+- Court of the Fallen (https://cotf-rpg.com)
+-- Forum: Out of Character (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=26)
+--- Forum: Important (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=27)
+---- Forum: Archives (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=38)
+---- Thread: Bad Luck Bears (/showthread.php?tid=497)
Pages:
1
2
Bad Luck Bears - Phoebe - 01-24-2019
Phoebe. Was. Bored.
That’s right. Bored. It didn’t happen often but it sure as heck was happening today. Her shop was all set up. Her stocks were filled with various herbs and spices. She had her necessary foodstuffs and supplies for the week. Everything was cleaned within an inch of its life. If she baked one more thing the place might be mistaken for a bakery. She had no patients, and she expected no one to come over.
Living alone was quite the drag sometimes.
For a time she sat on one of her overstuffed couches. Staring at her boots. The toes were a little scuffed up. Maybe she should polish them…though she had no reason to. They would just get scuffed up again. Also she was pretty sure she didn’t have any polish. With a sigh she eventually stood and walked to the back of her shop. Maybe she could…quadruple check that she didn’t need any more herbs prepared. Or maybe the spices she had drying in the store room were done drying…despite having still been several days from being ready only hours before. It was possible though! Deities and magic existed in this world! Perhaps a little gnome came through and decided to be helpful!
So the young midwife busied herself in the back room, hoping to find something to do.
RE: Bad Luck Bears - Bastien - 01-24-2019
At first, when he had received a box of towels outside the door of the church, Bastien had thought someone with a practical sense of humour had delivered them for his next party. But when he read the note inside, which said something about helping the 'midwifery clinic' out...he knew it wasn't meant for him.
This would not have been a problem had the parcel been intended for anyone else - but the only midwife he knew of in the area was
There was a chill wind in the air which made him wish he'd brought a coat, but it wasn't a long trip. Before long he was at the door, which he noticed was slightly ajar. Perfect - he could hopefully just slip it open and drop the package before he could be noticed. Bastien pushed the door open and leaned down to put the package on the ground inside...but then he looked up into the clinic.
It was eerily quiet and empty, and the door was slightly open. Despite how much he had clashed with Phoebe before, he still felt an obligation to check on the girl and make sure she was alright. With a sigh he stepped through the threshold.
[say]"Miss Phoebe? I am sure I am not company you want, but I have a package for you-"[/say] He was going to say more (he always had more to say) when he was shocked by the door behind him suddenly slamming shut from a particularly aggressive gust of wind -- then to Bastien's utter horror, the latch groaned and the doorknob fell off. He walked back and tried to pull the door open by pulling at the crack with his nails, but it was no use.
[say]"Oh, shit, fuck and balls."[/say] He mumbled under his breath.
RE: Bad Luck Bears - Phoebe - 01-24-2019
Phoebe jumped when she heard the sound of a man’s voice in the front. She had not been expecting it and was so surprised she actually slammed her head on the underside of the table she was rummaging under. The young midwife cried out from the sudden pain and surprise. She pressed her hands against it, ruffling her hair in the process as she squeezed her eyes closed. That was definitely going to leave a bump. [say]”I’m sorry, I will be right there!”[/say] she called back, not having yet processed who exactly was there. The headache was taking precedence now.
She was just starting to stand when she heard the slam of the door. What was going on out there?!
Still holding the crown of her head she rushed out, eyes widening when she saw who was standing at her door. [say]”Bastien?![/say] she said in complete shock. [say]”What are you…”[/say] Phoebe didn’t get to finish her sentence. Why? At about that moment she noticed the handle of her door – her only door – laying on the floor by his feet. [say]”What did you do to my door?!”[/say] she said angrily, immediately assuming he had purposefully broken it.
RE: Bad Luck Bears - Bastien - 01-25-2019
Of course, as soon as Phoebe came out front she was angry. Bastien stopped his frantic clawing at the door (which was not doing much anyway) and turned to face her.
