Long Way Down (Fish)

[SongofWindchimes]

Marco was dead to the world, oblivious to anything going on around him, not even twitching at any noise, or even Charisma's voice. Eventually, though, he started to stir a bit, blinking slightly and giving a small groan. He looked, and felt, like he'd been run over by a stampede of Donphan. What in the hell...?

That was when the memories from last night came back, and he suddenly jerked upright, immediately looking toward the couch. Marco relaxed slightly when he saw Charisma there, but the confirmation that she was still here didn't stop him from getting out of the chair despite his body's protests. He hadn't had a drop of alcohol, and he still felt like he was having the worst hangover of his life.

"Charisma...?" he said a little softer than he'd intended. He winced a little and rubbed his hand, then shook his head; deal with pain later, make sure she was alright now. "You...you okay...?" Please be okay.

[KARP KARP!]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv181/SojiRem/charismaposttable.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 darkviolet none,b,Table][scrolly:h(240),w(282),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:48px;margin-left:212px;)]"I feel like I got caught between a pair of Snorlax," she murmured, rubbing her head and sipping her coffee. "I made a fresh pot of coffee, if you want some," she said, having no memory of the night before, but....she had to wonder. He looked terrible, yet there was no evidence that he'd had any to drink... "When did you get here? Are you alright? Oh Arceus...Marco, What did I do??" She cringed again at the sound of her own voice. "Ugh...." she lay back completely on the couch. [/scrolly]

[SongofWindchimes]

The idea of coffee did momentarily tempt him, but the thought quickly left his mind at Charisma's sudden bout of panic. He walked over and carefully sat on the edge of the couch. "Hey, don't worry. I'm okay," he said gently, keeping his voice soft so not to irritate her headache. He rubbed the back of his neck, forcing a weak smile, only to be reminded during the action that his hair was a complete mess. Hell, all of him was a complete mess right now.

The attempt at a smile faded with a faint sigh. He didn't want to tell her about last night, but not saying anything would probably just make her assume something horrible. "And, well...I tried to take away your beer, and we got in a minor screaming match," he admitted.

[KARP KARP!]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv181/SojiRem/charismaposttable.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 darkviolet none,b,Table][scrolly:h(240),w(282),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:48px;margin-left:212px;)]Charisma shuddered at his explanation, tears coming to her face. "I don't remember anything....I don't know what I said...but...I shouldn't have...I mean..." She sobbed, then tried to talk again. "The last thing I remember is buying the beer...I was just so upset over the bombing, and the band hadn't spoken since...I broke my morals....I only fear the worst....Marco...I've failed..." She set her coffee on the table, burying her face in her palms. [/scrolly]

[SongofWindchimes]

That shudder made Marco wince, before Charisma even started speaking. He closed his eyes, trying to hold back his own tears and failing. He looked at her again, and he felt the sudden urge to pull her into his arms and just hold her. It surprised him, but all the same it was hard for him to fight it.

He settled for moving closer to her. "Don't say that," he told her firmly, trying to gently pull her hands away from her face. "Charisma, look at me. Please."

Marco tried to swallow down a sob of his own. "You didn't fail. You slipped. You're human. And I've already forgiven you. I just...I should have been there for you. I'm sorry."

[KARP KARP!]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv181/SojiRem/charismaposttable.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 darkviolet none,b,Table][scrolly:h(240),w(282),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:48px;margin-left:212px;)] Charisma shuddered at his touch, and looked at him; she had no makeup, and she looked horrible, her hair all over her head. "I've never needed anyone before...All I've been through, I made it on my own..that's who I've been, a loner," she began. "I didn't need a friend, I didn't need comfort, I didn't need that...garbage," she hissed, looking toward the kitchen. "Marco...what makes this time different? I've always been the loner...the outcast...Why do I crumble now? And Marco...what exactly did I do? I didn't hurt anyone, did I? Oh Arceus....did I do something to you?" [/scrolly]

[SongofWindchimes]

Marco tried not to wince at when she spoke of not needing others. Despite himself, that hurt a little, even though her independence was something he'd always admired about her. He did follow her gaze toward the kitchen momentarily. Any other time, he'd feign offense at her description of the beer, but right now he actually agreed with her; the idea of drinking turned his stomach.

