortable.
The ring on her finger glistened in the sun, reflecting the light and blocking any of her stray thoughts.
She blinked at the sound of water dripping on the marble floors, and turned to catch sight of Joshua standing in the doorway, his shirt still open and hair wet. "Joshua." She sighed, placing the brush down and hurrying over to him, her bare feet cooled by the stone floor. It had become so unbearably hot lately, she had traded her militia uniform for light sun dresses the week before. "You should dry your hair before you come out here, you'll catch a cold." She chastised, unbuttoning the shirt he had done up crookedly so she could fix it.
Joshua; Her light scolding just made him smile more as he glanced down to watch her button up his shirt. "Hm, Sister, I don't really think the dead can catch colds. Besides, it's so warm out..." Joshua waited patiently for her to finish buttoning his shirt. She was very good at it, like Fiore had been. Of course, in his eyes, his sister was good at just about everything...sans cooking. But even then he didn't have the heart to outright insult it. He'd still eat it, even if it made him feel ill.
He really liked the sun dresses she had been wearing lately, especially since they didn't show off her thighs quite like that previous outfit had. That he didn't approve of--not if other people were going to be looking at her. If he had his way, he'd lock her away somewhere where nobody else could ever look at her...but this stupid place wouldn't let that happen. Even when he used his powers to 'stop' people, it never seemed to last more than 24 hours. He didn't like his powers being so limited.
Once his shirt was re-buttoned, the teen reached down to take her hands, tugging them up so that they cupped his face. "See? My skin's cooler now. It feels nice."
Rosette; She blinked, peering up at him as she let his cool skin be warmed by her hands, her lips quirking up a little. "Very smart." She replied brightly, patting his cheeks lightly before lightly trying to pull her hands away. "You're dripping water all over the place though, We should at least dry your hair." She insisted, smiling at him and nodding in the direction of the bathroom.
She wondered if she should try it today...He had no idea. They'd be drying his hair...no, why would she ask about his horns then? Maybe she should bring up another conversation that would lead to it...
Joshua; With a few confused blinks, Joshua let her hands go and ripped his head down to see that there was indeed a growing puddle beneath him.
Hm. Well it didn't matter too much to him, except he didn't want Rosette to slip in it, so he nodded silently in compliance before leaning over to firmly grip her waist with his hands. With one smooth movement, he picked her up, careful not to let her hit her head on the doorway, and set her down in the hallway outside the door. He'd walked too quickly to really let enough water drip to be hazardous out there.
Taking her hand in his, he leisurely laced their fingers together so that they could begin heading back to the bathroom he'd only just left moments before. He was content to let her think about whatever she was thinking about, walking in silence and looking over at her any chance he got. He didn't really need her to help dry his hair, but any excuse to spend time with her was a good one.
Rosette; The nun gasped as his hands closed firmly on her waist and hauled her up and over the puddle, setting her down with amazing strength and gentleness. Oh jeez, he never stopped amazing her with his strength, and she flushed a little in embarrassment. Focus Rosette! Focus! Picturing him as a helpless little brother was not going to help her when the shit hit the fan.
He snagged her hand moments afterwards, and they walked quietly for the bathroom, Rosette's mind full of ways to start up a conversation that would lead to him revealing his horns, each one being rejected in fear of him suspecting something. And the fear that he'd notice the lack of thoughts on her end or feel something from the ring that touched his fingers through their clasped hands.
She swallowed, brightening up when she saw the bathroom and slipped her hand out of his, ducking in to grab a towel. She fingered the fluffy material and turned around to face him, and offered him a smile as she tossed the towel over his hair, rubbing his blond hair gently with it. "Here we go, Nice and dry."
Joshua; Once in the bathroom, he stood still as she assaulted his hair with the towel, laughing a bit at how it tickled. Once it was no longer dripping and had just become damp, he pushed the towel back to peek from under it to grin down at her. "All better?" Leaning over, he gently kissed the top of her head before resting his cheek there, eyes shutting as he enjoyed the closeness. The hair she had just been brushing was so soft, and he couldn't resist the urge to comb his fingers through the light strands.
"Rosette, aren't you warm? You feel really warm... Have you tried taking a cool shower yet today? It helps."
Rosette; She flushed again as he kissed her, trying to slip away before he rested his cheek on her hair, shivering as his fingers invaded her hair. "Ah, no. I'm not." She said quickly, peering up at him as she held her hands up uncomfortably, before very slowly settling them around him. "I think I''ll be fine, I don't need one."
