true frans don't need permission to break into each other's places!! ...wait

[ex_seventh238]

Who: Ciel and Charles
What: Charles' house looked weird from her stalking angle for a while now so Ciel just decided to go ahead and break in gets a surprise housecall that he wasn't supposed to know about!! Shenanigans ensue, alas.
Where: 767 Bunker Street
When: Oct. 19th, ridiculous hour in the morning like at 2AM
Warnings: Possible spoilers for Tsukihime/Blood+, also casual talk of gore... will update this as needed!

[Not that Charles has been acting particularly suspicious of late, no. If anything, Ciel can honestly say that the babby bat's temperament has been improving. She'd know, with how much time she spends around the Chiropteran even if they're not remotely close in living together... How did this even happen.

BUT! What's essential is that for a while now, he seems to act... not quite as he used to, back at his place. NOT that Ciel actually keeps an active watch all the time to his house, but woman's intuition + her inherent passive perception + predisposed mama henbear instinct + legit stalking has tipped her off to something unusual. ...Which coincides with around the time when Charles confirmed to her that he's traded Horace back at the post office, come to think of it!! He never DID tell her what he received in return, though there has been another few rounds of regains distributed since also, if she recalls correctly.

Either way, it's been something at the back of her mind for a while now, even if she's never given any serious thought to act upon the desire to investigate... Until now, apparently, when she just so happens to pass by during her usual patrol at ungodly hours. Ciel's no amateur at this, specializing in stealth and well deserving of her true profession and title of 'agent', so even if there are non-drone members within the household, she ought to be quiet and discreet enough to slip in by a window completely unnoticed. This theoretically shouldn't take long, she's just wondering if there's anything noteworthy in the house! That means checking the basement would be top priority, buuut she should be able to afford a side trip or two in the living room/study... Charles is out now, probably for his usual midnight stroll, so it should be fine, no worries!~

...Except when have things ever gone to plan, huh. Time is definitely going to end up passing faster than she'd expected, after coming across a certain discovery that she definitely couldn't have guessed. Now when is Charles coming home, she might just need to ask him about this in person, even if she has initially planned for him to NOT find out about her impromptu break-in...]

Comments

[ex_seventh238]

[You suck, Charles. You're a weak coward who can't live up to what he preaches, an emotional trainwreck that crashes into everything ever because you have no idea what to do when you get overwhelmed by matters you can't control. You're an incorrigible hypocrite who continuously denies what's right in front of him, who inflicts on others the very wounds you still carry with you to this very day.

...

But in the end, doesn't that just make the boy who keeps to himself beneath this weight all the more helpless and vulnerable? His scars is easy to see, but he himself won't acknowledge it no matter what comes his way.

What's painful and frustrating?

Not knowing your weakness and mistaking it for strength.

...Mm. Maybe, that's the reason. Why she can never leave someone so exasperatingly foolish alone.

Oh, she'll take the forlorn look up straight. Actually, she'll never stop looking directly at 06, and even as the Post Officer is taking the boy into the back, she'll be smiling softly and waving him off as if they'll see each other again tomorrow. Her stance and expression are flawless: the perfect image of a cheerful goodbye; there's not a trace of regret, anger, sorrow, or anything in between.

Goodbye.]

[encored]

[got it in one, but if he were actually self-aware enough to realise it, he'd probably not be much better off for it. his arsenal of coping mechanisms is improving slightly, but there's a lot of catching up to do and a fair number of latent issues he won't ever feasibly be able to bridge.

he'll be leaving her to say all the good-byes since it's not like 06 ever looks toward him and he has no desire to watch the wretched thing be taken away, either. package in hand and papers on the counter, he turns away to head back through the front door, tugging impatiently at the strings securing the parcel shut as he walks. his focused attention is a little more forced than the "out of sight, out of mind" attitude he held earlier, at first. but when the title of the book in the package comes into view (glad as he is that it is a book and not something less savory), he hesitates for a fraction of a second.

Das Nachtpfauenauge. it would be something like that.]

What kind of unfair treatment is this? Everything I've gotten from this miserable place is absolutely useless. I know I have some books left that I wouldn't mind re-reading. [more of a mumble to himself than anything, though he at least manages to sound genuinely irritated rather than upset as he folds the packaging paper back over.]

[ex_seventh238]

[He needs another year or century under the wing of a mama henbear, clearly. Until then, UNTIL THEN...

Anyway. That done, she easily steps aside to turn around and leave the Post Office, her steps light and effortless as the door closes behind them both after the sweep of her robes.]

