Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne.
Chi-Town NightsChapter 5:
Throw It Down
It was like only a few years ago when she couldn't sleep because her stomach was growling like a Doberman. The difference was that then she would've done quite a lot to quell her hunger, unlike now when she refused the food in the fridge. It was definitely different then lying awake in a doorway or a shelter. She had a bed of her own. She didn't have to share it with a stranger who curled up with her, only desperate for the warmth of another soul just as flea-bitten and poor as them. It wasn't like those nights. The pain wasn't the same.
Men bite worse than fleas. She thought, burying her face in the pillow. Sighing she turned her head to lay her cheek against the sheeted surface instead. She reached to her bed stand and picked up her cell phone. The phone lit with a neon light as she pushed a button, raising her head slightly to look at the time. 2:18. Her head fell back onto the pillow as she rolled her eyes. Damn time. It sucked too. Wait, she'd thought: men bite- not suck. Oh well. Why did it even matter?
She closed her eyes whispering to herself, "Please don't call! Please don't call! I want to be angry at you." A sigh escaped her again as she put the phone back on her dresser. For several minutes she lay there, listening to the silence with her eyes open. After she had counted seven minutes, the cell rang. She held her breath, allowing it to ring twice before she slowly moved her hand towards the phone.
"Don't be him. Don't be him." She murmured watching the cell phone light up once more. She stared at the name on the I.D. Folken. It rang twice more before she pushed 'Talk', waited a moment and pushed it again, hanging up. Pursing her lips she set it down on the pillow near her head. Two minutes passed as she lay there staring at the little green Nextel. That familiar ring broke the quiet. It was him. She recognized his ring. It rang two times. Three. Four. Five.
"What?" She answered softly, laying as still as before, the phone to her ear. Not a word was spoken for a few seconds. She waited licking her lips.
Finally he replied, "I hired a cleaning service, a maid." She sniffed, running a hand over her cheek in a tired gesture.
"Yeah? Why are you telling me?" She said in bored tone, as she stifled a yawn. The customary quiet ensued. Sluggishly she sat up, propping up against one elbow.
"Come over. I want you here tonight." He said gently.
She narrowed her eyes and sat up fully crying, "It's two thirty in the goddamn morning, Folken!" He sighed. Were all of their arguments so predictable?
"Then I want you here this morning." He responded patiently.
"No, you know what? No. I have class in the morning- this morning, I don't have time for this!" She said tersely. Taking the phone from her ear she looked down at it as she hung up. She let out a frustrated snarl, slamming the phone onto the bed stand. She threw herself down against the bed completely missing the pillow. Sitting back up she picked up the pillow only to hurl it off the bed. Gasping she felt her cheeks, annoyed with the fact that they were burning.
"Damn it!" She hissed swinging her legs off the bed. She stood up snatching a bag from her closet muttering darkly, "I should've told him to fuck off. Damn it. I always think of something good to say after I hang up."
He could hear the scuffle in the hallway thirty-eight minutes later, a telltale sign that she had indeed come. Opening the door her voice rose clearly to his ears.
"Bite my ass, old man! I didn't steal shit from your ass!" She yelled over her shoulder at the dark haired man threatening her with a butcher knife. Folken had been nearly right. About two days.
"Come 'ere ya little whore! Come say that to my face!" He sneered, indicating himself with a beckoning of his hands. Folken sighed watching from the doorway. He leaned back against the frame, folding his arms over his bare chest. Mr. Carlsen never had the nerve to say things like that unless he had taken personal offense. The man hated when she called him old. After all, he was only twenty-six.
Whirling around her hair crashing against her cheek she screamed, "Fuck you! Call me a whore again, we'll see how brave you are then ya old prick!" Even in that white satin gown with no shoes to threaten any height she looked dangerous. J.R. looked a little startled, but he held his ground at the end of the hall.
"That's it you bitch, I'm callin' the cops! We'll see, then!" He nodded fiercely, his broad chest rising and falling in a swift rhythm. Backing away slowly he threw a gang sign at her. Spotting Folken he raised his hand in greeting, with a smile, "Oh hey, Mr. F. what's up?" He was suddenly looking a bit more nervous. Folken only smirked giving a quick nod.
"Yeah, Deuce, my ass." She lifted a skeptical eyebrow, flipping him the bird. Turning away she snorted with disgust heading toward "Mr. F.'s" apartment.
