Morning Coffee And Sweet Surprises (Closed to Poprockz)

[Poprockz]

God, she wished he didn't do that. He was just being cruel by making her wait for his response, giving her only uncertainty and silence as he worked, almost as though he hadn't heard her at all. It made her so nervous, wondering if maybe he was seething on the inside, just waiting for her to try to speak again so he could grab her and squeeze her until she broke.

"Ngh..." The smallest noise of pain came from her as he rinsed her hand, those now fresh cuts stinging from the water.

Her shoulders visibly relaxed a little when he finally asked her what had happened, though her body was still as stiff and tight as a bowstring. This was a chance for her to tell him what exactly had happened and maybe, he wouldn't be as angry since it was unfortunate accident.

However, when he guided her hand back from the stream and rubbed her wrist, she was reminded of the dark desire that had almost overtaken her earlier, her hand twitching in his grasp almost as though simply from a twinge of pain. Her eyes looked down at where his thumb had brushed her skin and she had to clear her throat before answering, looking back up to him once she had composed herself as much as she was able.

"Well, I finished up my shower and thought to use the face cream on the counter, but I had to reach over to it since it was on the far side of the sink. I think maybe I got the floor at that time. I used the cream and put it back and was about to go over to the towels but I... I slipped. My hands were slippery because of the lotion and I couldn't grab anything, and I accidentally knocked the vase off the counter. It broke and I fell, but only my hand ended up in the glass."

He didn't need to know about the inner turmoil that she had dealt with, the woman especially not wanting to say anything of the sort near any of her other companions. Quint would only feel worse if he knew, probably forcing himself to try to do more for her than he already did.

"I cleaned all of it up though and was careful not to get blood on anything," she added, nodding. She hoped that counted for something.

 

[Drobabes]

"Well, I finished up my shower and thought to use the face cream on the counter..."

Cora was just about done with her oatmeal when she heard what Sayori had to say. Feigning being full, she sat her spoon down in the bowl gently and picked up her cloth napkin to wipe her face, her eyes glancing over at Francisco for a brief moment to see the expression on his face. Of course, it gave nothing away, as he seemed completely absorbed in whatever he was reading on those documents, so she turned her attention to her brother.

He hadn't touched his meal just yet, but instead was holding his mug of coffee in his hands, just under his lips. His sharp jeweled looked up from his mug when she turned her face towards him, and when their eyes met, they both frowned. Neither one of them remembered there being any face cream or lotions in the bathroom.

"I cleaned all of it up though and was careful not to get blood on anything,"

"Good girl" he said simply, his eyes going back to the wound as he brought the tweezers back down towards her cuts.

"Cora has requested some time outside, to exercise."

The cool metal parted a slice in her flesh, just barely needing to pry it open for him to be able to check for any small shards. Though he cared little as to whether it hurt her or not, his years of experience and meticulous improvements upon his methods ensured that the pain was minimal compared to what it would otherwise have been like with a less experienced medical professional.

"Would you like to accompany her?"

 

[Poprockz]

It sickened her that he had complimented her with those words, those particular words always bringing back memories of their "intimate" time in the dungeon. Whenever she remembered looking up at him and moaning "I'll be a good girl... Such a good girl..." it made her stomach flip. For a moment, a bit of a sour look came to her face before she composed herself once more. She just had to keep telling herself that it wasn't her who had really said it, it was the drugs he had given her.

"Cora has requested some time outside, to exercise."

Though it piqued her interest, she winced slightly as he continued to work. She knew he was very skilled at what he did, so she wasn't going to complain about the pain. After all, she imagined Niles would be tripping over himself to dig those tweezers into every nook and cranny in her skin that would make her squeal in pain. For that, she was glad at least that it was as painless and quick as possible.

"Yes. I would very much like some time to exercise, even if it is just walking and stretching my legs."

She would be lying if she said she wasn't hopeful, that sentiment apparent in her voice despite her trying to keep her tone even. He could still change his mind even if she said yes, crushing her hopes and forcing her to stay inside while Cora was allowed to feel the sun on her skin. Sayori didn't want to feel disappointed, so she tried very hard not to care as much, though the very thought of going had made her heart beat a bit quicker.

 

[Drobabes]

"Very well then. After you have eaten, Francisco will take you out."

Take them out. As if they were dogs.

Quint pulled his tentacles back inside, only becoming aware of them being out because the hard wood of the chair could be felt scraping on them as he twitched and gritted his teeth. It was rather amazing what the passage of time could make you forget.

He sat his mug down, waiting patiently while the General worked in silence for a few moments more until he was done. Once he was sure that no more glass remained buried in her flesh, he gave her hand one final rinse before having Quint apply some of his healing gel. Of course, Quint took the opportunity to hold onto her hand for a moment longer than was necessary, his eyes searching her own with a soft gaze as he tried to reassure her with a smile. He had no doubts that she was probably feeling pretty rattled after Kuznet had just had a hold of her for so long, even if he wasn't torturing her in some way. His eyes only looked away to watch curiously as the mountain of a man bent down to whisper something to Francisco, the Officer nodding his head in agreement before Kuznet stood once more and retrieved his coat before heading out.

Once the door was shut behind him, it felt as if the tension in the room had snapped, and both of the twins visibly relaxed, Quint letting go of Sayori's hand gently.

"Well you better eat up. The sooner you're done, the sooner I can show you my sick baseball moves" he said, his face lighting up with a grin. Francis cleared his throat and sat the papers down on the table, his eyes glancing over to him before he spoke up.

"You're staying here, Quinton."

 

[Poprockz]

"Thank you."

Sayori was simply too pleased to mind the way he had said it, knowing that she was going to be allowed outside the house once more. In this new life living underneath his boot, it was each breath of air that she would be thankful for.

