Chapter Text
|-Thursday afternoon. Museum of the City of New York, 1220 5th Avenue, Manhattan, New York-|
City being interested in New York's history? I never would have guessed, that sort of thing never really struck me as something she would want to know about. Mégis itt vagyunk. (Yer here we are) I sit at one of the tables, waiting for her to get here when I see that familiar red and blue Celica coming up Fifth Avenue, eventually parking on the side of the road, City stepping out into the brisk and cool autumn air in that blazer I've grown quite fond of. Seeing it makes we want to get one similar for myself, but… that thought alone sends a chill down my spine. Gold walks over to me, heels clicking on the stones below her where she greets me with a smile.
"Good day to you, Kati." She starts, projecting that usual confidence though I can tell it's not all there. Szerintem ő is tudja. (I think she knows it too) "Thanks for coming out here with me today."
"Oh, don't mention it." I say, trying to keep my voice steady as I stand up. "Honestly, it was the perfect excuse. I've been wanting to come out here ever since I moved into the city from Yonkers."
"Well, glad I could give it to you then. Sā. (Come on) Let's head inside." She says as she starts walking towards the front door, pausing and then turning around, waiting on me, where I then start walking. I reach the door first, grabbing the handle and watching as two people walk out before City walks in, me following behind her. The warm air is a nice contrast to the cool autumn breezes outside, but I don't get a lot of time to really savor it as Gold is already moving and fast. Úgy tűnik, megtervezte a délutánját. (Seems like she's planned her afternoon)
We move to the second floor, where we stop in front of a rather elegant looking dress colored in pale, almost coral pink. The kind of thing I imagine City herself would have worn to some prestigious event. Legalábbis valami hasonló. (At least, something similar to it) She seems to recognize it.
"Know who made it?" I ask her, trying to be nonchalant, expecting a very quick and simple answer.
"Pierre Balmain. I recognize this piece. There was once a reproduction on display in a special exhibition on 1950s French fashion at the Royal Ontario Museum." She says a she hyper focuses on the dress.
"I thought you said that special exhibition focused on the eighties?" I then ask, watching as her ears perk up in response to it.
"This was a different exhibition. One of the last trips we all took together as a family before… things fell apart and my mother took me back with her to Hokkaido." Gold then says as she briefly turns her head my way. I don't know what it is, but there's… something in her eyes. It was brief, but I know I saw it. Just what it is though, I don't know. And I don't want to prod on it, either. It's not my place to. "Balmain had a lot of pieces in that exhibition. Mostly reproductions and replicas. But this… this looks to be the original. It's one of my favorite pieces he's ever done. So to see the original… Cela me fait sourire. (That brings a smile to my face)" She then turns around and starts walking again, heels clicking on the floor as she moves. "But that's not the primary reason I wanted to come here." She says, beckoning me to follow her. We weave through other guests and some staff, passing my a large diorama map of Manhattan depicting how it looked in the 60s. It's weird to see the island with the Empire State Building as the tallest building there. I'm so used to the World Trade Center at this point that not even seeing the original Twin Towers is kind of odd. But Gold passes it by without so much as a second thought, continuing her little march until she arrives at her new destination: A display housing… indigenous clothing? Ez érdekes választás. (That's an interesting choice)
City looks it over a few times before turning her head to me, a question on her mind.
"Know what it is?" She asks, though I get the feeling this is a rhetorical question. Like she already knows the answer and wants to see if I know it.
"Uh… indigenous clothing? Delaware I think." I say, hoping that can satisfy her. "I know that they were already here when the Dutch arrived and settled New Amsterdam down in what is now the Financial District"
"Hmm… More knowledgeable than I thought." Gold responds as she turns her head back to the display. "From what I understand, they called themselves the Lënapeyok. Lënape to refer to a singular person while Lënapeyok is plural. They also referred to their homeland as Lënapehòkink, and it encompassed much of southern New York but also New Jersey, most of Delaware and eastern Pennsylvania." I was… not expecting her to know that. Hell, I didn't know that much and I've lived in the metro area my entire life. "I want to know more about native peoples. Here in New York with the Lënapeyok. In Oshawa and the Greater Toronto Area with various Anishinaabe and Algonquian peoples. Even back in Hokkaido. I'd love to learn more about the native Ainu." Hát ez meglepetés. (Well that's a surprise)
"I… didn't know Japan had native peoples…" I say, not exactly knowing how to process that information. City turns to look at me, that same odd glint from earlier still being in her eyes. The fact that it's still there has me concerned. That glint being there means that Met was right; Something really is bothering her. And I have no idea how to help her. Knowing me, I'd only make it worse and I don't want to take that risk.
"Yes, Japan has her own indigenous groups. As far as I'm aware, only the Ainu and Ryukyuans have any sizeable populations left after Yamato." She says as she looks at some of the other items in the display, notably a bandolier and a bag before she returns her eyes to me. "But, since I'm here in New York, I may as well start with the Lënapeyok."
"Makes sense you'd want to look at their clothing." I say as I look at the display again. They look old. Like, museum's trying their best to preserve them old. I look over to my right briefly and see a small thermostat on the side. Climate controlled case. Értelmes, hogy a szövetek ne hervadjanak el. (Makes sense so the fabrics don't wither away) I hear Gold's heels start clicking again, meaning she's moving. Seems like she's going back the way we came, so I follow. It only takes a few seconds for us to reach her destination, seeing as how she stops before the large diorama of Manhattan.
"There's a lot missing, don't you think?" I hear her ask, voice low so she doesn't get anyone else's attention.
"Well, it looks like Manhattan in the mid-60s. The original World Trade Center didn't break ground until 1966, and even then, the Twin Towers wouldn't be completed for another seven years in 1973." I say, turning my head slightly to face Gold, where I see that glint again. It still hasn't left her eyes. I don't want to, but at some point I'll need to prod. Nem hiszem, hogy lesz választásom. (I don't think I'll have a choice)
"I don't quite know. These past few years, I never really had Halloween to myself." City says as she reaches for her glass, the light from the lamp above the booth reflecting off her pale skin as she moves. I try to not let my mind wander, but it's so hard with these damn dreams popping up every time I sleep. Bárcsak megállíthatnám őket. (I wish I could stop them) "What about you? Any plans for tomorrow?"
"What? Hoping to drop in for a few seconds?" I say in jest, but the idea wouldn't be all that bad.
"If it's alright with you, yes." Gold responds as she eyes me down, that glint never fading. Just what is it? And why is it there? I just don't understand.
"I wouldn't mind, but… You'll have to deal with Met and his shenanigans." I say, watching her face to gauge her reaction. "He's hauling me all over the city. the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan. Even Staten Island for whatever reason." I say as City finishes her food, setting her fork down on what remains on her plate.
"I wouldn't mind dropping in for one or two events. Depends on where they are and how long you'll be there." She responds as I watch her eyes flick between several places. But never on me, not for long at least. Almost like she's embarrassed. She's not… Nem. A pokolban esélytelen. Nem gondolhat így rám. Miért tette volna? (No. Not a chance in hell. She can't be thinking about me like that. Why would she?) "Plus, Met doesn't seem all that bad if I'm being honest. Sure, he can be a bit blunt and rough around the edges, but he means well. He cares. I like that about him."
"He certainly grows on you." I say as I try and fail to make eye contact with her. This is actually getting annoying. I'm genuinely frustrated that I can't figure out what that glint is. Silence falls over us after my statement, and this feels a good a time as any to prod, even if I feel like I shouldn't.
"You okay? You look kinda… off." I say, watching as City's ears droop and then perk up as she tries to find the right words to say in this situation. She wants to answer this carefully, and I certainly don't blame her.
"A little bit, yeah." She says, letting that linger for a few seconds before I speak up again.
"You wanna talk about it?" I then ask, feeling a knot form in my stomach as the words leave my lips. Unlike before, where Gold took a few seconds to figure out her answer, I get one faster, more immediate.
"I'd rather not. Not yet, at least. I don't want to… Faites les choses compliquées. (Make things complicated)" She says, reaching for her glass and drinking whatever is left of her tea before she settles, ears then drooping with shame. But shame over what?
