Welcome to Lysander’s Wood and Stone! Who: Lysander and Motoko Where: Lysander's shop What: Lysander has a visitor and flirts, then violence erupts. When: Thursday evening Warnings/Rating: PG-13 for violence, NPC deaths(off-screen), and sexual innuendos Status complete
Lysander was having a good day. He had been selling a number of commissions lately, and he had started using wood and stone to depict some of the recent events in the OC, from the robot attack to the blue flu.
Time seemed to be going well, with his mom home, new friends aborning, and new commissions rising. This felt... good. And even if his moods were sometimes out of whack, he felt like things were getting better, somehow.
Tonight, he had the front door open to lure in breezes, as he worked on carving out more scenes of the OC, using his position to watch the front, and some men and women in colors who were hanging out across the street. they were pretty colors, but Lysander had a thought that these people were dangerous.
It was another day off for Motoko, who walked into the shop in a pair of jeans and a purple bikini top. She looked around curiously, but had a strange sense of foreboding. She decided to keep an eye out. There was a big bandage on her shoulder, but she didn't seem to mind showing it off.
Lysander looked up from his position and stood, wearing jeans that fit very well, and a businesslike but also form-fitting polo-shirt. “Good evening, miss. Welcome to Lysander’s Wood and Stone. Are you looking for anything in particular?”
He noticed the bandage and blinked. “Are you okay?”
“Just looking around.” She gave him a smile. “I’m fine, just an... accident yesterday.” If ‘getting shot at while introducing oneself to a pretty biology student’ counted as an accident.
Lysander would consider it so. “Well, if you have any questions, oh beautiful stranger, let me know.” A shame an accident had happened to her.
“What is all this? Did you make it all yourself.” She gestured around.
Lysander smiled. “Yes.” He hopped down and gave her a tour, showing her his carefully carved stone and wooden pieces, including the furniture. Each thing was done by hand, done carefully and slowly.
“I make simple standard pieces, and some just for fun, and also take commissions. Its fun and something that keeps me happy.” As they walked, he grinned at her, casually walking quite close to her.
“Do what you love. Pretty good gig.” She nodded her head at him. “How long have you been at this?”
“Since high school. And then into the college of the arts. Got a small business loan after making a mural of stone for a convention, and I’ve been working here ever since.” He smiled. “I feel passion toward life, and ever since I learned how to do this, I put that passion into it.” He grinned wider. “You would look wonderful in stone.”
She blushed slightly, and tilted her head. “Would I? That’s a new line for me.” She looked at some of his work, and seemed to be considering it.
Lysander’s brow wrinkled. “Line? It’s not. It’s just the truth.” He was an odd man. He hmmed. “You have good lines, sleek, soft, and yet strong.” He nodded to her.
“Why not? I should have some free time next week.” Assuming she didn’t get a good break in her case.
Lysander smiled at her, then nodded. “Perfect! I can sit you here, or at my house, where I have a more private studio, depending on whether you would rather do a nude shot or a simple clothed one.” He showed no preference for either. For both were awesome!
Right then was when the bullets started flying, and one slammed through his front window. “Bells!” Lysander dove for the floor as the sound turned to something like thunder as two groups outside exchanged fire. One, unfortunately, hiding behind a car in front of two stores; Lysander’s and his neighbor’s.
“Nude,” she answered, without thinking about it. Motoko had no body image issues whatsoever. Glass shattered and she ducked for cover. “I’m bad luck. That has to be it. Third time this week.” She sounded incredibly calm about it as she drew her gun. It looked completely unrelated which baffled her.
Lysander nodded, and had started to answer before things went sour. He scrambled toward her, hoping she was okay. “Are you alright?” Seeing the gun, he blinked. “That’s a good look for you.”
"I'll show you my badge in a second." She leaned around her barrier, twisting until she could get a good look at the shootout. There were too many for her to safely try to take out, and she doubted flashing her badge would do anything.
Lysander eyed the street, peering around a counter, while still pressed to the ground. Shots were exchanged again and more glass went down, as well as a display. Then barely within hearing, Lysander heard a ‘crump’ sound.
