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Illicit Romance Vice Captain
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 Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 4:27 pm
From behind the slight haze, Gabriel watched with narrowed eyes, all one intent. The alighted Angels had formed themselves into a triangle, the obvious leader in the forefront and center. They all held the same smug, high-and-mighty look of those who thought they were superior to all others, especially the two in front of them. Yes, the two; they had noticed Gabriel immediately. For a moment they ignored the charging Kane, raising their hands in unison with palms flat towards the wall of light. Without uttering a word, an incredibly showy flash issued forth from each, colliding with the wall in a way that it seemed the larger light swallowed the smaller. The effect was obvious as soon as it was done. Amplified three-fold, the light given off from the wall pulsated brightly now, as if it by itself was trying to shove the spikes from within.
A feral growl parted his lips for a moment as he redoubled his efforts, no longer fighting within to retain control. This being was stronger. The cracks he had made already had begun resealing, some of the vines forced from their holds. With his snarl came even more dark appendages, winding ever higher and farther, digging even deeper. Still, his efforts were fended off for now. Digging his claws in - which went through further than the vines - he put all effort available into the dark spell, the reinforced wall cracking once again, although this time it was a deeper, slower crumble. I'll burn you all . . . There was nothing to differentiate Kane from the Angels.
All he could do now was watch and work. He saw as Kane moved forward, her curious blades working in their deadly dance. Of course, the Angels could never have a fair one-on-one fight, so all three drew strange looking double-edged swords. From what he could see through the glazed wall, Kane was attempting to circumvent them, fighting in an arch until she was facing him. It did not look as if the Angels noticed her intent, and even that was a mystery to the mind that had taken over inside of Gabriel. In the process of her encircling, she received several cuts and gashes, though only two of any great consequence on her right thigh and right side of her head, both of which were bleeding steadily. Other wounds included small fissures along her left cheek, one on her back, and a few scattered cuts on the rest of her limbs. One of the Angels was down already, scarlet still streaming from a slashed throat, but the other two looked virtually unharmed beyond a cut or two.
Gabriel let everything go at that point. Only two left for him . . . Or three. Somewhere inside an echo of "Kane" sounded, but it was gone before he could blink his pair of slitted eyes. With a grunt, every tendril tensed and pulled, causing a series of cracks to pervade the air. The shield was weak. Pulling his right hand away from the wall, he cocked it back behind him, letting out a resounding cry as he slammed it into the wall with all of his might. It worked. With a final shudder, the wall shattered, though instead of falling, it simply drifted apart and dissipated to nothingness, leaving the way clear. With a deep, shaky breath, the Fallen shot forward with a momentous beat of his wings, the broad smile on his face eager for what was soon to come.
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Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 5:34 pm
Kane had told herself she was prepared for the worst, but when she saw the mad smile that lit up his features she realized she was not braced at all. His eyes, brilliant with the insanity that the darkness brought, seemed to loathe the trio equally. What had she expected? That this veritable stranger would have his heart so melted by her pleasant attitude that, in one day, he'd be able to see her through the drowning black of despair. Oh yes, that was wildly realistic. Still she felt something in her chest sink and churn, sorely disappointed and pained despite the rationalization. Kane had indeed built herself up to something greater than another warm body burning with light to be expunged- but right now all she was. Perhaps that's all she ever was...
Forcing herself to think pragmatically, she opted to concentrate fully on defending herself. Drawing both swords close to her body, she backed away one step at a time. She was protecting her belly and head in particular as she watched the angels. They likely didn't realize her lack of attacks was because she was utilizing them as a buffer. Gabriel- if she could even call him that now- would take slightly more time in killing two than one. Wincing as she started to withdraw with small, painstaking steps. If she turned her back she was certain that all three would pounce on her like savage beasts.
Wings slowly withdrew from inside her, extending behind her back in preparation. Kane was no fool; it wouldn't take long for the 'peons' to die and there wasn't much hope for her running away. Even if she was a novice at best with flight, it was still her best chance for survival.
Then she froze. What was she doing? Was she honestly thinking of escaping? Was she not the same woman that cut down her daughter when she wrapped herself in the warmth of malice and malevolence? Rooted there, she was unable to will herself into movement. She had no right to flee. It make her blasphemous to herself to simply let him rampage this town.
