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thedistrictsleepsalonetonight · 3 years

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Something Wonderful (or Jamie and Owen compete to see who’s the better boyfriend and cause general exasperation)

The world’s best boyfriend contest started one Wednesday evening and went on for two weeks, resulting in about five trashcans full of wrapping paper, a completely exasperated au pair, a bemused housekeeper, one disgruntled cat, and a small fire.

(Don’t ask about the fire, okay? Just — don’t)

Now why Jamie had been participating in a best boyfriend contest, was frankly beyond Dani’s imagination. She had pondered it, turning it over and over in her head until all the incredulous question marks were just swirling around like balloons, had even asked her girlfriend this and been kissed into distraction until all the question marks had molded themselves into little malleable hearts that beat in time to every movement of Jamie’s lips against her own, but the question remained – Why was Jamie trying to be the best boyfriend when she was, in fact, a girl?

“A woman,” Jamie informs her, dignified. “Don’t infantilize me, Dani.”

“I’m sorry,” Dani replies. “Guess I must have been thinking of last night when you asked me to call you baby, like, ten times and then kiss your face all over until you were giggling.”

“Dani!” Jamie’s voice is muffled from where it’s coming to Dani from three inches of pillow fluff, drawn out so long that she can both hear and feel the embarrassment in those two syllables. “You know that was because you never kiss my face!”

Dani hums.

“You should kiss my face more often,” Jamie continues, and now Dani can hear the added pout. It is so cute that it’s an effort not to lean over, pull Jamie up until they’re facing each other, and kiss her until they’re both lightheaded.

(Nobody said having the most adorable girlfriend in the world would be easy)

(Nobody has said it, actually. Dani checked. They should’ve. Because it’s true)

Dani falls sideways until her head is next to the pillow, and consequently, Jamie’s head. She moves closer until her nose is pressing at Jamie’s temple, and presses two quick butterfly kisses high up on her cheek. Jamie whines.

“What? You told me to kiss you.”

“Yes, but now I’m embarrassed so I can’t look at you.”

Dani rolls her eyes, tamps down the urge to just grab at her girlfriend’s beautiful face and turn it towards her. Consent is sexy and all that. Also because she is sure that if Jamie looks at her now, all red and her brows furrowed, and lips curled up in a pout, Dani will pass out from sheer adoration.

“But I want to look at the winner of the best boyfriend contest in the world.”

This makes Jamie finally emerge from her self-made cocoon. “I know you’re joking, but it is something that I’m very proud of.”

“May I remind you that you didn’t actually win? And that you’re a girlfriend.”

“That’s because Hannah threatened to call Rebecca over and have her recite the terms and conditions documentation for her latest client to both of us,” Jamie tells her. “And also, it’s the principle of the thing.”

(Dani’s theory on dealing with idiot girlfriends, a gradually growing list states that when your girlfriend is being ridiculous, it is best to just go along with her shenanigans)

Dani just mhms.

*****

The entire thing starts because of Jamie.

(Oh, Jamie disagrees. But Dani knows, just knows that her sweet, if somewhat idiotic girlfriend, was the trigger that released the stupid bullet out of the gun. It’s not that she herself isn’t partly responsible but then again, try having a girlfriend who can widen her eyes and twirl a strand of her curly hair around her finger and mesmerize you into doing basically anything for her.)

There they are, sitting in the greenhouse, when they hear Owen and Hannah come strolling in and then Jamie gets that glint in her eye, the one that reads ‘I’m the cutest motherfucker and I will fuck things up simply because chaos intrigues me’.

(Dani may be paraphrasing a bit)

The point is, Jamie winks at her, and then immediately gets down on one knee, holds her hand, and says in a most terrible interpretation of Owen’s deep, gruff voice - “Hannah, my love, my absolute darling! Would you do me the honor of giving me company as I go about my every single task in this household? It’s just that I am completely whipped and cannot bear to be away from you for even one second!”

(Dani thinks it’s a little sanctimonious, since it was only yesterday that Jamie had driven back from the village in the middle of the night because she claimed to have been missing Dani too much, but stays quiet. She is the number one expert on dealing with ridiculous girlfriends, after all)

Owen rolls his eyes. Hannah just sighs in Dani’s direction.

“Yeah, yeah,” he drawls. “I love my partner, so sue me.”

“Ooh, Dani, look who’s being an adult now!” Jamie crows, and Dani would be annoyed if she weren’t completely smitten by her girlfriend’s amusement. “We have girlfriends, Owen here has a partner!”

“That one’s actually on me,” Hannah says mildly, taking a seat beside them on the bench. “I am too respectable and mature to be someone’s girlfriend.”

Dani would make fun of the completely besotted look on Owen’s face, if she weren’t sure that she had the same expression plastered on hers most of the time while she was around Jamie.

“You’re just jealous,” he says.

“Jealous of what? You don’t see my ravishing girlfriend sitting right here?”

“Oh, not of that,” Owen waves a hand in the air. “You’re just jealous because I’m a better boyfriend than you are.”

“Wha — I — how dare you?”

Dani opens her mouth, then shuts it again. No point.

He smirks. “You’re only pissed because you know it’s true.”

Jamie rises to her feet, faces him. “I do not pick out flowers for Dani — every day — in the color of whatever she is wearing just for you to turn around and call me mediocre.”

“Oh so that’s why you give me flowers every day,” she mumbles under her breath, loud enough for only Hannah to hear and chuckle at.

“Well,” Owen retorts. “I invent pastries for Hannah. And name them after her!”

(It’s true. His little bakery down at the village now features specials such as “Hannah”, “Hannah Returns”, “Han-nah Han-yes”, “Hannah Chocolate Banana”, and one notable donut that’s now just referred to by everyone as “Generic pun involving the name Hannah”)

Seemingly at an impasse, they turn to where Hannah and Dani are sitting, but right before they can say anything, Hannah holds up a hand, says – No, and glides out of the scene, gracefully.

Dani guesses that’s one way to end a discussion.

*****

“Miss Clayton,” Miles asks her, sounding supremely curious as he peers into the window, “Have Owen and Jamie started working out?”

Distracted, she frowns. “I’m sorry?”

“It’s just that they’ve been racing around the grounds with something in their hands for the past fifteen minutes now.”

Dani walks over to the window, picks Flora up so she can stand on the desk to see better. Two figures are indeed running around the grounds, with what looks suspiciously like signboards held in their hands.

“Miles,” she says. “Do you still have those binoculars your uncle sent over for your birthday?”

He scampers away and is back in a flash, looking through them. And then he starts laughing.

“What?”

He’s still chortling, as he hands it over, unable to speak. “Just — just look.”

It takes her a while to focus as they’re constantly running. Now magnified, she can see, very clearly the look of sheer exhaustion on both of their faces. Sheer exhaustion mingled with utter obstinacy. And then she directs it a little upwards and what she sees makes her genuinely consider banging her head against the wall until she bleeds.

Owen’s sign reads – I’m the best boyfriend in the world.

Jamie’s reads – No, he’s not.

Dani lowers the contraption and starts thinking of ways to kill Jamie.

(“Baby, you’re killing me!”

“I literally just said I’m not going to kiss you for two days.”

Jamie throws up her hands, repeats - “Baby, you’re killing me!”)

*****

“Okay, so here’s an idea, okay?” Jamie says excitedly, as they’re walking in the woods in the moonlight. “Tomorrow, you can talk about how I took you to a candlelight dinner, and we had champagne, and we danced in the moonlight to a very romantic jazz song.”

“Or,” Dani proposes, index finger in the air, “and this is just an idea but hear me out — you could actually take me to one of these fancy dates and then I wouldn’t have to lie so you can win an imaginary contest that doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things?”

Jamie pouts.

Dani bites her lip.

Jamie pouts harder.

“I hate you.”

“No you don’t, Poppins,” Jamie says, wrapping her arms around her from behind, and maneuvering her until she’s facing what looks like a blanket spread out in the clearing, held down by a picnic basket, a portable stereo set and bottle of—

“Is that—”

“No,” Jamie cuts in, “that is port wine. That’s what you get when you date the gardener instead of someone way, way more accomplished.”

Dani turns around, kisses Jamie until light brighter than the moon bursts beneath her eyelids, until the world shrinks to just the two of them — to two women wrapped around, into each other, to the texture of Jamie’s hair between her fingertips, the satin feel of her lips sliding against hers and the sound of her heavy breathing in the night air. Her heart skips in her chest, light as a petal floating in the wind, and she imagines it landing, very gently, in the palm of Jamie’s hand.

“I couldn’t date anyone more accomplished than the world’s best girlfriend.”

Jamie’s smile is gradual and the most enchanting thing she has ever seen.

*****

“Say what you want, but at least Hannah and I give each other distance and space.”

“Hey!” Jamie protests. “We have a very healthy relationship. We give each other loads of space.”

“You’re literally sitting on her lap.”

“While I could be making out with her,” Jamie says, like that makes it any better. “You’ll find that this is plenty space.”

Hannah sighs.

