Porcelain [Sakuya]

[Sakuya Kyoudou]

Jaelyn mentioned soon enough that she had almost wished Sakuya did follow her around. She continued to wallow a bit in regret about keeping it in for so long, but what was done was done. Sakuya sighed and comfortingly placed a hand on Jaelyn's arm. "Hey, don't worry about it. Don't beat yourself up over it, you've finally managed to look for someone to talk to about it, right? It's never really too late. The real mistake would have been continuing to ignore it and running away," Sakuya sighed and shook her head. Soon, Sakuya wondered if she would actually go watch over Jaelyn from afar. "I wouldn't mind watching over you, Jaelyn, but it might come off as a bit creepy. I do care about you a lot."

[Jaelyn Callahan]

"Right. I've got to stop doing that," Jaelyn said. She had to stop running away, and she had to stop beating herself up for running away. She wasn't sure what would or wouldn't help her to avoid Vice's fate, but that was probably a good start. Whatever it took, she had to do that much. Even if she never managed to get strong enough to stand over everyone else and prevent anyone, human or shadow, from threatening her...she had to be able to keep from threatening herself. Sakuya then mentioned watching over Jaelyn, at which Jaelyn managed a weak laugh. "It does sound kind of creepy. But I'm actually kind of torn on it." Sure, there could be trouble if Sakuya saw her with someone else and got the wrong idea. But on the other hand, maybe it would keep idiots like that one kid from the museum away in the future as well. And when she was alone...well, she'd have to think about that one a bit.

[Sakuya Kyoudou]

Sakuya believed in Jaelyn, because of the mere fact Jaelyn had decided to find her way out here. For all Jaelyn knew, Sakuya could have been at the city instead. She seemed to acknowledge her problem and soon mentioned how she was seriously considering having Sakuya just stalk her or act like a bodyguard. "You're torn on it? I'm ok with being your makeshift bodyguard if you'd like," Sakuya forced a soft smile but tilted her head wondering what she really should say. "Um... Yeah, that's a bit awkward. Sorry, I don't know what went on in the back there. I'd really like to help you and make it up to you for everything that's happened. You really don't deserve this shit."

[Jaelyn Callahan]

Jaelyn managed a weak laugh at Sakuya's response. A bodyguard, huh? Well, that made the idea sound a little more appealing, but she still wasn't sure she wanted that. It fed right back into the idea of them being together causing conflict with everyone else. And although she now had some reassurance that they (or at least, some of them) didn't see her as an enemy, she didn't want to risk stirring shit up any more than she had to. Fortunately, Sakuya soon admitted that it sounded awkward and apologized.

"Hah...just like I didn't deserve having an ex-serial killer for a mother, or never learning to not flip my shit at anything that caused me trouble? Or being sent halfway across the world on my own when my mother died?" Jaelyn sighed. "Whether I deserved anything that's happened to me or not, it's still happened. And fuck if I know what you, me, or anyone else can do about any of it."

[Sakuya Kyoudou]

Sakuya sighed and hung her head low, slumping on the table after finishing her food. She still looked at Jaelyn and frowned a little. "I guess it's not so hot that you have a Shadow hitwoman doting over you instead of a normal human being, huh," Sakuya sighed and rapped her fingers on the table. Honestly, she really loved Jaelyn very much, but she wondered if the girl really did feel the same way. After all, she seemed very concerned with the implications that came out from their relationship, and if someone really truly had that kind of love, they wouldn't give a shit. "I'm sorry. I don't know what else to tell you, honestly. I mean it's not like I've led a comfortable life either. I make money by slaughtering criminals and tossing their corpses out into the shadowlands, for crying out loud. I had to escape my birthplace because I had become a wanted criminal myself, for manslaughter! God... I'm fucked up, and for that I'm sorry."