“Oh shit. We have to get out of here now.” He reached for one of the woman’s hands and then started pulling her toward the rear emergency exit. “ONe of the dumbasses hit the neighbor’s propane tank prep station. That sound goes on when he turns them on to test them, but if it was hit by a bullet...” He left the rest to the woman’s imagination as he led the way, faster!
"Great," she said, deadpanned. She followed him, staying low to avoid bullets going everywhere. She already had one bullet hole, she didn't need another. Clearly if she kept flirting with people she'd keep getting shot at.
“Fun times, let’s move it!” He beat feet out the back door with her in tow and gestured her toward the closest field nearby. And then, as they cleared twenty feet. the building went up. Lysander instinctively threw himself on Motoko, pressing her down and trying not to press against her bandage as heat and sound washed over them, and small debris as well.
When it was quiet, he looked down at her, panting, eyes dark. and cocked his head. The air was hot, the moment was silent, the very world seemed paused, and he felt his breath moving fast as he looked at her. “Beautiful.”
She hooked a leg around his waist on instinct, giving him an amused look. “I’m supposed to be the one on top.”
“Why? Though I like that position as well.” Lysander had actually forgotten where they were. Or what had happened. Or both. But he obligingly and carefully, rolled over.
Motoko laughed, sitting up and looking at the destruction. It took her a moment to catch her breath - she didn’t mind being on the bottom either. “Damn. I’m sorry about your shop.”
Lysander peered around her and then sighed and rested his head on her... well, on her front. “Damn. The insurance is going to take forever to clear on that.” Then he paused and looked up at her. “It was fun for a moment when we were running and there was danger and a very sexy body under me.” He grinned at her.
“I’m sorry being in my shop meant you almost got blown up.”
“Only the second time I’ve almost blown up.” She patted his arm, then leaned in and kissed his cheek. “That was very brave of you. Are you hurt?”
Her kiss to his cheek stirred a warmth and then he grinned at her, and brushed a kiss across her lips. “No. Just my pride, and later my sanity. Right now... “ He chuckled. “I’m actually quite comfortable.” And possibly growing more aroused under her by the second.
She got to her feet, and held her hand out to help him out. While she’d like to see where this went, there were people that needed help. “If you’re okay, I hereby need your help to save anyone who’s hurt.”
“Of course.” He took her hand and stepped up, then nodded. “Let’s go see what we can do.” He wanted people to be safe, too. He glanced both ways at the back of the mini-mall, then led the way around the opposite of his shop’s side. “We’ll have a better view and approach that way.”
She nodded, following and brushing dust off of her body. Her top had come almost completely undone, but she fixed that on the move. “I’m going to wear body armor everywhere I go.”
He smiled as if he had not noticed that, at all. Yep. “Heh. I wonder if I could make some.” He pondered. “I’d always wanted to learn Leather.” He glanced back at her as they turned the corner and was about to quip about how she would look in leather, until he saw the scene. “Well... damn.” His shop was pretty much dead, and the one next to his, and the one on the other side, as well, but most of the building was intact. A few people were moving around, or laying on the parking lot in front of the buildings, and one of the gangbanger vehicles was buried in debris, while the other was long gone.
The next hour or two were a whirlwind of activity, questions, being checked out, helping people, and generally trying not to think about his career being trashed.
Motoko was sweaty, dusty and exhausted by the end of it, but the only death had been one of the gangbangers. It was incredibly fortunate, even if the young man’s life had been wasted for nothing. She sagged against a car. She needed a nap.
Lysander made his way to her side and offered her a cup of water. “Give you a ride and a shower, beautiful stranger?” He smiled lopsided at her, and wouldn’t be offended if she said no. But he would totally pamper her if she said yes. So, either way.
"Yes to both." She flashed him a smile. "Only if you join me in the shower."
Lysander smiled. “Gladly. I’ll be more than happy to help you reach those hard to reach places and scratch those itches that are hard to get through alone.” He chuckled, then led the way toward his car, a mid-size sedan.
Motoko grinned and rubbed at her shoulder. Finally, something had gone right!