After having hunted - Gambler's Den

She'd been out a few hours, four to be exact. Not unusual for her though given the circumstances she knew better than to stay out too long. Not in this city. Not with these people in charge.

The door to the cellar apartment was silently opened and soon followed by the sound of sixteen paws across the floor as the dogs moved inside and subsequently spread throughout the place in their usual move of checking things out. Rickie was perhaps a bit paranoid, but the pack was definitively worse.

The distinct sound of stiletto heels though soon followed, the door being closed and the dark clad Caitiff walking inside, still cradling the clothes she'd previously left at Luke's, in her arms.

Johanna was in a chair near the door to the wine cellar. She merely sat, hands folded in her lap, feet crossed at the ankles. Her head faced the cellar door and a cigarette dangled from her lips.

When she heard Rickie drawing closer, she blew a thin line of smoke from her lips.

"Good hunt?" She asked simply without hint of emotion.

"Yes" she said softly as she walked up to Johanna and reached out to touch her hand to the woman's shoulder. The only person she touched. Well... when she was herself anyways.
"The boys were good. As they always are" the Caitiff added as she moved to slip away again, wanting to go and put her clothes away in the bedroom.

"Good," she nodded. But she didn't move from her chair. As she listened to Rickie's footfalls move away, she simply spoke louder.

"Feed again tomorrow night. We both should. And they it may be a few days until we are able to go out again. I've been told about a carnival that is taking supernaturals. It's best to keep away."

She frowned, though Johanna couldn't see that now could she?
The clothes were put away and the sound of stiletto heels once again approached the blind woman as Rickie walked up and sat down so that she was resting on her haunches as she placed her arms in her sister's lap and looked up at her.

"A circus that steal away supernaturals? That sounds..." well, in all fairness, it was strange but they'd experienced a lot of strange now hadn't they.
The Caitiff bit her lip and rested her cheek against her arms.
"We'll go out tomorrow then. and I'll stock up on food for the boys" though how long they needed to be hauled up was anyone's guess.

Though she did not seem worried-- or perhaps it was just her normal non-display of emotion-- Johanna nodded to her sister.

"I am sure we will not have to hide for long. But it is precautionary."

Her head came down as her hand lifted to touch Rickie's cheek.

"Do you wish to stay here during? Or would you rather... be somewhere else?"

"Why would I want to be anywhere else...?" came the whispered reply that would've normally come across as a lot more confident. Now though, it almost sounded a bit worried. Not that she didn't want to be there, with Johanna and the boys, more like she was worried Johanna might be angry with her for earlier.

She gave a shrug of her shoulders. "I merely wish for you to be comfortable, sister."

"And I am, here, with you and the boys..." she whispered, sounding a bit as if she'd just gotten slapped across the face. If Johanna dismissed her... then...
Rickie closed her eyes and moved to pull away.
They'd barely been there, what? A week? Two? And already things had gotten complicated.
"I'm going to feed the boys..."

Johanna's hand reached out and grabbed Rickie by the arm, holding it tightly but not to hurt her. Just to keep her there, with her.

"No. Don't be that way. I am not angry with you. I am concerned, but I could never, ever be angry or upset with you, Rickie. Please, understand that?"

And for once, there was something almost pleading to the tone of Johanna's voice. Something raw and uncommon for the robotic shovel head.

And while Rickie could never bind herself to anyone, while she knew part of why Johanna trusted her was because of her bond, there was no denying how much the Caitiff needed the security of her sister as she simply threw her arms around the other woman's waist as she dropped down on her knees. Simply holding her tight, or rather, as tight as someone with Rickie's lack of strength could manage.

"I don't mean to worry you, Johanna... never" she said softly, resting her cheek against the other woman's stomach. "You mean everything me... you and the boys, without you..." chances were she would've been dead already...

Her hand came up and she ran her fingers through her sister's hair in smooth strokes with a trembling hand.

"Then you know it is I to blame for having put you in... put you in harm's way... I'm truly sorry for that, Rickie. Truly."

She would understand if she was not forgiven. She would.

