*sigh!* The Plights of Linnea (Lin and Cas)

*the young blonde girl shuffled into her room, kicking off her boots and sliding off her socks. Linnea allowed herself to collaps in the bed, one that was beginning to be quite familiar to her as she came back every night, exhausted from dealing with many people of the Sunlit Kingdom. Everywhere. Being a medic in a kingdom was hard work*

"Wouldn't you say, Nos?"

*the blue dragon who had floated behind her and settled on the desk piped up curiously. He wasn't a mind reader, so she continued her statement*

"That working is starting to get difficult?"

*he grumbled in response, what she believed to be somewhat of a shrug. He seemed to have a great amount of energy. At least compared to her. Sighing she placed the back of her wrist over her eyes, thinking. Over and over Linnea had also trained with Nos, and now he could hold his form very well. He was able to use force and his water was growing ever powerful. However...it was her she was worried about. She wanted to help, not just make Nos and other things around her do the work. But she wasn't very proficient in weapons to tell the truth and she knew it all the same. Maybe if she...got the help of someone she knew?*

"AH!"

*her figure suddenly bolted upright in bed, making Nos squeak in surprise. He opened his eyes mildly to check on her, realized it was just Linnea being Linnea, and then returned to his rest*

'Why didn't I think about it before. That's so silly of me....how could I not have..have..thought about it.'

*rushing out of the room, Linnea ran to the other side of the 3 sided floor, around to the white wooden door. The knob was golden colored, just like hers was. Lin rapped her knuckles upon the wood rapidly, mischievous and with no politeness*

"Cassius open up, open up, open up! I have an idea!"

*the sounds of his violin stopped abruptly the minute he heard the rapid sound of pounding on his door. Cassius was on the balcony of his room overlooking much of the ocean, the setting sun laying itself upon its waves' surfaces. The balcony was one he was graced with by his half cousin, Skye... Though everyone, Alyss especially, had gotten much bigger rooms. But he was grateful to have been able to stay with his sister and have such a safe place to stay. Compared to what he had back home at least.

Speaking of home, Cassius was beginning to get much better at the language everyone else spoke, instead of his native tongue. He could still speak it of course, and he was learning to be both bilingual. Most of all, Cassius was afraid of losing his fluency in Italian and then having a larger range of words for English. Hopefully this wouldn't happen.

Anyways, the bow of is violin stopped in its movement and on the table on his left side he set first the bow down and then then the violin itself. He pondered for just a second before moving to the door; Linnea was a bright girl, bouncing with sunshine, like her energy was. She was the light of his life, one he wanted to protect very much...but sometimes she worried him. Such as, for example, ideas she happened to come across. And how she happened to involve him in these brilliant ideas. He didn't even want to think 'whatever could it be'. Afterall it could be anything. And anything meant anything. Most of her ideas were quite the disaster.

But...somewhere inside of him liked it. It was fun, going on adventure with his twin sister. They seemed like such different people, some might not even think they were related. Their features were so unique and completely contrasting, most would think he came from a completely different world than she did. And their personalities were so different. He was quiet and enduring, tall and broadshouldered while she was loud and boisterous, short and tiny, like a child, but with beautiful, womanly curves-- Ah. He caught himself. Ahem. Crossing over towards the door, Cassius opened it to let in Linnea*

*the barefoot girl ran into the room full speed, collapsing into Cassiu' bed the same way she did hers, face down. She inhaled, breathing in the musky, earth scent of his pillow and blankets. It had a calming effect all the time, and thankfully her twin brother brought the scent with him. Linnea turned over on the brown bear sheeted bed to face him*

"Hi."

*Linnea giggled a little, sat up on the back of her thighs and then sat cross legged upon the bed. Her lips were curled into a mischievous smile*

"I have an idea, Cass, I do."

"Oh? An idea huh."

*he shifted on his other foot, also bare as Linnea's was. He also had removed his shirt whenhe had gotten in the room previously, comfortable as the open balcony blew on bare chest. Black pants was the only thing he wore. This scene wasn't too rare. Linnea would run into his room and take his bed, sometimes for a reason (like now) or sometimes for none. She would come in, want to listen to music or want to explore (again) or want to eat and they both would go down to the kitchen. He would make something for her and Lin would have a midnight snack with him and be speaking a mile a minute. it would depend on how she felt at that moment*

"Where's Nosferatu?"

