wizzrobe
Junior Member
Posts - 99
Likes - 0
Joined - February 2016
|
Post by wizzrobe on Apr 7, 2016 14:05:56 GMT
Perhaps to Jaci's surprise when she puts her arm on his he turns and hugs her, as it slowly works it's way into a full embrace.
"...Thank you..."
He stays that way for a while.
A small smile seems to appear on his face.
"Haha... God I'm so emotional, I'm going to make your clothes all bloody! I'm sorry!"
He wipes the tears off of his face. He let's out a small giggle.
"You're so grounded. Thanks for holding me together, I've been such a burden to you over the past few days. I asked you here to so we could have a good time and get to know one another and all I've done is cry like a baby in front of you."
The tear marks were still there, which only emphasised the rather rueful smile on his face. He was trying hard to change it into something positive.
Jaci might have noticed that in the process of untangling himself from her James's right arm had become intertwined with hers, and James appeared to be holding her hand, though he didn't appear to notice it himself. In fact, he seemed completely oblivious to the notion that he has his arm still locked with hers.
|
|
quima
Full Member
Posts - 107
Likes - 0
Joined - January 2016
|
Post by quima on Apr 7, 2016 14:25:36 GMT
Jaci decided not to draw attention to the arm-locking. If he needed support there was no need to make him feel embarrassed about it.
"I'm glad you did. I hope it helped. I think it may be better to let it out than to keep it locked inside. You do that and in the end the door rusts solid and there's a whole part of you that you know longer know and can't see."
She was in earnest. He'd gotten her thinking, but she wasn't prepared to look too closely at herself. She'd lost herself a long time ago and the idea of trying to find herself and deal frightened her.
|
|
wizzrobe
Junior Member
Posts - 99
Likes - 0
Joined - February 2016
|
Post by wizzrobe on Apr 7, 2016 15:07:17 GMT
James looked at her as if her were entranced. His eyes shone like stars at her, with love and longing and joy.
"...Thank... You.... I..."
Suddenly he blinked, and he was back in reality.
"...I will pay you back for this one day, I promise! If there's anything you ever need support with, you can trust me to always be at your side!"
Back to that normal childish smile.
"Y'know, we've been here for a while now, yet we still don't really know that much about each other!"
He laughed, again with that same childish look.
"So~, I guess you already figured it out, but I'm a Toreador! I do Graffiti Art, and some singing on the side, you should check me out on the stage on weekends! That's when the REAL party begins!"
There was a moment where looked at her with that same starstruck gaze, but it was shorter this time.
"...Hey... If it's okay, may I ask a personal question?"
|
|
quima
Full Member
Posts - 107
Likes - 0
Joined - January 2016
|
Post by quima on Apr 7, 2016 15:11:59 GMT
James seemed to be getting better, this she could handle. Though she wanted to tell him not to worry about repaying her perhaps stepping out of the emotional state they had both been in was a good idea.
"Go ahead."
|
|
wizzrobe
Junior Member
Posts - 99
Likes - 0
Joined - February 2016
|
Post by wizzrobe on Apr 7, 2016 15:20:11 GMT
James stuttered for a moment. How could he word this?
"I... Well... It's just that I don't see many kindred... Married. A lot of kindred I know... Left that behind when they were embraced. I actually don't see the point in leaving it behind just because things change. It's an expression of love either way, and I personally think it means more when you live forever. Soooo... I guess, in my incredibly round-a-bout way, is are you married? Hahaha!"
|
|
quima
Full Member
Posts - 107
Likes - 0
Joined - January 2016
|
Post by quima on Apr 7, 2016 15:54:39 GMT
Jaci was startled by the question and didn't really try to hide it. It took her a short while to compose her thoughts. James had tried to tiptoe around it but it was a blunt question, there was no escaping that.
"Well, I think I did mention on our first meeting that this was my wedding dress. I've been married, yes. But he was killed, long ago, in war."