"We… don't have to talk about the specifics if it could complicate certain things." I respond, watching her ears slowly rise again as she looks at me, our eyes finally meeting properly for the first time today.
"I don't know where to start, really. I find my mind wandering constantly. Whenever possible and it is frustrating. It keeps getting in the way of my focus. It derails entire trains of thoughts and I… Sometimes it's overwhelming." She says, watching my face closely like I did with her earlier in the day. "Have you ever felt that way?"
"All the time." I say, wanting to give her some comfort to the best of my abilities. "Having ADHD tends to do that to you. Even when my medication should be doing it's job in my bloodstream during the day, I still lose focus from time to time and have to retread my footsteps, usually having to go all the way back to the start of whatever I was working on." I watch as Gold's ears slowly turn my way, showing that she is listening close. "Thank god I have Met. He can usually keep me in check."
"Funny you mention him." She says, gently resting her chin on her hand as she leans onto the table. "I ran into him on Monday in Central Park by the Met."
"Met was by the Met? Guess Hell has frozen over." I say, getting a chuckle out of her, which then makes my heart pound in my chest. "What was he doing out there?"
"In his words; just 'walkin by'." Gold responds as she takes in a deep breath. "He tried to give me some advice. Something that could help keep my mind on track."
"That's not surprising." I say, chuckling myself as I think about my next words. "Did it work?" I then ask, keeping our eye contact as we speak.
"Not always, but he himself admitted that it wouldn't always work." She says as she starts swirling the straw in her cup around with her finger. "I'm open to suggestions if you have anything you think could help." I feel my heart flutter as the glint shifts for the first time today. It goes from subtle and solemn to confident and… yearning? Is that even the right thing to call it? Nem tudom. (I don't know) But the effect is the same regardless. I hate how easy it is for her to get me like this, all warm and mushy. Which then invariably leads to… those thoughts.
"I, uh… Wish I did." I tell City, watching faux disappointment form on her face before it quickly disappears.
"C'est bon. (It's okay) You don't need anything immediately." She says as she stops twirling her straw right as someone comes by with the check. Gold reaches for her purse to pay but I get my wallet out faster, something that she notices. "Oh, you don't have to-" She starts but I cut her off.
"No, no. It's okay. You paid the last few times and I thought I'd take it up." I say as I look over the check. That is… not as bad as I thought it would be. I place my card on it and watch as the waiter heads over to a register to get the food paid for just as I feel City's eyes on me again. I can't shake the feeling, it's like she's… No. I can't think that. It wouldn't be right. Gold City does not look at other women like that. She can't. Tud ő? (Can she?) I try to compose myself as she turns her attention elsewhere. something that gives me some reprise, but her eyes come back. I try to not let it get to me, but as always, she notices.
"Something wrong?" I hear her ask, and I try to find the right words.
"Yeah, uh… I'm alright." I say, voice trembling as I try to keep my cool.
"Doesn't really sound like it. I… haven't made you uncomfortable, have I?" City follows up, voice dropping slightly as she seems genuinely sorry for something she didn't do.
"No, I'm okay. Not uncomfortable at all. Why do you ask?" I return, watching the glint in her eyes go back and forth between what it was during the day and what it had become a few seconds ago. It takes a few second for Gold to respond, but she does.
"It's just… I don't want to pry, but…" She starts, trailing off slightly before her voice drops again, this time to a near whisper. "Are you with anyone?" How do I respond to that? If this was any other situation I could answer reasonably well, but given the weird, mixed signals I've been getting from City since the fashion show, it hits harder than I think she intended for it to.
"I, uh… That's a bit much, don't you think?" I retort, watching as her ears droop immediately, taking that as a rejection of the question. I then hear her mutter something under her breath before she returns her eyes to me.
"It's… nothing. Forget I asked that. It was too much." She says as she reaches for her blazer, but I stop her.
"No, it's fine. I'm not… off put by it. Just… I'm not that interesting. I have a hard time believing that people want to know things like that." I say, watching Gold take a deep breath before she answers.
"I see… I just… I don't know. As much as I think I know about you, I feel like I could know more." She starts, pausing briefly before she finishes the thought. "I'd very much like to stay in contact when we're finished with this contract. Knowing something like that feels… important. I can't quite explain why, though."
"Yeah, that… That makes sense." I say, swallowing before I say the next words in my mind. "No, I'm not seeing anyone right now. I, uh… I want to stay single for a bit. I'm not ready to put myself out there again." I watch as City simply nods, giving me the opportunity to ask the same question. "What about you? Are you seeing anybody right now? That special someone who's waiting for a year back in Japan?"
"Believe it or not: No. I'm also single." Gold responds, catching me off guard as she continues. "My last few partners were, how to put it, not particularly respectful of my autonomy. I felt more like a trophy for them to show off and that's not how I want to be remembered. That, plus the late night shoots, the need to find suitable photographers, the constant travel across Japan, and now having to be in America for a whole year would put a strain on any relationship." She finishes as the waiter comes back with my card. I take it and slide it back into my wallet, after which we both stand up, City sliding her blazer on as we walk towards the door.
"Thank you again for coming out with me today." She says as she briefly looks back towards 5th Avenue before looking back towards me. "It means a lot."
"I feel the same way." I say as City takes a deep breath, satisfied with my response. While this would usually be where we part ways, City does something different. "Did you take public transport again, or did you drive yurself here?"
"Bus." I answer, watching gears turn in her head. I get the feeling I know what she's going to ask next.
"Would you care to ride with me?" She then asks,my heart fluttering as I try to find an answer.
"That sounds… Well that doesn't sound bad at all." I say as we start walking back towards the museum, making small talk where we can to add some more sound to the laready busy New York night life.
|-Friday morning. One West Luxury Apartments, 1 West Street-|
I wake up slow, as I always do. Comme toujours. (As I always have) It's slow, groggy and deliberate. And that's when I check the time; seven in the morning. Hmm… another early rise it seems. Sore mo tsukatte mo ī ka mo shiremasen. (May as well use it) I get out of bed and head to the bathroom, quickly brushing my teeth then my hair and tail before I jump into the shower. But as I reach for the water, I decide on a bath. Given everything that's been on my mind lately, I could use one. I set the plug in and start filling the tub, undressing as the water rises to where I want it to be, watching small amounts of steam rise, making me realize that it might be too hot. To compensate, I add some cold water to balance out the temperature. Once I am satisfied with it, I step into the tub and sink down, grabbing some soap and sprinkling it into the water so that suds may form. When I have enough, I start rubbing them across my body to clean myself, yet for whatever reason… J'ai l'impression que quelque chose manque. (I feel like something is missing)
Kati
It's such a small thought. As it always is before it inevitably starts rolling down the hill and growing, becoming something that I just can't ignore anymore. The thoughts twist and turn, from soft and caring to more… illicit and sensual. Like they are doing right now. It's rather annoying, since I'm in here to wash up. Especially as my hand starts moving to… a rather specific place. I don't really notice it at first, but when I start running my hand up and down my leg, I notice. I immediately stop, taking a deep breath as I return to what I was doing before, washing myself with the suds as the thoughts come back. It's harder to ignore them, something I thought was impossible, and like before, my hand moves seemingly on it's own volition. This time, the urge to too strong to stop. It starts slow, a simple movement here and there before it escalates. One finger, slowly tracing up and down that most intimate of anatomy. That stops me briefly. I shouldn't. It's not right. I can't do something like this while thinking about Kati like that. But the urge comes back, and my hand moves back to that area, finger tracing up and down myself like it was before I stopped. That internal conflict remains, but with how good this feels in the moment, I don't think I can stop myself this time. My movements start becoming more deliberate as I chase the rabbit, each pass causing my breath to hitch as I turn my attention to that small, yet sensitive bud at the top. I swirl my finger around it, letting the sensations wash over me like the water I am submerged in.
