blind love 1
Adam is sleepy drunk and lying on his bed. The mini bar does not have enough alcohol to make him forget everything that happened the night before. He closes his eyes and hopes that when he wakes up, he'll be back on Earth. And Taka will just be a beautiful yet depressing dream.
At his door, there was a light tapping.
His heart jumps. Is it her? It could be... the same light tapping she uses when she's ready to make up after a fight. That's a good sign, right? He slowly finds the floor with his feet, and drags himself to the door. He pauses when he's there, not quite ready to open the door. "Yeah?" he calls softly to the knocker.
Taka had to swallow before talking. Her heart had leaped into her throat when she knew Adam was back there. She couldn't imagine the last time she was this nervous. "Adam?" she said, just as softly, her fingertips brushing over the front of the door.
Adam leans his head on the door. The sound of her voice has the strange ability to make his heart race while making time slow down. "Yeah?" he says after a moment.
Without knowing it, Taka mimicked Adam, resting her forehead on the wood. Her hand still on the door curled up as she let out a half-laugh. "I get it now," she said.
She didn't wait for him to reply. "When I heard your voice I got butterflies. Who gets that this far in a relationship?" Taka closed her eyes. "And now I'm in danger of losing that? I don't even care if you're the only one I had ever done... anything with. I think... I think you're the only one I'll need. So I don't want to lose you."
Taka bit her lip at that. Alright, that was about the cheesiest thing she's ever said, ever. But... she couldn't just un-say it. It was up to him now.
Adam opens his mouth to speak, but the words don't come out. Nothing comes out. His throat is dry, and not even a whimper will escape his lips.
What the hell? he thinks.
What is wrong with me? Why can't I just... But still there is nothing. At this life-altering moment, with Taka actually admitting fault on
her end of the issue... and he has nothing to say to her.
He feels the wetness form on his face. If Taka could see him, she might take his tears as the emotion that he can't voice.
But she can't see him. And he says nothing.
Taka felt herself growing cold at the continuing silence. Tears formed in her eyes as she cursed herself internally. Of
course she would be rejected. She had basically told Adam that she was considering that he wasn't good enough for her; what had she expected? "O-okay," she stammered, withdrawing from the door as she fought to control her voice, tears falling free that she started frantically wiping away. "Y-yeah, I... Alright, I-I guess I.... Well, uh, see you around, maybe."
Then she turned and ran. She hurt now, physically, but she still hung on to that one bit of stubborn pride that didn't want to let Adam see her cry over him, not when he wasn't willing to take... Taka shook her head and slowed down, already halfway home. She was the village's chief, running through the streets shedding tears, and that didn't look good at all. So although her stomach felt like someone had punched a hole in it, she wiped her tears and straightened her shoulders the rest of the way home.
Adam hears the thumping of her feet as she runs away, and in one last effort to let her know how he feels, he opens the door, hoping to catch her before she's gone. He sees a flash of green hair, and then nothing. He stands in the hallway, tears flowing freely from his eyes now. She's gone.
Taka takes a deep, shuddering breath before opening the door to her house. The Li'Keil and Kalila were sitting in the front room, making casual conversation. The Li'Keil looked up at Taka and immediately looked concerned.
"What were those questions you wanted to ask me?" Taka asked in a slightly raspy voice, cutting the Li'Keil off before she could say anything.
The Li'Keil held up a few sheets of paper and Taka took them gingerly, looking them over. "I was wondering if these numbers were true," the Li'Keil asked. "If they are, you have been doing a superb job with tax relocation, but..."
"This is all correct," Taka said. "Although about to go down a bit, since I am in the process of hiring help for both my house and my office." She handed back the papers. Her eyes were back to the redness they had been at this morning, and her voice was strained.
Kalila coughs uncomfortably. "Well, I don't want to interrupt this important business-like.
.. business..." She stands and bows to the Li'Keil and then nods a goodbye to Taka. "Let me know if you need me," she says as she leaves, a general offer to both of the women in the room.
Taka nodded back at Kalila, still facing the Li'Keil, who bowed back slightly at Kalila while giving her an incredulous look that she was leaving. When Kalila left, the Li'Keil gripped the papers. She knew Taka had gone off to see Adam, and could kind of figure out the result by how Taka was reacting. "Well, are--" she began.
"I'll be in my room," Taka said. "If you need anything else. She walked up the stairs to her room, slow as death, as the Li'Keil blinked behind her, trying to figure out how to comfort someone who was isolating herself this much. She looked down at the papers and sighed, going to her own room to finish up the review while she thought.
Taka landed in the bed gracelessly, curling up on her side as she stared at the wall, too numb to make any sounds as tears fell down her cheeks. Occasionally, a whimper escaped her lips, and she just curled up tighter.
Several hours later, the Li'Keil stared at the page, then slammed it down. She hadn't read a single word. She shook her head, then got up and went to go address what was bothering her.
A few seconds later, there was a tap on Taka's door. "Sweety?" the Li'Keil called out. "Are you okay?"
"Nngh," Taka replied, just burying her face in more pillows. She had fallen asleep a bit and was groggy, and her cheeks were still wet.
"Don't make me kick this door in," the Li'Keil said gently, trying the doorknob and finding it unlocked. She stood in the doorway, then slinked to the bed. "Wanna talk?" she finally said, sinking to sit next to Taka.
"Nngh," Taka repeated.
She sat Taka up, holding her to eye level as she contemplated the girl. She was puffy-eyed, flushed, and had messy hair... And she still looked good. Damn. "Alright, spill," the Li'Keil said. "What happened exactly?"
Taka gave one giant sniff and the whole story came pouring out, along with a lot of extra crying. The Li'Keil did her part of holding her as the girl cried into her shoulder, then when it was done, she leaned Taka back and began wiping the girl's face with an expensive-looking scarf. Taka didn't seem to mind.
"Seems like he's too stubborn to see exactly what he's missing by not having such a beautiful girl," the Li'Keil murmured, brushing a stray hair of Taka's back and looking at her. She looked much better now, less... totally wound-up. "Better?" she asked.
"Yeah," Taka muttered. "Th-thanks." She looked down at her hands while the Li'Keil studied her. The Li'Keil was arguing internally over what she was about to do next, but she leaned in and...
"I should go," the Li'Keil heard herself say. She ground her teeth and cursed as she rose gracefully to her feet, turning to leave.
She then felt strong hands grip her wrist. "Please," Taka said. "Pl-please stay. I... I don't want to be alone." Another tear squeezed its way out. "I haven't been alone in five years and I don't think I could stand it right now."
"You're emotionally vulnerable right now," the Li'Keil said, sitting next to Taka and wiping away the tear. "You've just been... well, you're feeling rejected and you'll cling to somebody right now--"
Taka broke the Li'Keil off by kissing her full on the mouth, gripping the front of the Li'Keil's shirt tightly. Out of shock, the Li'Keil felt her mouth open to the kiss, leaning into it. Taka definitely wasn't a bad kisser, and despite her best intentions the Li'Keil felt herself placing a hand on Taka's thigh as Taka released the shirt and rested her own hands on the Li'Keil's chest, massaging lightly.
The Li'Keil felt herself growing hard at the contact. Dammit, this girl is just desperate right now! the Li'Keil heard a small part of herself curse before it was drowned out and she leaned forward, Taka pinned beneath herself as they continued the kiss, the Li'Keil growing more aroused by the second as Taka whimpered and gasped at all the right moments.
A few seconds later, the Li'Keil feels Taka's hand travel down her flat stomach to the bulge at her crotch, her fingers rubbing lightly against it. Taka was rewarded with a light gasp, but the Li'Keil slapped her hands away.
The Li'Keil wasn't about to allow this to just be physical contact to get Taka's mind off of Adam. If Adam had abandoned this girl, then fine, but the Li'Keil needed to show Taka what she should be doing with sex, the good meaning of it. Ideally, one should take from it if not a lasting emotional connection, than a meaningful one. What had happened with Adam was alright, but Taka needed something more right now. She drew Taka back into a kiss that left the girl breathless before beginning a slow descent lower with her mouth, gently peeling off clothing. She admired with her mouth and her fingers every curve of Taka's torso until the girl was practically shivering beneath her.
With deft and experienced movements, Taka's pants were removed, then the undergarments, without hardly a skip in activity. The Li'Keil began removing her own outfit, moving up to capture Taka in a kiss, the both of them naked. The Li'Keil caught herself thinking the same thing she usually did: that she just didn't belong in that body. The flat chest, narrow waist... It was just odd.
Taka wraps her legs around the Li'Keil, pulling her closer towards her, their kissing become more passionate and frenzied until finally the Li'Keil felt herself plunge into Taka.
The two of them pulsed against each other, building up their rhythm and speed, rolling about the bed in a flurry of deep kisses, touching each other until Taka tensed, clamping the Li'Keil deep inside, her clenching around the Li'Keil's member causing them to both collapse in a sweaty heap.
Taka reached out and grasped the Li'Keil's shoulders when she was able to move, curling up around the Li'Keil for additional physical contact. The Li'Keil relaxed into being spooned, her hand on Taka's thigh, slowly rubbing the soft skin with her thumb as Taka breathed softly into the Li'Keil's now loose, silky black hair.
The two lay like that, gently touching and shifting around, until there was a knock at the front door. Taka sat up. "Shit," she said. "I gotta..." She jumped out of bed, running a brush through her messy hair and pulling on some clothes.
"What is that?" the Li'Keil asked, sitting up in bed.
Taka turned around. Her grin wasn't back to her full confidence, but she still had something to smile about, at least. "Interviews," she said, turning around and heading downstairs, her green hair flicking behind her.
A different tap on Adam's door. He's been in and out of sleep for the past hour or so. He's not sure how much time has passed, but the sun is setting. "Yeah," he calls from his bed.
"Adam, it's me." Kalila's voice this time. At least it's not Taka, but he doesn't want to see anyone now. He says nothing. "Adam? I know you're in there, you said something." The knob of the door jiggles, but it's locked. "Let me in, <stoopid>!"
"Kalila, I need to be alone now."
