ZRP-2: Chapter Two, Paradise in Hell

=I nod, a small grin on my face=

I suppose you could say that.

=I keep my grin on my face, feeling a bit more content than I was a few minutes ago=

(Sam)
"Well, getting to know him as well as I do will be between you and him. But here's what I can tell you: he's a kind man, and will go to ridiculous lengths to defend the people he cares for. I can tell that he loves your mother very much, and he cares about you as well Eve. You just need to hang with him more, make it so you both know each other very well, and he'll love you like a daughter, not just the daughter of his girlfriend."
=I took an orange, and started peeling it open=

"And you? What will you consider me? Just a friend? Is there anything beyond friend?" She sighed softly.

(Sam)
"Eve....we're not talking about me here. We're talking about you and James, how you're going to view him now that he's going to be the father of your future sibling."
=Sighing, I peeled the rest of the tough skin off the orange, and took one of the small slice in my hand, popping it into my mouth=

"Fine." She took another bite. "I'll try. I guess."
Eve finished her food, pushing the plate away and resting her hands on the table.

=I feel my stomach growl=

Damn...it's been a few hours since I've had a good meal...

=I take a small granola bar out of a pocket in my pack, peeling off the wrapper and start eating it=

Sometimes the simplest meals are the best...

=I smile as I munch on the granola bar, my thoughts happy=

(Sam)
"Look, Eve.....what you've said is just making sitting next to you awkward for me. I mean, you're the adopted daughter of my best friends lover. Not to mention you're younger than me."
=I looked at her, thoughtfully=

"I like you Eve....I might even have deeper feelings, but I don't know okay? There's too many things around it that make me say no, and not because you're a girl."
=Dammit, it was going to send the wrong message, but I put a hand on her shoulder=

"Before the world died, I was accepting of how people chose to live their lives, and who they wanted to live it with. I still am. But even then, like now, there were a lot of sick people that enjoyed being with young children, and they disgusted me. Repulsed me. To be your friend is one thing, but to go beyond that now means putting myself in the same position as the scum I hate."

Eve's eyes teared up.
"You're too nice...." She wiped her eyes. "But ask yourself: What is different between them and you? Are you doing it because you want sex, or is it because you feel a strong emotional connection?"
Eve looked at her. "I might not understand most emotions...but...I understand love."

(Sam)
"Eve....do you even know what love towards another person is? I'm not talking family, or friends. I'm talking about love towards another person that goes beyond any of those. Sharing your life with them....."
=I couldn't help but realize how pointless an argument I was making. Yes, it was because I didn't want to risk turning into the same ugly monster I always hated, but that was based around how I tended to think of love between two people: along with the emotions, and the commitments, I always tended to think that people in love were intimate. And yes.....that meant sex to me. But maybe it didn't have to mean that this time=

"I just don't want to hurt you Eve, or for you to hurt me."

"I seriously think I can't hurt anyone anymore." She said matter - of - ffactly. "Not after..." She paused. "And I trust you wouldn't hurt me..." She looks away. "I should stop. I don't want to lose you..."

(Sam)
"Eve, you're not going to lose me. And I'd never hurt you. But this is big, this is valuable, precious. It's not something that is ever taken lightly."

"I'm afraid if I never give up, I'll lose you...I was drilled with never give up...but now I'm afraid doing so...will cause you to run."
She sniffed. "I don't know what to do. These emotions...I don't know how to control or direct or...or..."

(Sam)
=She looked pitiful, so again, despite my better judgement, I pulled her into a hug, crushing her against my side=
"I'm here for you Eve. No promises....but I'll do what I can to help."

=I finally finish with my 'meal',for lack of a better word, I then get up an lead Mira back to the room=

I think we're about done here...

=I then head down and out of the hospital, and then back to our room in the hotel=

Eve relaxed int Sam's side.
"You promise you'll be there for me?"

(Sam)
"Always."
=I didn't really care if anyone was looking at us. Fuck 'em all. All that mattered right now was that there was a girl who was afraid, confused, and desperately seeking love. I wasn't going to take advantage of her....but damned if I was going to leave her alone=

Eve wrapped her arms around Sam.
"I...I'll try to...not make it awkward."

(Sam)
"Thanks."
=Suddenly, I felt weary. Tired even. Today wasn't long or exhausting....but in it's own way it had been draining=

"Uh, without sounding awkward, wanna head back to the room? I'm tired and I could use a nap."

