4/14/2005

10:40 PM

Logfile from Chase.

 

The Berkley Apartments - 302

Sparse living at its finest, or worse. The wood flooring actually as something of a luster to it through the careful maintenance of leaser's past. Walls are a rather neutral beige with something of a wood border about a third of the way up to add some character, as sparse as it is though. There is a threadbare couch, simple table and chairs, a tiny kitchen and an even tinier bathroom. A pair of doors seem to oppose one another down the small hall to the bathroom, each one leading to a different bedroom. But it is the additions that seem to give this places its character: like the expensive stereo system just over there flanked by a couple of towers of CDs or the dreamcatcher by the window that overlooks the fire escape and the street below.

Sayuri, Takiko, and Uruki are here.

Obvious exits:

Exit

 

Chase is apparently on cleanup duty from the other day. Joy. He dumps crumpled cans into a wide plastic bag, picking them up from the floor, coffee table, couch... He steps over his forgotten calculus homework on the way to the kitchen to toss the bag into a corner.

 

There's no warning really, the the schnick of a key in a lock and then Sayuri's letting herself into the apartment.  School's over, but she hasn't been home yet to change out of her uniform.  Pocketing the key that dates back to the period when she was in a more intimate relationship with the Genbu, she studies the mess with a distinct look of distaste.  Not the most romantic locale, but she's a girl on a mission and she's not going to let a little mess get in her way.  "Chase-kun," she calls sweetly, which should be an instant sign to the seishi that she's up to something, "Are you here?"

 

Okay, what is with the girls that continuously try to break into his place? Chase frowns from the vicinity of the kitchen, leans to the side to spot Sayuri entering... Sayuri? He blinks a few times, and then a few more and then wanders his way out of that room and into the living area. "Sayuri?" You could say he is just a little surprised. "Well, I can easily say you haven't forgotten how to pick a lock..."

 

Cocking a hip out, Sayuri flashes a smug grin at the Genbu.  "You doubted my skills?"  Tossing a stray strand of hair over her shoulder, she studies the seishi for a moment before challenging, "What about you?  I bet you're rusty.  In fact, you're looking awfully soft to me.  Perhaps coming here was a bad idea, I think Hideki would be a better choice."  Hideki, the nerd.  Hideki that can't walk down the hallway without startling at a locker slam.  Hideki who couldn't take care of himself, much less do her a little favor.  "Nice to see you, Chase-kun, I'll just be letting myself out now."

 

Chase smirks in response, shaking his head from side to side. "Not your skills so much as practicing them once more on my door." He leans against the doorway, looking rather wry at her with dark eyebrows uplifted in question. "So you came all this way just to unlock my door and let yourself out again? Kind of a waste of a fare, don't you think?"

 

"Well, I was going to ask a little bitty favor from you, but now that I'm here..."  Sayuri shrugs and looks contrite.  "Well, it was a bit presumptious of me, ne?  I just thought that you'd... enjoy it."  Taking a deep breath, she glances up at the seishi from under her lashes, trying to see if she's caught his interest or if she's just wasting her breath.  In truth, her little game is more of a defense, a way of measuring his openness to her.  "We're friends, ne?  I was hoping we could do something fun, just like old times."

 

Think it'd be impossible for his eyebrows to go any higher? They just did. Chase peers at Sayuri for the longest moment before approaching her with quite the wide grin on his face. He draws closer, looking most amused and a little incredulous -oh yeah, and curious as all hell too. "Like old times?... Sayu, whatever do you having going on?"

 

"Well," Sayuri drawls, pulling forward a soft strand of hair to play with as she peeks coquettishly up at the Genbu.  "It seems that there's these pictures of me... doing something... and I'd really like to get them back.  If father ever sees them..."  She trails off, looking somewhat helpless.  "I'd have to go home to Japan.  And I've found that I'm quite fond of New York.  It holds special memories.  So," and here she drops the ingenue act and becomes all business, "All we need to do is break into one little office and find them.  Easy, ne?  Think you're up to the challenge, or have you gone soft in my absence?"

 

See that? Now that would be disbelief. Whenever Sayuri does that sort of play-act, Chase knows full well that she wants something. So, he crosses his arms over his chest, leaning all of his weight onto one foot while listening to her. "Uh-huh..." But all is revealed, and this provokes another grin. "What sort of pictures?" Trust him to get to the important part.

