[MillietheWarrior]

Rosie continually tried to ignore the fact that she was only a few inches from Ijaat, and practically glued to his body. It made thinking a lot more difficult, she came to find, and it made signing even harder. She lifted her hands from the water, ignoring the little droplets that splashed against her cheeks. ‘Ever thought about a different career? Something a lot less dangerous? Why not…be a baker or something? Well, maybe not a baker. You’d probably think that was boring. But just about any career could be a lot less dangerous than being a bounty hunter. Aren’t you afraid? What about your family? Aren’t they afraid for you? I know I would be, if I were them.' She snorted, her ivory brows furrowing slightly as she thought about all the grief his family must go through. If she were them, she’d march off and find him and drag him home, then tie him to a chair to make sure he never did anything as stupid as going after a potentially lethal bounty ever again. But then, that was just her.

After a few moments of bobbing up and down in the water, Rosie relented and sighed; it wasn’t as if she minded being held by him. That small part of her still sighed dreamily at the embrace of a man as handsome as he was, but the more rational side said she couldn’t look too deep into this. He was just holding her above the water so she could talk to him, that was all. The dreamy side was practically flattened with a club in her haste to assure herself that she felt nothing more than a mild intrigue for this man. ‘No, no, it’s fine. And I should thank you for it. Keeping me from drowning and allowing me to talk is very polite, I must agree. If I could talk like you could, things would be so much easier for me. Too bad I’m all defective,’ she joked with an amused tilt of her mouth, eyes crinkling slightly as she moved her head.

His next words, however, made her eyes widen slightly, and despite her better judgment, and the tiny voice that wailed a protest, she pushed away from him and easily slipped from his grasp, her body moving through the water quickly and silently. She hauled herself up onto shore, shivering violently as the cold air hit her skin and soaked clothes. Teacup was instantly at her side, snarling it’s displeasure at the man in the water. Rosie’s teeth were chattering, but it didn’t stop her hands from signing. ‘Oh stop. You know this was a terrible choice and an even worse disaster. It’d probably be much better if you just retrieved your armor and forgot all about me. Trust me; I’m terrible bad luck, as proven by this night. You’d be much, much better off if you forgot this ever happened and went on your merry way. It’s just for the best.’ The best for who? For you, or for him? her inner voice cried angrily, and Rosie stamped it down with an angry fist. No, she wasn’t about to get attached to a stranger…not again. Not this time.

(Sorry if this makes no sense...so tired. XD)

[Flame]

Ijaat couldn’t help but chuckle lightly at Rosie’s inquiry. This was the first time that anyone had ever questioned his profession; then again, he generally didn’t get much opportunity to hold ‘civil conversations’ with people in general. As a bounty hunter, he didn’t exactly come across as being the friendliest of people; everyone seemed to avoid making contact with them in general, usually out of fear. Perhaps that was what he wanted…perhaps it was just what he was used to. Either way, he made no move to socialize with others, and in return, they steered clear of him as much as possible. However, this young woman didn’t seem to have the same inhibitions that held others back. In fact, she was one of the few people (if not the only) who had taken the initiative to treat him like a fellow human being and not a faceless monster to fear and shun.

“Well,” he began slowly, his voice thoughtful as he considered the concept for the first time. “I guess it’s because bounty hunting is what I do best.” He shrugged noncommittally, his gaze drifting away from hers for a moment. “I suppose I’m successful because I excel at it over other people. Then again, I’ve never been taught how to do anything else, so I can’t exactly do a 360° career path change on a whim. Plus, I never came across anything that really made me want to stop travelling and settle down in one place for the rest of my life.” He chuckled again as his gaze returned to Rosie’s upturned face. However, the carefree smile dropped a notch subtly at her next words, the pensive expression once again returning as he paused to consider his reply. “Well…no. I don’t believe they’re all too concerned about me. They can’t really be afraid if they don’t exist in the first place, can they?” His voice was carefully impassive as he spoke, his expression impenetrable. His family had never played much of a role in his life; in fact, he didn’t know their whereabouts, or even if they were dead or alive at this moment in time. He’d grown up alone, and that was how he’d learned to live his life. After all, to a bounty hunter, all attachments were doomed to end in pain and grief, and he’d long since accepted the fact that he would likely live out his life, however long or short, alone.

However, he was jolted out of his own thoughts once again by Rosie’s voice in his mind, and he seemed to focus back on her again, although his expression now seemed a little more contemplative than before, as if he were seeing her in a different light. He couldn’t help but feel appalled at what she said next though; did she really see herself as being defective? Sure, she was a little different from most other people, but that didn’t make her flawed. The fact that anyone would judge a person simply based on whether or not they could speak was a fact that shocked him, and he could feel an unexpected sting of anger at the thought. He had seen almost every side of the human psyche through his years of hunting targets down, so of all people, he knew best that it wasn’t what was on the outside that made the person. Rather, it was what was in their hearts that made a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ person. To be entirely honest, although he’d only known her for a few short hours, Ijaat could easily tell that Rosie had one of the purest, kindest souls he’d come across in his life, and once again, he felt the odd obligation to protect her from the evil in the world that she had unwittingly come across.