That being said, it seemed like when needed to dig out the smaller pieces, he unconsciously pulled her hand and therefore Sayori herself closer to him, her side eventually pressing very lightly against him regardless of how much she didn't want it. Those moments of silence as he worked were very uncomfortable for her, the woman trying very hard not to pull away from him.

When it was done and her hand was rinsed, she let out a breath she hadn't noticed she was holding. Walking over to Quint and watching as he dispensed his goo. Immediately her hand felt better, the pain subsiding into a low hum as the goo worked its magic. She had thought it would be quick, but she noticed the way he lingered, trying to hold onto her and likely trying to comfort her as well. Sayori looked back into his eyes with an equally soft and relieved look. Despite his hand being cool like Kuznet's, it had so much warmth. If things were fine between them, she would be tempted to hug him, but she restrained herself.

She too was extremely relieved when Kuznet left, an excited grin came to her face when Quint mentioned showing off his skills, but it was short-lived. As soon as Francisco spoke up, the look of joy slid off her face and was replaced by one of disappointment and confusion. Was that what the General had whispered into the Officer's ear before he left? It was entirely possible that Kuznet was still punishing Quint, but hadn't he suffered enough for one punishment?

"Why not? Aren't we just going for a walk in the woods?" Sayori turned to Francisco and gave him a bit of a beseeching look, those big brown turned up to maximum.

 

[Drobabes]

Cora reached out for her coffee, letting out a little sigh and looking away from the group as Sayori asked her question. Despite how 'kind' Francisco often acted, he was no more than Ray's right hand bitch, and she had no expectations or hopes as to what his answer would be.

"Yea, what the hell?" Quint said, his arms dropping down to his sides in disappoint and his face taking on a very sour expression. Fran seemed completely unmoved by either of their displays, simply reaching out for a bite of his slightly burnt french fries that he had made for himself, and chewing for a beat before he answered.

"You can't go out Quinton because you'll attract too much attention. Whatever telepathy abilities you share with the other zombies, or even Sabastian for that matter, was kittens play compared to what a fully turned human is capable of. We're not risking that yet until we have more information and damage control."

Quint crossed his arms and leaned back against the sink, his brows knitting in agitation.

"So what, I'm only going to be allowed to play in the yard? Daddies too scared of letting his precious boy out into the neighborhood because he might get some cuts and bruises? And what if I don't feel like staying here, huh? What if I feel like being a bad seed and taking my own stroll through the neighborhood?"

The girls weren't aware of it, but Francisco and Quinton had suspected this may happen, and decided to take the opportunity to play up their relationship a bit. They had both shared some kindness, even almost fondness, back in the cells, so it was time to set the record straight for Sayori. Remind her that she shouldn't be on anyone's side but Quint's and Cora's. They needed to show her that even though Quint could be funny and joking with the officers, at the end of the day, he still saw them as the enemy.

"You won't" Francis said in a smooth and cold tone, chewing on another french fry as he simply stared at the half zombie.

"I know you don't want the girls blood on your hands."

And, just as they had discussed, Quint let his sour expression drop into a heartless deadpan, his eyes seeming to stare right into Francisco's very soul before he suddenly turned away and grabbed the basket of broken glass off the floor. Opening the door beneath the sink, he made himself busy by disposing of the remaining pieces into the small trashcan that was underneath.

"What the fuck ever London Bridge. At least bring me back a goddamn beer this time," he growled, shutting the door with a bit too much force.

"I never got the last one I was promised."

"I'll think about it."

 

[Poprockz]

Sayori moved to her own spot at the table with a sigh as Francisco explained why he couldn't go out. It made sense to her, seeing as no one wanted Quint to be hurt by a fully-turned zombie, and she knew the General didn't want him reaching out for help either.

"You won't. I know you don't want the girls blood on your hands."

Something about the way he had said that made Sayori shift her eyes away from the officer, her lips pursing slightly. It made it sound like he had no qualms about whipping out his pistol and shooting them right then and there. She always knew that he was ultimately the General's officer and would do what he said regardless of the order, but it still made her heart pinch to think of the fact that despite his warmth and jokes, she didn't mean anything to him. Taking her life would probably be so easy for him, the man not losing a wink of sleep over it. If she had decided to use the glass earlier, he would probably be grinning and whistling as though it hadn't even happened.

Why did that thought make her so sad?

She didn't feel as hungry anymore, looking down at the oatmeal before reaching out and picking up the spoon with her left hand. While she didn't want it, she knew it was expected of her, just as Kuznet expected for him to put on a show for them. The sad thing was that it truly did help, his jokes and occasional support. Even though it was hollow, she had pretended that he was her friend. There was a lump in her throat as she ate, her shoulders slightly slumped as she did so.

Her meal was soon finished, the woman setting down her spoon and taking a drink of her coffee before putting it back down. It was cold, and slightly bitter.

 

[Drobabes]

Cora had been sneaking Sayori little glances while she sipped on her coffee and waited for her to finish breakfast. She had a suspicion that this was possibly Sayori's first taste of how Francis really was, and while she was ultimately grateful that the little women was seeing the truth, she still felt a pinch in her own chest for her. All throughout their childhood, Francis had always seemed to lean his affections more towards her brother, and for a very long time, it had built up a different kind of distrust and bitterness in the tough women. She hadn't even been aware that Kuznet was ultimately pulling the strings to make her feel as isolated as he possibly could, but many times she had wanted to reach out to Francisco, to feel some of that kindness and laughter that her brother so often got-even if it was fake. At least fake kindness would have been better than nothing at all, and considering how long he had been in their lives-even before Kuznet came along, she felt she was owed it. Was it wrong to have wanted even just an inch of rope to hold onto, to keep herself from going under? In the end, she had received nothing, and even her brothers and Sarah's love couldn't stop her from drowning.

