Chapter Seven:

#Millia:

 

It was noontime, Sol hasn’t spoken a word, he’d been reading the paper over and over the whole time.

 

I’m starving…

 

“Sol, do you have any instant meals?” I asked, I hate asking people anything, it makes things a tangled mess of misunderstandings.

“No.” he continued to read the health page. Was he so interested in his health this much? Or is he just day dreaming while pretending to read?

“Tell me when you’re done with the paper.” I brushed back my hair, it was depressed. It hasn’t moved all day… I guess fever isn’t good for your hair after all.

“Thirteen.”

I looked at him in confusion, but he didn’t bother to explain.

 

Hmph, men…

 

I touched the hard cast on my arm and sighed silently. Now I can't walk around, I can't be helpful either… I couldn’t even make the bed…

How long will I have to suffer?

 

“Sol.” I waited for a moment for him to acknowledge me, but since he hasn’t been the talkative one all day, I had to get his attention some how. “How long will it be?”

He scoffed, “I’m reading.”

I frowned, “For the past four hours.”  

“So?” his cold eyes were directed towards me and I suddenly wanted to melt away, they were so cold!

Get a hold of yourself! “I’m only human, talk to me!”

He frowned, his mouth opened but then shut without voicing anything. He threw the paper in my lap and got up to the window.

 

I scowled at the paper, and lifted my head to look at the strange man smoking by the window. “It kills you, you know.”

“Read the damn paper already.”

 

I clenched my jaws in anger and placed the paper on the coffee table. It wasn’t that hard to breeze through the papers with one hand, it was just depressing to be reading a paper all alone.

 

“Hey, Millia, did you read the column about the babies?”

yeah, it was interesting.

“Not just that! It made me wish I could marry someone!”

 

I sighed. Now I could marry someone, anyone I’ve ever wanted. But I would never have the life that I wanted. He’s bond to find out sooner or later about my savage past and hate and cheat on me and make me miserable.

 

I don’t want that, I’d rather live alone and die alone and sleep alone than be more miserable than I already am.

 

“You gonna read that?” smoke was blown towards me when the tanned man spoke, when did he get so close? 

I looked down at the paper, still at the third page.

 

This paper must be cursed, so that’s why it took him four hours to reach the last page.

 

“Do you think, he’ll just leave me alone?” Venom could be quite persistent.

“I don’t care.” He snatched the paper and returned to the same stance he was five minutes ago, an ankle over a knee, the only difference this time is that he’s holding a cigarette in his mouth.

 

His dry attitude was getting me depressed. I don’t know if it’s the injuries, the fever or just the way things ended, I suddenly wished I could just die.  

 

I burrowed into the sugar brown couch and sighed silently.

 

I’m staaarving…

 

He wouldn’t care, there would be no use in telling him.

 

Growel

 

There was a moment of silence, where my cheeks turned red and his head slowly turned to look at me.

 

“You’re hungry, Rage?”

I scowled, “No, it’s just my stomach.”

 

He watched me for an uncomfortable moment before he got back to reading his paper.

 

Oh damnit!!

 

“Yeah I’m hungry! I’ve been starving for a while now and the fridge is empty!” I exploded and looked at him, my cheeks hot in both embarrassment and anger.

He continued to read the paper.

I almost cried.

 

~~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~~

#Sol:

 

It was fun teasing her… been quite a while since I’ve pushed anyone’s buttons…

 

Almost a century or two…

 

She still thinks I was reading the paper, I’m surprised she lasted four hours!

 

Of course, the whole time was spent on memorizing Ten ways for a healthier life in the health page, nothing I’ve never known before, it was fun to smell the tension while it lasted.

She did sound hungry, though. I was getting bored myself.

 

My daily diet consisted of three cigarettes, a cup of coffee, and any amount of liquid.

 

End of sentence.

 

As a gear, I only ate for the heck of it, life’s boring without spice, you know.

 

“You can't go out.” I stated calmly, reasoning why I haven’t fed her yet. “I don’t feel like cooking either.”

“You can cook?” there was confusion in her voice.

Of course I can cook, you think I spent my money on Jam my whole life?

“Well, your kitchen is empty, even if you decided to cook anything.” Her voice was so quiet, am I the only one who can detect it or are humans this sensitive too?

“Gotta fix that.”

“Definitely.” She whispered. “Till then, can you please order anything?” she looked up at me, her mouth and brows were telling me to screw off, but her eyes were begging for something…

 

Human…

 

Che, tough luck there…   

 

Just one more look at Ten ways for a healthier life.

 

What, no explosion no anger?

 

I looked at her to find that she was busy frowning at the cast on her arm. She’s right handed right? This’ll make doing stuff really hard…

 

I stretched and stubbed the cigarette on the coffee table.