Before he had the opportunity to reply though, he was surprised to find her slip out of his arms and push away from him to make her way back to the shore where the irate Rabbot still stood, clearly still less than pleased with him. Ijaat made no move to follow her, sensing that she needed space to herself, although he was confused by her sudden change of heart. Her next words though, stung, although he could not place exactly why. Despite how much he wanted to contradict what she was saying though, part of him said that he couldn’t deny that every word she said was true; it was probably – no, without doubt – best if he were to take his leave now and act as if he had never been here in the first place. After all, who was he to think that he was doing her any good? The truth was, the longer he spent around her, the more danger he put her in despite how much he wanted to protect her.

“Yes,” he finally replied slowly, “that would probably be for the best. After all, being around me couldn’t have any good consequences for you.” He shook his head lightly, seemingly slightly unsure of himself, but determined to do what was best for her. He could not deny the fact that there was nothing more that he wanted than to get to know Rosie better and be able to shield her from the rest of the world, but he knew that the opposite was true. “The longer the time you spend being around me, the more danger I put you in, even though there’s nothing I’d rather do than spend more time with you.” He paused, looking away, for a moment torn between doing what he wanted and what he knew was right. He finally seemed to strengthen his resolve and lifted his gaze back up to Rosie’s face once more, determined. “Perhaps it would be for the best after all if I just left. For the sake of your safety.”


{Hehe, finally kicking my muse back into gear. ^^ Been long enough, huh? But yeah, I apologize if I'm a little rusty...I have a little polishing to do with my RPing skills. I've missed RPing with you so much! <333}

[MillietheWarrior]

Teacup was quite sure that this Ijaat fellow was possibly the worst thing to happen in a few hundred years. All he seemed to be able to do was upset it’s mistress and make her feel bad about herself, something that angered the translating Rabbot. Rosie was the last person on earth who should feel ashamed of who she was. Teacup voiced it’d displeasure by hissing vehemently at the still water-logged Ijaat, and wrapped itself possessively around it’s mistress. The message was quite clear; ‘you are not welcome, and she is mine, not yours.’

Rosie, meanwhile, was either blissfully oblivious to the Rabbot’s display, or was ignoring it altogether. Her gaze was focused on Ijaat, eyes slightly wide and eyebrows tucked safely up towards her hairline. ‘You…don’t have any family?’ she asked slowly, her gaze never leaving Ijaat. Rosie had never imagined that asking such a simple question could bring such heart-wrenching results. She had no idea he didn’t have a family…How incredibly awful. To be alone, and to constantly be on the move with no one but yourself for company. Rosie knew the pang of loneliness all too well; but to know that Ijaat suffered from it too made her wonder if they had more in common than she first believed.

‘I’m so sorry, I had no idea,’ she apologized hastily, her hands signing in a rushed manner, indicating she was embarrassed by her social gaffe. Rosie lowered her gaze, her hands following, and prepared herself for his agreement. When it came however, it sent a small shock through her; she hadn’t expected him to agree so quickly. Maybe he really did want to get away from her as fast as possible. She’d brought him nothing but grief since they’d first met at the bar, and now he’d lost his armor, all thanks to her. If they’d never met, things would’ve been so much better. Neither of them would be soaking wet, and freezing in the cold night air. He wouldn’t have lost his armor, and she wouldn’t have gotten her hopes up. Rosie wasn’t sure what she’d gotten her hopes up about; she’d only just met him.

It was impossible to think there could be anything between them after only a few short hours. Rosie mentally laughed; she really was lonely and desperate if she got was so darn attached to a stranger so quickly. His reasoning, however, left her somewhat surprise. Her eyes snapped back up to him, scrutinizing closely. ‘My safety?’ she asked quietly. ‘What does that have to do with anything? I’d be more concerned about your safety, considering all the bad luck I’ve brought.’ She shook her head, the wet curls of her hair flowing smoothly across her shoulders. ‘I’m not worried about me, I’m worried about you. Trust me, there’s really nothing else that can go wrong in my life. I think it’s all happened by now. No…Don’t leave because your worried about me. I can handle myself. Like I said, I’m worried about you.’

[17/17]
((Hehe, you and me both! <333 -snugs- Yeah, so rusty here…sorry if it stinks out loud. XD))

[Flame]

Knowing that he could very well be swimming in precarious waters (no pun intended), Ijaat chose to wait for Rosie to choose where the situation went. After all, he didn’t want to risk perhaps potentially offending or further estranging her. He was almost entirely at a loss as to how he was expected to act around her; as a man of his employ, he generally didn’t mingle with the ‘nice crowd’ all that often, and for some reason, he was suddenly worried that perhaps his social skills and gentlemanliness had deteriorated and that he was making a bad impression on his female companion. It was an entirely plausible theory, considering this was the first ‘civilized’ conversation he’d had in a while, and it only served to make him feel more self-conscious about what he said and how he conducted himself.

