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Casting Bones on the Future
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2011 20:42:21 GMT -5
She hadn't been away for very long, definitely not as long as Tobias thought she would have been. The emails Caroline had sent him had become increasingly troublesome and awkward but he couldn't address it in front of Emilio as the letters were their business.
In fact the whole drive back to the apartments had been, at it's best, stiff. At it's worst it was pathetically thick and congealed with an indescribable silence. He should have thought to turn on the radio. However, it had been a nice change to go driving and when he had put the old jeep in to gear, it had groaned happily. On an island there was no real use for a jeep as most of where he went to was walking distance and public transport was a fine thing too.
The ride to and from had been bumpy. As was in a jeep's nature, it seemed to hit every pot hole, whether or not that hole actually existed didn't matter much to the jeep. It also had a stale wood burning, darkly sweet tobacco scent to it. Tobias had zipped down the windows to air it out some, but he was no proper judgement on if the cigarette smell had vanished or lingered.
Tobias pulled into an available space and turned off the engine. He coughed. Hopping easily out of the jeep, Tobias trotted over to the passenger side and opened the door for Caroline and Emilio.
The sun was beginning to descend against the rooftops and the shadows cast were lazy and warm. "Home sweet home," he muttered and he shifted his left hand to his pocket, feeling the pack of cigarettes and the lighter that had been out of use for more than three hours. It can wait, he told himself dryly. There was something more important...rather someone. It can wait.
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Post by Tempest on Sept 17, 2011 21:11:13 GMT -5
Without really thinking about it, Caroline fled to her own apartment. Hurriedly, she unlocked the door, opened it wide, and rushed into the bathroom.
She had not been understating her morning sickness. The bumpy car ride accompanied by a cloying tobacco scent that lingered in Tobias's jeep had only set off her annoying little problem. Adding to the general uneasiness was the devastating silence of the ride. Her own silence had been because of the general confusion of her trip partnered with a herculean effort to keep her lunch down. She suspected that Emilio's was due to general dislike of Tobias. But... why was Tobias so quiet? As far as homecomings went, this was not the greatest she'd ever had. Something felt like it had been left undone or had gone unnoticed.
Inchoate.
Emilio, on the other hand, had been completely okay with the silence. He was still trying to work through everything he'd discovered (and hadn't discovered yet.) Besides, he wasn't altogether done with being angry at Tobias and needing to talk to the man only made matters worse.
Both of them had borne haggard looks as they'd met Tobias at the island's very small airport. Emilio also sported a deep purple bruise that covered the much of the left side of his face as well as a series of scabbed-over cuts that seemed to be more concentrated on the left side of his body.
The Cuban took hold of his duffel bag in one hand and Caroline's suitcase in the other. As he lifted them, he said to Tobias, "We need to talk." He cast a grave look over his shoulder at the much taller man, a look tinged with a slight overtone of disapproval. "I would like to do it so my sister cannot hear."
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2011 21:22:44 GMT -5
When Caroline had rushed away, a tumble of guilt went through Tobias' mind. Had the ride been that bad? He made to go after her, to hold back her hair or something but Emilio held him up.
Tobias made a noncommittal noise to Emilio's demand for a conversation. He had sisters too. Still, it wasn't the best of times to have it but it seemed as though Emilio wanted to get as much out of the way as possible. "You want we should do this now?" He asked gruffly, scratching the stubble on his chin and edging toward the door. His fine tuned ears could pick up the splattering of sick and he was rather keen on doing his duty as an expectant father.
Tobias also made a move to help with the bags, but figured Emilio would take some sort of offense to this and abstained. "Right, what exactly happened? Sound's to me some uneasy going's on happened while you both were down there..." Tobias gave a judgmental sniff as he surveyed Emilio's bruise. "I hope you can talk why you walk," he added as his long legs took him toward the apartment. He raised his keys over his shoulder and clicked the lock on the jeep without looking back to see Emilio's reaction.
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Post by Tempest on Sept 17, 2011 22:02:34 GMT -5
Emilio's eyebrows shot up, then he got annoyed with Tobias. "Caroline's current discomfort can wait." He said very distinctly. He wasn't going to be misinterpreted by this man. "I know she is pregnant with your child." He didn't move too much closer to the apartment. The risk of Caroline overhearing what he had to say would be significantly greater if they went inside to chat. "And more important: I know that she is in danger. The man who attacked our parents is not a rioter."
