ZRP-2 Chapter 6: Scattered

(Andrew)

=I blinked, not expecting this reaction=

So...you're not mad at me for that=

=I was frankly surprised=

Eve nodded, silently crying.
"I promise I won't hurt you again. Just forgive me." She whispered. "Just forgive me."

"I'm happy you both came back alive."

(Sam)
=I let go of her then=
"I forgive you Eve."

(James)
=With a sigh, I sorta slumped in Hibiki's arms=
"Wonder if there'll be a celebration over this. I mean, we kicked the Shepherds asses, and I......well I didn't kill him, but I gave him one helluva new scar."

Eve rested her head on Sam's chest. "Thank you."

Hibiki sighed. "We better. I want a party."

(James)
"Yeah not sure I'll be able to supply a cake. Or streamers."

(Sam)
"Hey, I'll always forgive you Eve."

"So...what's...the plan for celebrating victory?" Eve asked. "And...Sam? I'll always love you more." She gigled softly.

Hibiki laughed. "I'd settle for alcohol."

(Andrew)

=I sheathe my knife and hug Mira, my face smiling=

Yeah...I'm happy to be alive after that.

=I chuckle a bit=

Well...let's hope they throw us a celebration for that.

(James)
=I chuckled a bit=
"Yeah......no alcohol for you my dear."

(Sam)
"Oh really, care to put that to the test later tonight?"
=I arched a brow at her=

"I know. Joking silly." She laughed. Hibiki rested her head on James' shoulder. "I want a sandwhich..."

Eve blushed. "...what do you mean?"

(Sam)
=I winked at her=
"You'll just have to find out later tonight."

(James)
"Do we even have any bread?"

"Ok." Eve said readidly.

Hibiki shook her head. "No. Doubt anyone knows how to bake it anyways."

(James)
"Well.....not entirely true there. I kinda know how to bake bread, but it's the ingredients that are going to be a pain. Flour. Yeast. And a whole bunch of other things."

(Sam)
"So, I saw that you rescued some of the hostages. What does it feel like, being the hero?"

"Those were the only hostages...but..." Eve smiled. "I...like being a hero...I...I feel like I did ok. I took down twelve Shepherds, not including wounds...you're a good trainer...it's how I was able to do ok."

Hibiki sighed. "This will be hard."

(James)
"Oh yes it will. But for now, celebrate with what we've got.......canned peas."
=I got my hands under her arms and lifted them off me, getting to my feet=

"Odds are Marcus and Cooper will want to talk with me at some point."

(Sam)
"Heh, thanks. Glad I could turn you into a sharpshooter."

"I missed eight shots..." Eve admitted.

Hibiki sighed. "I am tired of peas."

(Sam)
"Oh....well then.....you suck then."

(James)
"Could always try and catch more fish by the river."

Eve stuck her tongue out. "Meanie."

Hibiki sighed. "I might be Japanese, but I don't want sushi everyday."

(James)
"Who said anything about sushi? Yeah it's fish but it won't be raw."

(Sam)
"Oh you have no idea."

Eve pouts. "Just say good job and kiss me."

Hibiki shrugged. "Anyways. Wanna relocate to the bed?"

(Sam)
"Good job Eve."
=Then I kissed her=

(James)
"Nah, seems too early for that."
=I looked at her though, in nothing but her underwear=

"Tempting though."

"Pervert. I was intending to lie together and talk in comfort." Hibiki pouted.

Eve kissed back. "Thanks."

(James)
"Heh.....well, if you insist..."
=Still, I doubted we'd be able to talk for long though. Odds were good that either Marcus or Cooper would be at the door soon. They'd want to discuss what happened=

(Sam)
"So, what now?"

Hibiki pulled James onto the bed, tumbling down beside him. She snuggled against him.
"I'm sorry. I gave Eve the gun and didn't stop her."

Eve shrugged. "Go to the couch and makeout?"

(James)
=I was caught off guard a little by this, but I smiled=
"Look, it's fine Hibiki. I get it."

(Sam)
"I don't know. I was thinking of taking Nomad for a spin, see what all the fuss was about."

She rested her head on Jams' chest. "She did ok?"

Eve smiled. "Do I get to sit up front in a not so veiled attempt to have your arms around me?"

(Sam)
"Heh. Maybe. That depends on whether or not Nomad actually wants me riding him."

(James)
"Yeah, she did great."
=I began stroking her hair=

"As long as her going did something...I'll know I did ok." Hibiki said.

