paixaorpg | Wake from the Darkness [Active]

Entry tags:

Wake from the Darkness [Active]

Character(s): Laharl, comatose!Flonne, Yuuko... anyone else TBD
Content: Attempting to wake Flonne from the state she was left in by the Org's experiments.
Setting: Hotel room in the Actua Are near Niflheim/Center area.
Time: Evening?
Warnings: None

He'd tried everything he could think of to stir Flonne from the strange, almost comatose, condition she'd been left in. He'd described her on the journal as almost an empty shell, and that did seem to match. Nothing could get a reaction of her. Nothing at all.

Laharl had been left with no option but to seek help. He was out of ideas.

He had no idea what kind of price this lady (Yuuko hadn't Timon called her?) would want, but he'd have to try to be ready to pay for it. Flonne was depending on him.

Tossing his journal aside, having finished an annoying conversation with Timon, he settled back on the bed, sitting beside the fallen angel who lay beneath the covers.

"There, let's hope someone will be able to snap you out of this," he said, speaking to her even if she couldn't hear him.

"You sure are making me go through a lot of trouble, Love Freak," he then added with a huff, peering down at her. As always, her expression was blank. Something hurt deep down inside him to see her like this. It didn't make sense anymore than seeing Etna bleeding. It wasn't right.

Sighing, Laharl rose again and began pacing, arms crossed over his chest as he tried to think of something else. It wasn't too hard. The brief talk with his old man was on his mind as well. Stupid Old Man. As Mid-Boss he would have just showed up, whether Laharl had wanted him to or not, but things were weird now. He'd asked. Had he really expected Laharl to simply say yes? It had seemed more like Vyers was looking for a reason to avoid him more, and so Laharl had given him an out, and no surprise, he'd taken it.

He didn't hate his Old Man so much now, but he was quickly remembering some of the thing that drove him nuts about him. Maybe he had been out there searching for Flonne, but somehow it seemed like the Old Man was avoiding him.

Gah, what did it matter anyways? It had always been this way. Why should he even care now? He didn't need his father, so if he wanted to avoid Laharl, he could do so to his hearts content.

Then why are you even thinking about all this still?

With a groan, he once more plopped down on the bed, returning to his journal. Where was that lady already? Oh, hm... There was another person now. Someone with healing powers? Well, he'd see what Yuuko had to say first, but at least there was possibly someone else now who could do something.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yuuko left a note for her house mates and picked up a few things she thought she might need before setting out. Her bag was rather light and she was dressed for an outing, wearing a flowing skirt and a billowy shirt that made her look rather like a gypsy.

When she had first heard of Flonne's predicament she had thought of Sakura. The girl had been in a similar state because her memories and essentially her soul were gone. If that had been the case for Flonne things would have been a lot more tricky. However, if Laharl was correct about it being an imbalance in her soul it would be a lot easier to fix.

She climbed up the stairs to get to the room that Laharl was staying in and knocked. She wasn't at all intimidated by the fact that he had said he was a demon (or that Flonne was a fallen angel). Business was business and Yuuko had met types like them before. She sighed, she really hoped she could help and that the payment wouldn't be too steep for the children. She always hated that limitation on her power.

Hearing a knock at the door jolted Laharl from his thoughts, which had inevitably returned to the vassal who lay beside him. Opening doors for people wasn't really his thing, so he simply called out instead. "Come in, it's open."

Meanwhile, he did at least hop down from the bed, but he lingered back. Another good reason for not answering the door was he had gotten the impression this lady was, well, a lady. Now wasn't the time (not that any time was of course) to have to deal with that particular weakness.

Yuuko entered as soon as she was given invitation to. Her eyes immediately fell on the small boy and then to the girl he was sitting beside. She didn't pay much attention to Laharl, instead crossing over to the girl's side and looking down at her for a moment. Yuuko frowned thoughtfully and looked to Laharl, it was straight to business this time, "I want to be sure what I'm looking for so I can 'cure' her properly. You say that the Organization likely infused her with darkness and since she is a fallen angel that still makes her a being of light, mostly."

Laharl glanced down at Flonne. That's what he suspected had happened to her. He probably could have felt the darkness if he'd tried, but he hadn't. He really didn't want to remember what that stuff felt like. "Yeah... I think so," he replied quietly.

He could remember feeling like he was drowning in it. If that's how it had been for him, a demon, what would have it done to her? She was... light, despite being fallen. It had to have hurt her.