 

"Nothing naughty, so you can give that smug look off your face," Sayuri huffs with a hair flip.  "It happens to be a picture of me and some of my girls... defending our... what is it you Americans call it... surf... no... turf.  Defending our turf."  Sticking out her chin mulishly, she adds, "People think just because we're girls, we're pushovers.  So we had to prove a couple of them wrong."  Sighing heavily, she shrugs.  "It seems that there was this pesky private eye that father hired.  I need to get to the pictures before he can give them to father and replace them with ones of me with schoolmates at the mall.  And well, when it comes to break-ins, you're not half bad, Chase-kun."

 

Chase looks mildly disappointed. "Damn." He was rather hoping for the other kind. He scowls glancing away, "Turf, yes... what, you have your own little gang now?" He looks back to her, smile showing once again, "So this is what you have been busy doing since last fall? Why am I not surprised?" Well, at least she kept active? "How do you know he took the pictures? And hasn't given them to your father yet?"

 

"A girl's got to have her hobbies, ne?"  Sayuri hides behind nonchalance, though her keen, dark gaze watches Chase carefully.  She senses his disapproval, and her chin lifts a notch in hurt defensiveness.  "We don't hurt anyone who doesn't hurt us first.  And after we're done with them, they'll think again about who's the weaker sex."  Looking to the side, she frowns and shudders slightly.  "It seems that the man father hired has a dirty side.  He's trying to blackmail me.  Seems he likes schoolgirls."  Unable to look the seishi in the eyes, she adds, "I told him that I'd meet him at midnight tonight in a hotel off of the docks.  So that's why I need you.  I'll keep him busy, and you... you find the negatives."

 

Chase smirks, "Sayu... your hobbies..." He shakes his head slightly from side to side as if in disbelief. "You really gotta find some better friends." His arms uncross though as he listens further. "What?! He likes..." Glare. "Pervert," he growls, looking most dark. "That's just... sick. How the hell do you get into these messes?" One would swear the girl was a miko, really. "Think you can get him to take out the pictures?"

 

"My friends are fine.  After all, you're my friend, ne?"  Sayuri shrugs her shoulders and spreads her hands open wide.  "My father got me into this mess.  And no, he'll bring the pictures to the hotel, but not the negatives.  I don't trust him.  He's already proven that he's not a loyal man.  If he was, he'd just give the photos to my father and be done with it.  So that's why you're going to break into his office and steal the negatives.  It's this seedy little office in Chinatown, right above a souvenir shop on Mott Street."

 

 

4/19/2005

03:11 PM

Logfile from Chase.

 

Chase watches her skeptically for a long moment, heaves a huge and dramatic sigh, and then finally nods his head to her. "Alright. Alright. But just this once." Yep, one finger brandished to the young woman (no, not the middle one even if he was sorely tempted) to further cement his words. "So you wanna try to break into his place to do this?"

 

Grinning smugly at Chase, Sayuri pokes a finger at the Genbu.  "Baka, you're going to break in... you still have that present I got you, ne?"  You know, the lockpick kit... "I'm going to be distracting Mr. Robinson, remember.  That way I know he's well and fully occupied."  The girl says the latter sentence with a grimace before tossing her head.  "It's less risky that way.  I don't think he has a security system set up, so you should be fine once you get in."  Looking serious, she gives the seishi the address and the possible location of the negatives.  In a safe.  Behind a picture of dogs playing poker.  How unoriginal.

 

Chase continues to look dubious. He flickers a glance back to her, and mutters, "I can't believe I'm agreeing to do this." He drags his fingers through his hair, replaces the ball cap atop his head, and then shrugs his shoulders. "Sure. What the hell. That works. Might as well give it a try..." He crosses his arms over his chest before continuing, "If... if it gets too rough for you, then get away from him, alright?"

 

Sayuri shoots the seishi a cocky look, her lips curving up in a teasing smile.  "Hai, aniki."  Hopefully he doesn't know that she's calling him her big brother.  "Demo, I can take care of myself.  You know that.  You don't need to worry."  An impish light dances in her mahogany gaze, as she reaches out to pat his cheek.  "Though you do look cute when you worry."  Cocking her head to the left, she grins even wider, "Maybe I should make you worry more..."