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Illicit Romance Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 6:26 pm
The shell that was Gabriel wasted no time. In a bound he was to the Angel's backs before they could turn to respond, teeth and claws alike bared in feral glee. Leaping the last step, his left hand fastened around the female Angel's skull, claws digging in like a knife into gel cutting a scream short. The rest of her head seemed to collapse in upon itself, crunching and crackling marking the points where the bone shattered and crumbled. Even with a lifeless corpse dangling from one hand, he was not satisfied. The other Angel had only just turned with a strike when he tottered backwards with one arm less, crying out with a voice that seemed far less Angelic than he would pretend. It was all just wonderful; blood and boned crunched under his fingers, beautiful crimson splattered his clean shirt. He payed it no mind; there was still playing to be had. Somehow, a jagged something had found its way into his hand, now tinged with red and stabbing endlessly into a bellowing corpse. It would never be over, never. The wondrous screams, the gorgeous ending life. But then it was over. What was left of the scene stood Gabriel, still holding the remaining part of a roughly severed, crushed head and a sharpened paving stone in the other hand.
The blissful smile faltered for a moment as scarlet eyes focused on Kane, looking as if she were preparing for flight. It faltered, but only for an instant. Wings . . . He saw no shades to distinguish one being from the other, only lights; colors. This color was . . . Strange. The flame burned as a mixture of azure and crimson, swirling into a soft amethyst. It was neither red, nor blue, but something in-between. A tingle in the back of his mind hinted at familiarity, though as he approached, pulp falling from his left hand with a sickening squish, it was forgotten.
Wings . . . Angel. The primitive train of thought connected, and he continued forward at a steady pace, swaying slightly. A hand reached out, roughly gripping her shoulder as he shoved away the weapons like toys. "Miss . . . Dancingflames." His smile spread as he moved up against her, looking for all the world like he was about to stab her between her shoulder blades with his jagged tile. Pressing her tightly to himself, he raised his arm, bringing it down with a growl. It's over . . . Kane . . .
Gabriel grunted into her ear, staggering a step before catching his balance. His breath came thickly, perhaps in part because his mouth was smothered by a layer of brown locks. He blinked, both in pain and in slight confusion as memories came flooding back; this time he remembered. A shiver wracked his body, but he held fast, both to himself and to Kane, whom he had not let go of. One hand was limp around her waist, though still able to hold its own weight up. The other hand was clenched around the stone, now splattered with his own blood. The makeshift knife lay deep within his own shoulder, the only thing keeping a well of blood from erupting forth. He had used it not as a weapon against her, but as a ward against himself.
"Thanks for waiting . . . ." he whispered hoarsely into her ear, doing his best to smile a bit. "Sorry for . . . Ruining your clothes." His head felt a bit fuzzy, so he hardly noticed that he didn't make much sense. EIther way, it was a relief simply to see Kane was alright, despite a few injuries. Alive. The word sounded nice in his mind. "Very nice . . . To see you again." He hardly even cared to remember their little spat earlier; it didn't matter much to him. Honestly, he though, it was just nice to see her. He was having some trouble breathing, though why it was no mystery. He stood their silently after that though, breathing a bit heavily, but simply standing and holding on, the arm holding the stake in his shoulder keeping her close to him, the other still snugged limply on her hips. Very nice . . .
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Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 7:31 pm
"That's what I was trying to avoid you doing in the first place, you idiot!" she half-heartedly scolded as he embraced her. The sudden string of events ending in what could be described as a hug had left her unable to form any other coherent sentences. She merely blurted out the first thing that had coalesced in her mind, something that had been riding her thoughts since she had seen him on the other side of the glowing wall.
She had been frozen when he had mutilated (kill was too kind a word for the methodology) the angels and when he approached her. Even when he had a grip of her shoulder and a weapon in hand, knocking away hers, she had been unable to will herself into action. Why? Was her subconscious that had calmly asserted control, knowing that even as he was poised and ready to strike he would not? Was it blind, numbing hope that had made her stare blankly into a murderous gaze? Her completely self-imposed paralyzation baffled her. Kane had been certain that, right before he had spoken, that she would be another one of his victims.
Had the sight of her really made him able to stop? It was flattering, spinning a certain indescribable warmth through her... even if he had to stab himself in the shoulder to keep himself from attacking. That was the reality of it, though, she thought bitterly. Her mind twisted and turned on itself, remembering the earlier conversation. She was thinking highly of herself again. It was probably the color of her wings or the twisted depths of her sword that had made him realize who and what she was.
The sword of light had dissipated when it was thrown to the side, but she called the one woven of shadows to her hand. It faded into a ribbon of indigo and ebony, curling around her fingers and palm. Shifting in his light hold, she reached up and jerked out the knife, pressing the hand with milky midnight against the wound. It swirled inside and a tiny flow more came out of the tips of her fingers. It would have to do- it was all she could muster at the moment to heal him.