Joshua; Joshua stood there momentarily confused as she evaded his attempt to cuddle, but it was easily shaken off as he smiled again and quickly picked her up, hooking one arm around her thighs and the other around her waist so that she was secure against him. "Are you trying to act strong? You don't need to for me, you know... I like taking care of you."
Glancing towards the shower, he looked back to her with a shrug. "You can keep the dress on if you want. You might stay cooler longer if you do it that way. I do it all the time!"
Rosette; She gasped as he picked her up, windmilling for a moment before latching her arms about his neck, her eyes following his towards the shower. "Joshua!" She shook her head, "I don't want the dress to get wet!" She said quickly, laughing nervously.
Joshua; Easily mistaking her laughter for something more light-hearted, since of course his sister wouldn't actually object to anything he wanted, he just smiled and nuzzled against her ear. "It's okay. It's just water. It will keep you cool. I do it a lot, and my clothes end up just fine, don't they? If not, we'll get you new ones." Carefully, he set her down in the shower, leaving the glass door open as he fiddled with the settings. If he just pushed up, it should turn on at the same temperature he left it, right?
Ah, there it was. Even though he'd been the one to start it, he yelped in surprise when the water hit him, but that just made him laugh more as they both got soaked. "I guess we'll have to dry my hair again afterward!"
Rosette; "Ah, Joshua!" She squeaked, jumping as the cold water hit them, soaking her hair and sticking it to her skin, along with the white material of the sundress she was wearing. Oh great. She wrapped her arms about herself, sighing as the water pattered down around them, drenching her completely, her skin showing through the material that touched it. "Now you're clothing is all wet too!" She held up one hand, and nervously moved to turn the water off.
"I'm cool now, thank you!"
Joshua; Joshua laughed a bit, reaching out to brush some of her wet hair back out of her face as the water continued to pour down on them. He paused when he noticed the effect it had on her. He'd seen a girl in wet clothes before, sure. But he was brand new to the concept of a soaking wet white dress, and of course her undergarments had to match. Calmly, the boy reached out to take his sister's arms after she turned the water off, pulling them apart so that she couldn't hide.
"Ah... Pretty." It was almost like she was wearing nothing...except not quite. It was just close enough to stir up ideas that he hadn't played with in the longest of times... Not since he'd last been with Fiore.
Rosette; She blushed brilliantly as he pulled her arms apart, her eyes flickering downwards before back up to him, and she balled her fists, trying to restrain herself. She'd not last a second closed in here with him. "T-Thank you, I should change." She voice was a little strained, her smile more then a little fake as she tried to close her arms. "Joshua." Let go let go let go!
Joshua; "Hm? Why? Don't you feel better now?" He let go of her arms, only to circle his arms around her waist as she tried to slip out of the stall.
Gently, he tugged her back against him, the silence only interrupted from the dripping water from the faucet as he hugged her close. He'd always thought his sister was beautiful. Always. And touching her had always been a simple pleasure.
But his thoughts now were a lot less simple, at least they would seem so to anyone else, as he let his thumb tenderly stroke the wet cloth covering her hip.
Leaning down, he pulled his hand from her hip so that he could brush her hair aside, letting his lips just barely brush against the nape of her neck. "Sister... You smell like summer time. I bet you would like the beach. The air's so nice, and the waves are so soothing."
Rosette; Rosette shuddered as his arms went about her and his thumb slid across her thigh, her fingers gripping onto the side of the stall as she swallowed, her eyes focused on the glass door. This...was not happening. She had to distract him in some way, but her nervousness and his gentle touch was starting to impair her ability to think clearly. She closed her eyes, his lips brushing over her skin as he spoke, and she bit her bottom lip, trying to keep from bolting.
"I-I think I would!" She said quickly, glancing back at him and swallowing. "Actually, lets go there right now!" She tried to move out of his arms again, her bare feet slipping against the tile.
Joshua; "Right now?" He watched her foot slip on the wet tile, effortlessly looping an arm around her waist to keep her steady. "Mm... Not right now. Maybe later. I'll take you there today when the sun won't burn your skin. Then we can just lay in the sand. It will still be warm." Stepping back, he pulled her back into the stall with him, free hand tugging the frosted glass door shut behind them.
