WOOHOO! More chapter. Yay :D
Enjoy~
~Angel and Hel~
Chapter Twenty Nine: Revenants Part III
-.-.-
Just- just go with her okay?
She'll be good for you. Or you'll be good for her.
Either or.
JUST GET ME OUT OF HERE!
-.-.-
He took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. The timing was right. He hadn't seen that TSO since she lounged over the - math, math, math! - Aphoth had been away for a while, though he didn't know where, Vivian was thankfully away, and not sitting in his lap placing her slender hand softly on his chest -
"Come in, Mr. Coal."
Oh. Fuck.
It was a woman's voice on the other side of that door, and she sounded -
Sultry. She sounded sultry.
Maths. Maths and therapy and the Dream. He'd been through trauma recently, couldn't he just focus on that?
On - on seeing everyone hurt, in pain, the endless tide of Grimm ready to tear them limb from limb, tearing at their clothes - flesh. Tearing at their flesh -
His heart was hammering in his chest as he pushed open the door and slipped in rigidly. His movements were stiff, his blood pulsed in his veins. He could feel the sweat starting to build on his brow.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
He had no idea an open-topped frilly blouse and a pin-stripe suit could look so good. A short pencil skirt. Tights as far as the eye could see.
She lowered her head to look at him over her glasses. "Mr. Coal, please, take a seat." Her tone was commanding. Tempting. Daring him to do otherwise.
It felt like he clambered into the offered seat, immediately crossing his legs and relaxing slightly -
"You left the door open."
Fuck.
Fucking fuckity fuck.
He should not have relaxed. He stood, bow legged, raced for the door, shut it. Her skin was cinnamon coloured and looked so soft as her eyebrow arched -
She frowned as her pen rolled off her clipboard, and leant down to pick it off the ground - look away look away look awa - even hanging they looked so firm and - maths! Dust matrices!
"So. What would you like to talk about."
Slade's mind was blank. He didn't have thoughts. Couldn't risk having them.
"D - Dream."
"Of course. The Dream is quite a traumatic experience, I imagine. I haven't been through it myself but I have helped many would-be Hunters with the aftereffects."
Trauma. Definitely the biggest thing on his mind right now. Possibly not the biggest thing anywhere else.
"What was your experience like?"
Talk about it. Talk about how it hurt. Talk about - about how in control she looked, as though she knew he was thinking about her and the TSO -
"Mr. Coal?" she prompted him with a gentle look of concern. His lust-addled mind supplied she just wants to cuddle you intimately and tell you it'll all be okay but he couldn't trust himself -
"Uh - I - " His words choked in his throat. She was going to punish him for not talking to her for wasting her time and oh god he didn't think he could have any more problems but there they went.
Was that a whip at her belt or was he imagining things?
"Distractions." Look away. Not at her chest. Her face. Oh no that was worse. Her soft brown eyes. Those kissable ripe lips. She had freckles.
BANG!
He jumped as the door slammed open and someone grabbed him by the cuff of his shirt - "SLADE, COME ON, I NEED HELP, THEY SPLIT UP AND I CAN'T FIND EITHER OF THEM!"
"Bwuh?"
Aphoth was holding his shirt sleeve. Her hair was a mess and she had what might have been cake mix down the side of her face. That was - he could deal with that. Then she looked past him and her face twisted in surprise.
"Really? Another one? Are you fucking serious?"
"You're interrupting this therapy session - "
"Save it floozy. We've got to find those two idiots."
"Sit down." She cracked the whip - oh shit she did have a whip. "I will not tolerate -"
"They're still out there -"
"So I wasn't just imagining you as a dominatrix on the side?" Slade asked before his brain caught up with his mouth.
A sharp sting from the right. And then the left. Aphoth, Therapist.
"I deserved that," he admitted, accepting his fate.
"Now sit dow -"
"KAYNOTHANKSBYE!" Aphoth shouted, dragging Slade out of the room without a second's warning.
Slade ran after her. Tried to. She was moving very quickly and holding his arm at an angle where he was more stumbling and trying desperately not to accidentally kick her or himself. "Who's missing? Who are we looking for?"
