Post by Ziggy Morgan on Sept 6, 2021 5:38:38 GMT -5
Taking a relationship to the next level. Oftentimes people look at this and see some magical gateway to a vast world of wonder and other times it is simply a path to getting a physical kick out of things before moving onto the next chapter, whether with that person of just the satisfaction of conquest. Thankfully in the case of the woman who was so affectionately holding a giant bowl of ice cream, it was the former.
Granted she was already in that world of wonder with her partner in crime, but finally getting over that hurdle, that one gate kept up for the sweetest of reasons truly felt nice. Reaching her destination for the time being she looked to the sauna with a smile. Ice cream in the sauna sounded lovely.
What could possibly go wrong?
Inside the Sauna, Bert McAlroy was stretched in his best ‘sexy’ pose, one knee bent on the bench, his other leg draping over the side. The only thing between his modesty and the rest of the world was one of Don’s guest towels. Because Bert was pretty much the worst house guest. He let out a chuckle as he thought of how just a week ago the thought of this kind of boldness would murder him.
Then, he was calmed down by the gripping fear of what came next. That all important popping question. He was confident in the answer, but he was not confident in his ability to get it out. As he heard the sauna door open, he put his best ‘smokey’ look back on.
“Hey good lookin” he...purred? He thinks? Doing her best to enter without issue, Nao offered a smile. “Hello Robert! Can you please come grab the ice cream? I can’t get this to work right. It’s always so steamy in here and I don’t get why.” Finally focusing she noticed how he was. “Oh! Should I have grabbed a towel too? I feel like I did this wrong.” A slight tint filled her cheeks as she slightly turned away.
Bert was always a reactionary creature. See problem. Solve problem. Self awareness went on the wayside usually. And this was no exception as he sprung up and went to lighten her load, taking the dishes and spoons from her arm load. The towel left far behind. He went to speak up to reassure her as it hit him in the form of a very forward breeze from the open door.
It was time to make a call. Go with it and be a smooth son of a bitch, act like this is the woman he’s gonna spend eternity with. Or explode into an awful display of awk--
He dropped the spoon, and shoved his...modesty into the cover of one of the ice cream dishes, suddenly red from embarrassment and sweat.
“Uh..yeah. Towel would probably be uh..good” Nao did her best to hide her rapidly increasing color with a giggle, but that went about as well as everything else so far. She thought the situation over before doing the one things that made sense. Bending over and grabbing the spoon that fell. She wiped it against her shorts before looking over at her love with an attempted reassuring smile.
“I got the spoon.. I think the ice cream is melting though, so we should probably hurry and eat it. Should I get a towel now or after? It is really hot here. My shirt feels like skin now.”
Bert had a great deal many positive traits, ones that came in handy in the ring, A lot of people went endlessly on about his toughness, but what he was most prideful over? The ability to improvise and change a bad situation to an advantageous one.
Now, finally, it was helping with his love life.
“Or, hear me out yo..” a sheepish grin, disguised as a seductive smile. Poorly disguised” We just share the towel and have naked sauna sundaes.” That rapidly increasing color kicked into a whole new gear, the young woman nearly a tomato at this point. Still she did her best to compose herself and slowly nod. “We can share, I just don’t know if it counts with both of us since I’m not..” it clicked. “Ohhh… I would be gett-” more color. “I see..” Again her modesty caused a giggle. “I think we can do this! I mean, I did bring the ice cream to help. I was told to make this sweeter for you. She told me to just use the syrup but I thought that was silly since it goes better with ice cream. Maybe I should have listened.”
He scoffed at the idea, setting the dish down and brazenly strolling up to her. He reaches up and cups her chin, bringing her red face and wide eyes to meet his own gaze. Slowly, in what was seductive in intent if nothing else, he removed the lid from the ice cream. Next he plucked a spoon from her grasp, and dipped it into the rapidly melting desert before lifting it to her lips “Let’s just..enjoy it. All of it, yo..” his smile warmed up, with the rest of the room “There’s no right or wrong way to be in love like we are, you know.” Without a word she shifted slightly so she can take the spoonful of ice cream, not grabbing the spoon itself, just enjoying the dessert. Looking back to him, she finally showcased a smile that wasn’t coated in embarrassment.
“I like that.. all of that. This ice cream is really good. You should have some too before it gets all melty.” A quick aversion of her gaze followed, from the treat again back to him. “I love you..”
“Me, or the ice cream?” he asked, scooping more onto the spoon and popping it in his mouth. He took her by the forearm then, leading her to the bench and going to scoop another bite for her, before his blue eyes shifted down to assess the situation.
The heat of the room had made her tank top stick to her like skin. Her figure now brazenly on display, however modest most of it was. She was toned though, each muscle sculpted to perfection and wound tight…
Very ti--
The ice cream McAlroy.