"I didn't need your help," she sniped, her tone sore. "I had everythi-" The rest of the sentence hung in the air loosely as he felt her go completely limp in his arms. There was no warning for she had no warning herself. There was no encroaching black in her vision, no exhaustion tugging on her thoughts. One moment she was fully functional, fueled by pure stubborness and willpower; the next she had collapsed. Her body had refused to let her push it any further, pushing her into what had the appearance of a deep slumber.
Within moments of passing out all the energy that would have been spent on movement and thoughts was redirected, the restful state allowing her regeneration to kick into full force. It would take several hours for her to heal, but it was much better than several days or bleeding to death.
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Illicit Romance Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:06 pm
The shadow of a smile flitted across Gabriel's features as Kane slumped against him, a leaden hand lifting slowly to stroke her hair. "I know, I know. I'm not necessary, but I think I'd like to stick around a bit longer." He had not even flinched when she yanked the shard from him, nor when she threaded the darkness into him to heal him, or at least that is what he assumed she was doing. In part, he thought it was the fact that he was completely drained, and had nothing left with which to react with. That, and he felt more resigned to the Dark than he had before. It was more of an inevitability in his mind now, especially after the scene he had just witnessed. The scene that he had created, though only watched as if through a window. What a curious thing . . . . he mused, shaking his head as best he could.
Shifting his and Kane's weight both, a gentle hand lowered from her hair to lift the delicate chain around her neck, pulling the curious medallion from her bosom. The globe and rings glinted dully, black etchings seeming more prominent than they had the first time he had seen them. It was just a trick of his eye, he decided, trying to recall the phrase Kane had used before when they were in the forest. As far as he understood, it would return them to the apartment only a bit away. Regardless of how close it was, he had no mind to carry them both back there, especially without being seen. Even if early in the morning, people were bound to be out and about elsewhere, and would soon be to that particular location due to the noise and display.
"Dancing flames take me home," he whispered at it, pondering if he had to address it directly. Wondering for a half-second if it would work for him, a gasp escaped the Fallen's lips as a brilliant light erupted from the pendant, swirling outward in the blink of an eye and capturing both of them until everything became blinding. Before he could blink again, they were standing in Kane's suite, just where they had been the first time. It took Gabriel a moment to realize he had no strength to spare in his legs, grunting again as he almost fell across the room with Kane, managing just barely to lower her to the bed with a sigh. The bloodied hand fixed her legs up on the mattress to make sure she would be comfortable when she woke. A vague, tired smile stayed on his features, as if the whole situation reminded him of something pleasant. Before he knew it, he was resting his head next to hers on the pillow, having basically fallen over in order to lay her down. For just a moment . . . Need to rest for just a moment. He noted in that "moment" that her wounds already looked better, remembering somewhere that her injuries healed themselves rather rapidly. Just a moment . . .
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Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 3:11 pm
It took several hours for her to start to stir. Because she had collapsed rather than dozed off, her 'slumber' more mirrored being comatose; her muscles did not twitch, her eyes did not move under the lids, and her breath was slower and more shallow that a deep sleep. It might have been frightening if her wounds had not slowly stopped bleeding and begun to mend and her chest risen and fallen with obvious signs of life. Without moving an inch, she lay there calmly and peacefully...
until the aforementioned moment when she started to stir. The deep gashes were quite visible but only half as deep as before when she started to wake. Her mind was foggy, not grasping that she had been unconscious or even that she was starting to pull herself back into reality. Only her sense of touch had eased itself slowly into accepting stimulus, feeling the warmth beside her. Instinctually she curled close to Gabriel. While she had recovered for the most part, she had lost enough blood to make a vampire buffet for the day and it left her slightly cool. Craving his body heat and oblivious to what the source of heat was, she drew closer.
Her hand shifted with her movement, eyes fluttering beneath lids as her mind roused itself gradually. Sinking her fingers into the lockets that they found themselves entangled in, she felt at ease. It was comfortable there, the soft tresses running between and around her fingers and the soft radiation of his chest. Several long moments passed, almost letting herself be lulled into a nap. Kane loved hair, especially his (although she would never admit it of her own volition). There was something entrancing about the look and feel of hair- something that was so sweetly seductive.
