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 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...]

[encored]

[HE DOESN'T LIKE THIS PROGRAM can't they switch to sea life or something

he's also becoming aware of the fact that he should not be talking to her when he's in a frazzled state, considering she can already read him well when he's in a calm one.]

If you don't want it, don't ask for it. [because what she asked him to repeat totally equates to licking the soles of someone's shoes to him...!]

Now let me spell things out for you then, since it seems you've lost track of your own request. I have no desire to repeat what you said, I have no interest in learning your convoluted reasons for doing anything you do, including this, so it would be better for all involved if you shut your mouth and carry on with your day. [he will stand here... until this wears off... HE'S DONE IT BEFORE HE CAN DO IT AGAIN. at least he's got a book on him this time, small miracles]

[ex_seventh238]

[no deal with it]

I wonder just who's lost what here, really... [she quietly hums to herself.]

Did you desire to take part in the experiments, then? [keep trying, charles, while ciel starts to balance herself back and forth on the sole of her feet, while stretching her skill of thinning out your already nonexistent patience to levels like none other has ever seen before!]

[encored]

[worst the worst

THIS IS REALLY STRETCHING IT, THOUGH. she sure does make an art form out of the act of rubbing salt into raw wounds... he's visibly upset by the question even if it only lasts for a fraction of a second, sandwiched as it is between shock and a brand new level of anger. for all of the times he teases other people about bursting blood vessels, he sure does appear to be the most at risk.

he raises a hand, but it's only to rest his fingers against his chin as he leans forward just barely. the barbs on the tip of his tongue are kept in check as well, since he'd rather not drag out the conversation.]

If you have a point to all of this, get to it already.

[ex_seventh238]

[she was ready to go further, too. If he didn't, then shouldn't he be used to this by now, to be put down? Against his wishes, in a position of helplessness?

...

Actually, she's still willing to say that much to his face. She WILL do so, if he's going to keep running the same circles around her as they already have been. She can get quite merciless, when the situation calls for it.]

It's no use for me to be direct if you'll just keep denying everything anyway, Charles. If I get to it, are you going to hide from it again?

[The smile's vanished, at least, and he's being fixed with sober and ice-clear cyan eyes.]

[encored]

[being used to it is one thing, but he has it in his head that he's able to remain disdainful regardless. in fact, he isn't as used to feelings of helplessness or people going against his wishes as she might think. there's Solomon and his elder brothers, of course, but Van was an artful manipulator who handled his time as the head of the D-67 experiments so well that Charles, fueled by his own tendency to view reality in a distorted way, became used to freedom of choice that never actually existed.

naturally, then, he would react to Ciel's particular methods here in an adverse way. for all intents and purposes, the people he immediately equates "position of helplessness" with are the chevalier who pinned his hands to his side in the first place.]

You're not leaving me much choice, are you? As much as my ears would love to have a break from your voice, you're undoubtedly prepared to spout unrelated nonsense until I vomit.

[ex_seventh238]

[But in the end, doesn't that make it worse? Legitimately not being aware of your own powerlessness, and mistaking it for freedom and choice in turn. That sort of double-bind misconception...

For one who'd so easily believe that blissful ignorance is better than bitter truth, this is one instance where even as an observer, she can't accept the ways as it has been as is, for him.]

There's only so much I can do if you insist to choose on looking at drinking water like acid, and vice versa. Do you plan to stay rooted in denial and turn away from the truth until you die for good, Charles?

[There's that unusually hard glint in her eyes again, something he might've caught sight of earlier in the day.]

[encored]

[more of a brick wall than usual, he doesn't appear alarmed despite the fact that he would definitely be on the losing side if this conflict escalated to a physical level. she might note that his lack of reaction to that indicates a lack of listening on a whole; he definitely isn't the most grateful captive audience...]

Considering that isn't something I have to worry about in the first place, I don't see what concern it is of yours. I don't see why any of this is a concern of yours, to be frank. [he laces his fingers behind his back and leans forward further still, voice dropping into deceptive softness.]

But I do enjoy how you talk of the truth as if you know every nuance of the piece. Go on, then. Tell me what it is I'm turning away from. I'm dying to hear the grand truth that you're salivating to unveil. Or would you prefer to lord it over me, this profound knowledge of yours? To sit there shaking your head, whining about dead ends and poor, pitiable creatures who just don't understand. [and suddenly a smile WOW he's all over the emotional map today huh]

You know, if I didn't know any better, I might have assumed that you get quite the thrill out of this.

[ex_seventh238]

[she really is dealing with a huge brat

where does he get all these excuses

where does she get all this patience

ah, but okay. If he wants to play it that way...

She'll stand back up straight, step up, and




deliver a clean crack of a slap with the palm of her hand across his left cheek.

It's a normal hit. Probably strong enough to have him tilt his head aside if he really had his guard down, and possibly leave a faint red mark. It's what it'd do on any ordinary person, but not much beyond that.

She's in his range now, but she doesn't move away. There's only her piercingly sharp gaze staring down at him in, burning intensely but also quietly in a light blue flame.

"Really, Charles? Really?"

And whether he realizes it immediately or not, the Key that held him down in place would've also vanished at the exact moment of impact. There's only a single page from some book behind him now, an irregular rectangle of white on the concrete gray sidewalk.]

