“We’re leaving so soon?” Autumn giggled, “... but you didn’t even ask me to dance yet!”
Autumn took advantage of her hand being held, raising it above her head and leading herself into a quick twirl. She took his other hand and leaned back before stepping into him and leaning her head on his shoulder.
She blinked in mock innocence as he took her chin in his hand, her blue eyes twinkling mischievously as she lost herself in the glow of his mako-green eyes.
“You’re the one that’s embarrassed.” She whispered as she swayed lightly against him in a continuation of the dance. “I just don’t understand why…”
Autumn slid her forearms up over his shoulders to steady herself as she found herself trying to smooth down that stray hair on top of his head. “If my uncle called right now and told you to kill any of the people in this bar you would do it without question. So, why do you care what these people think?”
The blonde man snorted, even as he felt his heart betray him just a tad, his blood being pumped a tad too quickly as she wrapped her arm around his shoulders. Each of her attempts to smooth out his rebellious strand of hair was met with steep resistance as it sprang back to life immediately after.
"I take offense to that." He said as he swayed with her. "I would ask how we would handle the cover up first."
It was really hard to deny her a dance now that she had started it.
"You are drunk. I was simply trying to look out for you." There was a lot of danger to be found in this place for one that was inebriated- and at the rate she was going, he would soon have to count himself as one of them as well. "You've been getting a lot of leers since we got here- even more so after you tripped on your own feet earlier." He reminded her of her little accident earlier, even as his hand slipped around her to wrap firmly around her waist.
Then he realized what he was doing. Damn it!
His hand immediately loosened, slowly withdrawing back.
Post by Autumn Nevada on Jul 10, 2020 18:38:39 GMT
“Oh! That’s wicked.” Autumn giggled at the response. It wasn’t so much that what he’d said was funny outright but it was amusing in its truthfulness. It was refreshing to hear someone joke about the dirtier aspects of their work. Not enough people in their profession were concerned about the optics of assassinations. Maybe if she weren’t so concerned with protecting the reputation of her family she could just punch in, get the job done, and go home.
“How very chivalrous of you, Sir Gawain!” She nestled her head against his chest again to hide the pink on her cheeks. Autumn was one of the deadliest people in Midgar and she ought to have said so but despite her teasing she was secretly enjoying the fantasy. If a handsome knight in literally shining armor wanted to defend her from the leers of the masses, far be it from her to deny him that.
“I suppose we’d better get out of here then.” Autumn agreed as he withdrew his hand. It was probably for the best. She valued her friendship with Gwyar and she didn’t want to risk losing it by pulling him out of their comfort zone. So far, she hadn’t done anything that couldn’t be ignored or laughed about over coffee tomorrow.
She raised her head and began to pull away, her left hand sliding down to his chest as her right caressed the back of his neck. Their eyes locked and a terrifying urgency washed over her. It was the same feeling she always got when she’d lined up a shot with her rifle. All that was left was to pull the trigger.
Autumn pushed herself up onto her toes and brushed her lips gently against his. She could feel the warmth of his breath and the pleasant scent of apple ale and cinnamon whisky was intoxicating in a whole new way.
His body was both warm and tense against her touch as they parted away from one another. He felt lightheaded and almost dizzy- his blood was pumping all over his body, and even the mako in his systems felt turbulent under his skin. It had been a while since he had been held by a woman. The lingering taste left on his lips tempted him to close the gap once again.
"A kind, pretty woman like you can do so much better than a killer in a nice suit." He said with a forced chuckle instead, reaching up to her shoulder to gently put some more distance between them.
She was drunk- even letting her get a kiss in was taking advantage of her. He hoped she wouldn't remember this in the morning. And she really could do so much better than some spoiled goods with an expiration date imprinted on its chest.
"Let's go home, Autumn. If you are trying to kiss someone like me you've clearly had too much to drink."
Post by Autumn Nevada on Jul 14, 2020 21:41:38 GMT
“You can do so much better than a killer in a nice suit.” Autumn repeated blankly and the killer she was talking about could have been herself. She blinked and her eyes went wide as she realized what he meant. Gwyar wasn’t interested in her like that. She stumbled back a couple feet and pushed her bangs up with her hand. “I’m sorry! I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Her cheeks felt warm and she needed some fresh air. Autumn hurried to the door and burst out onto the sidewalk. It was a cool night and she took a deep breath. The situation in the bar was left behind as she sauntered down the sidewalk singing uptempo and off-key, “Memories of you, twisting my view… That's how I knew, that smile was a lie...”
She stopped in front of the big display window of the yoga studio next door. It was closed now. The studio was dark and there was no sign of employees or animals within. “I hope Lil’ Raffey is ok. He seemed happy but it’s hard to tell sometimes… with goats.”