And then it struck her. Her eyes remained closed, more out of drowsiness than embarrassment. She knew that they had to be in her bed and that the thing next to her- no, the person next to her- had to be Gabriel. What had happened? Wasn't she fighting? Wasn't she angry? It seemed so distant from this moment that, even with eyes closed and imagination swinging freely, it was hard to picture. The last she could remember was pressing something to his shoulder... but that was neither here nor there. There was a small crisis of sorts before her- she was in bed with a rather attractive man. Perhaps they hadn't done anything... yet... but the lure was there. The awkward silence that would follow recognition of how they were positioned would surely be shortcoming...
but Kane couldn't care less. She was too damn tired to give a damn about it. Her fingers didn't withdraw and neither did her torso or legs. Remaining where she was, she told herself that if he wanted to jerk away in modesty she'd let him be the aggressor there. This moment wouldn't be ruined by her goddamn insecurities... and the gods knew she had no shame or modesty. It'd be his loss, she reassured herself, if he woke and pulled away.
"But I think too highly of myself," she mused aloud, not realizing thoughts had formed and been whispered out of dry lips. Eyes opened, deep chocolate orbs blinking at the light.
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Illicit Romance Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:20 pm
"Not at all." The mutter fell from Gabriel's lips as he was pulled from his slumbers, responding more the the sound of Kane's voice than his actual opinion. A vague memory of a dream flitted across the back of his eyelids, something to do with wreckage and death, but it was gone before he could blink his eyes open. At least, he thought, it wasn't the same dream world that felt like reality. As soon as his eyes had fluttered open, he closed them again, sighing into something soft. It was too bright, he reasoned. Too bright, and he was still tired. It would be nice to simply lie there and rest some more, warm feeling safe. Warm . . . Warm? A puzzlement slipped between the folds of his mind as he pondered his current setting. Something emitting heat was nestled up against him. And soft . . . He remembered again that he was breathing into something soft, soft and smooth. Hair; it felt like hair. Kane's hair was soft; he had felt it when he had cut open her shirt's back. Kane . . . .
Immediately as memory came flooding to him, his eyes shot open again to stair at the brown tresses his cheek was resting on, knowing them at once for Kane's. His breath caught, and for a moment all he could do was stare. Kane. I laid her down into her bed . . . Then everything's fuzzy. Did I fall next to her? The thought made his eyes close again temporarily, suppressing a shudder at what she might think should she awaken to find herself like this. In bed with a man she had just previously let her fury out on. Not without good reason, a voice pointed out. He almost nodded; it had really been his own fault. He would tell her and make it up later. For now, he needed to figure out a solution to this predicament.
It took him a few moments to notice that Kane was no longer asleep. He even got far enough to remember what he had said, and then deduced that she had said something to awaken him. Probably not on purpose, though it had happened regardless. He stayed where he was, willing his muscles not to tense up and stay relaxed. It did feel nice, and he wasn't about to move. It was warm and felt safe, even with somebody who had only - what he assumed to be a few hours - just been ready to take his head off. Their spat did not remain long in his mind, however. It was trivial to him, though he thought perhaps slightly more major to her. So much trouble she gets me in to . . . The Fallen let out a sigh, accompanied by a soft smile and a nuzzle into her hair before he could stop himself.
"Did you sleep well?" It was the only thing he could think to whisper. As he closed his eyes again, he shifted to make himself and Kane more comfortable, removing his right arm from between them and moving it around her. Although it might seem to her that he was trying to increase an amount of intimacy, he assured himself that it was simply to be more comfortable. Most definitely.
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Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:08 pm
"You said I thought too highly of myself," she insisted. Her voice wavered, sounding both bitter and hurt by the recollection. The argument before had been about her impacting his change, but she found it relevant now as she law so dangerously close to him that her heart trembled slightly. Kane wasn't sure exactly what she was fishing for other than some sort of explanation. Why had he followed her if they were so trivial to each other? Why had he flown into what seemed like a demonic rage at the wall she had created to keep him away and safe? Why had he held her so tightly, looking so relieved, and stabbed himself in order to prevent harm from coming to her? Why?
Was she inconsequential? It burned at her, wondering if somehow he had changed into Malik. Malik.... by the gods, I thought I had almost freed myself of that. Now she could be certain that the lover never really cared for her, but he'd chase her to the ends of eternity in possessive, jealous fits and pursue her for weeks to have her tend to his basic needs. It wasn't love that had bound them together, but some sort of fervent desire to own, control, and toy.
Staring at his face, Kane couldn't bring herself to entertain that idea for more than half a second. Even with hair that seemed to be woven of darkness itself and eyes the color of blood, he seemed to show something more genuine than the aforementioned demon. Perhaps part of it was ugly and twisted as the shadows that they played with, but another part seemed as pure and beautiful as the lines on his face.
Her muscles had tensed slightly as he put his arm around her. It wasn't uncomfortable or unpleasant, but just something so... unfamiliar. Was he... cuddling her? Had this man who had bellowed at her hours earlier about how little she affected him now holding her as tenderly as.... as...
