Charles Patricius

[Apollymi]

"Bai Papa!" said Miko as Sousuke stormed off. Of course, he'd be doing what she asked... and maybe a little bit more than that given what he was normally like. Her mother could only softly chuckle to herself as she looked at her daughter who seemed somehow a bit more mature than when she'd seen her a few days ago. "Let me go and make sure he doesn't pack the whole room or anything. You two cuties have a good day. And make sure your aunty gets my number too, okay?" she asked of her daughter. "Hai. I'll do that..." Miko agreed without question. "Alright, we'll see you cuties tomorrow!~" her mother mentioned seemingly pleased but in a rather deviant way. Whatever the case, that wasn't Miko's direct concern. No, instead her heart was beating kind of fast as she thought about the fact that she was about to see her parents for the first time in 300 years and it was exciting and terrifying. She'd do what she was supposed to and make sure Rita got her mother's phone number before she was shoo'd off the property. And she'd hang out a few minutes for some extra comfort before sending Kaguya home with all but one of her bags from the previous day as she had a few items to return and some other things to do.

Rita on the other hand would be leaving the store very early and in Hiroshi's capable hands while she headed out to shop for a romantic dinner and some new lingerie herself. She bore one of the brightest grins of all her life. Meeting her older sister, getting time to spend with her husband, meeting her niece. Apparently even stomping the young Saika had done its fair share to raise her spirits. Nothing could go wrong with her today, and as such she headed towards the shopping district while she mentally planned her husband's favorite meal and dessert as well as something sweet for her niece and new favorite employee. In fact, she'd be going home first, baking a set of cakes while happily humming to herself as they baked. She cleaned her house, she changed the sheets, and even took a shower. It would be a couple of hours and a full cooling time before she came back to decorate the cakes she'd baked. One her husband's favorite and the other... something for the people back at her convenience store.

[Bloodedge]

Everything could go wrong for Nara Rita today. Everything would go wrong. On her way home, she was loosely followed by none other than Kusanagi. He very much enjoyed watching her. That lonely, desperate woman from last night had completely disappeared. What he saw through the kitchen window now was a woman claimed by the uplifting emotion of hope, of... positive expectations. He couldn't wait to see it all crumble. Unlike the night before, Rita was alone in her home... until she wasn't. By the time she was lovingly decorating cakes, Kusanagi was casually picking the lock to her front door without a single worry of being seen. He was swift enough in doing so to look like a resident using a key. One cake was done when he reached the kitchen. As she squeezed frosting onto the second, the green-haired male stepped silently into the room with her. "You make an excellent baker, Nara Rita. The first must be for Suzuki. It's funny... You didn't take his name. I suppose that will be better for everyone in the end," he said, not an ounce of fluctuation in his tone.

Meanwhile, a shrewd-looking salaryman sat in a fine restaurant at a table for two. He looked quite unassuming ─ a plain shirt and tie, well-trimmed hair and so-on. He ate one piece of sashimi after another while wearing the widest of smiles, all while speaking across the table. "It's so good that we've had so much time together lately, Shino-chan! I didn't think I could find any happiness at that dead-end job. I'm so glad you stuck with me after it was over!"

[Apollymi]

There was one perfectly decorated cake, and while the other was being worked on, one Nara Rita would find herself not alone in her home. She might have assumed it was her husband, if she'd been at all conscious of the idea that he'd be home so early. But she wouldn't think something like that... he always put in long hours at the office and she wasn't even mad at him for it. In fact, she was going to offer for him to take fewer hours, maybe allowing the two of them to go away for a weekend or something like that while she had extra help at her convenience store. But... such a thing wasn't even a thought as a rather calm but very unexpected voice appeared within her kitchen with her. She jumped and immediately held her icing piping bag like it was a weapon on front of her. Yes, she looked ridiculous but that didn't make the sudden intrusion any less terrifying. "Who the hell are you? How do you know my husband and why are you in my house?" she rapid fired questions with pure confusion in her eyes, but her instincts told her the man in front of her was way more dangerous than squirting him with some icing would help with. Still, she wouldn't be showing fear of the outrageous sort to anyone... no even while fearful she would remain on-guard lest she end up in a very tricky situation.

At the same time, across from the rather happy looking business man, an equally happy looking girl sat. She was a brunette with wide bright brown eyes and a rather large forehead. She was dressed in designer clothes with a leather jacket and a pencil skirt in white. She wore high end jewelry well above what could have been afforded by a salaryman. "Of course, Shin-san I'd never give up on you!~" she claimed seemingly infatuated. But what were two young business professionals doing out in the middle of the morning together? Well... time would tell.

