mallow_logs | 〖OPEN〗when we use our mind, take a step at a time

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〖OPEN〗when we use our mind, take a step at a time

WHO Emanuelle (

petitvoleur), AU Kurama (

yuukaihan), and you!!!
WHAT Exploring their new home and casing the joint, so to speak. Maybe you have the misfortune of becoming a victim of their thievery, or perhaps you think they look just a tad too suspicious for your own liking.
WHERE Highcrest
WHEN 3/5
WARNINGS None.

[They rise early, and with hoods raised over tousled heads that make them look more alike than usual, venture forth into their new surroundings. They've both done some small exploration, but it was mostly idle on Emanuelle's part, more for something to do than the more purposeful scouting trip they have planned for today. For her, at least, the hood has more to do with keeping the sun off her face than anything, though the mild sunburn she's acquired since running away has turned into a smattering of freckles on her nose and cheeks and chest.

Casually, they stalk the winding streets of Highcrest, arm in arm, two siblings staying close together so as not to lose each other. She's lost the sweeping stateliness of her walk, though it was a struggle, and her step has turned into a casual stride, more boyish than anything.

A gaggle of knights passes them by, and once they're out of earshot, Emanuelle turns to speak into her brother's ear.]

Does anything catch your eye, brother dear?

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[Kurama watches the knights pass out of the corner of his eye, hoping one of them will let some bit of useful information slip, but it appears they are a little too well-trained for that. Perhaps their tongues will loosen later on in the evening, in some bar or tavern - he makes a mental note to make friends with some of the barkeeps in the district, people who will pass on information for the right price.

Or, any price, really - his mouth twists a little in distaste at the thought. How is he supposed to buy anyone's loyalty here, if money is of no concern? It's a vexing problem.

At Emanuelle's question, though, he redirects his attention to her, one corner of his mouth tugging up into an absent grin.]

Not yet, sweet sister, but we'll keep searching. An armory might not go amiss, I think. One can never have too many options to defend oneself.

[He wonders if the other newcomers would be better targets - both for marks and for allies. There's a certain camaraderie to be built among people who are all unhappy with their current situation.]

[She nods, and it does her good to see him grin like that.]

Indeed. And I've seen many a knight sporting a bejeweled blade.

[And she's sure that one or two will come in handy when they're eventually faced with hulking, armored knights wanting to arrest them.]

I also have to wonder what our fellow newcomers have brought with them.

[That garners her even more of his attention, and a widening of his grin - god, she's taken so well to this lifestyle, and she still sometimes surprises him with how often she manages to mirror his own thoughts.]

Many things the likes of which we have never seen - and may not even be able to imagine, I'm sure. I think we would be wise to stay on guard until we know more.

[Some of the things people have been discussing over their communication devices, Kurama doesn't even understand. All this has taught him is that there are many other worlds than his own, some of which are ruled by very different forces.]

Mm.

[She furrows her brow, trying to remember the word she'd learned through the other people on the scroll.]

Te-technolgy. I believe that's what they call it, all of these strange things.

[Uselessly, her hands flap once at her sides. She's really about to give up trying to understand it all. The learning curve is far too steep.]

Mm.

[He nods a little, tucking that bit of information away in his mind. He doesn't know if it will ever be useful, but life has taught him to save every scrap of information he can get his hands on - because you never know when someone will pay good money for it.

Or even when it might save your life.]

Well, perhaps we should turn our minds towards more familiar things for now, sister.

[There's plenty to steal, and plenty of people to steal it from. And even if money is of no concern here, well - there are other forms of payment for things that people want.]

[She nods, refocusing, and her eyes flit around the scene before them, looking and listening for the jingle of coins, the glint of jewels or silver.]

I explored the rooftops my first day here. Many of them are close together enough that it's easy to jump to the next.

[There's not much in the way of coinage, Kurama's quickly discovering, but plenty of baubles and glitter that can easily be lifted from an unsuspecting victim.

And oh, he loves her for her attention to details like that, her ability to convey her real meaning without alerting any passersby. Life without her seems like a distant memory now, and he's not sure how he managed for so long, not even knowing what he was missing.]

Excellent news. The whole district is crossed with side-streets and alleyways, as well - we'll have to be sure we learn them all.