What was she doing. Didn't he love someone? She was dead, no doubt for longer than Kane had been alive, but surely she was just trampling all over that memory. No doubt this was all just some long overdue rebound, one that they would look back on and shake their head at. Not that anything had really happened yet that was scandalous, but she forced into her mind that she was just a substitute, a stand-in, a shoddy double.
Still, despite all her inner monologue and badgering, her fingers clasped his hair, tugging it and drawing his face an extra inch closer. She could fell his breath on her nose and lips, her eyes locked on the closed lids. Swirls of ruby slowly wove into the muddy brown, although they were hardly malevolent. Something much more subtle danced in them, the hypnotic waltz of the two gentle shades mixing slowly.
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Illicit Romance Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 3:09 pm
A twinge inside of him made Gabriel's eyes tighten closed a moment before relaxing again, a response to Kane's only statement. Even if he had all but put the argument from his mind, having it brought up like that - and in an unavoidably negative light - hurt a bit. Justly so, he reminded himself. "Anything I said was stated rashly and out of bitterness; not towards you, but at myself." He spoke softly, almost able to feel his own breath rebounding back at him. The close proximity made him feel oddly warm; his cheeks, at least, felt a few degrees above normal. "I did not mean what I said. I suppose it was a cowardly attempt to protect myself. Distancing, I guess . . . ." He trailed off as his eyes slid open, noticing just how close he was to Kane. Dire urgings in his stomach pulled him back, and at the same time towards her. The commotion inside of him made for a queazy feeling.
Kane's eyes were beautiful. A perfect swirl of brown and crimson, spiraling into the center black. It almost entranced him. He remembered vaguely how Humans used to make mind-teasers, spinning in circles to make a person dizzy. This too made him feel dizzy, though in a very different way. It was a pleasant sort of dizziness, akin to the feeling one received when elated or incredibly surprised. Just as those puzzles, he began to feel himself mesmerized and drawn in. Drawn in . . .
He stopped. Without knowing it, he had moved even closer than the two had already been. Now they were about as close as they had been just before the argument, breath hot on each-other's lips. A tingle made its way from the base of his neck to the tips of his toes, causing a shiver to draw him ever closer. His breathing ceased yet again, and for a moment all he could do was stare. Her eyes were entrancing, her breath smelled and tasted sweet, her body felt warm against his. Everything felt as it should be, however bizarre or odd the situation was. Two days! Two days you daft, idiotic, bloody fool! But it didn't matter.
"Miss Kane," he murmured, barely a whisper in fear that speaking too loudly might shatter the moment. "I'm afraid I might be about to cause us a problem . . . ." And he did just that.
Before he could even close his eyes fully, Gabriel had pressed his lips upon Kane's, thoughts and doubts filed away to nothingness. Not a replacement . . . Something entirely different. And I love it. It was his last thought before pure emotion took over. He believed the proper term was a 'kiss', but it felt like more than just that. At least, in his mind. It was an apology, in a way, to the way he had acted before. It was an awkward new greeting. It was a way to share his real feeling for once, instead of simply hiding it in the darkness that was slowly creeping over him. It was all he could muster in one action, but still not enough. A cloak of feathers descended over and around Kane and himself in the form of his wings, draping darkness that blotted out the light from the windows around the pair. It was soft, and it was safe. It was warm, and it was real. Even if it was only a moment, he was at peace with the world around him. He was at piece with the world in front of him.
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Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 4:31 pm
"Huh?" she grunted. It was the only response she could get out before his lips pressed against hers. His explanation had made her mind recoil in bafflement and surprise. He hadn't meant what he said earlier at all? Why was he trying to distance himself? What was it that felt he need to draw away? After all, it wasn't like she thought he was madly in love with her! That'd be idiotic! ... wasn't it? The subsequent comment about causing a problem had just elicited more confusion, thus resulting in the questioning utterance. This man made no blasted sense!
Even when he kissed her, bewildered, she had the lasting conscious thought that it was ridiculous to call her Miss Kane and then act so intimately. Honestly, this man was hopeless and impossible! There was no way that she would...
Kane hadn't realized that in the midst of all her thoughts that she was already kissing him back. Fingers curled in his hair, sinewy fingers holding the tendrils of ebony as if she were afraid that letting go would somehow would make him vanish. Her heart beat so quickly that she felt the organ would pound out of her chest if it weren't for more rhythmic vibrations coming from his own. Unconsciously holding her breath, Kane acted more shy at this moment than she had in the many hours he had spent with her previously. There was something gentle and soft in the press of her lips against him, something bashful and insecure.
