The west... There was nothing west but deserts and wastelands. Well, fitting, for one who welcomed death and gloom. But where? Mae was from the west, she had the skin tone to prove it. So did that mean... Did that mean the dark lord would know something or her origins? It had to. That had to be it. So as she continued on there was a slight bounce to her step, a new-found hope.
Once they arrived in town Mae took a huge breath of air. It had been a while since she'd been in this town. The lights were brightening her features, and she'd be much easier to see. Her scarred face was still covered by her hood and she refused to lower it, even after entering the tavern. She looked over the lot inside and instinctively clutched her satchel closer to her. At Kaito's voice she smirked. "I believe you do," she told him. "I take mine Scotch."
Kaito nodded, resigning himself to the task at hand, and walked over to the bar. A man bumped into him, and without a word, Kaito grabbed his wrist, and judo flipped him over his shoulder. The man gasped in pain, and Kaito glared at him, tightening his grip on the mans hand. It opened, and out dropped his coin pouch, which was still thick with coin. Retrieving his money, he glared around the room, a few of the more shifty patrons casting their eyes downwards. With a faint huff, he turned, and sat at the bar. The barmaid hurried over, and he looked at the wooden surface rather than at her. "Scotch, for her." He spoke quietly. Still, the woman nodded, and he hesitantly took a drink himself. He looked at Mae, then sighed. "If you don't like people, why take drinks as your payment? It's pretty clear you're uncomfortable here, and that can make you a target." He said in a low voice, one that would be hard for her to hear, and inaudible for the other patrons.
Mae leaned back as she gulped down her drink. She wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve and raised an eyebrow at him. "Who said anything about not liking people, love?" She smirked at him and turned back to her drink. "They can't see it," she continued in a more serious tone. "Can't see that half. If not the hood then the hair shields it. Besides. Why should I have to hide a birthmark just because it may look unattractive to some people?" She looked up and her single showing eye was glaring at him, challenging.
She soon looked away though and motioned for the bartender to fill her glass once more. "I am unafraid of being a target here, of all places. No one in this room knows what I am capable of. The first man that tries to prey on me will have his head on the wall, I swear it." Her hand went to her sword as if to emphasize. "I am perfectly comfortable, Kaito." This, though, was a lie. No, she didn't like being around people like this. And Mae was not great at lying sober. She turned away so he would see even less of her face. "Sometimes, the whiskey shuts them up," she murmured, an afterthought. "It lets me forget all the pain I've caused. And even the cheap whiskey, I can't afford that. No, it's easier to have people pay for me. Makes me feel less pathetic, I guess."
When Mae looked up she seemed surprised, as if she hadn't noticed she had been talking. Her visible cheek colored and she turned away, in time for a new glass to appear before her. She downed it in one gulp. She didn't seem inclined to say much else.
His cheeks to he'd pink for a moment, then he sighed slightly. "I'm sorry of that offended you. You just don't seem very comfortable here, that's all." He said quietly, downing his drink slowly. He didnt doubt her words, but he hoped that she wouldn't actually kill anyone here. There had been more than enough death on the road there. Still, her words bothered him slightly. Now he felt as if, though she was obviously far different than him, they shared some common ground. At least with trying to forget pain he's left behind. With a sigh, he didnt pursue the topic, as he had quickly caught her look or surprise. He wouldn't bring it up.
For a while, it was quiet between them, him refraining from asking questions and her inclination being towards drinking more than talking. His eyes wandered the room, and he visibly flinched, and turned back to the bar as his eyes landed on one corner of the room. His cheeks looked red, and if you looked, you'd see what had made him look so embarrassed. There was a couple in one corner, who were quite passionately making out. Their hands were all over each other, and their tops were rather loose, the girls giving anyone who looked an eyeful of her chest. Kaito looked at Mae, then set a few coins down. "Here." He mumbled, looking for flustered as sounds became audible from the corner. "Pay for some more if you'd like, I'm, going upstairs." He said, handing her a few more coins to pay for some more drinks before leaving the bar.
Mae was thankful for the silence between them. The whiskey was already working to quiet her demons and as she downed a third glass the corners of her sight were getting slightly foggy. She was trying hard to think of nothing, to let the thoughts that were threatening her pass as they pleased. But then she remembered she was not alone, and she looked up to see Kaito leaving, clearly flustered. She turned to the corner of the room and saw the couple. Why was he so embarrassed about a couple? But as Kaito left Mae began to smirk. This information could be quite useful later.