1/2

[encored]

[endless wells of excuses probably aren't very useful in the long run... or short run...

but CONGRATS Ciel has now officially taken the distinguished title of "second person in all of Mayfield to ever slap Charles" and one of the very, very few to ever manage it.

he doesn't notice the absence of the Key yet, too stunned by the unexpected action to do more than right his head and stare. the faint redness on his cheek fades almost as quickly as it had shown, but it's the insult behind the act - something one would respond to a misbehaving child with - that lingers.]

2/2

[encored]

[and the Key's absence is left unnoticed for the time being. now that she's in range, he doesn't need to move his feet in order to reach out and grab hold of the collar of her shirt, as long as she makes no move to back away.

he won't be swinging at her yet, but using any leverage from whatever hold he can manage in order to bring her closer; a gesture he's very much at home with considering how often he's used it in the past.]

What? What? What is it that you want from me-?! [the softness in his voice is gone, replaced with a sharp waver that sounds like he's on the verge of laughing. wolfish grins and toothy scowls do have an uncanny resemblance...]

[ex_seventh238]

[She doesn't move. He can pull her forward like a rag doll too, if he wishes. His grip finds solid purchase, meeting no resistance.

OH GOODIE she's racking up all the honors today who was the first btw...

She doesn't respond, but the look in her eyes remains unflinching. Almost as if asking 'what do YOU think?' That is, if Charles' brain doesn't distort it to a meaning like 'does it matter? You clearly don't have it' or something similar.]

[encored]

[yes SO MANY AWARDS FOR HER... it was also Vietnam wow that was a crazy day

of course he isn't going to interpret her look properly like this... he misinterprets what she means on a regular basis anyway, trying to determine things from behind a fog of unnecessary anger makes things even more difficult]

Well? [if she's going to put up the amount of resistance equivalent to a rag doll, he's going to shake her like one.]

[ex_seventh238]

[oh


your not!mother figures charles............

The shaking isn't very effective, even if he does rattle her like one... Neither does it stop her from breathing out calmly, it would seem, or for her eyelids to droop a little as if it was completely natural.]

You don't have it yet.

[Surely cryptic answers must help in a situation like this--!!

...No okay, she knows it won't. But she does say what she believes to be the truth, she just doesn't really mind if the inability to understand what she means will just serve to rile him further up instead. Maybe he does need to get this out, somehow. So through any means possible, well...

Here we are, huh?]

[encored]

[what would he do without them

but he's about one cryptic answer away from punching her at this rate!! frustration isn't a good friend to have okay and everything she's done up to this point he's either mildly disagreed with at best or wanted to disembowel her over at worst. the fact that he hasn't tried gutting her yet is a pretty stark sign in and of itself of how far he's come on fixing that particular vice.]

I don't have what yet? An endless supply of patience to deal with your bullshit? The refined ability to completely tune out persistent gnats? A baseball glove? The list could be endless with all of the leaps in logic you make. [...so he might not be set on disemboweling anyone right now, but he does tug her closer to his level with a little more force than necessary.]

[ex_seventh238]

[She closes her eyes with a quiet sigh.]

Your self-restraint has improved, at least, even though it ironically only comes into effect during situations where it doesn't need to. [He may not catch that immediately as an indirect admission to 'you can hit/punch/gut me you know'.] You wanted to head back, right? Perhaps you should retire for the day and think about it on your own. Narrow down the feelings that upset you, and make a legitimate attempt to explain to yourself why it's happening instead of shoving it aside and keep ignoring it altogether. ...Or would that also be too much to ask of you?

[Same old indifference to his open display of violence... You punched out her heart once and she got back up with a smile, what makes you think anything else you do to her will bring about a different result...]

[encored]

[at this point it isn't about what reaction he'll get from her so much as what actions will be comforting to himself. flinging people around and punching their hearts out just happens to top that list...

his eyes narrow at the first comment as well since he does catch what he thinks is the indirect admission in it, but instead of hearing "you can hit/punch/gut me you know" he hears "EVEN IF YOU TRIED IT WOULDN'T WORK/MATTER". he's just on a roll today!!]

Oh, you won't pin me to a roof again to ensure that I do? I'm a little surprised. It seems your opinion of me has risen phenomenally since that day. [if he packed any more sarcasm into his voice it'd probably loop back around to being honest again.]

[ex_seventh238]

[what are they even doing anymore


nope enjoy your flat response]

I'm worried, to be honest. It's going to be high noon soon, and it would be most tragic if you were to suddenly wilt or turn into ash in front of me due to sentimentalities or sunlight overexposure.

[she can keep up with that.]

[encored]

[no one knows....]

Ah, yes, the dreaded sun. I'm beginning to feel faint already. You had better bring a priest to read my last rites before it's too late. [and with that he'll release his grip on Ciel by attempting to fling her to one side. NO GUTTING TODAY, APPARENTLY...! he's content enough, having realised a few seconds earlier when his heel lifted that his feet weren't anchored solidly anymore.]

[ex_seventh238]

Oh, I'm sure Father Nightroad would rush to your rescue. Should I go call him now?

[BUT WAIT...]

[encored]

[NO WAITING ONLY EXITING STAGE LEFT]

I said a priest, not a vacuum.