She studied him for a moment before setting her bag down beside the bed and pulling out two things. The first was a small set of strange scales. They were intricately crafted and silver and instead of plates to set something on to weight one side had a moon hanging from it and the other side a sun. The second thing she pulled out was a clear bottle with runes etched around it in intricate patterns. She set the bottle aside for now.

Yuuko leaned over Flonne and placed a hand on the girl's forehead for a few moments before moving it to her chest...where the heart was located. The scales she held in her other hand didn't move at first but then the moon side started to tip, weighing much heavier than the sun suddenly. It might have been a trick of the light but the moon also seemed to dim a little on the scale. Yuuko frowned as she pulled her hand away and set the scale down, the balance restoring itself. "Well, you're right about the darkness. It's saturated in her heart."

As she spoke she reached for the bottle and held it carefully in her hand, "I have a method that should restore the balance within her. However, you will have to give me something in return." She paused for a moment, letting that sink in, "If you are willing to use this method then afterwards I want you to give me the darkness that is extracted from her. Something like that can never be completely destroyed: conservation of matter you see." She tossed the bottle up and down a few times, "So, would you like to hear the method?"

He watched her carefully, not exactly sure of what exactly she was doing at first. It wasn't till she those words that the scale's behavior made sense. It had been measuring the light and dark in her heart, huh?

She'd mentioned a price, and he had been worried about it, especially since he'd said how he really had nothing, but Yuuko had indicated there were other things she might ask for. Something he might have not been willing to part with so easily. However, it turned out that would not be an issue. Asking for the very darkness that had been put into Flonne, was quite a surprise and he definitely sensed he was getting a pretty good deal.

He didn't have any reasons to complain about that at all. They didn't need the darkness, so she was more than welcome to it.

"So, you want the darkness? That's the payment? Cause... yeah that's fine," he said, still sounding a little surprised. He stared at the bottle she tossing in her hand, now worried of exactly what this method was going to entail instead.

"It'd be stupid to not hear it at this point," Laharl replied, folding his arms as he eye'd her.

Yuuko smiled slightly, she was glad he was willing to listen to it. Although, she had a feeling he might think twice later. "Well, are you aware of the life saving technique known as mouth-to-mouth," she paused letting that sink in before continuing, "You need to kiss her. As someone who is close to her and shares a bond with her...and considering your own nature...it should work to draw out the darkness inside her."

She shrugged, looking as nonchalant as ever, "It's really as simple as that...oh...but make sure you hold this bottle while you do it so that the darkness will transfer into it."

It didn't take long for that first bit to sink in. The Overlord already had a slightly disgusted look on his face. He didn't want to go mouth to mouth with anyone, but that wasn't the issue here. If nothing else, Flonne WAS still breathing.

However mouth to mouth suddenly sounded good pretty quickly. "W-What?! K... Kiss her?! You have to be joking!" he spat, looking utterly aghast at the idea. Him kiss Flonne?! She had to be joking! She just had to. How the hell would kissing her ever wake her up?! "There's no damn bond o-or anything! She's my vassal."

The face was priceless and totally worth it. Yuuko tried not to grin but it was far to difficult and she let it slip out. "But if she's your vassal that IS a type of bond. All you have to do is peck her on the lips while holding this bottle and she should be fine. Honestly, I'm not asking for much...you don't even have to use your tongue," Yuuko felt it was a pretty good deal. She couldn't understand why Laharl was so against this.

Tongue?

Laharl stared at her for a long moment, before he finally looked away. His gaze drifted down at Flonne.

Nothing else had worked, had it? Would something as stupid as this really work? Ugh... well if there was a chance, maybe... "Fine," he found himself saying. "F-Fine, I'll do it. ...But like hell I'm doing it in front of you."

The Overlord gave a firm point to the door at this point.

Yuuko followed his finger towards the door and back towards him, "Awww, that's no fun." But even as she whined she rose from her seat and handed Laharl the special jar. "Just make sure to hold this, it will contain the darkness," she moved to the door, giving Laharl a friendly wave, "I'll be waiting outside for it...best of luck, dear."

She exited the room and shut the door behind her...before turning and pressing her ear to it.

Well, that mostly got rid of her. At least she couldn't watch.

That is if he really did do it.

