It was hard not to get wrapped up in his own thoughts these days, but difficult to avoid now that his employment situation wasn't that stable. He had even more free time on his hands now that he'd recorded all his ideas for the concept album he'd been determined to finish.
With the refurbished iPod Joaquin had given him for Christmas, Manolo wandered through the downtown area. The earbuds weren't the greatest quality, but the music provided an excellent soundtrack for his afternoon walk, and served as a short reprieve from having to think about the Soviets, war, or more imPorts getting hurt.
Unfortunately, it also served as a dangerous distraction. Manolo moved to cross the street, stepping out from behind a parked truck -- and right in front of an incoming bus. The only warning he got of the impending collision was an urgent horn blaring at him to move. But it was too late. The vehicle was coming too fast, impossible for even the greatest matador to dodge.
As frustrating as this day has been, at least the administration's welcome crew were kind enough to outfit her with warm clothes on this exceptionally cold day. Even with her new "telephone", she's just as lost as she was when she came in. Perhaps moreso with the added digital device she now heeds to master.
But Maria refuses to let this get her down, though. It's a beautiful day and she has a wonderfully delicious hot cocoa (made with soy after she raised concerns being a vegetarian). She is hellbent on making the best of this situation, so she appreciates it when karma intervenes just for her.
Across the sidewalk someone turns and it's "Manolo?" As plain as day, it's him. That's when Maria sees the car heading straight for him. "Manolo!" Heart suddenly lodged in her stomach, she follows after him without a moment's hesitation. She could do nothing to save him last time, she would be damned if she allows it twice. Even if this is nothing but a bittersweet dream, she isn't letting him end up with the same fate.
It all happens so fast. Maria gets to him in time, but not soon enough to move him away. The only thing she can do is hold him tight to her and throw out her hand in the hopes that she is what they say she is now. Then there is the horrific sound of metal crunching and folding against her small body while her eyes are glued shut and her mind racing and praying away.
He's not sure what happened -- only that one second he was staring down at certain doom, and the next he was clutching onto his savior for dear life. The twisting of the metal screams against his ears, barely drowning out his own yells.
And then everything suddenly grows still, the stench of smoke clouding his senses as he slowly blinks his eyes open. He's vaguely aware of shouting, of something warm and wet on his temple, but all he can do is look up, dazed, at the woman who just saved his life.
The curve of her face, those brown locks of hair, and the way her jaw is set in determination are enough to stop time itself.
"Maria...?" His voice comes out in a shuddering breath that almost aches with how much he wants this to be real.
She can still hear her own name so that's a good sign. One cautious eye opens and everything is as it was, except for the wreckage wrapped around her. By all accounts she should be dead, or gravely injured. But she feels fine.
"Manolo..." She hasn't forgotten the reason for her brazen act, but it's hard to shake the sight around her. A crowd of people gawking while traffic backs up and car fluids spray across the asphalt in front of him. "Are you hurt?" Her small hand reaches up for his bleeding forehead, wiping it away to get a better look.
He doesn't even realize he's bleeding until she touches his forehead, but he's too awestruck by that face to pay much attention to his wound, much less the damage around them. "I'm okay," he assures her, suddenly reaching for her other hand, as though he's afraid the wind might carry her away. "Ay, Maria. It really is you! I thought--"
It's only then that the fumes from the wreckage reach his nose, and he looks at the broken vehicle in front of them. "...Woah."
"Right. Yes..." That whole business. Now that Manolo is safe, she is more than a little embarrassed by the display that has consumed them both. She can hear sirens in the distance that have her worried.
"Manolo, maybe we should..." With a firm arm around her love, Maria gets him up to his feet and starts heading for the sidewalk past the gawkers that don't seem to know what to do. Should they stop them? Well, she isn't waiting to get caught question in a world she doesn't understand yet.
Manolo throws a glance over his shoulder, uncertain of whether leaving is the best idea. This is technically his fault for not paying closer attention (and he's pretty sure Joaquin will give him an earful when he hears about this), but Maria's arm is wrapped around him, he's pressed against her side, and he's just so giddy because Maria is here, she's really here, and--
"How did you do that?" he breathlessly asks. "Maria, that was incredible! You saved my--" Manolo blinks, and he grows quieter. "...You saved my life. Thank you."
"I'm not sure." She simply trusted the file given to her about magical powers would keep Manolo safe. It's all she could do really; there was only a split second to decide.
"You don't need to thank me," she tells him, leaning in close to brush her nose against Manolo's cheek. "You need to watch where you're going! Manolo, you almost got hit!"
"...I know," he says, genuinely apologetic. "I'm so sorry, Maria." Even after all these months, he's still not quite used to all the traffic and vehicles. And when he's lost in his own little world, he forgets that there are routinely things that can run him over in a matter of seconds. In the end, though, he knows those are just excuses for his carelessness, and not good reasons for almost getting hit by a big truck.