“We should probably like...eat quick, sacrifice the sexiness..otherwise this is going to be a mess and Tirri is gonna get big mad, yo.” a sheepish laugh then. Nodding in agreement, Nao gave a smile before placing her focus back on the ice cream. Or at least doing her best to, anyway. “May I have another spoonful then? We will tackle this ice cream together like we do with everything! Then we’ll..” her words fell to a hush at that moment. She then began to fan herself with her free hand. “It is really warm.”
He scooped her a near oversized bite, before feeding it to her and letting out a chuckle at how it puffed up her cheeks “Yeah..It’s a sauna. I mean, where Tirri’s from? These are as common as showers..” he trails off, getting himself a bite “But then again, the country is like...super cold all the time so it’s super necessary, I think.” he wipes his brow then, sandy blond hair seeming to wilt in the heat. He leaned away from her then, getting a ladle full of water and dripping it over the stones. The room floods with a fresh coat of steam “Could almost hide in the clouds, yo..” he mused out loud.
“Hide in the clouds…I like this idea. We should go to the clouds one day. I like when we do this in the plane, but we should go there without them. That probably sounds silly..” A soft giggle escaped. “Uncle Tirri is from a strange place if he needs to live in steam to escape the cold, but it gets cold here too so that is okay. I still love him, not like I love you, but as my uncle. I am thankful for my family.. I don’t know if I have one or had one before, but I wouldn’t trade this one. I wouldn’t trade you.” Redder cheeks, her head slightly turns from him. “Can you tell me more? You told me my birthday.. and call me another name sometimes.. is that me? Who do you see?”
"That's your full name, yo...like how Robert is to Bert." He considers her next question for a minute "I don't really think of your name when I look at you. My brain just goes 'yo it's my babe'" a smile at the notion.
He scoots closer to her, reaching a hand over and peeling part of the tank top away from her flesh while he considered his next words "I can tell you your last name...but they tend to change sometimes, yo. So it'll be different tomorrow."
Even in the heat of the sauna, she managed to develop goosebumps at his touch. Giving a curious look, a small smile formed. “My name..it is nice, but you can call me anything you like.. like when you call me Nao. You say..” she paused trying to think over his words. “You say you know my last name but that it can change tomorrow. What do you mean?”
Now, even Robert James McAlroy Jr could knock this one out of the park. And he intended to. The same teasing hand reaches out, peeling her top away from her damp flesh and rolling it up, exposing her midsection, softly grazing his knuckles over those abs that a month or so ago, had driven him nuts on twitter.
"Well, today it's Natsume...tomorrow? Well. That's part of your birthday gift, yo. I can't blow the surprise.." the hand turned over, resting on her side and running a thumb over the edge of her abs.
He never thought he'd see the day, but he had forgotten all about the Ice cream. Nao returned rather quickly to her tomato state, a different kind of smile being shown at this moment. It took a moment, but she finally found herself able to formulate words. “My birthday gift.. you did say it was almost my birthday. You are so sweet to find this out for me. To get me a gift too, on top of everything you do. I am so lucky to..” taking in a breath, Nao couldn’t help but giggle. “It smells like the ice cream is all around us. So sweet..”
Indeed, the ice cream was a lost cause. A cursory glance into the gallon revealed a soup with perhaps one scoop, acting as the snowball in hell. The perfect analogy for his resolve around her.
He gives her a devilish smirk, before taking the spoon and ladling the desert soup onto the crook of her neck. He dives upon it hungrily before she can protest.
The ice cream soon flew from the bench as they pried at one another, unsure of anything but the passion.
And that they needed more ice cream now..
-----
Don Tirris words resonated with him. Keep it simple. Special. Just them.
The party had been the opposite of that. He had been mostly scarce outside of bantering with Donny and Avalon, before that turned into them roasting Knox. Now though, he sat in Tirri's backyard, staring at one of the last and only McAlroy family heirlooms he had.
His mom wasn't intentionally cruel but her shoving the wedding ring his dad had given her into the back of one of her jewelry boxes always sat wrong with him.
Here was the chance to do some right, though.
He knew she'd come. It was just a matter of time... Almost as if the universe was actually doing a favor for once, barely a minute passed before she began making her way over. While her gaze was locked and her steps rather quiet considering, she called out to him in the way only she could. “Robert! Hello! I was looking for you to see how you are!” Though she was still heading over as she spoke, her volume didn’t lower during the approach.
Bert laughed slightly, instantly patting the lawn chair next to his as she got closer "Pretty loud in there, huh babe?" He called back even as she got close, paying her a smile that betrayed his quaking nerves.
Chill out Bert. You got this.