He preferred this... Locked away with her forever. Wouldn't that be bliss?
"I'm so happy you're here. I love you, Sister. I love you so much. I want to share everything with you." Loosening his grip on her waist so that he could pull her around to face him, his eyes were gentle, though they still seemed to stare right through her as he stroked her cheek with his free hand. "I want to make you the happiest girl in the world. How can I do that? Should I lay a thousand bodies at your feet? I can do it for you. I can stop time for you. Time doesn't really matter here, does it?"
Rosette; "J-Joshua..." She stammered, staring up at him and placing her hands on his shoulders, her mind running a mile a minute. If she didn't do something now, this could probably go really really bad. And If she DID something, and it went bad, she wouldn't be able to protect herself like this! Her gun was in her room, and in this small area... She'd have to get him back there! And to do that... She shuddered again, closing her eyes before steeling herself and then gave him a easy smile. Her fingers twitched as she settled her arms jerkily about his neck. "There's only one thing I want from you." She said slowly, sweat rolling down her temple with the beads of cold water that covered her, and her stomach turned even as she took his face in her shaky hands.
Quickly, before she could change her mind, she leaned up, brushing her lips against his, eyes closed tight.
Joshua; Joshua felt his body stiffen and eyes widen a bit at the initiated kiss. The only time she had done that had been awhile ago...and for some reason she hadn't done it since. He had missed it, but hadn't really thought too hard about it. He just thought maybe she liked being the lady and allowing him to initiate. Still...it was amazing to stand there and be kissed by the perfect woman, and Joshua felt a swell of emotion at that.
With a shaky breath, his lips parted a touch and he wrapped his arms around her, fingers digging lightly into her back to pull her up against him so that he could return the kiss fervently. By now he was such a practiced kisser, also thanks to Fiore, that he knew just what to do to get her to part her own lips, allowing him to complete the kiss.
Rosette; Her stomach turned as he pulled her close to him, her arms remaining loose around his neck, unable to make herself hold him as close as he held her. It was a bizarre feeling, kissing her brother, and she felt her heart jump as he invaded her mouth, trying to keep herself from pulling away.
Ugh, she had never disliked kissing someone so much, and as much as she loved her brother, it had never been in such a way, and she had only kissed Doumeki like this once in a blue moon. She had to get him back to her bedroom.... She tugged on the back of his shirt with one hand, eyes crunched closed as she returned his kiss weakly.
Joshua; She was trying to move them back out of the stall again, the door swinging open as they stumbled out, but it took him awhile to figure out why.
Ah, right. Rosette needed to be comfortable. She deserved nothing but the best after all. Still, he was reluctant to break the kiss, especially since she had been the one to start it. Gently, he let one hand settle against her back, the other smoothly sweeping her legs out from underneath her so that he could cradle her against his chest.
Like this, he could move as fast as he wanted, appearing in her bedroom only seconds later. There, he let her feet settle back onto the ground as he pushed the door shut and locked it. Nobody deserved to see his sister the way he did. Nobody.
He just wanted her to feel wonderful. He just wanted to share everything with her. As Joshua looked back at her, there was an alien glint in his eyes, though his smile as was gentle as ever as he took her hand, lifting it touch his lips to her knuckles. "I love you..." Over and over, he could tell her that forever. "Not even angels can compete with you, my sister."
Slowly, he sunk down to his knees in front of her, holding her hand to his cheek as if she was blessing him. "You're above the angels. Above God. You're everything. The City should bow to you. I'll make it happen if you wish it so." Turning his head, he tenderly kissed her palm, lips skimming up to where he could individually kiss each fingertip. The floor was already soaked from their dripping wet clothes.
Rosette; She watched him with half lidded eyes, her back stiff as he kissed her palm, her voice trembling as she spoke, cupping his chin as he kissed her fingers. "You're so strong Joshua." She whispered, blue eyes watching him distantly, afraid he'd see through her. "Very strong. My strong little brother..."
Her free hand moved through his hair gently, water draining off of her fingers. "You're stronger then the city, stronger then anyone. And you're on your knees..." She smiled at him, her smile passing fleetingly over her lips. ".....Can I see them?" She asked after a moment, her heart pounding as she swirled her fingers around the spot one of his horns occupied on his temple.
