the_adjutant | DUPLICITY

[ Unfortunately for Mey-Rin, none of her messages were able to get through to the Down at all during the multiple days that her Dominant seemed to have just disappeared. The days were sent sending countless 'text messages' and voicemails, trying to avoid festivities, and trying not to stress-pet a bald spot into Black Hayate's poor back. What was worse was that everyone in the Up seemed completely UNBOTHERED! Guards wouldn't even humor to her trying to ask about the trains going down other than to tell her to 'go away' or to just 'mind her pretty little business'.

And the moment the communicators finally connect the way they're supposed to... Riza's communicator practically EXPLODES with messages. So... so many messages. ]

Edited 2021-05-05 23:09 (UTC)

[ Riza is still trying to make her way back to the Up and she feels exhausted--but when the device explodes with frantic texts from Mey-Rin, she can't help but smile. She takes a moment to read through a few of them, then keys a call in to her Submissive. ]

Hello? Mey-Rin?

[ The MOMENT the communicator rings, Mey-Rin answers and when she hears Riza's voice she actually chokes in relief. ]

Miss Riza! You're alright!? I was so worried! Where are you?

[ She doesn't doubt Riza's abilities or Sebastian's, but... everyone she knew here had been trapped with no way for her to go down to find them. It was all incredibly unsettling. ]

Mey-Rin, yes, I'm fine. I'm fine.

[ She doesn't bother asking her to calm down. There's a good reason not to be calm! ]

I'm working on getting back to the Up right now. Are you alright?

I'm so relieved... I know you've always got things with you, but I was scared you were hurt or worse... The guards wouldn't tell me nothin' about the trains.

[ Ah... but no, this was helping. Just hearing Riza's voice was enough to help her calm her nerves. She was okay... Black Hayate would be so happy. ]

I'm fine. The Up was real quiet. Too quiet for a bunch'a people missing work and the trains being stuck.

They didn't tell you anything about what was happening?

[ Her voice is tired, a little wry. ]

Why am I not surprised? There was a full on revolt down here. The gangs started attacking the SIN guards. Practically a warzone.

[ A low sigh. ]

I'm just trying to get back home so I can take a shower and fall into bed. Getting on the train as we speak.

Edited 2021-05-05 23:33 (UTC)

[ Hearing how clearly tired the other woman is makes her chest tighten. A riot? She'd heard the train had gone down and the execution of EROS didn't happen on live TV like they had planned, but... ]

Of course. I'm glad you're alright, Miss Riza... I'll get a bath ready for you and make sure your bed is ready. We can talk about it once you've rested up...

Mmm.

[ Riza smiles into the communicator. ]

I'm looking forward to seeing you and Black Hayate, Mey-Rin.

[ Even though the trip back to the Up apartment arguably isn't that long, to Mey-Rin it feels like forever. Her hands wringing together as she starts the bath and checks the bed. Careful to make sure the tub was full, but not so full that it would overflow... not that she wouldn't clean it up if it came to that.

Yet when she hears the door unlock and sees Black Hayate's tail wag she's immediately at the door. Hands gripped tightly together in front of her as she waits for Riza to be greeted by the very happy dog. ]

Welcome home!

[ There's a bow, naturally, instinct still difficult to break. It's hard not to just run up and throw her arms around her... but that'd be hardly proper. Besides, Black Hayate deserved the affection. ]

[ Despite Riza's feeling of being bone-tired after the time she's spent basically fighting a war in the Down, the sight of her dog is enough to get her to smile. She drops her keys onto the table near the front door and drops down to greet Black Hayate, giving the very happy dog rubs and scratches behind the ears. ]

Were you good for Mey-Rin?

[ She murmurs softly, then straightens back to her feet to smile at the maid. ]

You don't have to bow.

[ She pauses, kicks off one shoe, then the other and then finally stumbles forward a little. She feels worn down and exhausted, and yet she manages to reach out and take hold of Mey-Rin's shoulders. ]

I'm back, safe and sound. Thank you for taking care of things while I was gone, Mey-Rin. It's good to see you.

He was perfect. If anything I think it was me that was good for him...

[ It's hard not to just feel relief when Riza greets Black Hayate. The sight of his tail and good behavior even with his clear excitement brings a smile to the maid's face. She could tell during the past few days that he was concerned--on edge. Animals always had that sort of sense...

But how could things not feel a bit more normal already? But when Riza's hands meet her shoulders, Mey-Rin's arms wrap around her. Leaning in to squeeze her tightly and immediately bury her face into her shoulder. ]

I'm happy to see you too, Miss Riza... I'm so glad you're okay...

[ Riza stands still for the briefest of moments, and then her arms enfold Mey-Rin and hold her close. It's a warm, tight embrace that Riza holds as long as she dares. She might well be trapped here, unable to free herself to take the bath or even stumble into bed. ]

I'm glad you're alright, Mey-Rin.

[ She exhales softly. ]

I'm very glad.

[ For a moment Mey-Rin just enjoys the hug. A deep inhale and she manages to bring herself back enough to hold Riza at arms length again, though one hand does come up to wipe at the corner of one of her eyes beneath the rim of her glasses. ]

I'm sorry, Miss Riza... I know you're tired. Lets get you to the bath and straight to bed.

[ A brief pause. ]

Would you like me to wash your hair for you...?

I...

[ Her first instinct to say 'no' but the thought of being touched in some way by another that isn't immediately violent or aggressive sounds like more than she can bear. ]

Yes. Yes, I would like that very much...