"<Bullshit.> You've been alone all freaking day. Let me in, I want to talk to you. We need to sort out this business with Taka."
Adam doesn't move. He doesn't say anything.
SMASH. He looks up, and sees the blue-haired elf girl standing in the doorway. Splinters of wood hang off the side of the door where the lock is. She smiles victoriously.
"Did you just kick in my door? I think they'll make you pay for that."
"Shut up."
Kalila goes to the bed where Adam is. "I had sex with Taka last night."
"What?" he is suddenly awake, and sitting in the bed.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you guys were so serious. Taka was saying you were both still not ready to be committed yet, so I thought it would be okay... I didn't understand 'girlfriend' until recently."
"Um..." Adam is trying to process this. "So you guys... I mean... when did you...?"
"We started kissing on the dance floor, and then we moved to a back room. You were with the Li'Keil."
Adam winces at the reminder, but tries to forget it. This is... well, he's not mad. He's kind of... intrigued. "So, um, what exactly did you guys do?"
Kalila awkwardly describes what she and Taka had done. She doesn't give him a very detailed description, but he asks her questions throughout. She is confused by his interest, and a little uncomfortable with it. "Nik said you were... that same sex relationships make you uncomfortable."
Adam blinks. "I just don't like gay shit. But girl on girl... man, I wish I had been there."
Kalila raises an eyebrow. "You don't make any... oh." She has now noticed the bulge in his pants. Flustered, she tries to look away and act like she hadn't. Her cheeks flush with embarrassment. "I'm sorry."
Adam grins.
"Well, this isn't how I expected this conversation to go," Kalila says. She moves to sit on the bed with him, relieved that their friendship hasn't been jeopardized. "Now we can relax and just talk."
Adam moves closer to her. "Yeah. Um, I was meaning to tell you by the way... That dress you were wearing last night, it was... you were..."
Kalila blushes. "Thank you. You clean up pretty nicely yourself." She brushes a piece of hair out of his grey eyes, and her hand lingers on his face, tracing down his cheek. He leans in and kisses her softly on her lips.
Shit, Kalila thinks. He's just rebounding from the whole Taka situation. He doesn't actually want anything in the way of a relationship right now... right? The elf girl had never much cared for the idea of a one-night stand... contrary to what she'd done with Taka the night before. Adam's kiss becomes deeper, and as she sinks into it, the voice in her head berrating this decision melts away.
Her hands find their way to Adam's chest, and he takes off his shirt so she can touch his bare skin. His muscels tense as she runs her feminine fingers along them, and he craves a woman's touch now more than ever. He slides his hands up under her shirt and caresses her breasts - smaller than Taka's, he thinks briefly, but chases the image away as quick as it came.
Kalila kisses his chest, moving her lips down along is strong abdoment, but Adam stops her before she gets to his aching loins. A flash of the fellatio he received the night before is enough to make him want something... different tonight. He grabs her and wiggles the rest of her clothes off of her body, pausing a moment to admire her beauty. His clothes come off too, and she goes to kiss him in a tender embrace, but that isn't what he needs right now.
Adam spins her around, pressing his stiff member against her toned ass, and reaching around to caress her breast, tracing a finger around her nipple. She gasps, unprepared for the suddenness of his actions, but intrigued all the same. She bends over, unable to remain upright while focused on his touches. Adam finds his way inside her, grabbing hold of her hips and thrusting hard and deep into her. She moans, clutching the sheets on the bed, but unable to find something to hold onto. She can feel him perfectly angled inside of her, pressing harder and harder against her sweet spot.
Kalila's moaning becomes louder and louder, and she realizes that the other residents in the inn might be able to hear them. Embarrassed, she tries to quiet down, but Adam keeps gripping her tighter and tighter, and she can't help it. He seems to not mind at all, even letting out a few groans himself.
Kalila feels so wet and tight, he doesn't think he can last much longer. He concentrates hard, his nails digging into her skin slightly as he continues to thrust. Suddenly, he feels her muscels throb, then tighten all around him, and he releases into her. They both moan together, and then collapse on the bed, not quite ready to detangle from each other.
"Interns," Taka said proudly as the Li'Keil walked into the room. The Li'Keil frowned at the strange word, drying off her hair, having just walked out of a shower to see a young elf walk past.
"Qwin explained it to me earlier," Taka explained. "Apparently, it was a... a foreign custom," she said, catching herself before she said 'where Adam came from.' "Basically, students work for offices for lower wages. They get work experience while still in school. I'm hiring other secretaries to help me train them, but I think a lot of my staff will be interns." She smiled. "They all seem like bright young people."
The Li'Keil smiled secretively, nodding slightly as she left Taka to the rest of her work. In the hallway, she bumped into a young man with flame-red hair. "Oop, sorry," he said, carrying a box. "Pardon me, Li'Keil. Just gotta set up in the kitchen." The Li'Keil raised an eyebrow. "I'm to work as a cook," the young man explained. "Don't worry, I'm good at it. And if I clean up a little I get paid overtime." He bustled down the hallway.
Kalila made up a weak excuse to leave. She didn't want to spend a lot of time cuddling, as it would only lead to her feeling guilty for what she'd done. Actually, the guilt had already started to set in, but she was trying to push it away. She looked up at the sky. It was getting late, and the Li'Keil would need some sort of entertainment for the evening. She headed over to Taka's house, hoping to be of some help.
Kalila found the house much busier than she had left it. There was somebody not Taka cooking dinner in the kitchen, and Taka was escorting somebody of the same age downstairs. "Hello, Kalila," she said softly, before nodding to the young lady as the brown-haired elf smiled back and walked out of the house.
"Um, hi," Kalila replies. "I came by to offer helping you with the Li'Keil tonight, but you seem to be, erm... covered." She wonders if she'll be able to get Taka alone at some point... she'll obviously have to tell her about Adam. She curses under her breath for deciding to visit the village now, of all times. How much simpler would life be if she had waited a week?
"Yeah," Taka said, nodding. "The Li'Keil is busy trying to figure out the rest of the forms, and I'm going to start organizing my house a little." She grinned weakly. "We're expanding, I guess." A raven-haired boy came down the stairs with paperwork. "Er, Kalila, this is Silvih," Taka said. "Silvih is helping me fill out some things. Just copy and paste, really, for his first day, but it's a huge help." Silvih grinned and shifted the paper to one arm, waving to Kalila.
Kalila waves back, a little unsure of what to think of all of this. Maybe Taka's way of getting over relationship issues was to start a big, distracting project? "Um, I need to talk to you, in private, at some point," Kalila says as confidentially as she can with so many young elves bustling around her. "You're obviously busy now, but maybe later...?"
Taka looked at Silvih. "Yeah, I had a question," Silveh said, uncomfortable, looking from Taka to Kalila.
"Let me take care of this," Taka said to Kalila. "That girl was the last interview of the day and I think I can leave Silvih on his own for a while. Dinner'll be done in... I dunno, I'd have to ask him, but we can talk before then." Taka was already multi-tasking in her head; she didn't even know just how close Kalila was to guessing why she was doing all of this right now. She didn't even know why herself, but being busy was certainly helping. "I'll be right back." She followed Silvih to her office and was gone for a good ten minutes.
She came back, looking briefly into the kitchens on her way over. "So, what's up," she asked. Taka couldn't even fake enthusiasm. She could guess at what Kalila might want to talk about that had to be done privately.
"It's about Adam..." Kalila starts nervously. "I went to see him today, to tell him about... um, what happened last night, you know... you and me and all..."
Taka sighed. "Yeah, and?" she asked. She and Adam were... well, she was pretty sure they were over, so whatever Kalila told him wouldn't exactly change things.
Kalila pauses, wondering if this is the proverbial calm before the storm. "Well anyways, he didn't seem to care about it, and was in fact, erm, supportive of it, and then one thing led to another and we... he and I, I mean... we..." She blushes, and it's pretty clear what happened.
Taka's eyes flicked to the side, for just a second betraying her emotions. She looked as though she had been slapped. However, Taka quickly came under control, although she couldn't make eye contact with Kalila for another few seconds. "Adam and I are over, Kalila," Taka said, her voice final. Her expression was her 'political' look; it was the same completely neutral look she used when trying to distance herself. Taka found it helped during difficult negotiations, although during those her stomach had never turned into a stone that was rolling over and over. "Whatever he does in his life doesn't really concern me anymore."
Kalila looks at her feet. Whatever Taka is pretending she feels for Adam, she's sure that her own friendship to the elf woman is now entirely changed for this. She recognizes Taka's tactic for denial, but refuses to play into it herself. "Fine, I just wanted to be honest with you because I care about you. And him."
"Yeah, thanks," Taka said. "I mean... really, Kalila. Thanks. It's nothing to worry about." She subconsciously worked at her temple with one hand, trying to figure out a way to make her friend stop talking about it. It honestly didn't matter, although that didn't explain why she felt like throwing up. Maybe Taka was just upset that she was that easy to get over, but then again... "What goes around comes around," she said, not truly aware she said it out loud.
Kalila grits her teeth. She has no idea whether Taka's comment refers to herself or Adam or both, but in any case she's pissed about it. "I think that's something you should be more concerned about than me or him," she says in an almost catty tone. With that, she spins on her heel and walks out of the house in what can only be described as a huff.
Taka raised a hand as though to stop her, but let it drop to her side. She felt a little betrayed, she had to admit, but it was a stupid feeling and right now Taka just felt frustrated. She now realized what she said out loud, and what it must have sounded like. Taka's eyebrows furrowed as she tried to think about what to do, then her hands went up to her head, and her chin tucked into her chest, and as her fists gripped her hair she stomped her feet a few times. Taka, the female chief of an almost-city, was throwing a silent temper tantrum.
She finally stilled and stood looking at the floor. "Qwin DAMN it I do NOT need this!" she eventually blurted out.
"I'm sorry I'll come back later!" the red-haired cook blurted out, unaware that he had taken her completely by surprise.
"N-no!" Taka said, whirling around. "...what did you...?"