But he knew he couldn't keep dodging. "You didn't hurt anybody. We both did a lot of yelling, and then you ran out of steam and passed out. I was already a mess when I showed up here. I've been a mess for days. But I...I had to see you." The last sentence came out a bit quieter.

"And you're not an outcast," he added, trying his best to crack a smile. "Whether you like it or not, you're stuck with me." The near-smile wavered as he continued, "And even though I'm an ass who normally can't be serious for more than a second...I...You mean a lot to me."

[KARP KARP!]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv181/SojiRem/charismaposttable.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 darkviolet none,b,Table][scrolly:h(240),w(282),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:48px;margin-left:212px;)] Charisma just listened quietly. "Well...if I said or did anything wrong...and I have this feeling that I did...I didn't mean it. I wasn't me last night. Haven't been myself since the bombings..." Her voice trailed off, and she looked away. Sliding closer, Charisma put an arm around Marco, resting her head idly on his shoulder in sort of a half-hug. "I'm not stuck. I'm with you, and the band, because I wouldn't know what to do without you. You mean alot to me too, Marco. I just don't usually need human support. But...thanks. Really....thank you," she whispered, closing her eyes. [/scrolly]

[SongofWindchimes]

Marco gave a genuine smile. "Already forgiven, remember? Just don't worry about it." It wasn't just her actions that made him reluctant to share, after all. Something about admitting that their shouting match was also a wrestling match made him very uncomfortable.

The contact surprised him somewhat; Charisma had never really been one for that kind of thing. There were days when Trish seemed more touchy-feely than her. Marginally, and certainly not with him, but still. He looked at her leaning against him, and that urge to just hold her surfaced again. He gingerly put his arm around her in return.

"Just don't forget that I'm always here if you do need me, okay? Always. Even if you just want me around. No matter what, I'd rather be with you than anyone..."

That...didn't quite come out right, Marco realized a moment after he said it. Not that he didn't mean it, and normally he probably wouldn't have given it a second thought, but...

You love chasing everyone else!

"How's your headache?" he asked a bit too suddenly, and part of him was berating himself for it. He'd already told her not to worry about what happened, so why did everything he say seem to have a double meaning right now? This was Charisma, dammit.

[KARP KARP!]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv181/SojiRem/charismaposttable.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 darkviolet none,b,Table][scrolly:h(240),w(282),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:48px;margin-left:212px;)]"If you say so," she whispered, leaning into his touch. Normally, Charisma was about as cuddly as a cactus but for some reason, she just wanted to be held. "I don't see how anyone would rather be around me...I'm not bubbly like Holly, I don't have that cool, dark, air like Trish, and I'm no charmer like you. I'm just the bassist...off in the corner. I can't let anyone in...never felt need to. And now that I need someone..." Her voice broke off, and she just buried her face in his shoulder. "It's easing up, I guess," she finally murmured. She looked up at him after a while, tears coming to her eyes again. "Marco...? You said you cared for me, and you'd rather be around me than anyone, but...." Her voice trailed off, and when she uttered the last part of her sentence, it barely came out. "What makes me so special?" [/scrolly]

[SongofWindchimes]

Right now, if there was anything Marco could say or do to make Charisma smile, he'd do it in a second. Listening to her describe herself that way just broke his heart all over again. Was that how she'd always seen herself, and he'd never known it? What kind of friend was he?

The question probably shouldn't have caught him off-guard, but it did, and he gave a small blink. He then smiled gently and mustered a very soft chuckle. "What, were you not paying attention all those times I told you how wonderful you are?" he said. Just a little smile from her, and he wouldn't feel quite so helpless.

