"Come back soon?" pleaded Eric. Rouge turned and nodded smiling before leaving to get her food.
"I'm so glad your better now Eric!" exclaimed Rouge as she stared out the window of the bullet train.
"I'm not all better yet, remember, I spent two weeks in the hospital and I'm still fragile. No more of the after-the-rave business for a while I'm afraid."
"They say anticipation is half the fun." Came the dreamy reply.
"Where are we going again?" asked Eric.
"Just a little seaside village. They have a honeymoon hotel, a nice family run place, not Western. There are some shops, and the beach. I brought my swim suit."
Images of Rouge in a swimsuit danced through Eric's head. The thought made him a little giddy. "Oh, I didn't. I figured I wouldn't be able to do much swimming with my rib."
"Actually you do have a suit, I packed it for you while you were buying cigarettes." Rouge grinned and let her head fall on Eric's shoulder. "I'm happy, love."
"Me too."
The two rode the train for about forty-five more minutes and arrived at their destination. In the hotel Rouge busily ran about arranging suitcases and de-wrinkling a nice looking dress, it was pale pink-cream batik and done in a Greek pleated style gathered at the chest with a little brooch. Eric leaned against the door to the balcony with one foot resting on the edge behind him. He uncrossed his arms to take a drag on his cigarette. His eyes followed Rouge. She was wearing black sweat pants with sandals and a white tank top with flames screen-printed on it. Eric sighed and Rough turned her head with a, "What's wrong baby?"
"I'm not kissing you right now, that's what's wrong." Eric reached forward with his good arm and Rouge leaned forward into his embrace. He held her tightly and gazed out at the sunset.
"This is nice, but you still aren't kissing me." Rouge moved her lover's face to look at her own and then stood on tiptoe to kiss him.
"Come on, over here." Eric jerked his thumb in the general direction of the bed.
"Your rib…" mumbled Rouge as she tried to kiss Eric's ear.
"I won't do anything that hurts." He insisted, pulled Rouge around and sitting her on the bed. His hand went to the back of her neck and the other on her knee. She slowly leaned back and he slowly leaned over her, supporting himself on his good arm. They kissed again and then once more before their lips wandered over each other's faces and Eric's left hand moved to Rouge's stomach…
Rouge and Eric were walking along the beach, Rouge eating mint chocolate chip ice cream and Eric with hamburger juice on his chin. "It certainly is peaceful isn't it?" asked Eric. "I'm glad we decided to come to the beach."
"Me too Eric." Rouge really did feel happy. Eric wasn't the terrible person that Key had made her believe the one with the mark of death would be. But it was going terribly slowly, so far there had been no trace of the sword she was supposed to find and bring Key.
Rouge swallowed the last bite of her cone and ran into the surf; the sea breeze flipped her hair and the ties on her red bikini around. Eric laughed as Rouge fell down from a sudden undertow and then slipped and slid on some seaweed trying to get up. Rouge returned in a fit of giggles, "The sea is out to get me Eric!" she laughed.
Suddenly a twenty-year-old kid jumped into the air to catch a Frisbee and fell onto of Eric. "Oh golly sir, are you alright?" he asked worriedly.
"Yhea I'm-"
Rouge broke in and started yelling at the boy about Eric's delicate condition, the horrible accident, and how all they wanted was a pleasent vacation without mishap.
"Golly lady I'm really sorry. I guess I shouldn't play so rough." Said the kid, who looked more defensive than sheepish. Eric didn't look as good as he had tried to say he was. He mumbled something about his rib. "Look, I'll take you to the hospital. I'm very sorry."
In the backseat of the kid's car Eric whispered in Rouge's ear, "I don't like this kid."
"Neither do I." Rouge hissed back.
"No, not because he fell on me, although my rib is killing me, but there is something about him. Something I don't like. I don't trust him."
"Okay. Okay baby. I'll look out for him." Whispered Rouge and she smoothed Eric's hair.
"We're at the hospital." Called the boy to his passengers. He and Rouge helped Eric into the hospital. A few weird looking men raised eyebrow at Rouge, who hadn't had time to pull anything on over her bikini.
The nurse asked who was checking Eric in and the boy wrote down, "Richard Asachi." Eric raised an eyebrow and continued thinking about it. As he lay down on the hospital bed, it hit him. Asachi. Where had he seen that name? Something was pulling at his mind. He felt like there was a coat in his hands, though it was really just the rough sheet. A check fluttered onto the floor, the messy scrawl at the signature line barely legible. But it had read Asagki. But as Eric now realized…it had read Asachi. The young eyes of a boy couldn't read correctly, not with the rage of being unable to go to the birthday.
Richard came in, dragging Rouge behind him. "LET ME AT THAT BIKER!" screamed Rouge.
"Some punk made a pass at her. One of the nurses put a scrub gown on her to stop all the attention." Said Richard calmly. Eric's eyes were like steel. Richard looked very uncomfortable with the tension that was in the room, so he left to go stand in the doorway in hopes of getting a doctor in to see Eric. Rouge sat on the bed with her knees to her chest and her legs crossing Eric's.