It surprised her how much it saddened her to say it. It didn't usually make her sad, it made her angry. What was happening to her?
|
|
wizzrobe
Junior Member
Posts - 99
Likes - 0
Joined - February 2016
|
Post by wizzrobe on Apr 7, 2016 16:37:42 GMT
James figured that answer was coming, but he was surprised at how he felt. He was sad, but part of him felt a little relieved, why? A good man had died.
"I'm sorry. I can't imagine how that feels."
He looked at her. He could see the sadness in her eyes.
He places his hand in the centre of her chest.
"But that pain... Shows that you still care. He wouldn't want you to be upset. I don't want you to be upset. So smile. You look beautiful when you smile."
James's hand feels warm, but if Jaci has enhanced hearing or touch on, she'd feel something... A pulse? (Or just make an alertness roll)
"Thanks for answering my question. Is there anything you'd like to ask me?
|
|
quima
Full Member
Posts - 107
Likes - 0
Joined - January 2016
|
Post by quima on Apr 7, 2016 19:10:35 GMT
( 10 + 2 + 7 + 9 + 7 + 9 )
Jaci noticed James looked more alive but didn't know what was causing it, so she decided to disregard it for now.
"I suppose I do still care, but it's not just losing him. I lost everything. It's why I have a hard time trusting people. Especially those who took everything away from me. To tell you the truth I didn't know what to think when I first saw you. You look like them but you don't feel like them. If I were to ask anything I suppose it would be why you're nice to me. No one ever is and I don't expect them to."
For the first time in many years (apart from her nightmares) she thought back. Back to that horrible day when she lost her family. Was she betraying Ahiga by being nice to James? Would Ohanzee be upset? She didn't know and she hated herself for it. The world used to be so simple, now she didn't understand it. She didn't know what was happening and she didn't understand herself.
|
|
wizzrobe
Junior Member
Posts - 99
Likes - 0
Joined - February 2016
|
Post by wizzrobe on Apr 7, 2016 19:44:35 GMT
James looked a little puzzled by Jaci's question, but then closed his eyes and smiled, finding an answer that satisfied him.
He took the hand that was holding hers (Wait, when did that happen?), and placed it on his heart.
She could feel it now. A regular, healthy heartbeat. But that was impossible. Jaci knew kindred didn't have heartbeats. They were dead. Right?
"I don't have a reason to be nice to you Jaci. I don't need one."
"But if I had to give one to you, it'd be this. "
"I almost broke the Law and the Masquerade in your Gallery, and you consoled me."
"You had no reason to trust me or meet with me, but you did so anyway."
"I broke down in front of you when I was supposed to host you, and you comforted me."
"You are a beautiful person, Jaci, and, maybe you're right. You shouldn't trust me really. We've only known each two days. I almost ended up vandalizing your property, and I'm an emotional mess. Logically, I'm not a person you should trust, and I shouldn't trust others because I'm not trustworthy myself. But I'm not a logical person, and I'm glad I'm not, because otherwise I'd never have met people like you."
And he smiled, with that same look of longing and love.
|
|
quima
Full Member
Posts - 107
Likes - 0
Joined - January 2016
|
Post by quima on Apr 7, 2016 21:01:12 GMT
Jaci pulled her hand back to her chest as if she had stung herself.
"Sharp Elbow."
Then she looked at James and even though she seemed to be struggling with something, it didn't last long. She shrugged as she whispered:
"Aren't we all?"
She was silent for only a short time, after which she seemed herself again.
"You did nothing wrong at the gallery."
She assured him.
"I'm Toreador myself, although my tastes lie elsewhere, so I understand you all too well. But what is the purpose of art if we cannot enjoy it? As for a breach of the Masquerade, I have seen human beings, so entranced by art they have no idea who or where they are, so why should that be a breach? If it had to happen you were at least in the right place for it. I myself had a similar experience recently and was only lucky no one noticed, though the only ones in attendance were kindred it would have been hard to explain given the circumstances."