*****

The gifts are of various sizes, an everyday testament to the lengths people are willing to go to just to prove a point. They slowly take over the house, until one can’t run around a corner for fear of bumping into a large gift-wrapped box waiting to be opened by either of the two women. Flora takes it in stride, calling everyone to wherever she finds a gift lying in stealth. It’s come to a point where Dani isn’t even carefully opening the wrapping paper, like she’s been doing her entire life; she just rips it over and prepares to behold the magic.

(She will say this, though: all the gifts are things she wants, or needs. Jamie might be ridiculous, but she knows her)

All in all, it is with resignation that Dani walks to the front hall when Miles starts screaming about how everyone in the house is out to get his toe.

Owen stands beside Hannah as she kneels to pick up a tiny, but heavy looking box.

“Open it—”

“am opening it—”

“-quicker!”

“Owen!”

She gasps when she opens it, though, and Dani walks forward for a closer look at the beautiful necklace that nestles inside the velvet box.

“Owen,” Hannah sighs, her fingers hovering over the pendant like she’s afraid of touching it. “You shouldn’t have.”

He kisses her cheek. “Only the best for you, my love.”

Dani leaves them looking into each other’s eyes, only for her attention to immediately go to the door, where Jamie’s just walked in, holding a large cardboard box.

“Oh?” she smiles, arms still juggling the box. “What have we got here?”

Owen takes a deep breath, shoots the box a suspicious look. “What’s in that?”

“Oh, this?” Jamie asks, faux casually. “It’s — ah, nothing. Nothing really. Just a little thing for Dani here.”

Dani thinks Oh dear.

“You should open it,” he says.

“Eh,” Jamie replies, and Dani can see she’s trying very, very hard to not laugh out loud. “It’s really—”

“—open it—”

“—no, really—”

“Jamie!”

Jamie keeps it down, looks at all of them triumphantly. “I mean, alright. If you insist.”

Dani sits in front of the box and examines it suspiciously.

“It can hardly punch you in the face, dear,” Hannah says.

The box isn’t closed tightly, the top flaps just placed on top of each other. She opens them, rises up on her knees to look inside—

—and then Flora, who’s also been curiously looking, squeals. “It’s a kitten!”

And so it is. A tiny black thing, it had been snoozing on top of a cushion placed inside the box, and now unceremoniously woken up by noise, looks up at her, and meows indignantly.

(It would not be an exaggeration to say that Dani falls in love at first sight)

She picks it (a her, upon closer examination) up from the makeshift bed, and holds her up at eyelevel. “Baby,” she says, “I adore you.”

“Why, thank you,” she hears Jamie’s voice from behind her somewhere.

“Pretty sure she was talking to the cat.”

“Miles, you little shit.”

She leans in, nuzzles its soft fur for a second, then looks back up at Jamie. “Thank you,” she says.

Jamie’s eyes are soft. “Anytime, darling.”

*****

“We’ve never seen Jamie like this, you know?” Hannah says one night, out of the blue, as she’s cleaning up after dinner. Dani sits at the dining table, having been expressly forbidden from touching any instrument that might result in her contaminating the food. Owen and Jaime are outside getting drunk by the campfire. She looks up sharply when Hannah starts talking.

“You mean super competitive?” she asks, dryly, even though she knows what Hannah’s talking about.

“You know what I mean,” Hannah smiles. “She’s…. smitten. Charmed. Enchanted. Other adjectives I can’t quite think of right now.”

“I am all of those things,” she gushes, burying her head in her hands like an embarrassed schoolgirl. “I am…. smitten and charmed and enamored and other adjectives that I can’t think of right now.”

Hannah smiles indulgently when she finally looks at her through the gaps between her fingers.

“She’s better with you too,” she continues. “She’s dated before, of course she has but, oh, I don’t know how to say it.”

Dani rests her face on her palm, listens quietly.

“She’s not proud of who she’s been,” Hannah continues. “I think — finally, she likes who she is when she’s with you. And it is such a glory to see. She’s—”

“Content?”

“Happy.”

That’s all Dani wants, really. For Jamie to be happy. For however long she can love her, for however long she can take care of her, she wants Jaime to be perfectly, dazzlingly happy. That’s an overwhelming need that rises in her every time she witnesses her girlfriend in a quiet moment, trimming the hedges, watering the lawn or simply just lost in thought — that no matter what happens tomorrow, she wants her to be happy for that one moment in time.

(Part of her knows that she keeps focusing on the end because things tend to go wrong around her so often that it’s never been safe to rest and breathe easy, to think Yes, this is it, this is where I was supposed to end up. But she wants. She wants to believe, so badly, that this will last forever, that thirty years down the line, she would still be talking to Hannah about how crazy Jamie drives her every day.)

And she would do anything to make that happen.

“Is,” she wonders out loud, hesitates a bit, “is this what love is?”

Hannah passes behind her to pat her head, and Dani doesn’t even need the answer to her own question.

*****

She hears them from quite a distance away.

(Then again, she supposes it is impossible to not hear a man and a woman, both grown, both employed in respectable professions when they’re yelling about how much they love their respective girlfriends at a roaring fire)

She stops when she almost reaches them, curious to hear what they’ve been talking about.

“I love her,” she hears Owen announce as he raises his bottle in the air to emphasize the point.

“I know you do,” Jamie reassures him, equally as loud and passionate. “You love her like I love—”

“—Dani—”

“—yes! Dani is her name. The most perfect name in the world.”

Owen laughs in response.

“It’s true!” Jamie pokes a finger into his shoulder. “Like her mother’s a bitch but she did one thing right. She gave her daughter the prettiest name in the world.”

“You just think the name is pretty because you think the daughter is pretty,” Owen informs her.

“Oh.”

Jamie falls silent for a while, apparently contemplating the meaning of life, and Dani wants to laugh, but there’s another pressing need to hug her girlfriend that’s stronger.

“You wanna see something?” Owen asks, after a while of silence, then digs in his pocket when Jaime nods.

Dani cannot make it out from this far, but the way his hand moves, she does have an inkling of what it is.

Jamie gasps, nearly dropping her bottle. “When?”

“I don’t know!” he groans. “I’m — waiting.”

“My buddy’s getting married!” Jamie shouts, and is immediately shushed by her companion, both of them subsequently dissolving into giggles. “I’m so happy. I’m so — just — so—”

“Wha — why are you crying!”

“Because you’re getting married!” Jamie says, and yeah, Dani can hear the tears in her voice. “And because—”

“What?”

“—because that makes you the best boyfriend now!”

Dani releases the longest sigh.

*****

“Shush!” Dani warns. “You’ll wake the cat.”

Jaime blinks wide at her, and nods rapidly. “I don’t wanna wake the cat,” she says, very seriously. And then looks quickly over to where Banana is sleeping by the window and her face melts into what Dani can only describe as sheer devotion.

“She’s so cute!”

Dani gently nudges her in the direction of the bed, makes her sit down.

“You’re so cute!” Jaime says again, now looking right at her. “Almost as cute as the cat.”

“Thank you,” Dani says, enormously cheered up by this version of her girlfriend. Drunk Jamie is a riot.

“I mean it!” Jaime allows her shirt to be pulled off her frame and then lets Dani maneuver her into a more comfortable one. “Dani. Dani. Dani. Dan—”

“Yes, baby?”

“Dani,” Jaime blinks at her, solemnly. “We should bang.”

(Even Dani, who’s the self-proclaimed expert in ridiculous girlfriend shenanigans, has no response to this)

Dani cannot help the laugh that escapes her. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Bang. We should bang.”

“Maybe not now.”

“Yes, now!”

She pushes Jaime until she’s lying down, and staring up at her.

“You should kiss me,” Jaime starts whining again, once her legs are aligned and she’s clearly found more pressing concerns.

Dani bends over her, kisses her forehead. Then on her closed eyelids, on both her cheeks and plants a final one on her nose.

“That okay?”

Jaime nods with her eyes still closed, and lips curled up in the widest smile. Dani brushes some hair off o her forehead, and prepares to get off the bed to change into something comfortable.

“Wait,” Jaime says, her hand fisted into Dani’s shirt. “Why are you leaving me?”

The words find their way into Dani’s heart via the hands fisted into her shirt just above her chest, wrap their arms around her heart, and press. Words are strange animals, aren’t they? Hurting and pulling and pushing and twisting until their owners are almost as battered and bruised as they themselves are. Dani searches for the right ones.

“I’m right here.”

“Sure?”

She kicks off her shoes, awkwardly, brings up her arm until she’s holding Jamie. “Yes, sweetheart.”

A minute later, Jamie will ruin the moment by sleepily declaring that she is, in fact, the winner of the best boyfriend contest. Dani will let it pass. You can’t have everything, after all.