"Honey, do you want to go shopping later after you get checked out?" she asked coyly.
"Yhea, they had some nice swords at that antique weaponry shop. I saw some nice Spanish pieces."
"Do you like swords? You seem to have an eye for them." Asked Rouge sweetly, cuddling up to Eric.
"Yhea, I like swords a lot. My father was a sword dealer when he wasn't drunk. I learned a lot about them."
"Wow. I wish I could say my parents had jobs as cool as that. My daddy, I never knew him. And my mother, she was a lawyer."
"How did you- how come you didn't…?"
"Pick a better profession? Long story…I'll tell you later after a few beers."
"All right Rouge."
One of the nurses walked in and told Eric a doctor would come to see him in about 45 minuets, but it would be necessary to stay for one night. Richard offered to take Rouge to her hotel room so she could change into something more comfortable than scrubs over a bikini. She accepted and told Eric she'd be back in a little while.
The car ride over was pleasant; Richard stopped at a little drive through sushi place and got some lunch for the two of them. There was a long silence while they ate, but suddenly Richard spoke up. "I heard you and Eric talking about swords. Are you interested in them too?"
"I don't know very much about them actually. Eric is the one who knows the most between the two of us, I guess."
"I have a fondness for swords as well. I have an extensive collection at home and I'd offer to show you and your boyfriend, however I only have a few of them with me during my travels."
Rouge paused. She was supposed to get the sword, not devote herself to Eric. She had to play the game and stop the end of the world. Not fall in love. That was just for fairy tales. "He isn't my boyfriend." She said slowly. "We've been really close since childhood. We're almost like- brother and sister."
Richard looked intrigued. "Well would you like to see some of my swords after you get changed?"
"I would like to very much, I've always been intrigued by swords, but I've never had time to get into the hobby. "
"Does your work take up a lot of your time? What do you do?"
"I- I work in a café as a waitress." It wasn't a lie. It wasn't entirely the truth either.
They got to the hotel and Rouge went to her room. Richard stayed down in the car. Rouge went to her suitcase and got out some black Capri-length jogging pants. She pulled a sheer white top over her swimsuit and tied a red shirt around her waist incase she got cold. She went back down to the car and found Richard had kept the engine running. "In a hurry?" she asked.
"I must admit I am excited to show a pretty lady my collection." Said Richard energetically.
"You are too kind." Said Rouge. She felt sick, she was betraying Eric. Betraying Key. But then again she was never meant to become so close to either that this could be thought of as betrayal.
"I'm so glad your better now Eric!" exclaimed Rouge as she stared out the window of the bullet train.
"I'm not all better yet, remember, I spent two weeks in the hospital and I'm still fragile. No more of the after-the-rave business for a while I'm afraid."
"They say anticipation is half the fun." Came the dreamy reply.
"Where are we going again?" asked Eric.
"Just a little seaside village. They have a honeymoon hotel, a nice family run place, not Western. There are some shops, and the beach. I brought my swim suit."
Images of Rouge in a swimsuit danced through Eric's head. The thought made him a little giddy. "Oh, I didn't. I figured I wouldn't be able to do much swimming with my rib."
"Actually you do have a suit, I packed it for you while you were buying cigarettes." Rouge grinned and let her head fall on Eric's shoulder. "I'm happy, love."
"Me too."
The two rode the train for about forty-five more minutes and arrived at their destination. In the hotel Rouge busily ran about arranging suitcases and de-wrinkling a nice looking dress, it was pale pink-cream batik and done in a Greek pleated style gathered at the chest with a little brooch. Eric leaned against the door to the balcony with one foot resting on the edge behind him. He uncrossed his arms to take a drag on his cigarette. His eyes followed Rouge. She was wearing black sweat pants with sandals and a white tank top with flames screen-printed on it. Eric sighed and Rough turned her head with a, "What's wrong baby?"
"I'm not kissing you right now, that's what's wrong." Eric reached forward with his good arm and Rouge leaned forward into his embrace. He held her tightly and gazed out at the sunset.
"This is nice, but you still aren't kissing me." Rouge moved her lover's face to look at her own and then stood on tiptoe to kiss him.
"Come on, over here." Eric jerked his thumb in the general direction of the bed.
"Your rib…" mumbled Rouge as she tried to kiss Eric's ear.
"I won't do anything that hurts." He insisted, pulled Rouge around and sitting her on the bed. His hand went to the back of her neck and the other on her knee. She slowly leaned back and he slowly leaned over her, supporting himself on his good arm. They kissed again and then once more before their lips wandered over each other's faces and Eric's left hand moved to Rouge's stomach…
Rouge and Eric were walking along the beach, Rouge eating mint chocolate chip ice cream and Eric with hamburger juice on his chin. "It certainly is peaceful isn't it?" asked Eric. "I'm glad we decided to come to the beach."