 

My fingers dialed a familiar number and I glanced briefly at a certain frowning Russian lady as I waited for the line to be picked up.

 

“Megumi’s restaurant, how can I help you?”

“Badguy.”

“Oh! Hi Sol-kun! Its been a while I figured you were going on a diet!” the Japanese woman giggled lightly in the phone. Do you believe she owned the restaurant, and still wanted to take the calls? Weird woman if you ask me.

 

All women are weird if you ask me.

 

“Anything that doesn’t have shrimp.” I just hate their beady little eyes.

“I know, Sol-kun, the same address?”

“Yeah.”

 

I hung up and looked up at the pale patient- erm, woman…

 

“It’ll be here in 27 minutes.”       

“How do you know?”

It always takes exactly 26 minutes for the Megumi restaurant to prepare a meal, and exactly one minute for the delivery guy to reach the third floor. I’m bored, sue me. “Whatever.” I started to get up. “ I’m going to take a shower, are you going in or will you just wait for the food?”

 

She blinked. “In?”

I sighed. Damn, this’ll take forever to explain, why do I bother? “The shower.”

Her cheeks reddened. Here it comes. “WHAT? You want me to bathe with you?”

I motioned to her arm and leg calmly, “Would you rather get it ruined?”

She looked down at her leg. “I can bathe myself, I’m not a child.”

I shrugged and headed to my room. Suite yourself.

 

It was always cold. That’s why the self heating system was always on.

 

Heat.balance.exe is working properly

 

Yup, always working. Even if you slide an ice cube under my shirt the thing will just numb it off. It’ll be like passing a cube of flesh instead. Sometimes people give me weird looks when they see me walk around the snow in nothing but the Holy Knights’ half-uniform.

 

Or is it the belts?

 

I tossed the shirt off and threw it over the bed. She didn’t fix it…

 

The water was like a thousand fingers pressing on my flesh without actually registering a certain degree of heat.

 

Sigh…

 

Terminate heat.balance.exe

Are you sure?

Yes.

 

I hissed when the water was suddenly too hot on my shoulders, and my hand shot to turn the cold water on.

 

After a few moments, my skin wasn’t steaming anymore.

 

Man, I’m getting too sensitive.

To females or water?

Che, both, you moron…

I’m you.

Whatever, leave me alone.

C’mon Sol, don’t you just love it when we chat?

No.

You like her, don’t you?   

No.

Don’t deny it, it only proves that you are a healthy man!

A damn healthy man doesn’t live for a century or two.

Sigh… So, why did you shower again? I thought we had this conversation this morning!

Thought she’d need the help.

Been low on testosterone lately?

 

Smirk…

 

It has been a couple of years…

Try seventy years…

Whatever.

Yeah… I guess you deserve some fun after all this time…

Its not the fun I’m talking about…

Then what is the fun you are talking about, my friend?

 

Sigh…

 

The fun one gets when kissing his daughter. The fun one gets after pulling off the plastic gloves and admiring his work. The fun one gets after bickering with his wife, and then making it up for her later…

That’s called a life, Sol.

Exactly… You robbed me from me, damn you.

Heh, yes, damn me…

 

I lifted my head up, water running down my face. I hate bickering with Fredrick, you can never punch a person that lives in you…

 

The door bell rang.

 

I smirked, let’s see how Rage will take care of this without any money. I squeezed some shampoo in my hand and lathered it in my hair. Hmm, how long have I been using this bottle, isn’t it empty yet?

 

“Sol…”

Here it comes.

“Sol!” there was a knock on the door.

I hummed…

“It’s not funny…”

I never though so little shampoo can produce so much lather. Or am I just taking too much time in doing so?

There was a frustrated sigh from the other side of the door before I heard the slow clatter of her crutch on the marble floor.

 

Cruel?

Get lost, its fun.

 

After a long shower, and after the hot water had started to thin out, I decided to step out.

 

Temperature dropping drastically.

 

The machine chimed in my head. The cold air hit me the moment I pushed aside the shower curtain.

 

Launch heat.balance.exe ?

 

Hell yeah.

 

The pinpricks on my shoulders suddenly died down when my body became warm again. I wrapped a towel around my waist and stepped out, preparing to find a fuming Millia glaring at me.