#the haunting of bly manor #thobm fanfic #thobm #dani x jamie #this is based off of two prompts - one by @onionstealer and the other by an anon #who wanted pure fluff for both couples #id have written this sooner except festival and #yeah #either way #found family feels #also a lot of owen and hannah #owen x hannah #no editing we die like dani clayton #submission

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hezroudhiaga · 7 years

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Impurity in Kugane

Warning: This is an RP Between myself and a fellow guildie of the Red Dragon Syndicate <<KAIJU>> FFXIV Mateus NA Server. A mature theme is applied here so those who are triggered/tilted about sex trafficking, rape, torture, blood, gore or anything of a mature theme then please stop reading here. Thank you. Enjoy.

True to her word, it did not take long for Yukihana to return home and gather which of her few belongings would be needed on such a trip as the one the duo were about to embark upon. Her attire was the first thing she changed, opting for a rather simple Eorzean traveling cloak with a draping hood that would conceal her delicate features deep within its shadows. Her boots were soft and supple, capable of remaining comfortable after many miles walked. Like everything she owned, they were a bit worse for the wear and most likely second hand. The bag she packed with the rest of her supplies - a few changes of gear, medical supplies, and the like - was simple and lightweight, easily slung over a shoulder.

As the Raen slipped out the front door, a hand lifted to activate her link pearl and softly she spoke. "I am ready whenever you are."

Hezrou had read the contents later that night, and true to his nature, he wasn't sleeping that night. In fact, he was twitching with anger on how much he wanted to butcher this man. He thought it was disgusting what was happening in Kugane and knew they'd do the realm a favor by riding it of this man. His ears perked and his anger was forgotten briefly when he heard her voice softly in his ear from the pearl in his earring. Lifting his hand up he touched it to respond. "I'll be there as soon as possible. I'll meet you at the docks."

When Yukihana would arrive, Hezrou was there waiting and talking to the captain of the ship they were going to board. At first the pirate didn't want to help them but was immediately sold when Hezrou passed over a nice sum of gil to quiet is refusal. The Miqo'te looked over his shoulder as Yukihana arrived and smiled. "Ah, just in time. I had just secured us a fair passage to Kugane." He said. He was wearing a robe over himself with a hood of his own, but his armor was slightly seeable under the folds. His sword's hilt was poking out of an opening of the cloak in it's sheath.

The trip took three days. Hezrou choose to stay below deck as the sea bothered him. It wasn't that he hated water, but he actually got rather seasick if he were to look at the water from the deck. He thought it might of been the air. Either way, he wouldn't leave until they were docked in the eastern part of the Realm. Once docked, he left with her to look around and get a feel of the area. He knew their getup wouldn't survive a day out here. "Yuki...we'll need better clothing if we want to remain hidden. I suggest we invest in a kimono or something." He already felt the odd stares from the natives. It was obvious they were outsiders to this city already. He hated having attention to himself.

As she made her way down to the docks, Yuki's hood was already pulled high over her multi-hued hair, adding a good few inches to her diminutive height. Though her head was kept down, it would seem that she had no difficulty in finding her target there upon the docks. Spying him with a belligerent Captain, she kept her distance even more so than usual, watching the exchange from the shadows of her hood. It wasn't until she saw coin change hands that she allowed herself to inch forward and offer a nod of greeting to Hezrou.

"Thank you," she murmured quietly as her hands slipped from the cloak's pockets to clutch at the strap of her satchel. The Raen's gaze traveled up and down his form, taking note of both the armor and the exposed hilt of his blade. Without so much as an ounce of hesitation, Yukihana turned and made her way up the gangplank.

No time was wasted in acquainting herself with the ship, at least from a distance. In the first few hours of their time aboard, careful attention was paid to those manning the vessel. From beneath the safety of her cowl, she learned the features and apparent duties of those moving about both above and below deck. It would seem as if the woman utterly refused to permit herself to rest or relax until she was satisfied with her learnings.

Throughout the three days they traveled, Yuki was back and forth between Hezrou's quarters, her own, and the deck of the ship. While he may have been bothered by the sea, it was the exact opposite for her. In fact, it seemed to bring a bright spark of life to her - at least until the final day of their voyage, when the quiet overtook her once more.

"You mean.. Give up our cloaks?" The question was nervous, almost shaky. She loathed the idea of being so exposed in the city. For her it was as if they were asking for... No, those thoughts would lead them no where worthwhile. Best not to dwell upon it. "Perhaps that would be for the best.. There is a shopping district where we should be able to find all that we need. We should have enough left in our allowance as well."

"We have plenty for our allowance." Hezrou replied. "Sufficient to resupply, find an inn to stay in for the time being and prepare." The Miqo'te looked around a moment before finding his bearings on where they were and heading for the shopping district. It was crowded and he hated it quite a bit. He hadn't really been in a crowd of people for a while now so it was almost overwhelming at first.

But once he was collected he found themselves a quiet little shop and spent some time browsing the wears. He got himself a silken white Kimono with red and gold designs along the sleeves and bottom. The tie around his waist was a deep red and he eased his katana with the strap so that it hung snug at his side again. He bought a hat to go with it, but he didn't like how it was mostly made for those without Miqo'te ears. He had to settle for buying it and figure out how to cut holes for his ears later if he felt like keeping it.

He waited around the front for her after changing, having already paid for both of their outfits once he was sure his fit. He still wore his blindfold, but he knew eventually he'd have to remove it. Or else it'd be easier to recognize him if the group they planned to attack would seek him out.

Moving through the city with Yuki for a companion was... Well, perhaps a unique experience. She picked her way through the crowds in a slow but steady manner, taking care with each move to prevent bumping into another. Arriving in the shop seemed to be the most treasured thing they had managed throughout the day's trek. Several deep breaths were taken upon their entry and what looked like the faintest hint of a tremble raced down the woman's spine.

Like Hezrou, she took her time in perusing the goods on display, dismissing several garments seemingly without any complaint other than the very feel of the fabric. Each article of clothing was inspected with care - the color, the texture, even the weight of the garment all seemed to matter a great deal. In the end she selected an elegant pink kimono with white and gold stitching. To match she selected a pin adorned with pink cherry blossom spray.

After changing she emerged, head down. For once her hair was fully drawn back from her features revealing pale, clear blue eyes surrounded by an oddly pink limbral ring. Unlike many of her kind, the scaling over her nose did not dare to traverse down the bridge, remaining squarely between her eyes. "So on to an inn now or is there more you would prefer from the shops?"

"I think we're set." Hezrou chuckled softly. He guided them to the inns and he found one close to a window and not too high from the ground so that he could go in and out on his own at night for what he planned for. He wanted to investigate this group and see what he had to look out for. If she couldn't fight, then it was just him. And he felt that those bastards would risk the lives of the women just to get what they wanted so he had to be quick and clean about it.

Looking about the room they chose he nodded in approval. "Alright...You read what we had to do right? This is going to be difficult..." He sighed deeply, crossing his arms across his chest. "I think playing it safe is the best option here. Going in slashing people's throats would just draw the attention of the Sekiseigumi. And THAT we cannot have. And I fear for the women should they get desperate..." He looked back at her. "You need anything for your side of things?"

Yuki was like a silent shadow following along behind him throughout the city's districts. Once in a room to suit him, she inspected everything twice over, even going so far as to run her hands along the bottoms of drawers in the room. "I read, yes," she said from a crouched position on the floor near one of the beds.

From deep within the sleeve of her kimono came a knife, which was promptly use to slash a small gash in the flooring. A small pouch that jingled as if filled with just enough Gil to provide for another two nights in the inn was then slid flat beneath hole she'd created. Reaching into her satchel, Yuki pulled free a palm sized sewing kit which was then used to neatly repair the damage she'd caused. Her work was as precise and neat as if she'd been stitching a wound and when she was done, the blankets that covered the bed hung just so as to cover any imperfection that might possibly be noticed. "Just in case," she murmured before straightening.

"I agree. I would rather cause as little loss of life here as possible. Fearing for the women is all well and good, as many are innocent but there are some who will potentially be loyal to the men in charge - foolishly, but still. There was no Intel on any markings that the brothel might use, but keep an eye out.

Generally they will bear a tattoo that stands as an obvious mark to which house they belong. The more elaborate the tattoo... The more they are valued by the owners." She paused, looking over to him with somewhat wide eyes.

"...Typically speaking that is. There is nothing that I can think of now that I need, but once we grow closer to time, it might be wise to have a few extra garments on hand to change the ladies into."

Hezrou didn't even think of that. He put his hand to his chin in thought, his ears drawing back a bit as he paced a bit. "The ones that would be able to be saved...I'm sure we can find someone willing to alter the tattoos to mask them." He replied. The Miqo'te paused in his pace and looked towards her. "I think it is best you stay here for a bit. I'll do all the lurking and hunting." He smiled a small bit. "That was a good idea you had, by the way. About the tattoos." He looked over his shoulder towards the window. He'd have to wait until nightfall to do his hunting. "I was thinking of once I know their routes I'll section one off and steal their gear. Posing as one of them just to get inside. Hopefully there's enough of them that they won't know who's who." He then paused and reached up to feel his ears. "Hmm...I should hide these. And my tail...You think they'd stand out? I didn't see too many Miqo'te in Kugane while we were here. I'd stand out as an outsider, you think?"