"Ah, he's sleepy, very sleepy. He didn't come."

*she brushed it off, shrugging her shoulders. Linnea shook her sandy blonde hair, exclaiming*

"But I really have an idea. Really! It's good!"

*her small body bounced lightly in her excitement as she looked over her brother*

"Hold.."

*Cassius crossed the room to grab a shirt. Linnea must have not noticed that he was bare chested. That or she had gotten used to it. Taking a fresh shirt that was draped on a chair in the corner, Cassius slipped the piece of clothing over himself, his back to Linnea. Then he crossed to his violin and placed both it and its bow into the black dilapidated case. Cassius snapped the silver levers on the side, sat the case upright against the wall. Standing up again, he settled to the foot of his bed to listen to her*

"Alright."

*Linnea watched her brother work for a moment, putting away things. Her impatience got the better of her most of the time, but she took a breath. Her brown eyes just watched him. When he finally settled, she began her story*

"Well....I was in my room tonight...and I was thinking. When I fight I can't do much, right? I summon my monsters, but I can't help Nos or do any damage myself...But! But then I thought...what if I learn how to use a weapon! And the next thought was...who else can use a weapon that I know..! You of course!"

*she smiled wide, pouncing on him just a little. She turned on her back, laying the back of her head on his lap. Her eyes looked up at him eagarly*

"Good idea, right? Won't you teach me how to use the sword?"

*Cassius chuckled nervously when Linnea in his lap. She using a weapon seemed like quite the bad idea...she never seemed to have the right balance for weapon training. But he leaned back a little and looked down her body, sizing up his own sister: she was small and not particularly fast despite her stature. Reaching his hand out, Cassius grabbed her wrist, twisting it firmly under his grip*

"OW!!! CASSius...!"

*she cried out, sitting up immediately. Her arm lurching forward to lessen the pain. Linnea pulled just a bit on her arm to struggled, but that only resulted in a sharp stinging pain shooting up her arm. Wincing, she looked at her brother confused, tears nearly in her eyes*

"Wh-What did I do...?!"

"Nothing. Do not move so much."

*he lessened his grip, rubbing down her wrist with his right hand and his left hand relaxing her back into his lap. She shouldn't have moved, it wouldn't have hurt. He laughed a bit though...Linnea resembled a trap bird for a second. Cassius mended her wrist, massaging the delicate joint. Her bones seemed brittle. She wouldn't be able to survive but a few blows*

"Your hands and joints are not very flexible. And your bones are....gentle."

*he left go of her wrist for good, not sure if the last word was right. Gentle didn't seem to be the correct word of choice. Damn his lack of English vocabulary*

"Gentle...?"

*Linnea flexed her wrist, not understanding what he meant at first. Gentle was definitely not a word usually used. Perhaps he meant...fragile.......which was completely true. Linnea was a type of girl who could stand a few hits (! she reassured herself), but after that she was like glass. She could heal herself, but it wouldn't do much to help. Her fatigue was low as well. She got the message*

"So you're saying I wouldn't do well in combat huh."

*her cheeks puffed in annoyance, growing red. Her brown eyes looked up at her brother and then turned towards him, a little angry*

"...Well..I think I'd do fine.."

*Cassius was going to worry some. He didn't mean to upset his sister. But then he realized that it was stubborn Linnea being stubborn Linnea. She wasn't getting what she really wanted, and the only thing stopping her was something she couldn't change; her own body. Cassius poked her blonde head, smiling*

"I am sure Nosferatu and the others do not mind that you do not use a weapon. You have an important job already...you are a healer, do you not remember? Healing can be used on the monsters too, when they get hurt."

*he thought for a while...Linnea always wanted to help in whatever way possible and gave herself 150% everytime. But this time she was going over what she could handle. Cassius doubted she would be able to both heal and fight at the same time*

"It is why people think that your job is good. When people cannot fight, you help them fight by healing them. In that way, you are fighting too just without a weapon."

"......I suppose you're right. But it wouldn't hurt...to learn a weapon right..?"

*Linnea spoke in Cassius' shirt, the words slightly muffled. She turned to him again and sighed*

"I just didn't feel too confident. Soon, a match might come up with someone and what if I get knocked off one of the summons. I'm useless alone, Cass. What can I do?"