Why don't you go back on writing your own? Weren't you working on a play, too? [Idly scratching the side of her cheek as she catches up... Wow nothing significant sure happened today, now has it]

[encored]

[this will sadly have to count as progress until then.....

sure is same old same old here though, wow. he's kind of grateful for it! as grateful as someone in his current state can be, at least.]

I wasn't, and my writing has no impact on the things that I receive back regardless. It won't solve the dreadful selection I've so far been presented with. [with a wrinkled nose, he waves the opened package around idly.] I'd rather have a chair or some drapes back, at this rate.

[ex_seventh238]

[only you, charles. ONLY YOU... shakes head]

You seem awfully preoccupied with things that you can't change. After all, books are just for reading other people's wor(l)ds and their stories, it's not like you can impact those in any way. Why not do something active for a change where you can choose to do as you like? I'd rather cook and sew than spend too much time reading or watching stuff because of that, personally.

[Peering over his shoulder to try catching the title if he's going to wave it around like that... Back to the usual everyday, it is!]

[encored]

[she'll be able to catch part of it since he hasn't covered it back up completely. a pretty unlikely book for him to have, but it does hint at how vast the library he owns is. why he expects he'll actually get a book he really enjoys out of all the ones he has is anyone's guess...]

The arts wouldn't be a very flourishing field at all if everyone held an opinion like that, you know. I do enjoy my share of performing, but there's nothing wrong with being a member of the audience every now and then, either. [also he's lazy but does he really need to say that]

[ex_seventh238]

[--oh that...

...

man she wishes she didn't recognize it

she wishes

but residual memories left by a soul that made a hollow shell out of your once complete self can be a bitch sometimes, too...

but nope, not going to stay there. n o p e. Tucking the title away for future reference, but she's not really in the mood to think about it now.]

Doing something isn't just limited to arts, Charles. Your concert went by really well, you know? When was the last time you met with Cain? How about calling him up for more practice today? [that too

you'll get fat at this rate, babby bat...]

[encored]

[TWO-IN-ONE GIFT RIGHT HERE... good thing they have a deluxe combo going between the two of them, what with Ciel hiding things extremely well and Charles not caring enough to pay attention.]

I don't feel like it. I'm going back to my house for the day. [to sit around getting fat, yes.]

[ex_seventh238]

[these two champions are going to places

--ah nope catching up to him, running if she has to!! while her hands are linked behind her back, what a girlish sprint she's got there]

How about you spend some time outside, then? Like doing some physical activities, play a sport, or something like that. Don't tell me you're not fit, Charles.

[bother bother bother bother--

--THAT IS, he's just going to sulk alone if he goes home now, isn't he. This is a thing that has very high odds of happening, according to her foresight! AND SO TO TRY STOPPING THAT...]

[encored]

[IT'S TRUE, SHE KNOWS HIM SO WELL. granted it's not difficult to pick up on his pattern of sulking alone since he does it so often...]

It isn't possible for me to be anything but fit. [all the wrong people get immortality, more like all the wrong people get the ability to be a lazy fattydingdong without suffering any repercussions.] I'll have to decline, thank you. [SPEEDING UP HIS PACE... he's had more than enough shenanigans for the day, his old man self is all tuckered out!!]

[ex_seventh238]

Then what's wrong with stretching your body once in a while? I bet you never do any running around because you're cooped up inside all the time. [follows

and nope it's not his imagination if he feels like he's not losing her at all]

Do you swim? There's the pool at the Rec Center. We are in October though, so it's gotten cold, hm... How about basketball? There's an interior ring at the high school. Or maybe softball? Your drone father must've definitely kept a ball and a glove somewhere in the house, too! There are a lot of options, you know.

[nope his old man self will never escape, so many moreshenanigans can still be had]

[encored]

I'll stretch when the urge strikes, and I haven't much of an interest in sports to begin with. [he spends so much time not moving around... so much.....

and he is not surprised at all that he's not losing her, he's just trying to get to his house faster since he can at least find solace in his bedroom once he gets there!! SO CLOSE TO FREEDOM NOW as he turns down his own street.]

[ex_seventh238]

Are you afraid to lose? It's okay, I won't make fun of you if that happens. How about we bet something, too? It's true that you tend to be lazy unless given the right motivations.

[CONTINUES TAILING... what an insistent meddler you've got on your back, poor charles]

[encored]

I'd rather make a bet over something I actually care about, which isn't baseball, basketball, swimming or any other variety of sport you could think of. [SURPRISINGLY DIFFICULT TO BAIT TODAY

or not surprising at all given how horribly stubborn he can be about A) sticking to things once he's got his mind set on it and B) taking advantage of all the sitting-alone-in-the-dark time he can manage.]