Heaving a sigh he looked at the jar for a long moment, before he finally approached the bed. He really couldn't believe he was even slightly seriously considering this, but... dammit. What if this could work?

With a frustrated grumble, he climbed onto the bed beside her. Meeting her blank gaze with his own. Dammit... He hated seeing her like this.

A kiss. Right. Okay. All that involved was touching his lips to hers. It was pretty simple, right? He was an Overlord! He could handle this. He didn't have to like it or anything. Just do it and wake her up, and that would be that. No one ever had to even know about it. Yeah.

Yeah.

"Dammit, Flonne," he muttered out loud, speaking to her as he leaned over her. "You better appreciate this."

Staring down at her, he leaned down a little then stopped as he stared at her lips. ...And stared. After the long moment of not doing anything, he swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat.

Second thoughts had begun to form, but he shoved them aside. Dammit, she REALLY REALLY better appreciate this.

Laharl opted to close his eyes at this point which helped a bit. He leaned down closer and finally, after a long moment of hesitation he gripped the jar tightly in his hand and took the plunge, pressing his lips to hers.

Edited 2009-05-26 07:23 (UTC)

Flonne was cold. She had been cold for a very long time, and during that time, she'd felt nothing. Everything that could have felt, everything that she was, was locked away in the dark and the cold.

That was about to change.

Heat.

She couldn't feel the physical sensation, of course, but when the warmth in her began, something in her stirred, waking up after a long and forced sleep. It was free, and didn't want to sleep anymore - it wanted to live. As the heat deep within her grew and spread and burned, more and more of her woke up. Color returned to her ashen skin as the darkness seeped out of her and into the bottle - but she didn't know that yet. All she knew was, she was waking up.

The warmth continued to grow and spread, until all of her was awake, almost running hot in the effort to get away from the darkness, most of which was gone. Finally, the heat brought life back to her dead eyes, and she finally saw her reason for waking up.

Blue hair. Crimson eyes - though they were closed now. Lips on hers. Laharl.

As the last of the darkness fled and that realization sunk in, Flonne wanted to yell. She wanted to jump up, and shout, and throw her arms around him and never let go-

But instead, she lifted her arms (still so sore, even with the darkness gone), ran her hands over his temples and through his hair, and closed her eyes, and kissed him - hard and almost scared, because the fear that this wasn't over - that the darkness would return - was still there, but at the same time warm and soft and passionate as she tried to spread her heat to him and let him know without words that she would be all right.

And then she realized it was true. Laharl was here. He'd saved her. He loved her...and she him.

She would be all right.

He wasn't sure it was doing anything, as he held his lips to hers. He'd finally broken the kiss, and begun to open his eyes. Disappointment had started to fill him.

Suddenly hands touched his face, causing him to freeze, eyes snapping wide as he stared down at her, shocked to see life-filled eyes looking back up at him. Laharl opened and closed his mouth a couple times, but couldn't words didn't seem to want to form.

Her touch sent pleasant tingles down his spine, and the demon found himself closing his eyes as her fingers ran through his hair.

"...Flonne..."

That's all he was able to utter before she kissed him. Laharl was drowning in mixed emotions, some he'd never felt before. His pulse had quickened and he was feeling suddenly rather lightheaded. More than anything he didn't understand why the kiss wasn't really bothering him, or why he found himself holding her a little closer, OR why he was almost kissing her back, for that matter!

What was this?

Maybe it was because he did sense how frightened she was. She seemed to need this. And yet he also sensed she was alright now. Yuuko's stupid sounding idea had worked. He couldn't understand how exactly, but... he was glad and relieved.

Hm. ...And maybe kisses weren't so bad after all.

Finally he broke the kiss, remaining close enough he could feel her warm breath on his face. "Flonne...!" he uttered again, anything more intelligent still not coming out.

Yuuko smiled to herself when she heard the commotion begin inside the room. She moved away from the door and instead leaned against the wall adjacent to it for Laharl. She was glad she could help those children, there was little else she could do here after all.

She closed her eyes and thought about what she could do now that she had the darkness. She would have to be careful with it, that was for certain, but it might shed some light on what sort of experiments the Organization was doing. She had no doubt that Harry would be interested in seeing it.

Of course, she had to wait for Laharl to finish his little reunion with his girlfr---vassal.

Yuuko was patient, she could wait for their reunion to be over with.

Part of her had been expecting him to pull away much sooner - it was Laharl, after all.