[say]"I did not to anything to your cazzo door!"[/say] He insisted, trying not to raise his voice but unable to help the frustration behind it. [say]"I came to drop this parcel off for you. Someone left it to my very legitimate church. But your door shut behind me and..."[/say] He followed her eyes down to the handle, then knelt down to pick it up and study how it had been attached; the mechanism appeared to be broken through from the fall and would not go back in.
Bastien's face fell with a heavy sigh. [say]"...I want to leave as much as you want me to go, piccola ragazza. But unless you have a back door, I'm stuck here until we work this out."[/say] He ran an aggravated hand through his hair and glanced back at the door, hoping it would magically pop open.
RE: Bad Luck Bears - Phoebe - 01-25-2019
Phoebe rubbed the little bump forming on the crown of her head, hoping it would help the dull throbbing, to no avail. She groaned and let her hand fall to the side. Bastien’s voice was doing nothing to keep the headache at bay either. [say]”Would you stop yelling?!”[/say] she said with a slight huff, almost on the verge of sounding whiney as she pressed her fingers to her temples, closing her eyes and willing the headache away. It didn’t work.
His perfectly legitimate church. [say]”I don’t know why you insist on calling it a church and not a brothel. That is what you really want so just own it.”[/say] she grouched, moving to one of the fireplaces where she had hot water ready for tea. Peppermint tea would help the headache. Maybe. It couldn’t make this irritating twit of a man disappear after all. [say]”Thank you for bringing the package.”[/say] she sighed, trying to focus on the task in front of her so she wouldn’t spill hot water on her hands.
[say]”That is unfortunately the only door. And since I just slammed my head on the underside of a table, I would appreciate a moment to be able to see straight without you calling me names in a language you know I don’t understand.”[/say] she said in a grouchy tone. She certainly was far from the fever pitch she had been in last he saw her, but she was definitely not in a great mood. Whacking one’s head against a hard surface would do that.
Bastien had a similar effect on people it seemed.
RE: Bad Luck Bears - Bastien - 01-25-2019
[say]"I'm not yelling!"[/say] Bastien yelled. But still, he tried to calm himself down now that he was no longer being accused of destroying the door. With a frustrated rub of his face he moved to sit down on one of the chairs nearby, figuring he wasn't going to escape any time soon.
[say]"Because if it were a brothel, it would be a lot more popular. You seem very interested. Why not make your own? You don't have a lot of clients here."[/say] He knew he should try to control his biting tongue, especially since he was speaking to someone so much younger...but something about Phoebe irritated him greatly.
In response to her complaint about his Italian, he simply smirked and said: [say]"Non so cosa intendi. È così che parlo, ragazzina."[/say] As much fun as sitting and winding her up all day would be, he turned the doorknob over in his hands again and looked about to see if he could find anything to repair it.
RE: Bad Luck Bears - Phoebe - 01-25-2019
Why couldn’t she be attracted to women? Why did she have to be attracted to the sex that insisted they weren’t doing something by doing the exact thing they insisted they were not doing. Phoebe sighed and closed her eyes, pressing the heel of her hand on the space between her eyebrows as he continued to taunt her. She wanted to scream. She wanted to throw her teacup at his head – yes with the piping hot tea in it. But what would that accomplish? Nothing. Not one single thing.
But she could prove him very wrong about her. It wasn’t in her nature…but she mustered up her courage and did her best to emulate the calm, cool, sexy sort of confidence that other women seemed to have. Women like Rexanna. If she could channel even an ounce of the allure Rex had in her voice, she would most definitely send this idiot for a well-deserved loop.
[say]”I am not interested in a brothel, especially to a goddess you know nothing about.”[/say] she quipped, turning to face him then. Normally warm, wide brown eyes were narrowed in a steely glare of determination, her head tilted slightly back so her chin was raised. Her hands planted themselves on her hips, which were jutted out slightly, her shoulders back as she stood with a straight back. Phoebe had delicate curves due to her tall frame, but she was still undeniable female in shape; especially when standing like that. [say]”What you seem to misunderstand is the deity that I have been given a task by.”[/say] Phoebe said, though not in her usual manner. She had heard Rexanna speaking at length, and now did her very best to copy her tone of voice. It was sultry, dripping with honey in a way that would call to just about anyone who might have an interest. It certainly wasn’t as perfect as Rexanna’s – Phoebe was simply mimicking a trait given by a god after all – but it was definitely a major change in her demeanor.