 

Chase sticks his tongue out her, knowing exactly what she is talking about. "At least you didn't call me Dad." Which is probably just as bad. Frown. "I'm not /cute/." Girls are cute. He isn't. He sighs slightly, "So, do you need to call him to set this up or what? Got the number handy?"

 

Whipping out her cellphone, Sayuri nods.  The phone beeps a couple of times as she scrolls down her phone list.  Pressing the connect button, she twirls a strand of hair between her fingers as she waits for an answer.  "Hello Mr. Robinson," she speaks breathlessly into the phone, trying to sound as helpless as possible without overdoing it.  "Yes, yes..."  She hesitates slightly and nods.  "To... tonight," she asks on a shaky breath, arching her brows over at the seishi in a silent question.  Hopefully he doesn't have pressing plans.  "I... I understand," she replies to the unheard threat.  "Te-ten o'clock," she looks to Chase for confirmation of the date and time as she attempts to stall the man at the other end.

 

Chase moves closer, bending down some to try to listen to the phone as well. He quirks an eyebrow at her before nodding in the affirmative. If Chase were going to go out at night, it'd probably be to do something no good... so supposedly it is nice to get him involved in some 'no good' that is actually somewhat productive. It's all how you look at it.

 

"Okay," Sayuri's voice trembles as she agrees with marked trepedation.  "Yes, I'll... I'll see you tonight."  Making a disgusted face, Sayuri snaps her phone shut and fumes.  "See, what a terrible man!  He's absolutely.... ecchi."  The English word just doesn't contain the right amount of social criticism in her opinion.  Shuddering again, she tosses her head as if to shake off something unpleasant and distracts herself with the seishi again.  "You know, there's nothing wrong with being cute... girls in Japan try so hard to be called kawaii."  Slipping her cellphone into her bag, she adds, "You're not old enough to be my otousan, though sometimes you act like an ojiisan."  Peeking from underneath her lashes, she waits to see just how much Japanese the Genbu knows.  And how he'll take to being called an old man.

 

Chase doesn't much like being called anything, so she is gonna get another stuck-out tongue. "And I'm not some girl in Japan. You might try your best to be like that, and that's fine with me, but I can do without, thank you very much." He reaches over as if to flick her hair in teasing before stepping away. "Yeah, you dad hired a real winner there." He frowns in consideration for a moment, "You know, how about I get out my camera and take some... innocent pictures of you, outside? Replace the other ones. How's that? He might never look, and hand those to Pop instead."

 

See, this is why Sayuri adores Chase.  He comes up with the bestest ideas.  But first, she's going to look mulish and toss her head with the retort, "I'm not like those girls.  I dress cute only because it's an end to a means.  Everyone underestimates a cute girl."  Smirking, she pokes the seishi in the chest.  "Even you."  As the seishi steps away, she considers him for a moment, something unidentifiable lurking beneath her teasing gaze.  Nodding her head, she smiles at his suggestion, eyes shining with admiration.  "I knew I liked you for a reason, ojiisan.  You're not just a pretty face after all."

 

Chase scowls to try to look his most meanest and ugly. You know, just because -and to try to prove her wrong. "You are... a brat." He rolls his eyes after the tease and then moves off towards his bedroom, his voice floating out, "We'll go to the zoo or something. You can play with bunnies and coo over monkeys." He returns a moment later with the camera, strap looped around his neck. "Well, lets get going, baba." Grin.

 

 

5/18/2005

11:33 PM

Logfile from Chase.

 

 

The Berkley Apartments - 302

Sparse living at its finest, or worse. The wood flooring actually as something of a luster to it through the careful maintenance of leaser's past. Walls are a rather neutral beige with something of a wood border about a third of the way up to add some character, as sparse as it is though. There is a threadbare couch, simple table and chairs, a tiny kitchen and an even tinier bathroom. A pair of doors seem to oppose one another down the small hall to the bathroom, each one leading to a different bedroom. But it is the additions that seem to give this places its character: like the expensive stereo system just over there flanked by a couple of towers of CDs or the dreamcatcher by the window that overlooks the fire escape and the street below.