Giving a nod in both acknowledgement and agreement, Nao took her seat beside him, staring off into the distance for a second, then turning her full attention his way. “Sorry! Yes it is very loud in there, a lot of things going on at once, I needed to get away. I think my head around me got too cluttered, if that makes sense. Did the same thing happen to you and that is why you are out here?” Her smile switched to a more concerned look as she noticed something, just wasn’t sure what. “Is everything okay?”
"Yeah, yo. Just nervous. I got your gift, finally. I just...I dunno. Nervous whether you'll like it or not. Or something.." he forces himself to look at her, sliding a hand over to hold hers but remaining quiet. The concern switched to curiosity, the birthday girl shaking her head in response. “Please do not be nervous about the gift. I know that I will like it no matter what it is. Even if it’s something I wouldn’t normally like. Things are extra special when they come from you. You always think about me and what I want or feel, so I do the same of course and love all you do.” She stopped herself for a second, unsure if what she was trying to say was coming out as intended.
“What I mean.. is just please don’t be nervous. How about this, I can close my eyes and then you give me the gift. After that I will love it and we can have some cake!”
He felt a warmth that threatened to give way to tears as he smiled at her, squeezing the hand once "Alright..close your eyes yo.." as soon as she did, a quiet but heavy sigh escaped him. It was go time. Do or die.
"Do you remember yesterday, in the Sauna? When I said last names could change, yo?" While she was mostly facing him, her closed eyes led to her soft nod being a tiny bit to the left, a smile present. “Yes I do remember this. The sauna was so much fun too. I remember a lot of it, and more now overall thanks to you. So what about the names? Are you going to tell me more about them?”
He had gone silent, but had shifted to kneel in front of her. One knee, presenting his offering. A shaky exhale "What if...what if it changed to McAlroy?"
Suddenly Nao found that she could no longer keep her eyes open, the question bringing about a bevy of emotions. “But that.. that would mean..” Her eyes focus on him, the kneeling, the offering, the.. everything. “I.. are you doing what I think you are..” tears begin welling. “Please tell me you are..”
His own eyes had begun to well over, especially at her positive reception. She'd never been more gorgeous than here, tonight in Don Tirri's backyard. He let out another shaky exhale.
"Ever since I met you, my life has gotten so much better...because it became one with your life, yo. And like...maybe it gets crazy. Maybe things are complex...but they're perfect, yo. Because you're there…" his free hand goes to wipe at his eyes, his smile becoming sheepish "I can't imagine any future without you there, and it doesn't feel like anything before you mattered. ..so, yeah..yeah I am.."
A deep breath, he found her eyes with his own.
Just like they always found each other.
"Nao, will you marry me?"
Sitting up a bit more now, she couldn’t help the tears from overflowing and didn’t really want to. Instead she slowly rose to her feet, her tearing eyes still locked on the man kneeling before her. “I..”
Suddenly she dropped to her knees beside him, eyes still locked, nodding her head emphatically. “Of course I will!”
Stunned. Knocked stupid. "You will?" It was actually a question until realization hit him "You Will!!" He hushed himself, not ready to share the moment. Not yet.
Slowly he plucked the ring from the box and, taking her left hand in his he slid it onto her ring finger with a hand as steady as a ship in a storm. His hand lingers before dropping, his eyes raising to her face again.
This was his life.
"I love you, Nao.." he all but whispered. Her eyes finally shifted their gaze from him, marveling at the ring placed on her finger. She actually reached over to give her forearm a slight pinch before looking back to it and then to him.
“私は夢を見ていません..” she softly exclaimed before more tears began to flow. “I love you too..” he leaned in and planted a soft kiss on her lips, before leaning back and suddenly declaring excitedly to the sky.
"SHE SAID YES, YO!!" he informed the world, before ripping off his beanie and throwing it in the air.
-----
Granted she was already in that world of wonder with her partner in crime, but finally getting over that hurdle, that one gate kept up for the sweetest of reasons truly felt nice. Reaching her destination for the time being she looked to the sauna with a smile. Ice cream in the sauna sounded lovely.
What could possibly go wrong?
Inside the Sauna, Bert McAlroy was stretched in his best ‘sexy’ pose, one knee bent on the bench, his other leg draping over the side. The only thing between his modesty and the rest of the world was one of Don’s guest towels. Because Bert was pretty much the worst house guest. He let out a chuckle as he thought of how just a week ago the thought of this kind of boldness would murder him.
Then, he was calmed down by the gripping fear of what came next. That all important popping question. He was confident in the answer, but he was not confident in his ability to get it out. As he heard the sauna door open, he put his best ‘smokey’ look back on.