*her small body wriggled, uncomfortable with the image. How dreadful it would be if that were to happen. Determined, Linnea's hands grabbed his collar forcefully, and pulled him toward her with her little strength. Her eyes looked furiously into his*

"You will teach me anyways! I don't care what you say!"

*Cassius was alarmed at first and then realized it was merely stubborn Linnea being...stubborn Linnea. She was willing to do whatever it took to meet her goal anyway, even if the odds were against her. A sigh escaped his lips..and then tensed. A tongue ran across them quickly, wetting them momentarily as his blue eyes looked into Linnea's. There was something odd...something strange. He felt this odd sensation. And he had felt it before. Linnea. What is she to him again? Right. He is her guardian and will always be her guardian brother. Then a little voice in the back of his head mumbled...*

'Are you sure...?'

*what came from him was a gasp, a bit loud as he stumbled away from his sister's tiny hold. His figure scrambled off the bed, standing immediately. His body was quivering slightly, awkwardly walking to pick up a solitary bouken in the top right corner of his room. The bamboo sword quaked in his hand and it dropped out of what used to be cautious, strong hands.*

'What in hell is wrong with you, get a grip...'

*he asked himself as he bent on one knee to grab it from the floor. For some reason, he just..couldn't stop shaking. Turning his heel, he faced Linnea. A voice once husky and strong, came out nervous and in robotic English*

"Lin..nea. Let's go practice t-then..."

"Cassius. What's the matter..."

*her body slinked towards him, seemingly depressed. Her eyes grew sad. He jumped out of the bed quite quickly. Did she say something wrong?*

"What did I do? What can I do to help? Did I offend you?"

*her small hands grabbed the bouken's handle, wrenching it from his...oddly, trembling fingers. That did not seem cold. She held one between both of her hands. They still seemed small, compared to his. Not that he was very large, but still. The little blonde girl pulled him towards the bed again, urging him to sit down*

"If I'm doing something wrong, just tell me. I just want to learn how to use weapons so I can do this right!"

*sighing, she looked up at Cassius, who seemed to just sit there. Something was odd about him. He wasn't who he usually was..did something happen within the last 10 seconds?*

"You want to learn...how to use weapons huh.."

*Cassius repeated what Linnea had been saying for the last 5 minutes straight (aka last 5 posts). It was strange...it was no longer about the idiot training. Something hit him and it hit him like a boulder. Something both...wrong. But so right*

"I will teach you Linnea..but....."

*he took a breath, closing his eyes for a brief second. Then Cassius turned to her again, coming close and looking into her chocolate brown eyes*

'Under...'

"Under..."

'Some conditions...'

"Some...conditions."

'What is...'

*a cherry red color flushed to Linnea's face immediately. Something was strange in Cassius' eyes. Not like it wasn't there before...she had seen it several times, but dismissed it. It had no affect on who he was, apparently, so she did not take it too seriously. Blinking butterfly lashes, Linnea's lips quivered a little...but this time..the gaze was.....*

"Yeah..? And what might those be, Cas?"

*she mumbled, her head tinted downwards, blonde bangs covering her eyes. She was never shy around Cassius, why now of all times? She never would tell a lie to him, she told him everything. But..there was something up with her brother..*

'Now that won't do..'

*Cassius leaned in, at the same time with his right hand, he positioned it around her dangling arm and on the middle of her back, supporting it gently. With his left, he placed it softly upon her forehead, pushing her head up so slightly. Then without another beat, his lips entwined with hers, quickly and with firm force. His right hand braced her pulling her in just a tad deeper. His lips parted for a moment for air, and then pressed against her again, drinking her in this time*

'Is this...what forbidden fruit tastes like?'

'Oh my, delicious, yes?'

*the dark blue haired man could respond at nothing but part from his sister only for a moment, lips with baited breath running along Linnea's jawline, down towards her neck. Cassius gave it the most caring of kisses..he loved her so much, he could not explain it. The way he was expressing it now was different... And he just wanted to do it again*

'Cassius....'

*her heart had stopped for about 3 seconds. She forgot how to breathe. That was her...first kiss. She gave it to...Cassius? Something with this statement didn't sound bad, but was "bad" was the fact that he HAD kissed her. Linnea felt something strange, something lingering in his kiss...it was not innocent..it was of..passion and love and..*

''Cassius..."

