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       #Post#: 30650--------------------------------------------------
       A House Not Yet a Home [Hunter/Mika, closed, Sweet Sacrifice con
       t.]
       By: Hunter Date: October 3, 2012, 7:37 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       The house was settled near the forest. It looked more like a
       cottage, perhaps. Painted a cheerful butter yellow, the trim in
       white. A well tended and colorful garden still bloomed at the
       front. The porch is welcoming, a good size. The porch swing is
       newly installed. No fence kept the animals out, yet other
       defenses would keep most anything undesired out easily.
       It looked as if it had two stories, and easily enough room for
       multiple people. Perhaps a silent prodding from the subterranean
       goddess. The walk was a quiet one, the man not one for filling
       silence with idle and useless chatter. He'd point out
       interesting things, typically plant or animal based. Nature
       based, even.
       They arrived at the house, and it might surprise Mika to note
       that, though there is a normal lock upon his door, Hunter has
       other metaphysical locks in place. In an odd sort of ritual, he
       passes his hand through the door, and then does a couple more
       odd gestures before the door swings open to allow entrance
       through it.
       He invites her inside, and even that seems to have the feel of a
       ritual to it. He seems willing to explain, if she wondered, but
       he'd allow her to ask or not. The man drew her through the
       living room, still bare of personal touches, possibly because he
       had little idea how to do so, and into the kitchen.
       It may very well have been a chef's dream. Fresh herbs, any
       accoutrement required. Space and flow. In one word, beautiful.
       #Post#: 30657--------------------------------------------------
       Re: A House Not Yet a Home [Hunter/Mika, closed, Sweet Sacrifice
        cont.]
       By: Mika Sasaki Date: October 3, 2012, 8:03 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Mika enjoyed the walk to the house, not one to push conversation
       either she took in what he told her about nature.  She smiled
       lightly at the exterior of the house, it seemed fitting for him.
       As he opened the door and invited her in she took note of the
       ritualness to it.  She was curious.  "The door is protected
       isn't it?  What does it protect from?"  She asked as they walked
       through the living room.
       As they entered the kitchen Mika's eyes went wide.  "Wow..." she
       whispered.  She had never seen such a beautiful kitchen.  There
       were so many ideas that dashed through her head as she took note
       of the fresh herbs and spices.  She nibbled her lip lightly in
       thought as she decided what to cook.  She rested her hands
       delicately on the counter top letting herself feel the flow of
       the kitchen.  The bit of the chef in her took in the feel of it
       so she would be able to work to her fullest.  She wanted the
       meal to be good.
       #Post#: 30853--------------------------------------------------
       Re: A House Not Yet a Home [Hunter/Mika, closed, Sweet Sacrifice
        cont.]
       By: Hunter Date: October 9, 2012, 2:27 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Before he took a seat on the stools on the other side of the
       counter, he meandered to the refrigerator. "Like anything to
       drink, little angel?" He asked, looking over his shoulder at
       her. It's quite likely anything she might ask for is already in
       there.
       He awaits her answer, and moves to fulfill it, and then he takes
       his seat. He seems to be watching her as she moves around the
       kitchen. It's that patient, yet observant attention he has that
       is so often turned upon her. Especially if it's a situation that
       he's never seen her in before. He seems to be absorbing details
       of her.
       As he sits, his eyes following her movements, he explains about
       his defenses. "Those defenses keep any who mean harm from
       crossing my threshold. There is also a special ward against
       wraiths and other such supernatural creatures. It would even
       possibly keep you out, if I didn't know it was you. Sooner or
       later, I will type your energy into the wards, so that they may
       recognize you." Little doubt. This man is fairly smart in his
       field.
       #Post#: 30858--------------------------------------------------
       Re: A House Not Yet a Home [Hunter/Mika, closed, Sweet Sacrifice
        cont.]
       By: Mika Sasaki Date: October 9, 2012, 2:56 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Mika smiled lightly at his question, requesting a choice of
       lemonade.  She thanked him and took a sip before she stared
       moving about the kitchen.  She first went to the fridge to
       figure out what he had available.  Her eyes fell on the ground
       beef and the egg plant.  Her eyes sparkled quietly as she
       decided on what to make.  She sliced the eggplants salted and
       breaded them lightly, before tossing them lightly in the oven.
