Collab between Rajinslayer and Liferusher
Isla and Argus
Once Isla had ordered Argus to do what she had said and got the cups and such he gladly started making the coffee. He seemed to have known the liquid already what was a bit unfortunate for Isla her own fun but she was glad he still liked it at least a bit. He followed the instructions carefully and ended up making the the bitter but caffeine rich substance. Argus placed the cups onto the table and immediately dumped a whole bunch of sugar into his coffee. Isla followed after and did the same
"I think it is clear to both of us that coffee is a little to bitter. Well at least for my taste it is." She gave a sweet smile and started drinking the black liquid. She took graceful sips and ended up at the bottom eventually
"There are a whole bunch of different kinds of coffee. There are sweeter once but with my leg like this and no ingredients, I'll make sure for you to taste it one time if you didn't already." She gave another sweet smile and placed the cup onto the table.
Something, something unexpected occurred. It, it looked like there was no real proper time for him to tell her this. He began talking about his painting. Isla didn't ask him yet but he had already gathered the strength to tell her this. It was more a shock then a request to her. She remained smiling sweetly to him even though the expression itself was half faded by the heavy aura that was enveloping inside of the room now. It grew even tenser so Isla stood up on her one good leg and hopped over to him by the help of the furniture. She closed her arms around the top of his head and pressed her chest lightly against his head in a hugging manner she only lightly hugged his head since she didn't want to offend him nor hurt him in any way. Argus had finished talking about the description of the painting and asked if it was okay. She lightly hushed him and closed her eyes while hugging only a little bit tighter. Her voice softly sounded throughout the room as she spoke
"I already said I would be painting something you wanted. Apart from that you really got up my inspiration. Meaning behind a painting can be one of the prettiest aspects of the painting." She kindly smiled as she hugged his head a little longer in silence.
She had to let go at some point so she did. Her hand reached out for her pocket and handed him a handkerchief that was a little stained with dried up paint.
"Whipe those tears, you look more like some younger sister than Argus." She kindly smiled at him and returned to the sofa she was sitting on while not trying to fall in the progress.
"I'll make the painting for you just give me some time. Maybe you can stay overnight? I mean I have a spare bed so you can sleep in there if you want."Argus was surprised by the young girl's response to cradle his head, but appreciated the gesture. It helped ground him in the present, so to speak, and took his mind off things. When she offered to let him stay over, his gut reaction was to say no, as he didn't wish to impose on her anymore than he already had, but one quick look outside told him that he might have to. The sun was already setting and he had never really been to Crocus(or had any idea where he was in relation to the camp) so going out now would only get him more list than he'd brig he went out in the morning.
"If you'd have me, than I'd be glad to stay over. And once again, sorry for dumping all that on you at once, it wasn't fair of me to ruin the mood by bringing up all my personal baggage like that. I just got caught up in the meaning I wanted the portrait to have, you know?" Argus gave Isla a smile, as if to prove that he was in a better mood, before he gave a stretch and a tired yawn. The events of the day were finally starting to catch up with him, and man was he tired. I wonder how that one chick is doing, hope she isn't too mad about my little prank. Hmm, should probably bring her a gift to show her it was all in good fun.
Argus nodded to himself with a pleased look on his face at his decision, easily deciding it'd be the best course of action, before giving another yawn.
"Man, That coffee, plus the day I've had, really takes it out of ya. Mind if I hit the hay already?""It's no problem, it's no problem!" She awkwardly laughed as she gestured with her hands to calm down. Her attention fell on the forced smile he had. He didn't look as bad as before but he wasn't okay either. She gave a cheerful smile to him and placed her fists in her waists
"Let's have an extravagant sleep over then! Nihihi. You know, I never had anyone sleep over before so this is my first time. I assume you didn't have much either so we are both new to this subject." Her face sparkled with enthusiasm but slowly faded as Argus began talking about going to bed
"Oh, umm okay, sure go ahead and feel free to take a shower if you like and the room is the first door down the hallway on the right. The first on the left is the bathroom." She gave a kind smile towards him and waited for him to leave and do his own things
"Oh and don't worry about the other rooms, there is nothing there!" She gave a somewhat forced smile towards him as he walked off.
Argus smiled back at Isla, a twinge of guilt in his chest as he saw how disappointed she seemed. And a sleepover did seem fun. . . No, he needs to sleep. He's had a crazy day, and needed to spend his time resting. Besides, the quicker he was in bed, the quicker he could clear his head off painful memories. That being said, he couldn't miss our at the chance to take an actual shower, last time he taken one of those had been years ago.