"There's no time to explain, just follow -"
Slade stumbled and fell into a tall boy who clanked as he fell. They were tumbling over, his vision filled with red and grey and he couldn't make heads or tails of it, the smell of iron assaulting his senses and - his face slammed into the other boy's nose, much too close to his lips for comfort.
The hunter made a noise somewhere between a growl and a snarl. "Get off me. Oaf."
"Slade, now is not the time for you to make out with your boyto- oh. Ew."
BOYTOY?!
Slade pushed off and got to his feet as fast as he could what was even going on anymore nothing made sense and -
Aphoth had a hold of him again.
What did I do to deserve this?
-.-.-
"Stopitstopitstopitstopit-"
"Ashlyn!"
"Hehehhehe, you're so cute and cuddly~"
"NNNnnnn!"
Helia was stuck in Ashlyn's lap. Ashlyn was sitting cross legged in the corner, drunkenly draped over Helia with her arms wrapped around the angel faunus and… intensely cuddling her. Possibly shirtless.
"So cuuuuuute~"
"Lemme go!"
Aphoth's face was in her hands. "I shouldn't be surprised," she said, her voice muffled. "I really shouldn't be surprised."
Ash was blowing raspberries on Helia's exposed neck while she squirmed.
"Eewwwwwwwwwww!"
"Ash, have you still got cake mix in your hair?" Aphoth sounded so - resigned.
"I ate it!" Ash sounded so proud of herself.
"That sounds - I can still see it Ash. It's - oh my god there's more of it. Did you dip your head in the bowl?"
"I… licked it?" She seemed confused, so she stuck her tongue out to show and started to - to - do that thing people did when they got an entire head full of hair stuck in their mouth and started trying to blow it off.
Slade was - both disgusted and amused. He'd never thought he'd say this, but it was better to see two girls covered in cake batter spitting out hairballs than another tightly clad beauty. He couldn't take more of the latter.
"Okay, Ash. Let's get you cleaned up. How about you go have a shower? Aren't showers fun?" He tried to smile reassuringly.
"YES! Phllbbt." Ash stood up and spat out the last of Helia's hair, clambering over her and tripping up and falling headfirst into his crotch. Slade hissed, thanking every deity on Remnant that he had still worn a cup with his formal wear, even if it had been somewhat… dislodged by recent activity in that area. Still hurt like fuck.
A small squeak came from Aphoth. "Uhm, Slade, you uhh…"
He looked down. His crotch was coated in off-white cake batter.
"Yup…" he wheezed, leaning against the wall.
"Thank you, for coming and… helping me." Aphoth blushed bright bright red, looking anywhere but him, before yelping as Ashlyn grabbed at her legs, seemingly trying to climb up her front.
"Showerrrr," she moaned like a zombie. A drunk, uncoordinated, terrible zombie. "Only if you guys come with!"
Aphoth's clothes would need to be washed after Ash's treatment of them. Slade struggled not to imagine her glistening skin under the gentle spray of a hot shower, so pale, so soft, so supple - creamy white with a hot flush of pink -
"I think it would be best if I showered separately."
"Wiiiiiiiiith," she drawled determinedly, pulling down Aphoth's leggings just enough for her lily-white skin to show before she doubled over and caught them. Slade found his eyes drawn to her.
"But - wouldn't - aren't - wouldn't the showers be separate by gender? He wouldn't be able to join you."
The thought of the pair of them rubbing up against - him, each other - acceleration is the rate of change of distance by rate of change of distance the constant differentiation, maths, maths, think maths!
"I- I'm sure they'll have some temporary accommodation we can use," he said with a wince.
Ash finally seemed to feel sleepy again, because she flopped down limply on the floor. "Night niiiiiiight," she yawned, rolling over and starting to snore quietly.
Slade slid down the wall. He would've slumped his head, but that would have covered his face in more cake batter. "How is she still drunk?"
"Brandy cake. White rum. I can't remember, but it was a big bottle."
Slade banged his head against the wall. "I just want to fight monsters. I'm doing this so I can fight monsters."
Aphoth laughed. "Well, you're certainly slaying… though I wouldn't say monsters." She leaned closer tilting her face a little towards his cheek and oh god her eyes were fluttering closed, Slade was not prepared, this was not a situation he was prepared for -
Her nose wrinkled. "You smell like blood. Are you okay?"