She took up the coins and was about to order another drink when she shook her head. Three would do it. Three would get her tipsy without getting her wasted. So she paid for the drinks she'd already had and went upstairs to find Kaito. She called his name, wondering if the second room he'd paid for was for her or Resham. She didn't really need a room, had already rested before setting out, but she figured drinking so soon after she'd woken probably wasn't the best idea. Maybe a nap would do her some good. Still, she lingered at the stairs, wondering which room Kaito had gone in, and how she'd be able to use his phobia to her advantage.
Kaito heard her calling, and opened the door to the room he was sharing with Resham. He saw her, and exited his room, closing it carefully behind him. His cheeks were back to normal, and he looked at her calmly. "My apologies. I forgot to tell you about our arrangements." He bowed slightly, in an apologetic manner. "I got you a room, though you may decide not to use it. Here, its this one." He said, pulling out a key, and walking down the hall a bit, opening the door for her. "Resham is asleep, and I need some rest too. I'm not sure if you need rest at the moment, but I got it just in case." He spoke softly, looking at her hooded figure.
She looked to the room, a small frown on her lips. "Oh," she murmured. If he was headed to bed already, that would mean she wouldn't be able to find out more about the two until morning. She wasn't tired; she had just woken before they set off after all, and she did most of her traveling at night. But to head out again would be unappreciative of Kaito's offer. When was the last time she had slept in a real bed? So she bowed her gratitude and entered the room, closing the door softly behind her.
The room wasn't anything special, but to her, it was better than she could have imagined. Mae had long been sleeping outside, and the warmth of the room blanketed her. She fell onto the bed and sighed. It was so soft. She buried herself in its blankets and just lay there for a few minutes. When she got up, her eyes rested on a door in the room. It was smaller than the one that led to the hall. On the other side was a bath, a real bath. Mae could not undress quickly enough as she excitedly got into the tub. She had been bathing in rivers and lakes for too long; this was a real bath.
Once she was finished with her bath she wrapped herself in a towel and set her clothes aside to wash those, too. Before she did, however, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. The large grey mark that covered much of her skin kept her from seeing any sign of beauty in the mirror pane. She soon turned away and moved to brush her hair. Dully she wondered if Kaito was still awake, and how he would accept her in her current form, in just a towel. The thought made her smirk.
Kaito smiled, leaving her the key to do as she wished. Leaving the room, he walked quietly back to his, opening the door a bare crack, then closing it firmly behind him. Sighing, he went to Reshams side, and looked at the sleeping boy, gently brushing the hair from his face. He was disturbed by what her saw.
The emblem that looked almost carved into his flesh, or at least part of it, was glowing a faint gold. It was mostly hidden by his hair, but the skin around it gleamed faintly with sweat. His skin was slightly feverish, making him curse softly. "It's getting worse." He murmured, covering the mark with hair once again. Worry set in, and he sighed softly. Anything that might help him, it was with Mah La. Cursing softly, he stood, closed the door and locked it, and ran down the hall, his foot steps louder than usual. He had barely reached the stairs when he once again cursed softly, realizing he had left his coin purse in his room. He if he would need to fork over a few coins for bringing in the stuff he would need, but it was better safe than sorry. He turned, and began walking back, trying not to disturb anyone by running again.
There was running outside the door. Mae was still for a while, trying to take in the footfalls. They were a man's, the same man she had been traveling with just hours before. "Kaito?" she murmured softly, getting up and walking to the door. But her clothes were in the bathing room, and the towel showed more of her body than her clothes ever would. Though she didn't mind terribly, she wondered what perverts would be about, and who would gawk at her form. Figuring Kaito's expression would be worth it, she opened the door and stepped outside.
"Kaito?" She was standing in the door frame of her room, watching the man run about. Her wet hair did a poor job of covering her scar, but she hardly seemed to notice. Unclothed, he'd be able to see the curves to her body, the slight tug of her malnourished muscles, her too-thin figure. This she was unembarrassed of, a lot less embarrassed than she knew he'd be. As she saw him running her look soon turned to one of confusion. "Is everything alright?" she asked him. "Is Resham okay? Are you?"
He blinked, looking up as he heard his name. For a moment, he just stood, looking confused, his mind not quite comprehending what his eyes were telling him. Then, after a second, his face exploded into a bright shade of red. Stammering unintelligibly, he adverted his eyes, covered them, and backed into the wall behind him. "U-U-Uh, p-put some clothes on!" He stuttered, the tips of his ears turning red. "I-It's indecent to be, w-walking around like, t-that." He managed, a little softer this time. Still, his mind was nagging him about how thin she seemed to be. Well, the part that could think at least. Most of it was on the blink from seeing a woman with so little on.
Bookmarks