We could play hide and seek if you'd like. I'll start counting as soon as I reach my porch.

[ex_seventh238]

[he sure is committed to that block in his schedule

something on the line of

10AM~12PM: Sulk in my room before lunch]

Don't be silly. Knowing you, that's just an excuse to go back brooding on your own. If that's really what you want to do, why not tell me so? Turn around, look at me in the eyes, and say "Miss Ciel, please leave me alone. I want to spend the rest of the day sulking all this gloom that I can't deal with by myself." What if I left you then?

[Final Gambit:

See if he's willing to swallow his own pride over this

and if we're close to his house now?

Don't mind her falling back on cheap tactics by grounding him to cement with a ninja Black Key again. We ARE approaching noon when the sun is at its peak, that'll help.]

[encored]

[a solid block of angst a day keeps the doctor away...! or something... #how well-known phrases would sound if Charles coined all of them.

anyway of course he isn't going to swallow his pride enough to say something like that. like he has a high tolerance for this sort of thing to begin with... in this state it takes him zero seconds flat to go from apathetic to absolutely furious, and he's baring his teeth habitually when he turns to look at her.]

That can't possibly be enough! Why, if you're going so far as to request that of me, shouldn't you ask me to grovel on my knees as well? Surely you must be after something more than a degrading statement, or you wouldn't be lingering like dog shit at my heels. [TALK ABOUT AN OVERREACTION.... there goes his attempt at returning home with his game face intact.]

[ex_seventh238]

[charles how would that ever even work in ANY WAY WHATSOEVER

well at least her final gambit snapped him out of apathy... even if it's... absolute fury...

(did we mention that we have winners all around here because that seems like something that should be re-stated)

while ciel maintains HER small smile of a pokerface, she's too good at this for anyone's good...]

There is no point in asking something like that from you, but that's a good question. What do you think I'm after, Charles?

[encored]

[it wouldn't much like almost everything else he does

winners winning at life right here, making a scene in front of his house and all. it's a good thing his lovely neighbor nena isn't still around, or anyone he actually cares about for that matter. having your feet pinned to the ground is not a situation that boosts egos!!]

How should I know? I don't make a habit of trying to view the world through the eyes of blood bags. [he really doesn't know though.... Charles why...]

[ex_seventh238]

Are you too angry to think straight, Charles?

[Calmly said while she begins to slowly walk towards him. It IS just as good that no one is around, huh. She doesn't want the blood of more than one person to be spilled here, if a big scene really can't be avoided.]

[encored]

[regardless of what he knows she's capable of, he'll be... well, standing his ground for one, since he can't do anything but right now. thank you so much, shadow-pinning swords.....]

My answers aren't the problem, your moronic questions are.

[ex_seventh238]

[you can move your arms...

She'll keep closing in.]

That's not an answer, that's an excuse.

[encored]

[yes but what would he do, windmill them or try to tip her over if she got too close... that's not at all befitting of someone trying to appear menacing!! not that he could achieve that even on his best days, but it sure won't stop him from trying...! in the meantime he stands rigidly, hands balled into fists at his sides.]

I don't care what you believe it is, unless your thick skull prevented you from understanding that the first ten times I let it be known.

[ex_seventh238]

Geez, still with that...

[Stopping right outside of his reach (normal arms, that is - he can probably get to her if he transformed), she'll lean over and rest both her hands on her knees. That makes her look like she's got her guard completely down, naturally.]

So, will you say it? I meant it, you know.

[encored]

If you're looking for groveling, look somewhere else. I won't give you what you want. [so his answer is essentially NOPE.PNG...

he doesn't appear to be at all inclined to take advantage of the fact that she seems off guard as well, since he's paranoid as all get-out right now and 100% convinced that this is all part of some ridiculous elaborate scheme to humiliate him in multiple ways. he doesn't know how, but it's clearly already been put into motion since he's never walked away from one of these situations with his pride entirely in one piece.]

[ex_seventh238]

Do I really need to repeat myself, Charles? You can be pretty dense sometimes, but it's usually not that bad. [a beat.] Then again, I suppose it's not wholly unexpected... Anyway, I've said it before. I don't want that sort of thing from you, but you won't shut up about it. What's so fascinating about groveling?

[SURE IT IS... In that case, enjoy sitting there continuing to ride the mystery program, Charles...]