Winds of Solace

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

"Oh I bet you would like that." Danger would add dryly, not above believing that Alric would tinker with Six's programing for hoots. Amusing - and annoying -- as it may be, Six had her place. The HRD had a function, one she was taking care of at the present time by taking on the role of Danger herself. Downtime wasn't something in place for Six unless she needed some maintenance.

Being as good as her own flesh and blood with a chassis built for infiltration, Six was one of ArcAngel's top of the line models. Never had a complaint - save for Alric's pesky maid protocols.

"Next thing I know, she'd be playing an accordion while singing a jig." or some other rather silly thing.

Her eyes slid close again, the melody and its harmony drifting over her. While she reckoned Alric wasn't too thrilled to be here, she was grateful that he had come along. It meant something. Might not be what most women looked for when being humored, but it was good enough for her.

Her face would somber for a moment, thoughts percolating. If she were to die, publically that is. How would that leave Six? Where would that leave Six?

Now that was a consideration she hadn't quite crossed yet.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

He smiled.

"You don't trust me?" The question was innocuous, he didn't even think about it, but it would mean much.

There was something to be said about that, though Alric wasn't even focused on it. He had zeroed in on an idea, come up with something that he would enjoy seeing done. Once that happened, it was difficult to derail him. Most people knew that, most people were able to recognize that to Alric a goal was important, and more often than not his goals formed of ludicrous ideas that barely had a place in reality.

"We could upgrade her." He mused out loud. "Make her smarter, more independent, maybe place a holographic disguise matrix in her. Plenty of space in her chest."

He smirked at Danger, his ideas slowly coming to form.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Plenty of space in her chest.

That would prompt the slow opening of twin glittering green eyes that would stare daggers at [member="Alric Kuhn"]. That he was right, well, that wasn't a question of debate. Leave it to him to point out that feature. Truth be told, reacting to that was easier than his earlier seemingly harmless question.

Ah. Trust.

Both brows went arching up at his growing speal of possibilities and upgrades. The safer topic. He had a look in his eyes, a certain set of his jaw when it came to ideas that buried seeds deep and took root. Often times they were out of this world, and more often than not, one stood baffled by the sort of gimmicks and ideas that came from the man.

However, crazed and farreaching as he may be, Alric had that sense about him that would strike gold. His ideas may be walking the line of too much spice, but they bore fruit one way or another. It is how he was bound to make Vanir Technologies successful.

She was glad he had not lost that sense of his.

"What makes you think she'd let you anywhere near her bust?" She withdrew her arms from her person, letting them fall to her sides. Walking a bit forward, she'd try to get a better look at just what the walls were made out of. It wasn't organic material. Not like the Killiks on Alderaan. It was different, almost like a mineral.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

Alric scoffed slightly, the smirk not going away as he followed Danger with slow calculated steps. The mineral wall seemed interesting, or at least it did to Danger. For Alric this entire place, it was lacking. Yet there was something here that nothing else could bring, and that was her company. As long as he had that, he would be willing to go nearly anywhere.

"Not like I haven't been there before." Alric said almost too nonchalantly.

There was a hint of amusement in his tone, as though he were recalling something very funny.

Of course this had happened nearly two decades ago, but the memory was vivid within his mind. It had been meant as a prank, a joke, a way to get back at Danger. That had never truly disappeared, the joke, even now he brought it up far too often for his own good. Ironically it was now the one thing that prevented him from achieving his new idea. "Who do you think dressed her?"

He couldn't help himself.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

It was a good thing her focus was on the wall, skimming over nooks and crannies like some tourist out to 'Ooo' and 'Aah' over the monument. He'd not get to see the slight widening of her eyes. The subtle arch of her brows.

His humor would flow over her, much like saltwater on weeping skin. Unintended, but stung still the same. Perhaps, not as quite forgotten as she'd thought. Danger knew what he meant, but there were navpoints around there that dominoed their way down the line. He also would expect her ire. Not responding in kind would be out of the ordinary.