[ Slowly, she steps back and turns towards teh bathroom. As she heads in that direction she begins to shed her clothing, modesty aside for the moment. By the time she enters the bathroom, she only has underwear to cast aside and she sinks into the waiting bath with a groan of utter contentment. ]

[ As Riza strips, Mey-Rin dutifully picks up the clothing from where they fall. Rushing to carefully lay them over the top of the washer so she can focus on cleaning them up later once the Dominant has headed to bed. She'll give the Lieutenant a few moments alone--just to enjoy the water and the start of the soak--before finally entering the bathroom.

These new baths and showers were so much more than she was used to back home. Not having to fill the tub from multiple trips to the kitchen sink was not only time efficient, but also much less labor intensive. The redhead kneels beside the tub before starting to work on the buttons of her sleeves. ]

While you were gone they were having a festival here. Lots of live music... they even had a scavenger hunt.

[ She'd won a small prize for participating even if she and Lance hadn't done particularly well. ]

It was difficult to go outside, though. There were guards everywhere.

It was chaos down there.

[ "I killed a few people," she doesn't say. Better not to admit that out loud here. Even in her own home. Even to Mey-Rin. Killing doesn't feel all that heavy, for some reason. Perhaps she's done too much of it. Her head leans back against the tub. ]

I don't know what else I can say about it.

[ A faint smile touches her lips. There's a moment where she looks back and up at the other woman, then her hand raises from the water. Still dripping, she brushes her fingers along Mey-Rin's cheek. ]

I really am glad you're alright.

[ Once her sleeves are rolled up to her elbows, Mey-Rin lays her hands on her lap. There are a couple of scars visible along her forearms although they are nothing compared to the others Riza has seen before thanks to the maid's embarrassing clear clothed arrival.

The brush against her cheek earns a flush and her fingertips curl a bit into the fabric of her apron even as she leans just a bit into the touch. It was alright, wasn't it? To enjoy something like this? ]

I am too... I was so worried about you. I wish I had been there to help.

[ Riza smiles, weary and wan. ]

I'm glad you weren't there. It was a mess.

[ She leans forward a little, exposing for the first time the massive burn scar that mars the intricate tattoo across her back. She's too tired even to think about it, or what kind of reaction it might garner from Mey-Rin. ]

I'm just glad to be back.

[ Mey-Rin had never expected Riza's body to be perfectly unmarred... she was well aware the woman was in the military and injuries inevitably happened when fighting. Mey-Rin's own body was covered in scars from various abuses over the years.

But she hadn't expected it to be quite so extensive. The tattoo was an additional surprise with it's unique design. ]

I wish I had been there... I feel awful that I wasn't there to help.

[ She leans into the touch to her cheek, letting her eyes fall closed for a moment. ]

Up here was so... it was so obvious they were hiding something. Everything just felt like one big distraction.

You needn't feel awful, Mey-Rin. You really needn't...

[ Riza closes her eyes and her fingers brush along Mey-Rin's cheek one more time before her hand drops away, back into the water. She sighs, her voice tinged with exhaustion. ]

That's how they do things in this sort of regime. They need to distract people from the harsh reality of what's happening, so they just... do all these sorts of things.

[ She closes her eyes again. ]

I'm sorry to have worried you.

[ Mey-Rin's hands dip into the water, carefully cupping it in her hands before bringing it up to start wetting the other woman's hair. ]

I'm really just glad you're alright. The distraction here in the Up certainly wasn't very subtle...

[ Another dip of water as her fingers slowly make her way into the sniper's hair. ] Were you injured much..? I can dress any wounds you might have gotten.

[ Mostly, she just seemed understandably exhausted. ]

No, no. Just some bumps and bruises...

[ Riza murmurs. She shifts her weight so she can lean more fully back against the edge of the tub and her head tilts back slightly to rest against against the lip. She stares upwards, eyes lidded. ]

...Do you mind just touching my hair. I don't care if you wash it, really. But being touched like this is... is nice.

[ A reminder that she is human. That these are connections she can make and hold. ]

[ Bumps and bruises were normal for that sort of thing. Honestly, it was fortunate that Riza made it out so lightly. Not that Mey-Rin was any less relieved by it.

When Riza makes her request, Mey-Rin freezes momentarily--worried for a moment that she had made a mistake--but she quickly relaxes once she hears her out. Fingers continue to work through Riza's hair in gentle strokes. ]

Of course, Miss Riza. Take all the time you need to relax.

[ Slowly, Riza's head tilts further back on the lip of the tub. She's looking up at the kneeling Mey-Rin now, her eyes half-lidded and distant. She is remembering the SIN guard she shot and killed in the Down. Like the other men and women she's shot, he stands out starkly in her memory. He felt easier. Maybe because of the uniform it had been easier to turn him into a target. Something she's permitted to shoot. None of the Ishvalan fighters had worn uniforms. ]

Mey...

[ She murmurs the other woman's name softly. Reaches up with her hand again to cup the other's cheek. She doesn't want to think about the war or the SIN guard or anything to do with this whole mess of a city she's found herself in. Let the world be small just for now. It feels strange, still. Is she exercising her power over Mey-Rin in a way that's unhealthy? Would Mey-Rin even say no if Riza asked? She doesn't know. ]

Kiss me?

[ The gentle use of her name accompanied by the gentle touch to her cheek makes her heart flutter. This sort of affection was different than she was used to back home--a careful and cautious touch without any strange connection to it. No surprise groping, no awkward feeling to make her worried about the consequences.

Such a gentle touch combined with the soft request made her grateful to be kneeling in case her knees completely gave out. Their previous kisses had been all initiated by Riza which, while unsurprising, Mey-Rin still felt guilty for. Would Riza think she was unreceptive? Dismissive? A bad Submissive? ]

I'm sorry--I'm so terrible at it.

[ But she doesn't pull away and in fact does lean forward even as her face gets redder by the millisecond until she can press their lips together. ]

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