Joshua; Of course he was on his knees. Anything for her. She really did deserve to be worshipped... "Hm? The horns?" His eyes fluttered open and closed again at the touch to his temple, the skin there surprisingly sensitive. It would have alarmed him if anyone else had touched there, but with her it just seemed special. If he'd been able to purr, he would have.
Rosette wanted to see his power? He didn't really understand why, but he was happy to impress her, taking her hands in his as he stood back up with a nod.
"Of course. For you..." Besides, he didn't have to worry about the noise bothering him when he was around her. In fact, she was even more quiet lately, which was strange but...beautiful. It didn't hurt at all.
Pressing his lips to her forehead, Joshua murmured her name under his breath, savoring the closeness before opening his eyes again and pulling back just a few inches, revealing the demon's horns to her.
Rosette; She swallowed, her heart pounding as she reached out and gently touched his cheek, caressing it softly as she stepped closer to him, smiling up at him warmly. "You're so amazing Joshua." She murmured softly, cupping the other hand against his other cheek, her thumb running over the corner of his lips. "So strong and sweet and perfect."
She bit her bottom lip softly, sliding that hand into his hair, lightly brushing her fingers over the base of his horn feather light. "Is it OK If I touch them? They look so perfect on you." She whispered, lifting her eyes up to meet his.
Joshua; He didn't like people touching them...not at all. It could be perceived as a threat. But...this was Rosette. He shouldn't mind, right? "Uh..."
Joshua trailed off, clearly feeling divided about how to answer. He didn't want to deny his sister anything, especially when she was showering him with such kind words, but...why did she need to touch them? Maybe he could understand. He liked touching her, after all.
Faltering, the boy's gaze drifted off to the side as he debated on an answer, flinching a bit at the light touch she offered.
Rosette; Damnit! He'd be on guard now, she couldn't just pull on them- She pursed her lips together tightly before giving him a soft pout, turning his face so she could look into his eyes, her own blue innocent and carefully needy.
"Joshua..." She turned her voice pleading, carefully sliding her fingers away from his horns and deeper into his hair, pressing her lips to his again, leaning against him just slightly as she stood on her tip toes, her chest barely brushing against his. If this would save him...She would do anything. They could even be grossed out about it tomorrow together, when he was sane again and Chrno had his horns back..
This would work! It had too!
Joshua; Rosette certainly knew how to play him, because as soon as she gave him that look and leaned up to kiss him, he was putty in her hands.
"Yes... Whatever you want, Sister," he mumbled out weakly in between the tender kisses, looping his arms around her small waist to hold her there. He was still tense just because someone was actually touching his power source, but he was still letting her do what she wanted, and that counted for something.
Rosette; She let him hold her close, kissing him gently as her fingers slid through his hair, gently brushing his horns. Slowly, making sure he was used to the touch, she slid her hands up the horns and back down, touching them gently, reassuringly, almost seductively. He had to relax, just relax Joshua.. So close...She resisted the urge just to go for it. "Joshua..." She whispered out his name between the kisses, fingers tightening slightly on the horn.
Joshua; It took some time, but eventually Joshua found his muscles relaxing as his mind welcomed that pleasant numbness that came with such pleasant activities. There was nothing in his world except for her. Like this, he couldn't even be bothered with missing Rosiel or Fiore. She was it. And she loved him just as much as he loved her.
This simple truth was enough for him as he reached up to push his fingers through her wet hair, careful not to catch any tangles and cause her pain. He would never cause her pain.
"Rosette..." he murmured silkily against her lips, kissing his way to her ear so that he could whisper so quietly that only she could understand. "You're the only one perfect enough to accept all of me. Thank you." And he really meant it. Asking to see his horns and touching him like that...she really did love him, didn't she?
Rosette; Rosette felt her heart squeeze at his words, her eyes closing tight as she spoke thickly into his ear, "I love you so much Joshua." She whispered, like a prayer. She wouldn't let him down, wouldn't... Her fingers tightened on the horn slightly, tears slipping from her eyes as she took a small breath and pulled her arms in opposite directions, straining to tear them from his head.
Joshua; The pain was sudden, shooting from his temples into his mind like molten lava, and it made him let out a rather undignified shriek in surprise, making sounds that no human should have been capable of. It was only seconds later that he realized just what was causing it, but even though he should have been frozen in shock, his instincts reacted first, roughly shoving her away and onto the nearby bed.
