010 ~*~ The most anticlimactic return

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[ Action : 340 Brady Lane : Sunday mid-day ]
[ It might be difficult for outsiders to tell that something was off about Meiling, at first. As a drone she was a touch more pleasant and carefree, a bit more diligent with her work, and much more subservient to her "husband". At school she was pleasant and diligent and a good, hard worker.

But today, the vacuum cleaner in the living room is on and just... running in place. A quick investigation will show that it is on and sitting flat on the floor beside the couch. The couch that a certain redhead is dead asleep on.

...drone!Meiling did not understand the importance of proper rest, so that's why Meiling, having snapped out of it, decided to rectify this at the cost of all else happening around her. ]

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[ Action : Mayfield Elementary : Monday Afternoon ]
[ Dressed in her usual overalls for her work, this particular janitor is mopping the halls rather dully. She isn't humming to herself as usual, or trying to make a show of cleaning for anyone still milling about after school. Meiling is definitely not all there, but at least it's obvious from the lack of a genial smile that she is no longer droned. ]

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[ Phone : Monday Evening ]
[ That's both the longest and most frightening droning period ever for her, so those who know her might notice that she's just barely keeping the disappointment inside. This place can make her break just about any promise, it seems... ] Um, hi Mayfield. It's Meiling. I was told I was out for a little while, now, so I want to say I'm sorry to anyone who wanted me for any reason! I'm all better now, I pro-- .

[ Deep breath. ]

I'm pretty sure I am, I mean.

Comments

xD I am stuck with this set until payday

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[ Whoops! Meiling sort of notices the motion in the corner of her eye, but she's too busy keeping hold of Flandre to realize what had happened. Of course, going up at an incline isn't the most interesting thing in the world, so she starts to bank and yaw a bit, leveling them out at a comfortable distance. High enough up so they can see for many streets in all directions. ] It's so nice up here~

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[Flandre answers with an affirmative hum!

She looks this way and that when their flightpath evens out, chittering excitedly still--even though her body's starting to shake a bit from all the effort required to stay aloft, even though Flandre wasn't the one doing most of the work. Holding her legs straight was hard, okay.]

They look like toys, almost. [The vampire points at a few cars going by on the roads below--then at the houses.]

Will Alice's dolls come out of those?

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Her dolls? [ Meiling looks and--

Ah, it's because things look so small from up here. She smiles a bit. ] Maybe! Who knows where she hides them and when they want to come out to play.

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[She hums again, in answer.

...but that shaking keeps getting worse and worse until her next downstroke. Then she can't seem to muster the strength to raise her wings up again, and Flandre kind of folds up in Meiling's hands, with her feet falling towards the ground.

She was breathing pretty hard by now and it was a good thing the gate guard was holding onto her, otherwise the little vampire would have gone tumbling towards that ground.]

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[ Whoops. Poor thing is probably exhausted. Meiling slides her arms around the vampire's waist and then, swiftly, rolls onto her back. ] You did really good, Flandre! Let me take over from here, okay?

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[This time, Flandre shivers for a different reason. That was praise! Directed at her! She smiles a little bit despite how tired she was, before resting her head on Meiling's chest.]

Okay, Meiling.

[All those new muscles in her wings would be awfully sore tomorrow, though...]

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[ Which clearly means Flandre will need a nice hot bath later, and then maybe some ice packs if there's any swelling. She hums contently, keeping one arm securely latched around her waist while the other reaches up to stroke the little one's hair. There is nothing but the rush of the wind for a long moment before-- ] I'm sorry I was gone for so long.

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[This sounds like an excellent plan.

Flandre makes little happy sounds at the touch, and her eyes close.]

It wasn't so long, Meiling.

[She sighs a little and relaxes still further.]

...this is nice, though.

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Long enough. I don't like worrying everyone. [ Even if Patchy wasn't all that worried -- she's kind of used to the wizard's emotional spectrum by now. ]

I'm glad you're enjoying it. [ Meiling doesn't even bother to move into a "holding pattern" at all. They will just keeping flying seemingly into infinity like this. It was... kind of nice, in a way, to not have to worry about tall trees, mountains, or low-flying youkai (or humans) like this. ]

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[The vampire chitters this time while she readjusts her wings somewhat so they weren't draping over Meiling's sides like large, awkward blankets (with fingers and wing ribs!). Instead she hooks the little thumbs in the middle of each wing over her guardian's shoulders and pulls herself up a bit, until she was just underneath Meiling's chin. If Flandre turned her head now, she could hear Meiling's heart--which she did.

...it was also easier to breathe here, but!]

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[ The position is relaxing, with only the thought of plummeting down for a rude awakening keeping her from dozing off. It's probably for the best that Meiling never learned how to nap while floating. Especially since she still has a massive Sleep Debt to pay off.

Her breathing is even, as this kind of flight costs her very little energy in the grand scheme of things, and everything feels so calm. ]

Meiling is clearly a sea otter

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[Flandre, on the other hand, had no such qualms. And she was pretty tired.

The vampire yawns, fluffs her own wings up into a kind of nest, and closes her eyes to just drift. She was at least still aware enough that she didn't want to dislodge Meiling's hand from stroking her hair. That was very nice, and one of the last things she really thought about coherently for awhile.]

That is the best mental image

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[ The redhead will keep that up for as long as she can. At one point she twists her head back and to the side, getting her proper bearings, and then begins a slow descent. If Flandre is going to be napping, it's best to take her to bed. ]

83

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[She doesn't even register that they're moving down, only muttering to herself a bit.

At least she's been in the habit of leaving the window open, despite it getting so cold. But not for jumping out of, promise!]

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[ Good, because they'd have to have another talk if word of that reached her. As it is, Meiling takes advantage of the conveniently open window to slip in.

She moves into a standing position once they're both in the room, using one leg to shift Flandre's up so she can slip an arm under the legs and the other cradling her shoulders and neck. Hopefully she won't be startled... ]

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[Flandre isn't startled, per se, but she does take notice. Her wings had been dislodged! And they ruffle and flutter a bit sluggishly, the outside wing half-folding against her back, the other flopping against Meiling like it wasn't certain where to go next.

The little vampire herself just makes a little grumbly noise, and peers up at Meiling as if to ask "what'd you wake me up for?"]

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[ Oops. She makes a soothing sound and sits down on the edge of the bed, her voice low as she replies. ] Sorry about that. You looked tired, so I brought you home for now.

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[Offense forgiven! Flandre's other wing finally figures out it's supposed to fold up, and her head leans back against the gate guard.]

Can we go flying again tomorrow, Meiling?

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[ Smiling. ] Of course we can. Whenever you have time, Flandre.

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[Flandre smiles back at Meiling from where she was being held.

...not that Flandre would be in any shape to fly much tomorrow, but shhh. She's sleepy.]

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[ They'll just have to see about tomorrow, then. ] For now, though, go ahead and rest. [ Said as she shifts to pull the covers back and get Flandre tucked into bed. ] It's not so late, but a good nap when you've worn yourself down is never a bad idea!

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[The little vampire only wiggles a tiny bit this time; mostly to get onto her side. Her eyes are pretty much closed now, though.]

's daytime now, though...

[...well, she kind of thought she said something after that, but her brain was all fuzzy now. Maybe she didn't say anything after all; being so sleepy she didn't even curl into her customary ball made remembering things a bit difficult.

And sleep she did.]

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[ Meiling just shakes her head and finishes tucking her. She whispers a goodnight and makes sure to slip out quietly through the window (because just exiting through downstairs would be creepier, probably, than leaving the way she came) and shut the window behind her.

Rest well, little vampire~ ]