[Jaelyn Callahan]

"Fuck if I care about that," Jaelyn said. "You're Sakuya. You're the only person in this whole damned city I feel like I can trust. Shadow? You just killed my worries about that a few minutes ago. Hitwoman? I've lived with worse. Yeah, I'm in a pretty shitty state at the moment, and our relationship has contributed to that. But my life's always fucking sucked. I'd rather have this than to go back to where I used to be." Now that she'd said it, it probably contradicted the mood of the conversation up until that point. As bad as Jaelyn was at explaining herself, it most likely had. But that was how she really felt. As much as she bitched and fussed about where things had gone, fear of becoming a shadow herself aside she was probably better off now than she had been back in middle school. And if not, then being with Sakuya was still a blessing in the midst of it all.

"Heh...I guess we're both pretty fucked up," she added after Sakuya had her say. "It's all too fitting, really."

[Sakuya Kyoudou]

Jaelyn soon stated that she didn't really care that Sakuya was those things she had just described herself as. As Sakuya realized that deep inside, Jaelyn did at least recognize Sakuya as who she was at this present moment in time, and didn't seem that resentful about it, in fact, almost accepting of it, she smiled a bit more and stretched, sitting upright. "I'm glad it seems my presence at least has had some form of positive effect on you, even if it doesn't seem to be all that much," Sakuya said, tilting her head. Yeah, it looks like both of them had the short end of the stick in terms of how well they were doing in life.

"I guess we are," she soon continued in response. "I don't know about fitting, but I can say that there's only one way to go but up from here on out..." she weakly eked out, wondering what she could do to help Jaelyn more from here.

[Jaelyn Callahan]

"No, I'm definitely better off for having met you," Jaelyn said. "I don't even want to think about where I might be if I hadn't." And yet, the thoughts came anyway, presenting two possible paths. In one, she ended up making more friends and never coming into the conflict with them that she had. But she knew that that was just wishful thinking. She didn't have the temperament to keep friends. Hell, sometimes she was amazed that she hadn't accidentally chased Sakuya off at some point.

The other path was far less pleasant. It was much like the lot she had now, except without any form of comfort to get through it all. And without that...well, who even knew if she would have made it this far.

Jaelyn sighed. Fuck, I went and thought about it anyway," she grumbled. "Well, up better be the only way to go from here. I don't want to see what lies farther down." She finished off the rest of her meal, then leaned back in her chair. "I think I'm just going to stay here tonight. You don't mind, I hope."

[Sakuya Kyoudou]

Sakuya looked at Jaelyn, smiling before shifting herself (on her chair) closer. "It's alright. At least you're not in danger of anything too threatening happening to you," she said to the girl, as Sakuya gave Jaelyn's cheek a bit of a stroke. "You can sleep with me tonight~" she then continued, giggling. Yes, well, it could have been a lot worse for Jaelyn indeed, especially if she didn't have anyone to talk about her inner problems and such to. Bottling up those emotions must have certainly been hell. She would have been a prime candidate for her Shadow or some other negative influence to ensnare her. Sakuya wanted to make sure that Jaelyn wouldn't repeat the same mistake she did. Sakuya didn't care about anyone else.

"I'll keep you safe! Well I'll try to, anyway."

[Jaelyn Callahan]

"I don't know...I seem to be in danger of being dragged off to bed later by a dangerous and beautiful woman," Jaelyn said, smiling up at Sakuya and managing a halfhearted laugh. "That seems threatening. To my innocence. Of which I have none." Yes, this was definitely what she needed. Now that she'd let everything out, she just needed some quality time with Sakuya to work herself back up into a decent mood and get away from all of that. Not to hide from it, but to move past it. That was what she'd never managed to do before. That was how she'd so consistently failed to get over any of her troubles. From those few times she had managed to talk to someone, that was what seemed to be the case.

"Thanks, though," she added. "I'm counting on you. And I'm sure you know how much that means coming from me."

[Sakuya Kyoudou]

Sakuya grinned and wrapped an arm around Jaelyn after slinking up to her, stroking her hair. "I know," Sakuya simply said softly. "I'll do my best to do whatever I can for you." Sakuya smiled and soon hefted Jaelyn up into her arms, lifting her and then taking her to the bedroom of the villa, which was very candlelit and compared to the darkness of the outside it was more dimmed with red glow than anything else. The bed in the room was much more lavish and extravagant than the one in the apartment, which Jaelyn had already seen before. Sakuya set Jaelyn on the bed gently.

