ZRP-2 Chapter 6: Scattered

(Sam)
"Well yeah. But so far I've been pitching while you've been catching. Not that I'm asking for anything right now anyway."

"Well...uh...would you like in return?" Eve asked softly.

(Sam)
"Not right now Eve."
=It was enough to make me chortle=

"Maybe in the future though."

She smiled. "Ok."

When Sam was done, Eve put her shirt on and scooted back onto the bed. "Then...want to just...lie here for awhile?"

(Sam)
"Wouldn't hurt I guess."
=Then I lay down on the bed=

Eve rolled onto her unhurt shoulder and spooned against Sam.
"So...what do you think is going to happen? The town and all..."

(Sam)
"Who knows. Judging by the way James and Hibiki are.......celebrating, I'd say we at least got to stay in town. What happens next.....we may end up attacking the Shepherds, once we've had time to rest. I mean hell, we finally have a defendable position to attack from."

"I guess." Eve sighed. "I won't be much help...my shoulder and all..." she looked down. "I...I can be your welcome home present after winning though..."

(Sam)
"Hmmm......nah. Maybe I'll find someone else to unwrap. After all, you kinda need your wrappings."

Eve growled a bit. "Hey. I'm the present. Not some bimbo you find here."

(Sam)
"Well yeah, but come on. Look at you with those bandages. You're in no condition for anything like what I'd do to celebrate."

"Maybe you should remember I can take a lot more then you are giving me credit for." Eve stated.

(Sam)
"True. But I don't want to overwhelm you or anything. There are things I'd like to try that I'm not sure you're ready for."

"I can take it. No gunshot will stop me." She said firmly.

(Sam)
"Are you sure? Because I've always wanted to try...."
=And then I whispered something in her ear, a kind of sexual move or technique I once read about. What? Back when I was with the caravan,I used to find a bunch of penthouse magazines. They had some detailed stories=

Eve went scarlet.
"I wanted you to do that to me." She moaned. "I can survive that." She whimpered. "I promise."

Eve prayed her body obeyed and didn't get excited.

(Sam)
"You sure? Because for Ali know this will be so much for you that you'll spend days in the confessional booth over in that church."

"I'll be fine..." she sighed. "I'm...not just a kid..."

(Sam)
"No, you certainly are not just a kid. I mean, you're still a kid, but you're kinda more than that."

"Hehe..." eve closed her eyes. "I'm...going to take a nap..." she yawned. "So...go ahead...and have fun...I'll be here...no worries."

(Sam)
"What I will do will probably be very little, Eve."

=Over in the tavern of town, Marcus sat at the bar, drinking a beer by himself, his own means of celebrating. Or at least, he was alone before Clara showed up, tapping him on the shoulder=

*Clara*
"Hey there Marky, drinking by yourself?"

*Marcus*
"I thought I told you before, that I hated that nickname."

*Clara*
"What? Your ex-wife can't call you by the pet name she had for you from time to time?"

*Marcus*
"You know technically, we never legally got divorced. Just agreed to stop being married after I wanted to leave."

*Clara*
"True. But all things considered......"

*Marcus*
"Yeah, I know. We were already headed there anyway."
=He took a pull from his beer=

"So, letting us stay. Never expected that to happen."

*Clara*
"Yeah, well we were always a hospitable bunch."

*Mark*
"Still.......can't say I'm thrilled about the no helping us fight bit."

*Clara*
"Well you knew what you were getting into when you came here."

Eve sighed. "Don't stay on my account...I'll be here when you get back..."

(Sam)
"Not like I have anywhere else to go Eve."

*Marcus*
"True enough. Surprised we got half though, was expecting a landslide against us."

*Clara*
"Well you show up with an army, you make people believe there's hope. You and your friends were the shot in the arm we needed apparently,"
=Sitting down on a stool, she waited for the bartender to fill a glass before taking a sip=

"You should also know, that should you guys choose to attack the Shepherds from here, we won't hold it against you. We can defend ourselves easily enough, especially with you backing us up."