"Only if you'll still hold me." Eve said, burying her face in Sam's side. "I promise to behave."

(Sam)
"Alright....but I'm not carrying you. You've got legs, so use them."
=Standing from the table, I took Eve's hand in my own. She wasn't small or anything, maybe half my height. But I still held her hand, and walked with her back to our room=

Eve walked with Sam, her grip firm but soft. She stayed as close as possible without hindering their speed.
"Is it ok if I sleep in your bed with you? I did promise I would behave."

=I walk back into the room with Mira a few minutes later, plopping on the bed, tired=

They can wait a day, Andrew...

=I take off what's left of my equipment and put on the chair, laying on my bed and get what sleep I can=

(Sam)
=I felt my face flush again. God she wasn't going to give up, was she?=
"I don't mind Eve. Just, no funny business."

=We reached the room, door closing behind us. I climbed into bed, and lay on my side, head resting on the pillow=

Eve nodded, smiling. "I promised."
After getting into their room, Eve removed her shoes, jacket, and other things that would make lying in a bed uncomfortable and slid in with Sam, cuddling against her. She nestled her face against Sam's shoulder and closed her eyes.

Mira threw her stuff on the table and climbed in beside Andy, pressing against him before going to sleep alongside her boyfriend.

--The Next Day--

(James)
=To say the doctor was surprised when he walked in on me and Hibiki occupying the same bed, was an understatement. He got it under control though, I'll give him that. He had arrived to tell me that while I wasn't going to be doing any walking yet, I was by now recovered enough to be mobile. That translated into me being in a wheelchair. Oh joy. At least Hibiki was wheeling me out of the building though=
"So, can't walk and I guess I can barely stand.....but hey, at least I can move now."

(Sam)
=Eve and I (and the cat) had both fallen fast asleep, sleeping through much of the night. We were still in the room, though not cuddled up, just sitting around=

"True. Soon you can have all that you're longing for." Hibiki said teasingly. "Where too first?"

Eve was leaned up against Sam, petting Sammy. She was quiet but smiling.

(The Next Day)

=To say that I was well rested was an understatement. I hadn't hadn't slept this well in days=

I'll give these bluebloods some credit...this bed is just fantastic...

=I then wake up, sitting up on the bed, a smile on my face=

Abel's nose twitched, as a fly buzzed through the room above his face. He sat up, finding himself laying on the floor next to the door.
Did you collapse?
The last few days with such a small amount of sleep took its toll. Abel had been so tired he fell unconscious.
He used his hand and pushed himself away from the floor. He then opened the door and made his way to where they served their food.

(James)
"Right now....I've been cooped up in that bed for two days. I'm sore, and I kinda stink."
=I grinned, just a little as I knew the effect my next statement would have=

"I need a bath."

(Sam)
=As Eve leaned against me, I was busy thinking on what Hibiki had said. We were going to help out around here, to gain some good will for ourselves=

"We're sharing."
Hibiki wheeled him towards their room.

Eve sighed, then adjusted herself to fall across Sam's lap. "What are we doing today?"

(Sam)
=Having Eve drape herself across my lap was both uncomfortable....and slightly welcome. I gotta admit, she may have been younger than me, but it was clear that she would grow up into a beautiful girl. And a part of me wanted to be part of that life, however uncomfortable it made the rest of me=
"I don't know. We still need to hear back from Hibiki and James, or at least when we're going to actually help out with the Elites."

(James)
"You sure about that? I doubt these tubs are big enough for two, and my stomach is still going to be killing me."
=Still, the thought of being in hot soapy water with her nude, soft form washing me.....yum, plain and simple=

=I get off of the bed, and take the picture of Sarah from my pocket of my pack=

(German) Happy Birthday, Sis. Hope you have it better than I do.

=I then place the picture back in its old spot, and get dressed=

Mira rolled over, still out cold.

Hibiki sighed. "Well, I could have you sit on my lap..."


Eve sighed. "I hate waiting..." She shrugged. "Oh...do you want me to get up?" She blushed with embarrassment, realizing she was acting a bit too...intimate? No...just too...too close.

(James)
=I smiled a little as we finally entered the room. It wasn't that bad, certainly nicer than the inn though missing the....aesthetic I actually liked about the place. It was too clean, too nice, too.....carbon copyish=
"Sounds like a plan. Then again, I could always wash myself you know, you don't have to join me or anything."

