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Author Topic: No News is Good News  (Read 710 times)

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Offline Draconian

No News is Good News
« on: December 15, 2017, 12:47:27 am »
[Lion!]

It was bittersweet.

Annaluna sighed, leaning up against the elevator door, head down. Cap pulled down to cover her face, sunglasses so large they covered half her cheeks. She'd been crying all morning since she read the message from her mother.  Arek had been accepted into candidacy. That was the greatest gift right? Annaluna licked her lips and shifted her shoulders, snuggling down into the puff coat and hefting the case of alcohol in her hand.

It was still too fresh a wound to go visit her parents - they should be excited. Her mother had seemed excited. A Pilot! Little Arek would be a Pilot. That was amazing right? Get to be a world leader maybe. Her little... Another sigh and the ding of the elevator let her know she'd reached the right floor. The one person she knew she could cry on. Let some heartache out. She let herself into his apartment, putting her case down before she toed off one of her boots and shut the door loudly.

The scarf went on the floor, the hat went on the floor, the coat went on the floor.  Annaluna sank down to the floor, too. It took a moment for her to wrestle a drink from the container but she opened it and guzzled half of it before belching and frowned down at her remaining boot. How was she gonna get that shit off?

"Honey, I'm hoooome," she singsonged from the door, seating in her pile of outside clothing. "Come grab a drink, take off my boot and carry me to your couch so I can cry on you please." Was Virgil even home? Annaluna didn't know, really, so she resorted to getting on her hands and knees and dragging the case down the hall with her while she crawled some of the way there - at least until her knight in shining armor woke her from the weird dream nightmare.  Too much effort.

Annaluna tossed her braid of red hair over her shoulder and sat up again, frowning at her boot and finishing off the first bottle. Perfect. One down, eleven to go. Maybe seven to go so she was still half-awake enough to go get more later. Maybe get delivery. Anything to forget. What the fuck was she supposed to do? Encouraging letters?

A watery sigh and she ducked her head down, tears filling her lovely pink eyes. Off went the sunglasses onto the floor too, replaced by her hand to cover them instead. A watery sigh and she sat there in Virgils hallway, one boot on, a case of something at her side and an empty bottle in one hand. That was her son. Why would they... "Virgil?" He was home right?

Offline Lion

Re: No News is Good News
« Reply #1 on: December 15, 2017, 02:33:16 am »
The shuttle back home was trying to say the least. It was the most relieving quiet he'd experienced in some time, never mind the cacophonous din of a midnight performance. Never mind the after parties that followed. Never mind the drink and the strangers that wanted autographs and photographers looking for their next tabloid shot. The quiet that followed that family dinner was the most relief Virgil had in days.

He didn't know he could still be uncomfortable. He had to admit, his dad had him going for a bit, that for once they might actually be civil. He was too old for this shit, he knew, to still butt heads with the old man, but mother wanted to see him. And fuck all if he didn't want to as well. Virgil had been quiet through most of it, going through the motions.

It was easier to do that, rather than disagree. Mother wanted peace, wanted them to 'get along'. And dad...could he fall him that?  Didn't seem to get the memo that time.

To be honest it was a memory that he'd largely blocked out by the time he made it back to the shuttle. The walk back to his apartment was long, and that penthouse suite was a respite that involved a bottle of whiskey and sleep and a whole lot of staring at his ceiling. Maybe Lulu would be there, and his chest clenched at the thought.

She'd be there, and she didn't need any of that baggage he'd been carrying. Virgil didn't even feel the shuttle come to a wheezing halt. The walk back was quiet, and he donned his sunglasses and strode along to his front door, collar popped and hands firmly tucked into his coat pockets. The evening air was chilly, and once he got home he was turning on that heater.

He prodded open the door and saw clothes strewn everywhere. Ahh, so she was already here.  Virgil tensed a little, glancing up at the living room, at the boot. At the shuffling he heard in the back. Shrugging out of his coat and scarf, he hooked it on the door and walked back toward the hallway, seeing Lulu there and it was clear she was a fucking mess.

"You're a fucking mess," he commented, and knelt down in front of her, reaching out without so much as a lick of hesitation that he reached around and hooked her arm over his shoulder.  Virgil lifted her up, arm braced around the back at her waist.

"Lulu," he murmured, eyebrows scowling only slightly. "Lu, what's the matter? C'mon let's get you cleaned up."

Offline Draconian

Re: No News is Good News
« Reply #2 on: December 15, 2017, 11:50:15 pm »
"I'm not a fucking mess," Annaluna corrected, voice watery but she accepted the arm up and melted into Virgils side, pressing her face to his shoulder and sighing - of course she couldn't forget her alcohol so she grabbed the case of that in her free hand while they walked to the couch. Flopping onto it unceremoniously, one boot still on. Annaluna sighed loudly, cracked open a second drink and guzzled half of that down almost as quickly as it had been opened.

"My Arek," She said after swallowing, voice odd sounding, "He got drafted." She silently toasted to Virgil before she finished her drink in a few more gulps and put the empty bottle back into the case. Annaluna didn't get a third bottle. Instead she played with the tie at the end of her braid. She was torn. She was supposed to be happy. This was good news, right?