The circle motions I make become faster and faster as I close in on the rabbit, but I don't want to catch it yet. I want to savor the chase. Relish the hunt. So I move further down again, putting pressure until my finger slides in. It's surprising at first, I've never really taken it this far, but it also feels good. Amari ni mo yoi. (Far too good) To make the sensation better, I start moving my finger back and forth, finding a good rhythm that makes my breath hitch again. I try to relax myself as this happens, taking deeper and deeper breaths to steady myself as my mind solely focuses on Kati. How much I admire her. How much I respect her. How much I want to know her better. How much I… want her. All the things I want her to do to me flood my mind like how the water will flow down the tub's drain once I pull the plug. This euphoric feeling builds inside, becoming greater and greater as I take the time to savor these thoughts. If things come to that between us, how would I initiate it? How would I let Kati know that this is something I want to explore with her? Dore mo hontō ni miryoku-teki desu. (It's all so tantalizing) My pace increases as I think about Kati running her hands over my body, sifting her fingers through my hair, pressing her lips to my skin and gently sinking her teeth into me, leaving only the most scant of marks in her wake. I inadvertently let out a small moan as I think about this, which only causes the thoughts to become more ravenous. Those soft hands committing to these exact movements. I imagine that Kati would be quite skilled in that regard. How it would feel to have her do this to me, her slender fingers thrusting back on forth while intermittently circling that small bud that crowns the sex. How it would feel for her to add her tongue into the equation. That small yet strong muscle pulsing back and forth against the slick folds with delicate, yet masterful ease, leaving a feeling of fire in its wake that I only begin to crave more and more. It all becomes overwhelming as I start thrusting my hand harder and harder, pretending that it is Kati's, until I lunge and catch the rabbit, that large wave of pent up euphoria finally crashing down against me before I realize what it is I just did. Oh. Oh non. C'est... Qu'ai-je fait? (Oh. Oh no. This is... What have I done?)
I quickly wash up, spending time with my hair and tail before I drain the water and carry on with my usual routine, taking care of my tail before I walk back into the bedroom to clothe myself. After what I just did, I want to be as covered as I can. The thoughts still linger in my mind: How it felt, how the rabbit tasted when I caught it. I take a deep breath, feeling ashamed of my actions. Is this what goes through Kati's mind when she has those kinds of thoughts? The shame and disgust that they inevitably bring? Kanojo ga saikin motto heisa-teki ni mieru no mo fushigi de wa arimasen. (No wonder she seems more closed off lately) I quickly find some comfortable clothes for the day, remembering that today is Halloween. So I search for whatever I have in my wardrobe that is orange and purple. Once I find some suitable clothing, I hear my phone buzz. I get the clothes on and take my phone, seeing a message from Kati. Omoshiroi desu ne. Fudan wa watakushi ga saki ni kanojo ni messeiji o okurimasu. (Funny. I'm usually texting her first)
'Met and I are gonna be at the Arsenal in front of the Central Park Zoo at 9. Heard it's being turned into a haunted house type thing for the night. They're letting people in during the day to see the process happen. Wanna come with us?' I read as I spot three dots floating as Kati types another message to send. 'You can say no if you don't want to.' I chuckle slightly at the message. A haunted fortress? On Halloween of all nights? Quelle jolie. (How cute) Not a particularly bad idea.
'Think I'll take you up on that. It certainly sounds interesting.' I send back, feeling my heart flutter slightly in my chest as my mind goes back to Kati. I quickly try to suppress it, thinking about some good memories from my time at Tracen. Funnily enough, the first thing I think of is a Halloween party Helios put on at the Mejiro's manor. The look on McQueen's face as she walked in with Teio will always make me laugh. Then how she joined in on the festivities. I get taken out of the memory as I feel my phone buzz in my hand.
'I'll let him know then. Oh, and get a witch hat.' Kati responds, once again making my heart flutter slightly. I quickly slide my phone into my pocket and make for the door, slipping on my shoes before grabbing my keys. I then make my way to the elevator, waiting for a few seconds for it to arrive before I can head down to the lobby. When it does, I enter and press the button, hearing the mechanical whirring of the lift move me downward as it descends. before long, I'm out on the street, heading to my car. But then I remember what Kati had said. 'Get a witch hat'. I suppose I could follow her advice. I quickly search up quick stores and find one close by. The drive isn't long, and I step out, walking in as I feel a few people look at me. Unfortunately, I know their reasoning. But I try to not let it get to me as I immediately find a good hat that is made specifically for umas. I take it and pay for the item, putting it on my head before I get back into my car and head up to Central Park.
|-Later that morning. The Arsenal, Central Park, 830 5th Avenue-|
"How long is she gonna make us wait?" I ask Kati as I scan around, looking for City.
"She said she was close. Maybe she go- Oh wait, there she is." Kati says as she starts wavin, seemingly havin spotted the little blondie. Don't know why she's doin that, though. It's not like I'm impossible to miss or anythin. Te gavarìa da esar orbo pa farlo. (You'd have to be blind to do that) I look around, spottin City after a second or two of lookin. We watch as she walks over to us, grettin us nicely as she reaches us.
"Good morning. Nice to see both of you today." She says as she looks between me and Kati. She's projectin her usual confidence, but I can tell she's on edge. Still tryin to figure herself out. But there's somethin else in those blue eyes of hers. Looks like… Xấu hổ? (Shame?) Was she… doin what I'm thinkin… No. There's no way. Đó không phải là... những gì đã xảy ra... Trừ khi... (That's not… what happened… Unless...) No. She would think about somethin like that. That is, if my hunch is correct. No matter, though. This isn't the time or place for proddin on somethin like that.
"It's nice to see you too, City." Kati says, the slightest tremor in her voice as she speaks. In know she's puttin on a face to not embarras Kati, but I know City heard it too.
"I guess I can say the same." I say, tryin to be sarcastic to inject some humor into this situation. Seems to work. Briefly. But that doesn't seem to phase anythin, and we watch as City looks around us, takin in her surroundins.
"Well, shall we?" She says a she looks at the Arsenal, wantin to head inside. Kati takes the first step towards the buildin, City followin close behind her. That leaves me. Me and somethin that is very clearly not a choice. No che me lamento. Dopo tuto, questa ła jera ła me idea. (Not that I'm complaining. This was my idea after all)
We make our way to the front door, puttin ourselves in the line where we are soon let in. After that, we are free to explore as we see fit. Not a bad deal. One we are a good bit inside, both women look up at me, thinkin I have an idea of where to start.
"Uh, what are ya lookin at me for?" I ask, purple and silver dartin between the two of them.
"This was your idea. Lead the way." Kati says as she looks around her, takin in the decorations and festive buntin that is on every conceivable surface.
"Kati does have a point." City adds, puttin more pressure on me. Merda. (Shit)
"Uh, fuck, I don't know where to start. I've never actually been inside the Arsenal before, so…" I respond, watchin a look of judgement form on City's face while Kati rolls her eyes.
"Természetesen. (Of course)" She says, takin one last look around her before she speaks up again. "Well, let's head this way. To the third floor. I wanna see if they still have those dinosaur skeletons." Kati says as she starts movin, me followin her as I hear the tiniest gasp from City. I subtly look down and see that Kati has City's wrist in her hand. She definitely doesn't know she did that. Because if she did know, her face would be as red as a tomato and she would be meltin into a puddle on the floor. I try not to stare for too long, but it doesn't matter. City's eyes catch mine, and I can see the thoughts swirlin in her head. I mentally laugh as I follow Kati's lead, who relaxes her grip enough to let City out, now followin her of her own volition.
It does not take us long to get up to the third floor, and the first thing I spot is a fossilized skull.
"Oh, nice." I say as I spot it, tippin Kati off that her precious bones are up here, somethin that I know will put a smile on her face.
"Oh wow… They still have a few…" She says as I take a look around. Looks like the staff are still settin things up for later tonight, though some places look to be up and runnin. May as well check them out. See if we can't do anythin right now. I walk over to one of the stations that's still bein set up, takin a guess as to what it could be.
"Magic mirror?" I ask, gettin one of the staff's attention. The dude approaches me, a slight smile on his face.
