Andros watched his mate from the roof of the porch as he returned home. From his perch, he could smell blood on his breath.
"I see you went out for dinner," he shouted down.
Rekka stopped walking. "That wasn't my intention; I just got hungry on the way."
"Is that so? I hope you were careful, Rekka."
He clenched his fists. "Not as much as I would have liked to be."
Andros made a disapproving noise. "Stray tourist?"
"Sage Date."
"What?" The other got up and jumped down beside the scowling youth. "How did--?"
"He's not normal, Andros. He somehow saw through my illusion."
He spent a moment in silent thought. "You are absolutely positive?"
"I smelled his fear. He must have seen me for at least a second."
"Dammit. I KNEW there was something off about that one and his crowd!"
Rekka blinked at his friend's sudden vehemence. "What?"
"You cannot...oh, forget it." Andros waved a hand, sliding his arm around Rekka, who surprisingly, did not push him away. Taking note of this ('he NEVER lets anyone get close when he's frustrated!'), he said out loud, "Let's go back in; Mia called and said they'd be a bit late. The others, however, have already arrived."
"And you left Dais in the same room--alone--with them." Rekka commented after a moment, shaking his head and smiling. "Someone's gonna catch hell before this night's through."
Andros tightened his hold, pulling Rekka even closer. "Just leave everything to me. And TRY not to make a scene with the blonde, k?"
"No se doy nadas promesas," was the dark response.
^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^
Around this time, Sage himself had just walked in the door. Or fell in, whatever.
"Sage!" a decently irked Mia stormed in as soon as she heard the door open. "Where the..." she trailed off upon seeing his condition. "What happened? You look as if you took on the entire Dynasty by yourself!"
He staggered over to the couch and flopped down unceremoniously. "I wish. Mia, what do you have on vampires?"
She stared at him sideways. "A few things, I suppose," was the slow response. "Care to tell me what's up?"
Ryo, Cye, and Kento decided to pile into the room from the kitchen. They stopped dead in their tracks as soon as they saw Sage.
Still sulking a little from earlier, Ryo asked, "Your fan club get the best of you?"
Sage raised his head. "If my personality wasn't so placid, I'd tell you to piss off."
"Well, then, it's a good thing that it is," Cye muttered, earning an elbow from a still concerned Mia.
"Um, Sage...who have you been fighting?"
"No one, Kento."
"Then why are there HOLES in your shirt?"
"Kento--"
"I mean," Hardrock continued over his protest, "it looks as if you've been strapped underneath someone's racecar and they drove around Japan a few times--"
"KENTO!"
"Fine, sheesh!"
"Seriously, though, ARE you all right?" Cye asked. "If not, we can just stay home--"
"No," Sage answered a little too quickly. "I mean, I don't want you guys to miss out because of me. Where's Rowen?"
Mia sighed. "Asleep."
Cye walked over to the sofa. "Either way, Sage, you need a once-over. Let's go get you cleaned up while Ryo wakes up Rowen."
As Cye led Sage upstairs, Ryo scowled. "Why do I have to go wake up Sleeping Beauty?"
"Because it's your turn and I don't feel like it," Mia ran a hand through her hair. "And Kento and I have to finish getting ready."
"But it's NOT my turn; it's Sage's!"
Kento gave Mia a break, "Sage is a little roughed up at the moment."
"It will take him half as much time--"
"Ryo," Mia said a little too patiently, "NO ONE wakes up Rowen without an effort, so stop bitching and go get started."
Kento laughed at his leader's scandalized expression, "Yeah, she has a point; that's why we call him Sleeping Beauty, behind his back, anyway."
"And here I was thinking it was because Sage always kissed him to get him to wake up," Ryo said under his breath, making as much noise as possible going up the stairs. That way, in the fat chance that his stomping DID wake Rowen up, Ryo wouldn't have to.
^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^
Rekka headed immediately towards the staircase as soon as he got in. He did manage to say "hi" to the other three guys and the chick sitting with them in the living room.
"Where's Dais?"
"Don't know, don't care, don't care to know," Kale answered offhand.
'I guess that's him I sense sleeping, then.' "I would love to stay and chat, but I have to do something really fast."
"We'll get to know each other over dinner, then," Kayura called after him as he ran upstairs.
