withoutverona | Secluded Part of the Beach, Dawn Saturday

Montague	A duel, then. Well, if this was where and how things would end, Romeo supposed it was naught but deserved. He brought no man to back him, not wanting to risk any on the island in such a personal affair, not when so many others had troubles of their own. But he also had not loaded his gun, in the no doubt vain hope Tybalt would be contented with a conversation before Romeo had to take another of his lives.
Capulet	People speculated that the Prince of Cats had nine such lives. This was not the case. But Tybalt would never correct him. The vain pride in him wouldn't allow it, and rather than contesting such speculations, he was content to allow people to believe whatever they wished. Just so long as his image was all the better for it. "Romeo," he said, by way of greeting, with all the hiss and venom that his lips could manage, "the hate I bear thee can afford no better term than this, -- thou art a villain." In another lifetime, another reality, he might have said those words before. For this particular Prince of Cats, it was the first time such words had been spoken. And he had been waiting since a costume party in his uncle's trespassed home to utter them
Montague	And for the second time in his life, Romeo was rocked backward by the words. The repetition seemed to confirm that this dead man did not know he belonged in the grave, despitee the effort Romeo had taken in putting him there. With strange deja vu, he made an effort to answer differently, hoping that would lead to a different fate entirely. "I deserve that and worse from thee, Tybalt," he answered, calmly, submissively even as the words came through gritted teeth. "And should have said as much when you told me so before, as I would prove your words true soon enough."
Capulet	"And you continue to speak as a man speaks to a ghost," Tybalt snarled, fingering the gun at his hip. "With all the conviction and submission of he who has seen too many specters and lost far too much of his sanity to carry on a conversation with the living." And now, the gun, his Sword, was being drawn, and Tybalt placed a reverent kiss on its barrel, reveling, as always, in the weight and balance and terrible coldness of it in his hand. He was, among other things, also a terrible showoff. "I live and breathe, Montague, as I have since I was first placed on this Earth. Draw your Sword, mad villain, and I'll see to it that you have reason to rave no longer."
Montague	"I speak as such because I speak to such," Romeo answered. "I struck you down and saw you in your grave a year and more ago, Tybalt. Tempt me not to do so again." As he spoke, he fumbled for his gun, loading the Dagger. He might be brought down, but he couldn't make it too easy.
Capulet	Tybalt's gun was already loaded. Always loaded. It was far more effective that way. He allowed Romeo a moment to load his, as though he might have planned, momentarily, to allow a fair duel to take place. But fairness and madness and the wooing of kinsmen by insane enemies had no place standing shoulder-to-shoulder-to-shoulder, and Tybalt was never the most patient of persons. He was now pointing his sword, taking sloppy aim. No good would come of slaying a madman- there was no sport, no gain, only the risk of suffering madness as well. But that didn't mean he couldn't make Romeo suffer a little. "The women of Capulet are not yours to touch. Stay away from my family, villain. Bang." Tybalt grinned. Tybalt fired.
Romeo	Several things went through Romeo's head as the dead man spoke, chief among them the completely useless desire to protest he'd had no congress with Capulet women beyond what they had encouraged. But overriding that was pain from the bullet that had shattered his shoulder. Later, he dimly supposed, he might be grateful for the mercy or lack of will it represented, but that was no comfort against his current agony. He screamed and collapsed. "Villain."
Tybalt	Tybalt gave his gun another kiss. Holstered it. Grinned. Pulled out another cigarette. Lit it. And then turned to walk away. "Montague."
Romeo	Romeo was in too much anguish to respond in any meaningful way; he writhed instead, bringing a hand to his shoulder and feeling the blood warm against it. Then he closed his eyes and things got fuzzy. A minute (or an hour) later, he fished his phone out of his pocket with the working hand and unsteadily pressed the first speed dial button. Yurika might well finish the job Tybalt had started, but it was his on
Yurika	Her phone was ringing. A Romeo-sounding ringtone, judging by the muffled sounds coming from inside her purse. Yurika retrieved the cell and flipped open. "Moshi moshi!" she chirped cheerily. "What's up, koibito?"