Obvious exits:

Exit

 

Sayuri doesn't always have to break into Chase's apartment.  She doesn't have to, but she likes to.  There's a schnick of the lock and then she's pushing open the door slowly, peeking into the darkened room from her kneeling position.  It's after midnight and she's come to check in with Chase.  She doesn't worry on whether or not he got the pictures, after all she knows that he's more than capable of breaking into the private eye's office.  She just wants to see him again.  "Chase-kun," she whispers, letting her eyes adjust to the lack of the light.  "Are you here?  Are you awake?"

 

Chase emerges from the bedroom, padding down the hall, and heads for the kitchen, hardly giving Sayuri a glance. But he does give her one before simply continuing on. There is an awfully bright flash of light as the refrigerator is opened, the young man standing there rubbing thoughtfully at the back of his head. "Well, come right on in, make yourself at home."

 

Sticking her tongue out at the seishi, Sayuri rises and lets herself into the apartment.  Leaning back on the door as it closes, she studies the Genbu thoughtfully.  "Thank you, I will," she replies distractedly, taking the opportunity to study Chase without his knowledge.  There's a puzzled look on her features that she quickly wipes clean as she saunters over towards the older boy.  "Eto.... how did it go, Chase-kun?"

 

Chase decides upon some leftover or another, plucking it from the confines of the fridge. He turns a little to glance back at her. "How did what go? Finals? Not so bad. That Calc one though was a killer, but I think I did alright. Now maybe I'll be done with all the requireds and get into more interesting stuff." He turns back to his 'midnight' snacking.

 

Blink.  Sayuri's floored for a split second before her puzzled frown returns.  "Chase-kun," she begins with a warning tone.  "Tell me you didn't forget about our plans tonight?"  Sauntering closer to the fridge, she leans on the counter just to the left, crossing her arms.  "Because otherwise I may have to punish you, and you what that means."  Staring at the seishi head-on, she attempts to look fierce, but there's a wicked twinkle that shines in her eyes.

 

Chase stares back at Sayuri for a long moment, a very, very, very long moment with the most dead-pan face ever. "Ohhhhhhhhhh, that's tonight? This night?" He points a finger downwards as he says it. Dramatically bewildered now turns abruptly into a very wry smirk as he shuts the fridge door. "What're you gonna do? Poke me in the nose? Come on, I know."

 

"Poke you in the nose," Sayuri returns Chase's smirk with one of her own.  "Would I ever do something so tame?"  Growling low, she slinks up to the seishi, traps him back against the fridge, both hands resting on either side of him as she rises on her tiptoes and moving her face mere millimeters from his.  "After all, I know your weakness," she taunts on a husky breath before moving her hands inwards towards his sides, fingers curling wickedly as she begins to tickle him ruthlessly.  "Now admit that you didn't forget, baka Chase-kun."

 

Chase's rather amused smirking suddenly turns into something a bit more wary as he is cornered. Ack! Previously half-closed eyes blink open wide as he stares at Sayuri. "Second thought... maybe you'd do something else." He tenses the moment before he is tickled, only to let out a squeak before wriggling away. A single finger is waggled in her direction. "Ahhhhhh, behave, girl."

 

Laughing defiantly, Sayuri tosses her head and leans back against the fridge as the seishi dances away.  "When have I ever behaved, Chase-kun?"  She pauses slightly, cocking her head as she notes softly, "For a moment there, you looked rather panicked.  What did you think I was going to do to you?"  Eyes widening, she flushes slightly and turns away, she hadn't meant to add the question, it just slipped out.  "Never mind, Chase-kun, don't answer that."  Taking a deep breath, she takes a moment before she turns back towards the seishi, asking yet again, "You... didn't forget, ne?"  She's sounding less certain now.

 

Chase smirks. "Exactly what you just did... evil girl with evil fingers." Yes, he says this and is still waggling that finger at her. He pops open the food container, and plucks out a cold chicken nugget, popping it into his mouth to eat. Nice snack. "I told you I didn't forget. Sheesh, just hold your horses. Don't rush me." Pluck. Pop. Chew.