But he didn't.

When the kiss finally broke - quite a while after she'd thought it would - she breathed, and the weight of everything she'd been trying not to think about, everything she'd been through, came crashing down on her. He was still close, and as she threw her arms around him, pressing her face to his chest and clinging tight, it was obvious that "close" was just what she needed right now.

"Laharl," she finally whispered, beginning to tremble as everything that had happened to her over the past few weeks, body and mind, began to hit home. She clung tighter. "Laharl..."

Hearing her speak was the biggest relief of all to him, but it didn't stop his face from turning beat red as what they'd done began to really sink in. She'd kissed him! ...He'd kissed her, for that matter! But... that had been different! But... argh...

Oh clinging.

"O-oi..." he began as her grasp around him tightened and she pressed so so damn close. As usual, his body stiffened at her embrace. The pry her off instinct kicked in hard, but... aw geez, she was trembling like a leaf. What the HELL did they do to her? What did SHE do to her? He was sure Larxene had to have had a hand in this. There's no way the Nobody could have resisted playing with his vassal. She knew how much Flonne really meant to him.

"Tch... W-well they obviously didn't screw you up that bad," Laharl finally said, as he ended up holding/supporting her head some what clumsily with his hand. "You're still a stupid Love Freak. Geez... you wake up after all this time and have the nerve to kiss me!"

Nevermind the fact he did it first. He wasn't pointing that out. ...Or the fact he'd practically kissed her back. That wasn't the point. All he knew was she was getting way too... something. Laharl was confused enough as it was.

"You're safe now," he mumbled, voice softening and cracking a bit once more. "You're here with me, so that should be obvious!"

Edited 2009-06-01 18:41 (UTC)

She held tightly onto him, trying hard to quell her shaking. Remaining silent as he spoke, she finally began to relax - just a bit - as she felt his hand on her head. She wanted to talk to him - wanted to warn him, to tell him not to put himself in danger for her - it was what he would do, and she couldn't stand it if anything happened to him - but...

But it could wait. Now wasn't the time. Now, she just wanted to be near him, to know that for the time being, they were together and they were alright.

She couldn't help but smile at his words. She had the nerve? "You started it," she replied softly, the smile still in place.

It fled as Laharl's voice cracked. Was he still hurting like she had been? "I know," she managed, leaning against him - not clinging this time, but simply being next to him. "I know. I-It is."

He relaxed a little himself when she stepped holding onto him so tightly, but uncomfortable quickly returned as she smiled at him. Dammit. She'd noticed? Dammit.

"I... w-well... it... I had... to. For this," he explained, stuttering as his face turning progressively more and more red. He produced the bottle filled now with darkness to show her, and also served as a reminder that Yuuko was waiting outside for it. "See? ...SO.... y-yeah." His gaze, however, was completely averted.

He let her just rest against him for a few moments before finally he pulled away. "Anyways, I'll be right back, okay? I'm just going to the door to give someone this," Laharl said, reassuring her. The door was only across the room, so he would hardly be very far away at all.

Hopping from the bed he spent a moment to straighten his scarf, and hopefully waste enough time that the blush on his cheeks would have faded. He then went to the room's door, pulling it open and just slipping into the hallway far enough to see Yuuko.

Promptly he held the jar, her payment, out. "Here." Despite being in the jar, it still sent a cold chill up and down his arm. Laharl hated being reminded of the sensation. She really couldn't have picked a better price for her assistance... such as it was.

Yuuko straightened when she heard the door open, spying Laharl peeking out. She actually smiled at him and it was sincere, not the teasing grin she had been giving him earlier. She crossed over to him and took the jar, "Thank you."

She held the jar carefully in her hand and close to her body, "I take it Flonne is doing better?"

She couldn't help but smile as he started to explain. The more things changed, it seemed, the more they stayed the same.

The glance towards the vial was almost involuntary, and she winced away - that had been inside her and she didn't want it near her again.

"A-alright," she agreed, pulling herself together - she wouldn't have to deal with it anymore - and sitting up on the bed, watching Laharl head for the door and listening for whoever was on the other side.

Whoever it was promptly asked about her. Um. "I am!" she called after a moment's hesitation. "Thank you, Stranger-san!"

Laharl wouldn't have dealt well with teasing at this point, so it was a bit of a relief when Yuuko decided to not give him a hard time.