"Something like that, yeah." He says as he briefly turns back to it before returnin his attention to me. "When we have this set up it'll hopefully be like those hall of mirror attractions you see at theme parks where you'll sometimes find a mirror that distorts your reflection, but also having ghosts and ghouls in there as well."
"How do you plan to pull that off?" I ask, watchin his face light up. That tells me everythin I need to know.
'Follow me.'
The guy walks over to some of the mirrors, gently turnin one around so I can see the mechanisms behind them. Santa merda che xe inpresionante. (Holy shit that is impressive)
"Woah… Its like those ghost ball things." I say as the dude's smile gets bigger.
"Oh yes. We've got a translucent film behind the first glass layer of the mirror and all the way at the back. If we get everything right, then the light sould pass throughthe first translucent layer, get somewhat obscured by the aluminum backing and then pass through the second translucent layer and hit the glass." He says, usin the simplest terms he can in his explanation.
"That's fuckin cool." I say, watchin as the guy turns the mirror back around to the spot it was in before he moved it. I take that as my cue to find City and Kati, which isn't all that hard given the black and purple hat Blondie is wearin. It's weird she's the only person I've seen wearin one so far today. Em nghĩ anh sẽ thấy nhiều hơn. Rõ ràng là không. (You think I would've seen more. Apparently not) I make my way over to them, watchin as they spot my reflection in the glass case they were lookin into.
"Oh, there you are." I hear Kati say as City looks up at me.
"Where'd you go?" She asks, adjustin her hat slightly so it fits better on her head.
"I was checkin out some of the things they're settin up. They got these mirrors that'll be like those ghost balls you see sometimes. You know the ones. Where they have like an iPad underneath projectin video footage inside the ball?" I say, watchin both women to see their reactions. Guess they know what I'm talkin about.
"Oh yeah. I think I know what you're talking about. Didn't Rose do that one for a Halloween party?" Kati says, and I notice somethin subtle with City when she hears Rose's name. Her ears droop ever so slightly. So she knows that Rose is Kati's ex? Does she know that they're on good terms? That Rose has no real intention of getting back together with Kati? I have to assume she mentioned that if she ever brought it up. But moreover, this tells me that City really is feelin somethin for Kati. What I saw when I first met her by the carousel wasn't my eyes messin with me. What I saw in the dressin room after the fashion show wasn't some trick of the light.
Gold City wants Kati.
And it is tearin her apart. Because she doesn't know how to accept her queerness. It's one thing to acknowledge that. But acceptin it? If you're not careful, it can kill you. Dio sa che quasi me xe capità. (God knows it almost happened to me) Thank fuck Kati and her dad were able to pull me out of that. Help me get the treatments I needed. Puberty blockers, binders. General support. But Gold City? She's got nobody she can really rely on here in New York. All her friends are back in Japan. At least, I'm assumin they're still in Japan. And the one person she realistically can rely on in this situation is the person who's caused this. And she's standin right next to her. Fuck, I wanna help her. Nhưng như thế là quá nhiều, phải không? (But that would be doing too much, wouldn't it?)
I let the problem rest for now. I'd rather not fuck things up if I can help it. And that's when me and City make inadvertent eye contact again, and I decide, most likely against better judgement, to help to some degree. A simple gesture, a nod. That should get the point across.
'Remember my advice from Monday.' Is what I say without words, and City seems to recognize it. The gears start turnin in her head and she thinks about some good memories. And that helps, at least in the moment. Which is good. Even if it's small, a win is a win.
"Well, that was interesting." City says as we walk back out the front door, the autumn chill hittin my face.
"That's one way to put it." I say as I watch people go by, walkin into the Arsenal, but not before a few give me weird looks. Fuckin jackoffs. "What's next up? Rockefeller Center?" I ask, gettin Kati's attention.
"I think so." She says as she looks to City, wantin to know if she still wants to be out with us. While she's hopin, the answer is yes, she gets slight disappointment.
"I wish I could, but right now I need to head home for a little bit. Maybe I can drop by later today if it's alright with you." She says, where I then have to lay on the disappointment.
"Eh, we'll be up in the Bronx for the whole afternoon. No tellin how bad traffic will be by then." I say as Kati starts pattin herself down. Par che ła se gabia desmentegà calcossa. (Seems she forgot something)
"Bassza meg. (Fuck) I left my phone in there." She says as he briefly turns around. "South bathroom on the second floor... I'll be right back." She then says as she darts back into the Arsenal, leavin me with City, who starts fidgetin with her hat again as I decide to approach her while I wait for Kati.
"You headin back to the Financial District now, or…" I open, watchin her reaction closely.
"If I can, yes." She says, voice tense as she tries to avoid eye contact. Cô ấy biết tôi muốn nói gì. (She knows what I want to talk about)
"Still tryin to find some alternative methods?" I ask, rippin the band-aid off so we can get straight to the point.
"I'm… open to suggestions." City says as she reaches into her pocket, seemingly to see if she has her keys on her., eyes occasionally dartin to me as she checks.
"Not anythin at the moment, no." I tell her as she takes a deep breath. that tells me all I need. 'I see. Thank you regardless.' Kati then comes back out, phone in hand, just in time for City to start leavin.
"Alright, crisis averted." She says as she looks over at City. "If you can find the time and can avoid traffic, I wouldn't mind you dropping by again. I don't know about Met, though."
"I wouldn't either. I'll let you know." City responds as she then turns to leave, heels clicking on the sidewalk as she gets smaller and smaller. I know I should be more honest with Kati. She is my best friend after all. But given the circumstances, I think that would do more harm than good at this stage. These two need time to figure things out on their own. City especially. Nhưng nếu mọi thứ trở nên không thể duy trì được, tôi sẽ không có lựa chọn nào khác. (But if things become untenable, I won't have a choice)
|-Late afternoon. The Capri, 1700 Grand Concourse, the Bronx-|
"Prone of the operating table"
"Deep incision sliced on inanimate flesh"
"I love my disgusting equipment"
"Needles, scalpels and brainscoops to diagnose death"
"Succumb to my horrible experiment"
"Intestines and limbs agog in fiendish disarray"
"Mutating your natural composition"
"Rearrange your vital organs in horrific display"
"I'm the ghoul of the medical profession"
"Foetid corpses and carcasses line the basement wall"
"With glee I dismember cadavers"
"I affix the pancreas where the stomach should be"
"Rejuvenate the rancid corpses"
"The innards glisten in their new anatomical display"
"I cackle with post mortem delight"
"The walls reek of sin and the stench of horrendous decay"
"God, could you turn it down?" I ask Met, getting the feeling that my temples are about to collapse in on themselves from how loud the music is. Met just glares at me while Scott leans over from behind the wall and casts judgement.
"No."
"Absolutely the fuck not."
They say in unison, getting a grumble out of me as I have to now deal with this claptrap for a few more hours until I hear from Mark and Jessica that they're ready to go. Scott then comes out of his room fully, towel on his head, water droplets absorbing into the collar of his shirt as he walks over, beads of water still on the whatever exposed dark skin their is, sitting down next to me.
"So what'd you think? Good movie?" He asks as Met laughs from the kitchen.
"Oh come on, Scott. You know she doesn't do well with horror." He says as he tosses his head back, swallowing his HRT when Scott answers him.
"I don't know, Met. She seemed to do pretty okay." He says before hos eyes lock onto me, gaze burning into my skull. "Let's see if we can get one more in. I'm thinking… The Exorcist."
"Nah. Don't think we'll have the time. We're headin out to do some bar hoppin with some friends tonight." Met interjects, saving me from further nightmares. I already know I'm not gonna sleep well tonight. "Speakin of… heard anythin from Mark."
"I would've told you if I had." I say as I watch my phone vibrate on the coffee table. I reach over and grab it, seeing that it's Jessica that has texted me.
'We'll be ready in five minutes. First stop is Dutch Kills up in Queens, right?' She asks. That sounds right. I'll need to check with Met.
'Think so. Let me ask Met. This was his idea.' I send back as I turn to Met. "Jessica says she will be ready soon. Dutch Kills is first right?" He scratches his head briefly before he gives me an answer.