"Everything you said about the rest of us...that's just flash. Me, Holly, and Trish...We're show offs, in our own ways. You...You're not." Finally giving in, he wrapped his other arm around her and gave her the closest thing to a proper hug he could in this position without outright pulling her into his lap; he still had the sense not to do that. "You're special because you're you. The brilliant, talented, amazing woman who never tries to be anything but herself. And...And I..."

He trailed off for a moment. He knew what he wanted to say, but he wasn't sure if he should. "And charm doesn't get you everything," he added quietly instead, sighing faintly. That wasn't much better than what he'd wanted to say.

[KARP KARP!]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv181/SojiRem/charismaposttable.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 darkviolet none,b,Table][scrolly:h(240),w(282),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:48px;margin-left:212px;)]Charisma sighed, resting her head into his shoulder again as he wrapped his other arm around her. "I know you tell me I'm wonderful, but I've never actually believed it. I mean, we're like the best of friends." At this she cracked a smile, before adding a very soft, joking "Somehow." Then, her face faded back to the dark expression it had been. "I don't know what it is....maybe all this time of being the loner, isolating myself when I hit hard times....maybe it's finally taking its toll. The four of us aren't just a band; we aren't just a team. We're friends. And I should trust you more...maybe open up; let someone in. Because I know if something happened and one of us left, Grass Ice and Fire would be done..." Ending her tangent, she looked at him again. "Wait...you were going to say something else. You...you what?" she asked, curious. [/scrolly]

[SongofWindchimes]

That little bit of mirth from Charisma made Marco feel better, but he decided a moment later that he wouldn't be satisfied until he got a laugh out of her. Right now wasn't quite the time, though, as she went on her tangent, only to hit him with a question that made his mouth twitch into a faint smirk. "And you see right through me, like always."

Marco still didn't know if he should say this, part for what it was and what it could lead to, but he knew just a 'nevermind' wasn't going to work. "What I was trying to say is...Look, I don't blame you if this sounds selfish to you...but...How many people have I 'charmed' who have actually stuck around at all?" He already knew the answer. None. Not a single one at all. He'd find it hard to think of someone he'd been with who Charisma had even met, if there were any. "I don't start a new day wondering if you're still going to be there."

There is was, then. Despite the fact that be didn't believe he had a right to, Marco Wolfe sometimes just felt lonely. It was something he'd never told anyone. How could he? He was living many people's dreams. But the feelings were still there.

[KARP KARP!]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv181/SojiRem/charismaposttable.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 darkviolet none,b,Table][scrolly:h(240),w(282),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:48px;margin-left:212px;)] "You're not that hard to figure out," she teased gently, then listened. She blinked a little at his explanation; she never really saw it that way, to be honest. She sat there a moment, speechless. "Something tells me that isn't just because we're in a band. Despite everything, I don't wonder if you'll just be gone one day, either" she murmured, snuggling him a little, then played off what she might have been implying. "After all, I have few friends, I'm making sure I'm keeping those I can, heh." Feeling sort of...uncomfortable--or awkward now, she let go of him, and sat back on the couch. [/scrolly]

[SongofWindchimes]

Marco felt a rush of heat cross his face when Charisma snuggled closer, and he tried his best to fight it down, breathing out something that was somewhere between a sigh and a tiny laugh at what she said. He was both relieved and disappointed when she withdrew, but he didn't try to stop her. He glanced away for a moment, hoping she hadn't caught sight of the colour on his cheeks.

What was wrong with him? This was Charisma.

The silence lingered for a second until he broke it. "You're right. It's...not just because of the band." Actually thinking and explaining how he felt was something he rarely did. Life was life, and Marco just made his way through it without questioning much. Now...he was figuring things out about as fast as he was saying them.

He ran a hand through his own hair; fussing with it had always been a habit of his when he was thinking. Of course, that was generally when he was thinking about music, and not...Marco suddenly blinked and pulled his hand forward to look at it. Normally, his hair was like black silk, flowing past his fingers. Now, it was tangled enough that his fingers were not-quite stuck in it, unable to move further in the direction he'd been intending.