“Hey good lookin” he...purred? He thinks? Doing her best to enter without issue, Nao offered a smile. “Hello Robert! Can you please come grab the ice cream? I can’t get this to work right. It’s always so steamy in here and I don’t get why.” Finally focusing she noticed how he was. “Oh! Should I have grabbed a towel too? I feel like I did this wrong.” A slight tint filled her cheeks as she slightly turned away.
Bert was always a reactionary creature. See problem. Solve problem. Self awareness went on the wayside usually. And this was no exception as he sprung up and went to lighten her load, taking the dishes and spoons from her arm load. The towel left far behind. He went to speak up to reassure her as it hit him in the form of a very forward breeze from the open door.
It was time to make a call. Go with it and be a smooth son of a bitch, act like this is the woman he’s gonna spend eternity with. Or explode into an awful display of awk--
He dropped the spoon, and shoved his...modesty into the cover of one of the ice cream dishes, suddenly red from embarrassment and sweat.
“Uh..yeah. Towel would probably be uh..good” Nao did her best to hide her rapidly increasing color with a giggle, but that went about as well as everything else so far. She thought the situation over before doing the one things that made sense. Bending over and grabbing the spoon that fell. She wiped it against her shorts before looking over at her love with an attempted reassuring smile.
“I got the spoon.. I think the ice cream is melting though, so we should probably hurry and eat it. Should I get a towel now or after? It is really hot here. My shirt feels like skin now.”
Bert had a great deal many positive traits, ones that came in handy in the ring, A lot of people went endlessly on about his toughness, but what he was most prideful over? The ability to improvise and change a bad situation to an advantageous one.
Now, finally, it was helping with his love life.
“Or, hear me out yo..” a sheepish grin, disguised as a seductive smile. Poorly disguised” We just share the towel and have naked sauna sundaes.” That rapidly increasing color kicked into a whole new gear, the young woman nearly a tomato at this point. Still she did her best to compose herself and slowly nod. “We can share, I just don’t know if it counts with both of us since I’m not..” it clicked. “Ohhh… I would be gett-” more color. “I see..” Again her modesty caused a giggle. “I think we can do this! I mean, I did bring the ice cream to help. I was told to make this sweeter for you. She told me to just use the syrup but I thought that was silly since it goes better with ice cream. Maybe I should have listened.”
He scoffed at the idea, setting the dish down and brazenly strolling up to her. He reaches up and cups her chin, bringing her red face and wide eyes to meet his own gaze. Slowly, in what was seductive in intent if nothing else, he removed the lid from the ice cream. Next he plucked a spoon from her grasp, and dipped it into the rapidly melting desert before lifting it to her lips “Let’s just..enjoy it. All of it, yo..” his smile warmed up, with the rest of the room “There’s no right or wrong way to be in love like we are, you know.” Without a word she shifted slightly so she can take the spoonful of ice cream, not grabbing the spoon itself, just enjoying the dessert. Looking back to him, she finally showcased a smile that wasn’t coated in embarrassment.
“I like that.. all of that. This ice cream is really good. You should have some too before it gets all melty.” A quick aversion of her gaze followed, from the treat again back to him. “I love you..”
“Me, or the ice cream?” he asked, scooping more onto the spoon and popping it in his mouth. He took her by the forearm then, leading her to the bench and going to scoop another bite for her, before his blue eyes shifted down to assess the situation.
The heat of the room had made her tank top stick to her like skin. Her figure now brazenly on display, however modest most of it was. She was toned though, each muscle sculpted to perfection and wound tight…
Very ti--
The ice cream McAlroy.
“We should probably like...eat quick, sacrifice the sexiness..otherwise this is going to be a mess and Tirri is gonna get big mad, yo.” a sheepish laugh then. Nodding in agreement, Nao gave a smile before placing her focus back on the ice cream. Or at least doing her best to, anyway. “May I have another spoonful then? We will tackle this ice cream together like we do with everything! Then we’ll..” her words fell to a hush at that moment. She then began to fan herself with her free hand. “It is really warm.”
He scooped her a near oversized bite, before feeding it to her and letting out a chuckle at how it puffed up her cheeks “Yeah..It’s a sauna. I mean, where Tirri’s from? These are as common as showers..” he trails off, getting himself a bite “But then again, the country is like...super cold all the time so it’s super necessary, I think.” he wipes his brow then, sandy blond hair seeming to wilt in the heat. He leaned away from her then, getting a ladle full of water and dripping it over the stones. The room floods with a fresh coat of steam “Could almost hide in the clouds, yo..” he mused out loud.
“Hide in the clouds…I like this idea. We should go to the clouds one day. I like when we do this in the plane, but we should go there without them. That probably sounds silly..” A soft giggle escaped. “Uncle Tirri is from a strange place if he needs to live in steam to escape the cold, but it gets cold here too so that is okay. I still love him, not like I love you, but as my uncle. I am thankful for my family.. I don’t know if I have one or had one before, but I wouldn’t trade this one. I wouldn’t trade you.” Redder cheeks, her head slightly turns from him. “Can you tell me more? You told me my birthday.. and call me another name sometimes.. is that me? Who do you see?”