"Er, dinner's ready," he said sheepishly. "I made enough for you and the Li'Keil, as well as the ein-turn if he wants some, and... Is Adam coming?"
Taka stops herself from correcting him on the pronunciation of 'intern.' "No," she said, making it sound business-like. "Adam will not be joining me for meals, so keep that in mind for the future. I'll go fetch the Li'Keil. Thank you, Rujak." Rujak nodded and bowed before exiting the room. Taka missed the thoughtful look he gave her just before he left.
Meanwhile, Adam is getting restless. He's feeling a lot better now that he's had sex with Kalila, and that makes him feel a litte guilty. Did he sleep with her just to prove his heterosexuality? And who would he be proving it to, exactly? He had been attracted to Kalila for a long time, so he tried to convince himself that it was just meant to happen. And since beer usually helped to convince him of things he knew weren't true, he decides to leave his room and head over to a bar. He leaves his room with only his wallet and a jacket, and begins walking to his favorite bar - the one at the club from the night before - but then decides against it. Luckily, he knew where another good one was, a little less classy and more, well, manly. He hoped.
The Li'Keil put down the last piece of paper, rubbing her forehead. The paperwork was fine and in order, but after staring at it for most of the day, ignoring the... pleasant break, the Li'Keil felt like her eyes were trying to claw their way out of her skull. She could really use a drink right now, and doubted the dinner Taka was calling her down for included one.
It didn't disappoint in that sense. It was delicious, at least; the new cook wasn't bad at his job. The intern and cook were obviously nervous eating dinner with Taka and a Li'Keil, but their chief insisted. The Li'Keil felt another headache coming on as she contemplated why Taka might be uncomfortable with eating alone with her. The Li'Keil sucked it up and, using her experience, started up a pleasant conversation that had everybody relaxed. Except for her.
The Li'Keil practically counted the appropriate five minutes in her head before she stood, smiling sweetly. "I'm going for a walk," she said. "To get some fresh air. Don't wait up for me, Taka; you'll need your sleep." She deflected the invitations to join her and soon was in the quest for something alcoholic.
She found a bar that didn't smell too much like pee and walked in, her robe up around her head. She sat at the bar without looking around to check out the people there. "Something stiff with ice, hold the ice," she ordered. The bartender nodded and went off to fix something.
Adam has been sitting alone at the bar for about an hour now. It's a bit early for there to be a lot of patrons, but he knows that it'll start picking up now that regular dinner hours are over. He's been nursing his second beer and doesn't quite feel a buzz yet. Better to pace yourself. Too much alcohol can result in... He doesn't finish the thought.
The Li'Keil got her double shot and sipped it, staring straight ahead as a few more people entered. Curiosity finally got the better of her and she looked around at her fellow customers. There was a group in the corner playing cards, one guy chatting up what was obviously a hooker, and at her own bar there was a guy who smelled strangely like woodsmoke and... Oh, shit. The Li'Keil groaned at who was sitting not even six chairs down from her. If he notices me this isn't going to be strong enough, she thought, looking down at her glass. The robe wasn't enough protection, as it was the same she wore the night before. Maybe she could finish this off before he looked up and then sneak off to another distinguished institution. This said, she kicked back her current drink.
"Another martini for the pretty lady?" a drunk patron slurred, having come up on the Li'Keil before she realized he was that close. He slapped some money on the table before she could refuse, and the bartender picked it up.
"<Fuck off,>" she finally growled. She let her voice drop in those words. Even though it felt unnatural, the guy still flinched and scurried away, embarrassed. However, the bartender had just turned around with the martini. Pausing only for a second, he still set it in front of her, then took her glass and refilled it as well with a knowing wink.
"On the house," the bartender said. The Li'Keil stared at her two new drinks and sighed.
Adam notices the commotion on the other end of the bar, but doesn't recognize the Li'Keil. The robe looks familiar, but he's never been one to pay attention to fashion things, so he just assumes it's a common cloak that he's seen other women wear. He laughs to himself at the poor bastard who just got shot down. Tonight would ordinarily be a night that he'd play the macho man game and attempt to succeed where this hapless sucker has failed, but the woman is clearly not in the mood. He looks around the bar for other prospects, but spies none just yet, so he orders another beer.
The Li'Keil stared morosely at the martini for just a moment more before picking it up and downing it, as well. She found herself gagging a little as all the alcohol settled in her stomach. Martini's were usually such a girly drink, but at the moment, she needed to slow down. As is, though, she might not have to leave. Adam didn't look like he noticed her. The Li'Keil relaxed. Aside from fending off the occasional drunk, she might just get to drink in peace. Maybe talk to the bartender. Maybe already be talking to the bartender? "Man, guys are stupid," she finally heard herself saying, tuning in to the conversation. By Qwin, was pleasant conversation that automatic for her now?
"Tell me about it," Adam responds without even thinking. He blinks and touches his head, the booze starting to get to him. The comment was obviously not meant for him, but he needed to be social, even if it was a cliche conversation with a bar stranger. "I mean... not that I'm gay or ... I mean yeah, guys suck and so do girls."
The Li'Keil snorted at his comment. He obviously didn't know who she was, especially since she wasn't raising her voice like she normally did. It was less feminine now, although she couldn't bring herself to drop the tone completely. "Oh please," she said, not turning her head towards him. She didn't like the guy, and the alcohol was making her more than little vengeful. Might as well fuck with his head. "Guys like you are the assholes I'm complaining about. What are you here for--picking up a new girl after getting rid of the old?"
Adam shot a glare at the woman. Great, another bitch, he thought with disdain. But he decided to continue the conversation, cuz he felt like getting a few things off his chest. "Actually, after what I've been through, I might be swearing off all women." He briefly wondered if that sounded gay.
"Aw, so idgum got hurt?" the Li'Keil said. As he spoke, she had a brief flash of understanding-who hasn't had that feeling before? However, the memory of Taka crying on her bed, coupled with him climbing out the window, didn't keep that feeling for very long. He wasn't getting off that easily. "Take anyone out with you?" she goaded.
Adam doesn't know what an 'idgum' is, but it doesn't sound complimentary. "Not unless there's a ghost standing behind me somewhere." At that, he chuckles to himself, an inside joke. "But you don't seem to be swarmed by lovers either, other than those of the drunk variety." His speech is beginning to slur.
"The difference being, I could have anybody in this bar," the Li'Keil said. "You, my good sir, are going home alone." The Li'Keil took a big gulp of her newest drink. "Besides, I was just comforting a girl who got hurt by a person like you. I just came here for a drink. Trust me, nobody here is the type I'd want to sleep with." She made sure to heavily emphasize that he was included.
Adam rolls his eyes. Normally, the bitchy types attracted him even more because they seemed like more of a challenge, but tonight he was just out of energy. He glances at the patrons of the bar and says, "I agree with you on one thing: This place is filled with losers." His tone obviously includes the Li'Keil, but possibly also includes himself. He takes another gulp of his drink, trying to wash away the self-deprication that seems to now be spewing from his mouth.
The Li'Keil waited for just a second, then sighed, taking another sip of her drink. "Well, that's depressing," she stated. "I can't even come up with a comeback. You insulted us both in one fell swoop. I'd feel too bad kicking you while you're obviously already down." She sniffed, expressing her dislike. "So, what is the terrible ordeal you suffered that has made you swear off women?" she asked.
Adam slams down his drink and indicates the the bartender that he needs something stronger. What was that old saying from back home? Beer before liquor... you won't feel sicker? The bartender brings him a straight shot of tequila, and he downs it while considering how to answer the woman. It is becoming more and more of a good idea to share all the nitty-gritty details with this total stranger. Chances are he'll never see her again anyways, right? "I got a blowjob from a... it was a dude, I guess, but dressed like a chick, and I didn't know until... after."
"So?" the Li'Keil asked. She decided to totally play the part of the stranger who had no idea what Adam was talking about.
Adam now remembers that these people have a different culture than he. "Oh, I guess you wouldn't understand. Where I'm from, it's... you're supposed to only be with people of the opposite sex."
"Sounds fucked up to me," the Li'Keil muttered, trying her best to keep the bitterness out of her voice. "But if this 'chick' was really a 'dude', as you so eloquently put it, I don't know how that puts you off of women forever."
"Just... I gotta figure some stuff out," he replies, oblivious to the harsh tone she's taking. At this point, someone to talk to, hostile or not, is all he needs. But years of meeting strangers in bars have taught him to not take over the conversation. "What about you? What did this man like me do that got your panties in a bunch?"
The Li'Keil was about to open her mouth and tell him that, unlike him, she doesn't reveal everything to strangers, but what came out instead was "Some prick abandoned a really great girl for no good reason. Can't imagine why she likes him, but she does, and that fact makes me sort of angry. Like she should have been the one doing the leaving." She finished her drink and didn't bother signaling for another, as the bartender was already heading over.
Adam blinks, partially cuz he's drunk, and partially cuz he's not sure he heard her right. "Wait... so you're not even involved in the situation you're mad about? Shit. I know chicks are supposed to be all empha.. empf... empathetic and shit..." That seems to be the end of the sentence.
"I'm involved now," the Li'Keil smirked, an evil tinge coloring her words. "How do you think I comforted her?"
It takes Adam a minute to understand her meaning, but he laughs when he gets it. "Way to get a girl on the rebound. She a good friend of yours? Back home I had this friend Tir who always had relationship problems, but I never would've... that's pretty fucked up."
The Li'Keil rolled a shoulder in a shrug. She wasn't about to deny that taking advantage of an emotionally-vulnerable Taka was the best thing to do, but she didn't really regret it. "Just showing her that her guy leaving wasn't the end of the world," the Li'Keil said. "She's been kind of emotionally stunted. Wouldn't be a stretch to imagine that she'd close herself off from relationships for longer than is healthy." She takes a gulp of her new drink. "Besides, she's hot."
"So was Tir," Adam replies without thinking. A moment later, he realizes what he just said. "Uh, I mean, he was my friend. And we were close, so I would never sleep with him."
"I show people I'm close to physical affection," the Li'Keil replied, wondering who this 'Tir' was. "I use it as a way to get closer to them, in more ways than one. Sounds like you were missing out with your friend."
