Make my way back home

[palehornedprince]

Their foray into the Vile Peaks had been fruitful and frustrating at the same time. Yylfordt had got the time the day after their encounter with the stupidly overpowered-for-what-it-was Hollow to go and mooch among the old ruins left there. He'd wanted to bring back a lot more than he'd been able to, in the end, partly because of the bulk of things. He'd got some very flat looks when he'd suggested just leaving some people behind so there was more room on the Ragnarok; fortunately, they'd known he was joking.

Or had thought he was, anyway.

They'd brought back what they could, and Even and his scary Aeon level ice powers had gone off to his laboratory, and Nel had gone back to doing whatever she did all day, and Yylfordt, Apache, Tayuya, Kadaj, and Grimmjow had been left to their usual devices again.

They'd got bored after two days, and Yylfordt had got round to wiring up their coffee machine. He'd been tempted to just steal it and wire it up in his workshop and then lord it over Szayel that he had one, but he hadn't wanted to annoy Apache and Grimmjow any more than he usually did by existing, so he was working on connecting in to the Palace's electrics, and running a cable to the Sunhouse.

Which was about when he'd decided he could really do with some more insulated wire, and connector pins, and another socket adapter wouldn't go amiss, really. He had things, of course, he was Al Bhed, he'd never not have things. But that was why he needed more things, because if he used these things then he'd be running low, and something about machina and the associated gidgets and gadgets brought out the hoarder in him. He could never allow himself to get down to his last thing, because then what if he needed to use that, and ended up with no things?

He'd got some funny looks when he'd tried to explain his reasoning for wanting to trip into Rabanastre, just to pick up some basics, even though he already had the basics. It was only Rabanastre, and it would only be a day. They'd proven they could go out and come back without getting in trouble. Anyway Nel had apparently told Aizen she'd been impressed with Grimmjow's leadership ability while she was out with them.

They'd been allowed to go to Rabanastre. It was only a short hop of a journey, a shorter hop than Nel usually made to get groceries, which was probably some of the reason they'd been allowed to make it. The Arrancar overall were being given that little bit more freedom, one outing at a time.

The girls had come, because Tayuya and Apache jumped at any chance to get out. Yylfordt had, if he was honest, taken a bit of pride in showing Apache around the Al Bhed quarter. Then he'd burned with jealousy when he'd seen Kadaj give an absently friendly wave to a cute Al Bhed girl in folded down dungarees and a bra, working in the Rockbell repair shop, and getting it returned cheerily. He'd been even more jealous when Kadaj, after being asked, had said simply that she was Winry, which caused a minor meltdown on Yylfordt's part.

He'd not been allowed to backtrack and talk to her, though, as much as he'd wanted to. Kadaj had refused to take him back and introduce him, too, on the grounds that they weren't here for long enough for Yylfordt to fanboy the Rockbells.

"Bro, can't we just--?" He asked again, as they were leaving. The intention was to get something to eat, but Rabanastre Al Bhed food was a little too authentic for some. You had to go to the peripheries if you wanted something everyone found palatable, funny as it would be to try and get Kadaj or Apache to try Desert Oysters.

Comments

[palehornedprince]

Yylfordt scowled, looking uncomfortable. He didn't want Apache to go getting hurt when she could prevent it, and sure, she was an Arrancar, there weren't many people on Spira she couldn't beat flat if they tried anything.

That felt like a moot point however when she had ended up with someone that could destroy her. Okay, so he hadn't, but he could have, and she might not be so lucky if it happened again.

"You're my Fracción," he grumbled, "I don't want you getting hurt."

Especially when he wasn't there to watch out for her. It had sucked enough in that fight against Kadaj's mark.

[jawmask]

"Yeah," Grimmjow agreed, giving his rival a cocky smirk. "Some way that won't involve everyone else."

He enjoyed fighting, it was part of who he was, but he didn't like seeing his friends fall on the battlefield for the sake of his petty rivalry.

Something more constructive might be good for the future.

[gotitmemorised]

"Yeah, I dunno what that was about," Lea said, giving a shrug.

The accusation wasn't insulting, exactly, but it was plenty weird. He shook his head, thinking it far more likely that Saix would find himself in bed with Fang than him.

[cierva]

"I know, I know," Apache said, a touch impatiently. "You're a dick because you care, I get it."

She rolled her eyes and turned from Yylfordt and Fang to the rest of the group. Both groups. It was all well and good that they'd decided against fighting to the death this time, but she was still getting hungry.