She paused as she remembered the beheading. When she spoke again, her voice was firm.
"No, you did nothing wrong. Quite the opposite in fact. In stead of simply looking at the exhibit with mild interest you showed true appreciation for it. As I said, I'm usually quite hard, partly because my world was destroyed and no one seems to care. But in those first few moments you showed me that you did, I can find no fault in that."
|
|
wizzrobe
Junior Member
Posts - 99
Likes - 0
Joined - February 2016
|
Post by wizzrobe on Apr 7, 2016 21:33:26 GMT
James was a little bit caught off-guard by how quickly she pulled back her hand, did he go too far?
Then she spoke. Her words fell on him like the midday sun.
Self-Control: 1D10 => 8
1D10 => 5
1D10 => 8
Huh? What was I talking about?
"Thank you, you're too kind to me!"
He gave a very grateful smile towards her.
"It just spoke to me. I don't know why. It just felt very friendly, kind, wise? Like it had a story to tell. I guess in that room I was a student, learning of a long-forgotten lesson. A story. But perhaps I'm just looking into it too deeply. I just loved it. Whoever made it, cared deeply about what they were creating. There was love in it, and love can shatter any pre-conceived cultural boundary, no matter how ignorant the person. Prejudice is glass to it."
Then James put on a more serious face. His next statement perhaps not based on such happy thoughts.
"I always hated that such a culture was wiped out. I look at art like that, and I love, and I weep for what could've been. And then I see it again, and again. History is littered with atrocity. Did you ever get history lessons on the First Crusade? Killing, Anti-Semitism. Genocide. Even cannibalism. And that was the SUCCESSFUL crusade. Every time we try and repair our mistakes we just get back right up and repeat them. History is so horrifically cyclical, and it's not much different for kindred."
"But we can and have, slowly, begun repairing our mistakes. It just takes so much longer than it should. Causes so much more damage than necessary. But I know we can do it. I know there are people out there who want to do good and can. I want to make the world a better place. A place where we can live and people don;t have to be afraid of dropping dead every day and night because of hate and violence. I believe we can break this cycle. And I could start with learning more about you."
"What's your people's culture like?"
|
|
quima
Full Member
Posts - 107
Likes - 0
Joined - January 2016
|
Post by quima on Apr 7, 2016 22:02:44 GMT
"I think the reason may be because history is always written by those that win, and they don't really like to admit they did anything wrong."
She paused.
"I don't really have a people any more. What remains of my birth people are shadows of their former selves, and so mixed with others they can no longer be recognised. The people I married to were wiped out. I'm all that's left. That doesn't really leave room for much culture."
She sighed and smiled.
"All I can really do is keep them alive through the gallery."
|
|
wizzrobe
Junior Member
Posts - 99
Likes - 0
Joined - February 2016
|
Post by wizzrobe on Apr 7, 2016 22:04:49 GMT
James seemed to be deep in thought. There has to be a way he can help, surely.
"...Language. Do you know the language?"
"...Teach me."
|
|
quima
Full Member
Posts - 107
Likes - 0
Joined - January 2016
|
Post by quima on Apr 7, 2016 22:15:18 GMT
She smiled.
"I speak three, but two of them are close to extinct. The third is more useful, we used that to communicate with other tribes, it still lives on. I can teach you if you want, but you don't have to."
|
|
wizzrobe
Junior Member
Posts - 99
Likes - 0
Joined - February 2016
|
Post by wizzrobe on Apr 7, 2016 22:19:17 GMT
James looked happy. He could still do something. He could still help.
"I want to learn ALL of them!"
He said that so happily he almost looked as if he were on the verge of tears.
In fact, he leapt up in such excitement he's cupped both of Jaci's hands in his own, and she's confronted with a very ecstatic James who's leaned in close.
"Please, I want to learn everything I can, about you and your people. Extinct or not it doesn't matter!"
|
|