"Uh, no. We're starting in Brooklyn at Bearded Lady. We're not even touching Queens. It's just Brooklyn and Manhattan." He says as I text the answer to Jessica.
'Bearded Lady. Shouldn't be too far from your apartment. We're also not heading into Queens. Just Brooklyn and Manhattan.' I send her, watching as she types her response before sending it.
'Got it. I'll let Mark know. We can meet you outside.' I then look over at Met, wanting to know if he are good to go. He nods, and I stand up, walking over to the door and slipping ym Chucks back on as I turn back to Scott. "Thanks for letting me come over."
"No problem. Anyone who's a friend of Met is welcome here at anytime. I do not mind." He says as he gets the towel of his head, dreadlocks cascading down his back as he stands up himself. "Besides, you're not the only ones heading out. I gotta meet up with Chantel here in a little bit down in Times Square. You two have fun." He says as he heads into his room to get changed, me and Met heading out the door and into the hallway.
"I'm assuming Chantel is his girlfriend?" I ask as Met turns his head down to me.
"They prefer the term partner, but yes." He answers as he turns back to his apartment, wanting to close the door but getting a few last words in. "Hey Scott! If we end up at Times Square by the end of the night I'm bummin a ride home off you!"
"Because of course you are you broke ass bitch! Anything to avoid paying fare!" Scott shouts back, getting a laugh out of Met.
"We live together you fuck!" He retorts as he closes the door, walking with me down the hallway and towards the elevator. We reach it, Met pushing the button and me hitting the button for the lobby once we're inside. While we head down, I feel his eyes one me. One purple, the other silver. He's analyzing me again. Utálom, amikor ezt csinálja. (I hate it when he does that)
"Could you… not stare like that?" I say, voice low and wimpish as it usually gets like this.
"You know, you can tell me when somethin is really botherin you. I hate playin the guessin game." He says, reminding me of our little conversation Monday night in Crotona Park. "I do want to know what's goin through that head of yours. No keepin secrets, okay? This ain't like the other day at Crotona."
"You'll think less of me…" I say, voice almost inaudible thought I know Met heard it clearly. Úgy tűnt, ez nem tetszik neki. (He didn't seem to like it)
"Don't start with that bullshit, Kati. How long have we known each other? Most of our lives? Come on, out with it. As much as you are comfortable with while we're still in here." He says, genuinely wanting to help. I guess I could use some. Don't know how useful it will be, though.
"You already know." I say, watching his eyes remain on me as he turns his head in my periphery.
"Oh, it's like that? Can't say I'm surprised. What's she like?" He asks, wanting to get as much out as he can before he takes action, though… something is off. I can't shake the feeling that Met already knows who's taking up so much of my mind. Wouldn't be the first time, either. So I need to choose my next words carefully.
"She's kind, caring and thoughtful. Very headstrong and confident in ways I wished I was. Always tries to plan ahead and is quite intelligent. Drop dead gorgeous." I start, taking a brief pause as I accept reality. "And completely out of my league." I finish, sighing as I get those final words out. I then hear Met chuckle as he forms his response.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were talkin about Rose. Especially with that last part." He says, getting a chuckle out of me in turn. I guess I did think she was out of my league at one point.
"I said that about her?" I say, snapping my head to attention as I look Met right in his eyes.
"Yeah, ya did. Multiple times, in fact. Kinda got annoyin after a while." He says as the elevator stops, door opening, where we then step out into the lobby. "But enough of that. Come on, we've got a Sicilian at a bar to meet."
"Well, you twos sure took ya sweet time, din't ya?" Mark says as we reach him and Jessica, watching her chuckle as we both know Mark is just messing with us. "Glad ya could make it." He then specifically looks at Met. "Nice makeup, Met…"
"It's not makeup. It's corpse-paint. Get it right." Met responds, which allows me to slide in, prodding Met slightly.
"Don't even try to argue, Met. It's makeup. And I helped you put it on." I say, watching as Met snaps his head down to me, Mark and Jessica laughing at the emasculation I have just subjected him to where he then leans down, whisepring into my ear.
"Don't you ever… fucking do that again. So help me God if you do, I will punt you into the East River." He says while I turn my head to make eye contact.
"You care too much to do that." I say, defanging the threat because I know Met will never commit to it. Not on me, at least. "Wanna head in? It's six o'clock." I say, wanting to get the night started before anything can derail it.Everyone ust nods and we walk into the bar.
We make our way to a booth where a waiter comes over to us. We grab a large appetizer as well as our drinks, with water as well so that we don't get too inebriated. Not that it matters for Met. He doesn't drink.
"Can't think of a better way to spend Halloween than bar crawlin with some of my favorite people in the entire city." Met starts, briefly looking at Mark as he finished the thought. "And I guess Mark, too."
"A'ight, first t'ings first; Fuhk you. You Venetzian dick." He says as Jessica calms down the faux tension.
"Och, hush now. Sure, ye know he means well." She says as she looks over at Met. "Just a root beer, is it? that's all?"
"Uh, yeah. You know I don't drink, Jessica." Met says as he looks around, seeing a lot of people in costumes, seemingly with the same idea as us.
"Guess it's not the most original idea." I say, getting Mark's attention most."
"Yeah, well, it's a good one. So fuhkin fuggedaboutit." He says as the appetizer arrives, along with our drinks. "Oh hell yeah. Big-ass plate uh nachos. Love t'see it." He says as he reaches for one of the chips, eating it quickly before he then takes his drink, piping a sip down through the straw, savoring the taste as he goes for another. Jessica also takes a sip of her drink, taking a few seconds before going in for another while Met chugs his root beer. I then look over at my drink, this cherry bomb that I know will not do my head any favors. Soha nem voltam még ennyire jó az alkohollal. (I've never been all that good with alcohol) I take a sip, feeling the burn of bourbon go down my throat as I reach for my water, Mark degrading me as I do so.
"Looks like sumone's a lightweight." He says as Jessica jabs him with her elbow.
"Don't be too harsh now, would ya?" She says, but I do have to agree with Mark.
"No, no. He's right. I am a lightweight." I say, chuckling as the words come out. This is going to be on very interesting night. As I look around, I watch as an idea starts forming in Jessica's head. Conveniently, right as Met gets more root beer. She raises her glass up, wanting a toast.
"Every bar we step into, a toast. What would ya be sayin'?" She asks Mark responds.
"Amen ta dat." He says as he moves into position.
"Happy Halloween."
"Happy Halloween, everyone."
"Here's to November's coming fire."
"Here's to a blessed Samhain, so it is."
clink
Just one more bar… And I can get some rest. I hope. I tried to not drink as much as possible, knowing how bad I am with alcohol, but when you're in good company… Mondjuk gátlások általában nem léteznek. (Let's just say inhibitions tend to not exist) We step up to one more club, Deluxx Fluxx, and I get the feeling that this will be the last one for me. Sometimes the gut just acts like that. Hard to stop it, I guess. That or it's nausea. Probably nausea now that I'm thinking about it. Thank god Met is here, though. I feel him catch me as I start to sway slightly, something that immediately gets my attention.
"You okay there?" I hear him ask as I slowly turn my head up to him.
"Yeah, I… I'm fine. Azt hiszem. (I think)" I say as I watch Mark and Jessica get the door. Wish I had their constitutions. I'd be able to enjoy the night more if I did.
"I can get you home if you need to. They'll understand." Met says as he straightens my posture, guiding me towards the door like I'm blacked out.
"No. I can get through one more. I'm fine." I say as my head starts to feel a bit light. I should probably not drink any more booze tonight. Water will be my best friend.
Met gets me through the door, much to my chagrin, and we immediately set to finding Mark and Jessica, who've already got themselves a table by the dance floor. Seems they've already ordered, since they're looking at me and Met.
"Awright Kati, since me an' Jessica already know what we want, I'll hand this to you." Marks says as he slide me the drink menu, but I decline.
"I'm good. I think I'll just take some water." I say as Jessica turns her attention to me.
"Ah, think you'll be needin' to head home soon?" She asks as I wave the concern off.