[Bloodedge]

Kusanagi received the most interesting greeting from Rita. She turned to face him, armed only with a piping bag. Well... he'd seen stranger from people who would proceed to never see daylight again, for one reason or another. "Oya? Are you going to decorate me like one of your little cakes?" he questioned apathetically. Rita showed a great deal of bravery. Many who were visited by this man did so, but it was always fabricated. She had a bit more grit than most others, however. Either way, Kusanagi stepped closer and closer while talking. "I watched you last night. You showed me such a deep range of emotions as you tried to rub away your failure of a marriage. It took everything I had not to slip into your living room and fuck the life out of you. I wonder... what kind of face you would have shown me then?" That random curiosity expressed, Kusanagi reached Rita's location. One finger reached out to swipe icing from the tip of that piping bag. He reached out farther to dot the corner of her mouth, then slowly licked the rest from his finger. "Come with me, Rita-ya. All this happiness you've been bouncing around with today... It's all over."

[Apollymi]

This man had a very ominous presence, not even for the pure sake of being menacing. It was more like the emotions that were missing were more disturbing than what he was saying or doing. Rita couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was something very disturbing about this man. Ah, but he seemed to have a joking and light side, in the face of life or death a bit of humor never hurt anyone. In her case she gave it consideration, "I mean a little icing never hurt anyone. Besides... people can't be upset while eating sweets!" she asserted feeling like the truth was a simple thing.

Ah but this man wasn't just any one. He claimed to have been watching her the previous night, in such great detail that he seemed to understand the emotions she was struggling with, that would have almost made him attractive if he wasn't an absolute stranger in her house. "Peeping on a girl isn't nice. Private moments are private for a reason..." she explained of the situation like one would have explained it to a child who was caught doing something naughty. Though he spoke of 'fucking the life' out of her, that didn't sound as threatening as it could have. This was likely proof that she needed to get laid more than anything else. Between this man and the handsy femboy earlier she was sure she was a hair's breath away from making a bad decision. Still, she wouldn't actually do anything like that she was a woman of her word after all. What was more, a tap of the end of that bag occurred and then the corner of her mouth was touched. She watched him wondering what he was going to do, and found him... licking his finger clean. The claim he made was that she needed to go with him and that sounded fine and all. Still sheer confusion was passing over her eyes. "I don't know what you mean, but as I am in my house and barely dressed...." she murmured seeming to think about what she was about to say next. She was in shorts and a camisole both of which were way too short and too exposing for public consumption. "Can I at least get dressed first?" she asked. If allowed she'd find herself running up to her closet, but as she wasn't a liar she'd return downstairs soon after dressed in a knee length skirt, and a light colored top. Her contacts were still missing so the gentle pink glow of her eyes was visible and oddly enough a little mole was visible under her left eye.

[Bloodedge]

"People can be upset while doing anything. Just imagine... seeing the blood of your own mother spilled onto the first slice of your birthday cake," Kusanagi said in the most casual, offhanded manner. Even while speaking of such dark matters, he licked another fingertip of icing. "I noticed you made this yourself. It's delicious," he commented just as randomly. As for the earlier peepshow he'd taken part in, Rita claimed it wasn't nice. He disagreed. "But you want to be seen. You haven't been touched in so long, if I told you I masturbated while watching you... you would be flattered. And yes, I almost did," the male added.

He'd been far too immersed in watching Rita's masturbation the previous night. Her face contorted in so many wonderful ways. Paired with her voluptuous and unused body, it created a perfect scenario of waste, loss and an eventual death in Kusanagi's mind. He'd been so giddy while thinking about it previously. "Maybe you should have fucked that boy. The despair after realizing what you've done would have been fun to watch. I've been wondering how things would go if you slept with someone bigger than Suzuki-ya. Though... I suppose that could be any man you've met over the past few days." With that said, Kuzanagi took one additional swipe of icing before turning on his heel. That long, green ponytail swished about during his faultless movements, but lo... Rita wished to dress herself. "Mm. I guess people usually get dressed for a funeral," Kusanagi mused, content to wait just briefly. When she came downstairs, Rita did so in a new attire... and most importantly, without her contacts. "Now you're perfect," Kusanagi commented while looking at her. Contact lenses were terrible things for how they affected one's tears, and thus their entire expressions during the moments he favored most. Without further ado, Kusanagi led the way out of the house. Strangely enough, he wasn't taking her very far from her own shop ─ heading toward a certain fine dining restaurant only a block or two away.