       She smiled at Hunter and nodded as he described the defenses on
       the house.  "That's amazing, you know so much."  She whispered,
       her eyes falling on his while the contents of the pan simmered
       for a moment.  "I can understand keeping things unwanted out,
       although I would be happy to see my energy typed into the
       wards."
       As the Eggplants cooked she started to work on the ground beef.
       She browned it with some onions and garlic.  She let the meat
       simmer slightly as she added adding cinnamon, allspice, parsley,
       tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and sugar.  Soon the aroma
       started to fill the kitchen as the components of the Moussaka
       started to cook.  She fell into her normal habits as she cooked,
       she hummed and sang lightly.  She kept her attention on Hunter
       as well, but the singing came naturally while she cooked.  She
       quickly went about making a Béchamel sauce.
       #Post#: 30859--------------------------------------------------
       Re: A House Not Yet a Home [Hunter/Mika, closed, Sweet Sacrifice
        cont.]
       By: Hunter Date: October 9, 2012, 4:02 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       His nose twitched slightly. His stomach gave a growl that is
       more than audible, and he looked down at that complaining
       offender with a soft chuckle. "I think my stomach approves of
       the scent of the food, sweet angel." He sat still again, leaning
       forward and simply listening to her sing. A small, secret smile
       curved his lips.
       "Do you want to learn about some of the things I know? Learn
       about the things I've seen?" He asked softly, eyes intent.
       #Post#: 30860--------------------------------------------------
       Re: A House Not Yet a Home [Hunter/Mika, closed, Sweet Sacrifice
        cont.]
       By: Mika Sasaki Date: October 9, 2012, 4:41 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Mika giggled lightly as she heard his stomach respond to the
       aroma's in the room.  She smiled warmly at him, "I'm glad that
       it approves.  Now I just hope that it will approve of the flavor
       as much as the smell."  She pulled out a deep baking dish and
       prepared it.  As the individual components finished their
       preparation she set them around on the counter.  Carefully she
       layered in the ingredients for the right balance as you ate the
       meal.   Topping it off with grated cheese she set it in the oven
       to bake.  She closed the door to the oven just as the song she
       was singing concluded.
       She turned back to Hunter while the Moussaka baked.  She sat
       across from him, watching him movements curiously.  Still taking
       in him movements, and their subtleties now that he was alive
       again.  She nodded lightly, a smile playing across her lips.  "I
       would love to learn about what you know, what you've seen."  She
       always wanted to know more about him, what he knew, what he'd
       been through.  It had played at the back of her mind since the
       night in the closet, when fate had brought her to the hospital.
       "Anything you would be willing to share, I would gladly take in
       as much as I can."
       #Post#: 30862--------------------------------------------------
       Re: A House Not Yet a Home [Hunter/Mika, closed, Sweet Sacrifice
        cont.]
       By: Hunter Date: October 9, 2012, 5:25 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       He smiled softly at her, steepling his fingers. His green eyes
       unfocused as he looked inward for just the sort of thing he
       might want to impart. Something not too sad or heavy. Yet,
       something that she might learn from.
       "Did you know that there are vampires out there that can reach
       across to the side of the world that wraiths exist in? They can
       reach through, displace the Veil between. And attempt to control
       us. It's a danger. That Hospital was a favorite place for them
       to visit. Some of them are not so bad, and yet others are very
       depraved.
       We wraiths have things that tether us here. Fetters. It's
       different for everyone of us. It's terrible for us to lose them.
       It hurts us physically, emotionally. These vampires would
       collect them. Collect them, and control us with them. They
       couldn't find mine. They were one of the reasons I learned so
       much about supernaturals and their weaknesses." He looked at
       her, expecting questions, and more than willing to grant
       answers.
       #Post#: 30864--------------------------------------------------
       Re: A House Not Yet a Home [Hunter/Mika, closed, Sweet Sacrifice
        cont.]
