synflux | [open/closed] i must be the only one to dance this beautiful dance

["Can you wait for me?"

She listened quietly as he speaks and that question might as well shot a hole through her chest like it's a weapon. How many times has she heard that question? That request for patience, in which it has been drained out of her system for a long time now. People told her to wait during her periods of begging, Sonya telling her to wait for the right moment to cut down the upper class and bring equality in their Backstreets. How long does she have to wait? A few days? A week or two? Months or years? Is LILITH going to keep them around long enough? What if she goes back before she got an answer? What if Yuwon goes back to his tower before he gave his answer?

She opens her mouth yet closes it, her fingers slowly trailing down Yuwon's cheeks as she takes her hands off of him.]

It's always complicated. [Her eyes gaze downward as her hands move over on top of Yuwon's hands, slowly taking hold of them to pull them away from her face. She would tell him to not think about the tower, why care about it yet at the same time... It's not really appropriate. Yuwon made his decisions. She has to respect that.]

I'll wait, but... [She stops there. Due to her past, her hope is very small since she has been burned in the past. It still exists, at least.] Anyways, go rest up. I'll get out of your hair.

[She pulls herself back on her feet, brushing off the wrinkles of her dress before she turns around towards the door. She's taking her time in case he has something else to say, so she is lingering around.]

[ naturally, he has no insight into the nature of his own question, or how that translated to her life. at the same time, when he sees the way in which she simply just listens to him, it evokes a clear feeling within him. he doesn't regret his words, but he does seem to comprehend the unintentional weight behind them for the first time. it's in this that he also realizes that while centuries were a common life span for a ranker, and while people tended to live fairly long lives within the tower— he could see that this could have potentially warped his own perception of time. of what it meant to be patient.

when she replies back, and he feels her hands pull his own away from her, he isn't sure how he feels. his own expression remains unreadable as always,

and in this moment he's a bit grateful for it.

"but"—

he seems to still be deliberating over what she wanted to say. while she takes her time to leave, he looks at the place she had stood moments before. ] It won't be long.

[ once again, he isn't sure if that's irresponsible of him to state knowing he has no concept of what constituted as long or short for her, but it's something he says anyway. perhaps, it may have been closest to the least calculated action he's took so far. ]

I'll see you tomorrow. [ he adds quietly. unlike in the tower, he couldn't simply ascend further and away without anyone's notice. ... and maybe, it's become that much more routine here for him to see her on the regular. in his life of being an orphan, it's a luxury he's never really thought of. or rather, it felt so natural for him to build so many walls in order to avoid unnecessary contact, and yet who knew even he could grow closer to someone here. ]

[ While massages are great, Sooyoung has come across a place that feels perfect to hang out with Rodya, namely the Arctic Ice Room in one of the spa facilities. Sitting in a bathrobe when fake snowflakes are twirling around the room feels a little odd, but it's definitely better than dealing with the heat in the desert. While the air is chilly, it doesn't take Sooyoung more than a few minutes to get used to it. ]

Maybe someone could copy the idea and build a room like this in Neo Tokyo... we could use more spas there in general.

[ She's here to learn if Rodya has stepped on Yuwon yet... but that cannot be the first thing she asks, right. ]

[She stops at the door as soon as he said that comment. She doesn't look at him as her hand rests against the door. She... literally cannot show her face to him, not right now. It's more vulnerable than earlier, way more than ever before. That if she looked at him back, she might fall apart.]

Sorry... I can't believe those words until I see it happen. [...] I will see you tomorrow.

[And she leaves without looking back.
Perhaps this is the reality between them: forever surrounded by their own walls.
Perhaps this is the reality she is never escape from: forever surrounded by ice, living and watching the world while she yearns for a relief from this cold.]

[She would never expected ice or cold spas since not a lot of people are a fan of the cold. Some would prefer heat over it or the perfect middle ground, but this? It's perfect. The fake snowfall puts a sense of nostalgia in her, reminded of the calm nights in her home town. She is comfy in her bathrobe and her hair has been put up in a lazy bun.]

Right, right~ I bet if we find the right guy with the money and space, they can make it happen.

[Girl, the things with Yuwon that happened before Vegas... She is keeping most things to herself as always, but who knows, Sooyoung could get lucky.]

What else is on your agenda while we are here? Lots of fun stuff to do around here~

Why not?! No road laws out here! I ain't going to flip us over, don't worry-!

[Hopefully they hit a kaiju or something.]

I'll slow down once something stands out from the sand! We got a lot of ground to cover so we better go quick~

It's aaaall about body language, sweetie.