Sitting her cup down, her hazel watch Francis carefully, waiting until he leaves the room to retrieve his keys. She didn't care too much about her brother seeing, but he seemed to be busy angrily cleaning the sink rather than eating his now cold meal, so it was only Sayori's eyes on her as she tentatively reached out and put a warm hand on the little women's shoulder. Her eyes were just a little misty as she gave her a small squeeze, and tried to smile for her.

"It looks like the sun is out" she said quietly, seemingly stating the obvious. Though, perhaps, it wasn't the obvious that she was talking about.

 

[Poprockz]

Sayori looked up at Cora with glistening eyes and her lip wobbled slightly before she nodded, not trusting herself to speak for fear that she might end up crying a bit. After a moment, she reached out and took her coffee mug, gulping down most of the bitter liquid before setting it down and taking a deep breath.

And though it was tinged with a bit of bittersweet sadness, she then gave Cora a smile. "Yes. I think I will be glad to feel a reminder. The house is warm, but nothing compares to the real thing." She reached up, putting a hand on the hand that was so gently resting on her shoulder. Her smile became more relaxed and she felt a bit stronger for having Cora there with her. It almost seemed a bit funny that Kuznet had basically taken her to be an emotional support pet for Cora, and yet it seemed like Cora was taking care of her more often than not. In that moment she was grateful; while the illusion might have been shattered with Francisco, at least she had Cora and Quint with her.

"Let me go put on my shoes and then I'll be ready." With that, she got up and headed back to the bedroom, slipping on a pair of mary jane shoes and coming back down so they could head out. A walk would really do her some good and would certainly help her clear her head a bit.

 

[Drobabes]

Once the girls we're ready, Francisco herded them out the door, leaving Quint to sulk over his cold porridge. The vehicle that they were loaded up into was similar to an army supply truck, except that there were no windows in the back, and the front drivers window could not be seen by either of the women-ensuring that they did not know where they were going. As soon as they were buckled in, Cora took a moment to look around the back, and she spotted what she was looking for-a little camera in the high corner, pointed directly at them, and no doubt feeding into a small screen for the driver to see. She didn't think they would be so careless, but now that she had hope, it was as if she just couldn't resist the urge to look for every opportunity.

The drive was somewhat long, taking about an hour, but Cora guessed that they really had no way to tell how far away they were from the house. For all they knew, Francis could have driven them around in a few circles to throw them off. Needless to say, though, it was a relief when the truck finally rolled to a stop and they were allowed into the warm sun once more.

They were taken to an empty training ground, one that was likely used to train the young soldiers that often signed up to the army, but that was at the moment, not being used. There was a variety of obstacle courses to use but at the moment, the girls were using the running track to get in a nice walk.

 

[Poprockz]

She would have liked if they could be allowed to look out a window, not quite understanding why they denied the women of them in the first place. Cora had made it clear that neither of them would be able to escape through the forest, even if they stuck near the road. Although she supposed that Kuznet was an extremely meticulous man, so he couldn't even allow the very slight possibility.

Because of their lack of things to do, Sayori simply let her mind wander, though she reigned it in enough so that she didn't ponder any sensitive topics. When they arrived, she basked in the warm feeling of the sun on her shoulders, loving the warmth of it. She didn't think she would ever be able to take the sun for granted anymore, not with the knowledge that Kuznet could have easily kept her in that room below ground for the rest of her life, however long or short it may have been.

As they walked, Sayori was a bit quiet before glancing over at Cora. She figured she should try to make small talk as they walked.

"Maybe next time I can race you through the obstacle course. I expect my hand to be healed tonight or tomorrow morning at the latest, so maybe we could ask to come back soon. The gel is very effective and the cuts weren't that deep, so I'll be right as rain very soon." She offered Cora a smile and looked forward at the track ahead of them. A sigh left her as she added, "I'm normally not that clumsy, so I don't expect for it to happen again."

"Do both you and Quint like baseball?"

 

[Drobabes]

She had her arms crossed as they walked, and although her hips and stomach were a bit sore, she was thinking about sprinting for a lap or two, just to blow off some steam. She didn't have quite the endurance that she knew she would have if she had consistently went on runs, but she could likely still get in a full lap without have to slow down to catch her breath.

"Maybe next time I can race you through the obstacle course...I'm normally not that clumsy, so I don't expect for it to happen again."

Her eyes came back to meet Sayori's smile with a soft one of her own. She had been looking over at Francisco, who was taking the opportunity to stand near the gate and have a smoke. While the man had never looked at her and Quinton in the way that she sometimes caught the other officers looking, she still didn't feel comfortable without a bra on, so had changed her mind on taking a run.

"Yea, we do. I mean, I think Quint likes it a little more than I do, but it was one of those things that we used to enjoy..."

Despite her best efforts not to, Cora found her eyes tearing up a bit. Playing baseball hadn't just 'been something they used to enjoy', it was a luxury and a freedom that, until just now, she hadn't realized how much she had been taking for granted. Baseball, karaoke, bars, hiking...not just because society had fallen apart, but because now they were under his thumb once again.

Reaching up, she wipes her tears away angrily and then clears her throat, taking one more glance at Francisco before looking ahead.

"Sayori...do you remember the vase being in the bathroom yesterday? Or the face cream? Because I sure fucking don't."

Her voice was quiet, but hard and more than a bit bitter. Once upon a time, she wouldn't have dared to voice her concerns out loud like that, to anyone besides her brother, and possibly ruin the General's fun. But, she felt as if something inside of her had broken. Perhaps it was the stress of having had to shoot her best friend in the face, or of having thought that she had lost her brother, or maybe just because she truly didn't give a shit anymore. Whatever the case was, she wasn't the scared little kitten that she used to be.