A deep breath in and she flopped down, resting her head on Virgils thigh beside her on the couch and curled her arms around his waist so she could turn and bury her head against his abdomen. "I'm supposed to be happy, right? Arek can be a Pilot?" Her voice was muffled by his clothing and she sucked in a breath, "But his dad never made it and..." A half broken sob, "What if he doesn't? Virgil, what if Arek doesn't make it."

It hadn't dawned on her that she'd never told Virgil the true parentage of Arek. That the boy who she told everyone wasn't her brother but her son. Annaluna breathed deeply before she let go and sat up, "So, I'm going to get fucking drunk off my ass and then ... Go with my parents to drop him off." She wiped at her tears angrily, scrubbing at her cheeks with the sleeve of her sweater, "Big smiles and..." Annaluna breathed in shakily, "Well wishes." Her momentary hug done, she bent down and gathered her third drink before screwing the top off of it.

"Join me?" She wiggled her drink, "Please?"

Offline Lion

Re: No News is Good News
« Reply #3 on: December 17, 2017, 10:50:05 pm »
Very few people were allowed to strong arm Virgil into doing anything, let along moving from the hallway of his own home to his couch in the living room. Except Lulu, she didn't even have to strong arm him. She didn't have to say a word. Just a look was all it took and he was hers, walking with her, quiet as they moved into the living room and he plopped right down beside her.

What was she going on about?  The...bottle in her hand was troubling, even more than usual. Frankly he'd never seen her like this, and he could only think that maybe too much of the stuff she was guzzling was exactly the reason she wasn't making any sense.

She tucked her head into his thigh and curled arms around his waist, he frowned, silent and scowling at what she'd been drinking. And was quickly making short work of. A distraction, yeah that's exactly what she needed.

"Stop, wait," Virgil interrupted her third drink the second she reached for it, his hands covering hers. The black scales along the tops of it, the edges of his fingertips glittering like starlight. Fitting here in Adstreia. And anybody that saw them would instantly know who he was, but with Lulu he didn't have to worry about that. Instead it was just her and him.  "Lulu, just, just give me a goddamn welcome home hug? Please?"

She'd been prattling on and on about her own problems and he lunged forward and wrapped arms around her before she could protest and overthink it. Gods it felt so good to feel another person pressed against him, and his arms. "How much have you had to drink exactly? Nevermind...stupid question."

Offline Draconian

Re: No News is Good News
« Reply #4 on: December 18, 2017, 12:19:10 am »
What?

Annaluna frowned deeply at Virgil for a moment, looking at his hand before she turned to stare at his face a little confused.  Welcome home hug? The way he curled his arms around her surprised her but she melted into it all the same. The moment she was in his embrace she melted against him, sighing long and tucking her head in beside his, eyes closed tight. There was no motion to pull away, instead she nuzzled down against his ear and just took deep steadying breaths.

Her pounding heart slowed to a more normal pace and the red headed woman let out a shaky breath. "Two in about ten minutes," She said, leaning back to look at his face before she practically crawled into his lap and curled her arms around his neck again, a leg on either side of his. "Hi," She finally sighed, voice muffled by his shoulder, "Welcome home." A little shaky breath and she just stayed, snuggled tight against her friend. Her rock.

"Virgil," she finally said, pulling back, tears now in her bright flower pink eyes, "Arek's a candidate." her hands moved to her face and she rubbed at her eyes, "What am I gonna do?"

Offline Lion

Re: No News is Good News
« Reply #5 on: December 19, 2017, 10:50:16 pm »
She was rambling, going on and on and talking a mile a minute before he could even really know what she was saying. Her brother right? Her Arek had gotten chosen to become a Candidate. Yeah that was a good thing. It was supposed to be the best thing. What Aedolian couldn't ask for a better fate than being a Pilot? It was what they all yearned to become for anyone that had any smidge of psychic ability. Not everyone was so lucky. And he remembered then that one man's fortune was another's misery.

The sensation of Lulu nuzzling against his ear sent shivers down his spine. Virgil's arms tightened around her he drew her closer, nevermind that she was moving on her own right into his lap. It didn't matter what position she was in, her place was next to him, and his was squeezing her against him like a second skin. "Hey there yourself," he commented, trying to laugh when the somber moment settled.

Smiles never did come easy for him. "He's a Candidate. There isn't anything you can do,"  he admitted. The words tasted like lead on his tongue. "But it ain't so bad. There are worse things than being a Candidate. Why are you so scared? That something terrible will happen to him? He'll be surrounded by Pilots, looked after."

Offline Draconian

Re: No News is Good News
« Reply #6 on: May 01, 2018, 11:05:54 pm »
Annaluna's head was pretty buzzed and she noodled off and away from Virgil's lap, flopping off to the side so her legs were rested on his lap and her body was flopped out onto the couch. The world was spinning and all she could think of was Arek and how if the kids biological father didn't make ie through candidacy, how... Would he? Annaluna pressed her palms to her eyes and took a deep shaky breath.

"I know. But I never saw his dad again after he left to be a candidate and..." Annaluna sighed and curled onto her side, shifting so her friend was smooshed against her belly so she could press her face into the back of the couch, "What if I never see him again? He's such a good kid."

 

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