"No!" Adam protests probably louder than is necessary. A few of the other patrons glance at him, wondering what the commotion is about, but quickly lose interest as he's obviously just drunk. "I mean, we would never... we're not gay. That's sick."
"I'm going to guess that 'gay' means same-sex relationships, and say that they're not," the Li'Keil said. "But it's worth mentioning that while you might have the right to your own opinion, voicing it in public is likely to get you beat up." She took a casual sip. "Plus, unless you want to get disgusted most of the time you're out, I would suggest getting used to same-sex relationships. Open your eyes for once. You're surrounded by them."
Adam looks around the bar, which is beginning to fill up with more people, and notes that there are a fair number of same-sex couples. This doesn't reassure him any. "Where I'm from, though," he begins in a lower voice, scooting closer to the Li'Keil, "it's not just that the gay shit is rare. It's like... unnatural, you know? Like, sex is for making babies, right? I mean, obviously not always, but it's supposed to be... and you can't do that with two pussies or two dicks."
The Li'Keil snorted. "How much sex have you had?" she asked. "Don't actually answer that, I don't care. Now ask yourself, how many babies have you made?" She scooted away from him, sipping her drink. "Judging from how you're in a bar alone, I would say none. I don't know how things worked where you came from, but a child can take many, many years to conceive. They are rare gifts. Even more treasured, though, is finding somebody you love. Regardless of gender. True love is more rare than any child."
She put down an empty glass, waving off the bartender. She felt put-off from drinking; her buzz was starting to turn depressed. Adam wasn't helping any. "I didn't really come here to argue with a stranger on the importance of love," she said, her voice disappointed. "It's making me spout cliche-ic terms at somebody who obviously doesn't have any background in the subject. I mean, if you haven't experienced love, I can't exactly tell you how necessary it is."
Adam narrows his eyes. "I've been in love..." he mutters, but not very loudly. He knew he was in love with Taka, but it wasn't something he liked to advertise. He decides to get teh focus off of himself. "So I take it you've been in love?"
"Tons of times," the Li'Keil answered, the lightness of her voice not reflecting how she really felt about the whole business. "Almost more times than I can remember. Both sexes. All situations."
"You must be old," Adam blurts. "I mean, if love is so rare and all... and especially with a personality like yours..."
"Three-hundred years is a long time to be alive," the Li'Keil said. "And I have to admit, it was a different type of love than true love. If I ever met someone whom I truly loved, with all my heart..." The Li'Keil hesitated. "I would, from that moment on, know exactly what I wanted for the rest of my life. And I would not just let them go."
"But what if..." Adam begins, but then stops. He's never been one to actively look for advice. But he's desparate at this point. "What if you think you love the person... but then like something happens and they're a total bitch about it and it's a huge fight and then you think maybe they don't love you or you don't love them really, and then there's this whole new issue cuz you sorta cheated but not really and you didn't know it was a dude?"
The Li'Keil took pause at this, really sorting through all of his statements in her head. "...Sounds like the real issue is whether or not you love them," she admitted. "Like... you don't know what you want. I mean, if you knew what you wanted, I don't think you'd let it go, no matter what they did or what you might have done."
Adam groans and slams his head on the bar. Why did this all have to be so complicated? Life was so much easier when he only had one night stands. He tries to get the focus off of himself again. "So were you in love with the chick you slept with?"
That gave the Li'Keil pause. She leaned her chin on her hand, looking thoughtfully ahead. "...you know, maybe," she said, a small smile creeping across her face. "I hadn't really thought about it before." The grin widened. "She's a great girl, and all. I think love is a distinct possibility."
"How long you known her for? Was she good in bed?" The second question was the one he was more interested in, but the first made him seem like less of a pig.
"Not very long, which is why I can't really answer the 'love' question," the Li'Keil said. "And... I don't kiss and tell. How long did you know the girl you were in love with?" she suddenly asked. Unbeknownst to Adam, he had suddenly become the ex of the girl she was interested in. If she could get some info on the sort of damage he created, the better for her.
"Like four years," he replies. "She was like... the first person I met when I got here. The first native, anyways. She showed me everything she could about Yuin. I don't know what we would've done without her... I mean, it's so weird here. Uh, I mean... different, you know? Than where I'm from."
"Yeah, well, some things you'll just have to get used to," the Li'Keil said, thinking back to his reaction to other things he had found... weird. "Nobody will bend over backwards for you to accommodate a foreigner. And if you're not careful, you'll end up pissing off the wrong people." Not that you already haven't, the Li'Keil added silently.
"I wasn't expecting shit," Adam replies. "I mean, fuck, I didn't know where we were gonna end up. My planet was just dying, and they were all 'get in the ship and maybe you won't die as quickly as the rest of us,' and I was like 'sweet' and then I was here. Fuck, glad I'm not dead yet."
"Gotta adapt, though," the Li'Keil said. "Gotta keep staying alive. No matter what life throws at you." She suddenly wished she had another drink. The others were starting to hit her a bit, and her usual formal tone was giving way to speaking more like Adam. "Cuz life can be fucked up." She put a lot of feeling into those words. "You're in the wrong place, I'm..." In the wrong body, she finished. "Eh," was what she said aloud.
"You're gorgeous," Adam blurts, the alcohol continuing to take away his judgement. "I mean, you're kind of a <bitch>," it was one of the few words he knew in Yuin, and the alcohol helped him to pronounce it correctly, "but I kinda like that in a chick. Explains why I was with Taka for so long." It doesn't occur to him that he's just dropped the name of the most important person in the village.
The Li'Keil almost snorted at the comment. For one, she had the great image of the face Adam would make if he realized he just complimented somebody he really, really didn't like. And for another thing, he had just called Taka a bitch... which worried her. Taka seemed nice enough; was it just a front? "Maybe I'm more blunt than a total <bitch>," she said. "I spend a lot of my time dancing around the truth." Her mind went back to what he said about Taka, though. She was a politician, of course she would treat the Li'Keil differently than she would usually. But it was bothering her. "...I think I've met Taka. She really a bit of a <bitch>?"
"Oh hellz yeah!" Adam says enthusiastically. "She's always all, 'Adam, go file these away,' 'Adam, I can't have sex now, I'm working,' 'Adam, don't embarrass my village in front of the Li'Keil,' 'Adam, I don't have time to figure out if we're a couple or not cuz I'm saving the world'." His imitation of Taka sounds whinier than she is, and of course he's drunk and probably exaggerating. "She's always so uptight about things. And I get it, she's all important and shit, but it's like... she didn't have to become the leader of this village, you know? That was all her choice. And especially now that the place is thriving, it's gonna become a city and all, they could just replace her with someone else. Someone who could handle it all more, you know?"
This time the Li'Keil really did snort. She tried to sober up and make the topic serious again, but drunken Adam is funnier than she might have thought. At least, more ridiculous. "Well, being a leader is rarely something you have a choice of," she said. "Ask the Li'Keil you mentioned... they always know." Her voice for a moment is bitter again, but not for long-the alcohol takes care of that. "It's something you are born into around here, and at the very least, your upbringing gives you a specific viewpoint of the world. It becomes who you are to a certain extent. She seems like the girl who does everything so well she doesn't like to let other people do it."
The Li'Keil opened her mouth to defend Taka further as a fellow politician, to mention that Taka was getting better at letting other people do things, that she had hired people that day, in fact... But closed her mouth as an afterthought. Maybe if Adam didn't like that about Taka, he'd just leave. And never come back. And Taka would be free of such an odd jerk, free to see other people and free of her emotional restrictions... So instead she said, "Well, maybe she's not what you're looking for in a mate, anyway. That's the point of the open relationships... so find out to whom you're best suited. Maybe you should look around. Get away from Taka for a while until you figure out what you really want."
Adam's eyes go wide in disbelief. "That's exactly what I'm doing!" he says excitedly. It is a rare occasion that someone condones a course of action he's chosen. Of course, he's not aware of the ulterior motives. "I just moved out today, even. And I've already slept with someone." He seems particularly proud of this.
"Then you're well on your way," the Li'Keil said, through clenched teeth, although she kept smiling. "Maybe move out of this village. Sleep with other people that don't know your previous relationship with Taka. She's kinda famous and all, or at least pretty well-known. It's a really good idea to just... get far away." The Li'Keil looked at the magical watch on the wall. "...<shit.> It's late."
"Have to be somewhere?" Adam asks. He's got nowhere to be. His continued buzz is keeping him awake, but he could probably resolve that if he stopped drinking. But where was the fun in that? He was enjoying the company of this person, even if she was just another random soul lost amidst the billions wandering aimlessly in this fucked up amusement park called life. Whoa, that was pretty poetic. Maybe he'd write it down later.
"Big day tomorrow," the Li'Keil said, already standing. Her sense of duty was automatically overcoming her urge to get toasted and forget her bad mood. "Felt like a drink, but it's time to be getting back." She reached for her bag, to pay the bartender, but he waved her down. Probably knew who she was, or figured it out. She grimaced at the thought, and making sure her hood still obscured most of her face, turned to face Adam. She stood there for just a moment, then laughed. Taka was probably the best thing he could ever get, she thought wryly. "Well, hope you figure out what you want," she said aloud. "Don't take too long, though. If you wait for it to come to you... It might just be gone when you finally go get it."
Her words are too deep for him to interpret at the moment. "Yeah," he says. "Good luck with your girl too." He wonders for a moment why the bartender didn't accept her money. The guy was happy to take his. Sexist prick. Adam orders another drink, somehow convincing himself that drinking more will show the bartender... something. He turns from the Li'Keil and spends the rest of the night people watching. He'll probably be there until the bar closes.
The Li'Keil glanced at him as she left. For just a brief moment, she felt a pang of pity. Then it was gone, and she was heading back to Taka's house, to show up after everybody had already gone to bed, collapsing in the guest room.
It didn't seem like more than two minutes later that there was a knock at her door. The Li'Keil tugged down her blankets a bit only to blink at the sunlight now streaming through her window. "Yes?" she asked, her voice now thick with sleep.