 

[Poprockz]

"Yea, we do. I mean, I think Quint likes it a little more than I do, but it was one of those things that we used to enjoy..."

Cora's tears were noticed after she had looked over after the moment of silence. She felt a bit bad for making Cora cry, not having known that it was a sensitive topic. Maybe it wasn't exactly the topic itself, but memories associated with it. Still, it made her feel a bit awkward, the woman looking away as she tried to think of how to make Cora feel better.

"Sayori...do you remember the vase being in the bathroom yesterday? Or the face cream? Because I sure fucking don't."

"What?" Sayori's head turned sharply to look at Cora, something in her stomach twisting slightly. "You mean you didn't use it? I used some lotion I found in one of the drawers the day before, and hadn't noticed any face cream, but I thought you had found some and left it on the counter in case I might want to use it too."

"As for the vase... I had a passing thought that it might not have been there before, and I noticed that it had fresh flowers in it, but I had doubted my memory a bit. After all, I hadn't been paying too much attention to the decorations in the bathroom when I'm in there." There was silence as Sayori started to connect the dots, her face become more nervous by the second.

"But he... they couldn't have planted those things. We were always either in the room, or with them when we weren't. We would have heard them if they came in during the night." She shook her head and hugged herself. "Even if they did, the General didn't get angry at me, so why would they do that? It doesn't make any sense..."

 

[Drobabes]

She regretted it almost immediately upon seeing how scared Sayori got, her brain starting to make the connection. Still, even if she regretted making Sayori feel bad, she wondered if it wouldn't be better for her in the long run. How much worse would she feel had Cora not said anything, only for Ray to pull out his card later, when she least expected it?

"I'm sorry Sayori, I'm not trying to scare you, it's just..."

She looked away for a moment, her brows furrowing as she thought about how to say what needed to be said. After another few seconds of contemplation, she finally decided that honestly would probably be the best thing for the little women.

"This is how he is, Sayori. He likes to punish us. He's always done it this way, from the time we were little. It doesn't matter how 'good' you are, or how obedient-if he wants to hurt you, he will hurt you, and he will set you up in a trap that you can't escape. Sometimes you can see it coming and avoid it, but he...always finds a way to win..."

She had trailed off a bit, noticing that Francis had finished with his cigarette and was making his way over to join them on their walk.

"Anyways, he can be really quiet. He probably waited until we were all deeply asleep" she finished quickly, not wanting the older Officer to over hear her.

 

[Poprockz]

"This is how he is, Sayori. He likes to punish us... Sometimes you can see it coming and avoid it, but he...always finds a way to win... Anyways, he can be really quiet. He probably waited until we were all deeply asleep"

Everything Cora was saying was unsettling. She knew Kuznet was sadistic, that he enjoyed her tears and the look of fear in her eyes, just like Officer Niles did. However, he had never been extremely violent with her personally, always being composed or at least giving her a warning. Officer Niles seemed to enjoy physically causing her pain too, having said that she was lucky that he wasn't allowed to play with her until she broke. Was Kuznet the same way?

It was also true that Kuznet could be extremely quiet when he wanted to be, so she supposed it wasn't impossible for him to have set it all up. His reaction had been incredibly reserved considering the circumstances, as though he wanted to keep her in suspense or lull her into a false sense of security.

She wanted to ask Cora when she thought he would punish her, or what the punishment would be. If it was going to be something extremely harsh, or whether he was just going to take her roughly like he had when she was drugged. What were the rules and what exactly was the game? There were so many things she wanted clarification on, but she too noticed Francisco coming over when seeing where Cora's gaze had moved.

Forcing herself to smile, she said in a normal volume, "you know, Sabastian had a very beautiful singing voice. He sang to me once at night and it made me feel much better. I wonder how he's doing..." She wanted to let Cora know that even though she was scared, she did appreciate being told. The knowledge wouldn't protect her, but at least she could try to mentally prepare herself as best she could.

 

[Drobabes]

Though she was still feeling very bitter and angry, she forced herself to smile a bit upon hearing about her friend. She missed him terribly, and she wondered the same thing. Where had he gone to after he had escaped? And who had saved him? She didn't know of anyone who could have made it through Ray's defenses unless he was being careless-which he never was, so the fact that it had happened gave her hope. Both for herself and her grouchy little friend.

"He does have a beautiful voice. I wish Ray would let us sing in the house...I miss it. I got to sing with him at a concert for one of the bases a while back," she said, giving Sayori a little smile.

"It was really fun, but he got a little too drunk" she laughed. Cora would have gone into a bit more detail, but she didn't want to kill the relatively nice mood between them.

"I heard you two put on quite the show" Francisco said, coming to stand by Cora's side as they walked.

"I would have liked to see it, but Ray sent me out to get some special supplies."

She knitted her brows and looked straight ahead, not willing to look him in the eye. Despite deciding to 'behave' herself for Sayori's sake, she wasn't going to let go of the fact that he had been the one to knock Vin out, likely almost killing him with that hard crack to his skull.

"Mm, and what we're those special supplies? More frilly dresses for us to doll up in?" she asked haughtily.

"Or were they the drugs you gave to that guy so he could roofie me? I wonder how disappointed Ray was that he didn't get to toy with me yet. I know he's a patient man, but it had to have gotten under his skin that we got out of there that night."