 

She was halfway done with her sandwich, watching TV. A loud depressing song was airing as (New!) on the channel, I’ve never seen it before, guess it sounds nice. I thought songs were shot all the way to hell these days, seems I was wrong…

 

~I tried to kill the pain

but only brought more

I lay dying

and I’m pouring crimson regret and betrayal

I’m dying praying bleeding and screaming

am I too lost to be saved

am I too lost?~

 

I corked a brow and made myself comfortable on the couch, wet hair and all. I could detect dark waves coming from the woman sitting next to me, but the new songstress had such a strong voice I couldn’t just ignore it right now…

 

 

~do you remember me

lost for so long

will you be on the other side

or will you forget me

I’m dying praying bleeding…. ~

 

I was just starting to dig into my sandwich when I heard a quiet gasp. I glanced at Millia, she had a controlled expression, but her eyes were wet. I looked up at the screen and saw a pale woman with light colored hair crying, her cheeks smeared in red as were her hands.   

 

~my God my tourniquet

return to me salvation

my God my tourniquet

return to me salvation~

 

Just what the hell is this song about? My brows furrowed as I watched the woman cry more, the floor under her a puddle of red. Of course, it looked a shade lighter than blood, but that was a neat trick, someone who isn’t a gear probably wouldn’t notice. I heard another gasp and just had to take a guess.

“Depressing, huh?”  

There was another sob before I decided to ignore and watch the screen. Crying women weren’t my thing.

 

They scared the shit out of me.  

 

~my wounds cry for the grave

my soul cries for deliverance

will I be denied Christ

tourniquet

my suicide~

 

Oh... Suicide huh… I figured it would be the main theme…

 

The woman lay motionless as the scene closed. Tears still clung to her colorless lashes.

 

“Damn.” I cursed and ripped apart the paper wrapping off the sandwich. That was just one huge burst of depression.

“She died.” Millia’s voice wavered. What the hell, a mercenary like her crying? I looked up at her wide-eyed. “No one came for her.” Her eyes were red, but there were to tears on her face.

“It’s just a play.” I murmured.  

“I know.” Now there were tears on her face.

“Dammit Rage, if you’re going to cry over a silly movie then why the hell are you still alive?” I took a huge chomp off the damn sandwich and chewed at it like it was a piece of Millia’s flesh.

“I’m not crying!” she cried at me, trying to act calm, but the tears were a dead give-away.

“You are.” I tossed her a Megumi handkerchief and she thankfully dried away the wetness.

 

Damn, she looks cute with red cheeks…

 

After a quiet moment, she whispered. “I had a friend.”

“I don’t want to hear about it.” I growled angrily and threw the wrapping paper over to the coffee table, already done with the sandwich.

She pressed the handkerchief to her eyes again.

“Get a grip, you’re a soldier.” I frowned and started to get up.

“Screw you! I hate you!” she frowned at me, her cheeks red in anger. “Take me to Jam!”

I scowled, “Nothing I’d love to do more, problem is, promised to keep you safe till then.”

She paused, “Huh?”

I sighed, “She made me promise to watch over you until she gets herself together again.” Thing is, Jam never called, it’s just too much fun to be around this woman and push her buttons, I don’t intend to let go of her until I’m done.

 

 

Is that the truth?

Huh?

Is that the truth? Or do you just like being with her?

Screw off, I’ve only met her like, two days ago.

Perhaps love at first sight?

Don’t give me that crap, its only in movies.

Oh?

Yeah, how else would you spread premarital sex and Valentine-crap?

A lot of people disagree with you, Sol.

Well, then, screw them. I live by my own rules.

 

I scoffed. Damn, I’ve angered my self. What else is new?

 

Stomping over to my room and slamming the door shut, I dropped the towel and dug through my stuff for something to wear.

 

Half-Knight-clothes. What else?

 

I started to buckle the many belts on, mainly thinking about: What the hell was I thinking?

 

Why the hell did I just turn her down?

She could have cried for me about something or another in her past.

She’d cry on my shoulder.

We’d make out.

I’d be happy.

Period.

 

But no~ I had to have the damn noble man in me.

 

Damn you Fredrick.

You are welcome.

I can't even be with a girl without having you as a filter.

That’s better.

Its sometimes lonely… you know. Times when I remember the past.

 

I sighed.

 

Painful?

No, not anymore…

Lonely?

Stop analyzing me, damnit!

It can't be helped.

So, like… When?

When what?

You know…

That?

Yeah..

A while…

Screw you.

Haha… Sol, I told you a thousand times, I don’t control it.

Why dontcha?

Cause I’m not God.

 

“Sol…”

Damn.

“Jam called.” Rage stood in the doorway, leaning over her crutch.

I glanced up. “So?”

“Just what are you thinking?”

 

End of chapter Seven

A/N: Evanescence rocks!! Tourniquet is theirs, there hasn’t been a video clip of it when writing this ficcy, everything is just a figment of my imagination incase they decide to video clip it anyway. GGX is (c) to Daisuke Ishiwatari and Sammy… why do we keep remembering the hard names of musicians, Managakas and Game makers when we can't memorize a single page from our History books? O_o