Despite the Rabbot’s best attempts to ward off the unwanted intruder (which was exactly what he was in the creature’s eyes), Ijaat still seemed completely impervious to its increasingly audible threats or simply unimpressed by them. Either way, his attention remained entirely upon Rosie when she spoke again, although this time, she seemed even more flustered than before. Apparently, his lack of an immediate family (or a family of any sort, for that matter) was extremely distressing for her. From his experiences, Ijaat thought that not having a family was nothing out of the norm – after all, a bounty hunter with ties to other people was a bounty hunter with a weakness that could be used against him. The best of them had nothing to lose; it was what made them seem so intimidating and outwardly impervious to threats of any nature to those who lived normal lives.

“It’s alright,” he replied with a small, noncommittal shrug. “I’m used to it. After all, you can’t really miss what you’ve never had, right?” He paused for a moment, realizing that what he was saying probably wasn’t making her feel any better, but most likely doing the opposite. “What I mean is, it’s not so bad once you get used to it,” he added somewhat hastily. However upsetting Rosie might find it, everything he said was true. He was used to being alone, and the only reason why he didn’t regret it was because he knew no other way of life. As touching as her concern for him was, he couldn’t entirely understand why she pitied him so much for not having a family. He’d never considered the possibility for himself before, but how that she’d mentioned it, he rolled the idea around in his mind tentatively, not quite sure what to make of it. It seemed like a lot to consider and at the moment, and he really didn’t have the luxury of the time to think extensively about it just now, so he set it aside for further contemplation in the future.

However, at her next words, he couldn’t help but laugh aloud, the rare sound surprisingly rich and full of color. Was that really why she’d wanted him to leave in the first place? Because she was concerned for his safety? The simple surprise of the realization kept him laughing for another moment or two, although he was genuinely touched by her concern for his welfare, however unfounded it might be. “What, you mean after getting a little wet? Sweetheart, do you know what I do for a living? Unless I’m somehow allergic to water, I don’t think that this ‘bad luck’ of yours will do me much harm.” The smile he gave her as he spoke was warm and reassuring. “Believe me, I’ve been through much, much worse in a shorter period of time.” He paused for a moment, pondering his choices, trying to decide on a best course of action to take next. Finally, he seemed to make up his mind as he returned his gaze to Rosie’s face to speak up once again. “Now, it would be terribly ungallant of me to leave you out here cold, wet, and alone, wouldn’t it? If you’re sure you’re not worried about hanging around me, then I’m sure I can handle your ‘luck’,” he chuckled. “So, if you’re not against it, I’ll grab my armor real quick, then I can walk you home to make sure you get back safely. Or, if it’s a little ways away, you’re welcome to drop by my room to dry off first before heading back.” He smiled lightly. “It’s the least I can do in return for saving my life, right?”

[MillietheWarrior]

Rosie’s look of distress was indeed worse than before. Oh dear, he’d never had a family? It made her heart wrench painfully, and she lowered her gaze, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. She was ashamed of herself for feeling the need to cry, but if not her, then who? Who would feel sorry for him? Who would look after him? Who would take care of him or be there when he was alone? He had no family, and knowing that he was alone his entire life was like a knife in the gut. Rosie had always been empathetic by nature. It was a part of her very being to care for others, to feel what they felt, to worry and look after them. Ijaat was another wayward soul, thrust into her life by chance and circumstance, and she felt the need to be there for him as no one else ever had.

She wanted to make sure he was never alone again, never sad, never unhappy. She lifted her hands, still shivering violently, and began to ‘speak.’ ‘You shouldn’t ever have had to ‘get used to it.’ That’s…that’s terrible. No one, no matter who they are, deserves to be alone. I know, trust me. It’s hard to…be alone. It’s hard when everyone leaves you…You don’t deserve that, Ijaat. You’re too kind.’ She heaved a sigh that revealed every burden and every sadness she’d ever known; it was a sigh of feeling, and of absolute sadness. Even Teacup looked at her with concern, cuddling closer for the moment and forgetting the interloper. His laugh startled Rosie out of her reverie, and her head jerked up sharply, eyes boring into his own in confusion and a touch of anxiety.

‘And if you get a cold that turns into pneumonia, that turns into the flu, that turns into a hospital trip that turns into the possibility of you d-…d-…What happens then? Will you believe in my bad luck then?’ She put her hands up, palms facing towards him, and furrowed her brows, turning away briefly with an angry expression. ‘Please. I don’t want to know about that. I don’t want to know how much you’ve been put through. It’s not fair…And it…it makes me unhappy. So if we could just not mention it…’ She sighed heavily, her breath coming out in a soft puff of air, dispelling in front of her as she shivered violently.

‘P-perhaps…well, perhaps I could go to your room to dry off and call a cab from there. My house is a fair distance form the falls.’ She pulled herself to her feet, and bent to retrieve her clothing, pulling her shirt over her sopping tank top, and her pants on over her shorts. She was rewarded with the water seeping into her dry clothes, and a violent shiver engulfing her. She glanced quickly at Ijaat, and blushed darkly, before leaning closer to the water. ‘Do you…need help getting your armor? My clothes are already wet; there’s no helping that.’ She smiled faintly, her cheeks still colored a faint rose as she watched him quietly.