"No, I don't think I can. But you needn't lower your standards for me. You also needn't apologize; You are drunk; it can't be helped. Terrible as I may be- I am a damn handsome man." He responded casually at her apology, shaking his head and adopting his usual smile as he watched her run out of the club.
He followed after her as she burst into the sidewalk, humming the melody of the song he had chosen before as he casually sauntered up to her and grasped her hand once again. She seemed terribly shakey on her feet tonight.
"Your drunk singing needs some work." He commented dryly, choosing to ignore the somewhat pointed verses.
He would have been happy to take her straight home, but he stopped nonetheless when she did, tilting a brow at the studio.
"I'm sure the little rascal broke of another couple's spine while we were singing. He'll be fine." He said somewhat dismissively, before yawning. He blinked in surprise shortly after.
"My, the alcohol must have hit me harder than I thought." He said, tilting his head. Him, tired already? He really must have been getting old.
Post by Autumn Nevada on Jul 16, 2020 22:02:57 GMT
“You’re right of course! I’m very pretty and there are plenty of fish in the sea. It’s too bad Azure VI isn’t here... I wonder if he would have sung the blues.” Autumn chuckled at her own joke as she gently swung their hands forward and back between them. There had been a few rumors flying around the office about the fishman’s love life but their unusual friend was as oblivious as a child when it came to romance. Also, he was a bipedal fish... Enough said.
GAWAIN yawned, prompting Autumn to wonder about the time. “Hey! Where’s that pocket watch of yours? I’m not tired or anything…” She grinned as she playfully reached for the breast pocket of his vest before remembering the incident from just moments ago and withdrawing her hand sheepishly, “but we do have to work in the morning.”
“So, where to next Lieutenant Colonel Fancypants?”
Last Edit: Jul 16, 2020 22:06:00 GMT by Autumn Nevada
"He's far too cheerful for that. Maybe some pop." Argued the blonde through his yawns. At her question, the man simply stared at her expectantly, tilting a brow as she faltered while reaching his breastpocket before rolling his eyes and doing so himself.
"Don't go getting shy on me now; I think we are quite a bit past that tonight." He said as he produced the pocket watch, staring at it for a second before the information truly registered.
"It's 1 am." He said- no, whimpered would have been more accurate.
"How long did yoga take us?" He pondered, brow twitching for a moment before turning his gaze back at her. "We are going to sleep, Agent Drunkard. I'm gonna escort you to your home. No more fun tonight."
Post by Autumn Nevada on Jul 27, 2020 19:09:42 GMT
Autumn just blinked at GAWAIN, her mouth agape as he informed her that it was 1 am and that there would be no more fun tonight.
“Alright.” She agreed.
“Your place is in sector 3…” She poked him in the chest and then backed up giggling. “I meant to say that my place is in sector 3 and yours is in sector 5. Also, my apartment is haunted just so you know.
Anyways, will you be escorting me on the train or should I call for a helicopter evac?”
Gawain just blinked back at Autumn Nevada in turn. My, wasn't she a smooth one!
"You realize that I am definitely bringing that one up tomorrow, don't you?" He commented idly while responding to her question by pulling her closer. "And I said I was escorting you, did I not?"
"I've gotta see these ghosts anyway. Seems interesting." He said with a chuckle, wondering just what exactly she meant by that. She couldn't have possibly believed in that nonsense.
“It’s really pretty heartless to reject a girl and then tease her about it…” Autumn grumbled playfully as they walked along. She didn’t bother resisting as he pulled her closer since the temperature had begun to drop and she was in terrible danger of wandering off the sidewalk if he didn’t steer her in the right direction.
There was no one on the platform this late at night and a thin layer of fog was drifting in from the wastelands. The lights of the train station flared with little halos, twinkling like stars as their harsh light blocked out those from above.
“Thank you for coming with me…” Autumn began as she leaned her head on his shoulder. “It’s been a while since I’ve had this much fun.”
Autumn’s mind drifted to the cool darkness of her empty apartment with its long foyer and a chill ran down her spine. She didn’t like to be there alone if she could help it.
“I don’t know where all these ghosts are coming from,” The turk lied quickly, “but it’s gotten bad enough that I’ve begun to consider moving out.”
The train pulled up to the station with a god awful screech followed by a short exhale and Autumn looped her arm around Gawain’s elbow as she tentatively stepped back onto her heel.
"Have you tried not being drunk when hitting on someone? I hear it helps." He replied dryly, yawning as they continued to walk through the streets of the entertainment district. He simply nodded as she thanked him, rolling his eyes teasingly.
"So you enjoyed both the sound of my spine snapping and my throat screeching? I'll have to remember that for next time." He said as they slowly came to a stop at the station. A train came around soon enough, its doors swinging open for them as a blast of steam went off from the chimney atop the driver's cabin.
Gawain didn't believe in ghosts, per say; he knew of ghost-like creatures that could often be found within the train-yards, but as far as he was concerned, those were merely yet unresearched creatures made of mako, not actual spirits.