He can feel her breath against his neck, and he shivers. When Manolo looks into her large brown eyes, he can't help himself. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulls her in for a firm kiss on the lips.
That is the last thing she expected. Well, maybe not the last thing, but she's practically swept off her feet all the same, hands pressed to Manolo's strong chest to keep her balance.
Manolo lingers against her warm mouth for a moment that stretches into eternity. He savors the weight of her hands against his chest, the scent of her hair (even with the fumes from earlier, it's heaven to him), etching this moment into his memory the best he can.
When he finally pulls back, his heart hurts at the thought of separating again, prompting him to wrap his arms around her in a tight embrace.
He buries his face against her neck, his throat closing as he slowly starts to realize that this is real. She's here. "It's been five months," he chokes. "I was afraid I'd never see you again."
"It's...hard to explain." He's barely able to wrap his mind around it even when he's not all emotional. "Chakal, the bell. Those are the last things I remember before waking up here...five months ago."
He swallows hard and flounders for what to say about his death. As far as he's concerned, he is dead, and this is all just a detour before he finds himself back in the Land of the Remembered all over again. But how can he bring himself to say that? Oh god, he'll have to tell her about his powers. He doesn't want Maria to look at him the same way Joaquin had.
There's so much she wants to say, so much to ask. She lifts his head up with her hands and looks into his eyes. But there's someone behind him pointing their way to a few men in uniform.
"We should... talk about this later, come on." Grabbing him by the collar, she starts walking quicker like she knows where she's going. Chuy is out in front keeping people out of their way with a few annoyed bleets.
Maria's gaze warms his chest, and for a moment he's content to just look into her eyes. But then she's pulling him along with a clear purpose, earning a small noise of surprise from Manolo. He doesn't question question it, although he can't help but perk up a bit when he hears the familiar goat-like noise that isn't from a goat at all.
"No way, Chuy's here too?" he whispers, delighted as much as he is surprised.
"Of course." Chuy is always with Maria, like a good boy. As fussy as he is, Maria can't help the affectionate smile that graces her dark face watching him lead them somewhere more private.
"We need to find somewhere to lay low..." And while she may have the idea, Manolo is the one who has the experience in this world, not her.
"We can go back to my place," he suggests, but he immediately wonders if maybe that's a little too obvious. "Or find a bus that will take us out of town? I wonder if they'd let Chuy on board if we bought him a ticket..."
A ludicrous thought to most people, perhaps, but Manolo is being completely serious.
His suggestion makes her laugh lightly. If they were back in San Angel that wouldn't be a ludicrous idea at all. Travelling with poultry and animals is nothing strange. But this is an urban city. Perhaps some citizens would be offended.
"Is your place... close?" Is that too presumptuous?
"Yes! I know the way there by heart." He reaches for her hand with a loving smile, but his white-knuckled grip betrays the tension in his body. Elation and anxiety coil in the pit of his stomach, sending his heart on a high-speed horse chase and his stomach into backflips. Maria is here...
"Wow," he says with a giddy laugh, "I can't wait to introduce you to my roommates." Then, with wide eyes, he rubs the side of his head. "And Joaquin! Wait 'til you see the look on his face! He's gonna be so surprised!"
"Yes!" He can scarcely believe it himself. "We arrived the same day, actually. All those months ago..." A lot has happened since then, and the smile fades from his face for just a moment. But then he focuses on the warm fingers interlocked with his own, which helps keep him grounded in the present.
"You're gonna love so many things about this place," Manolo told her. "The shops, the foods, the automobiles. Everyday I have been here...I thought of you, Maria."
He smiles against her mouth before resting his forehead against hers. "I just...there's so much I want to show you," he murmurs. And he didn't think he'd ever get the chance, he almost adds, but there's no reason to spoil the moment by dragging sad things back to the surface again.
He blinks back the moisture collecting in his eyes. Manolo's cheeks haven't hurt from smiling this much in a long time.
"Come on, it's not far," he assures her. With that, he begins leading the way. After a pleasant walk of talking and laughing that somehow passes by both fast and slow all at once, they arrive on the doorstep of Heropa 015.
"Everyone might be at work," he confesses as he unlocks the door. He's more or less the only unemployed bum in the house, but that's not a very romantic thing to say, so he keeps that to himself too. "If that's the case, we can always go somewhere else. This just, you know...seemed like the best place to go first..."
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doublechaser2015-12-05 05:24 am
So I walked under a bus, I got hit by a train. Keep falling in love, which is kinda the same
With the refurbished iPod Joaquin had given him for Christmas, Manolo wandered through the downtown area. The earbuds weren't the greatest quality, but the music provided an excellent soundtrack for his afternoon walk, and served as a short reprieve from having to think about the Soviets, war, or more imPorts getting hurt.