A giant wall had tumbled in her mind. The sound of metal slamming onto stone reverberated through swirling thoughts, lingering dreams and feelings twirling around the debris in gem-hued wisps. What had he done? What was going on? The castle was unguarded, the barriers around it laying in disrepair. She felt vulnerable and uncertain, but at the same time there was something comforting in this drastic change. Something welcome... and exciting.
In that fleeting moment, she felt that the light inside her was swelling up to the point of exploding. Trickles of magic seeped out out her fingers, gently laying on the lockets she felt. Sparkling like tiny fireflies, they also drifted out of a hand that reached out and clasped at his shirt. The warmth that had spread through her body seemed all-consuming, enveloping all that was dark for that brief stitch in time.
Abruptly the darkness grew. It waxed, the tsunami washing over her in mere seconds. It had not been intentional on his part to cause such a reaction, and she felt wretched for the split second that she was able to think clearly. The moment that his wing blotted out the rays of the sun and fully encircled them, the twisting black had fully seized her. The light fluttered and then disappeared, unable to be sustained. Desperately she had tried to hide it before, praying he'd not notice. Kane had been successful- too successful perhaps. The bathroom door had been left open both times she had used it not out of concern for what might happen in the large room of the studio, but out of fear.
If he couldn't feel it inside of her, he could not avoid the physical reactions. Her eyes had opened, bright red burning through was was left of the soothing chocolate. The terror in her vibrant ruby orbs was obvious, although it was not focused on him; in fact, they seemed unfocused and wild. Halted breath was let out as her lips quivered and then her chest shuddered, forcing out gasps in a labored fashion. Pleasantly heightened heart now sped out of control.
As she spiraled, she was unaware that he was there. A curtain had been pulled and a hand had shoved her back into a room. Falling for several long seconds, she felt herself hit the floor on her back. A hellish light danced around the edges of the door frame as the walls shook and creaked. They were moving, she swore they were moving. The large slabs were surely closing in on her, bent on crushing her as they merged toward a singular point. She was suffocating...
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Illicit Romance Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 5:25 pm
So wrapped up in the moment he was that Gabriel failed to notice the change for a few seconds. When he did, his insides went cold, knowing immediately that something was not as it should be. Possibly everything. His eyes opened slowly, hesitantly, to see just what had happened, then shot open fully as he saw what lay before him. Immediately his lips broke away - regretting it, but knowing the necessity - and his arm that had been around Kane moved to her cheek. The doming wing swept back, letting in a now blinding stream of sunlight. It settled back into its proper place, not knowing its sin, though even its owner was slightly confused. The light. It had to have been the light; darkness? Light, way to go, Gabe. He scolded himself as the hand at her cheek stroked softly, trying to coax a positively frightened-looking Kane back to herself. A soft whisper tried to call her back, a dancing smile as a temptation. "Kane . . . I'm sorry; it's alright now. It's not dark. Nothing . . . .' He trailed off, a frown replacing the smile. Closeness . . . Walls. She's acting like a claustrophobic. Maybe that's it . . . . "I'm sorry about that, really. It won't happen again." If there is an again, now.
Slowly he caressed her, soothing words falling from concerned lips. His conclusions became his only two thoughts: she was either afraid of the Darkness - which did not make much sense, thinking more on it - or she was afraid of enclosed spaces. Either way, he had caused the reaction and he would do what he could to stop it. Continuous streams of chastisements drove through his mind, but he pushed them away. He had not known; all he could do was comfort the best he could.
"It's safe here. Safe. Nothing's going to happen while I'm around." While in his mind he knew things would happen, but the message was meant to sooth. He held her close - if possible, closer than he had when they had been locked in their kiss. A finger went to her temple, right beside her eye, stroking slowly. He wanted to will the colors back, rid the scarlet that he knew was in his own eyes. If not that, at least return her to a calmer state. For long minutes he lay there, stroking and holding, whispering and hoping he hadn't done something irreversibly wrong.
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 6:37 pm
As the light suddenly washed over her features, the fear disappeared from her eyes. Although the color did not fade away into a warm earth tone or bold violet, they seemed to be re-centered on the scene around her. As the rays of sun had struck her face, the room in her mind had become flooded and shoved away with vehemence. There was nothing but darkness and malevolent light in that memory- here there was something too bright to ignore, too different to disregard.
"Ah," she exclaimed softly. Blinking rapidly and then squinting once she realized she had started gazing directly at the window pane, she turned her head downwards and into his shoulder. "This is not what I had planned when I did those things," she groaned. It terms of her ego, this had been a catastrophe. She had been weak and healed when he had thrown a knife at her, nearly helpless in front of five angels, lied and proclaimed she was mothering his child, been 'saved' from another couple angels, collapsed, cuddled, kissed him, AND had a claustrophobic panic attack. Clearly this whole 'independent woman who keeps her distance' thing wasn't going as well as planned. Kane couldn't have maneuvered herself into this perplexing situation better if she tried.