(Sam)
"Same here Eve, waiting sucks."
=I looked down at her, trying to decide if I should smile or not. Smile won out=

"Nah, I don't mind. Just, be ready to move when I need to get up, okay?"

Eve smiled back. "Ok."
She made herself a bit more comfortable, taking one of Sam's hands in both of her own and laying them on her stomach.

Hibiki smiled. "What. Don't want me naked?"

Once in the 'Dining area' Abel saw that there wasn't any food out. So he walked up to a man that didn't look like a soldier, so he assumed that the man was in charge of the food.
"Hey, uh... Can I get something to eat?"

The man turned to look at Abel
"Yeah, I got some food here."
The man opened up a box that sat on the buffet, he pulled out an air tight package, that seemed to be already open.
"Here."
He grabbed a couple venison type sticks, and handed them to Abel.
Abel forced a smile.
"Thanks."
He then began to taking bites out of the meat as he walked around a bit.

=Once I'm finished getting dressed, I get the temptation to wake Mira=

Well...not just yet...

=I sit in a chair in the room, saying a silent prayer in German that I had learned as a kid=

(James)
=There was a low, throaty growl that emanated from me at the thought of naked and in the water with me. Look, I'm a guy still being driven by hormones and there was a woman I loved who was more or less offering herself to me for a bath. Do you really think that after close to two days of sitting on a bed recovering from a bullet, I was going to say no? ....well you'd actually be right. As much as I'd like it (hell, wanted it) it just wasn't going to happen, not with the condition I was in. The doctor's were surprised actually that I wasn't in agony. Well, to be honest I was in pain, but after being tortured and carved into by Jonah, a wound in my stomach wasn't much=

"Hibiki.....I want to, more than you know. But I think I'll settle for a nice bath instead."

Hibiki smiled. "Good. You can control yourself." She kissed his cheek. "I'll be cleaning my sword then, after helping you into your bath."

Eve yawned. "Bored."

=I look to Mira, my mind tempted to wake her up=

Well...yeah, she's okay to wake up...

=I then sit on the side of the bed, and lightly tap Mira on the shoulder=

Hey Mira, how you doing?

(James)
"Thanks. Besides, look at it this way: if we actually did try anything, I'd just ruin it with my screams, and we'd make it worse."
=The bathroom door was open, and she wheeled me to the tub=

(Sam)
"Same here kiddo."

Hibiki laughed. "I'll help you in."

Eve sighed. "So, got anything we can do?"

Mira sat up groggily, rubbing her eyes.

(James)
=Once at the edge of the tub, the first thing I removed was my shirt. Beneath it was a set of bandages wrapped around my midsection, over the bullet wound. Granted, I wasn't sure if it was necessary, all that bandaging, but the doctors thought it was. So I kept it on for now. I was going to need some help with my pants though, so I looked to Hibiki for help=

(Sam)
"Hmm, not sure. You?"

=My smile fades a bit=

Well...this isn't too unusual...

=I rub my chin briefly, then dismiss the feeling=

Ehhh...it's probably nothing

=I smile once again=

Hey, you sleep well?

Hibiki went to help.
"Now you need my help to move a few feet? Tsk."
She grinned.


Eve shook her head. "I don't know."


Mira nodded. "Yeah."

(James)
"Look just hold my legs up while I try and shake my pants off."
=She held my legs as steady as she could, and I undid the button and zipper of my pants. Pulling them off with as little abdominal movement as I could manage was tough, and I'm man enough to admit that I did whimper a few times, but the pants (and my underwear) came off, leaving me nude in the chair=

(Sam)
"Wanna go for a walk, or grab a bite?"

=I smile=

Well...it's just another day at the office...so to speak...

=My mind then draws a blank=

Well, anything you want to do?

Hibiki sighed. "Too bad this isn't bed."

Eve looked at her. "No...I'm happy right here...honestly..."


Mira looked at Andy. "Not really."

(James)
"Well if you want, feel free to stay and help me out. With this wound I won't be able to move that much or reach where I need to. And no, nothing beyond that Hibiki...."

(Sam)
"Okay."
=Honestly, I didn't mind it all that much, her laying on my lap like that. I didn't plan on doing anything really, beyond stroking her hair. It still felt weird, not just a girl laying on my lap but a girl who was in love with me. I felt...odd, not aroused mind you, just odd=

=I rub my chin=

Well, feel like getting a bit to eat?

=I hear my stomach growl noisily=

We haven't had a decent meal in a while, and they're bound to have something here.