"Breakfast," a gentle voice said outside. The red-haired elf from the previous day, the cook, walked in with a tray. "Taka's still getting ready."
Oh yeah. Big day. The Li'Keil rubbed her eyes and accepted the tray from the boy, not even caring if she didn't look at her best. He bowed and walked from the room.
Kalila had been up early, and had packed all of her things. She wanted nothing more than to leave the village, maybe actually go on one of the assignments the government kept giving her. But running away just because she and Taka had an argument would make her no better than... well, Adam. So she had decided to stick around, at least until they found out the fate of this city-business. But I didn't do anything wrong, so she's gonna have to initiate the appology, the elf girl thought to herself. Stubborn to the end. She left the guest bedroom and came out to the kitchen, where Taka's friend had already made a breakfast for her. At least while staying at this guy's house, she wouldn't have to worry about bumping into Taka until she was ready to see her.
Adam had somehow gotten back to his room. His head felt heavy as he reached for the bottle of water next to his bed. A pink slip of paper had been shoved under his door. It looks like a receipt, but he can't read Yuinnish, so he's not sure. He decides to leave it there until his brain stops moving inside his head. The bathroom smells like the too-clean scent that hotel bathrooms always have. He starts the shower.
The red-headed cook Rujak headed from the Li'Keil's room, stopping to pop his head into Taka's room. "Would you like for me to do anything?" he asked.
Taka was sitting on her bed, brushing her long hair, now wet from a brief bath. "No thanks," she said, focused on getting prepared. Rujak walked away, and Taka finally finished brushing her hair. She put on the sash that marked her as chief after blowing the dust off of it first. The population was large, sure, but the people she needed to talk to knew her by sight; the sash was just for formal occasions. This form of distinction she really didn't care for otherwise.
Taka's mind drifted to Kalila and Adam. She found herself wincing at the thought of them together, then devoted the next few minutes to shoving those thoughts aside. There was nothing she could do unless they approached her, and even then, she wasn't sure what to say. Taka never had to deal with the ex-lover thing, although this particular situation might be unique throughout Yuin. In any case, she had no experience on how to deal with Adam. And as for Kalila, Taka didn't know why they should care if Kalila slept with Adam. Taka did, but she was trying desperately not to.
She briefly considered consulting the Li'Keil before thoughts of last night flashed into her mind. She turned pink, out of guilt and embarrassment and maybe a few hormones, but maybe that really was just a part of the healing process. In any case, she was starting to think like a jealous little bitch, and she needed to focus on the task at hand. Taka abruptly stood, straightening her clothes, and then headed downstairs to wait for the Li'Keil. Her own breakfast was untouched. Taka was too nervous to eat.
The Li'Keil finally came down after a short shower. "<You ready?>" she asked in the more formal Yuinnish, an attempt to calm Taka down.
"<Can you get ready for this?>" Taka asked. "<I've never done it before... never even seen it done.>"
"<Best way to do it is to just get out there,>" the Li'Keil said, patting Taka's shoulder. "<Just answer my questions, take me where I want to go. If you're ready, though, we should go.>"
Taka hesitated a moment, then stood, nodding, as the two headed outside towards the middle of her village.
"Here is where a lot of restaurants are set up," Taka was saying to the Li'Keil. "They apply for a permit and are subjected to routine inspections, twice a year. Once, they get warning, but one is done without notice."
"And you hire outside people to inspect?" the Li'Keil asked.
"Yes," Taka said. "And we've borrowed protocol for health inspection from our closest neighboring city, Flin'on." The Li'Keil nodded and Taka took a moment to look around.
Of course word has spread by now. People were crowding the streets to get a closer look at the Li'Keil, which was causing more people to show up to see what was going on. A lot were at least trying to be subtle about it, or else Taka would have had to call people off for being a health hazard. As it was, she was more in the spotlight than she had ever been before, and it was nerve-wracking. "Let's move on to the downtown businesses?" she asked the Li'Keil weakly.
Kalila is eating by herself at one of the smaller cafes in the downtown shopping district. She knows full well that Taka and the Li'Keil will be passing through the area soon, but unlike the gawking citizens in the streets, she's already seen the Li'Keil. But she's still curious as to the Li'Keil's reaction to the village. She's of course concerned with the fate of the village. She orders several rounds of water in order to prolong her stay at the cafe, and fends off a male patron who seems to believe that her dining alone is an invitation for him to hit on her. She suddenly misses Adam.
Adam steps out of the shower, towel wrapped around his waist. His hangover is steadily dissipating. He goes back into the bedroom area to get dressed, and spies the paper that had been on the floor earlier. Now he picks it up and reads it. Sure enough, it's a receipt of some kind, but the only word he can make out is "door." Kalila, he remembers.
"The small restaurants, like the cafes, have to go through a similar process as the regular restaurants," Taka said, walking alongside the Li'Keil as they (and the crowd) approached the downtown. A sweep of her arm encompassed the shops she spoke of, but she failed to notice or even look at Kalila. She was too wrapped up to see many details. "The shops pay fees to the city for space, and taxes on what they sell. It's proportional to the price they pay and we take into account what they spend to keep the place running, so unless there's something wrong, it's never unfair."
The Li'Keil listened to Taka blab on about the shops, but she was totally concerned with details. Her gaze found Kalila, and she gave a small smile that only touched her eyes before moving on.
Kalila, of course, smiles back in her friendly nature. After all, the Li'Keil hasn't done anything to her. She thinks about waving, but decides the gesture might be a little too informal at the moment. She wishes she could read the Li'Keil's thoughts, but even more so wishes she knew Taka's.
Taka's head at the moment, of course, is racing with trying to come up with things to say. "And that baker is really nice, and he always makes the bread just a little bigger than you have to pay for to make sure people don't accuse him of cheating them," she said. "He has a few kids. That shop actually has a small room where shoppers and other shop owners can put their kids, and their youngest daughter is usually in there to watch them-she's around 16 now, so she's old enough by law. And this shop sells the prettiest necklaces..." She went off on a tangent about profit margins and error in formulating, and the process of forming a complaint.
After getting dressed, Adam leaves the inn, heading downtown. He spots the crowd that has gathered everywhere, but since he's arriving at the back, he can't see what the commotion is for. "Hey," he asks the nearest villager. "What is all this about?"
"The Li'Keil is down there with the Chief," the boy said back to him. "Rumors are going around that the village might be a city... Where were you, in a hole the past few days?" He didn't wait for an answer before disappearing into the crowd for a closer look.
Adam's immediate instinct is to leave, but a part of him holds his ground. Why should he leave? He's been here for much longer than the Li'Keil, and certainly has every right to be here now. And it is his last day in the village, and his last chance to see the downtown area or this crowd of elves. He decides to stay. Hell, maybe if Taka or the Li'Keil see him, they'll end up leaving. He finds a rock and steps up on it, trying to see over the crowd, and gets a glance of Taka. A sudden rush of feeling hits him, and he realizes that he hasn't seen her face since... since he left.
He couldn't hear what they were saying, but Taka obviously looked nervous to anybody who knew her well. Her posture was alright and she didn't look like she was stumbling over her words, but every little nervous tick she had was coming out right now-playing with the index finger of her left hand, snaking her hand behind her back to tug on a strand of long hair for a second. The Li'Keil leaned towards her to say something, and she abruptly laughed, the sound carrying to Adam.
The sun shown directly down onto Adam, and the warmth from the multiple bodies in the crowd didn't help with the heat. He felt dizzy, but not willing to admit that it was from the sudden sight of two people he didn't want to admit his feelings for, he instead chose to believe it was the blazing weather. With one smooth motion, he slid his tank top off over his body, his tanned and rippling muscles glistening with mild perspiration. This action was sure to get him some attention from the women, but it wasn't necessarily unwanted attention.
The Li'Keil glanced around the crowd at that point and managed to catch Adam's eye. She grinned just a little at that, although it looked like something a predator would do, rather than a friend. Her face slipping back into a neutral gaze, she rested her hand in the small of Taka's back, leaning in so she could mutter something in Taka's ear. From Taka's reaction, she hadn't mentioned Adam being there. But the Li'Keil was standing very close to Taka, and the Chief wasn't doing anything about it except glancing around nervously as if somebody would comment on it.
Looking from Taka back to Adam, making sure he was watching this, the Li'Keil gave him a look that was half-challenge, half-gloating. Challenge because she believed Adam still thought Taka was his. Gloating because she believed she had already won this little game. She turned back to Taka and made a motion to the other part of downtown, as if she was saying to her, 'Let's move on.'
Adam notices the look, and recognizes it - one that he's often given hapless guys whose girls he's stolen. He knows he needs to act now if he wants to... well, he's not sure what it is he wants, but he wants to have the option open anyways. Climbing over various people in the crowd, he manages to make his way just ahead of where Taka and the Li'Keil are. He slows down to a casual walking speed, and nonchalantly steps out from the crowd in front of them, as though he hadn't even noticed the large crowd and was simply on his way to the nearby cafe. "Oh, Taka, funny seeing you here," he says, failing at sounding anything like casual.
Kalila has left her table and makes her way through the crowd. She'd just heard Adam's voice and definitely wants to see what happens next.
Taka's face took on an interesting expression for a moment as all of the emotions she's been suppressing, just trying not to think about, climbed into her stomach all at once. She looked away as though casually inspecting the crowd until she got it under control. A small part of her wondered if Adam would be happy to see the anger, sadness and guilt on her face. "Not really," Taka said, turning back to Adam. "How are you?" She didn't want to air her dirty laundry in front of her whole village; might as well be civil.
Adam also didn't want to reveal anything too personal in front of Taka or the crowd, but he liked the attention anyways. "Well, you know, I'm leaving tonight, so I've got mixed ... whatever. Just taking this village out for its last joyride. It's a pretty good place, right?" He's now looking at the Li'Keil. "I mean, I've been here longer, so I know more about the village - all the good spots. But you seem to be enjoying it while you're here. Temporarily."
Kalila snickers. Is Adam trying to use the village as a metaphor? Way to be subtle...
