tampered | Log; closed-ish; ongoing

Log; closed-ish; ongoing

When; Wednesday, July 19, evening
Rating; PG-13 idk
Characters; Euphemia li Britannia (

deadly_legacy) and Ken Hidaka (

bladed_siberian) And housemates — whomever they may be at this point ^_^; — can make appearances if they like!
Summary; Ken said he'd stop by after work. It will be the first time she's seen him in person since she used his gun to shoot him and since her knight, Suzaku, rearrived.
Log;

The living room has never been neater. Having nothing to really direct her worried energy into left her with lots of arranging and rearranging and re-rearranging of the various elements of the room. The curtains are all drawn and she is curled up on the couch, trying not to hear the strange prehistoric sounds coming from outside. It was harder to block out the screams and blood on the network. So many of her friends had already been hurt. And what about the ones who haven't posted? ...Who couldn't post?

She has sent off a few voicemails and texts and gets a few responses, but it doesn't do much to settle her already unsettled nerves.

But even with everything going on she hasn't forgotten Ken is coming. If he comes. It's not safe to be out. It would be better if he stayed home, but he's probably not home. He's probably out trying to rescue people when he should be resting.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

He's promised an after work visit, but unfortunately, after work comes a good deal later than he expected, thanks to the violent nature of the current curse. As tired as he is, he's still not going to go back on his word to Euphie, even if things are more than a bit strained at the moment. Pausing in front of her door, he silently ponders just going home and crashing after he cleans himself and his various hurts, but with a shake of his head, he knocks.

The knock surprises her for a moment and then she is up and at the door where she pauses again. A moment. Two. And then it opens.

"Ken..."

There's a tiny, strained smile for her.

"... hey. Sorry I'm so late."

She has so many things to say back to him, but instead, standing there in that doorway, looking at him all she wants to do is hug him. And so she steps closer to do just that if he'll let her. As much as she wants to hug him tightly though she'll be gentle—fearful for the wounds she inflicted.

Without thinking, he rocks back on one heel, almost, but not quite, taking a step away. Sighing, he reaches up to scrub at something stubborn staining the skin of his cheek.

".... sorry. I'm all nasty. I... wouldn't want to get you dirty."

She stops when he shifts back and feels smaller somehow, not looking him in the eyes. "I wouldn't mind." But she doesn't think that's why you don't want her to touch you either. She takes a step back to let him inside. "I wasn't sure if you'd come at all...with the curse."

There's a stab of shame deep in his gut, and more than a little guilt. After watching her for a long moment, he steps inside, glancing around before he turns to look back at her.

"I said I would."

"I know, but I want you to be safe." She closes the door behind him and then looks up at him, hesitating a moment before adding. "Even if I missed you."

His expression softens, leaving him looking more like the old Ken that had been in the city before everything changed for him back home.

".... I'm sorry. It's just been... really difficult for me."

"I thought it would be." She takes a shaky little breath. "I'd understand if...if you didn't want to..." Not quite finishing the thought.

"It's not that I don't. It's just... hard. I know you didn't mean to shoot me or Syaoran and your brother told me that someone did that do in the past, but.... trust isn't an easy thing for me. That doesn't mean it can't be rebuilt..."

She meets his eyes this time. "I want to rebuild it." There is another pause, and she continues honestly. "But I'm scared it might happen again too." It's her worst fear really—getting that curse again and again and hurting people.

"... you're not the only person to end up hurting people during a curse. I killed nine people once, all because of a curse, and I hurt Omi and Aya when they came to stop me. I would've killed them if Omi hadn't drugged me. If it happens.... we'll handle it. I promise."

She listens, and looks up sympathetically at him. Nine people? And he hurt his friends too? He hurt Omi? "I'm sorry, Ken." Sorry he was cursed like that. Sorry for that kind of pain. Sorry she caused him more.

She falls quiet for a little while before realizing they are actually still just standing there near the door. "Oh... Come, sit." She starts to hold a hand out for his, but thinks better of it and lets it drop back awkwardly at her side.

He still sees the motion, the sight leaving him standing there idly for a long moment before he moved to settle on the couch, his posture a little stiff. It's more from aches and pains at the moment.

"Have you been alright?"

She sits down near him, but leaving plenty of space, so that he isn't uncomfortable. She looks down at her hands for a few quiet moments, trying to decide how to answer him.

"I will be."

He hates seeing her uncomfortable, especially since it's a good deal his doing, but it takes him a long moment before he scoots a little closer, letting his head sink back to rest against the back of the couch.