But there was something rather genuine about Autumn's words...
"Hn. Not to give you any hope or anything, but-" He began to tease casually, winking. "Need me to stay the night?" He said as Autumn Nevada looped an arm around his, leading them inside before slowly taking a seat onto one of the many empty benches.
The journey home was swift- as it bloody well ought to be this late in the night, with the stations and carts both as empty as these were. Very soon, they were being dropped off at Sector 3's upper station.
"If you are going to move, might I recommend Sector 5? It's rather ghost free, in my experience." But then, even if the actual spirits of the damned came to haunt the blonde's abode over his many terrible actions, he would have slept undisturbed- on the few nights he actually got to sleep anyway.
“That’s good advice!” Autumn chuckled, rummaging through her purse in search of a permanent marker. She knew it had to be in there somewhere… There! She held the pen aloft triumphantly and for a moment it was as if the Lady of the Lake were presenting Excalibur.
She didn’t bother pulling her arm away from Gawain but simply held the cap in between her teeth as she scribbled something almost illegible on her hand.
Tell him how you feel in the morning.
“I’ll snap your spine and make you scream.” The mimicked, innuendo dripping from between the teeth that still held the cap in place. She didn’t even look at him when she said it… idle banter. The cap was snapped back on and the pen plopped down into her purse.
Autumn was glad to hear there would be a next time. She had worried things might be a little awkward after her unreciprocated display of affection but so far that didn’t seem to be the case.
It was a good thing their was a bench behind her because that wink knocked her off her feet. St-Stay the night? She thought with a blush. Of course she wanted him to sleep over but…
“Yes! I’d love it if you would and I’m not even trying anything lascivious right now. I think I might be going crazy.”
The train sped along the tracks with a slight rocking motion and Autumn’s eyelids grew heavy. Her red hair smooshed up against his shoulder as she leaned her head against him, utilizing her escort like a pillow.
Her eyes snapped open at what she perceived to be the sound of footfalls running across the metal roof of the train. In the blink of an eye, the turk had drawn her pistol and fired twice into the ceiling above. A prolonged silence filled the car as she watched the railway lights flickering by through the holes.
“Did you hear it?” She demanded, wild eyed and shaking.
"Charming." Responded the blonde tonelessly to her 'idle banter' , a snort caught in his throat. He didn't bother trying to peek into whatever it was she was writing on her palm- he could wager a guess, and he also guessed she was just doing it to mess with him.
He later accepted that he might deserve it, seeing her stumble into one of the train's benches following his little offer.
"Bit hard to believe while sounding so awfully eager, Agent Nevada." He teased as he took his seat besides her at the bench, setting his sword besides him gently as Autumn rested her head atop his shoulder. He would have tried to rest his eyes as well, but he was feeling his exhaustion for once; he would rather they didn't miss their stop.
And then two bullet holes were blown into the ceiling as a gun was shot twice right besides him. His ears were ringing now, to the point he almost missed what Autumn said.
Almost.
"I sure did. Sounded like two gunshots going right next my ear." He said dryly and loudly, his inside voice compromised by his hearing. Still, the man slowly moved to stand, grasping his sword before slinging it over his shoulder.
Autumn Nevada wasn't so reckless as to shoot her gun inside the bloody train for no reason.
"Let's go." He said, making his way towards one of the train's doors before overriding its security with his keycard, the doors swinging open and letting in a powerful breeze that would've made his Jacket/cape dramatically flap in the wind.
Had it been on his shoulders instead of Autumn.
"Phooey." He bemoaned before he reached up for the top of the doors' frame and hooked his fingers around it. Then he swung himself out of the moving train and then atop it in a showy display of acrobatics and arm strength.
If the cape wasn't around, he needed other ways to wow the spectators.
Post by Autumn Nevada on Aug 19, 2020 23:07:05 GMT
Autumn shoved her arms through Gwyar’s jacket and pulled it tight around her as a sobering blast of cool air whipped through the compartment. Under different circumstances she might have swooned over the way the SOLDIER’s blond hair was rustled by the breeze as he gallantly swung himself onto the top of the train in pursuit of… what was she expecting him to find? Saburo? She had killed that man months ago and yet she was certain it was him.
It was with much less grace that Autumn attempted to follow her best buddy up top. Her fingers grasped the top of the door frame followed by a mop of red hair and wide blue eyes that peeked over the top of the train. She pulled herself up with her arms, her legs kicking in midair like she was trying to get out of an empty swimming pool. The turk finally managed to hike one leg up on top and rolled panting onto her stomach.
She looked up to see Gawain waiting there but no signs of anyone else. Autumn pushed herself up one her knees and awkwardly balanced herself with her arms. Her brow was furrowed as she surveyed the scene. “I don’t get it. There should be a blood splatter at the very least... It isn’t like me to miss.”