The Li'Keil smiled at that as well, enjoying this game. "Too bad you're leaving. I'm sure there's more about the village to be discovered," she purred. "Although I doubt the village will really notice when you're gone."
"Alright, I'm not retarded," Taka hissed for both of them to hear. "Can you two please not have your catfight right now?" Her hands gripped the hem of her shirt nervously as she looked at Adam. "So, leaving tonight, then?" she asked, trying to keep her voice light. "If you're ever looking for a job in another village, I could write you a letter of recommendation. Cuz you... worked for me, kind of. Just send me a message." Her eyes darted to the ground until she forced herself to make eye contact with Adam. "Well, uh, I wish you good luck." Awkward pause. "Goodbye." She finally turned to leave.
Adam opened his mouth to comeback with something clever, but of course he didn't have anything, so instead stood there stoopidly.
Kalila approaches him, and taps him on the shoulder. "Hey, wanna get some lunch?"
He's startled to see her, and wonders if this will be awkward. She seems to be fine with it, so he smiles and nods. They go back to her table in the cafe.
"Where next?" the Li'Keil said. She carefully kept the gloating out of her voice, but she still felt it. Adam, leaving. Good riddance. Him and Taka went horrible together.
Taka, on the other hand, had a very different train of thought. She felt physical pain while she contemplated Adam leaving. Seriously leaving. Forget the village, he was leaving her. Taka couldn't push these emotions down as readily as she was used to, but she just couldn't hold onto Adam anymore. He had made his decision and there wasn't a thing she could do about it... That she was going to do about it. She almost jerked out of her thoughts when she finally realized that the Li'Keil was talking to her. "Museum-slash-library," Taka said. "You've already been in the library section, so I've heard, but I still gotta show you." Taka smiled half-heartedly. "There's a tour today with a bunch of kids. Cutest thing you ever did see." Her eyes darted back towards Adam and Kalila as she looked back, just once. Maybe they'd be happy together.
The two managed to get to the library in time to meet up with the tour, a bunch of kids from a local school, leaving Adam and Kalila. Taka grinned at the children, who regarded the Li'Keil with an open curiosity but weren't as creepily stalkerish as all the adults still gawking at them. A girl fell down in front of Taka and scraped her knee, which Taka had cured in a few moments without even thinking about it. The tour then started and Taka and the Li'Keil tagged along, following the children through shelves, heading to the museum.
"So that was a little weird," Kalila comments, sipping a cocktail.
Adam rests his head on his hand. "This whole thing is so fucked up." He absentmindedly stirs his ice water with the straw that came in it. "When is our frickin' food getting here?"
"Can I see that water for a second?" Kalila takes the ice water, sips from it, then spits the water in Adam's face.
"What the fuck?"
"I'm sick of this <bullshit>. You and Taka are retarded for each other." She smirks as Adam recognizes the word she borrowed from him. "The only reason you're not together now is that you're both too stubborn to admit that you need each other. Taka at least has an excuse - she's playing diplomat right now."
"So what, you think I should do some big romantic gesture for Taka, and that will solve everything?"
"No... but it wouldn't hurt anything either...."
Meanwhile, the Li'Keil was just as frustrated with Taka as Kalila was with Adam. Taka was answering her questions and smiling at the right time, but she wasn't actually there. Her eyes would glaze over as she stared uselessly at the floor when she thought the Li'Keil wasn't looking. The Li'Keil wasn't mad at Taka, but rather Adam. After all, this was all his fault. It was his words that had affected the girl like this.
Finally, she couldn't help herself. "Taka, please show me what's in that room," she said, pointing to a storage room for old books. She didn't even wait for Taka's reply before dragging the girl into the side room, trying to pull it off as walking. She whirled on the chief. "Mind telling me what's wrong?" the Li'Keil said. "Need I remind you that Adam is not worth the welfare of the village?" The Li'Keil felt bad when Taka blanched. Technically, the chief had been doing nothing wrong, but if she believed her village was on the line maybe she'd actually talk about her real feelings. She was getting sick of Taka closing herself off like this. It was annoying as all hell.
Taka just looked at the floor, dejected. "I... I'm sorry, I just... he..."
"Taka, you're a beautiful woman," the Li'Keil said in a low voice, stepping closer. "You can have any man you wanted. Adam is a jerk, and stupid. He doesn't deserve you."
"I always thought it was the other way around," Taka replied, quietly. She didn't move away when the Li'Keil brought up a hand to her face, rubbing her thumb along Taka's jawline quietly. Didn't move when the Li'Keil moved in closer.
"You deserve so much more," the Li'Keil said, her breath brushing against Taka's lips. When Taka didn't respond, she added, "I won't hold it against you if you say no."
"I know," Taka responded, still not moving, either forward or backwards.
"I understand if you need time," the Li'Keil said.
"I know," Taka muttered, eyes on the Li'Keil's lips until she closed them as the Li'Keil gently kissed her.
"What are you doing?" a kid loudly asked at their feet all of a sudden. The two adults whipped away from each other, both bright red, Taka stammering. There was a group of about four of them that had just now come into the back room and were looking up at them inquisitively.
"J-just get back with the tour group," Taka breathed. "You're going to worry your teacher if you--"
Then there was a slight rumble, followed with a larger one, then screaming, then darkness.
Kalila and Taka feel the rumble from where they are, their drinks dancing across the table and shattering on the ground. "What was that?" Adam says, still bracing after the rumble is over.
Kalila looks passed him, where several people have flooded the streets. "Something's happened... it looks like... the library..."
"Taka's at the library," Adam says. As if this were explanation enough, he stands and sprints toward the building that has now collapsed. Kalila jogs after him, surprised that he's faster than her. Has he always been faster than her? She doesn't think so...
Adam approaches the crowd that has formed around the library, pushing his way through. Kalila is the one who tries to figure out what happened. "Everyone, back up! Has anyone gone for help? We need some immediate first aid, and a trained rescue-"
Adam lifts up a wall that has collapsed. "Taka?"
A couple of people were behind the debris. One had passed out, but she didn't look hurt. The other one almost looked like she worked there. "There are children in there!" she said, her voice hoarse. "Children on... tour..."
She looked towards the debris, fear in her eyes. There was either a lot of dust still in the air or there was smoke rising into it from deeper into the partially collapsed building.
Taka slowly opens her eyes. Without realizing it, she had grabbed the closest children and pressed them to her. It was still dark, but a light was flickering nearby from a magical lamp that had yet to go out. Some other light was flickering farther off... fire? Taka blinked at the two children in her arms, then pulled in the third as she tried to orient herself. The walls looked collapsed, but besides from scrapes and a bump on the head from the debris, she wasn't dead. Why...
A drop of dark liquid falls on her hand. She looked up into the grimacing face of the Li'Keil, sporting a startling amount of blood coming from her forehead. Her hands were glowing slightly as she supported a huge portion of wall that threatened to fall over. Taka's eyes slowly widened as she realized what had happened through her shock. Some elves of course possessed magic. The Li'Keil might be able to amplify her strength. Looked hard, though. Couldn't happen for much longer. Taka looked numbly around the room. There wasn't any escape that she could see. One of the children was crying. Taka couldn't even comfort her.
Adam pushes the wall away from the two elves, and it falls with a loud THUMP next to the wreck. He then lifts the unconscious one, and helps the other to her feet. He brings the unconscious one to Kalila, who immediately checks for heart rate and breathing. The conscious one he takes by the hand and leads back to the debris. "Tell me where they are, what rooms - quickly."
"Th-that way," the woman said, pointing very specifically at a mound of debris. Around them, elves were already mounting smaller scale debris clearing, although none of them possessed the strength of Adam, even with magic. Calls went up for a person who could sense aura, but that would take too long. "About now, they should have almost gotten to the story... time..." The woman burst into tears, no longer able to talk.
"Li'Keil..." Taka found herself saying. The child had quieted almost too quickly, and now the darkness was punctuated by the Li'Keil's sharp breaths. "You could hurt yourself. You're not this strong."
"Taka, right now you need to be strong for all of us," the Li'Keil groaned. The politician shuddered and sank an inch, the wall shuddering down that far, showering them with dust and small rocks. The children started crying.
Taka wrapped her arms around them, finally able to move. "Shhh, shhh," she said, less as an attempt to shut them up and more to comfort them. "Don't be afraid. It'll be okay." She didn't believe herself for a moment, but she was scared and about to die, so she just said whatever came to mind first.
Adam climbs over piles of broken wall, eventually reaching the spot the woman had pointed to. "Taka!" he calls. "Taka, are you there?" He lifts a smaller piece of wall and throws it to the side, digging for survivors. Next he lifts a larger piece of debris, straining to call out for Taka again.
Instead he found a small pocket, in which about the whole group of kids was nestled, along with the guide and the teacher. The kids were crying and not all of them had escaped damage. The teacher immediately hustled them out of danger, but the library guide lingered. "Last I saw Taka she was heading over there with the Li'Keil," she said, pointing to a spot nearby. "I think a few of our kids are missing." She looked worriedly over at where Taka and the others could be. A flickering light was coming up from the ruins nearby, and it looked like at any moment, an uncontrollable fire could occur.
Taka swallowed, the hammering of her heart almost drowning out the crackling sound to their left, and the acrid smell of the smoke. The Li'Keil kept inching down, and she was just barely kneeled over the children now. "I..." the Li'Keil said, her whole body shaking. "I'm sorry..."
Adam strains to keep the large piece held up while all the kids are taken to safety. He curses under his breath, wishing they would move faster. Once everyone is safely away, he drops the wall with a THUNK and makes his way to the nearby spot the guide had directed him to. "Taka!" he continues to yell. He reaches to lift more wall, but winces as he touches it. There is a giant gash across the palm of his right hand. When did he get that? He couldn't remember, and didn't really care at the moment. "Taka! Yell if you can hear me!" He reaches to lift up the chunk of wall again, but is now actually struggling - not with the weight, but with the pain from the gash.
It wasn't Taka who heard him, but the Li'Keil. "Adam!" the Li'Keil called out hoarsely. The flame was now visible. "Over here-hrrk!" She sank down another inch. Blood was leaking from the Li'Keil's mouth from the strain.