And then a small white thing poked out of the top of her trousers, slithered up to him and pecked him on the lips.
He'd just been kissed by a snake.
He couldn't handle this.
"You two should just kiss properly already…" Helia muttered, lost in the background.
He sat there, stunned and slightly numb as she grabbed a wet washcloth and started scrubbing his face. It had to be that boy he'd tumbled into earlier.
"There we go. Much better."
He nodded. Because that was what you were supposed to do when a woman told you things were better now, right?
Then he felt her lips on his and she awakened him from his daze - among awakening other things -
He tried to kiss back or at least respond because that was the right thing to do right but this was unexpected but she was already sitting back smiling a little.
"Wait, where's Helia?"
-.-.-
Home is where the hearth is.
Home is not where the heart is.
Take a moment to warm up.
Wouldn't want you to catch a cold now, would we?
-.-.-
Winter woke with a start as the airship touched down. She hadn't realised she'd fallen asleep. Oh. Oh dear. Her father was piloting and would be mad at her for drifting off -
"Weiss will be inside. You should talk to her first."
Winter blinked. Either… she was still asleep and dreaming, or Father was actually showing concern for their sisterly relationship. He smiled gently, put a hand on her shoulder -
"Winter."
The cold stern voice of Father cut through the fog immediately. She… she had been dreaming. "Y-" she croaked, before clearing her throat. "Yes, Father?"
"We've arrived." He didn't even look at her as he spoke. He didn't say anything else either. There was no need to.
She clung to the final moments of her dream. Seeing Father smile. It made her heart ache in a way she couldn't describe. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him do that, really do that.
Winter avoided making any noise as she disengaged the harness, slipped from the vehicle onto the grounds. The afternoon chill of even the spring air cut right through her as the fresh snow crunched under her boots. She had to resist the urge to hug herself to retain some warmth. Show solidarity. Father was judging her every move.
She'd be inside and warm soon.
… she found herself looking forward to four years of intense training. It would arguably be even more intense, more dedicated than Father's own education schedule for her, but she was looking forward to it.
Simply because he wouldn't be there in person to look over her shoulder and - misunderstand.
The thought filled her with a bit of hope. She'd have a second chance. And a chance to define her own goals.
Servants opened the impressive doors for them, and closed them again once they were inside.
The mansion was gigantic and cold. Huge and empty. The cold grey halls with too-high ceilings and fireplaces in nearly every room. Stone, steel, there wasn't much to decorate the walls of the entrance hall. It was all very ornate yet minimalistic and - honestly, scary. The way the shadows of the fire's cage danced off the walls and sturdy pillars sent the average imagination into overdrive.
She never thought she'd be legitimately thankful for Father's taste in art. Past the main hall every room was adorned with art piece after art piece, he could afford to hang as much as he liked and he liked a lot of it. Older, more photorealistic pieces, landscapes, still lives, sculptures, more modern and abstract art. None of it could be touched, of course.
Art was to be appreciated, not dirtied.
Winter noted a fondness for the darker colours, and the entire spectrum of blue, rested at eye level in most rooms. The first to see, the first to be taken in. One would have to strain their neck to look up at the most colourful and vibrant pieces, nearing the roof.
Despite the cold, and at times empty appearance of the mansion… it was warm. It was welcoming. It was secure. It was… home.
Father left to go to his study, as he often did. Winter remembered his expectations from earlier. Pack her things. Talk to her sister. She could have sworn there was something else…
The envelope. She needed to - to confirm what Helia had said. But she also needed to speak with Weiss, and she'd rather enjoy that before… confronting her fears. Though talking to Weiss wouldn't be easy.
But if Father knew - he could remove it while she was with Weiss. No. No, she had to check first.
Weiss wouldn't forgive her if she didn't go to her first.
"Where's my sister?" She asked one of the servants passing by.
He nodded. "She had planned a bath last I knew, milady."
Oh. That was… unexpected, but a boon. She would have time to check the envelope before Father could intervene, and Weiss was occupied. The excuses began to line up in her head - a perfectly reasonable explanation should Weiss be unhappy.