 

[Poprockz]

It puzzled her as to why they weren’t allowed to sing in the house. That seemed like a strange rule, one that was probably more to sate his appetite for control rather than to have an actual purpose. Still, he had allowed her to sing in the cells and hum while washing Cora, so did that particular rule apply to both of them, or just Cora? She would have to ask at some point, but now was not the time to do so with Francisco now approaching.

“I got to sing with him at a concert for one of the bases a while back. It was really fun, but he got a little too drunk.”

Sayori also let out a little laugh. While the thought of her impending punishment still lingered at the back of her mind, the thought of Cora singing onstage and of a drunk Sabastian made her feel a bit better. She imagined Cora must have been a bit drunk too, so their tipsy show must have been really entertaining. She could only imagine what it would be like to be at a concert like that in these times.

She looked up at Francisco as he fell in line next to Cora, wondering what supplies he was sent to get. It seemed that Cora too was curious, though she was much more vocal about it.

Cora was speaking to the officer in such a confrontational way, it made her a bit nervous. It almost seemed like each time Cora spoke to him, she was trying to find some way to provoke him, or at least get on his nerves. While he was certainly the safest officer to do so with, she couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable from the tension that was starting to form.

In addition, it surprised her that they had tried to roofie her to bring her in. Though when she thought about it further, it could be said that that was a tame action by their standards. How awful it would have been for Cora if she was drinking and having fun at a concert and then everything went fuzzy and she woke up in the General’s bed?

She started to anxiously fiddle with one of the ruffles on her dress rolling it up and back down between her fingers.

 

[Drobabes]

"Well they wouldn't be very special if I told everyone about them" he laughed, crossing his hands behind his back and continuing to walk beside them for a moment, a pleasant smile on his face as he avoided answering anything else she had spoke of. Truth be told though, Ray had been pissed. Furious even. After all, he had lost a lot of supplies in that explosion, along with a lot of valuable research and the half zombie women he had collected.

"So it seems like you've been trying to get under my skin," he said after another minute of silence.

"Ever since you came back home. I thought we agreed that you were going to behave yourself?"

His tone wasn't harsh as he spoke, and although he wasn't smiling when he looked down at her, he was far from angry either. If anything, he seemed more like a parent that was tired after a long day of dealing with their bratty child.

"Coming back home," she scoffed, shaking her head slightly.

"I hate how you just act like everything's normal and fucking happy dandy fine all the time. I swear to god, you're worse than the other two. At least they're honest about what pieces of shit they are."

Her hazel eyes looked away from him, a few tears spilling down her cheeks again as she hugged her arms tightly to herself and once again wondered if she could really do this. To be able to go back to playing doll house with the four of them, pretending to be Ray's pretty little demure and sweet daughter that would simply stand by his side and oggle him like he was her hero. Fuck, that. Perhaps the collapse of society wasn't such a bad thing after all; at least now she would have an excuse to show what she really was-Kuznet's personal sex toy.

"Oh come on now" Francis laughed before giving her a good natured little bump with his shoulder.

"You can't honestly tell me that you would rather be in Jonathon or Niles company?"

She could have dealt with his bantering if he had simply left it to words, but Cora was already so stressed and tired from what Ray had put them through last night that when Francisco bumped into her, even in a playful manner, the skin to skin contact was simply too much for her nerves and anger to bear. Taking a swift step back, she dropped her arms down and brought one of her hands up to point an accusatory finger at him, her voice spitting venom as it shook with emotion.

"Don't you fucking touch me! Your two faced act might have worked on my dad, but it won't fucking work on m-"

Cora never got to finish that sentence. In a matter of a mere second, the look on Francisco's face had gone from mildy amused, to twisting into something so dark and lethal it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and her voice get lodged in her throat. It made a cold feeling go down her spine, and she knew that if she had to, she wouldn't have been able to scream to save herself. The next thing she knew, he was in her face, shouting with a fury that she had never in her life seen in him and making her take quick steps backwards just to keep even an inch of space between them.

"You little fucking brat! Do you know how much I have done for you?! DO YOU?!"

She didn't see the piece of cut down tree trunk behind her, nor did she really feel the muddy moisture of the grass seep into her dress as she fell back onto her ass. All there was in that moment was a man that she had never seen before, and whom almost frightened her worse than Kuznet.

 

[Poprockz]

The conversation was uncomfortable for Sayori, the tension between Cora and Francisco feeling like a piece of sandpaper rubbing against her soft skin. Their words grated on her, the woman nervous about how insistently Cora seemed to be trying to poke and prod him, trying to get a reaction. It seemed as though even Francisco's sunny disposition had a breaking point, the man suddenly becoming someone she didn't recognize.

He had such a fearsome look on his face, as though he wanted to rip Cora to shreds. She wasn't sure why he was so angry, but she figured that the act of being so friendly wore on him, seeing that on the inside he likely wasn't fond of them. He probably felt as though he put so much effort into acting and making them comfortable even though he detested it and that it wasn't even appreciated.

Sayori wasn't sure where she found the courage to do so, but she found herself standing in-between Francisco and Cora, her arms outstretched toward him in a protective yet beseeching manner. It almost felt like the time when she had tried to pull Quint back to himself, a captive Niles on the precipice of being crushed like a soda can. While she was shielding Cora, it didn't mean that she herself wasn't afraid, and her eyes looked at him with the same fear that Niles was so fond of.

"Tensions are high, and we're scared and angry."

She paused, "if we're speaking plainly, then let me just say this. Officer, I understand that you may not care beyond what your job obligates you, and I know that it is probably tiring to keep up the semblance of normality. That being said, I do appreciate what you do, even if it's fake."

