Post by Tennessee Whiskey on Aug 16, 2016 7:50:28 GMT -8
"Good morning, madar." Akiko glanced up from her work, startled out of the trance of the repetitive movement by the sound of a voice she rarely heard at this time. It was getting closer to dawn than she usually saw her friend, and if the lethargic sprawl of redhead on the couch in the corner was anything to go by, Akiko was going to need a hand and keys to the company van in a minute anyway. A voice on the other end of the line, inaudible over the crackle of the fire, said something that made Whiskey's mouth twitch in what Akiko was learning was a smile.
"Yes madar, it's past my bedtime. I wanted to call before you heard elsewhere." A pause, and a brief chuff like laughter. "No ma'am, she's fine. Not a scratch on her, as usual. I got shot in the head, though." A pause, and a real laugh, startling Akiko enough that she lay down her tools and began to bank the fire, no longer even keeping up a pretense of ignoring the conversation. If Whiskey hadn't wanted her to hear it, or if she'd minded, there were other places Whiskey could have had the conversation.
"Yeah, right? Again. No, madar, I didn't. Amani got to him first. I was just there to stick a hat out, see if it got shot, only I forgot my hat." Whiskey's eyes fluttered closed for a second, and Akiko could see the moment that her daily repose of death began to sink over her, but she fought her eyes open again.
"Sorry, I missed that? Oh. Yeah, you heard about that already? Yeah, we got him. No, he wasn't the guy, that was an Alastor. Long story, I'll tell you when I'm there." A beat, Whiskey's brow furrowing. "You still don't think it's safe? Madar, it's been a year. Yeah, I know. I know. Yes ma'am. I have been learning to hold my tongue, yes ma'am. It's been an enlightening experience." Whiskey fell silent, then, and with the fires beside her cooling, Akiko could begin to hear the voice on the other end, soft and clear and higher than she'd expected. There was a long moment of silence, and Whiskey's eyes skated over Akiko for the first time, acknowledging her presence and sending the same uneasy-warm ripple through Akiko that her friend's direct attention did. It drew attention away from her defeated slump for a second or two.
"I want to come home, maman," Whiskey said finally, her eyes somewhere on the floor, and for the first time Akiko felt as though she was probably intruding. Her friend was silent for a long time, the voice on the other end of the line quiet and lilting.
"I thought I might, for a few months, but I'm less sure. Yes. No, I don't think it's changed anything. I didn't have anything to do with it, and h- Yeah, well, that's what I'm here for, ain't it? 'Ours is not to question why?'" Her heartbeat thudded in her ears, and at the snarl and flash of teeth, for the first time Akiko felt like prey in Whiskey's presence, shuddering at the sense memory of the sound of scales across tatami in her childhood home.
Her forehead against the heel of her hand, Whiskey waited in silence for a long time. If she focused, Akiko thought she might hear individual words from the sharp little voice on the other end of the line. Akiko didn't focus. Her blunt nails dug into her palms and she waited, tense as a wire, until at last Whiskey nodded.
"See you soon."
"Yes madar, it's past my bedtime. I wanted to call before you heard elsewhere." A pause, and a brief chuff like laughter. "No ma'am, she's fine. Not a scratch on her, as usual. I got shot in the head, though." A pause, and a real laugh, startling Akiko enough that she lay down her tools and began to bank the fire, no longer even keeping up a pretense of ignoring the conversation. If Whiskey hadn't wanted her to hear it, or if she'd minded, there were other places Whiskey could have had the conversation.
"Yeah, right? Again. No, madar, I didn't. Amani got to him first. I was just there to stick a hat out, see if it got shot, only I forgot my hat." Whiskey's eyes fluttered closed for a second, and Akiko could see the moment that her daily repose of death began to sink over her, but she fought her eyes open again.
"Sorry, I missed that? Oh. Yeah, you heard about that already? Yeah, we got him. No, he wasn't the guy, that was an Alastor. Long story, I'll tell you when I'm there." A beat, Whiskey's brow furrowing. "You still don't think it's safe? Madar, it's been a year. Yeah, I know. I know. Yes ma'am. I have been learning to hold my tongue, yes ma'am. It's been an enlightening experience." Whiskey fell silent, then, and with the fires beside her cooling, Akiko could begin to hear the voice on the other end, soft and clear and higher than she'd expected. There was a long moment of silence, and Whiskey's eyes skated over Akiko for the first time, acknowledging her presence and sending the same uneasy-warm ripple through Akiko that her friend's direct attention did. It drew attention away from her defeated slump for a second or two.
"I want to come home, maman," Whiskey said finally, her eyes somewhere on the floor, and for the first time Akiko felt as though she was probably intruding. Her friend was silent for a long time, the voice on the other end of the line quiet and lilting.
"I thought I might, for a few months, but I'm less sure. Yes. No, I don't think it's changed anything. I didn't have anything to do with it, and h- Yeah, well, that's what I'm here for, ain't it? 'Ours is not to question why?'" Her heartbeat thudded in her ears, and at the snarl and flash of teeth, for the first time Akiko felt like prey in Whiskey's presence, shuddering at the sense memory of the sound of scales across tatami in her childhood home.
Her forehead against the heel of her hand, Whiskey waited in silence for a long time. If she focused, Akiko thought she might hear individual words from the sharp little voice on the other end of the line. Akiko didn't focus. Her blunt nails dug into her palms and she waited, tense as a wire, until at last Whiskey nodded.
"See you soon."