"That's your full name, yo...like how Robert is to Bert." He considers her next question for a minute "I don't really think of your name when I look at you. My brain just goes 'yo it's my babe'" a smile at the notion.
He scoots closer to her, reaching a hand over and peeling part of the tank top away from her flesh while he considered his next words "I can tell you your last name...but they tend to change sometimes, yo. So it'll be different tomorrow."
Even in the heat of the sauna, she managed to develop goosebumps at his touch. Giving a curious look, a small smile formed. “My name..it is nice, but you can call me anything you like.. like when you call me Nao. You say..” she paused trying to think over his words. “You say you know my last name but that it can change tomorrow. What do you mean?”
Now, even Robert James McAlroy Jr could knock this one out of the park. And he intended to. The same teasing hand reaches out, peeling her top away from her damp flesh and rolling it up, exposing her midsection, softly grazing his knuckles over those abs that a month or so ago, had driven him nuts on twitter.
"Well, today it's Natsume...tomorrow? Well. That's part of your birthday gift, yo. I can't blow the surprise.." the hand turned over, resting on her side and running a thumb over the edge of her abs.
He never thought he'd see the day, but he had forgotten all about the Ice cream. Nao returned rather quickly to her tomato state, a different kind of smile being shown at this moment. It took a moment, but she finally found herself able to formulate words. “My birthday gift.. you did say it was almost my birthday. You are so sweet to find this out for me. To get me a gift too, on top of everything you do. I am so lucky to..” taking in a breath, Nao couldn’t help but giggle. “It smells like the ice cream is all around us. So sweet..”
Indeed, the ice cream was a lost cause. A cursory glance into the gallon revealed a soup with perhaps one scoop, acting as the snowball in hell. The perfect analogy for his resolve around her.
He gives her a devilish smirk, before taking the spoon and ladling the desert soup onto the crook of her neck. He dives upon it hungrily before she can protest.
The ice cream soon flew from the bench as they pried at one another, unsure of anything but the passion.
And that they needed more ice cream now..
-----
Don Tirris words resonated with him. Keep it simple. Special. Just them.
The party had been the opposite of that. He had been mostly scarce outside of bantering with Donny and Avalon, before that turned into them roasting Knox. Now though, he sat in Tirri's backyard, staring at one of the last and only McAlroy family heirlooms he had.
His mom wasn't intentionally cruel but her shoving the wedding ring his dad had given her into the back of one of her jewelry boxes always sat wrong with him.
Here was the chance to do some right, though.
He knew she'd come. It was just a matter of time... Almost as if the universe was actually doing a favor for once, barely a minute passed before she began making her way over. While her gaze was locked and her steps rather quiet considering, she called out to him in the way only she could. “Robert! Hello! I was looking for you to see how you are!” Though she was still heading over as she spoke, her volume didn’t lower during the approach.
Bert laughed slightly, instantly patting the lawn chair next to his as she got closer "Pretty loud in there, huh babe?" He called back even as she got close, paying her a smile that betrayed his quaking nerves.
Chill out Bert. You got this.
Giving a nod in both acknowledgement and agreement, Nao took her seat beside him, staring off into the distance for a second, then turning her full attention his way. “Sorry! Yes it is very loud in there, a lot of things going on at once, I needed to get away. I think my head around me got too cluttered, if that makes sense. Did the same thing happen to you and that is why you are out here?” Her smile switched to a more concerned look as she noticed something, just wasn’t sure what. “Is everything okay?”
"Yeah, yo. Just nervous. I got your gift, finally. I just...I dunno. Nervous whether you'll like it or not. Or something.." he forces himself to look at her, sliding a hand over to hold hers but remaining quiet. The concern switched to curiosity, the birthday girl shaking her head in response. “Please do not be nervous about the gift. I know that I will like it no matter what it is. Even if it’s something I wouldn’t normally like. Things are extra special when they come from you. You always think about me and what I want or feel, so I do the same of course and love all you do.” She stopped herself for a second, unsure if what she was trying to say was coming out as intended.
“What I mean.. is just please don’t be nervous. How about this, I can close my eyes and then you give me the gift. After that I will love it and we can have some cake!”
He felt a warmth that threatened to give way to tears as he smiled at her, squeezing the hand once "Alright..close your eyes yo.." as soon as she did, a quiet but heavy sigh escaped him. It was go time. Do or die.