"Wonder what he's in a rush for?" the moody Warlord of Darkness muttered, "and what does he want THAT loser for?"
Anubis shrugged. "Beats me. I wonder who else Andros is waiting for?"
Sekhmet shifted on the floor. "Well, it'd be nice if they would hurry it up; I'm starving."
"It's a buffet, Sekhmet, you'll be ok," Andros walked in; leaning on the of the couch, he added, "and the others will be here shortly."
^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^
Dais, being the semi-light sleeper he was, woke up upon hearing his door open. He sensed no ill will coming from whoever it was--well, none towards HIM, anyway.
"You can't bloody knock, demon?" he groaned. "Which one are you, anyway?"
Rekka practically pounced on him. "Guess."
Dais wasn't too happy about this. "You must be the hyperactive one. Andros knows what I do when someone jumps on me when I'm trying to sleep." To prove his point, he threw the covers off of him with sudden, unexpected ferocity. Since Rekka happened to be on them at the moment, he ended up sailing across the room and hitting the wall.
THUMP!!
"...Ouch." was all the vampire could come up with. "Since when did you get THAT strong?"
"Andros didn't tell you anything about me?"
"Well...no. Just that you two have known each other for a very long time and that you have a bit of a 'side job' involving 'military service'," Rekka put quotes around "side job" and "military service". He got up. "Care to elaborate?"
"Not particularly," Dais sighed, running a hand through his wavy hair. "Why are you in here, anyway? I told Andros I was going to bed early."
Rekka regarded him curiously. "That would explain why your current outfit consists of boxers, eye patch, and a scowl."
"I'm scowling because I want to go back to bed."
"Um...no. I need you for something."
Dais suddenly felt very uncomfortable. "For..."
Rekka started, "Oh, no; not for THAT. I've already eaten."
Visibly relaxed, the other asked, "Then what is it?"
With a smug grin, he pulled out a bag full of unfilled water balloons and threw them on Dais' bed. "I didn't get to use them earlier, and something tells me you're a pretty good shot."
"Vendetta?"
"Not quite. You in?"
Grabbing a handful, he asked how much time they had.
"Not very, I'm afraid," Rekka responded, taking some into the bathroom. "I think we have ten or so minutes before they pull up."
Dais began filling up his own balloons with the shower head (he took off the head and used the hose). Then he turned off the water. "Does Andros know what you're up to?"
He was answered with a low and slightly sinister chuckle. "Just keep 'em coming, Dais."
^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^
Some time later--but not too much--Dais and Rekka ran downstairs in Army camouflage and face paint, complete with binoculars, walkie-talkies, and two matching duffle bags full of loaded water balloons. Ignoring the questioning glanced of everyone in the living room (and Andros' death glare aimed at Rekka, who simply smiled and saluted), the headed straight outside and into the designated areas.
::from inside the house::
"What in the nine hells does he think he's doing?" Andros asked in a dark, yet undeniably curious tone.
"I don't know," Anubis got up and headed in the same direction, "but any time Dais goes ANYWHERE that fast with a duffle bag--"
"Or a briefcase," Kale added knowingly.
"--a Kodak Moment is soon to follow."
The rest of the group looked at each other. In a matter of seconds, there was a decent-sized crowd of people on the porch. Though none knew what to expect, all eyes were turned towards the red Jeep pulling up the long driveway.
::from the trees over the driveway::
*This is Sneaky Bastard calling Deranged Pirate, do you copy?*
Dais flipped the switch on his walkie-talkie. *Derranged Pirate to Sneaky Bastard, I copy that*
*Have you sighted the target; over*
*Yes indeed; over* Dais had sighted them, all right. He'd know that old Jeep anywhere.
*And may I also add that all of them have their windows open, along with the sunroof; over*
"Kick ass."
*What's that?*
*Derranged Pirate to Sneaky Bastard: when do we commence firing; over*
*Sneaky Bastard to Deranged Pirate: as soon as you can get a clear shot, fire at will. Good luck, soldier*
Dais only wished that working for Talpa was this much fun.
*********~~~~~~~~************~~~~~~~~~***********~~~~~~~~~************~~~~~~~~
i know i'm bad for leaving everyone hanging like this, but i can't help myself! R&R, please; if not to comment, then at least let me know that someone's reading this, lol. oh, and in case anyone wants to know, i don't own Kodak.