Actions spoke louder than words, so when the Caitiff's arm slipped from her sister's waist and reached up to rest on the back of her neck with a gentle touch it was to convey the smiled to her lips. Soft red lips that, as she gently pulled Johanna down a little, touched her cheek in a kiss.
"You've never hurt me...." she said softly, letting the hand drift from the back of her neck to rest against her cheek where Rickie's lips had touched.
"Will you come take a bath with me?"

She reached up to take Rickie's hand, her shoulders seeming to relax. As if a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. She squeezed her hand and nodded. "You'll have to lead the way. I haven't done my steps yet," she offered a bit of a smile.

A light squeeze of her hand and a smile that she couldn't see, but still probably feel in Rickie's voice suggested that the other Caitiff found relief in Johanna's reaction as well.
"Of course" she said softly, leading her by the hand through the apartment and to the bathroom, moving her so that she could sit down on the edge of the tub as Rickie reached over to start the water and make sure the temperature was comfortable.

Might just be the dogs were sensing the change of moods as they too silently flocked to the room and curled up or sat down near the door leading from the bedroom.

"Smoke," Johanna called out softly, taking the satin fabric from around her face and reaching it out for him to take from her. A place for everything and everything in it's place, Smoke obliged and took the fabric in and onto the bed as Johanna began undressing. Her hair with the streak of blue fell forward into her face, covering the scars and lack of eyes with ease, though her hair was no where near long enough to hide the scars on her back.

Sisters joined in blood and torture.

When she was undressed, she leaned over the tub to run her hand through the water.

"What color is this room, Rickie?" She asked softly.

"What colour?" a slightly strange question, but one which had the Caitiff's eyes suddenly searching the room with a bit more interest as she slipped out of the dress and proceeded to remove the body suit that was worn to cover all her scars.
"It's beige, a kind of warm beige with a bit of yellow to it" she said with a gentle smile as she stepped into the tub and sank down into the warm water before taking Johanna's hand as if to help guide her. "Like dry fine sand, like the kind you'd find on a beach"

Johanna stepped in with Rickie's help with ease and moved to get comfortable, the warmth sending a slight shiver up her spine.

"Beige and yellow," she repeated softly as she attempted to remember what exactly those colors looked like. "Oh... the beach..." She let out a low growl. "I'm not going back to the beach. I got threatened with being arrested by one of our kind..." Displeased? Very.

Rickie wrapped her arms around her sister and pulled her in close so that she could rest her back against her chest.
"Heh... you and me both.." she muttered, closing her eyes and nuzzling against the corner of Johanna's neck with a low sigh, finding comfort in being able to hold her close. "Or well, I think I was just threatened" without the getting arrested part added into it.
"Don't know what's wrong with this place... I knew it would be difficult but I hate being questioned at every corner"

"The questions will get worse before they get better, you know that, right?" Johanna leaned back, resting her head on Rickie's shoulder, her head turned toward the side.

"But I am sorry it's been so trying. We knew it would be... we knew it would be a challenge." Her hand reached up to take Rickie's, just touching it, running her fingers over the smooth skin there. "What would you change here?"

"Change..." there were a lot of things she wished she could change, but more than anything, she wished she could wipe the memories of that shameful walk through the city from her mind and be done with it. The mere thought of it had a shiver running through her body despite the warmth of the embracing water.
"We'll make do... We always do" she said, reassuring herself as much as she was trying to reassure Johanna it would seem.

"All you have to do is say the word and we can go," she reassured her, noting the shiver.

Rickie gave a slight not of her head. She knew.... in all honest if people kept pushing like they did, she might just ask... even if she'd feel bad for dragging Johanna along again. Though without her? Without her Rickie wouldn't really know what to do.
"If it comes to that you know I'd tell you"

"No hesitation," she reached up to reach her fingers under Rickie's chin. "It doesn't bother me," she said with conviction.

"And I will go with you to get the boys stocked up, if you'd like. That way we're not alone. Okay?"

She nodded softly again and smiled with her eyes still closed.
"Okay. I'd like that"

Cold and indifferent on the outside. But it was only ever the outside. It was only ever a shell. With Johanna though she didn't need it. And there was no denying that being able to shed that facade when at home gave the Caitiff a sense of relief.
With her sister she didn't need to hide.

"Sure the boys would like it too"