"Do you remember yesterday, in the Sauna? When I said last names could change, yo?" While she was mostly facing him, her closed eyes led to her soft nod being a tiny bit to the left, a smile present. “Yes I do remember this. The sauna was so much fun too. I remember a lot of it, and more now overall thanks to you. So what about the names? Are you going to tell me more about them?”
He had gone silent, but had shifted to kneel in front of her. One knee, presenting his offering. A shaky exhale "What if...what if it changed to McAlroy?"
Suddenly Nao found that she could no longer keep her eyes open, the question bringing about a bevy of emotions. “But that.. that would mean..” Her eyes focus on him, the kneeling, the offering, the.. everything. “I.. are you doing what I think you are..” tears begin welling. “Please tell me you are..”
His own eyes had begun to well over, especially at her positive reception. She'd never been more gorgeous than here, tonight in Don Tirri's backyard. He let out another shaky exhale.
"Ever since I met you, my life has gotten so much better...because it became one with your life, yo. And like...maybe it gets crazy. Maybe things are complex...but they're perfect, yo. Because you're there…" his free hand goes to wipe at his eyes, his smile becoming sheepish "I can't imagine any future without you there, and it doesn't feel like anything before you mattered. ..so, yeah..yeah I am.."
A deep breath, he found her eyes with his own.
Just like they always found each other.
"Nao, will you marry me?"
Sitting up a bit more now, she couldn’t help the tears from overflowing and didn’t really want to. Instead she slowly rose to her feet, her tearing eyes still locked on the man kneeling before her. “I..”
Suddenly she dropped to her knees beside him, eyes still locked, nodding her head emphatically. “Of course I will!”
Stunned. Knocked stupid. "You will?" It was actually a question until realization hit him "You Will!!" He hushed himself, not ready to share the moment. Not yet.
Slowly he plucked the ring from the box and, taking her left hand in his he slid it onto her ring finger with a hand as steady as a ship in a storm. His hand lingers before dropping, his eyes raising to her face again.
This was his life.
"I love you, Nao.." he all but whispered. Her eyes finally shifted their gaze from him, marveling at the ring placed on her finger. She actually reached over to give her forearm a slight pinch before looking back to it and then to him.
“私は夢を見ていません..” she softly exclaimed before more tears began to flow. “I love you too..” he leaned in and planted a soft kiss on her lips, before leaning back and suddenly declaring excitedly to the sky.
"SHE SAID YES, YO!!" he informed the world, before ripping off his beanie and throwing it in the air.
-----
After DMC has gone off the air..
She betrayed him.
Devil May Cry brought about many different outcomes, some expected, others not so much and the night wasn’t even half over at this point. Sat in the trainer's room was Ahmya, doing her best to recover after her grueling match that kicked off the night. Getting a general enough green light to go about her way, the young champion sent a message out to meet up by the locker room. As she opened the door to exit the room though, she’s greeted by a sight that brought about an audible gasp.
Away from it, Robert stood leaning against the locker room doorway. He had shared a nod with Knox before the older man departed but little else. He fidgeted with a string on his hoodie, looking up and down the hall for a sec before letting out a breath.
Probably robbing catering. Some time passed with no arrival, no response. The text back wasn’t indicated as read and there were nothing but passing crew members, scrambling about to continue production. There was one that may have raised a brow of confusion, but even then, not for more than a millisecond.
Bert felt the tingle now, as he fidgeted more. Checked his phone again. He snagged one of the crew to ask, but he hadn't seen her. He let out a breath to calm himself, before taking off his hoodie and setting it by the door.
If she came when he went to look, she'd see it and know he would be back. One of the coping things they came up with on the road.
A pause, he thinks for a split second then pulls his phone out.
Twitter
DMs.
Seiya.
"Is something going on?" Blue check mark. Several more minutes pass by before a response finally surfaces. “あなたは私が何だと思いますか、スニッチ?あなたが何かが起こりそうだと思って、あなたが尋ねているなら、それはすでに起こっています。あなたの遅い脳では、とにかくそうです..” The message brings about a whole new level of worry, especially when it appears the same female stagehand has passed by, heading the same way twice.
He slid his phone into his pocket, checking for the pocketknife he'd taken to carrying before looking once over his shoulder.
Then, he took off after the stage hand. Keeping as much distance as he could to be subtle. His blood was cold, he felt the hair on his neck bristle.
Please be okay. A few glances every which way was followed up by said stagehand turning away, locking eyes with Bert for the quickest of seconds. Purple contacts met his eyes before the stage hand began racing to the exit. An exit which led to the parking lot.
Her.
Bert took off immediately trying to catch up to her. He yelled but not any English word. More a grunting declaration. He threw his shoulder into the exit door, thankful they spring open as he begins searching for her. For anything.
Was she helping?