"Well, there's nothing much left to do outside, what say to you just to have a hearty snuggle and some fun later here in bed now~?"

[Jaelyn Callahan]

Jaelyn smiled and clung to Sakuya as she was picked up and carried off to the bedroom. She'd already seen it before, the last time she was here, but now it somehow looked even more inviting than before. Had Sakuya done some work on it? Or had she just not noticed it last time because of how beaten up she'd been? Either way, she couldn't think of anywhere that she'd rather be at the moment. Certainly not out on some battlefield in the middle of the city either getting her ass handed to her or having another freakout.

Once she was set on the bed, Jaelyn laid down and stretched out. She left plenty of room for Sakuya to lie next to her. Or on her, if that was what she wanted. Meanwhile, Sakuya gave her a very enticing proposal. "Best plan I've heard in over a month," Jaelyn said. "What are we waiting for?"

[Sakuya Kyoudou]

Sakuya was pleased at Jaelyn's reaction - she seemed to approve of her idea. Well, naturally, Sakuya thought as she smirked to herself, letting Jaelyn relax on the bed. The Shadow girl found herself lying next to Jaelyn too, she promised snuggles first, and snuggles first is what she would give. Turning to her side while lying down, Sakuya ended up trying to hug Jaelyn in bed and looked like a funny attempt at spooning, wrapping her arms around the human girl. Sakuya felt strongly towards Jaelyn, maybe this is what she would really call "love." Was a Shadow really capable of this much emotion? Maybe so, maybe it was her lust disguised... Who really knew. Sakuya didn't want to mentally debate those implications in her mind.

She wanted to enjoy this.

Snuggling up to Jaelyn in bed, Sakuya nuzzled her side. "Mmm. You're nice to the touch, honey."

[Jaelyn Callahan]

Jaelyn let out a contented sigh as Sakuya drew her into a hug. She huddled in Sakuya's arms, inching herself in closer so that Sakuya could get them more comfortably around her. Jaelyn rested her head on Sakuya's shoulder, letting out a faint and uncharacteristic giggle as Sakuya mentioned her being nice to the touch. "Mmm...I do try," she said, raising a hand up and brushing it over Sakuya's cheek. "So are you, of course."

Jaelyn had had plenty of time to wonder over how she really felt about Sakuya. By the time she'd finally gained the strength to approach her again, she'd come to the resolution that if she didn't feel safe around her anymore, she would have to and would be able to leave. But now that that fear had passed, she began to wonder if she really would have been able to after all. Her earlier statement held true. She cared deeply for Sakuya, no matter what she was. She wanted to be with her, no matter what anyone else might have thought or what state her life was in because of it. Was that love, as Jaelyn had professed after Sakuya had been exposed as a shadow? It had to be. What else could it be?

Content with that answer, Jaelyn gave Sakuya a quick peck on the cheek and whispered "I've missed you."

[Sakuya Kyoudou]

Sakuya felt herself go a little warm as Jaelyn brushed a hand over her own cheek. It was really peculiar to think about, actually. As a Shadow, Sakuya had observed the general sentiment that Shadows were aggressive and incapable of doing anything deemed as "good" to others. But it seemed that between her and Jaelyn, the typical Shadow behaviors were completely absent. Was something about this relationship causing Sakuya to go more docile than she usually was towards girls and women? For example, she was quite aggressive towards that one girl, and she had gotten herself into a fight with the girl named Luka... Yet she felt remorse after the former, and she expressed no intent to start aggression with the latter.

Maybe this is what Sakuya was looking for the entire time? Well, it wasn't really the time to mull or think over that. Sakuya simply embraced Jaelyn more tightly as she heaved a sigh of utter contentment. "I've missed you too, Jaelyn. I've missed holding you in my arms."