Her gaze drifted toward Cora as she continued, looking slightly over her shoulder, "I am afraid and sometimes my heart twists and aches so much that I don't think I can take another minute. I need to pretend that things are okay, even if I know they are not." The look she gave to Cora was almost apologetic, as though she was sorry for not being strong enough to manage without the fantasy. At the same time, she was making a case, hoping that Cora would hear her too and know how she felt about her constantly trying to dispel the illusion. If she was being honest with herself, she didn't want Cora to be constantly rebelling and testing the boundaries. There were so many things to fear and so much pain that would likely come, and she felt like she couldn't handle any more than absolutely necessary.

Her voice became very quiet, and a deep sadness came to her eyes as she looked back at the officer. "I may be naïve, but I am not stupid. I know why I am here and I know that over time the person I am will be eroded or I will simply disposed of. My time here as myself is fleeting, so please... Let's get along as much as possible. Let me pretend that life isn't just pain for as long as I can. Please just let this silly miss Sayori fool herself into smiling." She shifted slightly and gave him a desperate smile.

 

[Drobabes]

Francisco had taken another step closer to her, his rage and anger making his blood boil and his mind go a bit hazy. If it hadn't been for Sayori suddenly stepping in front of him, he really didn't know what he would have done. He did know, however, that he never would have hurt Cora.

"Officer, I understand that you may not care beyond what your job obligates you, and I know that it is probably tiring to keep up the semblance of normality."

Tiring? It was absolutely draining, but not for the conclusions that her mind had brought her too.

Markus, Cora's father, had been his friend long before Ray ever came into his life. His real and possibly only friend, and to hear Cora imply that he had ever faked that bond between them simply tore into his heart in a way that he couldn't stand. Above that, though, it bit at his sorrow. It stuck a white hot rod right down into the deepest of his insecurities and burned at the tender flesh that barely contained the guilt of how he had betrayed the Bluefields, albeit, unknowingly. He had led Ray right to them, and by the time he was able to see and feel the web that he had walked them all into it, it was too late. All he could do then was convince the spider that he was better served as a tool than a meal, and in that way, had been able to save them from the worst of what those venomous fangs could do.

"I am afraid and sometimes my heart twists and aches so much that I don't think I can take another minute. I need to pretend that things are okay, even if I know they are not."

Cora's wide and frightened eyes looked away from Francisco, seeing as he had stopped his advance, and met Sayori's as she looked back. If she wasn't so shocked from the Officers display, she might have felt a bit angry. But, seeing as she was shaken, and she had basically had the anger verbally slapped out of her, it gave her mind a bit of quiet to let the women's words settle in, and once they had, her own cheeks heated with a bit of shame and her eyes turned away.

She recognized what Sayori felt. Not because she herself had needed to feel that way, but because Quint had, though he had never said it out loud. What was she doing here? Though she knew her anger was justified, was it really solving anything? No. It was just taking away one of the few comforts that they had to keep them sane. How selfish.

"I'm sorry Sayori" she almost whispered, moving back a bit before shakily getting back on her feet. Francisco watched her do so, his own expression finally loosing some of it's edge as his breathing became more even and his eyes came back down to the little women. After another long second, he let out a sigh and brought one of his hands up to pat the top of her head gently, petting her hair pixie like hair down a bit as he thought about the last words she had said.

"Don't worry" he said, his voice going back to that soft and gentle tone that he had used with her when she had been so vulnerable, and her tear filled eyes had filled him with unavoidable affection.

"I don't think you're going to break so easy."

He let his hand slide off of her head before he brought it up to his own hair, running his fingers through the short cut as he gave Cora a bit of a dirty look.

"You're going to change when we get home and wash that before Ray gets back."

Cora nodded, once more crossing her arms and looking away.

"Alright, I will. Can we finish our walk still? I'm..." she hesitated for just a moment, her eyes going up to look into Francisco's soft brown one's before she looked down into Sayori's.

"I'm done. No more bratty remarks..."

"If you wish, Princess."

Fran gave her a bit of a wry smile, his eyes taking on just a bit of humor as he tried to lighten the mood between them again. Although Cora was still pretty shook and feeling more than a little guilty, she was done fighting for the moment, so she let a small smile of amusement slip back onto her face as she looked away.

...

Across the field of the training facility, parked under the shade of some old oak trees, was an army truck. It's normally dark green coloration was currently invisible to the naked eye, due to the cloaking equipment that was attached to the roof, and Francisco was none-the wiser to the passenger inside, watching his every move.

 

[Poprockz]

That hand on her head made her close her eyes and sigh for a moment, her shoulders relaxing. It seemed that the tension had broken, all of them back to being somewhat normal again. She understood Cora's anger, as she had her own anger simmering in her stomach, but she needed to spend her time wisely.

Despite what Francisco said about her not breaking as easily, she didn't think he was right. Of course he was only saying that because he wanted her to hold on longer, that being his job, but she really didn't know how much she could take before she started to wilt. Sayori had never endured hardships like this before, the only traumatic thing to have really happened to her like this would have been Damien, and that still couldn't quite compare. Still, she couldn't give up until she knew she had nothing left, and she would do her very best to hold on until Quint knew how sorry she was for what she had done.

The rest of the walk was spent in relative silence before they went back to the car and loaded up, Sayori starting to feel a bit sleepy. Leaning against part of the seat, she rested her eyes a bit, only intent on doing so for a few minutes.

The next thing she knew, she was sitting in a cold metal chair in the middle of a room where besides the light shining down on her, it was completely dark. The chair hand restraints on her wrists and ankles, securing her in place. She looked around nervously, squinting to try to see into the darkness to no avail.

However, a moment later, the light shifted like a spotlight, moving to light a space in front of her. To her shock it was the General, holding Cora sideways in his lap while sitting in an enormous, plush armchair. Her eyes were slightly glazed over as though she wasn't all there, merely a doll sitting in his lap.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvnTLpg5MEo

"Poor little girl ran away so far, from a heart so sad and scarred. Poor little girl, mom and dad don't know, why you're lost in the forest feeling low... Feeeeeling low..."