[Apollymi]

"Okay, full traumatizing route then..." Rita mentioned seeming to be a bit aghast at the actual idea of anyone witnessing what this man claimed. Of course, she was finding him to be a rather odd mix of things already. He was quite obviously disturbed, he was ominous and for some reason he was stalking her. He was also just as prone to jumping subjects as she herself was, seemingly pleased by the icing he ate, claiming it was good and noticing that she made it herself. "Arigatou..." she stated. "There has to be something wrong with me. Random obviously ominous killer, just complimented my cooking and I am pleased about it," she said shaking her head and rubbing a hand over her face as she sat down the piping bag knowing she wasn't going to get to finish working on her cakes. More disturbing yet, was this man's understanding of her psyche. He seemed to think that she would have been pleased to find out he pleasured himself to her and he was right. Her brows furrowed at the thought. "Yep, definitely something wrong with me." she confirmed for herself.

It seemed he'd been watching her for quite the while, he knew of her early morning issue with the lad she'd been introduced to as a friend of her niece. He claimed she should have had sex with the boy if only to have a stunning realization afterwards. "Look, I have standards. I wouldn't do something like that... " she said. And true enough, she wouldn't have actually gone through with anything. She took her own word quite seriously and wouldn't even let her depression or anything like that drag her into the depths of adultery. Dressed for a funeral. Well, if she was going to die today, at least she'd been happy for a bit. That is the kind of life that Nara Rita lived. But... that didn't really matter this killer seemed almost obsessed with visuals and seeing faces. As such it would seem that her last night might not be a quick death at all. She was mentally preparing herself for the worst possible outcome of her life. And once she slipped on a pair of strappy heels she left in this green haired man's company to die as far as she understood it.

[Bloodedge]

Perhaps the death Rita had in mind was a better alternative to what she would be seeing. If that were the case, things were much better for Kusanagi. She was so high all throughout the day. He'd drop her lower than the depths of hell itself if he could, but he would not be killing her. Actually, he didn't want her too downtrodden along the way. "Keep your head high. I'm not killing you," he assured, looking over his shoulder as they exited the house. They would walk and walk, taking about ten minutes at a gradual pace to reach one of the finest restaurants in the district. "Do you like sashimi, Rita-ya?" he questioned, stopping across the street from the restaurant. Rita's foolish husband was right there in plain sight, staring almost lovingly across the table at the brunette girl he dined with. "Maybe if you don't... that's why he's here having it now?" he asked rhetorically, nodding toward the window where the oblivious male reached across the table... seemingly to grab that young woman's hand. "I've always liked sashimi. So perfectly sliced, so finely. It's like... little strips of flesh. That's not a bad idea. . ."

[Apollymi]

Together, Rita and this strange killer walked for reasons that Rita assumed included her eventual demise. But perhaps... this wasn't the case. The green haired man claimed that she wouldn't be dying today and as such she could walk with her head held high. "You know, you haven't done anything directly to me to make me doubt you... but it's a tiny bit cliché for you to say that to me," she commented absently. Still, perhaps her shoulders relaxed just a tad. If she wasn't dying today though, what was so important this man had been stalking her for multiple days and broke into her house just to make her come out again.

Eventually they stopped in the middle of the restaurant district. It was far too populated a place for Rita to think anything truly negative would be happening to her body. But the curiosity of this strange man was something she'd not expected. "I mean, Sashimi is fine, but I am a bit picky about who cuts the meat," she explained of her own preferences. Careful cuts were necessary and not every sashimi place was the same... she had to respect the knife work of a chef to truly enjoy a place like that so she was a bit picky.

Ah and now all made sense. Her husband was in this place, sitting with a woman she'd seen in his office. It might have been innocuous but... she knew his face. She knew that look as she used to be the one sitting across from it. Her face shifted, and it was slight at first her brows drew together and her bottom lip quivered. No. Her husband was supposed to be a work. He was working and she was working so they could make their dreams come true together. Surely she just couldn't see right given her lack of contact lenses. No that wasn't true, she wore those simply because she had a light sensitivity issue and they helped shape her corneas. No... that was her husband, happily eating sashimi and holding hands with some woman he worked with, one tear trickled down her left eye immediately and she wiped it away instantly. Oddly enough... initially she wasn't even mad at that woman. It wasn't her fault... she'd not been the one who entered into a long term monogamous relationship with Nara Rita. Her world was crashing. She was at work 12 hours a day too. She had young boys throwing themselves at her and he... was taking some girl out on a date.