Mm. I noticed that.

[She considers, for a moment, the idea of transportation.]

Do you think it might be beneficial for us to procure a horse?

[He considers this, in turn.]

Difficult to say. It would certainly make transportation easier, but we would need a place to stable it, and someone to look after it if we were unable.

[All of which adds up to a great deal of people who know who they are, and places they frequent, which is not something Kurama is particularly keen on. Every time he's needed a horse previously, he's simply stolen one.]

That's true. It would be easier to stay with our usual routine, wouldn't it.

[She turns to look up at him curiously.]

What about our living arrangements?

[He pauses to glance down at her, his expression mildly surprised.]

Why, I thought we would keep to our usual routine there, as well - find an inn with a discreet inkeep and take a temporary room. Move whenever the desire takes us.

[He grins a little.]

Or would my lady prefer a house to call her own?

[She shrugs, gaze turning downward.]

I thought perhaps, since it would cost us all of nothing, it might be nice.

[His gaze softens a little as he looks at her, and he knows already that he'll give her what she wants - as much as the thought of being traceable to one location pains him. But it is already seeming as though he is powerless to say 'no' to her, and so all he says is:]

We will have to be more careful than we were back home, then. Anyone who takes offense to us will have a much easier time finding us now.

[Her mouth presses into a line, just for a moment.]

We're clever. We won't use the front door.

[If they're careful about being seen going in and out, if they make a habit of coming and going only at night, or through an alternate entrance, it will be more difficult to trace the house back to them.]

[He smiles a little, pleased that she understands, and lifts a hand to rub his thumb lightly across the corner of her mouth, as if trying to smooth her expression back into something happier.]

Given this some thought, have you? And have you already picked out one that catches your fancy?

[She allows her expression to relax, relishing even the tiniest amount of contact, and her lips even curl into the barest of smiles. She flushes at the suggestion that she's already picked out a place, though.]

Don't be ridiculous. It was merely an idea.

[The only answer he'll give her is a raised eyebrow - that flush is rather telling.]

[She shrugs and half-turns, pretending to survey the passersby.]

There are a few nice cottages nearer the edge of the district.

[Behind her turned back, he rolls his eyes, but it's a fond enough expression, and he reaches out for her, pulling her back against him and hooking his chin over her slim shoulder to join her in her surveying.]

You shall have to show me, then.

[She allows herself to be pulled in without protest, and she stays silent there for a long moment, soaking up his familiarity. Then, without warning, she pulls away.]

Only if you can catch me!

[In a fit of high spirits, she takes of running, joyous laughter bubbling from her mouth as she leaps nimbly up a stack of crate agains the side of a low-slung building, taking to the rooftops and heading in the direction of the cottages she's had her eye on.]

[He's startled for only a moment before he takes off after her, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. Taller than she, it's a fair bit easier for him to make it up onto the rooftops, and once there, his longer legs begin to make short work of the distance between them.]

[She can hear him closing the gap between them, and it only spurs her on harder. The hood of her cloak blows back, and the wind catches her hair so it streams out behind her. Still laughing, she leaps from roof to roof nimbly as a goat, oblivious to the yells and stares from people down on the street.

She looks over her shoulder to see how far behind Kurama is, but it's a mistake: she doesn't notice that the supply of rooftops has come to an end. She skids to a halt, dangerously close to the edge of the roof, and for what seems like an eternity, she wavers on the edge, trying hard to catch her balance.]

[He knows they're drawing too much attention to themselves, but he can't really bring himself to stop Emanuelle, to scold her. There will be time enough for that later, he supposes.

But just as quickly as it all began, it goes sour, and his heart seems to stop as he watches her pinwheel her arms, balancing precariously.

And he knows, then, how attached he is, and how dangerous this could become, but all of that seems to matter so much less than getting to her in time. He moves faster than he can ever remember moving before, reaching out to snag the folds of her cloak and yank her backwards onto the roof.]

[Oh, gods, she's going to die. That's all she can think as she totters there precariously, roof tiles crumbling under her heels. She'll die and then Kurama will be all alone here. It's almost too late, but the sharp tug on her cloak comes just in time, just as her right heel slips, and she falls backwards onto the roof with a heavy thud that likely isn't appreciated by the people below them.