His voice was low and smooth, composed as he was with just a hint of what might be described as tenderness if one didn't know better. He reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind Cora's ear, leaning in before he continued to sing.

She wasn't sure what was more disturbing, the fact that Kuznet singing, or that the light in the room slowly grew until she could see that she was in the torture room back at the base. Looking to her side, she saw the three prisoners the General had killed "because of" Sabastian. They each stood behind a microphone stand as back-up singers, the bullet-hole wound still in each of their foreheads. Blood slowly dripped down their faces from the hole, though it didn't seem to matter to the musical cadavers. They moved like puppets, singing and snapping along to the beat.

"Stay with me, you're my four leaf-clover-girl, and you can lock me up in time. And when you wear a grin I'm bored, and then I see you cry..."

With that, he stood and started to dance with Cora, leading her around the room as she numbly followed his steps. Her beautiful little dress swayed as they moved, the man twirling her occasionally. It was almost mesmerizing in a deeply unsettling way, the way that both of their movements were perfect, not one step or beat out of place.

"So eat your heart out, Casanova. Love is a bittersweet ambrosia. They say it gets better, but it doesn't get better. Wish it would, but it never gets better. Baby, when you go to pieces, I could eat your heart out darling. The proof is in the pudding, Cora. You're a hot jumpstart, but let me eat your heart.. Let me eat your heart..."

With a final twirl, he sat back into the armchair and pulled Cora back onto his lap, his large arms wrapping around her. The way in which he possessively started to caress her made Sayori's skin crawl, the smaller woman turning her head to look at the back-up singers. They all fell to the ground with a disgusting squelch and three people walked up to take their places: Francisco, Jonathan, and Quint. For some reason, each of them wore a top-hat (if it could even qualify as such) That was merely a flan pudding on a black hat brim. Every time they would move or snap, the puddings would almost hypnotically jiggle.

Sayori was frozen to the spot, unsure of what the hell was going on. All of this was simply bizarre and she couldn't make sense of any of it. If this was a nightmare, she wanted to wake up. The next thing she knew, she felt a hot puff of air on her ear, the woman stiffening in fear as a cruel voice started to continue the song. His hands went to her shoulders and slowly slid down her arms as he sang, the smaller woman unable to do much of anything to move away from him.

"Cry for me, you're my mascara bleeding girl, and I will hold you safe at night. And I don't want you to weep, but your tears are sweet wine..."

Of course it was Officer Niles. She hadn't noticed that he was the only one missing, but she was certainly aware of his presence now. Though he didn't release her restraints, he did dance-walk over to his tools, coming back with a scalpel in his hands and a condescending smirk on his face. Occasionally he would gesture with the scalpel almost playfully as he got closer to her.

"So eat your heart out, Casanova. Love is a bittersweet ambrosia. They say it gets better, but it don't get better. Wish it would, but it never gets better. Baby, when you go to pieces, I could eat your heart out darling. The proof is in the pudding, baby. You're a hot jumpstart, but let me eat your heart.. Let me eat your heart..."

Over to the side, it was as though none of this was out of the ordinary. Quint and Francisco were singing enthusiastically, dancing along and making an effort to be good back-ups. Jonathan however, merely sang with a bored expression, his movements only being what was necessary to blend in somewhat with the other two. It occurred to Sayori that maybe it was the "proof is in the pudding line" that had conjured up the image of their flan-hats. Still, it made for a very bizarre image.

Suddenly the lights went out and a blue light shined on Kuznet and Cora, the man stroking her delicate neck as his eyes appraised her possessively. "It's true, I love you. But only when you're crying. I can't believe- such joy in pain, it's crazy. And when I am sad and blue... I cuddle close to you. And when I pat your head I know I have your soul."

His hand wrapped around her throat and he started to squeeze hard, Cora reaching up to grab his hand as she struggled in his lap. The look in his eyes was the same fury he had when he had seen her tattoos, that almost unrestrained rage. "And deep inside a burning, and it makes me feel so... Cold." On the last word, he released her neck, the woman gasping for air while he moved his hand to stroke her cheek.

"It makes me feel so cold... It makes me feel so cold.." The back-up singers could be seen again as the light once again brightened to illuminate the entire room.

The next thing she knew, Niles had continued the song and was on the left side of her chair. "I feel nothing, I feel nothing, I feel nothing, I feel nothing, I feel nothing but your pain!" A swift kick from his boot sent her chair toppling over to its side, a little yip of surprise and fear coming from her.

With a grin, he reached down and grabbed a fistful of her hair before yanking her up slightly. Sayori could only meet his eyes for a moment before she had to look away, her eyes widening as she noticed a red ribbon of blood on Cora's cheek, A smirk on Kuznet's face."And that's the only thing I need..."

"Just a taste!" He let his tongue drag over Cora's cheek right over the cut, a madness in his eyes.

At that point the back-up singers took over, Quint taking over the main vocals as he swayed with the other two men. While they sang, Niles yanked her back upright, putting the chair back up. He put the scalpel against her chest as he hummed, cutting down her skin before putting the sharp instrument in his left hand. Without warning, he slipped his hand into her chest and came back with her still-beating heart, the man grinning before taking a large bite out of it, tearing the muscle in his sharp, white teeth.

Sayori woke up with a start, her eyes wide in bewilderment. When she saw Cora, she let out a shaky breath and swallowed. "Are we back yet?"

 

[Drobabes]

As Sayori slept, Cora had been sitting in her seat and quietly contemplating what had happened on their walk. It was too dangerous to let her mind wander very far, so she was simply trying to focus on the last few hours.