[hearstheplanet]

Aerith looked thoughtful as she glanced up at Lea. "It's rare," she said, "because it needs two things to even be possible; two people who have spent enough time around each other to have absorbed enough of each other's chakra to use, and for them to be in tune enough with each other to use it." She smiled, sweetly, glancing at Saix who seemed to be embroiled in some prettyboy posturing competition with Grimmjow, judging by the smirking they were doing at each other. "He must love you very much," she said. "Not romantically," she added, hurriedly, in case Lea got the wrong idea, because she doubted Saix had romantic designs on Lea or he'd have made a move already, "but in the way people mean when they talk about loving a sibling."

She grinned at Lea. "It's sweet, really, and I bet he'd hate me saying that."

[soundfivebitch]

Tayuya curled her upper lip and sneered. "It's fucking sappy is what it is."

She had no time for stupid sentimental bullshit like that. And there the berserker was, pretending to be a badass right now, smirking at Grimmjow as if he was in a cocky bastard-off with him. Grimmjow, in her totally unbiased opinion, was winning.

"Quit your dick waving," she shouted at them both, "we're hungry."

[joinmyreunion]

Kadaj glanced at Tayuya and rolled his eyes.

He, if he was honest, felt a bit jealous. That kind of thing happened in plays more than reality, as a sort of spontaneous blood brothers thing. It must be nice, knowing someone would go to the end of the world for you.

"You get grumpier when you're hungry, you know," he told her.

[palehornedprince]

Yylfordt sighed, watching Apache turn away from him. That was basically it, that was the worst thing. He blamed the Granz genes; it was impossible for him not to sound like an overbearing wanker in the face of giving more than half a shit. His last girlfriend had told him that, or called him that, on numerous occasions.

At least he wasn't permanently in that mode. Szayel had got the short end of that stick.

He moved to look away from Apache, and found himself looking at Fang instead. Mentally, he put her and Halibel together again.

Yep, he'd have to save that one for later.

[innatelunacy]

Saix made a noise of agreement, his smirk at Grimmjow widening.

Then Tayuya broke the spell, and Saix raised an eyebrow. She put him in mind, he thought, of a particularly uncouth Larxene. Almost as if Larxene and her current beau, the Akatsuki Jashinist, had bred and raised a girl. Tayuya had Larxene's attitude, and Hidan's mouth.

The thought was horrifying.

"Now there's a competition I'd definitely win," he said, quietly, unable to resist. Tayuya had started it.

[gotitmemorised]

"It does sound kind of sappy," Lea said awkwardly, scratching his neck with his hand.

He looked over to Saix as Tayuya interrupted them and realised that he was also rather hungry. The thought of food had fallen by the wayside in the face of the fight that didn't pan out.

[jawmask]

"You wanna put a bet on that?" Grimmjow said, equally as quiet, a smirk curling his lips.

Food was a good plan, though. He'd almost forgotten about it.

"C'mon, let's get something to eat," he said, glancing around at his own group before settling on Yylfordt. "And no fucking desert oysters."

[innatelunacy]

"Maybe next time," Saix said, returning a predator's grin before he moved to rejoin his own party. Lea was doing his back-of-the-head scratch, which meant something had brought out his inner dork. Not exactly a difficult feat.

He caught Apache's eye and gave her a faint smirk and a slight nod before turning his attentions to Lea and Aerith. "Shall we?" He asked.

[hearstheplanet]

Aerith watched Saix approach, unable to put out of her mind the fact that, well, she already knew he was a bit of a sap no matter how much he pretended to be a cool, calm, and collected badass, and he was easily as much of a dork as Lea, but it had been proven now. She grinned at him as he approached, her hands still on Lea's arm.

She nodded at his question. "I'm starved," she agreed.

[soundfivebitch]

Tayuya eyed Saix, and then turned away, and headed back towards Grimmjow.

"Yeah," she agreed, "unless you want us telling your brother you had a hankering for balls while we were out."

[palehornedprince]

Yylfordt screwed up his nose, trying really, really hard not to get jealous at the look the berserker had given Apache.

"I don't want them that bad," he said.

[joinmyreunion]

Kadaj threw Lea a faint smile before he lifted his hand in a short wave of farewell and went to join the others.

They'd successfully refrained from fighting. That was a first. Although it was still touch and go as to whether Yylfordt would survive the night.