He folded his arms over his chest. "I don't like you, Tobias. I am not sure I can depend on you to protect her if it comes down to it." He shook his head. "But I do not have a choice." His mouth thinned into a hard line and he pulled out a notepad he'd jotted his findings in. "You understand why I do not wish to trouble Caroline with this yet. She has enough stress right now without dealing with this too."
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2011 22:24:30 GMT -5
The combination of Emilio doubting Tobias' skills as a protector and that the incident with Caroline's family had been more than a result of chaos surged through Tobias' veins and charged up his instincts. He had been fighting so hard to keep collected around Emilio, but no more. The man had undermined Tobias one too many times.
He spun on his heals and stocked back to Emilio until they were nose to nose, or rather nose to chest and Tobias continued to push forward a few steps so that it would be physically impossible for Emilio to stand his ground.
Leaning low, Tobias growled into his ear, "Mistake my handling of this situation, degrade my value as a provider, try your hand at being dominate over me or whatever game you are trying to play with me, understand this: I will be so quick that your windpipe will come away with a sigh of air that is still warm."
He turned his head slightly so that they were eye to eye. In most situations, when Tobias' wolf reared it's ugly head, his eyes darkened and became more feral. Now they were as clear as ice chips, and just as cold. Unblinking he kept his gaze locked. "Do not suggest that I have no honour again. Do, and your last thought will be remorse that you could not absolve your sins."
Tobias straightened and stood back. He kept his eyes on Emilio and said in a more business tone. "Now. What's this little book of yours?"
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Post by Tempest on Sept 17, 2011 22:55:00 GMT -5
Emilio was surprised, but not intimidated. It took a lot more than invasion of his personal space and a few threats to make him feel afraid or insecure. He backed up, more so he could easily look at Tobias's face than to retreat. "No. You won't. Because that will be the last thing you ever do as her lover." He didn't need to specify who he was referring to at this point.
"You left her once already, remember? I'm not the one who disappeared for a year. You did not have to see how it affected her. You do not understand me at all. I did not imply that you have no honor, lobo. I once thought of you as good for her, pero... si se puede abandonar ella sin palabra... no puedo confiar en ti." Yeah, he was entirely unshaken. He'd seen much worse, and recently too boot. And he'd lost all respect for Tobias after a couple months of his sister practically pining after him. If Amy had brothers (he was pretty sure she didn't) and he went and pulled a move like that, he would completely understand any ill-feeling towards himself. The fact that Tobias just didn't seem to get it was both another measure of his blindness and another perceived reason for Emilio not to approve of him.
He flipped open the notebook and quickly translated what he'd written from Spanish to English. "Went out to find information about attackers. Locals spooked. Powereds too. They lie low because of rioters, stay that way because of new force in town. They are afraid to talk." He flipped a page. "Another night and no information. Being followed."
He looked up at Tobias and continued. "The malhecho is a Gifted. Found somebody who wanted to talk- then something came out of nowhere and the lead vanished. The man was there, telling me that the target was related to the two who had been put in the hospital..." Emilio mimed something hitting him on his left side, "something slammed me through a window, and then the man was gone." He shook his head. "After that, asking around was useless. I arrange for a contact to let me know if more movement in the dark places, but is not likely for another opportunity for good information. Cannot ask mi hermanita without tipping her off and making her worry more."
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Post by Deleted on Sept 18, 2011 21:40:19 GMT -5
Tobias understood that Emilio was just as strong willed as he was, and although he could respect it, he didn't like it one bit. He let out a frustrated huff and crossed his arms again. Why did they have to continue to nettle him about leaving? It wasn't his fault there weren't easy ways to make contact outside of a priest's cloister to begin with. Never mind that Tobias wanted to spend as much time with his birth father as he could. They had been in the woods for a long while, and at first ...but he pushed the thought aside.
"I don't need to explain myself to you," he said quietly and clearly. While Emilio read the notes out loud, Tobias paced back and forth knowing that these strange events were somehow adding up and fit with the emails Caroline had been sending; all the black outs and the hacking.