"Sister!" he cried out, voice broken from the throbbing pain in his head as he staggered back, clutching at his head and looking at her as if she had just grown horns. "Why did you do that?!" He didn't understand. It wasn't computing. He trusted her far too much to jump to conclusions just yet.
Rosette; She didn't stop pulling until he shoved her away, and she yelped as she hit the bed, scrabbling for a grip on it before she hit the ground beside it, her hand darting underneath it as he stared at her with that heartbreaking stare, her fingers clasping around the handle of her gun. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" She stammered, tears still staining her cheeks. "I'm sorry!" She clicked the gun off safety, hiding it behind her back as she stumbled to her feet.
Joshua; She didn't...mean to? How could someone accidentally pull that hard? Honestly, he hadn't even known she was capable of such strength! What was his sweet little sister doing with strength that belonged to a man? He didn't like it...at all. But still, he felt awful for throwing her like that, fingers digging near where his horns were as he shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut.
"Ngh... It's... It's okay, sister... It was an...accident." He had to believe her. Because if he didn't have that, then there was nothing worth existing for. Oh, his head was pounding. He was having trouble standing up.
Rosette; She swallowed, walking towards him carefully, her free hand reaching out for him, settling on his cheek carefully. "I'm so sorry..." She caressed his cheek gently, very very aware of his difficulty getting up. She couldn't baby him, this was for his own good!
She brought the gun around quickly, the tip just barely brushing over his horn before she took in a small breath and pulled the trigger. Just let it come off! Joshua!
Joshua; Joshua flinched a bit as she touched his cheek, but stayed still, waiting for the throbbing pain to subside. But his entire body stiffened once more when he felt something oh so lightly click against one of his horns. Something metal. Again, he moved on instinct, anything to protect the source of his power, and Joshua moved in a blur, darting away to the other side of the room in a panic.
What was going on?! This was really his sister, wasn't it? It couldn't just be a fake... After all those things she had said to him...! Staring at her like she was a stranger, Joshua stayed crouched by the bed. It was clear now that she wanted his horns, and there was one easy way to keep that from happening. It was with a shallow breath that he let them disappear before she could even turn around.
He should just kill her. How dare she...!
Rosette; Rosette whipped about, stumbling as he disappeared, blue eyes wide as she found him staring at her in an unfamiliar way, the horns no longer visible on his head. Her heart beat spiked sharply, fear filtering into her veins. SHIT!
"Joshua, this is for your own good! You're not you when you're like this." She tried to reason, slo0wly backing up towards the door, her fingers brushing and then gripping around her PDA on the table near the door. "You have to understand!"
Joshua; "How can you... How can you say that!" he rasped out, the water trickling down from his bangs enough to hide the light tears that spilled over. "This is me! I became this for you, Rosette! You're the one who's not acting like you... My sister would never say that!"
Joshua watched as she edged for the door, then with a growl got up and darted over to her, grabbing both her wrists and yanking them up to make her drop the gun and whatever that other device was. "What is this...?! Are you..." He faltered, and his grip weakened. "Are you under a curse?" That had to explain it!
But then...did that also mean everything Rosette had just said to him was a lie?
Rosette; She yelped in pain, the PDA bounding on the ground, clicking and turning on as it clattered to the floor. She clung to the gun longer, but it slipped from her fingers after it, hitting the ground with a thump. "Joshua!" She looked up at him desperately, that same forlorn desperate look she had given him all those years ago. She crushed her eyes closed, tears welling as she tried to free her wrists. "You're not acting normal Joshua! Please!" Oh god this wasn't good! If he snapped...She was in big trouble!
Joshua; No. The longer she looked at him the more he understood. This wasn't his sister. It couldn't be. He should just kill her right there. Snap her neck like a twig. It would be easy. And he would have...if he had found out immediately after finding her. Instead she'd spent so much time with him, loving him, calling him little brother, keeping him warm at night when he was cold and couldn't sleep.
He could remember just lying there and watching her sleep, and knowing it was the happiest time of his life.
Kill her. "No!" Joshua shook a bit as he tightened his grip even more on her wrists to a bruising degree. "You tricked me! You lied to me! Where is she? Where's my sister?!"
Rosette; "I am your sister. I'm sorry you only have me." She growled, gritting her teeth as her wrists burned with agony. She flicked her eyes to the gun and then back up to him. She couldn't give up. She leaned back against the wall, bringing her knee up and into his stomach. "I'm not going to let this fail!"