"Pff, nah. I can last one more dive." I say as Met takes another soda, thanking the waiter as she shuffles off to get our drinks.
"If you need to, I can get you home. Remember that." He says, reminding me of my own state right now, having to project his voice over all the music. I look around, seeing how lively the club is tonight. I shouldn't be surprised though. Halloween is the perfect time for a night club to be open. So many people on the dance floor, getting all that energy out of their system. In full costume too. Some of them look really heavy to be lugging around. And yet they make it look easy. Also makes me feel… kind of under dressed. I look down at myself, simple black pants, black shoes and a black shirt with cat face paint on my cheeks. Not the most original idea but it gets by. Elég már. (It's enough) I can also say the same for Jessica, who looks like a banshee. Fitting since she's Irish. Mark though…
"Oh my god… Did Mark really dress as his dad?" I ask, poking some fun at how Mark looks tonight. He puts on a show of faux offense as he responds.
"Don't you evah disrespect da good name of Vito Corleone like dat again, little lady." He says before he starts laughing as Met just stares at him.
"Ya know, for someone tryin to get away from all the gangs he ran with in high school, you sure are fascinated by organized crime." He says as our drinks arrive.
"Well, Gawdfaddah is my old man's favorite muhvie. Pawt Two specifically." Mark responds as I drink half of my water in one go, taking note of just how dry my tongue has gotten over the course of the night. And that's when I notice another thing; How much I need to use the bathroom. I never really noticed it until now, given how busy we've all been. But it can't be ignored anymore at this point. I quickly excuse myself and head over to where the women's restroom is, pushing the door open and heading into a stall to relieve myself. Doesn't take long, and I quickly exit the stall, heading over to the sinks to wash my hands where I decide to splash some cold water on my face to try and sober up a bit more. Though when I look in the mirror… Isten bassza. (God dammit) I washed off most of my makeup. Oh well.
I leave the bathroom and start making my way back to Met, Jessica and Mark when I spot something, or rather someone familiar. It all starts with a large purple and black witch hat. No way… I try to get a better view, and see Gold City, at a table surrounded by people talking to her. Or rather, talking at her. And she… Oh god she looks like she's been drinking a lot. I don't like where this is going. Not with how many guys are here tonight. I don't trust any of them. I quickly make my way over to the table, gently pushing a few people aside to make a path.
"Excuse me. Sorry about that. Coming through. I need to… get over here real quick, sorry."
It takes a few seconds, but I reach her, the concern only growing in my mind as I look at how pink her face is. I know Umas have a higher metabolism so it takes a lot more for them to get drunk, but if she's this blushed, she must've been drinking a lot. Probably enough to give someone like Mark a nasty hangover. A few people look at me funny, but right now, I don't particularly give a shit. I do, however, give a shit about Gold. I make it apparent that I'm here, tapping on her shoulder to get her attention, which works as she turns her head slowly.
"Oh, Kati I… I wasn't expecting to see you here." She says, words slurred ever so slightly.
"Oh no, we're leaving now." I say as I gently take her by the wrist an leading her away form the table, upsetting some of the guys that were here. Good. They'd never deserve her anyway. But City seems to be a bit upset herself.
"Wha… Kati, I'm fine." She says, swallowing hard, telling me that she must be a little dehydrated.
"Not in a place like this in the state you are in currently. Come on." I say, watching as she seemingly processes the concern in my eyes. Whatever resistance she's put forward so far melts away entirely, putting her full trust in me. Frankly, I don't know what to do right now. Ez egy kicsit lehengerlő. (It's a bit overwhelming) But I press on, making my way towards the door with Gold in tow, seeing Met as I do so. Somehow, we make eye contact, and he also sees City with me. He just nods, understanding what's going on, relaying that to Mark and Jessica, though I imagine for the sake of my pride he doesn't give too many details.
We make it out of the club and onto the street, sitting down at a bench so that we can get our bearings somewhat.
"Hey, look at me." I say, watching as a look of slight annoyance creeps on City's face.
"I'm not… that drunk. Only a little tipsy." She says as she looks around before focusing back on me. "Thanks though, even if… it felt like it came out of nowhere. I was enjoying my night."
"I know, I know. And I'm sorry for doing that suddenly but… Did you not see the way some of those guys were looking at you? A tipsy woman in a night club surrounded by a bunch of meatheads? I didn't want to take any chances with that." I say, watching as the realization slowly but surely comes over her. But she doesn't respond, not verbally at least. She nods as I get my next question out. "How did you get here? Do you… Do you have your keys on you?"
"I walked. It's only around five kilometers." She responds. Great. Just what I needed to hear.
"Okay, I can work with that." I say as I look around. Street looks pretty clear right now. So a taxi… I stand up, motioning for City to stay seated while I walk to the edge of the sidewalk. Once I spot a taxi, I wave it down, looking back at City who then stands up. The driver slows the vehicle and stops by the sidewalk, allowing us to get in the back.
"Where ya goin'?" He asks as we slide into the back of the car.
"One West Street." I say as the driver types the address in, chuckling slightly as he does so.
"That's a pretty fancy place." He says as he starts moving, the taxi slowly pulling off the sidewalk and into the street again, taking us south towards the Financial District.
"Looks like you two had a fun night." The driver says as he looks and me and Gold in the rear-view mirror.
"Something like that." City responds, words still slurred as the driver chuckles again.
"Seems like someone had a bit too much to drink." He says as he continues his drive, occasionally looking back at us. "So are you two together?"
"I, uh… uh, no?" I quickly say, catching Gold off guard, making me think of something else to say. "Well, we came here together, but we're not… You know." I say, feeling like I've just dug the hole deeper. Especially now that I realize she's been resting her head on my shoulder this entire time so far as I briefly look in the rear-view mirror myself.
"Really? Well you coulda fooled me." The driver responds as the cab goes quiet, his words dampening my mood as I feel City's ears droop, the tips ever so slightly trailing down my cheek. The rest of the ride is spent in silence.
"Thank you." I say as we get out, me lingering a little longer so I can pay the fare.
"Don't mention it." The driver says as I step onto the sidewalk, hearing City take a deep breath as I turn around to face her. I then look to the building, a subtle suggestion that we should probably get inside. She agrees and starts walking towards the front doors, me following at her side. I get one of the handles and pull the door open, letting Gold walk in first, me behind her where I see her start swaying slightly. I quickly move to catch her like Met did with me earlier, and I realize that this is a bit too much contact for my liking. So I qu9ickly get her straightened and star moving to the elevator. I push the button for up, it comes down and we walk in, City hitting the seventeenth floor where I then turn to ask her a simple question.
"You have your keys, right?" I ask, wanting to make sure we can get into her apartment.
"Yes, they're in my pocket." She says as she pulls them out, handing them to me so that I can get her door unlocked. Again, putting her trust in me for this where she then asks me something in return. "Remember what unit it is?"
"1708." I answer just as the elevator door opens. We step out into the hallway, me occasionally taking glances at City to make sure she's okay. We get to the door, and I slot the key in, turning it to unlock the door before pushing it open.
We step inside, and I take my shoes off, immediately going into the kitchenette to get her a glass of water. I take a cup out of a cupboard and walk over to the sink, filling it up as I watch Gold slowly take her shoes off. "Here, drink this. It's just water." I say as she takes it, taking one small sip to see if I'm telling the truth. Once she is satisfied, she starts drinking more and more, eventually downing the entire cup and handing it back to me. "Need some more?"
"I wouldn't be opposed." She says, voice already sounding more full. I quickly make my way back into the kitchenette, refilling the cup as I hear City set herself down on her sofa. I make my way there and hand her the cup again. She drinks some before setting it down on the coffee table, drawing a deep breath into her lungs before slowly exhaling.
"How are you feeling?" I ask, watching as her ears slowly rise as she turns her head to face me.
"Light headed. Thirsty. Tongue is incredibly dry. Maybe it was good that you caught me when you did." She says as she gently places her hand on my shoulder in a friendly way, shaking me gently. It's such a small gesture, but it sends my mind spiraling. I quickly try to think about something, anything else. Which seems to work as City speaks up again. "Thank you, again."
