( this bastard. sakura heaves a sigh and gets back to her feet. getting blood all over a bed in a vampire's room, surely this cannot go poorly. but she does listen, at least, stiffly limping the distance and then just sprawling across the bed on top of the covers. now that the adrenaline has abated, she's feeling every little bite of grimmjow's claws.
hopefully he's feeling it too. it's not like she didn't give him a fight.
（ he's lucky she decided to accept the manipulation for what it was, lbr.
sakura turns so she's laying on one side rather than being dramatically draped prone across the bed, and props herself up so she can look at the hologram more closely. the woman is achingly beautiful, but the way he'd talked about vampires making off with beautiful woman turns her stomach just the same to look at her. was it like that for her? ）
[The woman continues to smile demurely. Her expression isn’t unlike she would be happy to have Sakura’s company, like they may be friends.
The portrait of the man across the way has the illusionary eyes—as if they’re following the onlooker where ever they move, But strangely now, the red eyes seem to be gazing at the woman, and he appears more morose than usual. Forlorn.]
She was a kind woman, but I did not know her for very long.
（ d is always very forthcoming when she asks, but... is it a topic he actually wants to dwell on, or just something he's telling her to get her mind off the pain?
she doesn't respond right away, but after a few minutes: ）
[Well, he doesn’t answer for some time. Typically, he wouldn’t even say this much, but the circumstances are vastly different here than on the Frontier.
Not to mention they are now linked. She can feel the hesitation of politeness, trying not to make things uncomfortable for her.]
The Noble in the portrait on the wall. He took me from her to study.
（ well, that chasm of time is such that she does actually fall asleep. he can probably feel it, the way exhaustion intersects with the peace of rest. she's probably going to drool right on his nice linens like a proper houseguest, face smushed into the crook of her arm, halfly curled up in a hybrid of the recovery and fetal positions.
ninjas, as it happens, are pretty good at falling asleep at the drop of a hat when they're in a relatively safe space. economy of time and necessity both — it's been a long time since she had to push herself in combat like that. it was sparring, not life or death — but grimmjow's enthusiasm for fighting meant it wasn't exactly a friendly match.
discipline does jolt her awake a handful of hours later, and for a time she just stares up into the dim light of the ceiling, one hand on her stomach, fingers creeping towards the wounds on her flank, clawmarks in a neat line. she probably has enough chakra to at least mend it enough that it won't bleed, even if knitting together all the torn muscle fibres is out of the question.
will he feel that, too? she fumbles for her phone, which had gotten tucked under a blanket in the midst of her nap, and fires off a quick, sorry — fell asleep before she reads his message properly.
she thinks of orochimaru, and shivers despite the warmth of the room. 'study'. no, she can imagine what he means. ）
You don't have to say anything, D. Just because I'm curious about things doesn't mean I'm entitled to an answer.
（ learned that lesson the hard way. it's not a mistake she wants to carry forwards. ）
I'd prefer if you told me things because you wanted me to know.
[He actually doesn’t mind she falls asleep. Resting is good for her, and he’s glad. (And only not worried because he can still feel her presence inside his door.)
She should be returning to Stygia soon even though he will enigmatically and mysteriously not be at the clinic. Why not leave gifts and run?]
I would not tell you if I didn’t want you to know.
He is searching for a way to create a perfect being. Someone will all of a vampire’s strengths, but none of the weaknesses.
（ she peels her shirt up from her side, grimacing a bit as the congealed blood sticks and pulls where it had spilled beyond the hasty dressing. is it her imagination, or are the eyes of that awful portrait briefly on her at the iron-stained scent of blood? ）
Every tyrant wants a perfect soldier to do their bidding. Horrifying.
I'm sorry. It mustn't have been easy for you at such a young age.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Would you mind if I slept here? A couple hours would be enough, then I can heal myself and come back on one of the boats.
（ a pause. then: ）
Ah, not in the bed! I'm a mess. I can sleep on the floor.
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[As if he wouldn’t be a gentleman about it.]
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hopefully he's feeling it too. it's not like she didn't give him a fight.
at length — )
Who is she?
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She was my mother.
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sakura turns so she's laying on one side rather than being dramatically draped prone across the bed, and props herself up so she can look at the hologram more closely. the woman is achingly beautiful, but the way he'd talked about vampires making off with beautiful woman turns her stomach just the same to look at her. was it like that for her? ）
She has kind eyes. I can see the resemblance.
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The portrait of the man across the way has the illusionary eyes—as if they’re following the onlooker where ever they move, But strangely now, the red eyes seem to be gazing at the woman, and he appears more morose than usual. Forlorn.]
She was a kind woman, but I did not know her for very long.
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she doesn't respond right away, but after a few minutes: ）
Is it something you'd like to talk about?
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Not to mention they are now linked. She can feel the hesitation of politeness, trying not to make things uncomfortable for her.]
The Noble in the portrait on the wall. He took me from her to study.
[“Study,” and not tutelage.]
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ninjas, as it happens, are pretty good at falling asleep at the drop of a hat when they're in a relatively safe space. economy of time and necessity both — it's been a long time since she had to push herself in combat like that. it was sparring, not life or death — but grimmjow's enthusiasm for fighting meant it wasn't exactly a friendly match.
discipline does jolt her awake a handful of hours later, and for a time she just stares up into the dim light of the ceiling, one hand on her stomach, fingers creeping towards the wounds on her flank, clawmarks in a neat line. she probably has enough chakra to at least mend it enough that it won't bleed, even if knitting together all the torn muscle fibres is out of the question.
will he feel that, too? she fumbles for her phone, which had gotten tucked under a blanket in the midst of her nap, and fires off a quick, sorry — fell asleep before she reads his message properly.
she thinks of orochimaru, and shivers despite the warmth of the room. 'study'. no, she can imagine what he means. ）
You don't have to say anything, D. Just because I'm curious about things doesn't mean I'm entitled to an answer.
（ learned that lesson the hard way. it's not a mistake she wants to carry forwards. ）
I'd prefer if you told me things because you wanted me to know.
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She should be returning to Stygia soon even though he will enigmatically and mysteriously not be at the clinic. Why not leave gifts and run?]
I would not tell you if I didn’t want you to know.
He is searching for a way to create a perfect being. Someone will all of a vampire’s strengths, but none of the weaknesses.
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Every tyrant wants a perfect soldier to do their bidding. Horrifying.
I'm sorry. It mustn't have been easy for you at such a young age.
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I’m not sure if he was ever interested in a tool.
I was never the only one, but one of the few to survive.
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One of a few...?