[Bloodedge]

"I'm not the kind of person people doubt," Kusanagi said plainly. In his line of work, when things were said, they were meant. His word was among the more respected in that regard, as he was one of few that remained of firm intent. Just the same, when he decided something... he hunted that something. In this particular case, he was hunting one Suzuki Shinichi. He was hunting Nara Rita in a different manner, specifically related to her facial expressions. It seemed she was fond of sashimi, so long as it was properly sliced. He could surely manage that; he was always very good at slicing. "I may try my hand at it. . ." he mused absently.

Now then, there was a reason he brought Rita to this place. She could see her husband and recognize the look in his eye as he gazed across the table. She watched him... and Kusanagi watched her. That tear was wiped away too quickly; how sad. Ah, but it wasn't sad. Something about the desperate grasp at composure made a breakdown that much sweeter. "She almost looks like a poor imitation of you, Rita-ya. There's always something interesting about that sort of situation. It's so much better than all the others. The nanny, the maid, the secretary ─ Well, it still is that last one. If you're wondering, your husband hasn't worked in two months. Oh... maybe this is just him trying to schmooze his way back in? I bet you'd like to believe that."

[Apollymi]

"You've given me no reason to doubt you. Aside from you breaking into my house and admitting to spying on me... I don't actually have a problem with you," Rita admitted. Actually, saying that exact set of sentences aloud made her realize she was indeed quite strange. It was kind of crazy for her to think the way she did about things like this. A man who gave off the ominousness of his one making sashimi made Rita wonder if he meant to use the kinds of meat normally meant for it. Perhaps she'd hold off on agreeing to try any strange cooking for now, and offer the man some cake, it seemed she was about to have a whole extra one.

What was more, she now had a man studying and narrating her mental anguish. It would have been almost comical... if she wasn't watching her life fall apart right in front of her. What kind of sick joke was this... her husband and an intern. How many of those late nights working were just an excuse to bed some young thing. Rita wasn't actually self-conscious. She knew herself to be attractive, if nothing else, the last couple of days had cemented in her mind the idea that if she wanted to seek a man's touch outside of the relationship it was possible, but she wouldn't do something like that. She was too morally righteous. But what would be done. According to this green haired man... her husband and been out of work for two months. "Really?" she said almost rhetorically. Two months he'd been doing this... then how were bills being paid and who was fronting his affair. If it was her she was more furious by the moment. Though the idea was tossed out that he might be trying to get his job back by talking to this girl. "Oh yes, the bottom of the barrel intern who is barely able to type, his words not mine... is going to get him his job back. I'm emotionally devastated not stupid." she replied. Speaking of stupidity the girl sitting across from her husband was not so clever. So used to getting her way was Matsui Shino that when she casually looked out the window and noted the appearance of his wife across the street, she leaned over the table aiming to capture her husband's lips in a passionate kiss. All the while, she was giving Rita the side eye, wanting her to know by expression alone that she'd taken what was hers. "That little floosy!" True anger was boiling in Rita and now she had to look. She had to know what all she'd been falling for, how long it'd been going on and she needed to file for divorce. She wasn't going to allow him to feed his bimbo on her dime on her hard work!! Her fists were tightening enough for her to stab into her palms. She needed to do something her life was spiraling out of control, but she was far too much an upstanding citizen to make a scene. She was so angry she wanted to scream, but her voice was already raspy from holding back her own wailing. She wanted to cry but she didn't want to waste her tears but still, they'd started to fall again without her consent, her pinkish eyes glistening in the light.

[Bloodedge]

Kusanagi sought one thing on his contracts: the contortions of faces that accompanied enhanced emotional states. She wasn't going to get anything out of Rita's husband just yet, but he would get what he sought from Rita herself... and then, later, the man. Rita was so interesting to watch. She had a certain beauty about her while trying to fight against emotional outbreak. Those who entered a shell to protect their own mental wellbeing were always so fun to watch. Through all that struggling, the tiniest of changes were piling up one atop another. Such would be the case until the proverbial dam burst; that was what he waited for. "I believe her inability to type is because she's been developing carpal tunnel syndrome from giving so many terrible handjobs beneath desks and tables. Judging by the way her mouth extends, she's also quick to get lockjaw," he observed, taking it as a matter of fact.

Oh, things were becoming more entertaining still. Matsui Shino witnessed Rita, deciding to kiss the woman's husband as an act of defiance against their marriage... or something of the sort; Kusanagi didn't care about that part. What he did care about... what almost made him snap once again... was much simpler. "Oh, she's... a terrible person too. That makes things interesting," he mused calmly ─ at least externally. "In my free time earlier, I reserved a room at a specific love hotel. What do you want to do now that you've been provoked, Rita-ya?"

