OTA

[ishineon.livejournal.com]

She needs a breather.

Finally- finally- work is down to a level where she'd consider herself able to leave the rest to others. Stress relief is called for.

It is called for in the form of throwing knives at things. Yes.

[ooc: Catch her on the way to or at the training grounds.]

Comments

[ishineon.livejournal.com]

That... catches her off guard.

"I- Yes. Of course." Not that the past few months have been conducive to happiness, but still. If she puts aside all that, she's reasonably certain she's happy.

[eucre.livejournal.com]

"Of course?" She echoes. "Is she definitely for sure?" Because why doesn't she smile, then, and say lovely, funny things?

[ishineon.livejournal.com]

Sigh.

"Not definitely for sure. Not at the moment." She tucks her hands in her pockets, pensive. "Death is rarely a happy thing, you know."

[eucre.livejournal.com]

What? Oh no. Who? "I--? But- Milady Sparkly- His Highness Sparkly- he was one with the sky ever so long ago?"

[ishineon.livejournal.com]

She shakes her head, slowly, her expression growing blank. "It's not only Lindsey who's dead, Piper." Lindsey, Lancelot-- her mother, though she wouldn't say so-- all linger in her mind.

[eucre.livejournal.com]

She bites her lip, then reaches a hand out to the older woman. "Piper... Piper is sorry?"

[ishineon.livejournal.com]

Säde isn't taking Piper's hand, but she isn't flinching away either. "If you feel you must be, Piper."

[eucre.livejournal.com]

Well. If she's not going to flinch away. Get ready for a Piper hug. She wraps her arms around the other woman, her long arms winding tightly around her.

[ishineon.livejournal.com]

Hugs? Not something Säde gets often. And when she's hugged she usually expects it, from Mel or much more rarely, Leigh. Piper hugging her is going to startle the Ace into partially interrupting the hug with a firm grip on Piper's neck.

...at least it's not a strangling grip?

[eucre.livejournal.com]

It doesn't matter that the grip isn't tight. Piper's eyes immediately widen with terror, and her breath starts to come out in stunted gasps. If Sade will let her back away, she will, hands clenched tightly into fists as she hiccups. She's trying to calm down. She promises. She's sorry.

[ishineon.livejournal.com]

Säde's grip drops like she's been scalded. It's barely a few seconds from hug to neck-grip to mutual backing away. She drags a hand over her eyes, as if to shade them from the sun. "I... I'm sorry, Piper."

No need to make excuses about her reflexes. No use, either.

[eucre.livejournal.com]

Her lips tremble dangerously as she tries to smile. Nothing is wrong. Everything is quite alright. "--It's- all alright." Her voice breaks and she backs away even further, her breathing still not under control. "I- Piper- is a silly girl."

[ishineon.livejournal.com]

Her lips twist, and she gnaws the inside of her cheek. "I believe I may be sillier, just for reacting like that."

[eucre.livejournal.com]

She swallows against the lump in her throat - Piper, you're a big girl, please don't cry - then shakes her head. "No- nothing wrong. Milady Sparkly-- isn't silly at all. No worries." Sade is the unsilliest person Piper knows. She doesn't know whether this is a good thing or a bad thing.

[ishineon.livejournal.com]

She shakes her head suddenly, sharply, lips sucked inward, pressed into a thin line. "If you want to see it that way, I won't stop you, Piper." Out of her control, after all.

[eucre.livejournal.com]

"Piper hopes--" She breaks off, and she can't help it. Her eyes abruptly fill with tears and she takes another gasping breath. "Sorry." And then she's backing away to a nearby tree, hiding behind the thin trunk.

[ishineon.livejournal.com]

Well done, Säde.

She's still a moment, hand lifted in an aborted attempt to catch her, before dropping her hand to her side and taking a tentative step towards the girl.

[eucre.livejournal.com]

Piper tenses, peeking out at her. But. She doesn't move further away.

In my mind, this is the Voldie/Malfoy Hug of Awkward.

[ishineon.livejournal.com]

There's a beat of hesitation before Säde closes the distance and carefully wraps her arms around Piper. Her arms being exposed means the sheaths are too, and the small leather knife handles are poking a little into Piper.

Oh gosh. >.<

[eucre.livejournal.com]

Piper's breath definitely hitches in her throat as she feels the knives against her skin. She forces down the panic curling in her stomach - good girl, good girl, good girl - and squeezes back tighter, tucking her head under Sade's chin. It requires some bending - Piper doesn't realize how small the other woman grew until now - but she manages.

[ishineon.livejournal.com]

The blades aren't exposed- that would be the height of foolishness for anyone carrying concealed knives, even when said knives are... not concealed at the moment. Still. Säde tips her head back to accommodate Piper- oh, how she's grown- and awkwardly pats Piper's back.

[eucre.livejournal.com]

Piper sighs softly, finally relaxing into the hug a little, then burrows her face into Sade's shoulder. Quietly-

"Piper misses you, Milady Sparkly."

[ishineon.livejournal.com]

Her arms tighten a little, more surprised than anything else at the admittance. After a long while, very quietly, into Piper's hair: "Kaipaan sinua niin hyvin."

Some things are easier to say in one language than another.

[eucre.livejournal.com]

She hesitates, trying to decide whether or not to ask her to translate. After a moment, timidly, she asks, "Is that-- Does that mean 'Milady Sparkly does too'?"

[ishineon.livejournal.com]

There's more silence. At last, a very tiny little nod.