"I see you went out for dinner," he shouted down.
Rekka stopped walking. "That wasn't my intention; I just got hungry on the way."
"Is that so? I hope you were careful, Rekka."
He clenched his fists. "Not as much as I would have liked to be."
Andros made a disapproving noise. "Stray tourist?"
"Sage Date."
"What?" The other got up and jumped down beside the scowling youth. "How did--?"
"He's not normal, Andros. He somehow saw through my illusion."
He spent a moment in silent thought. "You are absolutely positive?"
"I smelled his fear. He must have seen me for at least a second."
"Dammit. I KNEW there was something off about that one and his crowd!"
Rekka blinked at his friend's sudden vehemence. "What?"
"You cannot...oh, forget it." Andros waved a hand, sliding his arm around Rekka, who surprisingly, did not push him away. Taking note of this ('he NEVER lets anyone get close when he's frustrated!'), he said out loud, "Let's go back in; Mia called and said they'd be a bit late. The others, however, have already arrived."
"And you left Dais in the same room--alone--with them." Rekka commented after a moment, shaking his head and smiling. "Someone's gonna catch hell before this night's through."
Andros tightened his hold, pulling Rekka even closer. "Just leave everything to me. And TRY not to make a scene with the blonde, k?"
"No se doy nadas promesas," was the dark response.
^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^
Around this time, Sage himself had just walked in the door. Or fell in, whatever.
"Sage!" a decently irked Mia stormed in as soon as she heard the door open. "Where the..." she trailed off upon seeing his condition. "What happened? You look as if you took on the entire Dynasty by yourself!"
He staggered over to the couch and flopped down unceremoniously. "I wish. Mia, what do you have on vampires?"
She stared at him sideways. "A few things, I suppose," was the slow response. "Care to tell me what's up?"
Ryo, Cye, and Kento decided to pile into the room from the kitchen. They stopped dead in their tracks as soon as they saw Sage.
Still sulking a little from earlier, Ryo asked, "Your fan club get the best of you?"
Sage raised his head. "If my personality wasn't so placid, I'd tell you to piss off."
"Well, then, it's a good thing that it is," Cye muttered, earning an elbow from a still concerned Mia.
"Um, Sage...who have you been fighting?"
"No one, Kento."
"Then why are there HOLES in your shirt?"
"Kento--"
"I mean," Hardrock continued over his protest, "it looks as if you've been strapped underneath someone's racecar and they drove around Japan a few times--"
"KENTO!"
"Fine, sheesh!"
"Seriously, though, ARE you all right?" Cye asked. "If not, we can just stay home--"
"No," Sage answered a little too quickly. "I mean, I don't want you guys to miss out because of me. Where's Rowen?"
Mia sighed. "Asleep."
Cye walked over to the sofa. "Either way, Sage, you need a once-over. Let's go get you cleaned up while Ryo wakes up Rowen."
As Cye led Sage upstairs, Ryo scowled. "Why do I have to go wake up Sleeping Beauty?"
"Because it's your turn and I don't feel like it," Mia ran a hand through her hair. "And Kento and I have to finish getting ready."
"But it's NOT my turn; it's Sage's!"
Kento gave Mia a break, "Sage is a little roughed up at the moment."
"It will take him half as much time--"
"Ryo," Mia said a little too patiently, "NO ONE wakes up Rowen without an effort, so stop bitching and go get started."
Kento laughed at his leader's scandalized expression, "Yeah, she has a point; that's why we call him Sleeping Beauty, behind his back, anyway."
"And here I was thinking it was because Sage always kissed him to get him to wake up," Ryo said under his breath, making as much noise as possible going up the stairs. That way, in the fat chance that his stomping DID wake Rowen up, Ryo wouldn't have to.
^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^
Rekka headed immediately towards the staircase as soon as he got in. He did manage to say "hi" to the other three guys and the chick sitting with them in the living room.
"Where's Dais?"
"Don't know, don't care, don't care to know," Kale answered offhand.
'I guess that's him I sense sleeping, then.' "I would love to stay and chat, but I have to do something really fast."
"We'll get to know each other over dinner, then," Kayura called after him as he ran upstairs.
"Wonder what he's in a rush for?" the moody Warlord of Darkness muttered, "and what does he want THAT loser for?"