Taka took up the effort. "Adam!" she shouted, louder than the Li'Keil. Maybe their voices wouldn't be so muffled. The children began to cry out, not saying anything in particular but just responding to the frantic nature of Taka's voice. "Adam!"
Adam hears the faint cry from somewhere below him. With all the strength he can muster, he pushes up on the piece of wall he's struggling with, tipping it over and away from the area. He now spies a quivering chunk of debris - someone is trying to hold it up. He rushes to it, and without thinking grabs hold of it. Random shards of glass and wood cut up his pants and legs as he dashes through the mess. He lifts up, starting to see the familiar face of the Li'Keil. "Ta... Taka?" he calls faintly.
"Nngh," the Li'Keil grunted out the affirmative before collapsing. When she fell, unconscious, it was into Taka's lap, who stared up at Adam with wide-open eyes, frozen. They were the eyes of someone who had thought, with certainty, that they were going to die. And suddenly...
"Adam?" Taka's mouth formed the word but barely any sound escaped. The children wriggled free from under the Li'Keil and scrambled past Adam, crying.
"Taka..." Adam says softly, starting to lose his strength from the pain. Blood, sweat, and even some tears are dripping down his face now. "Hurry..." he manages to get out before slipping a bit under the weight of the piece of ceiling.
Taka blinked, trying to come out of her shock. Without saying anything that could slow her down, she tugged the Li'Keil up and threw an arm around her shoulder, standing with the dead weight and dragging it past Adam. When she was clear of the wreckage, she turned. "Come on!" she said, her voice almost once more taking on the qualities of a chief.
Adam allows the debris to collapse on itself, dust flying up in a large cloud around them. "Taka, are you - are there any more people in the building?" He fights the urge to just grab her and run... but if a fire is coming, the danger still isn't over.
Taka shook her head, but it wasn't a negation. "I don't know," she said. A cry went up-they had found an aura senser, who was rushing to the outskirts of the fire.
"You don't look in any shape to be helping," Taka said weakly, her head still spinning. The aura senser, her hand in front of her and glowing, nodded briefly to the two before continuing on. They passed the fire, which a few people were rushing to contain, and got far enough away from the fire before sensing their first person. People were shouting for water, organizing an effort. "I should stay behind," Taka added, still in a quiet voice. "Help."
Adam reaches out to steady the wobbly elf. "You... you'll probably be of much more help with the crowd that's formed." He helps guide her to the area where all the people have gathered.
Taka looked blearily over the crowd that formed. Although her gaze was sort of glazing over, she began barking orders in Yuinnish. The villagers, only momentarily stunned, began reacting, running to get water and help unearth survivors. Within a half-hour, it looked as though the fire would be safely contained. By this time, a healer had taken the Li'Keil from around Taka's neck, and Taka was more of less supporting herself fully by leaning up against Adam. Her eyes were half-closed, she looked like she was blanking out, and she was shaking a little.
Adam fights back the urge to just carry her. She hated looking completely vulnerable in front of all her constituents. Instead he says in a low voice, "Taka, everyone is fine. It's under control. You need rest. Let me take you ho- to your house."
Taka didn't even argue as she usually did. After glancing around for a brief moment, she nodded, pushing herself off from Adam and began walking towards home. She briefly paused as she saw an elf she trusted, telling him to take care of it from now on. Her walk was slow, and she just hoped Adam was coming with. She wasn't particularly exhausted, she just felt... fuzzy. She distantly thought that she might be in shock, but she wasn't even injured. As it was, she just desperately wanted to get out of public.
Of course Adam is following. At first he is focusing on guiding her, but after a while it's clear that she's walking home on autopilot. He doesn't say anything - it's clear she doesn't want to talk, but he can't think of anything to say. The adrenaline is starting to wear down, and he feels tired. As they approach the house, Adam goes to hold the door open for Taka, but waits to be invited inside.
As she walked past him, Taka paused at the threshold, by Adam holding the door. She reached out and placed a hand over his on the doorknob, her face away from him. "You're hurt," she said. "Come on in. I can heal the worst of it." Her voice sounded like the normal Taka.
"It's nothing," he replies nonchalantly. Still, he's relieved to be invited inside. He follows her in. "You want me to get you something? A glass of water, maybe?"
"You're the one who's injured," Taka said, her voice having an edge of annoyance to it, slowly getting over her shock. Honestly, after he broke up with her... Or she broke up with him, it was hard to remember... she was a bit on edge with having him in the house. But somehow, she was happy. Even if he was still leaving tomorrow, or tonight, or right now, for just a few minutes she could have him back and pretend that her life wasn't being torn apart. "Sit," she said, pointing at a chair in the kitchen as she prepared a bowl of water and clean cloths.
Adam looks down at the gash on his hand. It is pretty deep and hurts like hell, but his ego won't let him show it to Taka, even after all these years. After a moment he takes a seat, but at a different chair in the kitchen than the one she'd pointed to, as though it were his own idea. In the house for two minutes and he's already back to the power struggle games.
Taka turned around with the bowl. Usually, when Adam was being snotty, she'd at least smack him over his head or make a snarky comment. Now all she did was pull up the chair she had pointed too and sat across from him without a sound. She dipped a cloth into the bowl and began dabbing at the gashes on his legs. She reached into her bag of herbs and pressed it to some of the bigger wounds silently.
Adam winces as his wounds are tended to, but tries to block out the pain. Maybe some small talk? "So, uh... pretty crazy back there, eh?"
Taka stared at the blood on her hands. It was crazy. What he did was crazy. And now he was leaving, where he'd be doing crazy things all the time, knowing him. And she wouldn't know if he was hurt until it was too late. "Adam," Taka said, suddenly not in the mood for pretending. "Why are you leaving?" Her tone of voice was normal, and her hands continued to heal the wounds. Nothing but the words sounded like she was changing the topic.
"I, uh..." He stops. He should've expected her to get right to the point. It was one of the things he loved about her - she never played head games like the girls from Earth, even if she was a bit of a commitment-phobe. "I only ever stayed because of you," he says finally.
"I'm still here," she said, her voice low, finishing up with the worst of his legs. The rest were just scrapes. "Lean forward," she said, pointing at the wounds on his arms and sides.
Adam follows her directions without protest this time, now more focused on the conversation. "I know. I mean, exactly. Um..." he's mostly finding this all difficult to explain because he thought his motives were pretty clear.
"I know," Taka said, or at least she thought she did. She had tried to open up the relationship, they had broken up because of it, and her apology wasn't enough to fix it. He was leaving. "Never mind. Anywhere else?" Her sudden addition referred to his wounds, as the had taken care of the more serious gashes on his arms and torso. There were some scars, but Taka's healing had never been perfect.
"I dunno, I guess I just need a fresh start," he replies, not understanding that she's changed the topic from his leaving. He stares at her dumbly as she's stopped tending to his wounds.
"Yeah, well, I'll miss ya," Taka muttered, forcing a smile. "Anywhere else hurt?" she reiterated, motioning with her damp, now-bloody cloth, having missed the gash on his hand.
"Oh," he says, embarrassed. "Uh... well, it's nothing really, but..." he holds out his hand for her to see. "May as well clean up the blood."
Taka winced at the sight. "You're so <bullheaded,>" Taka commented, beginning to gently wash out the wound.
He winces at her touch, but is half turned on by it. Even when they were together, it'd been a while since they'd... don't anything physical. Even her touch now, mixed with the pain from his wounds, is starting his engine. He bites his lower lip.
Taka set aside the cloth and does her usual sprinkling of the herbs as a catalyst on his hand. With one hand she held his hand in place, and with the other, laid her fingers on the wound. Her hand did the normal glowing-for-a-second thing, but even as the glow faded, she didn't remove her hands from covering his. She felt if she let go, the one constant in her life, the one thing she could be selfish about, would disappear. She tried to speak, to swallow, but her throat was too clogged up with... something.
Adam realizes that she's done healing him, and he of course feels much better. But he also recognizes the same thing Taka has - that once she lets go of him, he'll have to leave. And he doesn't want to. "Taka," he says, summoning up all the courage he has. "I... I'm so sorry. I love you."
Taka could feel herself start to freeze up again. As usual. The old fear gripped her by the throat. But if she didn't say it now...
The feeling was forced down into her stomach, which twisted itself into knots at the contact, but maybe that was normal. Taka looked up from the spot on the floor she was staring at, straight at Adam. Her face was flushed but she wasn't crying. "I love you, too," she said, a small smile playing across her lips.
Adam can swear he hears a crescendo of music coming from somewhere, like in the movies. This is probably his cue to kiss her. He reaches a shaking hand toward her beautiful face, and lightly grazes it with his fingers. He leans closer to her.
Taka's gaze shifted away, as if she was thinking about something deeply. Was this right? Then she decided that logic had no place here, and leaned forward to meet him halfway, her lips capturing his as her fingers began intertwining with the hand she still held.
Adam immediately gets an erection. Yeah, she still had that effect on him. He kisses her deeper now, his tongue lightly touching her lips through their kiss. He uses his free hand to pull her closer to him, wanting more contact with her. But their clothes are in the way. He'll have to do something about that.
Taka took the hint, desiring more contact herself, and without breaking the kiss moved to straddle Adam's lap, her hands on the back of his neck, fingers lacing through his hair. Even though she had just recently had sex, it wasn't like her sex drive wasn't comparable to Adam's. He wasn't the only one who suffered when she came to bed exhausted. As Taka became flush with his body, she could feel his excitement, and so ground her hips against his. She vaguely thought that they were starting this in the kitchen, and somebody could very easily walk in on them, especially since she had hired help and they were probably going to be coming here in a panic after the incident. She tilted her head and opened her mouth to Adam instead of thinking on that further.
Adams hands find their way under Taka's shirt to her familiar, soft skin. He feels her muscles tighten at his touch, and becomes even more excited. Now more urgently, he begins to kiss her neck and shoulders, his hands exploring her body as though he'd never touched her before - like everything before this moment was just a dream.