She nodded, continued on her path.
Her room. Big, empty… lonely. A giant four-poster bed, with white lace curtains. Clean sheets, every day. Big, fluffy, warm fur blankets. Winter sighed. She would love nothing more right now than to crawl under those blankets and sleep. But she was dirty, and she had things to do.
Maybe Weiss wouldn't mind if she joined her in the bath…
Winter's walls were adorned with pictures. Not quite as much art as the rest of the house. Just a few, select pieces she enjoyed. The rest was pictures. Of when she was younger. Happier. Back before she was smart enough to start learning. A chronicle, was how she'd always justified it.
Ignorance was bliss.
The problem was, by nature, she couldn't enjoy it for what it was.
A stage where things weren't quite as bright as Father pushed her to start her education early. A few pictures of Winter smiling with Mother. She was… she was gone now. Weiss had… Weiss had never gotten a chance to know her. Not properly.
Winter didn't cry. She'd been through that enough times to simply remember Mother fondly. She was… still here. In spirit. It helped her get through the days, sometimes.
Pictures of when Weiss was just starting to walk. Father was in the corner of one particular photo, smiling as Weiss took her first steps. She hadn't stumbled for five whole steps. Winter remembered from the tales Mother had told that she had only made two before falling flat on her face, and then they'd picked her up again and gently coaxed her through the motions necessary.
She touched that one gently. Smiled a little. Weiss had been so cuddly when she was younger. Winter almost suspected she'd latched onto her older sister as a surrogate mother figure. She hadn't - been the best at that, she supposed. She'd been strict, sometimes. Maybe too strict. But she'd helped Weiss and played with her as best she could.
Fond memories.
But they were just that.
Memories.
The future was fast approaching and she couldn't honestly say she was ready to face what was coming. The Dream, Helia, the life of a Hunter outside Father's influence… perhaps Weiss would follow in her footsteps. Weiss had shown a greater aptitude for business keeping already. The endless numbers and meaningless words and reports still boggled Winter.
She had a lot of frustration to work out. She could fight. She - she had the drive, the skill to actually do that. She needed this. It was what she was good at, what she could use to make Father proud of her.
Some day…
She nearly chuckled as she had a stray thought. Dreams are free. No. No they are not.
Dreams could make a man. Dreams could break a man. Dreams could undo a man.
She would be made a Hunter by her dreams. She would be undone by her dreams.
She sighed. She was introspecting too much again.
Winter wondered if Mother had been a bad influence on her. In Father's eyes, certainly, but in her own… Mother had taught her there were things in life that were more than simple progress. Happiness was one of those. Freedom. Fun. Winter's fondest memories of her involved Mother letting her run about, full of boundless energy, letting her run and jump and climb and cuddle until she was utterly exhausted, and then sitting in her rocking chair, draping a blanket over her, and rocking her to sleep. Sweet, dreamless sleep.
She was getting distracted again. She wondered how long she'd stood here, with her hand outstretched, staring at her mother's face. The ache in her heart wasn't going away.
Winter took a deep breath and held back tears. She had to get this over and done with. Bedside table, second drawer. A small, embroidered envelope. She recognised it as one of Father's favourites. He only used them for special occasions.
The - the wax seal with his symbol was still intact.
She wanted to tear it off so badly. Instead, she reached for her sabre, to use the dagger to cut it with minimal damage - wait, where was her -
Winter's hand clasped at thin air and she groaned audibly. She hadn't remembered to re-armed herself. Father would be furious with her when - no, he already knew. She was going to face the consequences of that misaction later.
She hooked her fingernail under the edge and pried it open, doing her best not to ruin the seal.
It came off with surprising ease.
She opened it. Her heart was beating hard, threatening to break out of her chest. Her throat closed up as she saw the script. Tears were welling up in her eyes. She - she couldn't -
Title Deed
Subject 13-H
Polendina Labs
Research and Development
Atlesian Military
The gift fell from her numb, shaking hands, slipping through her fingers. She didn't hear it hit the ground. A choked sob came out. Winter fell to her knees, putting her face in her hands.
Her cheeks were wet.
-.-.-
~R&R?~