Chuckling uneasily J.R. continued to back down the hall, "Hey, don't worry man, I wasn't gonna call the five-o, ya know, I just said it cause-"
"You're a pussy and know I'll beat your ass." Lani called over her shoulder smugly.
"Shut up, bitch, you just wait, we'll settle up one day. On the street, you can bet your ass!" Mr. Carlsen spat waving the knife as he turned. He turned half way around to sneak a couple glances at her every once and awhile, but said nothing more, storming down the corridor like he had just won the battle.
Lani shook her head, muttering to herself irritably, "Whatever. You're punk ass will get whooped." Stopping three steps from Folken she pursed her lips, her eyes losing the wild flare. She was holding a pair of red boots to her chest with one arm; in the opposite hand she clutched the handles of a bag woven of straw. The Hula girl on the sides of the handbag had always reminded him of her. He gave her a small smile his arms dropping to his sides.
She grimaced looking away stubbornly, "Don't look so full of yourself, I'm only here because your bed's more comfortable than mine." As she moved past him inside, the satin of her dress brushed his skin, and his hand shot out to take her arm. He pulled her back against him, his hands on her shoulders.
Circling her upper chest, just below her neck with one arm he told her, "I'm glad you're here." Her hair felt like silk against his stomach and chest, as she leaned back against him. She closed her eyes, reveling in his warmth.
"Why am I here? I'm mad at you." She wondered in a soft voice, little more than a whisper. He said nothing, planting a kiss on top of her head. When he wrapped his other arm around her she dropped the boots and bag. He winced slightly as one of her boots hit his bare foot. She laughed her eyes opening. He smiled at the soothing sound of her wicked mirth. Without releasing her he walked her into the entryway as she reached behind him, pulling at the doorknob. The door to 77D fell shut, cutting off the echo of her laughter from the hall.
Merle smiled to herself, handing the phone to the boy at her side, "She must be with Folken, she's not answering my beep."
He gave her a funny look, slipping the phone into his pocket, "Maybe she's sleeping. It is kinda early in the morning." She shook her head, staring out to the sky where the stars were starting to fade.
"Nope. Lanikai never sleeps at this time. She's with Folken. Trust me, I know." She replied with a dreamy sigh. The boy shrugged, bringing his foot up on the branch, hugging his leg to his chest with one arm.
"Man, I don't get your friends. It's way too early." He shook his head remorsefully. She rolled her eyes, giving him a look. "What?" He frowned.
She smiled and continued to stargaze from her perch on the tree branch.
It was quiet in this little suburban neighborhood at three o'clock in the morning. The air was still, chilly, but calm. An ocean of grass below the tree sparkled with frost, giving the spikes a blue green tint. Such a perfect morning to watch as your breath froze before your eyes, escaping into the atmosphere as a white vapor. The stars were dim against the deep marine canvas, twinkling desperately before the sun rose higher to out shine their light. Little more than a sliver, the moon was slowly disappearing in the west. Content Merle suspired again dropping her head on Orion's shoulder. He kissed her temple, putting his arm around her.
"Will you be at school tomorrow?" She questioned earnestly, her eyes on his face. His Mediterranean eyes fixed on her and he smiled wistfully. He considered her for a long time before he spoke.
"Don't know. Depends on how bad my mother is when I get home." He couldn't meet her eyes, as his darkened unintentionally. She watched his jaw set firmly as he gazed across the yard, no doubt picturing a horrible scene she could only imagine. Slowly she nodded in understanding. It hurt her to see that look in his young eyes. He was just too young to have to put up with his broken family. It didn't seem fair to her. She could feel the pity rising in her, but she quickly pushed it away, knowing it wasn't what he needed or wanted. Seeing the frown on her face he smiled. She could feel its warmth even before she raised her face to look at him.
"I'll try to make it, okay? Just so I can hear your speech." Orion promised, tenderly touching her hair.
"Okay," She replied gratefully, "Tomorrow." That said she leaned in, pressing her lips to his. He met her lips, kissing her back lovingly as he stroked her hair. Pulling back, they locked eyes, smiling with pleasure. He caressed the pink locks once more before settling his hands on the tree limb and jumping down. He landed with a youthful grace that reminded her of Van. Turning to face her he held his hands up to receive her as she slid from the branch. He caught her easily under the arms, bringing her to the ground in front of him.