Taka's back arched under his touch, his fingers and mouth leaving trails of fire along her skin. Suddenly there was too much clothing between them. She wanted his shirt off, now. She began tugging at the hem of his torn shirt, at the same time pulling at her own.
Adam's shirt comes off easily with a RIPPP. He stops kissing her for a moment to admire the way she handled the shirt. He wonders if hers will rip as easily, and begins tugging at it as well.
Her own shirt was of a sturdier material, so she just tugged it over her head and off. She pressed herself against him, reveling in the feel of his muscles against her skin. She impatiently, shrugged off the cloth binding her breasts, their tips tightening in the air.
Her breasts. Adam's favorite. He begins massaging them gently while lightly kissing her heaving lady lumps. He runs his tongue from one to the other, getting closer and closer to the hard nipples but not quite licking them just yet. Meanwhile, his pants seem to have magically disappeared.
The lack of pants didn't pass by Taka's currently very distracted attention, although she foggily realized that she couldn't recall when he took them off. She only knew that she wished to follow suit, and couldn't possibly do that in her current position straddling Adam. So while she really wanted Adam to continue, she decided to make a show of it, and pulled off of Adam, standing. She slowly squirmed from her own loose-fitting pants, putting her hips into it, and kicked them to the floor. Now fully naked, she began to approach a similarly-clad Adam, swaying and giving him a half-lidded gaze.
And as she was putting up a knee to the chair and leaning towards Adam for a kiss, there came a startled gasp from the kitchen door.
The red-headed cook, Rujak, stood there, his coat very loosely clasped in his hands as he stared wide-eyed at the hullabaloo happening in his kitchen, frozen.
"Oh shit," Adam says. It figured. The first time they got freaky in the kitchen and someone had to ruin it for them. There was a good chance that Taka wouldn't want to continue the fun now.
Taka squeaked and immediately ducked to grab her pants and shirt, using them to cover herself up, her face a brilliant red. Rujak took his cue and turned around, burying his face in his jacket. "I'MSORRYIDIDN'TSEEANYTHINGWELLOHBYQUIN!" Rujak said before running from the room, supposedly to hide elsewhere in the house.
It took Taka a few seconds to recover, but she looked at Adam, her face a mixture of embarrassment and amusement. "M-maybe we shouldn't be doing this in the kitchen?" she half-asked, already half-running to her-no, their room by the time she had finished.
Adam relocates his pants and pulls them back on. He doesn't bother with the shirt, as there's no way he could put it back on now. "I guess," he says, following her into her- no, their room.
Adam was barely two steps in before he was practically attacked by a currently very single-minded Taka. "Sorry about the new help," Taka breathed in Adam's ear, her hand snaking down his pants that had become unbuttoned again sometime during her groping.
"Oh, no, it's- whoa!" Adam was not expecting this to continue. He's pleasantly surprised. He again helps her to remove her clothing, which is a lot easier this time as she hadn't bothered to button or fasten anything. He kisses her neck and collarbone, scraping his teeth along the soft areas of her skin.
Taka tilted back her head and sighed at the contact, just a little breath of air that had more volume to it than her other breaths. Her breathing in general was starting to speed up again, and her hands went down to pull Adam's pants down, letting them fall the rest of the way. Without waiting for him to kick them from around his feet, her small hand closed around his member, her other hand going to tangle in his hair as she pressed herself close, her fingers playing along his length.
Adam gasps at the intimate contact. She'd always been so good with her hands. There is something that Adam is particularly good at as well. Wrapping his strong arms around her waist, he lifts her small body up and presses her against a wall. As he continues to kiss her, harder and faster and more passionate, he thrusts his mansex into her moist grotto of pleasure. Then he exhales, as though he'd been holding his breath waiting for this part.
Taka had her hands wrapped around his neck when he entered her, and her fingernails dug into the skin at his back slightly as she moaned under her breath, her eyes closing at the sensation. Her legs were snaked around his waist already, and she dug her heels into his back, pushing him further into her, biting her lower lip lightly.
Adam begins thrusting, encouraged by her heels and nails in his back. He begins slowly, savoring each small movement and the feeling of her body around him. He picks up speed, suddenly more urgent than before. His breathing is very hard, but not from straining to hold her up.
Taka begins to become more verbal now, working to clench herself around him. Her low moans became louder as her heartrate sped up and a pool of warmth built up in her midsection. She tilted her head back as she thrusted back against him, matching his rhythm as a blush began to spread across her face and breasts. "A-Adam," she gasped.
Fueled by his ego, which is much inflated with hearing his own name, Adam's libido kicks into overdrive. Taka is amazing, and it takes all the strength he has to not release his love juice instantly. But finally, he can bare (pun intended!) it no longer.
Taka follows in climax only a second or two after Adam, throwing her head back as she yelled her ecstasy, hitting her head against the wall, although she didn't notice it at the time. She clenched down around Adam as he impales her upon his engorged member for the final time, clutching him close, almost frantically.
Adam sinks slightly, leaning towards the wall, but careful to not crush Taka. After a moment of regaining his composure, he slips out of her and carries her to the bed. He flops down, still holding her close to him, and closes his eyes with a content sigh.
Taka echoed the sigh, adjusting herself against him, suddenly a boneless mass. She felt nice. She felt safe.
What seemed like forever later, Taka slipped out of bed and got ready, the noise she made barely a whisper in the air. Her lips ghosted over Adam's cheek, and she was gone.
Adam shifts in his sleep, instinctively putting an arm over where Taka should be. Not finding her warm body there, he wakes up with a start, worried that he's lost her again. Then he remembers that she IS in charge of this soon-to-be-major-city, which is not only still hosting a very important person, but has also recently experienced a natural disaster. So he gets up, puts his clothes back on, and heads out in the direction of the library.
Sure enough, Taka's standing almost in the midst of the rubble. Most of the danger has died down; crews have used magic to put out most of the fires save a few flare-ups, and the searching crews were just now reporting to Taka. She nodded at them, then began barking out orders to start a rescue operation for the books and artifacts in the museum/library, plus to find out why the library collapsed like it did; Taka had used an old building from her previous village that had remained standing after the slaughter of her people, so she wanted to know if it was the old aspect of the building, or if it was a flaw in design she needed to know about, or even the far-off thought that this had been planned. Even amidst all the stress, however, Taka's body language was completely relaxed. She looked less anxious than she had in a while, and people were picking up on it, probably preventing a lot of panic.
Adam approaches her. Even though she's clearly busy, she doesn't seem to be in a snapping mood right now, so he figures he's safe to bug her a little. "Hey," he says, almost sheepishly like a school boy would to his first crush. "I... uh... do you need any help with anything?" He looks over at the rubble. "I AM kinda a badass when it comes to lifting things." He flexes one of his arms to prove this point, smiling confidently.
Taka treated him to a grin, then also regarded the rubble. "You can help the rescue teams find books, if you'd like," she said, chewing on a lip and wondering where she was going to put everything.
"Books?" he repeats. The answer seemed a bit anticlimactic to him. "Uh... I was thinking I could do something a bit more... epic than that. Like save a dying child by lifting something unmoveable off of him or something."
"The searching crews already combed the area; they've found all the people that needed to be found," Taka said, cocking an eyebrow at him. "But if you don't trust them, feel free to run around and lift rocks. And if you lift something and there are books under it, then leave the books uncovered for the rescue teams. Sound fair?"
Adam rolls his eyes, but sighs in agreement. He begins to lift up a few toppled over walls, pulling books out as he sees them, but clearly not enjoying himself. It's not all bad, though. He DID just have sex with the sexiest woman on this planet. It'd be pretty difficult to damage his ego right now.
A few elves had watched the exchange and gave each other significant looks. As Adam demonstrated his strength, a few elves began to head towards him... And then were whispered to in hushed Yuinnish by other elves. The previously interested elves backed off. The same thing happened with Taka.
Word travels fast.
Somebody came up and muttered something in Taka's ear. "I'll be there personally as soon as I have time," Taka replied, worry clouding her features. She gave a worried look at Adam, as well, remembering that he had actually been cut up a bit, as well.
Kalila makes her way over to Taka. She's a little dirty from helping with the rescue efforts, but doesn't look injured. She'd also noticed the exchange with Adam. "So... you two finally make up?" she asks with a half forced smile. Did she really want the two of them to be a monogamous couple again?
"Yeah," Taka admitted, studying her friend. "Are you alright? Do you wanna talk? I mean..." With a simple hand wave, Taka managed to encompass the craziness that was the current situation. Taka and Adam had both been some sorta intimate with Kalila and the Li'Keil in the space of a few days, and were now back together and being exclusive once more.
Kalila wrinkles her nose. "Nah. I'm a big girl, I'll be fine." She wipes a bead of sweat from her forehead as a way to break eye contact from Taka. It still hurts a little. She decides to change the subject. "So... where's the Li'Keil?"
"I just got told the Li'Keil is being held in the hospital currently," Taka said, still watching Kalila carefully. "We have quite a few injuries, but no deaths to our current knowledge. The Li'Keil is currently drained of most of the Li'Keil's magic, plus the Li'Keil suffered a nasty cut on the Li'Keil's head. I'm going to go visit when I get the chance to break away here. Did you know the Li'Keil held up a whole wall save me and some children?" she asked, her voice almost reverent.
"<Shit>," Kalila responds appreciatively. Then she snorts. "You know, I'd never thought that not using a gender-specific pronoun for the Li'Keil was strange until Adam pointed it out. And as serious topic like the injuries the Li'Keil sustained still sounds pretty ridiculous when you can't say 'he' or 'she'." She laughs to herself. Oh Adam.
Taka sighed. She had noticed it as well, talking that much about the Li'Keil. "Yeah, but how often do you get to talk about one that much?" she said, pursing her lips in disapproval. "Not like a Li'Keil came up in casual conversation before this week."
"True," Kalila admits. "But it's still kinda funny." She returns to the rescue effort, which at this point has turned into more of a clean up effort. She thinks about going over to talk to Adam, but doens't want to cramp his gloating.
Stumble!