So a flash of irritation would perk a bit of color on her face. As would the roll of eyes and her subsequent straightening.

"I never pictured you the sort to play dress up with dolls, Alric." she'd quip back, "The girls must have loved that when they were young." she'd say in a teasing tone, turning away to wander down further down the corridor. Clasping her hands behind her back, she would amble in a slow observing walk.

"You can ask Six, herself." her informative statement came a few second afterward, drifting back to where the Tetan stood.

"She is independent enough to make her own choices."

And it left it out of her hands.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

"I did have two sisters growing up." He said the words in the same tone as before, though there was a hint of something different. "Comes with the territory."

Alric watched her carefully, eyes following her closely, studying and watching her. His lips thinned slightly, and his gaze cast away from her for half a second, moving to above her on the Cathedral wall. It was as though he sensed a change, a small shift, though his head quickly shook as though he were imagining it, thinking that it might be something different.

As Danger wandered back towards him he nodded. "I will."

He thought that Six would agree, after all what synthetic being would say no to upgrades? Six had never struck him as the sentimental type. The former Titan frowned, watching Danger as she floated passed him.

With a gently hand he reached out and grasped her arm, then pulled her into an embrace.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

"Mhm--"

He caught her unawares, cutting of her audible agreement as Danger found herself drawn into his arms. Surprise made her eyes slightly bulge and her forehead crease. She was enveloped, close enough to feel the bristle of his beard by her temple, the warmth of his breath. His hold was firm, and it was strange to have him be the one to initiate when she'd been the one to do so months prior.

"What are you doing?" she'd ask, a bit startled, somber thoughts of before but a memory in light of this new situation. It was a rather silly question to ask, seeing as how it was pretty evident where his gesture had landed them. But obvious questions were asked when one didn't quite understand the reason behind it. Alric never did anything without reason. Without care. He had been impatient in his youth, yes, but there was still an over arching goal.

Odd that the sensation of being in his arms brought with it a haze of confusion as it did mild comfort. What woman didn't like to be held? And it had been a long, long while.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

Alric didn't have and answer. He would've told her. He would have explained, but he simply didn't know. He didn't know what that feeling had been, he didn't know where the impulse had come to grab and hold his friend. He didn't even know why he was still embracing her, yet he was. At times life was odd, it was complicated, and it was nearly always without any real answers.

Many of the answers that Alric had sought his entire life had never come to him, and many of those that had come had been torn away.

Part of him was still bitter. The greatest answer, or what he thought had been the greatest, had been torn from his arms. Not by his own, not even by his own fault really, that answer had left on its own, ripped away by decisions that had never been explained or revealed. Alric had few things left, few answers remaining within his life.

Danger was an answer.

She was one that he had discovered early in his life and nearly given away.

Perhaps he was simply glad to have her back.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Seconds would pass.

Overhead, Danger heard the gust of wind, the melancholy melody it sang, and then the subtle ragged breath of the man who held her. He held her close, his arms heavy by her shoulders, the scruff of his beard tickling her cheek and her temple. Her face met the crook of his neck, cheek brushing the turned up collar of his jacket. The faint sweet scent of chocolate cherry cake would waft up her nose, and it was such a silly bit of remembrance that she couldn't help but feel a quirk of her lips.

He didn't speak. He didn't answer. Not audibly at least. He simply held her.

It was nice.

Blinking slowly, enough for him to feel the slight tickle of her eyelashes, Danger's fingers twitched. Uncurling, with just a touch of hesitation, her hands would first brush the leather of his jacket. The longer he held her, the bolder she became, until her arms too went snaking around his torso, returning the embrace.

Who was comforting whom? Were they both grasping desperately with no real method of explaining rhyme or reason?

A sting came to her eyes, and she went dipping her head until her forehead met the crux of his shoulder. Lowering her lids as they fell shut, her weight began to melt against the firm wall of his chest.

Finding solace in the wind.