She grinned up at him; taking the big jacket from her shoulders, "Don't forget this."
He shook his head, holding up his hands in refusal, "Keep it. I'll see you tomorrow, Kitten." That said he bent down to kiss her rosy cheek. She watched him stride away in his baggy jeans, his hands diving into his pockets.
Hugging the jacket to her chest she closed her eyes whispering her prayer to the stars, "Watch over him. Please." His Obsession cologne rose around her as she squeezed tighter. She smiled bringing it away to unfold it and look at the familiar article. It looked like a preppy letterman jacket, accept that it was black with silver chains across the front. On the back in jagged red letters it read: "PuNk". It was Orion's favorite jacket. Such a sweet boy. She giggled to herself as she put it on. She walked toward the house slowly, not minding that her hands were hidden in the sleeves, or that she looked tinier than she really was. Sliding the patio door open she crept in quietly.
*November 30, 2002
Merle
Lord Van called yesterday. His voice is so much deeper now. Almost like Folken's, but not so serious. He has one of those voices that girls melt over, he sings pretty well too. I've heard him sing to Hitomi before. I'm glad they're together, she makes him happy, I couldn't ask for anymore.
I have Orion's coat! It seems warmer than any coat I've ever had. Probably because he's worn it, and it smells like him. It means so much to me. I'm not sure why… If I were younger I wouldn't have cared about something so small as a coat. I'd probably laugh at the thought. It'd seem silly to get so worked up over a jacket. It's funny to think that at one time I thought boys were just pests. I never thought that about Van though. No, Van could do no wrong in my eyes. I guess I still think of him like that. But we've both grown up a lot. He's eighteen, a college man, and a boyfriend to a really lucky girl. And I'm fifteen, almost sixteen, a sophomore in high school, and a girlfriend to a really foxy guy. Things have certainly changed. It's 3:25a.m. And all I can think about is Orion. He's so wonderful. He doesn't deserve the kind life he has. If only his mother would leave that man. I realize that it's his father, but no one deserves to be treated so cruelly. Poor Orion. He sees it every day. He's the only good thing she has left. He's the one that picks her up off the floor and dries her tears. It's like he's the adult and she's the child. It's him that cleans up all the cuts and bruises. And sometimes he gets in the way. He stands up for her, takes the punches and kicks. Then it's her that actually gets the ice from the freezer. I guess she's cleaned up her share of cuts and bruises too. I don't understand why she doesn't walk away from it. I don't get why she lets it happen. Orion says she's scared. He says that she just keeps holding on. He told me once that things used to good. Once they were a real family. No one hit anyone else, and the only words spoken were those of love. His father used to take his mother dancing every Saturday. He used to go with her to see her family. He even used to be a good father to Orion. Orion told me that he used to do regular things with his dad. But he can't really remember them. He said that the only things he has now to remind him of those times are pictures. His favorite is one of his mom when she was younger. She was so beautiful. I'm sure she still is behind all the bruises.
She's Mexican and African American. She has light tan skin, green eyes, and black hair. Orion got his eyes from her. He doesn't look much like his dad, and his mom says she's thankful for that. His father is really handsome, but I guess appearances are really misleading. His father is Caucasian with light brown eyes and blond hair. Orion's handsome too, but in a different way. His hair is brown. And his eyes are gorgeous! They're this amazing color of blue-green. I love his eyes. He's had a hard life. So have I, when I think about it. I guess that's what brings people like him and I together. Even Lanikai and Folken fit together because of the rough lives they've led. Oh, man, I better quit before I started reciting "Hard Knock Life". I don't know why I'm writing all of this. I guess I just want to remember. But it's late, and I'm tired. Later.*
She shut the book and hid it back in her hiding spot. Before she turned the lamp off she whispered another prayer. She crossed herself as she'd seen Lani do whenever the woman passed a Catholic church, or a cemetery for that matter (Lani had always been semi-religious). Picturing Orion's smile she closed her eyes and plopped onto her bed, still wearing his jacket.
Author's Note: Awwww, Meruru has a boyfriend! It's about time that girl got some love! She's such a nifty character; I don't think she gets enough credit. The first time I saw that scene where she's telling Van about Fanelia burning I cried. It was something about her voice. Seriously, I think she's a cool character, though I have to admit she did step the line sometimes when she made fun of Hitomi. I mean, dude, the girl has really intense visions, give her a break.