[say]”You see, I have been given a task by Frey, a deity of passion, pleasure, and sexuality – which I know them to be because I actually tried to understand their nature to better serve them. They have told me to go out and have passionate sex with someone or someones. Of course, given my inexperience that will mean having lots of sex to build confidence and knowledge in order to accomplish.”[/say] Phoebe slowly walked forward, each step deliberate, not once taking her eyes off Bastien. Of course, the confidence she was exuding was all show, inside she was having a mini-panic attack. The only reason she was able to pull this off was the knowledge that this was all a show to make Bastien antsy because he was a jerk that deserved it.
Phoebe stopped when she was toe to toe with him, her head tilted back to actually maintain eye contact. She was suddenly simultaneously glad and horrified that she was wearing a v-neck dress and for the same reason – his height would give him a rather nice view of décolletage. [say]”So here I am, out in the world, looking for someone who might assist me with this task, and here you are, doing your best to do what Safrin asked of you in what you claim to be the only way you know how…and you are making a complete fool of yourself because I pointed out that the way you worded your explanation sounded bad.”[/say] Phoebe pursed her lips in a way her eldest sister used to whenever she was cross, letting that hang in the air for a moment. If Bastien had simply taken a moment to reword his intent for his church, or even better explain himself, he might’ve had a very attentive follower on his hands…or his lap rather.
RE: Bad Luck Bears - Bastien - 01-25-2019
Phoebe sighed and pressed a hand to her forehead; Bastien couldn't help the petty smile on his face. He managed to limit his response to her yet again misunderstanding his church's mission to a eye roll, keeping his comments in his head.
Then suddenly, Phoebe stood in a very particularly way and began to speak different to how she normally did. Bastien raised one eyebrow and stared with wide eyes as she walked across the room to him, trying to work out what the hell was going on. He couldn't help but be reminded of Rexanna, from the mention of a meeting with Frey to the way her voice lingered on each word.
There was a beat of silence after Phoebe stopped talking while he tried to piece together what she meant. He still wasn't totally sure when he began. [say]"...You are a very confusing girl."[/say] Slowly, he stood up, his few inches on her coming in useful as he looked down at her. [say]"If you want help with this goal of yours...I advise you listen better and take more care to your phrasing. You're standing here like a prostitute naming her prices but your words are not at all sweet enough."[/say]
[say]"You are the only one to whom my explanation is poor. I have welcomed many to the church either for membership or just an event. Remi, Ronin, Edy, Rexanna, Lucas, Jigano...none of them came to question my motives. You need to choose if you are looking to fight, ragazzina, or-"[/say] He tipped her chin up with his finger, gently but firmly. [say]"If you are trying to find that passion you need. Neither of those things start with this."[/say]
RE: Bad Luck Bears - Phoebe - 01-25-2019
If she thought she could get away with a big gulp to stifle her nerves she absolutely would have done so right then. As it was, she held her ground, using her own grip on her hips to stop her hands from trembling. That was always the main tell of her nervousness. [say]”First I am too young to drink, now I am a prostitute. You really do know how to charm a woman, don’t you? Who said I was intending to be sweet, and what prices did I name?”[/say] she countered, brushing off his insult without a flinch. Well…without an external one anyways. [say]”Or are you just surprised that there is more to me than a young face and shrill voice?”[/say]
She listened to the rest of what he had to say in silence, remaining so for a moment after to collect her own thoughts. Also because the way he forced her chin up threatened to send a shiver down her spine in a way that was both exhilarating and terrifying. [say]”If your best defense is that other people find your explanation fine enough then you’ve little to stand on.”[/say] she said quietly, using all her willpower to not look away. Though she did like the way softening the volume of her voice seemed to amplify the sultry tone. Was that what gave it its power? She would have to ask Rexanna about that. [say]”You’re leading an organization of people in worshiping a powerful being. If you lead them astray, they could all come to serious harm and I know because I’ve friends who have suffered consequences of the gods here. I would expect you to handle being questioned with grace but instead you lost your temper. I wasn’t looking for a fight, I was looking for answers that you either did not have or would not give.”[/say]
She fell silent for a moment, considering him briefly. Phoebe truly wanted to think him hideous, but it was very hard to. In trying to make a list of potential men for Remi, she had deduced that she very much liked men with dark hair. Damn him and his stupid handsome face.