Anubis shrugged. "Beats me. I wonder who else Andros is waiting for?"
Sekhmet shifted on the floor. "Well, it'd be nice if they would hurry it up; I'm starving."
"It's a buffet, Sekhmet, you'll be ok," Andros walked in; leaning on the of the couch, he added, "and the others will be here shortly."
^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^
Dais, being the semi-light sleeper he was, woke up upon hearing his door open. He sensed no ill will coming from whoever it was--well, none towards HIM, anyway.
"You can't bloody knock, demon?" he groaned. "Which one are you, anyway?"
Rekka practically pounced on him. "Guess."
Dais wasn't too happy about this. "You must be the hyperactive one. Andros knows what I do when someone jumps on me when I'm trying to sleep." To prove his point, he threw the covers off of him with sudden, unexpected ferocity. Since Rekka happened to be on them at the moment, he ended up sailing across the room and hitting the wall.
THUMP!!
"...Ouch." was all the vampire could come up with. "Since when did you get THAT strong?"
"Andros didn't tell you anything about me?"
"Well...no. Just that you two have known each other for a very long time and that you have a bit of a 'side job' involving 'military service'," Rekka put quotes around "side job" and "military service". He got up. "Care to elaborate?"
"Not particularly," Dais sighed, running a hand through his wavy hair. "Why are you in here, anyway? I told Andros I was going to bed early."
Rekka regarded him curiously. "That would explain why your current outfit consists of boxers, eye patch, and a scowl."
"I'm scowling because I want to go back to bed."
"Um...no. I need you for something."
Dais suddenly felt very uncomfortable. "For..."
Rekka started, "Oh, no; not for THAT. I've already eaten."
Visibly relaxed, the other asked, "Then what is it?"
With a smug grin, he pulled out a bag full of unfilled water balloons and threw them on Dais' bed. "I didn't get to use them earlier, and something tells me you're a pretty good shot."
"Vendetta?"
"Not quite. You in?"
Grabbing a handful, he asked how much time they had.
"Not very, I'm afraid," Rekka responded, taking some into the bathroom. "I think we have ten or so minutes before they pull up."
Dais began filling up his own balloons with the shower head (he took off the head and used the hose). Then he turned off the water. "Does Andros know what you're up to?"
He was answered with a low and slightly sinister chuckle. "Just keep 'em coming, Dais."
^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^ ^^^***^^^
Some time later--but not too much--Dais and Rekka ran downstairs in Army camouflage and face paint, complete with binoculars, walkie-talkies, and two matching duffle bags full of loaded water balloons. Ignoring the questioning glanced of everyone in the living room (and Andros' death glare aimed at Rekka, who simply smiled and saluted), the headed straight outside and into the designated areas.
::from inside the house::
"What in the nine hells does he think he's doing?" Andros asked in a dark, yet undeniably curious tone.
"I don't know," Anubis got up and headed in the same direction, "but any time Dais goes ANYWHERE that fast with a duffle bag--"
"Or a briefcase," Kale added knowingly.
"--a Kodak Moment is soon to follow."
The rest of the group looked at each other. In a matter of seconds, there was a decent-sized crowd of people on the porch. Though none knew what to expect, all eyes were turned towards the red Jeep pulling up the long driveway.
::from the trees over the driveway::
*This is Sneaky Bastard calling Deranged Pirate, do you copy?*
Dais flipped the switch on his walkie-talkie. *Derranged Pirate to Sneaky Bastard, I copy that*
*Have you sighted the target; over*
*Yes indeed; over* Dais had sighted them, all right. He'd know that old Jeep anywhere.
*And may I also add that all of them have their windows open, along with the sunroof; over*
"Kick ass."
*What's that?*
*Derranged Pirate to Sneaky Bastard: when do we commence firing; over*
*Sneaky Bastard to Deranged Pirate: as soon as you can get a clear shot, fire at will. Good luck, soldier*
Dais only wished that working for Talpa was this much fun.
*********~~~~~~~~************~~~~~~~~~***********~~~~~~~~~************~~~~~~~~
i know i'm bad for leaving everyone hanging like this, but i can't help myself! R&R, please; if not to comment, then at least let me know that someone's reading this, lol. oh, and in case anyone wants to know, i don't own Kodak.