"N-not that... uh... I... didn't like... eh..," she suddenly blurted out, wincing slightly as she heard the strain in her voice. She knew how horribly confused and flustered she sounded. This had not been anticipated or planned for. It was well-hidden that she had such a traumatic reaction to enclosed spaces, and even if they had been lover she would have strived to keep such things from him. There were a few things she was ashamed of, and that was on the top of the list. How vulnerable she was made her uncomfortable and slightly anxious- it had never been this way with Malik. Heart still pounding in her chest, she forced herself to breathe slowly.
As awkward and perplexed as she felt, swarmed with all sorts of conflicting emotions that overwhelmed her mind, she did not regret kissing him back or getting so close. She was still now reluctant to withdraw, finding something reassuring in his embrace. It was as if the world was spinning around her and there were two arms that held her in place, reminding her that eventually the ride would stop and the fog would lift.
"Did... did you want to shower? You still have some angel's blood on you," she whispered, struggling for a train of thought. Her voice was slowly rising back to its level of confidence prior to the romantic interlude. One hand still in his hair and the other clutching his shirt, she wondered if he would let her pretend that her previous lapse in sanity hadn't happened, or if he would be offended that she was trying so desperately to ease into a normal conversation.
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Illicit Romance Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 7:15 pm
Gabriel's smiled returned when he saw Kane mostly back to herself, if not still looking frightened and jumpy. "I have no idea what you are talking about," he said confidently, looking straight in her eye. "Was it really that horrible? I guess my kiss isn't something to be desired." He chuckled into the nape of her neck, giving her ear a n**. Instead of taking her suggestion to take a shower, he snuggled deeper into the bed, and curled himself more fully around Kane. "I'm rather comfortable here, to tell you the truth. A shower can wait, I think. I mean, so long as it's alright with you." The last was added quickly, the note of playfulness vanishing for a moment as he hoped that no offense was taken in his assumption. It was comfortable there, but if she would rather him move and go shower . . . Well, it was up to her. Until she said otherwise, he would stay. No desire to do anything otherwise.
For a moment as he lay there, breathing slowly into her ear - in part to help the rhythm of her own breathing - he thought on what had just happened. Of course, he would not mention it aloud; she did not look like a reminder was needed. No, best to keep it to himself. But what had happened? He knew it had something to do with his wing. Blasted thing . . . . It was the first time in memory he remembered cursing his wings. The Fallen had liked them before they had started turning grey and falling apart. They had been white and pure, almost seeming to glow at times. Now, though, they were the opposite. Gathering darkness and seeming to make light recede. Had they really caused such a reaction? Sticking with his theory of claustrophobia, he pondered. Her eyes . . . They were frightened to death of something, yet unfocused, as if she were looking at something else. A memory? Perhaps something from long ago. Maybe her daughter . . . . Yes, that was traumatic enough to scare anybody. One day he would inquire it of her. For now, though, Gabriel thought it best - and lovelier feeling - to cuddle for a while.
Figuring the situation that had just passed was to remain tacit, Gabriel left it to his thoughts as he had planned. No use in upsetting her again, or ruin what we have here. What we have here . . . What do we have here? For a second his eyes blinked open to form a quizzical expression, almost confused at his own question. But he remembered how they got there, of course. Just . . . How exactly did they get there? He resisted the urge to shake his head, figuring it would also not be best to jostle her back and forth by effect of his habitual movements.
"I'm sorry." The words came so quickly and so unexpectedly from his lips that he almost failed to notice he said them. He more spat them out than anything, his mind working faster than his mouth could. "I shouldn't have done that." He made no move to let her go. "I . . . I don't really know what to say. I liked it - I mean, that is to say that it was an enjoyable experience, and I - well, not like that! I mean-" He floundered around for a moment before biting his lip and letting his head sink into the pillow and Kane's shoulder, eyes clenching shut as his mouth did. Stupid. All at once he had begun feeling incredibly sheepish again and did not quite know how to handle it. His stomach was going crazy, little things flapping around inside of him while a heart tried to communicate with her own through loud, impossible-to-not-hear thuds against his chest. Who knew I could feel like this . . . . It felt good, though. Even through all the tripping over words and odd feelings, it felt nice. He made no attempt to move away, but he surely kept his mouth closed after that outburst. Probably thinks I'm a bloody idiot . . . Well, more of one now.