[say]”Love, Hate, and Passion are very similar emotions. What I seek could very well start this way.”[/say] she countered, twisting an old adage to her favor. Her head tilted slightly, the underside of her chin still touching his hand, as she considered him briefly. At least, that is what it would look like. Really she was just mustering up her courage again. She was in much too deep now and she was beginning to worry she might not be able to control the outcome. [say]”A shame, really. I would’ve thought with all your age and wisdom you could handle that.”[/say]
RE: Bad Luck Bears - Bastien - 01-25-2019
[say]"Believe me, you'd know if I was trying to charm you. And have you ever heard of a simile?"[/say] He quipped back at first, but as Phoebe went back to the same objections to his organisation as before he just huffed out a frustrated sigh and rubbed at his eyes with his thumb and index finger, the picture of an irritated elder.
What I seek could very well start this way. He lifted his head with a bemused expression on his face. What did that mean...? Really, what did any of this mean? She was going on about the same old complaints but stood so close, mentioning her gift. Was the little girl trying to...come onto him?
[say]"If this is your way of trying to make me fuck you, I have to tell you it's not very tempting. And before you tell me that's not your intention, tell me why you got so close and personal. I hope this isn't how you argue with everyone. You'd give them quite the different impression."[/say]
He took his hand away and gently pushed on Phoebe's shoulder to move past her, going back to the door and kneeling to look through the keyhole. [say]"If you'd told me of this mission before you took so strongly against me, I could have helped."[/say] What exactly that meant, if he was implying he himself would take it on or if he'd find someone was left vague.
RE: Bad Luck Bears - Phoebe - 01-26-2019
Her brow furrowed and she frowned when he asked if she knew how to smile. In fact, everything he said and did made her frown. She didn't know what she was doing, she was just mimicking alluring actions she had seen other women do. She playing at confidence she didn't have. Phoebe wanted to throw him off if even for a moment, so that he might see where his perception was off.
But it didn't work. The brush against her shoulder as he pushed past her felt more like a knife in her gut...or was it her chest? Her throat tightened as her lips pressed into a thin line. Why was his blatant rejection so...painful? She didn't want him, or so she told herself. She hadn't been really trying to seduce him. But the fact that her effort hadn't worked at all. At all. That even when she tried to be alluring towards a man who openly wanted to lay anything that sat still long enough...she still failed.
Her breath felt short and her chest hurt. Tears rose in her eyes as the fell to look at the floor. Why?
[say]"Why would I tell that to a man who openly only cares for a woman who is beautiful and nothing more, especially knowing that I could never compare?"[/say] she said quietly, swallowing a lump in her throat. But she didn't look at him. She just stared at the floor, her shoulders slumped. As quickly as the fight came and dissipated, and the nervous, insecure young woman looking for affection and love returned. [say]"But don't lie to me. If I had told you, you wouldn't have helped me. "[/say] No one would.
As tears began to roll down her cheeks she quickly turned on her heel and rushed up the stairs. But she didn't slam the door to her actual residence on the second floor. She closed it gently, almost silently. This left Bastien alone in the clinic and unless he wanted to actually break the door or a window, which were locked with keys Phoebe kept upstairs, he was pretty well stuck.
But Phoebe didn't make it far from her door, sinking down onto the floor, legs pulled to her chest, arms hiding her face as she pressed it to her knees. Maybe Frey had been right. Maybe she didn't have it in her to do this. Maybe she wouldn't find anyone to want her.
Too pure. Too innocent. Too vanilla. Too boring. Too Phoebe.
And so she cried.