"So… why did you decided to go clubbing by yourself?" I ask, wanting to know more. Gold takes another deep breath before she answers, reaching for the cup of water and finishing it again before anything else.
"Well, I had come back here after we were at the Arsenal in Central Park and decided to talk to an old friend." She starts, and my immediate thought is of Tosen Jordan. They're pretty close, right? Makes sense she'd want to talk to her. But that's not who she mentions. "So I called Helios, wanting to catch up a bit with her."
"Oh, and how did that go?" I then ask, prodding a little bit. Maybe some of those cat-like qualities weren't entirely rubbed off in the bathroom.
"Well, she's currently staying in North Carolina. Funnily enough doing some modeling for Randy." City says with a chuckle, looking at the cup, letting me know she wants some more water. I get up and refill it, letting her speak as I go. "Funny how that works, isn't it?"
"A little bit, yeah." I say, a small chuckle escaping my lips as I fill the cup for the third time tonight. I then come back to the sofa and sit down next to City, handing her the cup as she continues her story.
"It was the usual sort of thing you'd expect. We ask each other how we've been, talk about what we've been doing, who we've been seeing if we were with anyone. And then we started talking about plans for Halloween and I mentioned how I didn't really have any. At which point she suggested I go to a night club." She says, pausing to take a sip of water. "I tried to remind her that it's really not my kind of thing but she insisted. And I won't lie, it did seem fun. Helios can make anything sound fun."
"Well, you certainly looked like you had some." I say, letting a bit of sarcasm fill my voice.
"Yeah… Peut-être un peu trop. (Maybe a little too much) You know how these things go. When you're in seemingly good company, one drink becomes two which then quickly becomes three. Which shortly after that turns into four, the next thing you know becoming five." Gold says in response, taking another sip of water before continuing. "I think I was eight or nine drinks in when you showed up and pulled me away. Which then begs the question: What were you doing there?"
"Bar crawling with some friends." I say. something that gets her ears pointing straight up. "I was… actually gonna head home after that spot. Was starting to feel a bit tipsy myself."
"I take it you don't do too well with alcohol?" She says as she looks at me, blue locking onto brown, the glint from last night returning to her eyes.
"Not in the slightest. I think I would've passed out if I had drank as much as you had tonight." I say as I start feeling thirsty myself, getting up and grabbing a cup of my own, filling it up with water before taking a small sip. I then once more return to the sofa, sitting back down next to City. "I almost did pass out when I turned 21. Met decided to take me on a bar crawl. Helluva way to learn you're not compatible with liquor."
"It certainly sounds like one. Can't imagine how what Met would be like when he gets drunk." Gold says as he head sloops down a bit. Guess she must be feeling tired now.
"Well, he doesn't drink so we'll never know." I respond, watching City's ears perk up again.
"He doesn't? Oh wait, it would mess with his HRT, wouldn't it?" She then says, picking up on something that she feels is obvious.
"That's what he says. But… I can't shake the feeling that it isn't the full story." I say as I take a deep breath. "I did some research a few years ago and learned that alcohol doesn't really mess with most forms of HRT."
"Then that begs the question: Why doesn't he drink?" City asks in return, and I suddenly feel uncomfortable. I shouldn't really be talking about personal things like that. Especially if it's about Met. But at the same time, it's only really a guess.
"I think it has something to do with his mom. I know at some point she started drinking heavily before she moved back to Vietnam and before Met properly started his transition, but… I don't know. That's too much of a personal thing and I don't want to be that kind of person. Especially since we're talking about my best friend." I say, watching a look of understanding form of City's face.
"I see. I think we should change subjects then." She says as she takes another sip of water, setting the cup down on the coffee table as she pulls both legs onto the sofa, wanting to talk just a bit longer before she dozes off.
Ugyan már, Kati. Együtt is tarthatod. (Come on, Kati. You can keep it together) It's really hitting her now. Even among Umas there can be those that just take a minute for booze to kick in. Guess City is one of them.
"Careful…" I say as I lead her into her bedroom, keeping her steady as she walks to her bed, having some difficulty sitting down on the edge, meaning I have to help again.
"No, no… I can sit down on my own…" She says, words slurred again as more alcohol hits her brain. Though I will say, this isn't anywhere near as bad as I thought it would be. When Gold said she could feel the liquor affecting her a bit more I started prepping for the worst. Of course, assuming that we've already gotten past it. I hear her take in a deep breath, hoping that it can help her sober up when I look towards the bathroom, the idea forming in my head.
"Head into the bathroom real quick. Splash some cold water on your face. That could help." I say as she takes a few seconds to process what I said. She then nods and I walk over, wanting to help her up if she needs it but she doesn't. She manages to get up on her own and walk over to the bathroom sink, turning the faucet on and getting some cold water in her hands which she then rubs onto her face, beads of moisture slinking around on her soft, pale skin. She then comes back to the bedroom and sits down on her bed, tipsy blue eyes lounging on me as she looks around her.
"Could you… help me, you know…" She starts, pointing to certain things on her clothing before she continues. "If you're… comfortable with that, at least. I don't… want to make it seem like I'm being…"
"No, no. I understand. I can help." I say, trying my bet to not let certain thoughts come into my head. She's been drinking tonight. That kind of thinking wouldn't be okay.
Right. Because those thoughts are perfectly fine when she is sober?
Ó a francba... (Oh for fuck's sake…)
Don't even start, young lady.
Could you fuck off for five minutes, please? I'm not in the mood.
Yes, you'd like that, wouldn't you? You disgusting li-
No. Not now. Not ever. I quickly refocus on City, wanting her to be a bit more sober than she currently is so that no miscommunications happen.
"I'm going to get you another cup of water, okay?" I say as I turn back and head into the kitchenette for the umpteenth time tonight. I fill it up and bring it back to her, handing it over gently so nothing gets spilled. I watch as she takes a few sips before turning her head to look at a closet, pointing at it.
"There should be a… silk robe in there. Red and black, I think." She says before taking another sip of water. I walk over, open the closet and find the robe after a few seconds, pulling it out to show to her so I can make sure it's the right one. "Yeah, that's the one…" She says as I bring it over, watching as she slowly starts to unlatch her belt before unzipping her pants. "Could you, uh…"
"Oh, uh… No problem." I say, taking a deep breath as I help her get the pants off. I then set them aside as I hear more fabric be shuffled, turning around to see her struggling to get her shirt of. "Need some help with that, too?" I ask as she stops, putting it back on before giving me an answer.
"That would be appreciated." City says as I walk over, gently taking the hem of the shirt between my fingers and hoisting it over her head. I then start looking up and above her for the sake of modesty. "I can get the robe on. You… don't need to worry." She says as more fabric shuffles. After a few seconds, I look down to see her in the robe, noticing that it is tied snugly.
"How much of of a headache do you think you'll have in the morning?" I ask, briefly looking over at the cup of water on the night stand.
"That is… a great question. I do not know." Gold responds as she lays down, leaving me at the foot of her bed. I take one last look around the room before I turn when I hear her speak up one more time. "if it's not too much to ask… could you… stay the night? Just… to make sure nothing happens? Like, me throwing up in my sleep?" I take a few seconds to process what I just heard. Now is not the time to get locked up, so I take a deep breath and give her an answer.
"Yeah, I… could do that. Do you… have any spare blankets?" I respond, heart pounding in my chest as I look at City lounging on her bed.
"There should be some in the closet." She says, prompting me to walk over to the closet and look. Doesn't take long to find them, and I make my way towards the door.