Eve's uneven breathing revealed she had fallen asleep.

Mira blinked awake. She felt something thing on her...
Focusing, she realized that someone was snuggled into her breasts.
And they had long hair.
Wait.
She knew those boobs.

Right.
Sarah.

Fuck. Andy might kill her, in all actuality.

(Sam)
"Oh sure, just leave me talking to myself here."

(Sarah)

=It had been the most amazing hour and a half I've ever had in years. There'd been all sorts of noises coming from the two of us. That, and I realize how asleep I was. I blink sleepily, seeing Mira's face for a brief moment=

Oh god...we really did it. Andrew will have my head...

=Of course, my mind wasn't registering it yet. I was still a bit sleepy, but I murmured=

You...sure know how treat a girl right, don't you?

Mira nodded. "I...think you needed it. You are Andy's sister though. I feel sore down there." She giggled. "Don't...I don't want to do this without Andy's ok...so...if he never wants it again, you...you are ok with us staying friends?"

(Sarah)

=I smiled, lightly pecking Mira on the cheek=

Absolutely...we can still be friends.

=I then faintly hear footsteps from outside the house. And I knew those foot falls all too well. My rational mind registers the fact that we may be in deep trouble=

Oh fuck...this may not end well...

Mira heard the footsteps too, and pulled the blankets over Sarah. "Shh...Let me..." she smiled encouragingly. "Don't worry. Just snuggle up and uh...if our underwear is under the covers, put them on. Both of us."

(Sarah)

=I nodded, knowing Andrew might interpret this the wrong way=

Alright

=Thankfully, they were under the covers, putting on my pair and handing Mira her's.=

Sounds like a plan...and I'll try not to panic.

=I snuggled Mira as I heard his footfalls coming ever closer to the door. Not more than a second later, Andrew opened the door. His expression was a study in surprise.=

(Andrew)

=I blink for a few seconds, standing in the doorway to the room, unable to hide the surprise in my tone=

Umm...someone care to explain what the hell happened here?

Mira couldn't tie her bra in time, so pulled Sarah's hands to do it. Mira looked a bit nervous.
"We were...hanging out..." she said.

(Andrew)

=I raised an eyebrow. Clearly...something did happen in my stead=

It sure looks like you more than hanging out.

(Sarah)

=My face was bright red as I looked at Andrew, pulling up the bed sheets to hide my semi-nakedness=

Well...it's not what it looks like. Right?

=I just hoped that he'd buy our double act=

"It...it isn't, really." Mira said. "I...I..."
She looked down at Sarah.
"I...don't think he's buying it..."

(Sarah)

=I nodded=

Yeah...I don't think he's buying it.

=I look at her=

So...should I tell him, or should you tell him?

(Andrew)

=I keep my eyebrow raised=

Tell me 'what' exactly?

"I break news, you explain how it happened." Mira told Sarah.

She then looked at Andrew. "Andy...we...we had sex, ok? I...I...." she glanced at Sarah, then looked away.

(Sarah)

=I watch Andrew's expression morph a bit into disguised anger=

Well...I had one of my moments. We then went to the room, and I locked the door=

=I feel my face turn bright red=

Then we kissed and after that...it's a bit hazy. But you can see the results.

(Andrew)

=I sigh and shake my head, closing my eyes and pinching the bridge of my nose=

What am I going to do with you two?

"Please Andy. I...I love you, I swear...I..I..." mira covered her face. She was dead.

*Marcus*
"And here I was thinking you'd boot us out if we attacked the Shepherds. I appreciate it, thanks."
=Taking a swig from his bottle, he set it down on the counter, staring at it with a curious look, one Clara had not seen on him in some time=

"It's strange. I don't see that guy, James, as being anything important or special. But when I look at his actions, at the actions of those around him......Hibiki, Andrew, Sam, and even the kid, Eve......I can't help but feel hope for this fight."

*Clara*
"Ha, you seeing them as the heroes?"