She had never seen Fran get so angry before. He was usually in complete and utter control of himself, just like Ray, and the closest he had ever come to actually shouting was when Quint had fell off that school roof and broke his arm. Even then, though, it hadn't held as much cold rage as she had just seen in that deadly glare.

It puzzled her slightly, but she also realized that she had never been quite as snippety and disobedient before. She might have gotten a stubborness in her tone, or a heated remark here or there, but she had always been too fearful to really let loose with what she was feeling. So what did it say about the situation that she had gotten him that riled up? Was she stronger now? Or had she simply been foolish, and now the Officer would likely be putting her in her proper place more often, now that she was no longer as demure?

"Are we back yet?"

The sudden jerk of Sayori's body, as she woke from her sleep, made Cora flinch and be torn from her thoughts. Her own eyes were a bit wide as well when they met gazes and before she looked away.

"I think so. We just stopped, so maybe that woke you up."

She was right, as not a moment later they were escorted from the truck and the dogs were there to greet them, lazy tails wagging slowly as each of their legs were sniffed.

"Well ladies, head on inside and entertain yourselves" Francisco said, giving his lower back a bit of a rub as he stretched from the relatively long drive.

"I have to get back to work. Unfortunately I won't be bringing you lunch today, but, Quint knows his way around the kitchen."

"Oh man," Cora said, her nail picking off a bit of dried mud from her dress.

"He's going to be mad that you didn't bring him a beer."

Her eyes then went up to meet Sayori's and she gave her a small smile. She didn't feel it at all, but, she was trying for her companion.

 

[Poprockz]

Sayori bent over slightly and pet each of the dogs in turn, a fond look in her eye. Despite their true purpose, the dogs were innocent. They didn't want to hurt them, nor did they know that in protecting them that they were giving them the opportunity to face a much worse fate. They harbored no malice- they just were adorable animals who were fond of people.

She simply nodded when Francisco advised that he wasn't sticking around, knowing that this time it was probably for the best. Despite everything being hashed out, they situation from before was still fresh in their minds and it needed time to fade just a bit.

"Oh man, he's going to be mad that you didn't bring him a beer."

That little smile of Cora's was returned by one of her own. She could sense that Cora's heart wasn't really in it, but she appreciated the gesture. It made her wonder though: was Sayori out of line for what she had said earlier? It's true that she had spoken nothing but her true feelings, but she didn't want Cora to feel like she had to completely change how she acted around her. It wasn't fair to Cora, nor was it reasonable to expect her to do so.

Sayori started walking into the house with her, pausing before the door and saying, "if you want to get a shower, I could let Quint know to whip something up. I'll let him down easy about the beer." With that, she gave a little chuckle and opened the door to wander toward the kitchen. It was unlikely he was still in there, but it was possible. If he wasn't she'd just have to search around for him a little.

 

[Drobabes]

"if you want to get a shower, I could let Quint know to whip something up. I'll let him down easy about the beer."

She let out a short laugh, almost a chuckle, before nodding and making her way upstairs to change.

In the kitchen, Quint was indeed nowhere to be seen, although it was not because he wasn't in there. Infact, he was so close to Sayori, that if he wanted to, he could have reached out and tapped her shoulder, or ruffled her hair. He had been 'hanging out' for almost three whole minutes, his new limbs keeping him stationary in the air by lifting his heavy human body up so high that he could have laid across the roof if he wanted. And he did want to, except that, that was a bit too awkward to accomplish easily when all he had to grip onto was the wood frame of the entryway. His tentacles and tips of his toes were just barely peaking over, while his fingers touched the roof and kept him from swaying or bending over too far and making a crash landing on the floor.

Instead of alerting her to where he really was, he waited until she had made her way a bit further in and past the doorway, and then, very, very quietly, he lowered his body down until the bottom of his feet were hovering about three feet off the ground.

"Stop right there criminal scum!" he suddenly shouted.

"Nobody breaks the law on my watch!"

When Sayori turned around, she would see Quint with his arms crossed over his chest, and a soup pot worn as a hat over his head. It was so big that if he hadn't tilted it back and used the handle to keep it steady against his neck and shoulders, it might have fell down over his eyes and blinded him.

"I'm confiscating your stolen goods. Now p-pft! Pay your fine,"

It was taking every ounce of his strength and concentration to not bust up laughing at the look on her face and the way he had startled her, and he has to run through the rest of his lines quickly before he loses it.

"Or it's off to jail with ya!"

 

[Poprockz]

"Quint? Quiiint? You there?" She had walked into the kitchen and looked around, thinking that she should check the pantry since he didn't seem to be there.

"Stop right there criminal scum! Nobody breaks the law on my watch!"

That sudden shout from right behind her made her practically jump out of her skin. Sayori jumped with a little "eep!" and quickly turned around, her startled wide-eyes quickly focused on Quint.

"I'm confiscating your stolen goods. Now p-pft! Pay your fine! Or it's off to jail with ya!"

Now that she had a second to realize what had happened, she took in the sight of him with that ridiculous pot on his head, the man's face so close to cracking into a grin. It was hilarious and unexpected, the woman recognizing the reference as a little "pfft" left her own mouth. Her eyes crinkled with mirth and she knew what she had to do.

Twisting her body, she quickly looked around before she grabbed a ladle that was hanging from a nail on the wall.

"You'll never take me alive! Huh! Huh!" She woodenly moved her arm in an up and down diagonal as though she were swinging a sword, slowly moving toward him slowly the way characters did when they were slightly crouched. When she reached him, she made a "shing!" noise with her mouth and brought the ladle down in a very slow and exaggerated downward slash across his chest.