*her voice came out small. Her heart had started beating again, a small jump start as he began to work softly on her neck. Her body was shaking. She pushed him back immediately, as hard as she could. Her brown eyes looked up at him, her lips trembling. With one hand, Linnea brought her hand across Cassius' cheek. She slapped him...hard. Her body shook in nervousness and confusion as Linnea got up, and quickly walked out of the room, slamming the door behind her*

*reality crashed into him like a bullet train. The mark was red on his face, a deep dark scarlet. Shame. As his sister moved from the room, the slamming door made him jump. The minute it closed, Cassius dropped, face first into the bed, his right fist pounded twice, once hard, the next weaker. His eyes looked up from the blankets, his inner being twisted and confused*

'What the hell is wrong with me...she's your sister you...'

"Sciocco(Fool)!!"

*Cassius screamed the word into the blankets in Italian. He laid there for a while, unsure what to say or do. A breeze ran through the room*

'But something was right about it...'

*turning on his back Cassius glared up at the ceiling. He came to a realization, saying it towards the white painted wall*

"If there is anything...I do not think of Linnea as a sister. That I know for.....a fact."

*he paused for a few seconds before throwing a pillow at the west wall. It crashed softly, then slid down the wall as he yelled in frustration out loud, this time not muffling his voice. Cassius is known to be a calm person, even in dangerous or dire situations. But this time...he had never been so frustrated. Cassius Redhunt had never shown such anger and confusion so much in his entire life*

'I have to apologize.'

*jumping out of bed, Cassius sighed, paced a whole circle before taking a breath and opening his door. He traveled around the U-shaped area to the other side where his sister's room was. The door was closed...and it was quiet. That to him, was never a good sign...with one hand, he knocked on the door*

"Linnea."

*her mouth didn't open and that was the way she wanted it. She wanted to be silent. Nosferatu wasn't in the room and for once she was glad he wasn't. Linnea just sat at the foot of her bed, curled upon and clutching a pillow. What was that, what just happened?*

'Maybe I just...was dreaming. Cassius wouldn't..'

*a fingertip touched her lips. Slowly, Linnea ran a tongue over them...the taste was different from hers. Familiar..but unfamiliar all the same. Linnea shoved her delicate face into the pillow and groaned in defeat*

*her silence made him feel even more guilty. Clenching his teeth, no longer was his hand kind. His closed fist knocked firmly upon the door, not once but twice. His voice grew louder and stronger, but his accent grew thicker with his panic*

"Lin-ne-ah! I am sorry..! I am.."

*there was no way he could lose her. He could take anything right now but that. Confused and distraught, Cassisu' forehead hit the door. His voice came out weak and in annihilation*

"I'll teach you...No conditions, okay? Just..."

'Dammit it all..'

*his forearm came to have him rest against it, leaning on the door for support. What else could he do?*

*it was still quiet at first. And then the door opened a crack. Linnea, or half of her, peeked out. Only her left brown eye, some of her white dress and her blond ehair could be seen*

"You really mean it..? You'll teach me? And you won't do that again, will you?"

*as she opened the door, his body nearly fell forward. If his forearm wasn't there to catch and bound him backward of course. His looked at only half of Linnea's face...at least she hadn't been crying. Cassius cleared his throat*

"Yes I will really teach you...And no..I won't do that to you again..I'm sorry."

*he didn't lie. Cassius wouldn't do anything Linnea wouldn't like for him to do...however, again at this point he could not say he didn't think her differently. Linnea was someone who could not be a sister to him. Introducing herself when they were only 17 years old, when all life had been settled and everything seemed to just be accepted, it was impossible to suddenly think of her as blood. They never acted like it, she was always climbing on his shoulders, asking him for a ride on his back when she was tired, she leaned on him often. And how he cherished this. Their personalities were completely different--hell, they didn't even look related that that matter; it was difficult to think the two were twins when they were so opposite: her blonde hair, his dark; her brown eyes, his blue; she was so small and delicate, while he was tall and athletic. Something was always wrong with the picture. Either way, he had met her too late in his life...she could not be a sister to him. But...he could always act like it. If it made her happy he could act like she was. A mention of her being anything else had to be pushed into the depths of a never-ending ditch. He wouldn't make promises thoughts wouldn't resurface. It would just take time for him to get used to it*