Reaching the parking lot, in a sea of vehicles and questionable at best guards, sat an old rusted 1977 Pontiac Ventura. The windows tinted black, much like what appeared to be the car’s original color. There was a purpose for the car being there, but before too many questions could run through the mind, a voice called out.
“彼女はどこ?”
A pivot, he dug in and launched toward it, almost eating shit as he did but finding his footing quicker than before. Almost like being a trained fighter came with other benefits. While his movements proved beneficial, all he was met with were locked doors. Again the voice called out to him, this time in a more familiar tongue. “You look without the key. You know where it is. Once you find it, the number of lies you have weaved will determine where she is.”
"HEY! OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR BITCH! NAO!" he began bashing the window for all he was worth but of all that he was, Bert wasn't a hammer. He throws himself across the hood in a last ditch, only to roll off and bounce his stupid brave head on the pavement.
Even in the fog, as the tires screeched all he could feel was terror.
He failed her.
An amused, near maniacal laugh accompanied his anguish. “Stupid, stupid! Stupid boy! You do not even look! Where is the key? What did you see? What did she see? The night is the answer, your lies the guide…”
Bert rolled painfully onto his knees and elbows, the world vibrated. His innards were on fire. A lump in his throat threatened to burst him into a blubbering mess but even that didn't fire right.
Go to her locker room.
See if her stuff is there.
What lies?
He scrambled to his feet, shoving past the small gathered crowd of confused on lookers as he burst back into the arena, making a bee line to her lockerroom.
He barely noticed the blood running from where his head hit the pavement.
It didn't matter.
Only she mattered.
Reaching the room, the door was forced open with a maddening swing, and the sight was as adorable as it was tragic. Her stuff was there, taking up little space. Nice, neat, and sat atop were matching bags of chips. A sweet surprise.
Bert approached them, running a finger over them before he begins searching the pockets. A key. Something easily slipped into a pocket. In and out without detection.
He trusted her. And she was the one to take her.
Maybe he was the stoned idiot they called him. Maybe he wasn't cut out for this.
He threw the locker open, searching through the trinkets. A small smile at the strip of photos they'd taken in a booth at the mall one of their first nights together after he got her from West Virginia..
Tip toes. Search the top
Freeze.
He pulled the strip of plastic.
Room 302A
Bingo.
-------
Meanwhile the room in question was one filled with silence so telling. The only form of movement coming from the one resting. The smallest simply staring at the phone. Finally eyes darted upwards, a hint of concern disguised as irritation present. “これはとても愚かでした...”
"How do you figure?" The worn voice came from it's corner, staring at the stitched up wound beneath his left eye. His body language is far less self assured as he is still recovering from the stunt the Astro Creeps pulled.
Hope was in the room next door, resting from the ordeal with the assistance of Ambien and bourbon. Their conversation weighed him further.
The sins scorched him.
"Are they aware yet?" A scoff, and a chuckle were all he received for a while until she looked back down at her phone, seeming preoccupied with messages, reading something over again before speaking out, as if looking at lines. “If there was any hint of that, I would do what I learned from that.. thing and do what it takes to survive. So.. no. I am fine. Are you?”
A cursory glance to her phone, a small chuckle "私の妻を厄介な名前と呼ばないでください。 よろしければ、私はあなたが英語を学ぶのを手伝うことができます"
He went silent for a beat "I would survive. Like always…" a sigh, before adding bluntly and suddenly "I figured out how to hide you all." Without the mask it was more difficult to hide expressions, a slight tint showcasing her annoyance and something else. She moved her phone slightly so the screen would be less visible, again taking her time in responding. “Fine. If this does not prove a mistake, I will accept your offer to learn. What did you figure? This better be good.” Her eyes moved their focus up for just a second before returning to the screen, now reading.
"I've leased apartments under a name that would be linked to me only after digging through a couple dozen tax shelters. They're all rural, but within ten miles of metro areas.." a shift as he picks at the eye wound "I'd need all your phones before taking you there. Help throw them off your trail. Make tracking harder.." a sigh "It's just..getting you all clear is difficult. Especially with Banch and his lot fucking things up.."
While initially nodding in acknowledgement, the last bit caused her to raise an eyebrow and chuckle. “男はあなたがすべてこのレートでねじ込まれています..” Taking a break from the phone, she looked over to the third person in the room, letting out a sigh. “彼女がそんなに苦労しているのを見るのは痛い.. 彼らは耳を傾け、隠れたままになると思いますか?”
"Some worry me. Bert might take Mei.." he stood, pacing the room a moment "But freedom, from what you've been forced into? I'm sure will keep them on the straight and narrow."
Fluid, brazen, swift. His hand shot out and plucked the phone, instantly setting to unlocking it for a peek. Her search history brought a smile.
Such a child.