Unfortunately, it also served as a dangerous distraction. Manolo moved to cross the street, stepping out from behind a parked truck -- and right in front of an incoming bus. The only warning he got of the impending collision was an urgent horn blaring at him to move. But it was too late. The vehicle was coming too fast, impossible for even the greatest matador to dodge.
no subject
But Maria refuses to let this get her down, though. It's a beautiful day and she has a wonderfully delicious hot cocoa (made with soy after she raised concerns being a vegetarian). She is hellbent on making the best of this situation, so she appreciates it when karma intervenes just for her.
Across the sidewalk someone turns and it's "Manolo?" As plain as day, it's him. That's when Maria sees the car heading straight for him. "Manolo!" Heart suddenly lodged in her stomach, she follows after him without a moment's hesitation. She could do nothing to save him last time, she would be damned if she allows it twice. Even if this is nothing but a bittersweet dream, she isn't letting him end up with the same fate.
It all happens so fast. Maria gets to him in time, but not soon enough to move him away. The only thing she can do is hold him tight to her and throw out her hand in the hopes that she is what they say she is now. Then there is the horrific sound of metal crunching and folding against her small body while her eyes are glued shut and her mind racing and praying away.
no subject
And then everything suddenly grows still, the stench of smoke clouding his senses as he slowly blinks his eyes open. He's vaguely aware of shouting, of something warm and wet on his temple, but all he can do is look up, dazed, at the woman who just saved his life.
The curve of her face, those brown locks of hair, and the way her jaw is set in determination are enough to stop time itself.
"Maria...?" His voice comes out in a shuddering breath that almost aches with how much he wants this to be real.
no subject
"Manolo..." She hasn't forgotten the reason for her brazen act, but it's hard to shake the sight around her. A crowd of people gawking while traffic backs up and car fluids spray across the asphalt in front of him. "Are you hurt?" Her small hand reaches up for his bleeding forehead, wiping it away to get a better look.
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It's only then that the fumes from the wreckage reach his nose, and he looks at the broken vehicle in front of them. "...Woah."
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"Manolo, maybe we should..." With a firm arm around her love, Maria gets him up to his feet and starts heading for the sidewalk past the gawkers that don't seem to know what to do. Should they stop them? Well, she isn't waiting to get caught question in a world she doesn't understand yet.
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"How did you do that?" he breathlessly asks. "Maria, that was incredible! You saved my--" Manolo blinks, and he grows quieter. "...You saved my life. Thank you."
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"You don't need to thank me," she tells him, leaning in close to brush her nose against Manolo's cheek. "You need to watch where you're going! Manolo, you almost got hit!"
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He can feel her breath against his neck, and he shivers. When Manolo looks into her large brown eyes, he can't help himself. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulls her in for a firm kiss on the lips.
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When he finally pulls back, his heart hurts at the thought of separating again, prompting him to wrap his arms around her in a tight embrace.
He buries his face against her neck, his throat closing as he slowly starts to realize that this is real. She's here. "It's been five months," he chokes. "I was afraid I'd never see you again."
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Maria catches the back of his neck, keeping him close, fingers curling in his dark hair. "I thought you were dead. Chakal—!"
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He swallows hard and flounders for what to say about his death. As far as he's concerned, he is dead, and this is all just a detour before he finds himself back in the Land of the Remembered all over again. But how can he bring himself to say that? Oh god, he'll have to tell her about his powers. He doesn't want Maria to look at him the same way Joaquin had.
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"We should... talk about this later, come on." Grabbing him by the collar, she starts walking quicker like she knows where she's going. Chuy is out in front keeping people out of their way with a few annoyed bleets.
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"No way, Chuy's here too?" he whispers, delighted as much as he is surprised.
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"We need to find somewhere to lay low..." And while she may have the idea, Manolo is the one who has the experience in this world, not her.
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A ludicrous thought to most people, perhaps, but Manolo is being completely serious.
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"Is your place... close?" Is that too presumptuous?
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"Wow," he says with a giddy laugh, "I can't wait to introduce you to my roommates." Then, with wide eyes, he rubs the side of his head. "And Joaquin! Wait 'til you see the look on his face! He's gonna be so surprised!"
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"Joaquin is here too?" This all seems too good to be true now. it's with light-headed relief that those she loves will be here with her.
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"You're gonna love so many things about this place," Manolo told her. "The shops, the foods, the automobiles. Everyday I have been here...I thought of you, Maria."
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"If you keep talking like that, we are never going to reach your house."
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He blinks back the moisture collecting in his eyes. Manolo's cheeks haven't hurt from smiling this much in a long time.
"Come on, it's not far," he assures her. With that, he begins leading the way. After a pleasant walk of talking and laughing that somehow passes by both fast and slow all at once, they arrive on the doorstep of Heropa 015.
"Everyone might be at work," he confesses as he unlocks the door. He's more or less the only unemployed bum in the house, but that's not a very romantic thing to say, so he keeps that to himself too. "If that's the case, we can always go somewhere else. This just, you know...seemed like the best place to go first..."