Humming a happy tune to himself, he walked in and closed the door behind him. Soon the shower could be heard coming on as he peeped himself to go in, giggling like a child in anticipation. However, as he looked at himself in the mirror, stripped of clothes and coverings, all he could see were the scars that covered his body. He stood there, staring at them for a while longer, before getting in the shower. The heat off the water running down his back helped to ease the phantom pains that spread from each mark.
Once he was done, Argus would walk out of the bathroom in just his pants, shirt hanging over his shoulder as he went into the guest bedroom and crashed as soon as he hit the bed. He didn't even bother to pull the covers over himself. As he drifted into unconsciousness, his body began to twitch and shift, his memories eating no time in becoming nightmares. He'd get no rest tonight.
Argus soon left the living room to take a shower and go sleep afterwards. Isla could hear the shower being turned on and went ahead to do her job as well. She hoped across the living room to get some of her best canvases. Isla sat down on the sofa again with the easel and such in front of her. She soon started painting and was found lost in time. Her mind became obsessed with finishing the painting. She continued on and on and got a new canvas each time that it didn't look right even though it was a fine painting. Hours passed and she didn't even notice Argus heading to bed or anything. She was so focused that she didn't stop anymore. Her eyes slowly began to fall closed while she shocked awake again to continue. Her brush fell out of her hand as the painting was finally finished around 7 in the morning. Her head fell sideways onto the sofa and her body went after it. She peacefully slept with her body half hanging from the sofa and had a enjoyable smile on her face. She scratched her face a few times by the itching paint only to make it worse. Canvases were scattered over the floor just like her bag full of brushes was spilled over the table. Her can of paint was almost empty and the floor beneath her was dirtied with paint.
Argus awoke shortly after Isla fell asleep, but he was far from well rested. Bags hung under his eyes as he got up from the bed, letting out a curse as he saw the damage his night terrors had caused. The bed was close to unraveling, same with the covers, and the walks were also looking decidedly degraded. Dammit, I thought I had this under control!
Argus let a few more choice words before getting out of the bed, looking down at his pants and cursing as he noticed that he had a few extra holes running down the legs. Luckily, it looked closer to a fashion statement than normal wear and tear, so he wouldn't be walking around the city naked. After pulling in his shirt, he walked out to find Isla asleep on the couch, the floor around her filthy with paint, and his portrait standing finished right in the middle of it all.
"I thought I told her to get some sleep. . ." Argus mumbles to himself with a slight smile on his face, before taking a seat and waiting for the young girl to wake up. It wouldn't due to just take the painting and leave without thanking her, not to mention he had to apologize for the room. A room he'd probably have to pay for, but can't due to the fact that he was dirt broke(or at least, getting close to it).
The soft footsteps tapping against the floor and the quiet mumbling was already enough to wake the teenager from her slumber. She softly blinked with her eyes while lifting her head up from the sofa. She gazed around the room with her eyes still blurry and completely missed Argus sitting in the room. She rubbed her eyes lightly with both hands while her mouth was slightly a gape. Her view locked onto the painting once she could clearly see it. She gave a tired warm smile before lying her head down on the sofa again while her breathing softly sounded throughout the room. She however couldn't sleep again by the sounds produced by Argus and was kept awake.
Her eyes swiftly opened again as she saw Argus sitting right in front of her. She shocked up and pressed herself deep into the sofa. There was a slight stop in her breathing as she jumped backwards. She calmed herself down by lying her hand onto the top of her chest
"Gee's" she took some time before continuing
"Hehe, have you slept well? Wait I'll make some breakfast!" Isla stood up and immediately fell down leaving a gasp along the way
"The... Oh, of course." She gave an awkward smile while she turned her body around to sit on her butt
"Guess i'm not of much use now hehe."Argus chuckled at the young girl as she jumped in surprise at his waking, though he soon stopped as she seemed to have forgotten her current ailment. He looked down at her legs, feeling somewhat disheartened that he couldn't do anything to help this girl. How anyone one could do something so cruel to someone so young, though not something new to him, seemed to be unthinkable in the supposedly civilized world.
I guess their always be cruelty in the world, no matter where one goes, as long as their are other people around.
He gave out a sigh, feeling guilty for the rom and depressed that he couldn't do anything to help her. Alas, his was the power to destroy, not heal. . . . destroy. Something about that wrung a chord in him, and soon, he was struck by a bolt of inspiration, and lifted his head to say something, only to immediately put it back down, thinking more thoroughly about what he was proposing. The consequences of his actions could make things much, much worse than they already were, and the chance of success was very small to start with. But still, there was a chance.
Argus would place his hand on his chin as he entered a state of intense concentration. If left to his own devices, he'd eventually give up on his thought, tell Isla about the room, offer to pay for it once he had enough money to do so, and store the painting away before heading back to the camp.