[She gets a quiet response in once she is able to yet she is behaving to the manners of the poker table. Can't act out of line or the casino staff might get involved. There is only a couple of gentlemen playing with her along with the dealer at this table, so there is room for Malkuth to observe as long as she doesn't interrupt the game.]

Sometimes you get unlucky with your draws, but you can try to make something out of it. You can't let the other guys know though- Eyes are always on the move and on every detail at the table.

[It was time to flip and with one gentleman already folding, the other revealed his hand along with Rodya's and the dealer gave her a small point to declare the winner before collecting the cards and adding Kryptos to her balance.]

Hehe~ Luck may be involved, but confidence still goes a long way.

[Just because we went to Vegas does not mean you cannot escape the spa day, Vergilius.

It kind of... works out because there is a group of elderly women in charge of one of the hotel spas and they have been hustling to bring people in, no matter who you are or what you are doing. Their services are actually very high quality, Rodya is impressed as she is getting her nails done. She turns to whatever her boss is since he did get dragged in here with her.]

Hey, Vergil! You still here or did you sneak out on me?

[Like the old ladies would let anyone escape without getting rest and care.]

Like what? The least you can do is follow the other cars? Don't even think of getting us lost in the middle of nowhere!

[ GIRL we're practically in the outskirts?? hello???? ]

Just... ugh. [ she reaches over to fiddle with the GPS system, checking the map and stuff... ] Here. You can drive us safely to this rest stop, right?

[ hunter went in to the malls out of curiousity, but now quickly finds himself regretting his life choices. even though he could probably use fashion help ]

This is a waste of time...

[ hunter grumbles, but he sticks with rodya, no matter where she drags him to. she can probably foist her bags off on him too ]

Or we could use someone's room at the base for this. [ This is clearly one of those 'easier said than done' things, but is that enough to stop Sooyoung? No. ] Or just break into an empty one.

[ That's not as fun, though. ]

Hmm, hitting the casino is an obvious one... maybe some attractions. Not sure if I should rush it or not, maybe we'll get to travel here again if they figured out how to wrap us from one place to another. They better figure out a way to get us to Neo Seoul or whatever the name for it is now.

[ In the meantime, she can pester Yuwon to introduce Rodya to kdramas. ]

... Confidence I have, but I don't know about the rest of that.

[ bluffing isn't her strong point. she wears her heart on her sleeve, and her impressions on her face. like now, where she's sheepish in her smile. the gentlemen know an easy mark when they see one too. eyeing her up as the dealer starts a new round, clearly intent on asking rodya to give the newborn fawn behind her a shot-- ]

I guess it couldn't hurt to give it a shot sometime though! I'm pretty dried out thanks to the slots, but it does look like a lot of fun.

[ -- good entry point. one of the guys offers up to lay down a bet with his own if she'll join them, grin wide and seemingly friendly as can be. you know, as a show of good will to a newbie to the game. ]

[ despite the conclusion of their last conversation, yuwon remains mostly unchanged in his behaviors and attitude. however, while he dons a similar expression as usual, there is definitely a distinct tension in the air, especially when he's around rodya. this is especially the case now that they've settled into their room for the night.

initially, when he checked in beside her, he didn't think much about the actual details, but when they get their keys and get up to their room... he sees there's only one large bed. while the bed is sizeable and probably won't pose an issue in terms of rest, it is still ... he seems to fall into thought once he places some of their supplies down (assuming, he's carrying them up). even now, he opens up his inventory, and seems to throw a couple of things in, before turning towards her. ]

If you're uncomfortable, I can sleep outside. [ it's not usual for yuwon to practice this sort of consideration, normally he would have simple just acted on what he thought was appropriate without gathering any other opinions or input. but, considering their prior talk, it only felt right to approach this with a bit more delicacy.

maybe he does learn, after all. ]

[It's no lie that there is air around them lately has a type of tension between them. Rodya has been mostly herself all things considered and she is taking it as well as she could when they end up having to share a room together. It's been an eventful day as they are in a brand new city with it's pros and cons. Something is definitely going on with a lot of the locals acting strange and it's definitely going to relate to their next target.

She stares at the lone large bed for a good amount of time before shaking her head at his comment. She might as well set her belongings down in a safe spot, all the new things she gained in Vegas along with some helpful supplies like extra water.]

Nah. Don't bother. [It's their room after all, they can make this work. She is going to help herself by taking a seat on the edge of the bed before falling backwards to lay on her back, staring at the ceiling.] It's comfy! Plus I think it's big enough for both of us. We each get a side and have plenty of space.