"We can find that in Ul'dah or Limsa Lominsa, so that we are not here as long. The longer we remain in the city walls, the harder it will be to make our escape. Just the garments to cover them will be enough until we make our way out of Kugane." As she spoke she moved throughout the room, setting up the medicines and supplies she'd brought in a sort of makeshift infirmary. Her arrangements practically created a rainbow of colored potions. "I will not complain about remaining here if that is what you think is best. This place is... That they could even call it 'pure'..." She trailed off with a most unladylike snort. "That or you could simply claim to be the cousin of a cousin, fresh to the city... It would not hurt to have a ready made excuse, just in case. And yes, we should hide your ears and tails. They do make you easily identifiable here. Are you certain there is naught I can do to be of help outside of hiding here?"

Hezrou thought a moment. "Perhaps get to know the area? We can probably find a back way somewhere. Or see if there are any allies out here for us to use as a distraction against them." He suggested. He felt along his ears, trying to think how he could hide them. They were so big...He looked at the hat and had an idea after a moment. As much as he hated to do it, he removed the cloth he had wrapped around his eye and moved it to wrap around the top of his head to press down his ears. The eye itself was fine, but there were two nasty scars across it. It was like either a claw or blade of some kind had slashed into his face some time in the past. It didn't look too bad on him, actually, but he hated it himself. He felt it was ugly as well as a sore thumb if it came to his dirty work. He put on the hat he had bought earlier which hid the covered ears nicely, as well as the black cloth itself.

"There..." He murmured more so to himself. He then looked back at his tail and had to think a moment. He couldn't just put it under the clothes. "Maybe...I can tie it around my waist, tuck it under itself and hold it there with the wrap around my waist?" He offered curiously, taking his tail and then looked down at the wrap around his waist holding the kimono together. He never thought he'd ever have to hide his tail or ears in his whole life. How embarrassing...

"I shall learn the area - we can ill afford to risk making allies out of the wrong sort," she said, shooting a glance in his direction. For a moment she watched him run his hands along his ears, curious as to just what he could possibly do to hide them... Did they even fold down for longer than a few moments? Oh, there were questions aplenty but whatever they might have been, they died on her lips as the cloth over his eye was removed to reveal those scars. While not at all unexpected, she still furrowed her brows before looking away once more. By the time he had himself settled, she had finished her work and stood, watching him from across the inn room. "I could sew a sort of pocket into your kimono if you would like. It might be a bit less painful than tying it around your waist or tucking it."

"Nah." Hezrou shook his head. "It'd move around when I would and might flip the cloth around. Can't be having that..." He turned his back to her to untie the wrap and tried to situate his tail how he thought. It was difficult, since his tail wanted to just move back but he eventually had a good snag on it and wrapped it up. It felt...really weird. Extremely weird. All of this was weird. It felt like his balance was just completely gone and he was going to learn to walk all over again. He moved over to the bathroom - if a bit of an odd step at first - and looked it all over. He never hated himself more than he did then. He looked like a damn highlander with face paint! Then it hit him. The face paint!

"Yukihana! Do you have any make up?" He called from the bathroom. "I totally forgot about these tattoos..." He didn't think they would be a bother, but the design was rather obvious. It was kind of a tribe thing. "I think after that I should be good to go out once it gets dark. After....After I can walk a straight line." He chuckled a bit. "I feel like I had one too many drinks but without the haze in my mind."

Yukihana could not help but stop and stare as the man worked to arrange his tail. Not so sneakily she even reached a hand back to touch her own tail but... alas, there was no way she was going to even attempt to manage all of that. Nope. To keep from daring to laugh at the way he took that odd first step, the Raen drew her lower lip between her teeth and simply took a step back to keep from blocking his way to the restroom in any sense of the way.

"Make up? I ah.. Well..." From within the room she could be heard to rummage around in her bag. "I do not typically wear it any longer but I do have a bit of powder from my last trip that might work...It is rather old though. You can wear this tonight and I can go out tomorrow morning and pick up something a bit more.... fresh." The powder was brought to her nose for a sniff and she nodded while stepping towards the bathroom. "It still smells pretty." Yes, because every man wanted to 'smell pretty'. "You can always pretend to be drunk too, if you go out late enough that is."

Hezrou chuckled. "I think if I acted drunk that's just blow our cover more." He teased back and took it. "Smelling pretty...Well, I suppose I can just tell 'em i'm gay if I want to smell feminine. Or that I had some time with a lovely lady." He rolled his eyes and smelt it. It did smell like a lot of pretty flowers in a meadow. Kind of reminded him of his old home when he was still a child. He applied the make up and took some time to blend it in to match his skin. He tilted and turned his head to inspect himself before he felt he was good and hidden away. He hated it, but it would work. He felt so....Highlander. "I miss my ears already." He commented.

Yuki actually allowed a laugh to escape, a sound that was quickly muffled by the raising of her hand. "Either works," she said through the giggles. The Raen waited patiently for the make up to be applied and blended before she stepped forward and peeked at his face closely. "I shall get something a bit more suited to you in the morning. Perhaps grab a quick bite of breakfast to bring back - or well, if you are to be out all night, it would more be your dinner." A thought pause came before she smiled up at him. "They will be back soon. Or you could set them free until time to leave?"

Hezrou chuckled. "I'll probably let them loose again when the mission is over. That's if we can manage a one night sting." He looked over at her from the reflection in the mirror. "Shouldn't be too hard to break into a brothel and kill a fat bastard." He chuckled and headed out of the bathroom, taking slow steps to practice so he could walk by the time the sun fell. "I'll try to sneak in while he's not paying attention...cut his head clean from his shoulders or something quick. There won't be no sound..." He stretched his arms out from his sides to help balance for a bit. "Shall I bring that bundle of sticks they mentioned as a show of the kill? Or his head? ...I think Akuma would enjoy seeing that bastard's dead eyes."

"Just... be careful alright? We cannot save anyone if we get ourselves caught." Worry crept into her gaze then, but she was swift to find another place to direct her eyes. What if it wasn't easy to break into the brothel and kill the monster? It certainly wasn't... No, no... She had promised herself that she wouldn't permit herself to get lost while they were here. That could come once they were home, once others weren't depending on her...

"I ah... I did not think to ask him what we should bring back. I thought the girls might be enough, but then we could always just free them and not handle the rest... Perhaps we can call him quickly, though then it might look as if we are not capable of handling this ourselves..."

"I'm going to bring back his sword." Hezrou said suddenly after she spoke. "That will be Akuma's reward." It would be easier to smuggle that then a head. He turned on his heel so he could face her, his hands still outstretched and his body still a bit wobbly as he kept his balance. This was harder than it looked. His tail was pulling at the sash but it didn't budge and his back muscles felt so tight picking up the slack in trying to balance himself out. His expression, however, was a bit dark. He was ready for this. He wanted to murder this man in cold blood for the corruption he's helping pool into Kogane. "We'll succeed...I know we can." He added after a moment, taking a few slow steps, almost a straight line. "We'll make it through and back to the Syndicate and we'll get those women out of Kogane and Doma and to Eorzea...give them a new life. A free life."

Watching him with an intent gaze, Yuki nodded slowly. "I am sure he would appreciate having the man's blade and knowing that he can do no more evil with it at his side." Were she capable of such, she would've offered out her hands to help steady him as he learned this new way of balancing himself, but alas... "We will, you are right. They will get all new lives and while it may not be the easiest life, it will be their own and free. That... that is a miracle in and of itself."

Hezrou nodded in agreement to her words. It took several hours of nonstop practice for Hezrou to finally walk straight and mostly normal. Maybe with a bit of a odd movement here and there. He even tried crouching and moving quickly to see if he could handle it. The first few times in the beginning would land him face first to the floor or even bumping into a wall or two. But by the time the sun was set, he was mostly ready.

"Alright...I'm going to go and find a way in. Feel free to talk to me through the pearl if something comes up or you need to check on me." Hezrou said as he moved to the window to use it as a easy escape outside rather than using the door to avoid people seeing him leave the public way.

Each topple or bump had earned the man a wince from the healer, though she'd not once criticized the way he learned. In fact, she seemed rather impressed. Mastering a new way to walk in less than twenty four hours was a feat she didn't think she could manage. By the time he was ready, she'd already placed the 'do not disturb' placard on the door to discourage any visits from the inn staff and stood waiting for him to depart.

"Just.. keep in contact as you can, alright? If you get into any trouble, just call." Moving into the Rakuza district of Kugane as the long shadows of night wrapped themselves around the bustling city, it became obvious that the streets belonged to Miyazaki and his swine. Stores that were considered their own had one or two members lurking outside as both protection and enforcer. This only grew worse the closer Hezrou grew to their target. Not only were Miyazaki's men lingering outside of the brothel, but more could be seen mingling with the women inside.

Hezrou stuck to the shadows and rooftops as he traveled. His eyes wide as he looked out into the darkness into the lit streets below. He kept going deeper and deeper until security was so tight that he knew he had to be close to their headquarters. His crimson eyes could see everything with the lamps reflecting the light for him. He would move about the area, counting guards, seeing their interactions with customers and finding out which women were brothel women. This task definitely wasn't an easy one and he knew then that not all of the women could be saved. He remained perched behind the top of a building until he saw Miyazaki finally making his rounds in the area. Smoking that cigar as described.

The man was indeed heavy, his face round and puffy but no doubt intimidating. His size could easily crush either of them if he wanted. Hezrou felt like that katana of his was a simple sword at his side. It disgusted him. The man would get a drink here, a meal there...yell at some other businesses and even cause a scene where he shot a man for not paying a debt to the brothel. He tailed the man until he found new girls coming in being carried by his goons. Drugged and completely out of it. It was busy enough and so many goons that it should be easy to blend.

Dropping into an alley he landed on his hands and feet but tumbled sideways into a wall since his tail wasn't there to counteract the landing. Pushing himself up he crept behind a guard standing watch to keep visitors from going in and wrapped an arm around his neck, his hand over their nose and mouth to keep him silent and quickly dragged him into the darkness. he slammed their head into the floor with a small thud and didn't even care if it was a little too hard to do more than knock him out. Looking towards the crowd outside nobody seemed to notice the guard missing. Good.

He stood and begun to undo his kimono and set his sword against the wall quietly before stripping the man down to nothing and donning the goon's uniform. He would wrap his ears down again and his tail in the sash around his waist once more when he was done. Hezrou then took his clothes and wrapped them up neatly and setting them hidden behind some wooden crates for when he'd make his escape later. "Took down a single guard. Got the uniform. I'm going undercover." He whispered over the pearl to update her on his situation. "Miyazaki spotted investigating the new shipment of women. I'm going to use this time to head to the HQ and find a hiding place for when he returns." He headed out of the alley and replaced the guard 'on watch' for a moment before walking towards the HQ as casually as he could to blend in.

As painful and sad as it might be to bear witness, some of those women trapped within that house remained willingly and had perhaps even came of their own accord rather than being abducted off the streets. For the most part there were subtle ways to tell the difference in the women. Those who were there willingly had a light in their eyes as they worked the floor. Their laughs came easily and freely, not forced or restrained like those whose gaze were haunted or dim. Those there against their wills had a certain caged look, like their backs were against the wall and there was nowhere left to run, no hope left in the whole of the world. Even if Hezrou and Yukihana could somehow pull off the impossible and free them all, a part of them would remain trapped in this house until they found some way to mend that which had been broken. And the path of the broken was never an easy one to walk....

Back in the inn room, Yukihana paced the floor anxiously, already imagining all the potential ways this could go wrong. Though she swore to do no harm, one dagger had been returned to its place within her kimono sleeve while another was strapped to her thigh. Another yet lay upon the bedding, a simple arm's reach away should any threat come through either the open window or dared to take down the door she'd locked and bolted earlier.

"Still whole?" Came the immediate question when Hezrou spoke of taking down the guard. To the window she went, taking up a perch in the open and allowing the breeze to wash over her features. "If you think we can get this in one night, I shall head out now... Find our path out rather than wait for morning. I have knives, can make myself... unappealing for the take."

Perhaps the lovely lady luck was on their side, for by the time Hezrou made his return the numbers had thinned out by a few. Some had wandered off to the back of the house, a lady (or two) in tow. Others had heard word of the arrival of the new 'goods' and had slunk off to try for first dibs. Those still milling about didn't speak of the man's arrival, but rather nodded in greeting. If they thought anything was off about his presence or even the way he walked, they held their gossip until he'd passed them by.

"Still whole." He whispered as he walked. "Go ahead and go to the extraction point. I'll see what I can get while I'm making my way there." He went quiet once he got near the guards as to not arouse their attention. Hezrou was surprised how easy it was to slip in. He would return the nod and keep moving. He even posed to bring a girl or two back himself once he saw the dimmed and broken look in their eyes. That dissatisfaction of yet another man greeding and drooling over them. The Miqo'te hated to act like a pig, but it worked. He got at least two with him and once he was out of sight of the guards he dropped the mask completely. He told them he wasn't going to touch them and he was here to help. He could see it right then and there the hope in their eyes. But they didn't speak as to blow his cover and merely nodded their heads.

He'd quietly lead them to a safe room before getting a few more girls from different areas of the building. He had close to twelve and would guide them one by one through the back way once it was clear to where Yukihana would likely be waiting. The whole process took at least an hour so it left her plenty of time to arrive. The girls were all together, holding each other and dead silent as they traveled for fear of getting caught. Hezrou himself was nervous as hell, but didn't let it show. His face was straight, eyes determined and steeled.

They'd at least save some...which was good enough for him. Maybe weakening this operation could give the Sekiseigumi to finally investigate and shut it down after tonight.

"On my way now." Her bag was snatched from the floor and slung over a shoulder, though the rest of what she'd set out and hidden away was left precisely as she'd set it. Out the window she went, dropping down to the grass and giving a look both ways before she turned to head to their meeting place.

Getting near the extraction point meant going deeper into the heart of the Rakuza district, meant moving back towards a corner of the world she'd sworn never to set foot in again... Emotions threatened to consume, fear and bile rising high in her throat. Why did her feet continue to carry her onward when her mind screamed out in agony for her to run, to flee. It was her heart that kept one foot moving silently before the other. The need to do right by these girls who were trapped in a life they did not want eased all of the rest and made it possible for her to carry on to meet Hezrou.

True to her word, Yuki was already there waiting when Hezrou arrived with the rescued girls. Fear mingled with hope in each of the girls the Miqo'te had collected. Could this really be it? Were they getting out? Could they go home? See their families again? Well, those who hadn't been sold into this life by their families that is... Seeing them all there, standing side by side, holding one another was damn near enough to bring the healer to tears, but she held them back. For the first time in years, Yuki crossed the distance to willingly offer physical contact to another, wrapping an arm around one of the younger victims of Miyazaki's cruelty.

"There is a back alley we can take them down, but I saw a guard wander close as I made my way here... With this many of us, we are bound to draw his attention. It is the safest way but... Still not without risk."

Hezrou watched in quiet awe as she willingly touched one of the girls and begun to comfort them as they started to go to her side. He couldn't help the small smile cross his lips to see it. Without a word he went back, gripping his sword's sheath and begun to run back before anyone grew suspicious of him. "I'm going to hide for the ambush. I'm going silent for a while. I'll leave the girls up to you." He said over the com after a minute or two.

Getting back inside the numbers were still very thin. Good. He quietly went down the halls and had no idea where his room could be. All the hallways looked the same. Looking in each would just look suspicious. After a while he managed to find a solo guard and approached him. He bowed his head in greeting. "Excuse me, brother...I'm new and I haven't quite learned the lay of the castle." He remained low as if he was deeply apologetic for interrupting this man's time. "Lord Miyazaki sent me back here to retrieve something of his from his room but I don't remember where it is...I was too afraid to ask him." His hand was still tight around the sheath of his sword, ready to attack him should this risky move fail. He would kill him anyway after.

Yuki did not hesitate to nod in understanding as she took over the shepherding of the girls. It took her some bit to get them to accept and recognize that the man who had been their golden ticket out of the brothel, was now leaving them in the care of this little waif of a woman. What was she supposed to be able to do to keep them safe? And just what would happen if they were caught out like this? For a moment it was easy to see the collective thought of taking the easy route and returning to the brothel. After all, better to deal with the devil you know than the devil you don't...

Something soft and low was whispered, a quiet internal exchange between the women of Kugane and sentiments shifted. Once more the gaggle of women grouped around one another, becoming the strength and shelter of the woman next to them. Slowly Yuki set off with them, keeping a sharp eye out for the guard she already knew would give them grief...

Meanwhile, back in the winding maze of the Brothel....

The guard arched a brow as he stared at this supposed 'new' member. A hard stare sized Hezrou up before he grunted and took a single step forward in an effort to intimidate the Miqo'te. "Yer new and they've already got you here..."

The corner of his upper lip lifted and he leaned down as if he could scent the lie on the trespasser or perhaps it was another scent entire that caught his attention... He was wearing Yukihana's make up still...

Suddenly, the guard gave a great belly-laugh. "Already been dipping your hand in the Lord's honey pot have you?" A heavy hand came down in the attempt to pat Hezrou on the shoulder. "Word of advice, keep your mind on the job and your head out from between the trick's legs and you might actually start to remember what you're told." Another leering grin was given. What a creep.

"The Lord's chambers are on the upper floor, boy. Best scamper off now..." As they went, Yukihana was right to run into some sort of snag in their plan. A pair of guards were on their way to the back way to make sure nothing weird was going on, having caught some strange events in the past between a brothel girl and a stray guard. Or the occasional napping one, only to see a dozen young women and a Raen between them. They were a bit shocked before they drew their weapons.

"Hey! What in Kami's name is going on here?!" One hissed. "Plannin' an escape, eh?" The other chuckled, smirking disgustingly. "Ye' ought to know what the boss'll do to you when you flee!" The girls were already showing fear that they were spotted. They didn't even know if Yukihana could even take them. They didn't even want to see her get hurt. The two guards begun to creep ever closer to them, hoping to get close enough to grab them or herd them back like the cattle they treated them.

Hezrou tensed a bit when he heard him get closer. His grip was tight on the sheath, just in case but before he could finish that thought to strike him, his nearly jerked muscle was halted when the man suddenly burst into laughter. He was surprised by this and sat up to look up at the larger man, just in time for the large hand to pat his shoulder. Then it hit him. The make up on his face! Oh, how he could hug Yukihana right now for the unintentional save of his ass right now. He played along, starting to laugh with him a moment before adding to that lie and playing along. "I couldn't help myself! Don't tell the boss?" He chuckled. He hated this man. Such a creep. "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you!" He bowed his head again. He started to run off and then went quiet when he rounded the corner as if he had indeed taken off for the stairs. However, he merely took the slippers off so his footsteps were silent as he moved back to him, slipping a door open quietly behind him before wrapping his katana's hilt tightly around the man's neck and jerking him back into the opened room.

It was quick. Once he was in the room he pressed his knee into the man's back and pulled hard to cut the man's breathing with the weapon pressed hard into his neck. He was a large man, and he was small. Hiding into the blind spots of his back was all it took to keep him from being taken down. It only took seconds for the oxygen loss to knock the man out. Standing over the man Hezrou narrowed his eyes. Dragging his body to a closet he shoved the man in before stepping back a moment to draw his sword slowly from it's sheath. "May your Kami have mercy on you." He hissed under his breath and plunged the sword through he man's throat to end his life. He used the man's kimono to wipe the blade clean and he sheathed it just as slowly to not be loud and shut the sliders. He even piled a few of the boxes in the room against the blood he knew would pool under the door for at least a little while before leaving.

He headed upstairs and found the Lord's chambers. It disgusted him how lavishly this man lived while enslaving so many women. Looking around, he would find a place to hide to ambush the man when he'd return.

She should have known it was all going too easy for this all to work. Why did she even think they could manage this? That she could manage this...? Her eyes were wide as she began to back away from the approaching guards. Both arms reached out to protectively shield all the women behind her. "You should... just let us go. Let us go and the others will not come for you," Yukihana bluffed. Even as she spoke, her mind ran down the list of spells she could use to keep true to her vows while still keeping herself and the others safe.

The Lord's chambers were a lavish display of his power and wealth. Decorated in deep crimson, brilliant golds and the darkest of blacks, every bit of furniture was plush and screamed of vast expense. Silk covered the tables, the bedding, and even the walls. Mixed in with the typical weapon or sculpture were smaller trophies, ones far more intimate and personal. A good deal of these lesser keepsakes had quite likely come from the women currently in Yukihana's care.

There were several pillars used throughout the room to break up living space from work space from.... pleasure space. Each pillar was easily wide enough to provide some cover for Hezrou to hide behind. A few screen partitions also sat about, though they were thin and could potentially reveal shadows if the lights in the room were brightened at all.

They both laughed. She looked so terrified. "What are ye' talkin' about, missy..." The guard grinned. "I bet you ladies worked together to try and run off." The other added. "You can't fool us!" They even tauntingly poked their spears out at the girls, making some of them jerk back in fear before attempting the same at Yukihana.

It was clear these two were just harassing thugs. They all were. They liked seeing women beneath them and trembling in fear. "When we're done getting you girls back where you belong we'll figure out who the ringleader is in your little lot of whores and make her pay! Maybe the boss'll enjoy reminding you not to act out next time." They taunted sickeningly. "He loves his girls when they need to be punished!"

Hezrou looked about the room quietly before going to the back of the room and pressing his back to one of the pillars away from the door. He'd wait as long as it took to kill him. He reached up to respond to Yukihana. "I'm in his office...I hope things are going well for you." He really hoped everything was clear for her. he was sure things were going to be busy in the next hour or so when the boss would return. He had no idea of her situation.

A hand shot out, sending a burst of boiling hot aetheric energies at their feet. It wasn't close enough to hurt either of them, but certainly enough to make them second guess coming any closer. Or so she hoped. "Back. Off!" Another burst of energy. "Touch any of them again and I swear to you, I will rip out your rib cage and wear it for a vest." Big words from such a small woman. Was she shaking? Certainly looked like it.

Silence was the only answer that came to Hezrou from his partner's end, which was perhaps odd in and of itself. She'd always been certain to respond when he'd spoken.. Now? Nothing, not even static or the frantic sounds of what was going on. It was as if she'd simply vanished.

The walls of the brothel weren't thin, at least not on this level. There was no sound warning of any of the Lord's men moving towards their boss' chambers... No sign that the man himself might well be on his way up with a few new pieces of his more stubborn merchandise. The mouthiest of the new girls always had to be taught their place, reminded who called the shots now.

The guards were caught by surprise at the aether blast before them. They'd never seen anything like it. They were just common folk that never left the city. Those threats of hers didn't even seem all that false now, either. They hesitated, looking at each other a moment. Neither wanted a taste of that. But one finally got ballsy and tried to rush her anyway with a cry.

Hezrou was quiet a moment as he waited on in worry. "Yukihana?" He asked over the com. But when nothing would come again he was worried. Shit. He shouldn't have left her behind. He should of escorted them! He felt like the walls in the room weren't as big as before now. That the air was thicker. That the weight of failure was looming over him now. Did she get caught? Was the boss about to be aware of his presence and capture him? So many thoughts came to mind and before he knew it he had a flashback of his beloved. About how he failed her. That she'd forgotten him after her disappearance and how he should of gone with her on that duty but didn't.

He didn't even feel his own hands trembling. His eyes wide at the realization that he had made a mistake. He didn't even hear the man enter the room with his guards and when there was talking suddenly he tensed and pressed his back hard against he pillars. Fuck. He couldn't abort now! Miyazaki had observed the girls and had even had his guard bring up at least four of them as they were tied up in ropes to ensure they couldn't escape. "Leave them." He said sharply. "Go outside and keep watch. I got work I need to attend to." He shrugged them off and walked toward his desk. His hand was in the open sleeve of his kimono across his large stomach, holding tightly to the bundle of sticks he was so attached to. In the other hand, he held his nearly used up cigar. Standing in front of his table he set the sticks down, exactly as Akuma's letter described - stacked right on the flat table.

The guards left and he was alone with the girls, who were trying to pull their hands free and whimpering or crying. The overly fat man stared at the sticks a moment before taking the last long drag from the cigar and setting it out in the ash tray on the table and taking up the sticks again. He put them back in his kimono and walked to the girls. He found the most defiant one of the four and grabbed her roughly by her hair, causing her to cry out and try to pull from the man but it was of no use. He grinned wickedly and begun to drag her by her hair towards his little section to have his way with her.

Hezrou glanced over his shoulder around the corner to the scene, horrified when he grabbed the young Domen girl by her hair and begun to forcefully drag her towards the bed that he knew bedded many drugged young women.

Rage boiled in Hezrou's chest. So much that he couldn't bare it. He had to find Yukihana. But he had to kill this bastard! Taking this chance, he rushed forward and with a flick of his thumb he pushed the blade up a bit from the sheath, gripping the hilt so tight with the other hand that his claws dug into his palms and his knuckles were white.

Tsutomu heard heavy footfalls suddenly and with a audible hum he turned while reaching into his sash with the other hand just in time to come eye-to-eye with a angry Miqo'te, feeling a blade sink into his large gullet. The man cried out, blood coming up from his throat and flecks of it spraying across Hezrou's face. But the Miqo'te didn't even flinch. There was a loud metallic click between them and a bang, but Hezrou didn't even hear it. All he heard was a loud ringing in his ears from all the adrenaline and hatred he felt for this man. The sword was clean through the man's stomach, poking out of his back and blood pouring from the wound.

Shocked that the Miqo'te didn't even flinch, knowing full well that the pistol in his hand was pressed against the attacker's stomach made Tsutomu speechless. He just made small pained sounds before his trembling hand dropped the gun and the pain begun to take over. "W-Why you...!" Miyazaki struggled to say as more blood dribbled from his mouth. "Rot in hell." Hezrou hissed and twisted the blade, pressing it so the hilt dug against the man before pushing it out the side and spraying blood across the bed and floor as the blade tore through flesh and sliced right through the man's abdomen. With a garbled cry of pain the fat man collapsed backwards, the girls screaming in horror at what just happened. Hezrou could barely breathe. The man's odor was indeed unbearable. But the smell of blood made it a bit more bearable. He put the blade to his inner arm and cleaned the blade on the uniform before sheathing it. With labored breaths from his anger and the foul odor he looked to the girls. "I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to save you..." He said, trying to quiet them down.

They were too petrified. The girl that had been grabbed by the now butchered man before them was covered in his blood and panicking the worst. Hezrou was quiet as he stared at them a moment before he took the gun and walked to the door. He knew there were guards waiting, but unsure of how many. He grabbed the handle and flung open the door and quickly exited to shoot the two guards standing nearby. Thankfully no one else was there. The walls were still thick here so no one would of heard the shots, either. He went back into the room and it took him a good few minutes to calm them, kneeling down to them and working to get them ready to leave.

However, it wasn't until he stood that he felt a sharp pain in his stomach. The adrenaline rush of the kill had worn off and he didn't even know he had been shot until now. He looked down and saw just how heavily he was bleeding, mixed in with the blood from stabbing the fat bastard earlier. "Oh, bloody hells..." He mumbled. There was no way he could save these girls now...Not like this. He walked over to Miyazaki and leaned over slowly to pull his kitana from his side and slipped the strap over his shoulder so it hung across his back.

"look...I'll come back for you guys with help." He told them. "The Sekiseigumi will know of this operation...They'll come before morning. I promise..." He breathed. He moved to a window and opened it, climbing out and working his way along the edges of the ledge to escape undetected. The pain made it difficult, and he eventually gave up to open his sash and allow his tail out for better balance.

How could he have forgotten that damned gun. He let his ears out as well and touched the pearl to link again. "Yuki...Please respond. Miyazaki is dead. I'm coming back but...I'm not in a good position right now." He wasn't even sure if she'd even respond.

Triumph flared victorious in her eyes as Yukihana watched the pair second guess their decision to mess with her and the girls she was determined to save. Up came her chin as she tried her best to not let the remnants of her fear show. She'd done it, shown the bastards she wasn't one to be toyed with.... Or so she had thought. The instant the foolish one dared to rush her, she realized just how foolish she'd been to even try. Her response was one of pure survival instinct, but one that would come back to haunt her nightmares later.

A flash of aether snapped from her fingertips and suddenly the attacker went down as blood gushed from both his nose and the corner of his mouth. "Bitch!" He shouted as he struggled to rise and lunge again while his partner looked on in horror. Both of his hands rose as if to wipe debris from his eyes but nothing came away. "I can't see! My eyes!" Back down on his knees he went while clawing furiously at his head. The more timid of the two guards looked up to Yukihana with fear in his eyes as he slowly began to back away before turning on a heel and all but fleeing the scene, leaving his partner at Yukihana's mercy.

"Go," Yuki managed to whisper to the girls in her shocked state. "We have to go..." Her hands turned to gesture them down the alley, though her hands remained locked on the whimpering man who had now curled into a sobbing ball on the ground. The same girl that Yuki had comforted earlier now reached to wrap her own shaking arm about the woman who was meant to save her.

"Lead us out of here, my Lady," she offered a gentle reminder to which Yukihana could merely nod. Slowly she turned to steer the group down the escape route she'd planned for them. They moved more slowly now as the entire group was frightened beyond belief. What if there were more guards? What if they were caught... What if? What if? It was all they could think.

Before Yuki could get too far gone in her own head Hezrou's voice broke through the silence to save her from her own fears. "Lord Hezrou? I.. I... Where are you? Are you hurt? Surrounded? What should I do?"

There was a moment's pause from the com before Hezrou's voice responded. "I'm coming down from the rooftops...eventually." He sounded short on breath. In pain. "The mission is complete...but not without mistakes." He slowly worked his way down the side of the building, and nearly lost his footing at least twice along the way. He grabbed onto a ledge of a nearby building and begun to climb himself up, even crying out when doing so out of sheer pain of tensing his body to pull himself up. He groaned in pain and held a hand to the wound in his stomach once he was up. "I-I...I will need your assistance once I arrive." He whispered. "Are the girls safe?"

He slowly got to his feet and made his way back to the alleyway where he left his clothing. He switched out from the guard's attire and used the sash from it to wrap his wound as tightly as he could. Just to keep the blood out of sight so he could leave. The white kimono was a bad idea...At least the second wrap helped the first under it with the blood. He made his way out of the district but by the time he made it to the more safer parts of Kugane his vision was already starting to cross over and unfocused. "We need...to gather our things and leave tonight. With the girls..."

"Just... be careful. I left one in the alley, but he should not be able to see you.. Not yet, anyways. I will see to you as soon as you arrive.. I... Just make sure you get here, alright?" The worry was evident in the strain of her voice, mingling with the fear that still burned bright within. "The girls are all still with me. We are... whole." It was the easiest way she could answer the question without causing him more concern.

"We will, as soon as I have seen to you and your injuries, I will venture out and see to the arrangements for a ship out of here. Just get yourself here." As she spoke, she continued to shepherd the girls towards the inn, keeping a sharp eye out for further trouble along the way. Once they arrived, the Raen rushed to slide the window open so the girls could climb in one by one, with her climbing through last. The little inn room was full to bursting with women as Yuki raised a finger to her lips to keep them all quiet.

"Right..." Hezrou acknowledged and made his way to the inn. By the time he got there, though, he was surprised he was conscious at all. He climbed in and collapsed into the room. His strength had given out on him knowing now that he was mostly safe. There was a tinge of crimson pushing up from the sash tied tightly around his waist. His ears were pressed back and his face didn't hide his pain. There was sweat on his brow and his breaths were labored. The sword from their target rested against his back.

Yuki stood by the window anxiously awaiting the Miqo'te's arrival. Her hands were swift to reach out to help him through the window, offering aid without fear for contact... At least for now. "I have you, just breathe, Lord Hezrou." The girls of the room seemed to step back as one, the show and horror obvious upon their varied features.

Yuki's hands looped under his and she began to drag him back towards the little infirmary she'd set up earlier. For one so small her adrenaline gave her a surprising amount of strength to be capable of such. "Help me get him onto the bed," she said to no one girl in particular. Two stepped forward at her call, lifting the man's legs and helping to slide him onto the bedding. No time was wasted in offering the male privacy from the watchful eyes of the women they had saved, for her hands made swift work of the garments that hid the wound from her eyes. Unable to help herself, a soft gasp sounded at the sight of the wound but that was all. From that second on, the woman was nothing but a confident, skilled mender.

A small metal bowl was filled with clean water poured from a marked canteen followed by no more than three drops of a clear, soft blue liquid. With a delicate hand she slipped a cleansing cloth into the water and worked to clean away the blood and gore so that she might get a better look at the wound itself.

Wherever the cloth touched his skin came a cold, tingling sensation that worked to ease the pain. Once this was done, the Raen leaned forward and carefully inspect the gunshot wound to ensure none of the man's vital organs had been hit.

Hezrou groaned in pain when he was lifted onto a bed but he remained still as Yuki worked. Luckily for him, he might as well had been blessed. At such a close range it barely missed his organs, the bullet just merely lodged in a muscle past the organs. He focused on her word, having tried to settle his breathing. He's had worse wounds before, but it still hurt like hell. "I was careless..." He strained out as she worked. "I was...reckless." It was the best way he could describe what he did to that man. He knew of the gun, but he was so twisted with anger that it didn't matter to him.

"It is fine, you are going to be fine. Do not worry, I have you now," she murmured softly to reassure the man. "Just keep breathing for me and I shall do the rest." A potion was grabbed from the table and lifted to his lips. "Drink this and it will ease the pain." Patiently she waited until he had drank the vial dry before moving to set it aside so that she could turn her attention back to the task at hand. The potion should work quickly, dulling Hezrou's senses and providing a rather nice floating sensation.

Her movements were gentle but firm and she moved with the full confidence who had handled far worse wounds than this. Sterile gauze was pressed into the hands of one of the girls who was then directed to keep the field of surgery clean and clear. Rather than lifting so much as an instrument, Yukihana moved her hand to hover over the entry sight. Eyes fluttered to a close as, with a few softly mumbled incantations, aether began to dance around her fingertips.

Delicate and of lavender coloring, the tendrils of energy seemed eager to be guided by the gentle movements of the healers fingers. Slowly, she shifted her fingers about as if she were a puppeteer, leading the energies down into the damaged muscle where the bullet now resided.

With a curl her wrist, the energies worked to envelope the bullet so that she could oh so gently guide it free of the muscle and damaged flesh. Each motion she made was slow and steady, painfully deliberate. It felt like a lifetime that she stood at Hezrou's bedside and worked but Yuki was well aware of just what it took to ensure the Miqo'te came out of this whole. A faint sheen of sweat appeared on her forehead as she watched the bullet appear and then exit in the reverse. It wasn't until the bullet was free and dropped into a tin that the Raen dared to breathe easily.

Blood bubbled immediately from the wound as the bullet came free and the girl aiding her, damn near set herself into a panic. "Lady, lady!" At least she had the sense to apply pressure with the gauze she'd been given.

"Shh. All is perfectly fine. Just breathe." Her voice was so soft, so soothing...

One might have thought it was a sort of magic all its own. The girls could only nod and watch as she worked to save Hezrou. More aether swirled about her fingertips, answering her summons without fail. This time the full brunt of the spell was directed towards the male. Those delicate tendrils danced forth, seeping into the wound and slowly knitting the injury closed from the inside out. First the damaged muscle and vein, then the layers of skin. Full attention was paid to every last detail of her work, not a thing was missed.

If Hezrou had managed to hold consciousness throughout the ordeal, there was one more aspect of her healing that was meant to provide the man some additional manner of comfort - she hummed. Her voice was just as soft and sweet as it so often was when she spoke, but the way she hummed her lullaby was almost tender. The melody would continue on as she moved to place bandages over the freshly mended skin, stopping only once she stepped to view her work.

Lifting a cloth from the table, Yuki gently wiped away any lingering sweat from Hezrou's brow as she spoke softly. "Hezrou? Still with me?"

Throughout it all, Hezrou did slip in and out of consciousness. He had lost a fair amount of blood on the way back and it was hard to focus. But he kept his breathing as steady as he could, if taking sharp inhales on rare occasion when the pain grew too much. He even gripped the sheets he laid upon at some point with a grasp that made his knuckles white and tremble slightly before releasing just as quickly.

The potion helped greatly, leaving him like he was barely floating on the surface of a lake, but the pain made him almost sink into it's depths. As the wound was being healed, he felt that pain stop tugging at his senses and he begun to relax as it begun to slowly be over. He would of nearly drifted into unconsciousness had her voice not broken the silence. "Yes..." He whispered back. "If barely..." He smiled tiredly. His vision was all but color now. Odd shapes and colors. He couldn't focus for a bit. "Just tired now. Thank you." He held his hand up, as if to try and reach for her but he couldn't see where she was. So it just lingered there. His ears were in a lax position, his tail just limp off the side of the table. "Was it bad?" He asked. "I smell a fair amount of blood..."

Her lips curved in a small smile of relief as he spoke back to her. By the twelve, that had been nearly as terrifying as facing down the two guards outside. "You came through with flying colors," she murmured as she sat the cloth down.

"There was... It was bad and you did lose a lot of blood, yes. He did not hit an artery, so I believe it was all of the adrenaline mixed with your moving around to get here. I do not... I do not think moving you immediately would be wise."

When he lifted his hand up for her, she raised her hand and gently took his in hers to offer comfort. "I think, with it being so close to dawn now, they would not dare to come after us this far from their own turf. It would be too great of a risk for the Sekiseigumi to be called."

"I...couldn't save the four girls that bastard had brought in..." Hezrou said softly. "Not with this injury. The Sekiseigumi...I'll plant the bread crumbs for them." He smiled a bit. "I'll get the other girls free. Somehow..." He closed his eyes, his smile laxing after that. "We'll rest I suppose. It's your turn to cleanse the of their poisons. Then...all we need then is to escape. Before they hunt us down." He was concerned if he had left a trail of blood on the way. He had hoped the double sash around him kept the blood from going on the floor to mask his trail. "I'll inform...Akuma that we killed him. After I rest a bit."

"I will handle all of it while you rest. The Sekiseigumi will not permit such to stand if they can find proof. Sleep now and let me handle the girls and all the rest." Her thumb brushed gently over the back of his palm before she gently laid his hand down at his side and she slipped back to permit him rest and herself space.

Without further ado she quietly moved about the room with a small bit of paper, taking down the girls names and making a list of any ailments that she could possibly treat with the supplies she'd brought. In no time at all she had the inn room working as a near silent makeshift clinic so as to not disturb his rest. From time to time she hovered back close to monitor his vitals and check the bandages, but for the most part she permitted him to do precisely as he needed - rest.

Hezrou had been asleep for most of the day. Not moving an inch safe for a rare instance of shift. His tail begun to show more life as the day went on, often twitching along with his ears while he dreamed, much like an animal's ears would. Even long after she had finished, he was resting. He woke a bit before the evening and slowly sat up. He almost forgot where he was until he remembered what had happened and quickly shot his hand back to feel the blade still pressed against his back. He sighed in relief and looked about the room. The girls were calmer now and sitting throughout the room. Chatting quietly between each other or resting. At least two were reading.

He smiled a little and looked towards Yukihana. "Morning." He said, well aware that it was not the case at all. "How are things? What else do we need to do?" He wasn't sure what happened after he got back to the Inn. Much of it was a blur now. He looked down at his stomach and was glad there wasn't anything left of the wound.

True to her word, Yukihana had been a busy little thing in the later hours that he had rested. A few trips had been made out the window to gather food, fresh clothing for the girls, and make the arrangements as she had promised.

Scattered throughout the room on nearly every surface was small containers of food - a variety of rices, meats, cheeses, and breads. There were pasta and ramen boxes, even a few containers that might well have contained soups. The Raen had to have made at least three trips out to have carried back that much food.

Each girl sat now in attire that they could be comfortable moving throughout the city in and all of their old 'clothing' had been disposed of somewhere or another. Writing utensils still lay upon the desk from where she'd written the anonymous tip to the Sekiseigumi. Alongside them lay another envelope, this one marked with the stamp of the port authority.

Hezrou's smile was met with one of her own as she looked over from where she'd been sitting on the opposite side of the bed. "Good evening," she replied with a wry smile. "All we have left to do is to get your bandages changed, get you into your new clothing, clean up our mess and head to the docks. Oh, and inform Akuma, of course. You performed the actual... task. So, I thought you deserved to be the one to inform him. Everything else is done, just as I promised."

Hezrou chuckled softly. "We both performed the task." He corrected. "As he said...He needed a delicate hand as well as a rough one. You handled the delicate tasks exceptionally well. I would of never been able to do it. And I performed the dirty work. We both pulled each other through." He stood up and stretched a little, if a bit gentle for the remainder of his injury. "I'm going to shower real fast so wipe off this make up and whatever else stinking me up." He knew he still had blood on his face from butchering that man. "Oh, speaking of make up...it saved my ass back there. Let me tell you!" He laughed a bit, heading for the bathroom.

He took a quick shower, washing the most vital areas and cleaning the blood away. He washed his face a bit to make sure all the make up was removed and missed his tattoos. Drying off, he had a towel around his waist as he went out just briefly to grab the new gear she had gotten and went back inside the bathroom. Some of the girls did giggle at what they saw and made cute little comments before quieting down again when he'd come back out fully dressed for the exception of his top. He took the bandages and offered them out towards her. "Do the honors of redressing the wound?" He smiled. "You'll do a better job than me." He sat down on the bed. He had lost his blindfold during his escape when he ditched the hat to keep his balance...so he knew he'd have to expose his scar to the rest of the syndicate. No matter...He'd live.

Ever the worrywart, Yuki's eyes flew to the bandage as the man stretched, watching to ensure that her work didn't come undone. Even magic wasn't without it's limits, after all. "Careful," she said gently before raising her gaze to meet his. "If you say we both did, then we did but you did the worst of it. Even if you had to do it with make up on your face. When you are out you will have to explain that one."

While he showered, Yuki and the girls gathered up the remaining items floating around the room, even going so far as to strip the soiled linens and replace them with fresh ones the Raen had picked up while she was out. By the time he reappeared Yuki was on her hands and knees pulling free the coins she'd hidden the night before so that they could be returned to the rest of the funds they'd been given. The giggling of the other girls drew her attention, leaving her peeking over the top of the bed at Hezrou for a moment before she flushed a faint shade of pink and vanished once more.

Once he was actually dressed and out in the room once more, Yuki stood and took the bandages by the tips of her fingers. "Hopefully, but you let me worry about that, hmm?" A salve was pulled from her bag and spread over the area before she positioned the embroidered bandages and tied them off. "How is that? Not too tight, I hope?"

"It's fine." Hezrou chuckled. "You worry so much." He added in as he watched her bandage the wound. When she would finish he'd finally put on the kimono top and tied the sash around his waste a bit more loosely so it wouldn't irritate the wound or bandages any. "When we get to the ship i'll inform Akuma of the status."

"Worrying is part of the job description," she said lightly as she stepped back and moved to toss her bag over her shoulder. Once he was fully ready to go, Yuki turned to the girls and offered a warm smile. "It is all almost over. One final step and you are all free of this nightmare. Keep your eyes peeled as we make our way to the docks, but try not to look suspicious."

Most of the girls nodded at her words, while a few seemed a bit too scared at the prospect of leaving this safe haven to do much more than stare at the pair who had rescued them. One by one they climbed through the window and stood watch for the others to follow. Yuki was the last one out the window, ensuring Hezrou was able to make it through without upsetting his injury.

Stepping to the front of the group, Yuki guided the group through the back alleys down to the docks. From there she went to second to last slip before passing the envelope with the port authority's stamp over to a rather burly man waiting at the end of the gangplank. The man eyed the group suspiciously before grunting. "Rather large family ye got there, lass."

Yuki merely shrugged a shoulder and waved for the others to begin moving up the gangplank. Like a mother hen, she ensured all were settled into one of the three cabins she'd secured below decks before she found a place to collapse into for rest. All they had left was three days on the sea. They could make it now and so they would.

#FFXIV #RP #Final Fantasy XIV #Miqo'te #Au Ra #Rean #RDS #Red Dragon Syndicate #Akuma #Hezrou #Yukihana #Kogane #Doma #Roleplay

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