"Me too Eric." Rouge really did feel happy. Eric wasn't the terrible person that Key had made her believe the one with the mark of death would be. But it was going terribly slowly, so far there had been no trace of the sword she was supposed to find and bring Key.
Rouge swallowed the last bite of her cone and ran into the surf; the sea breeze flipped her hair and the ties on her red bikini around. Eric laughed as Rouge fell down from a sudden undertow and then slipped and slid on some seaweed trying to get up. Rouge returned in a fit of giggles, "The sea is out to get me Eric!" she laughed.
Suddenly a twenty-year-old kid jumped into the air to catch a Frisbee and fell onto of Eric. "Oh golly sir, are you alright?" he asked worriedly.
"Yhea I'm-"
Rouge broke in and started yelling at the boy about Eric's delicate condition, the horrible accident, and how all they wanted was a pleasent vacation without mishap.
"Golly lady I'm really sorry. I guess I shouldn't play so rough." Said the kid, who looked more defensive than sheepish. Eric didn't look as good as he had tried to say he was. He mumbled something about his rib. "Look, I'll take you to the hospital. I'm very sorry."
In the backseat of the kid's car Eric whispered in Rouge's ear, "I don't like this kid."
"Neither do I." Rouge hissed back.
"No, not because he fell on me, although my rib is killing me, but there is something about him. Something I don't like. I don't trust him."
"Okay. Okay baby. I'll look out for him." Whispered Rouge and she smoothed Eric's hair.
"We're at the hospital." Called the boy to his passengers. He and Rouge helped Eric into the hospital. A few weird looking men raised eyebrow at Rouge, who hadn't had time to pull anything on over her bikini.
The nurse asked who was checking Eric in and the boy wrote down, "Richard Asachi." Eric raised an eyebrow and continued thinking about it. As he lay down on the hospital bed, it hit him. Asachi. Where had he seen that name? Something was pulling at his mind. He felt like there was a coat in his hands, though it was really just the rough sheet. A check fluttered onto the floor, the messy scrawl at the signature line barely legible. But it had read Asagki. But as Eric now realized…it had read Asachi. The young eyes of a boy couldn't read correctly, not with the rage of being unable to go to the birthday.
Richard came in, dragging Rouge behind him. "LET ME AT THAT BIKER!" screamed Rouge.
"Some punk made a pass at her. One of the nurses put a scrub gown on her to stop all the attention." Said Richard calmly. Eric's eyes were like steel. Richard looked very uncomfortable with the tension that was in the room, so he left to go stand in the doorway in hopes of getting a doctor in to see Eric. Rouge sat on the bed with her knees to her chest and her legs crossing Eric's.
"Honey, do you want to go shopping later after you get checked out?" she asked coyly.
"Yhea, they had some nice swords at that antique weaponry shop. I saw some nice Spanish pieces."
"Do you like swords? You seem to have an eye for them." Asked Rouge sweetly, cuddling up to Eric.
"Yhea, I like swords a lot. My father was a sword dealer when he wasn't drunk. I learned a lot about them."
"Wow. I wish I could say my parents had jobs as cool as that. My daddy, I never knew him. And my mother, she was a lawyer."
"How did you- how come you didn't…?"
"Pick a better profession? Long story…I'll tell you later after a few beers."
"All right Rouge."
One of the nurses walked in and told Eric a doctor would come to see him in about 45 minuets, but it would be necessary to stay for one night. Richard offered to take Rouge to her hotel room so she could change into something more comfortable than scrubs over a bikini. She accepted and told Eric she'd be back in a little while.
The car ride over was pleasant; Richard stopped at a little drive through sushi place and got some lunch for the two of them. There was a long silence while they ate, but suddenly Richard spoke up. "I heard you and Eric talking about swords. Are you interested in them too?"
"I don't know very much about them actually. Eric is the one who knows the most between the two of us, I guess."
"I have a fondness for swords as well. I have an extensive collection at home and I'd offer to show you and your boyfriend, however I only have a few of them with me during my travels."
Rouge paused. She was supposed to get the sword, not devote herself to Eric. She had to play the game and stop the end of the world. Not fall in love. That was just for fairy tales. "He isn't my boyfriend." She said slowly. "We've been really close since childhood. We're almost like- brother and sister."
Richard looked intrigued. "Well would you like to see some of my swords after you get changed?"
"I would like to very much, I've always been intrigued by swords, but I've never had time to get into the hobby. "
"Does your work take up a lot of your time? What do you do?"
"I- I work in a café as a waitress." It wasn't a lie. It wasn't entirely the truth either.
They got to the hotel and Rouge went to her room. Richard stayed down in the car. Rouge went to her suitcase and got out some black Capri-length jogging pants. She pulled a sheer white top over her swimsuit and tied a red shirt around her waist incase she got cold. She went back down to the car and found Richard had kept the engine running. "In a hurry?" she asked.
"I must admit I am excited to show a pretty lady my collection." Said Richard energetically.
"You are too kind." Said Rouge. She felt sick, she was betraying Eric. Betraying Key. But then again she was never meant to become so close to either that this could be thought of as betrayal.