[That is only by what she sees, it could be wrong if they both actually get in the bed at the same time.]

If you are really tired, I can go leave and do something while you sleep. It takes me a long time to fall asleep anyways... Might go get a drink or two downstairs.

[She already had a lot of alcohol today, but a strong tolerance along with carrying a lot of burdens does that to you.]

[ while she lays out on the bed, he turns to her, giving a quiet hint of agreement. an invisible nod of his head, considering she's looking up at the ceiling instead of him. once he's packed everything within his inventory, he pulls a jacket out before closing it. while normally he did wear it on and off (mostly during missions), he's currently opted to wearing casual clothes instead. while he's been fine thus far, he presumes the climate may affect her more than it does him and his stats. ]

You don't have to leave if you don't want to. But, if you're going to go out— [ he stands right beside her knees by the bed, placing his garment of the four great elements on top of her and over her body. ] You should wear that. I don't really need it for now.

[ until the actual kaiju fight, he thinks. still, he doesn't really offer any explanation for it for now. he figures she could use while they travel to avoid some of the heat. so he supposes even if she doesn't leave, she could just hold onto it for now. ]

... do you usually have trouble sleeping?

Hm? [She sits up as soon as the jacket fall over her body, holding it up before she tries it on out of curiosity. Yuwon is slightly taller and larger than her, but it still fits pretty well and it's oddly comfortable? Even in the heat heavy climate they are in right now. If Yuwon was hoping deep down for a smile out of her, he got it as soon as she looked at him. There is some tension and a certain wall between them, but it's very thoughtful of him to offer his jacket to her.]

Thanks. How I look in it? Pretty good, right? [She makes a few turns in her body in attempt to model it a little bit.] Even in hot weather, I oddly don't feel a single sweat incoming while wearing it.

[She pauses a little once he asked his question, but she does give him a nod.]

Sometimes. If I get lucky after an exhausting day, I would pass out without problems. [Her eyes glance downwards.] But, yeah... Can't deny that I would lay awake with my thoughts before drifting off to sleep.

[And there is the usual Backstreet dangers that it's hard to sleep since you never know who might be lurking around.]

[Hey, Rodya.]

[Here is an abomination of a sight. A horrible pale face with red eyes rises from the seat next to her and...............it's just Vergilius in a sheet mask.]

[He looks unimpressed.]

I would if I could....

[He actually literally could, but he just knows Rodya will hound him down immediately if he does. Let alone these LADIES.]

It suits you. [ he says easily, clearly finding no reason to mince his response. while it's not exactly filled with an overwhelming amount of energy or anything, it's clear that he means what he says. ] It would have been better if I had my other items, but it should help with the heat.

[ he affirms her observation. he's impressed she could feel the difference out for herself so quickly, and he's a bit relieved that the properties of the items themselves haven't changed. one less thing to worry about, if just because he's never lent anyone any of his items here before. ]

I guess it could be difficult depending on the environment. [ from what he knows of the city, he can comprehend that it probably isn't an easy place to work, live, and sleep in. but, that does also make him wonder: ] Even here?

[ not that he could blame her for still being cautious in an unfamiliar place like this. ]

Hey, anything that helps out is a plus in my book. I have been to some humid and hot places, but a city in a desert is new.

[Like the trash beaches of U Corp and the seas of the Great Lake to name a few. The fire element Abnormalities also may had an impact on their surroundings when she and the others face them in combat.]

I mean, yeah? [A pause.] Don't get me wrong, it's nice to sleep in a proper bed and that helped a lot all things considered. I'm still not immune to restless thoughts and rude awakenings in the middle of the night.

[Nightmares of various 'what if' scenarios, her past replaying in her head like an unending movie. She has gotten used to rarely getting a good night sleep, even here. Alcohol does help a little, but it's not a huge fix. She still sleeps alone with the cold and she accepted it that she will continue to feel like this, even when she yearns for change.]

[ he supposed it was a bit of rare shift in climate, but compared to some floors that felt more akin to walking through an environment of an active volcano, this wasn't too bad. but, at the same time: ] It's not my favorite, either.

[ not that he's against it by any means, either. he crosses his arms over his chest briefly, though it does feel weird to stand up looking down at her, even as she now sits up. hence, he eventually takes a seat at the opposite end of the bed as they continue. ]

Are you saying you didn't have a proper bed back at home? [ it still feels a bit off to use the word "home" when it felt like this place was meant to be theirs, however indefinitely. still, he decides not to ponder on it any longer than he has to. ] But, no matter what, you should try and get six hours. Tonight you just need to concentrate on sleeping. [ with his sensory field, it wasn't difficult for him to keep watch, at least.

but that said, it really does make him wonder what her home was really like. if her room was really that different from her place on base. ]

Yeah. Shocking, I know. You gotta make do with what you got...