"You're right," Tobias added coolly when Emilio had finished. "Best to keep her in the dark as long as we can, so long as keeping her in the dark is safe." He sighed and finally lit his longed for cigarette.
After a long pause, Tobias' gears clicking with a million and one thoughts, some not entirely related to the situation at hand, he said "We're headed into a bit of ultra-violence aren't we?" The smoke rolled over his tongue and he though again.
It was unfortunate that he knew some shady people back home, but they had a talent for guerrilla warfare and could come in handy. If of course the situation was as dire as Emilio made it sound. These unsavory types had their fingers dipped in pies all over the world and Tobias was owed a few favours. Still the idea of using the smallest of one was dangerous.
"Anything else?" he asked with a continued chill in his tone.
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Post by Tempest on Sept 18, 2011 22:33:46 GMT -5
The Cuban muttered to himself, "No, pero necesitas demostrar tu valía." There was no point in pressing the matter. It was clear that neither of them would give any ground and he was fine with that being the status quo. It would hurt his sister too much for Tobias to leave now and there was no way in Hell that Emilio was going to let him attempt to intimidate him.
He watched Tobias light a cigarette and inclined his head in the affirmative. "For you more than others, I think. The vision was... ehhhmm... not very definite. Violence, yes. When? Where? With whom? Not so clear." He stretched his back and sides- the plane ride had left him feeling stiff and cooped-up. He suggested, "Watch your back, lobo."
The Cuban glanced at Tobias and gave a curt shake to his head. "No. I have things to do. I let you know if anything turn up." He picked up Caroline's suitcase, brought it close to the door and called into her apartment, "Hasta luego, hermanita! Voy a buscar a Amy." He'd made up his mind on the matter. For his sister's sake, he'd try to be nice to Tobias in her presence. However, if he could avoid it, he would not spend time with the wolf. Chances were that it would lead to some kind of physical altercation or struggle for dominance.
He shifted his grip on his duffel bag and shot an unreadable look in Tobias's direction. "See ya." With that, he turned to leave.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2011 21:58:26 GMT -5
Tobias offered a curt nod and walked in Caroline's suitcase, closing the door softly behind him. After collecting a glass of ice, Tobias went to Caroline in the bathroom and sat on the bathtub's lip. "I brought you ice," he said with a sigh. What could he say now? He was sorry for being grumpy or moody or tired or whatever he was feeling? Should he ask if she was alright although signs of vomiting usually suggested otherwise.
Finally he opted on resting a gentle hand on her shoulder. It was somewhere between love and concern, which was best as the current situation was hard to read. "Can I help you with anything?" he asked as he shifted closer to her. "Emilio and I are okay with each other now...it seems important that you should know," and he smiled weakly.
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Post by Tempest on Sept 20, 2011 16:31:55 GMT -5
Caroline felt wretched, slumped over the toilet like a marionette with its strings snapped. She glanced up when Tobias entered the bathroom and leaned forward to flush. No need to befoul the atmosphere. "Thanks," she said quietly, taking the ice. "I'll be glad when this bit is over."
She turned to look at Tobias when he put a comforting hand on her shoulder. She assumed the ice was to suck on, so she popped a cube in her mouth and sighed a little when some of the sour taste left.
Tobias's offer was nice, but she wasn't even sure what she was going to do. She had a list going in her head, but it all could wait until she had settled back into her own apartment. Her eyebrows shot up when he told her that things were copacetic between her brother and... errr... what was Tobias to her? "Tha's goo-" she said before spitting the ice cube into her palm and repeating, "That's good. I guess. I guess that means that I don't have to worry about you two fighting in the library again."
An awkward silence rose between them while the ice cube began to melt against her skin. "Yeah, there's something you can do for me, Tobias. I'm going to make a doctor's appointment. When I go... will you go in with me?" There were other things she wanted to ask him, but the air was too thick or something. Too heavy, a palpable tension that she felt throughout her shoulders. Or was she only one who felt tense? The edges of her perception were just wires and she desperately needed sleep and not to worry anymore so she could recover some substance.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2011 18:10:52 GMT -5
"Of course I'll go. Said as much didn't I?" he answered warmly and kissed her temple. "Maybe I'll drive you in your car though? My jeep doesn't seem to be sitting well with you just now." He added. He'd probably have to fork over the money and have it vacuumed out or whatever it was car companies did to get rid of smells.