[Apollymi]

This green haired man was full of interesting commentary. He claimed to know as fact the woman's habits of sleeping her way to the top. That wasn't even a particular grevience that someone like Rita could have. She thought that girls should do what they wanted, but there was something about the kind of girl who would... purposefully try and steal another's husband, who would feel so validated by the attention that they'd rub it in someone's face, which strictly speaking disgusted her. "You know what I think is annoying about that... I know him well enough to know that he likely thinks he's special," she said as if annoyed by her own choices in the moments. She released her hands and felt blood running down her palms. She wasn't that sort of self-destructive. She would have to treat those wounds and gather all the necessary information. "And I never understand those kinds of choices," she said about the girl in particular. Sure she was young, but within only five minutes of witnessing her actions it was obvious she was a terrible person. Were men truly always so blinded by the sensations of their cocks that they were willing to ignore walking talking red flags? She supposed the answer was yes, given what she was seeing here.

Moving on from the obviously shitty person that inherited her husband, Rita was left with a strange line of information. He'd reserved a specific room at a love hotel and he wanted to know what the desperate house wife would do now that she was being provoked. A sigh escaped her, she was far from defeated but it was also against her morals and nature to retaliate just for the sake of it. Her life was spiraling out of control and she wanted to... take it back. "Well, in truth I am going to head over and get divorce papers. Then I am going to go home and go through my finances... I'm taking back control of my life and I am going to ruin the rest of his..." she said with an undue amount of calm. She'd been doing her best, sticking by her marriage and all... for her husband to go and get himself stolen by a woman who can't even type who was dumb enough to want him to obviously take care of her, when he wasn't even capable of taking care of himself. It was such a tragedy. "Oh, and I have to give away the cakes. I'm not feeding him." There was a slight imbalance to her face, but there was a certain sharpness to her eyes suddenly, like she was going to play the long game for her vengeance.

[Bloodedge]

Shinichi did indeed seem the type to thinking he was special in the intern's eyes. Better still, that girl thought she had an advantage. Kusanagi knew better. Things would soon be taking a very massive turn. All he wanted to know now, was what Nara Rita would be doing. He mentioned having reservations at a particular love hotel, wondering how she would take that information... and what kind of expression she would wear while thinking it over. What she showed him was determination. Oh, how droll. "That's a shame... but it's also exciting," Kusanagi spoke. Though he would have run this woman through in all manner of literal and metaphorical senses, his mention of a love hotel had a very specific purpose. While she sought divorce papers and the like, he could be acquiring something interesting. "That love hotel I mentioned. It happens to be the same one frequented by that girl over there. If you're looking to ruin a life... I can help you in a lot of ways. And, you're in luck. I like you, Rita-ya. I can help you ruin the rest of that man's life at no monetary cost. I just want to see interesting expressions. I think I can still get a few out of you... and some different ones out of those two."

[Apollymi]

Rita was at an interesting point in her life. While she was definitely falling apart she couldn't help but be furious and want to thrive in spite of everything she was feeling. It wasn't necessarily natural to her to want to be petty, nor was she one to ruin another unjustly. Apparently, her decision was a shame but also rather exciting... She looked at this man and found him odd. She couldn't really understand his motivation but apparently, he'd be a bit forthcoming about that sort of thing in the near future. His words would oddly bring a smile to her face, those expressive pink eyes of hers jumping with just a bit of amusement. It was so strange to hear someone say the things this green haired man said to her with a straight face. "Sou ka, you saying you like me is a bit confusing... but I am not the type to turn down help when I need it. Nor am I the type to disparage people for their hobbies," she said. Whatever this man liked about expressions she wouldn't be getting in his way.

"So the name of that love hotel, in my things to do today, I kind of need to check my credit card statements, bank accounts and... probably set up a doctor's appointment to make sure he didn't give me anything that skank caught," she mused. Of course, there was a certain bitterness to her words, as if she was truly upset, but it was hardly worth the extra consideration. She was a bubbling ball of rage, but also probably on the verge of cracking in some specific ways. But this wasn't the first time she'd reign in control of her life in a destructive to semi-destructive way. Her husband deserved to pay, for having sex with her cheap knock-off, for probably stealing her money and for wasting years of her life. That last part was the main one which stung, she'd poured years of her life into trying to make their relationship bloom the last few months had felt like such a struggle beyond reason, and it turns out... the reason he couldn't see her efforts was because he was too busy looking up the skirt of a skank who also gave bad handjobs. How stupid.