       By: Mika Sasaki Date: October 9, 2012, 6:35 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Mika listened carefully as he wove the scene for her.  She kept
       her eyes on him, her hands rested against her lips, silently
       taking in everything he was telling her.  She nibbled her lip
       lightly as she processed the information.  "So these vampires,
       the try to control wraiths, for what purpose?  Is there a reason
       they were drawn to that hospital?"
       Her brow was furrowed slightly as she pondered through her
       questions.  "So these vampires find what keeps a wraith here and
       that's how they assert their control."   She found her fingers
       twisting through her hair lightly.  There was one question she
       really wanted to ask.  She took a soft breath, "Why couldn't
       they find yours?  Not that I would have wanted someone trying to
       control you....but what was yours?"  Her grey eyes trained up to
       his softly.  It was a question she needed to ask.
       #Post#: 31972--------------------------------------------------
       Re: A House Not Yet a Home [Hunter/Mika, closed, Sweet Sacrifice
        cont.]
       By: Hunter Date: October 23, 2012, 2:09 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       He took a deep breath, dropping his eyes to the counter for a
       moment. He lifted them again, meeting hers head on. He kept his
       voice even, no hesitation. "The vampires desired servants on
       that side of the Veil. As for my fetters? Some of them always
       remained on my person. Others were hidden away. One was
       something, someone they'd never be able to lay their hands on."
       He twisted the heavy ring on his finger from his hand, showing
       it to Mika, handing it to her. "That was one of them. It never
       left my hand." The ring itself is some very heavy metal, wrought
       with careful and fine detail, cradling a clear emerald. Two sets
       of initials sat to either side of the gem. LM and NM. "Another
       is a book that has been mine since before that orphanage. The
       third was the bundle of letters that I rescued from my old
       house. Sent back and forth between my parents during the war."
       He cupped his hands around the glass that sat in front of him.
       It was getting harder for him to look at her.
       "The fourth is a family portrait, one of the only pictures I
       have of my parents. And the fifth, the one they could never
       get..." He closed his eyes, and actively avoided meeting her
       gaze. "The fifth was you."
       #Post#: 31973--------------------------------------------------
       Re: A House Not Yet a Home [Hunter/Mika, closed, Sweet Sacrifice
        cont.]
       By: Mika Sasaki Date: October 23, 2012, 3:16 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Mika watched him as he began to speak.  Listening carefully to
       everything he said, her eyes never left him.  She listened to
       what his fetters were.  As he handed her the ring, she studied
       it for a few moments, turning it in her delicate fingers.  The
       weight of it surprised her slightly, but the fine craftsmanship
       of the ring was a thing of beauty.  She ran her fingers lightly
       over the engravings, the initials, the gem, almost as if she was
       memorizing them.  She handed it gently back to him, knowing it's
       value to him.
       As he continued telling her of the items, she watched him
       carefully.  Taking note of his manor-isms as he spoke, noticing
       his hands cupping his glass.  He listed the items, and she
       nodded softly.  She could see how each of them would be
       something important to him.  As he closed his she tilted her
       head lightly, taking a breath as she listened for what the
       something that they would never be able to lay their hands on.
       His last words left her speechless for a moment.  She was the
       last, she was the thing keeping him here?  The one they could
       never get?  She let the words sink in.  The time she had spent
       with him over the past months, she knew he was important to him,
       but knowing just how important she was.  It took a moment for
       her to find her words again.  She knew he was avoiding her gaze,
       but she reached across the table, and placed her hand on top of
       his.  "All this time, I meant that much to you?  I mean, I could
       tell I was important to you.  You were always there, always
       protecting me."  She squeezed his hand lightly.
       Ever since he had come back into her life, he had made an
       incredible impact on her life.  Trying to imagine life without
       him in it anymore, was painful.  He meant more to her than she
       could put into words at this point.  She bit her lip lightly, as
       she focused her grey eyes on him.  "The fact that I mean that
       much to you.  You know you mean a lot to me, more than I can
       say.  I can't imagine what would have happened if I hadn't
       stumbled into the hospital that day."
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