Panting heavily, she turns to look up at her savior, feeling the sting of scrapes and cuts on her arms and elbows. She feels stupid; she should have been more careful. Her cheeks flush red with wounded pride.]

[Kurama hasn't fared much better, to be honest - the change in weight and momentum throws him off balance, and he follows her down onto the roof, landing rather ungracefully on his...hindquarters.

His chest aches, and he gasps for air like he's just run several miles, but his muscles aren't tired at all, which means the reaction is pure panic - not an emotion he's used to dealing with anymore. For a moment, his eyes are wild, a trick of the light making the green seem almost gold, but he gets himself back under control quickly.

Any moment now, there are going to be gaping spectators - and probably displeased house owners, to boot - but he spares a moment to glance down at Emanuelle, one eyebrow raised. He doesn't think there's much need to say anything, at this point.]

[She can't stand to look into his eyes for longer than a moment, face still burning. Usually she's very good at controlling her expression, but having almost fallen off a roof, she's not totally in control of herself at the moment.

She drags a hand down her face, and as she's sure someone's going to come yell at them soon, she peers over the edge of the roof, finds a trellis that's heavy with ivy, and shimmies down it to the ground. She doesn't even want to turn to see if Kurama's followed her.]

[He follows her down silently, landing softly on the balls of his feet after dropping the last bit of distance to the ground. The descent has put them in a shadowed alley, all the better for making a rather more inconspicuous escape.

Carefully, he tugs his hood up over his bright hair and moves past Emanuelle to peer out of the end of the alley.]

[She follows suit automatically, not least because the hood obscures her face, aided by the shadowy alley. She strides down to the end opposite the road, which puts them on the other side of the building, and some distance between them and the gathering commotion.

She's not usually one for apologizing, but in this case her shame eclipses stubbornness. When they're a decent ways away, she finally looks at Kurama.]

I'm sorry. That was...very stupid.

[The apology surprises him a little - he can't remember the last time someone has said that to him. But she's right, he supposes, for a number of reasons, and the ability to admit that she's made a mistake is a valuable one.

So he glances at her for a moment, considers, then simply nods and says:]

Yes.

[She lowers her gaze, scowling at herself. As they walk toward the edge of the district, nearer to a woody area that must border on Whitewood, she grows quiet. She feels so stupid, and that's not a feeling she enjoys having. She hates having disappointed her mentor, but how to remedy her errors?]

May I make it up to you?

[She sounds no less sincere for the stiffness of her words.]

[He barely contains the small smile that wants to tug on the corners of his mouth at how uncomfortable she sounds. He understands the feeling of being disappointed with oneself, but he also thinks she's being rather harder on herself than is necessary - she's still new to this life, still new to her freedom, and it's expected that she make some bad decisions. That's why he keeps her close by - so that he can help her out of the situations she's bound to get herself into.]

That's really not necessary.

[She reaches up and snags a leaf off a tree, twirling it in her fingers.]

Okay. Do you still want to see the cottages?

[She's afraid she may have ruined her chances, now, but she'd still like to take a look. She tosses the leaf up into the air and watches it flutter to the ground]

[He watches the leaf fall slowly, drifting gently to the ground. There's something almost mesmerizing about it, and he says nothing until it touches down lightly.]

If you'd still like to show them to me.

[She nods, silent, and then takes his hand and begins walking in the direction of the cottages. It's a simple gesture, almost childlike the way her fingers lace with his, and it brings a tiny smile to her face now that her heart has stopped hammering in her chest.]

This way.

[They weren't far, and soon they come around to the side of a short row of empty cottages. The one on the end is right next to the treeline, shady and quiet, away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the district.]

[He twines his fingers with hers easily, and behind her back as she leads him, he smiles.

When they arrive at their destination, he gives the cottage a critical once-over. It seems decent enough - relatively isolated, off the main roads, and its position backed up against the trees will make it much easier to slip in and out unnoticed. He'll have to do a little more investigating later - things like how its built, how sturdy it is, how defensible (if it comes to that) - but on first glance, it seems acceptable enough.

He gives a quick, approving nod, and then glances approvingly at Emanuelle.]

Not bad, sister. Not bad at all.