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Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:19 pm
"I just need to... have time to think..." she started and then blinked. It all rushed back to her, the abrasive attitude that twitched at the small 'errors' he had made. A tic seemed to abruptly appear, the right side of her lip spasming in slight annoyance and irritation. Her ego bristled slightly at his apology. Apologizing? He liked it but he shouldn't have done it? What in the nine hells did that mean? Sure, she was confused, but she wasn't apologizing like she was sorry she kissed him back. Her muscles tensed in the embrace. It was comfortable, it was calm, it was nice, and it was totally unlike her to just lay there in bliss without saying something.
"Wait, you're apologizing?" Her tone was incredulous, indignant, and more than a little sore. "Why in the blazes are you sorry if you liked it? And what do you mean not like that? Is there something so wrong with that?" She was on a roll now. Her tirade seemed to roll off her tongue with more ease and grace than a diplomat's compliments. Kane was offended, although the anger fueling her now was of a different sort than that which he had confronted in their first encounters. Now it was more personal and less cold; she sincerely cared more about what he said and how he said it. Gabriel would be correct to muse and assume that in her closest relationships that fighting was regular and healthy for her.
"And if you're going to kiss me, don't call me MISS Kane like I'm... I'm... some hooker you picked off the street and are trying to be polite to!" She very reluctantly and hesitantly pulled her fingers from the long tresses and the warm shirt. It was nice being there, but she needed time to think and fume over what had transpired. Everything was moving so quickly that Kane felt as if she had to run to a corner of the room and just sit there mindlessly. Too many things were so jumbled that if he had proposed something more she might have agreed not because it was what she desired, but because she'd be at such a loss she was likely to give any answer.
What she didn't do, though, was apologize for kissing him or holding him. Despite her current ire and confusion, she wasn't going to make the mistake of pushing him away and saying something untrue or cruel. Gabriel would hopefully understand that although it was out of character for her to be so... affectionate... that it was not something she was going to cop out on. It would be stupid to claim she did anything but act on her honest gut impulses. She held back about as well as an alcoholic did with his booze.
"I'm going to read," she proclaimed as she scurried to get over him. Letting out a small utterance, she felt squarely on top of him in a most uncomfortable and unladylike fashion, sprawled in an awkward position. Her head, shoulders, and arms hung over his back and the edge of the bed, but her legs were folded near his chest.
Yes, this was going swimmingly. Good show, Kane, good show.
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Illicit Romance Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 5:45 pm
The shadow of a smile played across Gabriel's lips, almost unnoticeable, as he listened to Kane. Well, I wanted her back as her old self, didn't I? Even if it had not been as he wanted, he was grateful she was back to herself on the whole. If not caustic, it was not the most pleasant awakening from such a pleasant moment. Still he could not help but smile a bit before his brow furrowed, head making its signature sway. This woman. If he spent a longer time with her, he doubted any normality or consistency would be gained. Still, even while thinking such things, not once did the Fallen consider leaving. It was odd as he reflected on it. Staying in one place and being happy? It was completely foreign. Nice, though.
"I'm-" He had been about to apologize. Again. Smart move! "-going to take a shower, then," he had proclaimed before she fell on top of him. For a moment he was caught off guard, but recovered quickly, not wanting something else for her to attack. Shifting under her and taking care not to jostle, Gabriel slid his arms underneath Kane, in doing so flipping her around so that she lay comfortably - for the both of them - in his arms. Cradling her head on his shoulder, the Fallen slipped around, placing his feet on the floor and standing effortlessly, midnight wings falling behind him after rustling into place.
"Reading, yes. I'll be just in there if you need me," he said conversationally, tacitly indicating the bathroom. As he spoke, he tipped her upright so that her feet landed softly on the floor, making sure she was standing safely before nodding - smiling slightly - and turning to the bathroom door. No need to prolong a situation such as they had. It was best to just think, and what better place to do so than a hot shower?
It took only moments before the door had clicked shut behind him and he stood under the flow of water, letting the heat seep into him as his mind went wild. What in the world had just transpired? First he had stabbed himself in the shoulder and transported them both to her apartment, and then he had woken up next to her only to kiss her a few minutes later? Such a strange series of circumstances did not even exist in fantasy! But it had happened, and as he reached up to lightly touch his lips, they almost quivered in response, hoping instead for their previous rest. It had happened, and he had let it. Not only let it, but initiated it! There was no use in asking what he had been thinking, for he had not been. No, he had been feeling something for once that was not pain or fatigue. Something warm and comforting. Something he had not known for centuries. Best not get to like it . . . Chances are I'll be kicked out of here by the time I step out of this shower. He set himself for a lengthy wash.
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