[She along with the others in her neighborhood had to get creative with thier limited supplies and resources to combat the cold and try to stay alive. If someone was found dead, folks would try to remove the clothing off of them before the Sweepers get to the body in their nightly routine. If they are not able to be worn due to being cut up, large scraps can be use for blankets while smaller one can be used for bandages or other needs.

Only the wealthy and powerful can respect the dead with graves and slightly kinder actions. Everyone else accepted that death is a daily occurance and they do what they must to live longer, even if they loot corpses as soon as they appear.]

It doesn't matter what time I go to bed or I try my hardest to fall asleep. [She sighs.] It will still take me a while unless I greatly exhaust myself and I pass out quickly.

[No matter what bed she sleeps in, her sleepless nights will continue.]

[ he supposes it's never quite that simple. in the tower, it was a bit easier for most status ailments, as long as it wasn't a legitimate curse, like the curse of knowledge, and other similar conventions of their world. so he seems to nod, as if simply comprehending her, and the idea that maybe there really was no easy solution to the issue. while he could speculate what the real source of it is, he just falls silent temporarily. ]

Should we get you exhausted then? [ he turns to look at her, before a small quirk of his lips. ]

There's no set time for the mission to begin for now, so we may as well take a look together. [ he ends up clarifying, he figures while there wasn't any specific orders, it didn't mean there weren't things to do and see here. plus, he figures it might be good for her to get her mind off of whatever might be on it. ]

[Little did Yuwon know that he is on her mind among the usual thoughts. So the way he suggested that they should get her exhausted without the clarification at first does surprise her a little bit. Yet she feels like she is getting teased and the world laughs at her misery as she continues yearns and craves. Maybe she wants him to exhaust her right here in this bed and she gets a good night sleep by his side!! She wants him yet walls continues to divide them. She continues to wait and it's agony, but it never shows in her face. At least for now it doesn't-]

Well, we don't have to go too far. These hotels are fancy enough to have a little bit of everything. Food, drink, shows, other attractions... Any suggestions?

[Another thought crosses her mind and she frowns a little bit, eyes continue to avoid Yuwon.]

You know, if you are too tired, you don't have to come wander with me.

[It has been a long day of getting familiar with surroundings and waiting for orders from LILITH.]

I can keep myself busy, I am used to it. [ :( ]

Edited 2024-05-28 16:05 (UTC)

[ unfortunately, while yuwon was fairly adept at perceiving other people's relationships and emotions— he was poor at assessing them in regards to himself. hence, he doesn't consider for even a brief second that he factored into her inability to get a good night's rest. he lives in ignorance, and yet, it's true that he was still still avidly seeking out other temporary solutions. you know what they say about the solutions being in front of your face the entire time.

still, when she casts her gaze away, he tilts his head briefly. an invisible question mark drawn in the air, but— ] We can grab something to eat. [ she always did seem genuinely enthused when eating. ... and maybe he does notice that frown.

though, he follows it up with: ] I'm not too tired. I told you before, but I didn't have a lot of downtime back in the tower. If my constitution was this weak, I would be dead by now. [ ... ] You don't have to hold back.

[Well, at least he knows that food will always make her heart flutter, even when her mood is rough like a ship in a stormy sea... Yuwon may not understand what she is feeling right now, but he is suggesting solutions instead of staying silent. There is effort, at least.

An idea does pop in her head so she reaches towards the nightstand drawer and thankfully, it has what she is looking for (among other things.) A digital tablet that is double-screened as if it's a book. Some hotels got room service to order food and since this is a more wealthy hotel, it's like a book of delicious treats. Surprising they still have these things with the growing technology, but maybe some things don't need to change. Keep it old-fashioned.]

How do you feel about staying in here and let the food come to us?

[She messes with the tablet and it opens up a random page to show a page with pictures, a menu along with advertisements of some clubs and there may be a stripper picture there.]

See? We can get comfortable and relax away in this really nice room while folks bring us food and drinks.

[I am giving him a chance to recover from this fumble...]

Edited 2024-05-30 01:29 (UTC)

[open/closed] i must be the only one to dance this beautiful dance

closes my eyes.......

closes mine forever

2spa

one more shotgun blast before we end it here

what the hell i wanna try that irl...

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2 da spa → vergilius

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2b

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wildcard....

ty for feeding me...

stop, that's me to you

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