 

"Big baby," Sayuri mutters under her breath, but still loud enough for the seishi to hear.  "Can't take his punishment like a man."  But then the Genbu's deliberately provoking her.  Eyes narrowing as she watches him slowly chew, one can almost see the vein popping on her forehead.  "I have no horses to hold, nor would I want to hold them even if I had them.  They'd be heavy.  American idioms make no sense, sometimes," she adds with another frown.  Stalking him again, she threatens another tickle with a finger wiggle.  "You can eat later Chase-kun.  Pictures.  Now."

 

Chase barks with laughter as he watches her. He nods his head though in understanding, but not before popping the rest of the nuggets in his mouth to chew. He starts away, mumbling around a mouthfull of food, "Yes, ma'am. Whatever you say, ma'am." He patters away, bare feet on the ground.

 

 

6/11/2005

02:09 AM

Logfile from Chase.

 

 

Chase wanders into his bedroom, tossing off his shirt and making a basket with it in his clothes hamper. He opens up a drawer and begins rummaging around for his 'sneaky' attire. "Just lemme get dressed, grab a couple of things, then we can head out. D'ya have the pictures on you?"

 

"Pictures?"  Sayuri's brain isn't functioning too well at moment... it ceased working properly when Chase shed his shirt.  Blinking and trying to look composed as her libido fervently hopes that the Genbu loses a few more articles of clothing, she arches a brow and affects a nonchalant pose.  "And here I thought you didn't like me anymore, Chase-kun," she drawls.  "If you wanted sex, all you had to do was ask..."  Smirking slightly, she pulls out a manila folder from her bookbag and waves it at the seishi.  "These pictures?"

 

Chase looks over his shoudler at her, peering for a moment before finally deciding that a good smirk is in order. "Don't even go there..." He drags out a sweatshirt and then pushes in the drawer by leaning against it. "Yes, those..." he drawls, reaching over to try to snap them out of her grasp.

 

Doing a rather good job of keeping her disappointment from showing, Sayuri sidesteps the Genbu and tsks.  "Now why would you want to look at these boring old things... after all, you've got the negatives, ne?  You've probably already peeked."  Waving the folder enticingly before the Genbu, she arches a brow as asks, "What did you think of them... though you probably couldn't see all the details, it must have been enough for you to wonder about the dirty old man, ne?"

 

Chase probably wouldn't have looked at them. In fact, he really wasn't planning on it, but when she starts avoiding him, now he wants to. Funny how that works, eh? "I try not to wonder much about the old guy, other than he is dirty..." He flickers a glance from the folder to her. "Awh, come on."

 

"And why would I want to show you my dirty little secrets, Tomi-chan," Sayuri coos at the Genbu while her glance flickers across the room.  One could very easily guess that she's looking for where the Genbu would have placed the negatives.  Sauntering over towards his dresser, she runs a finger along the top as she ponders his bookbag.  "After all, you don't like the dark side of my life.  And you definitely wouldn't like the turn that I've taken since you've been gone."  It's almost as if she's warning him to stay away... or trying to lure him closer by piquing his curiosity.

 

Chase smirks, watching her and turning to keep an eye on the young woman. "Well, now you got me all curious and all. You have only yourself to blame, brat," he drawls, closing in on her with a dropped chin. "Just a peek? Please?"

 

Dancing away, Sayuri lifts a brow... "And what would I get in return, Tomi-chan?  There's got to be an equal exchange to make it fair... so what would you give me for a peek into my lurid past?"  She pauses a moment as something clicks and frowns.  "I am not a brat," she adds defensively, sticking out her tongue and pulling down the lower lid of her eye.

 

Chase smirks once more. "I'm pretty sure there is a picture of me floating around in a certain schoolgirl uniform, so I think this more than makes up for it, hrm?" Look at him. Standing all sedate and negligent and amused and... Shazam! In the next blink, he is lunging forward to try to grab that folder from her grip.

 

Sayuri can't help the squeak of shock as she's caught off-guard.  She makes an attempt to move the folder out of the seishi's reach, but she's a fraction of a second too slow.  "Tomi-chan," she wails as his hand makes contact with the folder, "You really don't want to see this."  She sounds almost panicked by the prospect of the seishi learning her dark and dirty secrets all of the sudden.  "I... I don't think I could bear it if you didn't like me anymore," she admits with a little hiccup as her big, doe eyes begin to tear up.