Joshua; With his head still pounding and his emotions in turmoil, it was fairly easy for her to catch him off guard with the swift kick. It forced him to quickly step back with a yelp, arms crossing over his stomach, before the slick floor finally did him in, causing him to slip and fall flat onto his back. It winded him, but then he didn't absolutely need oxygen to live anymore. Still...it left him dazed.
Coughing a bit, Joshua was soon divided between the pain in his head and stomach as he sat up just in time to see her reaching for the gun. He snarled.
"You can't have my power! Are you going to shoot me? You have nothing to aim at now, unless you want to go for the heart!" His voice cracked as he glared angrily. Dying was no real loss for him. He would wake up later, he knew that. "Go ahead! But you better kill me with the first shot, because if not, I'll make you regret it. You're really nothing but a lying, cheating bitch. I don't know why Aion ever bothered with you!"
Rosette; Rosette hesitated, her fingers clasping around the gun as she looked down at him, her heart pounding. "Just...Joshua! Don't you remember anything? Anything at all?! You don't want to be like this!" She grit her teeth, trying not to let her voice tremble. His words hurt, but not as much as her failure.
What could she do now except retreat? She didn't want to! She didn't want to leave him! Her feet moved jerkily, stepping backwards through the door, the cool water from their previous exploits chilling her toes. "Just let me help you...And we can all be happy. Me, you and Chrno. " She tried to smile at him, the movement pained. "Don't you remember the good times? Please Joshua..."
Joshua; Joshua's eyes narrowed. "Help me? You tried to shoot me! All you want is for me to go back to being an invalid, stuck in bed and sick all the time, isn't that right?! Everyone wants my power! But it's mine!"
Slowly, he stood back up, watching her as she retreated. His horns were visible again, but it didn't matter, because he left her no room to react. He was once again nothing but a blur, freeing the gun from her hand with a low, animalistic growl. The look in his eyes went beyond anger, and beyond simple pain. He would never forget this.
But still he couldn't bring himself to kill her. "I said I'd make you regret it." Aiming the weapon at the PDA, Joshua offered it an offending glare before pulling the trigger, shattering it to pieces. He then snapped his gaze back to her, the barrel aimed right for her head.
"And if I ever see you again, I will! Get out!" It was the most merciful thing he could do for her...to not kill her for her complete betrayal. At least not this time.
Rosette; She stumbled backwards as the gun was out of her hand in an instant, the PDA shattered and the gun aimed for her again. She watched him, blue meeting blue, one hurt and angry, the other hurt and desperate. She hesitated only for so long, a silent desperate plea in her gaze, the thought blocked by the ring on her finger. And then she turned, tears streaming, and ran.
Joshua; It would have been so much easier if Joshua had found out that she was a liar at the beginning. He could have disposed of her, not wasted his time, and continued looking for his real sister. It would have been nothing.
But this was different. He could still remember the way she had looked at him before, and the way she held him when the 'noise' hurt. As he watched her run, Joshua kept the gun poised, as if truly contemplating just shooting her dead. But he didn't, not dropping the gun until she was out of sight. Everything had been a lie. Everything. The kisses, the words, the hugs. Joshua didn't even understand what was real anymore. How would he ever find his sister?
How would he ever know?
Frustrated and pained beyond belief, the apostle turned and shoved at the nearest piece of furniture, which just happened to be a dresser. It cracked and fell apart as it hit the opposite wall, but it couldn't mask the inhuman howls that bounced off the walls long after.
Rosette; Damn it! DAMN IT! She couldn't stop crying, even as she ran through the cathedral, her bare feet echoing through the halls as she tried to keep from sobbing out loud. All this time, all this time she had been with him, all the work they had done to get this far. It was gone, He'd never trust her again.
And yet, he didn't kill her when he had the chance... She jumped at the sound of something crashing behind her, followed by desperate howls that followed her out the front door and into the street.
The low sun set shadows across the streets, flickering light through the buildings as she ran as far as possible until her steps slowed, water dripping around her as she stopped half way to the Opera house, her hands clutching into her dress as she leaned forward, her shoulders shaking with desperate sobs.
"Joshua...." How could she go back...When she had failed. Failed again. Failed her brother, who was still under the influence of something that caused him pain... Something that ruined everything. "Damn you Chrno... Damn your horns...." She dropped to her knees, burying her face in her hands as she cried, to ashamed to go back to the Opera House just yet.