Romeo	"Tybalt," he croaked out, and "shot," and "beach." And that was as much as he could manage, except ... "Please come."
Yurika	Yurika suddenly felt very very cold, and she was already moving out her door before she realized it. "Where?" she asked again, trying to stay calm. "I'm coming, okay? I need you to tell me where."
Romeo	He gasped a little, not the good kind of gasp. "East of town," he managed. "Near b- boardwalk. Tuh-tall trees." "I'm scared."
Dojima	Don't panic, don't cry. "It's okay sweetheart," she soothed, running down the stairs to skid to a stop in front of Rikku's room. "I'm coming, okay? You're near the boardwalk. I can find you." Kick at the door, because she was NOT hanging up on him yet. "Is Tybalt still there?
Romeo	"Went away," Romeo supplied. "Don't know where." There was a sound of scuffling in the sand: "Sitting up now. I l-love you."
Dojima	"Don't sit up!" she yelped, clutching at the phone. "Stay still! Please?" "I know you do." Yurika kicked at the door again in frustration. "Wait for me there, okay? Don't try and find me. I love you, I'm coming, I'm just getting Rikku and we'll be right there." "Rikku!"
Rikku	Rikku turned down her music when she heard her name called, and threw the door open to see -- Oh. Not good, not good, not good. "What's going on?" she gasped. "What -- something -- are you okay!?"
Dojima	Yurika still grasped her phone in one hand and reached for Rikku with the other. "Romeo got shot, I need you to help me find him," she said frantically. "Please?"
al Bhed	A blur of orange as she slammed the door shut behind her and raced down the hallway. "I have potions," she blurted out. "Good ones. It's gonna be okay. It is. Any idea where he is? We can find him. It can't be too hard. Where was he last? Did he say anything?"
Yurika	"Boardwalk," she answered breathlessly, murmuring one last reassurance into the phone before hanging up and running after Rikku. "I'll fill you in while we look."
Romeo	They would find Romeo sitting against a tree near the boardwalk, face ashen, pulse shallow. A blossom of gaudy red soaked one side of his white shirt. His gun lay on the sand some distance away. He tilted in and out of consciousness.
Rikku	Rikku already had a potion out, grateful yet again that the weapons locker restriction only applied to her explosives, and not her healing goodies. She dropped to her knees next to him and held it up to his lips, trying not to worry about all that blood. "Drink," she said quickly. "You're okay, it's gonna be okay, we're here." She glanced over at Dojima, eyes concerned.
Romeo	Romeo took it, gulped it down, too gone to more than shudder slightly at the taste. A moment after swallowing, he felt well enough to manage a "Thank you." "'m cold," he added.
Yurika	"Well, you're the one who's been sitting out here in a wet shirt," Yurika teased gently, brushing his hair back as she smiled at him. She wasn't going to look at the blood, she wasn't. "Hi, you." She looked around a bit to make sure Tybalt wasn't lurking around the edges of the boardwalk. "See, I said I'd find you," she said quietly. "Are you feeling okay to stand if Rikku and I help you to the clinic? I bet they've got some warm blankets."
Rikku	"You get two hot blondes to escort you," Rikku said, smiling weakly. "One on each arm. You'll look like a pimp. Just missing the hat." Okay. He'd downed a potion, he was going to the clinic, he was pale but he was still with them. It was gonna be okay. She hoped. Really.
Romeo	It was small, and bloodless, and almost too brief to see, but Romeo did smile at that. Really. "Hats don't suh-suit me anyhow," he said weakly. "Help me up."
Yurika	Yurika had to kiss him first. Just a gentle brush of her lips against his forehead before she pulled back and nodded at Rikku. "Let's go."