[GV] - 5 - A Lapse

[chosen_gigolo]

The theme switch for the Golden Victory this month is virtually non-existent. Gone are the Halloween decorations but nothing's been done to take their place unless the other hosts have taken it upon themselves to decorate. It seems their fearless leader isn't quite so fearless after all and needs some extra time to recover from the most recent curse. He's been absent for almost two weeks now, save to come in and take down the previous month's decor. 

Per usual the rules and employee roster are posted near the door. It seems the staff has thinned a bit.

Hosts:
Angelo
Asbel Lhant 
Duke Pantarei
Fai D. Flourite (assistant chef and appointments)
Guy Cecil (bartender)
Ioder 
Jade Curtiss (bartender)
Malik Caesar (bartender)
Peony Malkuth IX 
Rin Okumura (chef)
Serph 
Sora and Roxas

Zelos Wilder (Only takes appointments with women.)
Please note that some hosts may be unavailable due to coma.

 

The staff may make use of the wardrobe upstairs to find whatever they feel like wearing this month, or even simply don their normal attire. Tired as he is, it doesn't seem Zelos cares much what the others wear when he finally makes his appearance.

Comments

[chosen_gigolo]

What are you talking about 'went with me in the end'? Didn't you two suck face a few months ago?

[Out of everything, that is the thing he chooses to focus on? Zelos sputters for a moment, shaking his head vigorously to get himself back on track.]

Look, I don't need-

[I'm a screw up.

He knows she felt that way before, concerning Volt, concerning Corinne, but to hear her still say it now, after everything, after she'd saved his life more than once.

He's the screw up, not her.

He rises too, not towering over her. Yes, he's taller, but it doesn't seem like it as the wind leaves his sails and his voice comes out low, a little guarded, but much more genuine.]

You're not a screw up, don't make that face.

[He balls his hands into loose fists for a moment, then reaches out and takes her wrist gently. This is exactly what had happened with Colette; he'd been called out and didn't know where to turn, yet with Sheena it made him angry. Angry and ashamed, because she knew now, she saw the whole picture, and it's utterly terrifying.]

...I'm sorry.

[It's an awkward apology, flat and unsure and nothing like Zelos' usual collected or farcical demeanor.]

[worldofhurt]

I d--Zelos!

[That's still a sore spot, and he just can't let it go, can he? She doesn't know why that happened, and it still makes her unsure whenever the memory surfaces. She could point out that Lloyd started it, that it didn't get very far, but that wouldn't mean anything to Zelos. She could point out that it was during that one week where everyone was doing weird things, after she'd had the snot beaten out of her and was still hurting and maybe it was nice to have that comfort. And something else was there, but that wasn't really the point, was it? Zelos was still hanging onto it for some reason she couldn't fathom!

She turns away when he speaks up, not wanting to look at him. It's not that she's upset, not that much, just that she doesn't want to risk eye contact. His face, her confidence? She has to be stronger than that. Can't let this break her down. Even if he sounds--

Hah! But this is Zelos! His tongue is made of silver and his lies are made of gold. But gold is a softer metal than most people think, so maybe...

Wrist caught, Sheena finds herself looking straight at him, the move as much as the words that follow it startling her. And, for a moment, she doesn't know what to do. It scares her, this idea that he could be totally genuine with her, honest instead of falsely confident. So she says the first thing that comes out of her mouth, gingerly pulling her wrist back.]

It's fine.

[Forced light again, but... there's that wavering edge of her own uncertainty.]

[chosen_gigolo]

[It's not really fine and they both know it, but it's better than her knocking his teeth in - or worse, running off insulted and hurt - so he doesn't push it.]

He lets his hand linger just a moment longer then releases her hand, bringing it up to scratch the back of his head as he looks aside and his innards decide they need to move every which way in a sudden flutter of anxious activity.]

Lloyd's a great guy, anyway! There's no reason why you wouldn't wanna kiss him~

[Alright now he knows he's going to get a seal to the face, but he can't take feeling vulnerable anymore. Maybe he'll talk to Lloyd, sorta nudge him down the path to actually figure out what the heck is going on with these two, partially so he doesn't have to freak out about it anymore, but also...

Well, if that's what'll make Sheena happy, then she should have it.]

[worldofhurt]

[No, it's really not. But she can pretend it is, and that'll make things easier. And with him pushing this and pushing it again, it just makes her crankier and she whips around just two seconds away from slapping a seal straight down his face and maybe exploding it to just send him back on his ass onto the couch, but...]

Why do you keep talking about it!?

[...it's enough to make her shout. And when she realizes she has, she can feel the heat rushing to her face--dizzying, almost--and Sheena shifts back a step. She hadn't meant to say that out loud. But he does! It seems like every time they run into each other, he brings it up. She's sick of it. It was a mistake. Why does he have to keep shoving it in her face? But she wants... to make one thing clear, before she buckles to her own cowardice and just stalks off.]