*Marcus*
"I think I see our entire group, even this town if it will join us, as the hero of whatever insane story this unfolding into. It's not going to be one person that wins this fight. It will be all of us, working together."
=He looked her dead in the eyes=

"That way it should have been from the start."

(Andrew)

=To be entirely honest...I wanted to be angry. But...that would be with any other people=

Just suck it up...cause this might be happening again if you don't...

=I took a deep breath and released it, trying to control my volatile temper=

I know. I might not be there for you sometimes, Mira...so, how do you want to solve this?

"I...I don't know...I...I love you Andy. But Sarah...Sarah has no one. She is barely trusted." She hugged Sarah closer. "I'm sorry Andy...but...I don't know what to do."

(Sarah)

=I felt my body heat up slightly as she hugged me=

Well...I think I have a solution. But it's crazy...

=I see Andrew raise an eyebrow, curious as to what it might be=

(Andrew)

Surprise me...because nothing really surprises me these days.

(Sarah)

=That...made it all the more harder to say it. It was more than crazy...it was insane=

Well...how bout you marry the both of us. So that way...it makes it easy for us to share...

=I see Andrew's face briefly become a study in shock=

"Um...How about...I marry hoth of you instead? Andy is redneck as hell...but maybe uh...he isn't that redneck." Mira said, shocked as much as Andy.

(Andrew)

=To say I was speechless wouldn't be much of an understatement. I couldn't bring myself to say another word. I was stunned=

And I said I was shock-proofed...boy, who was I fooling...

(Sarah)

=My face still red, I looked to Mira=

Well...alright. Seems like a fair trade off.

=I take one look and Andrew's face=

Wouldn't you agree, Andrew?

(Andrew)

=I nod mutely, slowly regaining my composure=

Well...even though it is crazy...

No...it's practically lunacy...

It's better than nothing.

Well...what would mom think? Then again...its the end of the world. We ditched normalcy loooong ago...

*Clara*
"Yeah well, people have hardly ever been the helpful sort, especially when the world falls apart around them. They cling to whatever feels safe and familiar, sometimes so hard they'll block out the whole world."

*Marcus*
"Which is a stupid way of trying to survive. You'd have better odds of joining the fight and destroying that which threatens you and yours."

*Clara*
"I agree. But trying to force them to help won't make them say yes."

Hibiki was sprawled across James' chest, having taken top this time. "So babe...think the kids heard us?"

Eve was still asleep.

Mira beckoned Andy over. "Come on...I love you Andy...so get your ass over here so I can kiss you."

(James)
"I'd be surprised if they didn't. Though you weren't so bad, keeping mostly quiet."
=It was certainly a great feeling, having her laying over my chest. The darkness of the room was a nice touch to the......experience, I suppose. Mood maybe. There was light shining in from the moon, so we weren't in total darkness as it illuminated her bare legs, making them look even paler than they normally did=

"So......we really should see if we can get something to eat."

"We should..." she admitted. Sliding off of James, she felt for her underwear, slipping them on. She threw James' boxers onto his face. "There." She giggled, grabbing her jeans. "So...ya think we could find something with the caravan?"

Eve rolled onto her shoulder and shot awake with a small yelp.
"Ow!" She said, immediately getting off it.

(Sam)
=There I was, dozing off and ready to fall asleep. When Eve yelped in pain and I awoke with a start=
"Jesus! What is it!?"

=Then I saw she just put pressure on her shoulder, and with a sigh I sagged back down against the pillow=
"Scared the living crap out of me..."

(James)
=It was almost comical. See, when Hibiki tossed my boxers at my head, they kinda stuck there for a moment as I turned my head sharply in the direction of a yelp and a shout of surprise. Picture that for a moment=
"What was that?"

Eve looked ashamed. "I'm sorry Sam...I didn't mean to worry you..."

Hibiki frowned. "Since tyere isn't more...Eve probably bumped her shoulder.

(James)
"Probably."
=Slipping my boxers, and then the rest of my clothes on, I walked over to Hibiki and rested my hand on her shoulder=

"Come on, let's grab some food."

(Sam)
"Worry me? Nah, just woke me up is all."