[She can't help but grin as she watches him inspect the place, but schools her expression when he looks back at her. She goes to the door and tries the handle. Locked, as she expected, but then she's been taught what to do in this situation. She pulls a pin from the underside of her hair, pulls the ends apart, and uses it to create tension on the lock. Her other hand reaches behind her wordlessly for Kurama's lockpick, a tool that's gotten them in (and out) a great many places.]

[He can't help but give another approving smile where she can't see him, at how easily she does exactly what he would have done in her place. He extracts the lockpick from its place in the pouch at his waist and places it in her outstretched hand, watching her carefully.]

[Her fingers curl around it, and with an absent smile on her face she goes to work on the lock, feeling for the pins the way he taught her to do. It takes her longer than it would have her partner, but it's still only the work of a minute or two before she cranks the hairpin to the left and pulls the door open.

Stepping to the side, she ushers him in with a free hand.]

After you, m'lord.

[He gives her a little lifted eyebrow at that, but precedes her into the house anyway. He steps carefully, not particularly expecting a trap or an ambush, but knowing it never hurts to be prepared. His eyes sweep the room as he reaches up to fold back his hood.]

[She follows him inside, shutting the door behind him. Inside, the cottage is guide dark owing to the closed shutters. Which suits her just fine. It's mostly empty, but a previous occupant left behind a double bed in a wooden frame, no doubt containing a straw mattress; a well-scrubbed wooden table with a lantern in the middle and a chair on either side, and a stack of firewood next to the wood-burning stove in the corner.

She perches on the edge of the table, legs swinging a foot from the floor.]

I think it's charming.

[Says the girl brought up in a palace.]

[His eyebrow arches a little higher, half in disbelief - the girl grew up in a castle, how could she possibly find this charming? - and half because...well, she would, wouldn't she? He makes a quick round of the room, opening the shutters to allow more light in, checking for any obvious signs of damage or wear that might cause them trouble later.

It's dusty. That's really the biggest complaint he has about the place, as he pauses by one window and leans back against the sill, watching motes of dust dancing in the sunbeams.

He turns to look at her, watching him, waiting for his judgement, so he shrugs one shoulder carelessly.]

It will do.

[She can't help the grin that splits wide across her face, despite the casualness of his assessment. Emanuelle reaches out with her toes and hooks her feet around his legs, pulling him closer so she can hug him from her perch atop the table. Into his shoulder, she muses aloud.]

I wonder if we needn't formally claim it. If we can just...move in.

[He goes to her easily, holding her against him, resting his head lightly on top of her hair. He wants to shrug at her question, but doesn't want to jostle her from his shoulder, so instead he answers aloud.]

It seems it has been unused for quite some time. And if there's no use for money here, it's not as if we'll need to pay someone to stay. I think the fewer people who are informed we are living here, the better.

[He can't help but notice, somewhere in the back of his mind, that Emanuelle has he legs nearly wrapped around him, and that it would be easy enough to lift her skirts out of the way, but can he really be blamed for that kind of thing? He's only human, after all.]

[She nuzzles against his neck under the guise of nodding, making a little affirmative noise.]

I thought as much. That was your original qualm, was it not?

[Emanuelle notices a little discomfort in her right calf, right where it's pressed against the side of his leg, and draws back, hissing as she sees the bruise already forming there, overlaid with freshly scraped skin. It must have happened when she fell back onto the roof tiles, but she didn't notice it until now. She scoots backward so there's room to rest her leg on the table, folded inward, and inspect it further. She mutters something, but the only distinguishable word is 'stupid'.]

[He puts a gentle hand on her knee, well above the bruise and scrape, so as to avoid hurting her.]

You are not. You are new to this life, we are in an unfamiliar place, and you let your excitement get the better of you. It was a mistake - one anyone could have made.

[He leans in carefully to press a gentle kiss to her forehead, and then stands up again, smiling.]

Do you think we should tend to that?

[She keeps her gaze turned downward, expression serious as always, but his reassurances do make her feel a bit better. Her eyes press shut briefly when he kisses her forehead, and then she nods. The scrape brought a little bit of blood to the surface of her skin—the whole area is a mess, actually.]

Mm. It should be cleaned, at least.

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〖OPEN〗when we use our mind, take a step at a time

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