"Do you want me to make you soup or anything?" he asked, but it was an empty question. It was something to say while searching for more important words. Tobias leaned back and arched his back until it popped. Sitting on the edge of the tub was starting to bother his hips and he shifted slightly, moving closer to Caroline.
"I want to do this, in whatever way you want to Caroline, but I want to be apart of all of this." He smiled and offered her more ice. "Are you okay? You seem troubled. What happened down there?"
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Post by Tempest on Sept 20, 2011 19:28:50 GMT -5
Caroline sighed. The warmth of his lips lingered at her temple, somehow managing to soothe the rest of her as well. "We'll have to walk. The doctor's office isn't that far away and I haven't gotten around to trading my bike for a... child-friendly vehicle yet." She recalled that he hadn't wanted to ride with her to school on her bike, so she figured that the case was the same here.
Food. Her stomach twisted in indecision. "No soup. The heat wouldn't help. Thanks for offering though. I think the menu for the next few weeks will be cool, bland, and nutritious." Caroline grimaced and shook her head. Her new diet would preclude the ingestion of most fun foods. "Tell you what: I'll let you make me a sandwich later." She tried to shoot him a smile, but it faltered at his question.
Caroline gave Tobias a bewildered shrug and said softly, "I don't know. Nothing made sense. Emilio said that the attacker was not a rioter, then he said that he might have been wrong, but we had to leave.... and Dad woke up again and told me to go back home. They looked so awful, Tobias..." She looked at her hands helplessly. "They don't know if Dad'll ever be able to walk after this." She shook her head, trying not to cry. It was stupid. Useless.
She took a deep breath and asked her companion, neglecting the ice so she could talk, "Want to go somewhere less... errr... bathroom-y to talk? Preferably a place that has pillows and isn't made out of tile?"
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2011 19:53:53 GMT -5
Tobias nodded and stood, narrowly avoiding the medicine cabinet hanging over the s-bend. "I'm game for switching scenery." After placing the glass of now melting ice onto the counter, he held out his hands for Caroline.
Again the news on uncertain events was troublesome and he wasn't sure how to compartmentalize it or even if he could. Keeping himself from being completely lost in thought, Tobias focused on Caroline. How was it possible that her sorrow made her beauty glow further?
"You know, lots of people actually fight what the doctors say. I bet if your da fights hard enough, he'll be able to get back on his feet," he added encouragingly.
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Post by Tempest on Sept 21, 2011 19:15:00 GMT -5
Caroline accepted Tobias's help gratefully, taking his hands and allowing him to assist her to her feet. Abruptly, she wrapped her arms around his torso. A hug never seemed like such an inviting prospect until now. "Thanks. I'll try to focus on that for now. If Dad is anything, he's definitely a fighter." Maybe an understatement, but there was always the chance that her father had changed since her childhood.
She pulled away when her senses were filled with the distinct smokey essence of Tobias's scent- it was something she normally didn't mind (if she did, whatever she had going on with Tobias simply wouldn't work), but she wasn't completely over her nausea from before.
"I'll meet you in the living room, okay? I need to brush my teeth." Hopefully, that would banish the rest of the taste and the queasiness. "I missed you." Sure, Tobias added a level of complexity to her life like nobody else ever had (except, maybe, one other) and while it was sometimes terrifying and exhausting, better the devil you know, right? And things between them had not been entirely unpleasant.
Merely looking at him made her heart do strange things between her lungs, surrounded by membranes and bone.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2011 16:39:06 GMT -5
Tobias nodded and left her to her cleaning. He flopped down on the couch, blowing a lock of hair from his face, and considered kicking off his boots. Yet that seemed a bit too casual. Even though She was pregnant with his child, there was still a level of personal comfort they hadn't had time to develop. After all, they had missed a few steps.
He shifted forward on the couch and rested on his knees thinking. Although he rarely acted as such, Tobias' mindset was generally old fashioned and felt that their relationship was missing out on so many little moments, like proper dates and inside jokes.
Caroline made Tobias wild, there was no denying it, and he couldn't help but get handsy with her. Clearing his throat, Tobias called out, "I'd like to take you out on an actual date sometime, if it suits."
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