 

Chase cries out in triumph as he snag it, beaming rather mightily. He moves to flip it open, only to blink and peer at her. Oh crap, not that... He frowns, and then glances away in annoyance as if to try to avoid that look. She truly is evil. "I think we are past that now," he huffs rather patheticly.

 

"Past that now," Sayuri repeats with a hitch in her voice, the question obvious.  What does Chase mean by that.  "You-you already hate me," she determines, her voice trembling as her tongue stumbles over the words.  Suddenly the tears aren't so fake anymore and she makes a grab for the folder, her face pale as she realizes that her gamble might just not pay off the way that she thought it would.

 

Chase sighs heavily, looking back to her with more of a frown. "Dammit, Sayu, I don't hate you. It is just..." He hesitates, not that sure on how to proceed. "I don't hate you. Okay?" He does give in though, willingly relinquishing the folder over. But, you know how things are, especially when the folder tends to get caught on the sweatshirt he hasn't put on yet, 'causing it to open up and pictures to spill out.

 

Sayuri gasps as the pictures tumble to the ground.  They seem to be falling in achingly slow motion, flipping end over end.  They're not revealing pictures of sordid deeds that she supposedly did while separated from the Genbu.  Instead, they're pictures of them together in happier times.  There's even a shot of the seishi in her school fuku, embarrassed and looking far too cute for words.  Falling to her knees to pick up the glossy 8x10 photographs, she lets her loose hair fall forward, hiding her features as she starts to slowly gather up her memories of their relationship.  "Please don't say anything," she pleads softly, her voice breaking slightly.  "I don't think I could handle your rejection... not right now... I don't know why I thought that these would make a difference... why I thought that... nevermind," she cuts herself short, shaking her head as she hugs the pictures close to her chest.  "Please leave me a little pride," she begs on a whisper, unable to look at the Genbu.

 

Chase's eyes are immediately drawn down to the pictures as they fall open, looking a little confused at what they are. "Are you sure that those are..." He frowns though, in even more confusion. "I don't understand." He looks down at her, swallows, and then falls back so that he is sitting on the bed. "Sayuri, I don't understand this. What is going on? We're you mistaken? Why did you...?"

 

"Because I still love you," Sayuri admits hoarsely.  "I knew that you... I knew that you didn't really feel the same, deep down.  I tried to forget you, tried to move on, but things never felt right.  Because something important was missing in my life... you," she adds, looking up at the seishi before looking away again.  "But I... I didn't know how to tell you.  So I thought that I'd show you... I know you like danger, and you can't say no to a girl in trouble, even if you don't like her anymore... so I paid a private investigator to help me... I wanted you to remember what it was like, the adrenaline rush that we used to give each other.  I-I wanted you to miss me too."  She pauses before shaking her head and admitting on a heartbroken whisper, "But I was wrong, because I thought that you would still care for me.  But you... I... I'm sorry, Tomi-chan.  I understand now and I... I won't bother you anymore."

 

Chase simply stares at her now, not really sure what to think. He closes his eyes, dropping his head down. "So, you're saying this was all some kind of joke? A hoax?" He frowns, glancing back up to look through the fringe of his hair at her. "Oh damn, Sayuri... I mean, what the hell...? All of this shit, just because..." Yep, seems pretty unable to form a complete sentence. "Sayu, I just can't. I'm so damn tired of it. Okay? I'm just... I can't do this anymore. You just, took a lot out of me. I can't do it again. I'm so tired of trying to work so damn hard and just... no more, okay?"

 

Sayuri visibly flinches at the seishi's words, each one piercing her heart a little more until she's sure that it will never recover.  But instead of letting Chase see how much he's hurt her, she puts on a brave face and finally looks up at the Genbu.  She forces an empty smile that she's learned to use at an early age, one that's used for strangers she meets on the street, polite yet distant.  "I understand," she repeats softly, rising with the pictures still cradled close.  "I'll show myself out."  Padding silently for the door, she pauses, her hand on the knob as she adds, "Gomen nasai, Tomi-chan... sayonara."