"...Merciful Arceus, what have I done to myself?" he breathed in quiet mock-horror, mostly trying to get a laugh and ease the awkwardness that had started forming. Mostly. The funniest jokes had a kernel of truth to them, after all, and that kernel was that Marco was girlier than most women he knew.

[KARP KARP!]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv181/SojiRem/charismaposttable.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 darkviolet none,b,Table][scrolly:h(240),w(282),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:48px;margin-left:212px;)]Charisma smiled, looking at him and giggling slightly at his fussing with his hair. She noticed the color in his cheeks, and this had her mildly confused. Granted, she didn't bother to notice the heat rising in her own face, matching the color of his. "If you wanna go pretty yourself up, be my guest," she teased lightly, motioning to her bathroom. "Though I probably look about as bad, if not worse," she said softly. Her hair was all over her head, and she hadn't a speck of make-up on. Not that she cared. [/scrolly]

[SongofWindchimes]

She'd giggled. Goal achieved. Though maybe he should try to make her laugh again, just to make sure it wasn't a fluke...

Marco blinked at the comment on her appearance, and he looked at Charisma for a moment, before he shook his head and smiled gently at her. "Don't say that." Without thinking, he lightly touched her arm. "You're always beautiful. I'm the one who has to work at it."

Back came the blush with a vengeance a moment later, and Marco withdrew his hand, instead busying himself with trying to work a knot out of one bit of black hair with his fingers to some mild success. "And, thanks, but I don't think your hairbrush would survive the encounter," he added with a chuckle, trying to cover up exactly how strangely awkward that had just been, despite the fact that it certainly wasn't the first time he'd complimented her appearance.

Just the first time he'd said it with complete and utter sincerity, rather than as part of a tease to rile her up.

[KARP KARP!]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv181/SojiRem/charismaposttable.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 darkviolet none,b,Table][scrolly:h(240),w(282),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:48px;margin-left:212px;)] Charisma's face flushed a deeper red than before, especially at the touch on her arm. Usually, she'd have socked him--or anyone else--for that right then and there, but...this time, she allowed it. It was actually comforting. "Me? Beautiful? ...I don't think so. I'm just....normal. Average at best." She looked away nervously, then couldn't help but laugh at his remark about her hairbrush. "You'd be surprised," she answered lightly. "And you'll find I have quite a few hairbrushes. One of them's gotta be up to the task, right?" Despite the now-lightened mood, she couldn't help but think to his compliment. He'd usually called her beautiful or pretty or cute, but this time was different...that joking air wasn't in his voice. And she didn't really know what to think about that...But she had to admit, she liked it. [/scrolly]

[SongofWindchimes]

A snort of laughter escaped Marco at Charisma's assurance, and he abandoned the knot for the moment. "If you say so." He looked at her, cracking a smile. "But I'm warning you, I've sent a few to an early grave in my life."

And you are beautiful, he mentally added, managing to keep the words from reaching his mouth. He'd admitted to being the scourge of hairbrushes to avoid that road of conversation. The fact that he'd gone un-punched hadn't exactly been lost on him, and he couldn't help but wonder what that meant.

It probably didn't mean anything. Why was he even wondering? Did he want it to mean something, other than the fact that she was probably too tired and hung over to make him into a punching bag?

Maybe he did. He didn't know.

[KARP KARP!]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv181/SojiRem/charismaposttable.png);][atrb=width, 497][atrb=height, 297][atrb=style,border:0 darkviolet none,b,Table][scrolly:h(240),w(282),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:48px;margin-left:212px;)]"And I haven't?" she asked with a smirk, running a hand through her own hair. "This hasn't exactly been forgiving," she assured him. "I know how much you value your looks, so go knock yourself out, pretty-boy." Her eyes sort of looked away; like Marco, her tone lacked the joking quality they usually shared, even though she meant it as a joke. Didn't she? Heh...of course she did. How else COULD she mean it? She rubbed her head, not because it hurt, but because she was going through something else--something that happened alot. Lyrics were bouncing around in her head. She had to write them down, but she'd wait for these...she'd wait til he left. That should give her enough time to scribble them down, right? [/scrolly]