RE: Bad Luck Bears - Bastien - 01-26-2019
[say]"You very much underestimate the power of beauty and ascribe it only to women."[/say] Bastien mumbled, fiddling with the door handle and trying to push it desperately into the gap it had left. [say]"I would have helped. It is a noble enough goal, one I'm experienced in. But--"[/say] You chose to criticise died on his lips as he heard the tell tale quick breaths of crying behind him, then footsteps running away.
Oh, Lord. Bastien rested his forehead against the door and sighed, trying to work out if it was worth following. One last time, he tried to turn the handle in the door; no luck. It seemed fate, or perhaps something more familiar, was trying to test him. [say]"If this is your doing, Safrin, I hope it is worthwhile."[/say] He mumbled down towards his pendant.
He stood up, placed the doorknob down on the chair and slowly walked up the stairs, staying as quiet as he could until he reached the door. With a gentle knock, he spoke to Phoebe without opening it.
[say]"Raga--mm. Phoebe. I...apologise. I forget that you are a young woman and I...was too harsh. While we disagree about my church..."[/say] For a moment he floundered on what to say, indignation over her scathing words still roiling in him. [say]"..It does not mean we cannot try to be civil. I did not mean to make you cry."[/say]
Whether that would have any effect or not, he wasn't sure, but he took a couple of steps back and rested against the wall to wait for a response.
RE: Bad Luck Bears - Phoebe - 01-26-2019
The last thing Phoebe expected was for Bastien to follow her upstairs. She expected him to break her door further or even a window in order to get out. He didn't want to listen without his ego and pride filtering her words. He didn't care if she hurt, in fact he seemed more like he would enjoy it. And he certainly couldn't comprehend why she would hurt. The thought alone made her chest clench with a small gasp for air as her lungs struggled against the sensation.
Yet here he was, obviously at the top of her stairs, trying to talk to her still. Was his victory once more not enough? Did he really have to rub it in, too? She pushed herself to her feet and rounded towards the door. Before she could approach though some of his words registered. Phoebe swallowed a lump in her throat, trembling near from head to toe as her emotions riccocheted violently from one extreme to another.
After a moment she went to the door and opened it, standing in front of him. The extra step up to the floor that she had put her closer to his height. Tears still rolled down her cheeks, and her shoulders jerked randomly from little gasps for air as she tried to stifle her emotions. But despite her obvious teetering emotional breakdown and bloodshot eyes, her wide brown gaze was level.
[say]"Why do you think I am upset?"[/say] she said quietly, watching his face for his reaction. Whatever he thought, she was certain it would be far from the truth. Phoebe swallowed a lump in her throat, another question on the tip of her tongue. [say]"What do you think I am saying about your church? Really?"[/say]
RE: Bad Luck Bears - Bastien - 01-26-2019
There was silence except for the hints of crying he could hear, until suddenly the door opened. Bastien stepped back a little more and didn't say anything until she did, just looking at her tears and feeling rather terrible about himself for them. Memories of teenage drama appeared fuzzily in the back of his mind at the sight.
The questions caught him off guard. Even when she was upset, she didn't give up, huh? He took a deep breath and tried to think of answers that were both truthful but would not make things worse.
[say]"...I cannot say why you are upset, though I could make some guesses. As for what you are saying..."[/say] He tilted his head this way and that, pursing his lips as he tried to consider the words. [say]"...You say I don't know enough about Safrin. That I only value her for her beauty and that my church is an excuse for my own hedonistic tendencies. And in a way, cara, you are right."[/say]
Bastien shrugged as he admitted that, then looked at his hand on the wall, idly rubbed his fingertip against the rough, old surface. [say]"I think it is a matter of perspective. I have always valued the beautiful, in anything. Nature, people, art. Safrin...I was looking for a purpose. She brought me it with her power. Beauty is power over the soul. She asked me to spread her name and, well...I am doing it in a way to please myself. But no one there is made to swear loyalty or do anything they don't wish. I am trying to make my way through here just as you are. Our talents lay in...very different areas."[/say]
He rarely conceded points or apologised at all, and never at this sort of length, so Bastien waited with a uncharacteristically nervous expression to see how it would be received.