 

Chase was feeling a little guilty about saying all of this stuff to her, but when he looks at the young woman and sees that face, he suddenly gets rather angry. Well, not just a little, actually a lot. "Goddamit, Sayuri! What in the hell more do you expect from me? Huh?! I've bent over backwards to try to do things your way, and then you come to me with some kind of story for the gods know what reason... and then you just..." He sighs, throwing his arms up in the air. "I don't know what else to do, okay? I give up. I fucking give up. I can't do this anymore. All of these songs and dances that you seem to insist on, when I never quite know what the rules are. Once more, I'm supposed to behave a certain way, and clearly this isn't the one you wanted. I just can't do it anymore. I. Give. Up."

 

Sayuri flinches and starts out the door silently, but then pauses, and turns around to face the seishi.  "You want to know the reason?  It's because I love you and I want to be with you and I don't know how to anymore.  And it's my fault... because I'm the one who chose not to stay by your side when you needed me most.  And I know that we can never go back to the way things were, and it kills me.  I'm sorry, I'm sorry that I guilted you into helping me, I'm sorry that I created this whole stupid idea... I never wanted you to have to sing and dance for me.  This wasn't some joke to me, this wasn't some form of amusement where I laughed at you to see how far you would go... this was... I was... desperate."  She walks into the room again, just far enough to place the pictures on the dresser.  "You give up?  Then there's no hope, ne?  I won't bother you anymore."

 

Chase drops his head into his hands, simply staying like that for a long moment to try to sort himself out before yelling any more. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, but, dammit, you made me so mad." He drops his hand down, looking rather weary. "Why in the hell couldn't you have just said something instead of... all of this. And this is exactly what I mean, things like this which just... end up complicating things. It's all of this extra stuff that confuses the hell out of me, and I really don't have it in me any more to deal with." He sighs, watching her, "You make things so difficult. And I really don't think I can survive you again, Sayu. I really don't." He sighs and then flops back on the bed to stare at the ceiling most pitifully.

 

Padding softly towards the bed, Sayuri reaches out to touch Chase's head, to brush a stray strand of hair away in a gentle and bittersweet gesture.  "I don't know why you think I'm strong, Tomi-chan," she admits softly.  "I'm not, I'm not strong at all.  I think I knew that we could never go back to the way things were, and I just didn't want to admit it.  Making things complicated meant that I didn't really have to tell you how I feel... that I didn't have to open myself up to true rejection."  She gives the seishi a wry grimace.  "Knowing someone that you love doesn't love you back hurts like hell.  I don't like it, I don't like it at all.  If this is how you felt, then I'm so sorry I made you feel this way.  Because it feels like shit.  It feels as if my heart is shattering into a million pieces and yet I love you so much that even though I want to run away, I'm standing here explaining myself to you and letting you hurt me more.  I'm an idiot," she admits with a wondering shake of her head.  "A sad, hopeless idiot."

 

Chase turns his head to look at her. "Why can't you be like this all the time? Why can't you just... forget the tough girl, take-no-prisoners, kiss my ass facade and just be like this more often?" He looks almost sad as well as he watches her. "I know you've had it rough at times, it's just... I like this 'you' so much more. It's a hell of a lot more simple, and much more..." He sighs, gathering himself together again. "I don't mean to hurt you or anything. You just... made me so mad and tired and aggravated and frustrated and..." *sigh* "If you are an idiot, I'm probably an ass for doing this to you."

 

"Why not?  Because this hurts like hell.  Behind the facade, no one can touch me... no one can hurt me.  No one but you, Tomi-chan.  Somehow you slipped through and got to me when I wasn't looking."  Biting her lower lip, Sayuri studies the seishi... "I don't know if I can change," she admits on a trembling voice.  "I don't know if I can really be me... but if you're willing to be patient, I can try."  Is Chase asking the spoilt princess to grow up and act like a responsible adult?  Imagine that.  "If you'll still be my friend, Tomi-chan, I'll try."

 

Chase still looks weary, although he watches her steadily. "I can't make any promises, okay? Friends, I can do. Anything more than that, I know I can't give." He moves to sit up a little, looking somewhat resolved as to the situation. "We can try that at least. And it might just be for the best, thank you."