"I'll be on the couch. And I'll leave the door open if that's okay." I say, watching her nod in approval as I head back into the living room. Well, I was right. This was most definitely an interesting night. Csak nem úgy, ahogy elképzeltem. Boldog Halloween. (Just not in the way I imagined. Happy Halloween)
|-Saturday morning. One West Luxury Apartments, 1 West Street-|
I wake up more groggy then usual, throat dry, tongue seemingly barren of moisture and with my head feeling like it could split open at any moment. Kore wa hijō ni fukai desu. (This is very unpleasant) I slowly get up, rubbing my temples so that this numbing pain can go away. I need a shower. I stand up, noticing an empty cup on the night stand. I don't… remember putting that there last night. It's an odd sight, but I pay it no attention in the immediate. I quickly make my way to the bathroom and undress, taking off the robe and my underwear before I start the water, adhering to my usual routine. The warm water feels nice though. I could probably waste some time in here. Help relax the muscle and ease away this headache. But I can't stay in here forever. After a few minutes of lounging, I step out and dry off, heading back into my bedroom to put some simple clothes on. Well, as simple as can be for someone like me. Black pants and a red shirt should do. I quickly put them on when I hear something from the kitchenette. Il y a quelqu'un d'autre ici. Qui? (There's someone else here. Who?) I cautiously make my way towards my bedroom door, opening it slowly, seeing nobody at first before I step out fully, finding-
"Oh, I didn't hear you wake up." Kati says. What is… Why is…
"Kati… What are… How did…" I start, trying to find the right words to say as she walks over to me.
"So, I was out bar crawling with Met, Mark and Jessica last night as a part of our Halloween celebration and I ran into you at a club. You were, uh… surrounded by a lot of people, mostly guys and had been drinking. By your own admission about eight or nine." She starts, a great deal of care in her voice. "So I… decided to pull you out at that situation and get you back here. Tried to get you sobered up as best I could so that the hangover wouldn't be as bad but with how much you drank, an Uma's metabolism being what it is and you apparently being one of those people where alcohol take a a lot longer to hit the brain, it got kinda hard at the end." She… She took care of me? In a vulnerable moment? How do I respond to that?
"I, I just… Wow. That's a lot to take in. But then… why are you here? I didn't give you my keys, did I?" I then ask, still unsure of why she is here. I can tell Kati has an answer, but isn't sure if she can really say it. But then she takes a deep breath and speaks up.
"I helped you get changed and then you asked me to stay the night. And… so I did. To make sure that nothing bad happened like you throwing up in your sleep." She says, and I feel an impulse start growing. And growing fast. To the point where I can't keep it down. Without really thinking, I close the distance between us, wrapping my arms around Kati as I let her warmth seep into me.
"Oh, I, uh… Well that was unexpected." She says, snapping me back into reality as I quickly push myself off me.
"Oh, I, uh… apologize for that. I… should've asked first." I say, the second part coming out as little more than a whisper as I retreat back into myself slightly. But I don't feel shame. Rather, the oddest warmth grow inside me. Kati's own still lingering on me. It felt… Totemo suteki desu. (So nice) I then take a deep breath before I decide to speak up again. "So I take it that cup on my night stand was your doing?" I ask, watching a small, wry smile form on Kati's lips.
"Well, I didn't want you to be dehydrated. Helps you stay comfortable while the body processes any alcohol that's been ingested." She says as she looks over to the fridge before returning her attention to me. "Speaking of; How are you feeling? Headache isn't too bad? Mouth not dry or anything?"
"When I woke up at first, yeah, my head hurt pretty bad but I jumped in the shower to see if it could help." I say as Kati looks me up and down.
"Did it?" She then asks.
"A little bit. But some food and drink wouldn't hurt." I say as I look towards the door. Kati does the same, and simply nods. No words needed. 'Yeah, let's head out.'
My head still hurts a little, but it's far more manageable than it was earlier. Taking some aspirin helped, but my stomach could still use something in it. And just as it growls, our food arrives.
"You two ladies enjoy your meal." The waiter says as he sets the plates down, both having bagels on them.
"Are you sure this can help with the hangover?" I ask as I pull my plate towards me, gently pushing my tea aside, the smell of ginger wafting into my nostrils from it.
"It should, yeah. Eggs have a good amount of protein and Vitamin B which can help alleviate things like nausea and headaches. Same with ginger." She says, something that makes a lot of things start making sense.
"I see… No wonder you insisted on the ginger tea." I say as I pull the cup towards me, wanting another sip before I start eating. It was rough at first, but after a few sips it started to taste rather pleasant. Once I'm satisfied I look to the bagel and gently pick it up, taking a bite as I savor some of the textures. "Hmm… never had a poached egg on a sandwich before."
"Well is it good?" Kati says as she takes a bite of her bagel.
"Very, yes. Good call coming here." I say, mind still going back to how she was concerned about my safety last night. How she saw a potentially bad situation and acted in the moment. I don't think I want to know what would've happened if she wasn't there and pulled me from that table. If I had stayed there and kept drinking. By her own admission there were a lot of men that potentially had some… less than savory intentions. How she made sure that I was okay afterwards, that I had water to stay hydrated throughout the night. Tout cela… (All of it…) Goddesses help me now, I really am falling for her, aren't I? Funny how things of that caliber can occur in such a short amount of time. How in only four months my entire world has been shaken it it's core. But then the dragon comes back, the oni and nain rouge appearing on my shoulders once more.
Think of mother. Think of father.
Think of how the establishment would react.
Kindly return yourselves to whatever depressing hellscape you both crawled out of.
I pay them no need. Ils ne sont qu'un obstacle de toute façon. (They're only a hindrance anyhow) But as I dispel the little oni and nain rouge, I remember that I am in no way capable of accepting this. Not at the current moment. And it is so frustrating. Why can I not be honest about my feelings? Why do I have to feel so ashamed when I'm with Kati? Why can't I accept this? this bout of self-doubt becomes so engrossing that I feel myself zoning out, and that's when her voice pulls me from it.
"City? You're looking a bit lost again." I hear Kati say as I snap back to reality, pale blue eyes locking onto those deep, rich and beautiful irises she has.
"Lost? What do you mean?" I ask, trying to diffuse the situation before it can grow out of my control. But Kati seems to know better.
"I don't know, you kinda… zoned out I guess." She says, concern deep within her eyes as she speaks.
"No. I'm… fine." I muster out, inhaling a deep breath as I take another bite of my food.
"Still bothered by the fashion show?" Kati then asks, the silence between us after she speaks becoming deafening until she cuts through it again. "We don't have to talk about it if you're still uncomfortable with it. I'd understand."
"I know." I say as I take another deep breath. "Shitte iru. (I know)" That comes out more as a whisper as Kati checks the time on her phone. Judging by her reaction, it seems like she's needed somewhere else. Presumably it's Met.
"I should get going. I told Met what happened and he'll be here in a few." She says as she starts to stand up, prompting me to do the same. We grab boxes so that we can take home whatever is left of our food and walk through the door, heading back to my apartment building.
It doesn't take long for us to reach the building, and I spot a large vehicle parked not too far away, over by the Battery.
"I'm assuming that's Met?" I ask as Kati as she also sees the vehicle.
"Yeah, that's him." She says as she starts to make her way towards it, but something in me doesn't want her to leave just yet. On an impulse, I reach out and take her wrist in mine, getting a soft gasp out of her. "Uh… That's, uh…
"I-Sorry I just… Before you go would it be too much to…" I try to say, but the words keep failing me. I can't ask that. Not in this state. But Kati, being the understanding woman she is, picks up on what it is I want.
"I think I see what you're getting at. It's okay. Come on, bring it in." I hear her say as she relaxes in my grip, approaching me slowly before the hug connects. That same warmth from earlier seeps into me again, and I almost don't want to let her go. But I know I have to. She has her own life to live, and I will respect that. We slowly push off each other before I speak up.
"I'll let you know when I get everything for the next photo shoot. Standard routine; you come over and we see what goes together best." I say as my arms fall back to my sides, her warmth and scent still lingering on me.
"That sounds good. I'll see you then." She says as Met gets out of his car, waving Kati down while shouting.
"WILL YOU HURRY UP WITH THE SENTIMENTAL SHIT! I DON'T HAVE ALL DAY!" He says as Kati adopts a quicker pace, disappearing into the passenger side of his car, which then slowly drives past me. It's then that I feel the lump in my throat. The kind of thing you feel when you want to cry.
Kono ai o ukeireru tame ni, watakushi wa nan o sure ba ī no deshō ka? (What do I have to do in order to accept this love?)