"You don't sound so sure."

She watches him move a little closer. "...There's just been so much violence." And not just by her own hand. Watching Dean die and Sam's reaction... It was hard. And then today with Umi and Syaoran fighting dinosaurs and being so hurt. "Cornelia and General Dalton," and everyone really, "kept me from seeing a lot of what happened in our wars."

There's a soft sigh from Ken as he let his eyes close.

"I can understand why. They were just trying to protect you."

"I know." A pause. "They didn't think I could handle it." They weren't wrong, were they?

A longer pause. "I've been having nightmares again."

It isn't a case of being wrong. It's a case of wanting to keep someone with a good heart away from such things.

When she mentions she's been having nightmares, he shifts to glance over at her, his eyes dark with concern. He's no stranger to nightmares, but it pains him to know she's having to experience them.

".... you must be pretty tired, then."

She nods a little, but she's afraid he'll take it as a sign to go. She doesn't want him to leave. "I go to Lelouch's room when it gets bad. It helps a little."

Oddly enough, he smiles, even if it's a tiny one.

"... it's a comfort, having someone you care about that close. It really helps."

The smile, even if she doesn't completely understand why it's there is nice to see. She likes it when Ken smiles. Especially when he smiles at her. "I don't know what I'd do without him. And he understands all of it."

She pauses again. "How much have I told you?"

"About why you were shooting people the other day?"

The question isn't meant to sound harsh, even if Ken pulls no bones about asking it.

"Not much, but your brother told me what happened in the past."

She just nods at the honest question.

"He...he did?" Have a surprised look. "What did he say?"

He looks back to the ceiling before he closes his eyes again, his weariness plain in his posture now.

"That someone you trusted messed with your head to make you want to kill that many people."

She nods a little even if he can't see it. "It was...it was a horrible accident. He just wanted to explain his powers, not use them. And he...stopped me." Always protective. And maybe there is something in the way she says it that will show she means that's how she died too.

"... I just can't see how anyone could do that to you. For any reason."

He sighs and shifts, flexing his fingers with a soft pop.

"He couldn't control his power. ...Not that day. He didn't mean to make it an order." She closes her eyes and she's quiet for a moment. "I killed so many people that day. Some of them I shot and some of them were killed by the soldiers I ordered to open fire. They were there because they trusted me. They wanted to believe there would be a better place for them."

Ken sits in silence for a very long moment, his shoulders sagging a little before he rolls his head along the back of the couch to look at Euphie.

"... you still mourn them."

"Of course I do." A tear slips down her cheek even as she tries not to let it.

He watches the tear before he reaches up to brush it away.

"I mourn the ones I killed, too. Even though they deserved to die."

She leans in toward him a little and opens her eyes. "Ken." She isn't sure what to say, but she feels a lot looking at him.

He cups her cheek before he lets his hand fall away, settling on the couch between them.

"... I wish I could tell you there was an easy way to deal with this kind of stuff, but there isn't."

"I know..." She lets her hand find his, touching it softly, wanting that connection and hoping he doesn't pull away again.

His hand stiffens at first, then slowly moves to curl around hers.

"If it happens again, we'll take care of it."

Looks at him with pained eyes. He can tell how much that idea scares her, can't he? "You know I would never want to hurt you, don't you? That it's the last thing I'd want?"

"I know, but really, I'm the safest one you could attack, if it came down to it. I can handle being injured."

He knows he needs to think about getting back to his place soon and getting cleaned up, but he's reluctant to leave her looking so worried.

She shakes her head a little. "Just because you can handle it doesn't mean it should happen."

And almost as if reading his mind, "You should stay here tonight. It isn't safe outside with all those dinosaurs. All the rooms are full since Suzaku is back, but you could take the couch or I could stay with Lelouch and you can have my room."

Ken's expression falters a little at the sound of the newcomer's name, but it's replaced with a carefully calm one after just a moment.

"Thanks, but I need to get back pretty soon. Gotta take care of the animals and I need a good shower. I can get back to my place pretty fast, since I rode my bike."

She notices something, but she isn't sure what it's from. Suzaku? Should she talk to Ken more about that? She doesn't really know what to say though. "Well, if you're sure. But not yet, right?" She gives his hand a hopeful squeeze.

He smiles faintly, squeezing her hand back.

"I can stay for a few more minutes, but not too long."

"I'll take it." She smiles softly back at him and tips a little closer his way, ready to rest her head against his shoulder.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Log; closed-ish; ongoing

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject