~House of cards~ [Kazuya/Invite]

[Eurydice Sudeki]

~It doesn't take much to blow down a house of cards. The smallest breeze was capable of causing the biggest disaster to such a structure and it wouldn't be so easily picked back up and stacked again. That all depended on the foundation of balance and support. From my standpoint that house was on shaky grounds from that display Leon put on today. That man always knew how to shake things didn't he and even relish in the reactions afterwards. Quite often I knew he meant well but sometimes I wondered how the clocks turned in his mind. Hence why I didn't always agree with everything he did or said. He had a pretty decent judgement from time to time, but still. Nevertheless I didn't know this Lucien he named the new bearer of the Lightning Dragon title, if he was like Leon in many ways. Heh well damn two in this world? I had enough with one. I doubt it though but ok.

I have no judgement to really pass on the situation. I don't really have the greatest understanding about all the hoopla over a name. A title. A phrase. But I noticed Kazuya was visibly upset, felt it too against all the other random emotions in the crowd. So many indifferences and anger and some happy. But what made him so displeased? I was actually curious to know. But more importantly I wanted to make sure he was alright. Frowning didn't suit him.~

.::From the announcement Kazuya had clearly left first, Eury shortly after giving him about a five minute head start on her. She had no intention on running in her dress and gold sandals. Actually she had no intention of running at all after him, she would eventually catch up to him there was no denying that. Her escort in toe for now until she finally saw Kaz's figure cladded in his army just a bit ahead of her. It really wasn't something you could just miss. To her escort she politely dismissed him and as usual he smiled, bowed and obeyed her wishes. Eury began to draw closer just enough so she didn't have to shout for him to hear her. Her lightly curly hair blew a little in the wind showing an interesting pair of earrings::.

"It's a tragedy to see you so upset Kazuya."

.::Her voice held a certain amusement to it. That tragedy thing had become a trend back at the waterfall and she couldn't resist herself. A warm smile placed well on her face as she finally stopped walking just about three steps from him::.

[Kazuya Hikari]

The combination of Eurydice's voice and her choice of words were powerful enough to get through to Kazuya even as he fought to keep his rage in check, and he would immediately halt in mid-step. By the time she caught up to him, just three steps away from him, he had gone from rage filled to just displeased. Besides, even with his armor on, he hadn't been walking at an extremely fast pace, but not at a snail's crawl either.

"... I didn't expect to see you so soon."

Turning around to face Eurydice, she would see a small, sad smile on his face, not because he was upset from seeing her, but because with Leon back, he was uncertain of what would happen now.

"... Is it bad that I think you look beautiful and I missed you?"

[Eurydice Sudeki]

Whoa

.::Her inner reaction was to the rage she felt coming from him. She didn't realize he was really that upset by it. This also made her realize her ability was still not in check. She really needed to work on it and soon. As he faced her, she had her eyes closed for a moment to try and control herself from tapping into his emotion but then she was hit with another wave. A combination of his words and a sadness that moved off him and onto her. Her eyes opened immediately in bewilderment::.



.::Now his words were beginning to sting. Her eyes shifted looking for an answer. His sadness was suddenly turning into her own. That's how the ability worked if she wasn't in charge of it. If she was out of sync with it and the feeling was strong she felt it more than she liked. In check well she could've cancelled it out after the first initial feeling::.

~I wasn't expecting him to say something like that or even to be so sad..It's more of a mixture with him though..Is it wrong to say that I sorta missed him too? One moment, but it felt like so many wrapped together.. It's not like I hadn't thought about it, but at the same time no I hadn't too deeply until just now..Was I trying not to? Actually a part of me still doesn't give a damn..~

.::After some moments of silence she found her composure returning enough to speak gently to him, maybe even playfully::.

"..I guess it'd be bad if you thought I looked hideous..I didn't know you could see my dress after all.."

.::She paused::.

"I don't know how to really answer that Kazuya other than I wish I wasn't feeling this sadness and displeasure from you...But if it's wrong, then I guess I'm wrong to.."

I missed you too..Especially when I think about what you said.

.::She was saying it without truly speaking it aloud. A part of her still didn't give a damn but also currently she was a lot calmer and was trying to keep that as a composure to maintain her ability in stability. But he wouldn't know about that::.

[Kazuya Hikari]

"... I can't. But you'd look beautiful to me even in a pair of baggy sweat pants and a t-shirt."

His displeasure slowly dissipating and eventually dying out, replaced with a cool but calm feeling, though his sadness would still remain, but not as intensely as before. At first he would take a step only to hesitate, but would harden his resolve and step towards Eurydice, closing the distance between the two of them, and would stand close to her, close enough that she'd be able to smell the refreshing scent of the shampoo and conditioner combination and soap he had gone to great lengths to procure a decent amount of and used to wash and shower with, looking down at her with sadness, but also longing, wanting to reach out and take hold of her hands, but would hold back for now.

"... What... am I going to do Eurydice? He's back... And I don't know what to do..."

[Eurydice Sudeki]

"You could if you used your mask thing."

~I heard it well and it was nice to hear. Nicer than he thought. I guess a girl wanted to be flattered sometimes and told that even in her lowest she was still beautiful~

.::Hazel greens watched his hesitance in coming closer to her and yet suddenly he did. So close she could gather his scent, it actually being a bit intoxicating. Her chin rose up still seeing this unimaginable sadness in him::.

~Did this have something to do with the title swap? No it couldn't. I'm an idiot even thinking that right now. But wha- ~

.::There is was. There was his reasoning::.

~What is he talking about?~

.::For once Eury actually was lost. Unable to smartly decipher what he meant. Or maybe she just wasn't trying to. Maybe she didn't want to think about it. Maybe she was oddly a little absent minded currently. Maybe it was because standing in front of him she really was only thinking about him and his well being::.

"Who's back? What do you mean you don't know what to do?"

.::She spoke reaching a out her right hand to his forearm. No she wasn't a stupid woman, she was an intelligent one. She wasn't trying to play games with him or make him feel insulted in anyway. Her mind just wasn't thinking of what she possibly needed to, it was still wrapped in feeling his anger from before and his sadness. Even if it do lower it was still present in her::.

[Kazuya Hikari]

"... I could, but it wouldn't change that you're still beautiful to me no matter what you wear."

A look of deep longing in his eyes as Kazuya looked down at Eurydice, his hands would briefly jerk out towards her before staying where they were, and as she reached out with her right hand to his forearm, he would hesitate briefly, before slowly reaching up, to take hold of her hand.

"... Leon. With him back, I don't know what to do now. I... miss you, and I don't want to lose you but... if he's back, where do I stand now?"

His other hand searching out for hers, he would continue to smile sadly at her, his head leaning down slightly towards hers.

"It might be selfish of me, but I want you... to myself..."

[Eurydice Sudeki]

.::Again the hesitation was noticeable, like he wanted to grab her to hold her. It was surprising that he was that close so freely out in the open. Maybe he still didn't care, but if he didn't why the hesitation? When his hand touched the one she had on his forearm, instinctively and yet subconsciously she let go and held his. He wasn't too much taller than her so she didn't have to tilt her head up too far to be looking into his pupil less eyes. His words suddenly were daggers. Slowly digging into her skin inch by inch. His other hand found hers as she brought it up to meet his. Her body was reacting on its own because her eyes was fixated on him. She seemed frozen in place just looking at him almost blankly::.

"Kinda forgot that little tidbit didn't you?"

~You again?!~

"Yes me, good ol' Cheshire"

~I'm not doing this right now~

"Oh but my dear yes you are.

~No I'm not. Continuing this would mean I'm crazy and I'm not. I have-~

"More pressing matters, yes I can see that. And you are mad... Your's isn't so obvious as mines."

~Seriously get out of my head.~

"Tut tut.. Relax. You're so much more hostile than you were before. Why is that? Is it because you've bitten the forbidden fruit and it decided to bite back?"

~What?~

"Oh now you wanna play dumb?..You weren't playing to that when you were letting him dip int-"

~Hey! Enough alright! What do you want?~

"Me? I don't want anything.. Well other than wanting to know how this proceeds..Temptation is a dangerous thing no? But yet couldn't it be salvation too?"

~What are you talking about?~

"Ugh..you're starting to be no fun anymore. Where's the girl from the falls? Where's the girl that rides through the storm? That's what that chain smoking caterpillar said right?.. Look where's the girl that didn't give a damn? I thought you were going to find your voice again.. Ya know be the girl you used to be before someone tried to domestic you."

~Alright cat, you're pushing it..I-~

"But you know I'm right..Street cats are a lot more fun than domesticated ones..How about you live a little? What do you have to really lose at this point? Don't you only have to gain? Don't you deserve all you wanted? By the way, didn't you say maybe he should be a little selfish for once? Well tata little one, we'll see each other again I promise."

.::On the outside it seemed like she had paused forever. So stiff, so silent. Maybe the psycho kitty had a point somewhere. She didn't even realize she had stepped in closer to him almost into an embrace but not. Her face was still tilted up looking at him almost blankly for some time. Finally she spoke in a whisper, still seemingly a little out of it::.

"Why?..Why me? Why so suddenly?"

I guess I just wanted to know why he so suddenly wanted me as if we spent a lifetime together and then I suddenly disappeared. Was that time at the falls truly enough? He said he would save me no matter what. Why did I suddenly become that important to him? Did I remind him of someone?

.::Last thing she wanted was to remind him of someone. If it was anything then let it be her. After all who wanted another face placed on their own. It wasn't that she didn't start to maybe care back, it just wasn't fully hitting her til now. His words from the falls were starting to come back::.

[Kazuya Hikari]

Staring back into Eurydice's eyes, his own fixated on hers, Kazuya's gaze would never waver from hers even once despite the incredibly long pause that followed, lasting what felt like an eternity. Feeling her step in closer to him, her head still tilted up looking at him, freeing one hand from hers, he would lift his hand up and gently rest it against her cheek, a small sad smile on his face.

"Because from the moment I first saw you, I knew I was a goner."

Eurydice was Eurydice to him. There was no one he had previously loved that she reminded him of, and never would. He could never see her as anyone else but herself. His face mere inches from hers, he would continue to look down at her with sadness... but more with longing than anything else.

[Eurydice Sudeki]

"I'll always save you... No matter what."

"... I won't let you go through it alone. I will be there no matter what."

"...I'd save you from being left behind and alone ever again...."

"..And because the greatest tragedy of all would be never being able to meet you..."

"...If I had known you were missing two years ago... I would've gone searching for you. I'd search day and night and go to the ends of the Earth, to find you......You never stopped existing to me... And now we found each other."

"... No one, not even Barker himself, could keep me away from you."

.::All his words from the time at the falls hit her, and hit her hard. They rang in her head so loud so fast it cause her mild discomfort. Visibly it read on her face as her eyes squinted in pain, with his hand on her cheek he could feel the subtle movement in her face features. A small notion of lightheadedness took over her and her face dipped into hand a bit more, but it would seem like nothing but her feeling the warmth of his hand. Again subconsciously she took that step in that had her slightly pressed against him. The following words that were about to leave her lips, she would have no idea why she said it. Inside of her usual thinking, if not over thinking, she was starting to just merely react. Her eyes opened once more, but kept a little low. Her voice a whisper as a breeze went by, blowing through her hair, flowing through her dress::.

"..You said...you'll always save me no matter what..from being left behind or alone ever again...You-you said....no one"

.::She didn't finish the last. He knew what he said. She knew what he said. Point was did she know what she was doing? Did he know? What did she want? She still hadn't even dealt with everything that was bothering her that day. That day she didn't care. Did that change today? That remained to be seen. But it would seem not as again her body was reacting drawing her face to his::.

[Kazuya Hikari]

"!"

Not only feeling the subtle movement of Eurydice's facial features but also seeing her eyes squint in pain, all of Kazuya's sadness would disappear in an instant, replaced by alarm and concern as he would lean down even closer to her, her face dipping into his hand even more and her body stepping in closer to him, her body pressed up against his.

"... I did... And I will. No one will ever keep me separated from you..."

Not even Leon.

Seeing her draw her face towards his, he would continue to hold his hand gently against her cheek, his face mere inches from hers.

"... That's what I want... But what is it that you want, Eurydice?"

[Eurydice Sudeki]

.::Just so it was clear it seems a though now she was being a bit of the selfish one here. Things still hadn't been cleared up with Leon. She hadn't even gotten to talk to him yet cause she just had to go. Had to get away from the flood of emotions from everyone. Yet here she stood with a man that for all things actually made her feel pretty damn good recently. She hadn't felt that way since she came back but she tried to hid it, and she did so well. But with all things that are bottled up sooner or later they exploded. Meeting Kazuya at the waterfall days ago only placed a muzzle on it. It would probably never go away until she settled it with the person she needed to. But now it was a bit out there in a sense, though still locked inside. The best of hours weren't likely to come. Something was going to reel it's head and by all standards it'd be best if no one stood in its path.

The hand her released earlier somehow found itself on his chest, or rather his armored chest. Being so close wearing what she wore she actually felt the coolness of the armor rather than the warmth from before. She heard him well and when he asked his question she didn't seem to hesitate. Wow she was being pretty open for once. One could almost ask her anything and might actually receive a proper answer::.

"Kishi kaisei."

[Wake from death and return to life]

.::She hadn't even realized she spoke it in Japanese rather than English, not like that mattered. Actually she really didn't realize she said it at all. It was a phrase long forgotten to her. Kazuya could easily take it as she felt herself dying, or had already been dead and she just wanted to return to the way things were. That she wanted to live again. Breathe the air as normal people did. Instead of feeling a little dead inside, feeling like something was missing. Just wanting out of a desperate situation with haste. It was like rising from the ashes as a Phoenix would. And lord knows how many times she had, but recently the ashes were smothering if anything. That wasn't all she wanted though. The small pause was uplifted from her continuation. Her face never moving from where he held it::.

"My family..I want my daughters back. To know they are safe...I just want to make sure that my family will be alright when I'm gone. Seems like I got of glimpse of it and I don't like it.."

"But what about personally for you mini me?"

.::The long lost voice of her late older sister rang in her head. Eury would answer it as if Kazuya asked, almost if not in fact ignoring her sister's voice. That is when her head would tilt a little straighter, till looking up to him::.

"For personally? For myself? I..normally don't think about me.."

.::She didn't quite answer it now did she. Like it was instinct to just stop and not mention no more. But certainly waking from death and returning to life was what she needed. A soft sigh could be heard as she closed her eyes and finally placed a smile, musing a little in her whispered like speech::.

"..Your armor is cold..heh things don't seem to go the way I initially plan around you it seems.."

~I came to check if he was ok from the whole title switcheroo and I got all this. It was laughable indeed.~

[Kazuya Hikari]

Eurydice would see Kazuya visibly taken aback slightly from hearing the Japanese phrase she had spoken, and there were many ways the phrase could be interpreted, but his interpretation was she felt dead on the inside, and wanted to wake up and rise, to return to life and live again. That's how he interpreted it, though he could very well be wrong.

"... Your daughters are missing."

It wasn't a question. Tilting his head slightly to the side so he could continue to look down at her while she tilted her head up a little straighter until she was looking up at him, she would see the small sad smile on his face again, not because he was torn on what to do, but sadness for her, because her family was missing and she didn't know what happened to them, and he wanted to reassure her, to bring a bit of happiness to her.

"Then I won't ask any further. I can't promise that I will find your daughters but... I can promise I will do everything in my power to search for them."

Hearing her sigh softly as he saw her close her eyes, the hand she had placed on his armored chest still there, he would continue to smile sadly, as he would lift his hand off her cheek and place it on top of her hand on his chest, gently lifting it off and holding onto it.

"... I can take it off."

And true to his word, letting go of both her hands, he would begin pulling off his armor, placing each piece down on the ground. He'd even pull his jacket and long sleeved shirt off, and once he was done, his armor would be piled neatly on the ground, his jacket and shirt folded neatly on top, leaving him shirtless and just wearing his pants, ankle weights, boots, cross necklace, and headband.

"How about now?"

[Eurydice Sudeki]

"He said that too."

.::Referring to how Leon promised this and seemingly was done. Her eyes actually rolled a little::.

~One thing I hated was people who made promises because I felt so foolish believing them when they break them. So many people broke their promises to me. It was disappointing but it hurt more when it was someone I loved or cared deeply for. They were always just words until they were proven.~

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

.::She meant it because it hurt. Yes it was pleasant to hear that he would do that for her, but their own father said it and Eury saw no result. But that wasn't to say she didn't feel like a bad mother not going herself. Oleysa told her she wasn't, but still it didn't change her own personally thinking::.

~I'm really no better right now am I?~

.::And then began to strip in front of her, out in the open. She backed up a little giving him room, as her head tilted curiously. She figured he would've stopped at the chest piece but no he just kept going and her brow perked up as he stood before her barechested. Not that she was ashamed she already had the pleasure of seeing the whole package, but still this wasn't what she had meant. Lazily she looked off noting a few girls walking by naturally unable to stop staring with those goo goo eyes. Smirking, she shook her head and looked back at him::.

"You're something else you know?..That wasn't meant for you to get half naked you know.."

.::Even with saying that her right hand reached out to cup his necklace in her hand, the back of her hand would've grazed his chest in doing so. Speaking all the while she examined it a little before letting go and retracting her hand to place casually across her waist. Maybe she was loosening up again::.

"Nice piece... and no I'm not complaining.. Though I am sharing the view.."

[Kazuya Hikari]

"I'm not him. I always keep my promises. Always."

His arms held loosely by his sides, paying no attention to a few girls that were walking by and staring at his muscular upper body, after Eurydice shook her head and looked back at him, she would see Kazuya smirking slightly back at her, his hands casually shoved in the pockets of his pants.

"You said my armor was cold, now you won't be cold."

Seeing her reach out and cup his necklace in her hand, the back of her hand lightly brushing against his chest as she would examine it before letting go and retracting her hand back, he'd look down and pick up the cross with his thumb and index finger, smiling slightly at it.

"My older sister gave it to me for my birthday. ... Eurydice."

If she looked up, she would see him stepping towards her and reach out to grab hold of her hand, before gently tugging her over to him, holding her close to him, his body heat warm as opposed to hot this time, while his other hand searched for hers and take hold of it as well.

"Better?"

[Eurydice Sudeki]

.::For her to say what she did, she indeed was loosening up a bit. Her eyes turned down briefly again shaking her head 'til she felt his shadow close in causing her to look up a little quizzically. He caught her hand and pulled her into him, his natural warmth washing onto her. The thing about being the elusive woman that she was was that there were very very few who knew her by face. The shadows were her friend in many ways. She knew how to move in them, to navigate with ease. Many people if anything had her name, but it was hard to place her face to it when she wasn't so out in the open. Without resistance she let him take her other hand, it almost felt like a dance. Like he was going to dip her suddenly when he pulled her in. All of it actually brought a smile and a little laughter from the brunette::.

"You really are something else..I thought you were going to suddenly dip me.."

.::She mused at the idea::.

~Actually when was the last time I went dancing? I really can't remember and that says a lot~

.::But just to clear the air about something, she needed to say feeling she might've insulted him. Her voice took a bit of a serious tone::.

"And about what I said, I didn't mean you were..I've just had a lot of promises broken to me..But then again I'm not better am I? I didn't keep my promise to protect them, to keep them as safe as I could..I'm starting to think what a terrible mother I am not going out there to search for them.. Letting myself get stuck here because of what he said coupled with my own fear."

.::Her eyes would just merely turn away because the more she thought about it, the sadder and angrier she felt::.