And he kissed me.

[Which makes her gut twist because it means she has to think about it. Has to remember that it was curiosity and not affection--or that's what it seemed like. How she remembers it. Vatheon has things that happen that change people, sometimes, right? So it... had to be something like that. Lloyd wouldn't...]

[chosen_gigolo]

[Why does he keep bringing it up? He doesn't know, only that how Sheena reacts to it doesn't make sense. She should be happy, right? Pursue it? She's carried a torch for Lloyd since they met, Zelos could tell right away, so why isn't she happy? Her defensive statement that Lloyd was the aggressor just serves to further boggle him.]

Doesn't that make it better?

[No seriously, you're not making sense. If he kissed you, that means he's interested, doesn't it? Only... well, it was a curse. And it's been this long without Lloyd saying a word...

...

No wonder Sheena's pissed.]

Look, ah... do you maybe... want me to talk to him? I mean, I am the master of all things love and romance, after all~

[He tries to ignore how his own stomach turns into a rock in his abdomen.]

[worldofhurt]

No.

[Not if it wasn't by Lloyd's own volition! And not with how badly it all went after Lloyd realized what he was doing. Or Sheena only remembers it going straight down the toilet after a bit. And her resolve... She'd been okay! She'd been completely okay with giving up on Lloyd--Colette suited him better, and they'd be great together. And... And she's pretty sure that for all Zelos knows, Lloyd probably didn't tell him that he'd crawled into bed with her and... Sheena's face heats up and she can't stand it.

And no again to Zelos setting anything up! Sheena presses her palms hard against her cheeks, as if doing so could make the blush recede. She shuffles away a step before throwing her hands down, balled into fists, and--]

You're such a jerk!

[And he's so stuck on this that she can't think about anything else now, and he's not going to let it go when she just wants him to stop talking about it. She doesn't want to shout at him, because it's not what she's come here for and she just doesn't want to, but he's making it impossible! So the best solution is just to leave. Leave before she embarrasses either of them any further, before Zelos can keep talking about that stupid kiss.]

Do whatever you want! It's not like anything I say changes what you think!

[She can feel eyes on her, and it makes this that much worse. Right, she was... She was leaving. Right. So then why can't she move...?]

[chosen_gigolo]

[O-k..a..y? Now he's truly and completely lost. Sheena is just utterly infuriating. If she doesn't even know what she wants, how is he supposed to figure it out? She's wild, unpredictable, and gets in her own way about everything!

He flinches when she screams at him that he's a jerk, not from the words but just because he thought he saw a punch coming what with her hands balled into fists like that. But no punch comes and she turns her back instead, trying not to cry if he's reading her posture right. Or at least trying not to be embarrassed. But what can he say? She's full of twists and turns and she won't just give him a straight answer and then somehow he's a jerk for trying to help.

He can't deal with this ridiculous any more today. Best to get her to storm off so he can decide what to do in peace. To that end, he drapes himself suddenly over Sheena's shoulders, peering at her face with that careless smile he always wears and his arms crossed loosely over her obi.]

Aww~ Someone's just being shy~

[worldofhurt]

[What is there to be lost about!? It's the same thing she's been saying since this started! She doesn't want to talk about it, and Zelos needs to not bring it up! What's so difficult about that!?

And he's really one to talk about straight answers. "Pot meet kettle", much? He's a jerk for ignoring what she's said she's wanted the whole time: he just. Keeps. Talking about it. He won't let it go and let her ignore deal with it on her own. Just has to put his nose where it doesn't belong, just has to needle at her about it again and again.

He can't deal with it!? Try being the one at the centre of it! It's the frustration and the embarrassment that makes her seize up when he drapes on her, and she fumbles for a sealing card to slap over his face, just enough mana pumped into it to keep it there for a little while. He can certainly peel it off, but it's more for the surprise that she does it, so she can escape.]

You really don't listen, do you!?

[She's not the only one who gets in her own way. She doesn't run, instead storming out with purpose because it doesn't look as weak. And because she isn't that weak, but getting away from Zelos never sounded like such a good idea as it does right now.

She runs only once she makes it outside.]

[chosen_gigolo]

[He lets himself fall back into the chair again and watches her storm out before peeling the seal from his face.

That ended pretty much how he expected, but he still never found out why she'd been there in the first place! Probably to try and provoke him into making her mad so she should self-rightiously storm off? She did things like that sometimes.

He thinks.

...

A heavy sigh escapes him as he pockets the paper strip and straightens his clothes. He can't dwell on it right now, and it wouldn't do any good anyway. Infuriating woman...

He has other appointments to attend to.

...

......

But seriously, what did she want?!]