Then the texts, he turned to her, eyebrow arched "This man a client?" While initially she looked shocked at her phone being snatched, that quickly turned to a pissed off expression. She walked over, trying to get her phone back. “No.. let me have phone back. Now..” Though she did her best not to raise her voice, she was firm with her words.
He stared down at her, stone faced as ever.
Until it broke and he burst out laughing at her small, angry self.
"My god, you're cute as a button" he quips before putting on a super serious face.
"Let me have phone back. Now!"
He paid her a light, playful shove before holding the phone up toward the ceiling above his head "Take it then, small fry." Looking up at the phone, she begins to grow more irritated, the height difference painfully showing. Initially she tries yanking on his arm, not having much luck. Taking a step back, she reassessed the situation. “Unfair. Running to you, phone breaks. Climb, I hit my head. You do not listen ever. Phone goes to table. We fight.”
He smiles at her, chuckling before offering the phone. As she grasps it though, he yanks her forward and..
Gives her a gentle hug, a pat on the back.
"Thank you, little one." He said quietly. It took some time for the young woman to absorb and accept the hug, a small smile forming. “I.. yeah.. you’re welcome? I mean.. thanks for letting my phone back.” Silence filled the room for a spell, before the focus moves back to the shifting body. “Waking..”
He releases her, stepping back "He would have figured it out by now. Go on, get out of here. I'll take it from here." He motioned as he pulled his chair to be beside Naoko.
"I am in your debt." He added, not bothering to look toward her.. She gave a simple nod. “You know what to do. I do not go far.” Much like him, she doesn’t bother seeking his gaze or shifting hers to him. Instead she heads over to the door. As she reaches for the knob however, she notices something which brings about a sharp response. “あなたが私を信頼していると思いました!”
Now, he looked over his shoulder "I do? What's wrong?" He inquired, eyes darting back to Nao and adjusting her pillow "Keep sleeping." He mumbles gently before standing and turning toward his companion and the door. The young woman doesn’t move a muscle but speaks to adjust his focus to what is going on. “これは私たちのものではなく、私たちが使用する種類でもありません。これは誰ですか?” A brief pause. “見えないの?”
He followed her eyes after striding over, before yanking her by the waist of her pants and all but throwing her on the bed with Nao. He sneers, throwing the door open and stepping out into the hallway, arms outstretched.
"Do it." He said, just above his normal speaking voice. Nothing.
"DO IT COWARD." He barked. Still nothing. Silence once again filled the area before the young woman carefully moved off the bed, joining him. “Seems okay.. I will go n-” before she could finish her sentence, loud steps could be heard in the distance which leads her to snap at him quickly. “これはめちゃくちゃです!”
"YO!!" The rasp came. He recognized her, hit the brakes as he recognized Knox. His mouth opened to speak, but he shoved past them. He stared at Nao, relief washing over him.
Then the rage.
He made a beeline for her, a wild swing caught by the eldest. The arm held in a vice grip as a voice meant to calm came forth "Robert. Stop. Look who it is. There are no enemies here, think." A savage tearing ceases slowly, puffy and burning blue eyes staring at the purple contacts.
"Why?!" He barked at her.. The emotion behind his voice caused her to take a step back, the shielded eyes squinting slightly. “あなたが既に知っている...” Another step back is taken, the body language indicating defense. A soft chuckle then escapes. “I see now.. okay..”
"There was going to be an attempt on Nao. She saved her tonight, Robert." Bert finally freed his arm, chest heaving as he looked between them.
"It had to look real." Knox adds as Bert slides down the wall, adrenaline leaving him. The tears trickle as a smile breaks over his face.
"I thought I lost her, yo...I thought.." the rest of the thought choked away. A small smile made its way to the woman who, while still staying back, appeared more at ease. Looking to them both and then the one resting she took this as her cue to quietly depart but stopped short, color draining. “ああ...いや..いや..いや...”
Knox tore his eyes from Robert, looking toward the source of her terror. Then it went dark. A reach forward to latch onto her was met with nothing but air, scattered footsteps or sounds of such circled all around the room. While there were reactionary movements made, the forms.. or form stayed out of reach. A quick release injection was then felt by everyone within the vicinity saved for the one or ones responsible. Heavy eyelids became the norm for all, a hand reaching out, lost in the confusing world. “なんで暗いの..”
The older man grasped furiously but a strike to the back of his head, then pressure on his throat was enough to put him under, his heart shattering as realization took him. Within, a small box bubbled over and rage boiled within the slumber.
Bert yelled and caught the needle bearer with a stray elbow. A sharp pain to the stomach. He drove the figure forward, screaming her name. Their yell as they spilled over the railing. But then it felt like a thousand sets of hands began working to put him down. He tried to scream her name, tried to fight but his body had given into the cocktail and the beatings.