Claudia Hortensia Kotomine [AU: Master] (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sicharia) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
towerofanimus2013-08-30 12:27 pm
sicharia) wrote in towerofanimus2013-08-30 12:27 pm
three.
Characters: [AU9] Claudia Hortensia & OPEN
Setting: Floor 101; Floor 50
Format: Brackets preferred
Summary: Claudia looks at pictures of her family, prays, and cries! But mostly cries.
Warnings: Prrrobably lots of self-hate in this post.
I. Floor 101
[It might be better to do this somewhere more private. Then again, someone else might say it would be better not to do this at all—it's like a form of self-flagellation, if not a physical one, with Claudia purposefully hurting herself because she deserves to be punished. The atmosphere of the hanging garden attracts her, though, and, at least in her own mind, this is something she needs to do.]
[It's not as though this is the first time she has looked at the photo album that came with her inside her trunk, and it's not as though it has never made her feel melancholy before. This is, however, the first time she has been able to bring herself to touch it since the appearance of those shadows. There are photos of Kirei, and her wedding, and her daughter, and her family and Risei—and now looking at them hurts so much she cries until she can't see.]
[So, late in the morning, this is where she'll be, her head bowed as she tries not to sob out loud.]
II. Floor 50
[Claudia still refuses to visit the cathedral floor, so this is where she has taken to praying. The brightness of the floor, between the windows and the overhead lights, helps to clear her head, so while it could perhaps be a little more comfortable, it does well enough. She can be found here, kneeling by one of the windows with her hands clasped in prayer, in the afternoon and into the evening, apparently without regard to the time of day despite lacking the ability to defend herself.]
Setting: Floor 101; Floor 50
Format: Brackets preferred
Summary: Claudia looks at pictures of her family, prays, and cries! But mostly cries.
Warnings: Prrrobably lots of self-hate in this post.
I. Floor 101
[It might be better to do this somewhere more private. Then again, someone else might say it would be better not to do this at all—it's like a form of self-flagellation, if not a physical one, with Claudia purposefully hurting herself because she deserves to be punished. The atmosphere of the hanging garden attracts her, though, and, at least in her own mind, this is something she needs to do.]
[It's not as though this is the first time she has looked at the photo album that came with her inside her trunk, and it's not as though it has never made her feel melancholy before. This is, however, the first time she has been able to bring herself to touch it since the appearance of those shadows. There are photos of Kirei, and her wedding, and her daughter, and her family and Risei—and now looking at them hurts so much she cries until she can't see.]
[So, late in the morning, this is where she'll be, her head bowed as she tries not to sob out loud.]
II. Floor 50
[Claudia still refuses to visit the cathedral floor, so this is where she has taken to praying. The brightness of the floor, between the windows and the overhead lights, helps to clear her head, so while it could perhaps be a little more comfortable, it does well enough. She can be found here, kneeling by one of the windows with her hands clasped in prayer, in the afternoon and into the evening, apparently without regard to the time of day despite lacking the ability to defend herself.]
no subject
I don't know. I've never...
[Well. Kirei is dead. That isn't the same.]
[She could say what she thinks. People can love a lot of people, but she doesn't know if it's right to love more than one person romantically at the same time. People stop loving other people for a lot of reasons, and most of them probably aren't either wrong or right. But, in the end, she just repeats:] I don't know.
no subject
I hope you're not angry with me. I meant to tell you, but I wasn't sure how.
I know that we won't ever-- It would be better for everyone if I stopped feeling that way. Things are different now, so maybe I will, but it's hard.
no subject
[She looks up again, and she smiles, even though she feels a little strained. The motion might be a little shy, but she leans against his side again, lightly.]
...I guess I don't like it, [—she admits that quietly—] but I'm not upset with anyone. There's no one to be upset with. [She means to say something like, "You should do what you think feels right," but instead she blurts out:] I just want you to be happy.
no subject
[He smiles in relief.]
I was a little worried. I didn't want to upset you.
It's not that I want to be with her, now. [He doesn't think so. He said he wanted a relationship with Claudia, and even if, somehow, Aoi was to want a relationship with him, he would want to stay true to Claudia.] I want to be with you. That was what I chose. I want you to be happy, too.
no subject
[One of her hands touches his, then.]
I don't know if this is the most comfortable place to be. Would you rather go back to your room?
no subject
You're right, it isn't. I'd like to go back, yes.
no subject
All right, then. Let's go.
[It isn't as strong a smile as it could be, but it's there.]
no subject
He takes her hand when it's offered to him. He has no illusions about being able to rise on his own. He's much too weak.
When he's standing beside her and sees the faint smile on her lips, he leans in to kiss those lips again. It's very hard to resist. She's so soft and warm, and she smells nice.]
no subject
[When she pulls back again, she hums out a faint, teasing sound.]
Last I checked, this isn't heading back to your room.
no subject
[Truthfully, he'd rather kiss her than go back to his room--not because he doesn't want to go back, but because that would mean waiting to kiss her.
He's so glad she isn't angry at her, and he wants to kiss her more than anything...
...even if he does still love Aoi.]
My room is far away.
[He kisses her again, slipping the tip of his tongue gently between her lips, then pulling back again.]
no subject
It's not that far.
[...Though she realizes that, with him in such rough shape, it'll take longer for him to make it back than it would for most others. Now, she leans in and kisses him again, not immediately pulling away this time.]
[(But she draws the line at any amount of tongue in a public place, mister.)]
no subject
No, maybe not, but I didn't want to wait.
[He's sorry--it's not really public, is it? It's not like the rooms are private...]
I'll be patient for you, though.
[It would be a lot faster if he called Lancelot to carry him, but he wants to be alone with Claudia, and it's probably not a good idea for one's desirability to summon more handsome men to carry you.]
no subject
[She looks up to his face again, their bodies still close.]
All right. Very good. [She prods his unmarred cheek with a finger, her tone plainly playful as she tells him:] Then to reward your restraint, I'll kiss you an extra minute for every one it takes us to get there.