Eve giggled. "Let's go."

(Sam)
=Taking her hand, I walked over to where Nomad was tied. He looked well, if a bit bored (not sure how I knew but I did) though he perked up when we walked over to him=
"Hey Nomad."

=I reached out and rubbed my hand over his neck. He didn't seem to mind, which was good. Untying his reins from the post, I began walking him. Something told me he'd need some water, which hey made sense. Not like they laid out a tub of water for him=
"Let's take him over to the river, try and get him something to drink."

(James)
"You did better than okay."

Eve climbed up onto Nomad. "Sounds good."

Hibiki sniffed. "I'm glad everyone made it back ok."

(James)
"Yeah.....though I'd hardly call it coming back unscathed. A lot of people were injured, including me. And Sam."
=I lifted the collar of my shirt a little, exposing the bruises around my neck=

"Courtesy of my brother."

(Sam)
=Thankfully, our side of the street was closest to the river, and we managed to get Nomad to the water. When he saw it he immediately dipped his head down and began taking long, huge gulps of water=
"Someone was thirsty huh?"

"You're alive. That's what matters." Hibiki said.

Eve giggled. "Yeah. We should find him some food...horses like apples or carrots?" She frowned, trying to think.

(Sam)
"I think both? But I don't know."

(James)
"But he still got away. He's going to come back at some point Hibiki."
=I shuddered a little=

"And I'm not sure I'll be ready for that."

"Yes you will." She looked up at James. "Time to rigorously train you in martial arts."

Eve shrugged. "Then lets find both! And grass."

(James)
"You're going to train me? Think you're up to the task?"

(Sam)
"Not sure if they have apples or carrots here Eve."

"Then grass." Eve said.

Hibiki nodded. "I think excercise is good for the baby...so giving you an edge is just killing two birds with one stone."

(James)
"Well be careful you don't kill me. Honestly, you're the best of us when it comes to hand to hand combat."

(Sam)
"Well, no short supply of that here."

Eve reached down to put her hand on Sam's head.
"No short supply of love is more like it."

Hibiki nodded. "That's why I have to train you...so you can beat The Pariah and not force me to look at your bruises."

(James)
"Who said I'm forcing you to look at my bruises?"

(Sam)
"Easy there tiger, we're just taking the horse for a walk here."

"How can I not see them?" Hibiki whispered.

Eve giggled. "I know...but...can't blame me...for wanting to be able to say that whenever I want..."

(James)
"Well.....you can turn your head?"
=My grip around her shoulder loosened a little so she would have some space=

(Sam)
"Well.....I appreciate it. But stay focused here, today is about Nomad."

"Kaaay." Eve replied.

Hibiki shook her head. "No."

(Sam)
=We brought Nomad back to the house, tying him back to the railing. I held a hand out to Eve, offering to help her down=

(James)
=Sighing, I lifted the collar of my shirt back up=
"Guess that means I'll be keeping my shirt on later."

Hibiki scowled. "Hey!"

Eve took the offered hand. "Thank you." She smiled.

(James)
=I laughed a little=
"What? I'm just saving you the trouble of looking at something terrible."

(Sam)
=When she took the hand, I smiled a little and went so far as place a soft kiss on it=
"Always a pleasure m'lady."

Eve blushed. Her neck even went red. "Thank you...Sam." She settled on.

Hibiki rolled her eyes. "Saving me the trouble of looking at you getting your ass kicked more like it."

(Sam)
=I laughed at her expression=
"Wow one kiss and already you're going red? God, makes me wonder what you'll like when I take your pants off later."

(James)
"And here I thought bruises on a man were sexy. Or was that just scars?"

Eve nearly fell off the horse. "My-my-my pants?" She asked.

Hibiki sighed. "Scars James. Bruises make it hard to have sex because you keep wincing and yelping like a child when they get touched."

(Sam)
"Whoops, spoilers."
=Still, I winked at her as I helped her down=

(James)
"Well unless you plan on choking me later tonight, I should be fine."
=I gave her a look=

"Plus.....not like we've ever gone for very hard, brutal stuff."

Eve just got a bit flustered. "O-O-Okay."

Hibiki blinked. "What. It wasn't brutal what we did to that hotel room back in St. Louis?"

(James)
"What we did to the bed, maybe. To each other, not really."

(Sam)
"Man you're cute when you get flustered like that."