The demon opened his mouth to reply, but Flonne beat him to it. Glancing through the doorway for a moment then back to Yuuko, he spoke up. "Yeah, she's fine."

Or at least she would be, now. He wasn't exactly sure of the full extent of the 'damage' they'd caused, but he knew what it was like. There were nights he still woke up from disturbing dreams. Still, it was the Love Freak. Maybe all the love and flowers in her head would help her.

Yuuko leaned over towards the crack in the door, grinning, "You're welcome." She turned her gaze back to Laharl, "If you need anything else let me know." She wasn't sure if he would, he didn't seem the type to seek help like hers unless he was very desperate.

Then again, that was when most people came to her.

She turned, "I'll be leaving now. Keep an eye on her." Her job was done and she had her payment, it didn't seem like she needed to stay for anything else.

Flonne hadn't been entirely certain why the stranger was there, but it wasn't too tough to figure, from her words and from Laharl's, that she'd had a hand in curing the angel. Once Flonne found out who she was, she'd have to thank her - but for now, the stranger had left.

"Laharl?" she finally questioned, figuring now that she was fine, she should make sure he was too. "Are...are you doing alright?"

"I'll keep that in mind," was his reply to Yuuko regarding if he ever needed help again. He definitely hoped he wouldn't have a reason to need any help from her again, however.

"Don't gotta tell me," was his other, rather quiet, response to her before pushing the door closed when the woman was gone. Laharl hung by the door for a moment before Flonne's voice caught his attention.

He didn't reply her right away, instead making his way back over to the bed, climbing back up onto it and flopping down on his back with heaving sigh. It was a sigh of relief more than anything. His gaze finally moved to her realizing he hadn't answered her question still. "Yeah, Flonne. I'm fine," he told her, quietly.

Laharl was fine now anyways. He'd missed her. A lot.

It took him a bit to answer, but when he did...well, that was good enough for Flonne - at least for now. She scooted over on the bed, then lay down next to him. "Okay." If she moved any closer, they'd be touching again. "Good."

Her getting closer to him hadn't been unexpected, in fact he was almost surprised she hadn't touched him, not that he was complaining or anything at all. He was silent for a long moment, before he spoke again, gaze still locked on her. "Oi, what about you? You're the one who was filled with that crap and stuff," Laharl asked her, geniune concern hidden beneath his words.

"...She didn't hurt you, did she?" he added suddenly, sitting up slightly, his gaze more intense as the thought had hit him. Larxene had done a good number on him with those weird knives of hers. He hadn't noticed any obvious wounds on her when he'd brought her here, and he really hadn't thought of it since.

Somehow, Flonne hadn't expected the question to be turned on her. Laharl had helped her already - didn't it follow that she would be okay? "M- yes, I'm fine," she replied after a moment.

The second question left her silent for much longer. Did Larxene hurt her? Not in the way Laharl was asking, but...but she still couldn't shake what she'd said, what really worried her. "No," she finally whispered. "Not...like that."

Not like that? He almost asked her what she meant, but he realized pretty quick he didn't have to. Laharl had a pretty good idea in what way she might have tried to hurt Flonne.

He turned more towards her, locking his gaze onto hers. "Oi. Whatever she told you -- Whatever she said, you can forget it," he said firmly, almost sounding like he was ordering her.

Even Laharl realized he'd sounded a bit harsh, but he was trying to make a point!

Her gaze fell as she heard those words. It was easy for Laharl to say, but even being with him made her worry - if Larxene was right, then...then...

"Just," she managed, "just d-don't-" Don't die. "Don't get hurt, okay? Not for me."

Laharl fixed an odd stare on her. "What? Why the hell are you asking that?"

Don't get hurt for her? Where had THAT come from? It was stupidness to his ears. Not that he didn't appreciate her concern at some level, but still. What had that Nobody put in her head?

"What am I meant to do?" he asked her, "Let you get hurt instead?"

He could take damage way better than she ever could. She should know that.

"Idiot," he chided, his voice softening a bit, however. Laharl settled back down on the pillow at this point, curling up a bit looking like he might consider sleeping shortly. "If you get hurt, who's going to heal you? But if, somehow, I get hurt I know I can count on you to heal me, right?"

Flonne might be stupid, but that healing magic of hers did work pretty well, he had to admit. He attacks, she heals, it had always worked in the past. Why was she thinking otherwise now?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Wake from the Darkness [Active]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject