Dance until you're dead...{Kaylie}

[Velokell Villalobos]

The air was gritty; filled with smoke, the low rumble of cheers and curses, and the ever present misting of blood and sweat. The floor below his feet was covered in grime and blood, eternally marked with grooves from unhappy bullets and hidden knives. Crowds surrounded the high mesh fence that closed off a bedroom sized area, hooking dirty fingers through the similarly blood stained metal, lips pulled back as they screamed at the two fighters battling for their lives inside. Money was passed from hand to hand, and somewhere in the background, the low tinkle of glasses added to the cacophony, as the bartender poured a couple shots for the party in back.

A guy had to love the bohemian aura of The Underground, owned and operated by one of the world’s most notorious arms dealers, Dhamone ‘The Jackal’ Katilacuss.

The Underground never had the same location twice, forever moved around the old sewers and abandoned train stations that cocooned New Orleans, and as usual, it sported a fight-to-the-death cage in the middle of the large, dusty room. Nickelback’s Burn It To The Ground blasted from speakers in the back, a fully stocked bar lined one dirty wall, and sitting in the corner, a beer bottle grasped in one hand, the Jackal himself watched the scene with an air of nonchalance. He was the big, bad wolf of the party, and from the space that everyone gave him, it was a reputation that no one was likely to challenge without a good half a bottle of stiff whiskey down their bellies.

Well…maybe no one but him, that is.

Reclining back on his elbows, a scary looking man made himself comfortable with his back to the scarred wood, an almost bored expression on his face. Dark, weathered skin was interrupted by the faint traces of stubble growing on his chin and cheeks, and equally disturbed by a pair of dark brown eyes focused on the interlocked pair battling it out in the middle of the room. Casually, he lifted an almost spent expanse of his cigarette to his lips, the hand sporting spidery scars; crisscrossing burn marks and old knife wounds- or were those claw marks? He could never remember- and took a deep drag. Dirty black hair fell in clumpy wisps around his face, and from the just-as-dirty black suit that he was wearing, he could probably have been mistaken as some hobo one of the other patrons had let in out of pity.

An assumption that would probably prove to be the unwary thinker’s last.

“You want in on that action, Kel?” A voice asked from behind him.

Turning a bland eye to glare at the grinning bartender, Kel just shrugged. “Why?” Was his only answer, and, feeling the beginnings of irritation start to swarm into his chest at his view being interrupted, he threw in a lip curl.
The bartender quickly found something else to do. Smart man.

Pushing himself to his feet, he shrugged out of a ripped jacket that sported more stains than cloth and tossed it onto his stool. One more drag of the cigarette followed his tossing down what was left of the bourbon he’d ordered, and he moved forward toward the cage.

The fight had ended as the bartender had spoken, and suddenly, he was in the mood to break someone’s face in two.

Thus was the atmosphere that welcomed Kel Villalobos; bounty hunter, bodyguard, murderer and all around monster-for-hire. He was mean, he was paranoid, he’d kill his grandmother for a good buck…

And he was bored as hell. Maybe a nice fight would give his twitching hands something to do. At least, that’s what he thought as the crowd surrounding the cage parted like the Red Sea, and he was faced with one of the largest men the God of Muscles had ever spawned.
Nah well. He’d look on the bright side; maybe this guy wouldn’t fall as quick as the others he’d broken in half.

A little hush fell over the crowd as he made his way into the cage, turning to look over his shoulder at the loud clang of the locks being shoved into place. This really wasn’t his scene; standing in the middle of a cage, as if he had something to prove. People stayed away from him, clients only contacted him when they needed a job done, and the world kept its fxcking distance, if it knew what was good for it. Before today, The Deathless was just a silent ornament in the corner of the Underground; watching, waiting and sure enough of his power not to have to prove himself to a band of screaming monkeys clinging to the mesh fence that enclosed him.

And yet, there he was, facing off with a freaking gorilla four times his size.
Did he choose the best time to surprise the gamblers or what?

In the silence, the strange man felt his eyes close and his arms begin moving until he resembled a conductor directing his musical troops. Ah, there it was, the soft twinkle of beer hitting the scarred wood of the bar. The brass echoed in Katilacuss’ shifting his chair, and the wind from the murmured whispers drifting around in the air. One, two, three…one, two, three…

Cracking an eye open, he paused in mid-swoop, glaring at his opponent with a disgusted sigh. “Well?” He said finally, loudly, hints of a foreign accent twisting the words. “Are you gonna fucking fight me, or just stand there and stare? Pansy-boy.”

And the atmosphere erupted.

[Kaylie Fugate]

{I claim this as MINE. And shall reply after I've had my fill of tacobell and class xD }

[Kaylie Fugate]

Quite honestly, she had no clue why she was here. Yes, she went to the bar, but not one like...well...this. The rugged air and cage wasn't her thing. Sure, the latter she'd enjoy at a good club, but since moving from New York Kaylie found herself turning away from the rougher bars. It wasn't something to peak her interest, and brought back too many memories.

Shaking nostalgic thoughts from her head, she looked around the poorly lit area. Tri-color hair was straightened to nearly pin-straight and hung over her shoulders, layers in the front framing her pale face. Dark jeans, worn and torn around the thighs and knees, laced up the outside of either leg and hugged her lower curves. A black tanktop, lace lining the dipping neck, was layered under a black and white pinstriped coat. Certain movements tugged up at the top, exposing just the edges of side tattoos and the one across her hips.

She really should have been off filling out the application for an apartment, and yet here she was. Sitting at the bar, sipping on some concoction of a drink she'd randomly selected. Slowly, she let her mind wander, questioning her new "home" of some sort. She'd considered, from the moment she left, about going back and tearing down the plywood she used to board up her home. At the time, she'd convinced herself that it was her way of trapping her sorrows inside. But they still followed her. The past couple of nights, held up in her hotel room, she'd been tossing and turning. Home held too many memories, from what happened to her parents and brother, to Abby, Wraith, and Kel. The last two...it was too uncomfortable to be around. After Abby had confronted her, Kaylie always felt tension and, yes, some paranoia around Wraith...And even when she basically disappeared off the face of the earth, Kaylie wondered where her friend had gone, or if she were right behind her watching her every move.

Reaching up, she groaned while rubbing at her face, careful not to smudge the eyeliner around dark eyes. Dropping her hand after a few seconds, she reached for her drink to take a large sip. She hadn't noticed the still of the crowd, but the sudden eruption made her head turn. Curiosity killed the cat, and yet she still tested it. Reaching into her coat pocket, she pulled out a dark and beat up wallet. Inside, worn pictures were stuffed together, pale fingers brushing over the section of tiny photographs before slipping towards bills. Pulling out what she owed, Kaylie paused to collect a few more bills for a small tip before tossing them down on the bar counter by the empty glass. Stuffing her wallet back in her pocket, she pulled herself from her seat and followed the sounds of the interested crowd.

Carefully, skillfully, she slipped through the entangled bodies of the excited crowd. Any hands that touched were shoved away violently, nearly black eyes resting on the cage, intent on getting a closer look. It was when she was almost to the edge of the cage that she saw a flash of a familiar looking face. Instantly, her brows furrowed. No...it couldn't be. Blinking hard a few times, she gave a final push through the crowd, letting herself rest as close to the bars of the cage as possible. Reaching up, she let her fingers wrap around the cold metal, letting the vibrations of the fight course through her veins while her eyes rested on one figure.

It was him.

Suddenly, her body froze. Her throat tightened, her stomach knotted, and a mixture of confusion and anger swirled through her head. What was he doing here?! The thoughts raced through her mind, and yet she stayed perfectly still in her spot, barely blinking at what was happening before her eyes. She was staring like a child, no worry near her mind. Afterall...She'd seen him shot infront of her more than once.

[Velokell Villalobos]

With a roar, the gorilla charged forward, head back and fists ready to do some insulting of their own. Rolling his eyes, Kel easily sidestepped, indenting his knuckles into the passing side…and grimacing when they met solid rock. Holy shit, hello steroids. Shaking it out, he whirled to face his opponent again.

Face red, the gorilla man charged again, though this time, dodged to the side as he made a pass at the mercenary’s right.
Good move, he thought, grunting when his enemy’s fist slammed the air out of his lungs. Gotta remember that one for later.

The match went on like that; Kel dodging, sometimes getting knocked around the cage, and the gorilla snorting and howling with every charge. It was fun for the first few minutes, a reminder of what mortality must be like, if one was to feel the need to grab it…but after the tenth time of letting the guy feel good and bruise his kidney, The Deathless was feeling a teensy bit bored. Which SO wasn’t cool, given that he’d come in here to be entertained.

“Alright, that’s enough of that,” He muttered, eyeing his opponent with disappointment. When the expected charge came, it was just so easy to catch one of his wrists and throw the fighter over his head, like he weighed as much as a pillow.

Scratching his cheek, Kel stood in the middle of the cage, looking around at the gathered gawkers as if he were waiting for his cheers. When a collective gasp of excitement was the only reaction, he turned around to find the gorilla going for a bear hold, and reacted accordingly.

Wrapping his hand around the chorded, meaty neck, he used the lovely law of momentum to bring the larger man down. And it was all momentum’s fault that the force of the landing made the concrete crack beneath them.

What? He’d wanted to break somebody’s face; that was the original plan. And how he stuck to his original plans.

“I think somebody needs to call a doc,” He said innocently, standing to wipe the blood off of his hands. The people around him were staring, but he couldn’t care less. It was their life, after all; the life of the Underground. Was it such a big deal that a baddy got his ass whupped? Live long enough in his world, and one grew used to such feats.

Hell, he was still waiting for someone bigger and meaner than him to come along, ready to rip his black little heart out of his chest. He'd even thank the fucker, if it meant getting him out of this goddamn annoying existance. Day in and day out, having to deal with the same things, the same people, the same voices in his head. It was tiring after a while, man! And hell if he couldn't use some sleep after an existance like his.

Case in point when he strolled out of the cage in that easy saunter of his, and caught the eye of a very familiar lady.
Fate really was a bitch on wheels sometimes...and now? Now was definitely one of those times.

For a minute, Kel stood there, frozen to the spot as he stared at a face wearing a just-as-shocked expression as his. The last time he'd seen Kaylie, the woman who had entralled him and pissed him off like no other, she'd been running away from him, screaming up a storm. One would think that having the nickname 'Deathless' would be a clue as to what kind of a guy he was, but she'd been genuinely shocked when he'd taken a bullet to the head and walked away cursing. She'd called him a zombie, ran from him, feared him...hell, all she'd forgotten was to throw things at him, and she'd have successfully stomped on the stupid idea that, hey, maybe he had a chance to have a 'something' with a woman after centuries of being alone.

...Oh, wait, she'd managed to do that anyway. Lucky her and lucky him.

Well, the last thing he needed was a trip down memory lane, resulting in some more 'ZOMBIE, ZOMBIE, KILL IT!' screaming. He'd give her the damn Underground if it meant being able to pretend that a little streak of hurt wasn't shooting through his chest. Catching her eye again, he curled a lip, daring her to freak out and acknowledge his presence. But, before she could, he quickly moved out of the cage, heading for the door.

Fuck if he wanted another 'reunion' like their last. He could forget about her, and all of those useless emotions she'd stirred in him. And then he would move on...just as he'd done since he'd sold his soul to the Devil for a bit of gold.

[Kaylie Fugate]

While the fight commenced, dark eyes stayed on him the entire time. The sounds of the fight slipped by her, the room seeming to be filled with silence to her as she just stared. If her brain wanted her to move, the connection was never made to her body as she stood completely captivated. She wanted to walk away before he saw her, act like this never happened and just stay locked up in her home....

But then the fight was over, and then their eyes met. The air was ripped from her lungs and her heart felt like it had stopped, her body completely frozen. She stared at him like a deer staring into the headlights of an oncoming car. Their last meeting didn't go so well, and she hadn't left on the best of terms...and yet now she stared at him in dead silence.

The moment he curled a lip and moved, she winced. Her knees faltered slightly, causing her body to drop an inch or so, though she remained standing due to her hands still clamped around the bars. The moment he left the cage, she finally acknowledged her need to breathe again. Her fingers uncurled from the bars, finally, and her shaking legs lead her through the crowd. She did her best to walk strong and tall, boots clicking on the hard floor as she shoved through sweaty bodies, looking for him. Her lips moved, but no sound came out until she finally pushed through a couple bodies and shoved herself before him.

"Why?" Her lips moved and a sound came out, though her voice wasn't as strong as she'd hoped. Clearing her throat roughly, she tilted her head back some to get a better look at him. "Why are you here?" She finally got out, inhaling and standing up taller as she demanded an answer. "...You're supposed to be in New York."


{bah, not so good, I'm sorry x.x Have a lot going on, I'll explain on msn ;-; }

[Velokell Villalobos]

God, it was annoying to look into that beautiful face and feel a pang of longing. He’d long ago given up on humanity, on anyone understanding him in any way…and this was exactly why.

One little glimpse at what he was capable of, and the world ran away screaming. It was no matter that he’d done nothing to warrant getting shot in the goddamn head, and fuck if he’d went for anyone’s goddamn brains…but did that matter? Was he welcomed with open arms, after an appropriate period of shock?

No. As always, he was shunned for things not of his control. It had started that way, sure; he had plundered, pillaged and murdered. But that was in the past. When would he finally be allowed to live in the present?

For all of five seconds, he had considered going over to Kaylie and explaining what had happened. He’d thought about apologizing for scaring her, begging for her not to fear him, to embrace him as she had before. For five seconds, he’d let himself look into her eyes and feel the acceptance that she’d given him before; relive that powerful night when they’d been together.

And then the five seconds passed. Fuck her, and fuck everyone else. He needed people like he needed another angry goddess shoving curses up his ass.

She could have the Underground…she could have the whole goddamn city if she wanted it. He was out of there. Tonight. Fuck the ‘running away’ bullshit that his ego was crying about; he was bound for somewhere far, far away, without that beautiful face or melodic voice.

Before he could get the chance, however, said face appeared right in front of him, as if Fate had finally joined in on the ass kicking. Oh, joy to his life, just fucking cut off his head already.
Both of them.

He watched her body slowly straighten, filling with irritation rather than fear. Good, he could deal with anger. It even started a spark in his own chest, which definitely helped keep that sneer on his face.

“Am I?” He answered, accented growl easily carrying over the yell of the crowd. Another fight had started in his absence, it seemed. “News t’me. Don’t worry, Kaylie; y’safe from me. ‘M not here for you, just a job. Now…get outta my way.”

Before she could answer, he proceeded to walk around her, practically barreling over a poor mook looking to see the fight. Snatching his jacket from the bar as he walked by, he ignored the bartender, ignored the owner of the Underground as the man gave him a curious look, and headed for the door.

Fuck ‘em all, man. He always worked better on his own.

[Kaylie Fugate]

The eye contact made a ball form in her throat, for once Kaylie's pride and arrogance not getting the best of her. She was honestly lost, unsure of what to say or even do....And at a loss of control to her actions. If she had it her way, she'd be left with that pit in her stomach and not having seen Kel when she got here...Hell, did she even want that? Lord only knew, she could never figure out what she ever wanted. Her emotional connections to others had lead to more than her share of problems. Her and her brother were close, and we all know what happened there. She'd started to get close to Wraith, and Abby nearly ripped her head off. Abby was now gone from her life...And, well, the story still continues on for her and Kel, which could be both good and bad.

She hadn't been sure of his intention behind the comment, but her stomach knotted at hearing him, and oddly enough...A tinge of jealousy followed. She'd been a job when she was in prison, and we saw what happened there. Her eyes narrowed just as he walked by her, Kaylie swallowing hard before she turned around to take off after him, her legs feeling like they were grounded in cement.

"Kel!" Her voice wasn't loud enough, causing her to growl and try again. "Velokell! God damnit!" She'd let her anger rise again, shoving through people with strength that one didn't think such a small body could possess. She did her best to cut infront of him again, planting her feet firmly on the ground.

"The first time I met you, I was the job. Then, I go to California, and you show up there. I go back to New York, and you're back. I come here and not here for a month, and here you are." She paused, inhaling deeply and letting out a sigh, mixed hair falling in her face. "Did Wraith send you? Her last question held just the faintest glimmer of hope in it. That maybe she was missed back home...That maybe she was one of the reasons he was here.

"...I can't get away from you, and you apparently can't get away from me...Why are you here?"

[Velokell Villalobos]

Fresh air, that’s what he needed. Just a breath of the biting chill of the night, something to clear his head and set him back onto the path to reality, so he could get his shit together and head out of the city. He’d go somewhere warm; somewhere that reminded him of home, so he’d have something else to fucking dwell over. Scratch that haunting woman for some bloody, painful memories; that was the ticket.

Fuck, he was so screwed.

Shoving a hand through his hair, he marched toward the street, shoulders hunched against more than the cold. He just needed some distance between them, and he’d be fine. All of their…crap in the past was in the past. She couldn’t accept who he really was, so why the fuck should he waste his time? He was a Goddess’ bitch-boy, and she was a human. It had been doomed from the start.

At the sound of her voice echoing in the alleyway, Kel let loose a growled curse. Damn, didn’t she get the hint? Wasn’t she afraid of him anymore? Fuck he couldn’t take anymore of this yo-yo shit! Back and forth, back and forth…emotions, to fuck ‘em, emotions, to fuck ‘em. He just needed rest. Peace. Acceptance.

And he was never gonna find it. Boohoo and suck it up, Shirley. Damn, why couldn’t she just leave him alone?

“No, Wraith didn’t fucking send me!” He snarled, glaring down at her. His hands clenched into fists and he fought the urge to tower over her, to see fear on her face once again. He nearly choked on the words as he continued. “I was here because my Mistress declared it so. A child had t’be protected.”

Another savage smile stole onto his face as he took a menacing step toward her. “Wraith don’t wanna talk to the zombie-freak anymore. Said th’next time he heard ‘a me near you, he’d find a way to kill me. Might just let him.” He came closer still, until he was indeed towering over her, eyes dark and spitting fire. “Not afraid anymore, Kaylie? You sure looked fuckin’ scared th’last time you saw me Do you remember? You screamed’n cast me out. Just like every other fucker on this planet.”

With another curse, he sidestepped her, intent on the street once again. “You’re free of me; I’m outta this fuckin’ city.”

[Kaylie Fugate]

She did her best not to show it, though his snarled answer caused her to visibly wince. He didn't slap her, but he might as well have. Her lips pressed together tightly, creasing just slightly around the soft pink flesh. She sank her teeth into the inside of her lower lip to keep herself quiet, though she was quick to speak up at his explanation.

"You hate kids. You wouldn't do it." She ignored the word 'Mistress,' though it was clear on her face the way she felt about it. Her lips pressed together tightly again, hands rolling into small fists at her sides. When he stepped closer, she visibly tensed up. Setting her jaw in place, she tilted her head up just slightly so she could look at him better. Her chest rose with an inhale, and froze briefly as she used the held air to help steady herself. Her eyes narrowed, just slightly, listening to him, and she did her best not to let her frustration show more. Inside, she'd kicked herself for ever telling Wraith what happened in California. In her mind, that was what added a stress on the three of them and kept the two men at the other's throat.

When he stepped closer, she tensed more and her head tilted back to look up at him better. She swallowed hard, swallowing the fear filled knot in her throat at his words. "You got shot in the head infront of me." It was all she said, tensed lips barely moving to let the words pass by. She wanted to go on, but the words were caught in her throat. She opened her mouth to speak again, but couldn't get them out. At least not in time. Before she knew it, he was on his way again with a huff. And then something in her snapped.

"QUIT WALKING AWAY FROM ME!" She suddenly screamed, the spitfire in her letting lose as she stalked after him. Reaching for his arm, she went to tug him back as hard as she could. "Stop it! Christ, put yourself in my shoes! I'm not like you, so what the hell do you want me to do when you get shot in the head infront of me?! People are supposed to die when they get shot, and yet everyone back home either lives through it or is a fuckin' dog and tries to eat me!" She straightened up, catching how loud she'd been screaming but not showing the concern on her face for what she'd said. After a short exhale, she continued with a steadier voice. "You don't own me, and you can't tell me when I'm free or whom I'm free from. If I wanted to be free from you, do you think I'd be chasing your sorry ass down right now? ...Fuck, I don't even know why I'm chasing you down."

Reaching up, she shoved hair out of her face, staring at him for a few seconds. Suddenly, her face relaxed. "Y'know what...Forget it. Don't leave town, I'll just stay the hell away from here so you can go on with that job and crazy-ass bitch." Yeah, she said it...she called that Mistress/Goddess, whatever the hell she wanted to go by, out. Hell, she did it at home and the house shook....What was she going to do here, make a fire hydrant burst and soak her? Clearly, Kaylie didn't believe it. With a rough sigh, she turned on her heels and was the one to start walking away this time, boots clicking loudly with each step.

[Velokell Villalobos]

She knew him so well, didn’t she? At her insistence that he hated kids, he felt himself bristle, wheeling around to glare at her again. Did she HAVE to open her mouth every godsdamn time and insult him? Poke at him? Why couldn’t she just leave him alone?!

“I don’t hate kids! They just…don’t like me! And I’ll stop walking away from you IF YOU STOP FOLLOWING ME!” He returned her bellow for bellow, hands flying up in a show of frustration. “I don’t understand you, Kaylie. You were best friends with a werewolf, and watched your lover,” He practically spat out the word. “Become possessed by a demon! Yes, I know about that, before Wraith decided that I was a monster not fit for your eyes.”

And he was, after all…but that was besides the point. Breathing heavily, he forced himself to keep distance between them, backing up as she moved closer. If he wasn’t careful, he was going to take her right there, whether she wanted it or not. She was beautiful on a normal day, but now, angry and standing up to him like no one else did…she was spectacular.

She was his. The thought seared him and he wanted to shove her away and run.

“I told you that I was cursed by a Goddess!” He snarled, practically bearing his teeth in his frustration. “Y’seemed t’take that real well! So why the fuck did you run from me when I was shot? I am owned, body and soul, by an Aztec deity! Do you REALLY think that she would let me die so easily?”

And he was ready to go on, to continue to snarl at her while various pedestrians wandered innocently by…but he was never given the chance. Oh, how ignorant these humans were; thinking that they couldn’t get hurt by the words spewing from their lips.

His Mistress was always watching and always listening. She was cold, calculating, quick to act…and unforgiving. He knew that the strike was coming possibly seconds before the Goddess decided to act. Was he saving Kaylie, the woman he’d come to resent, yet again?

With a snarl, he threw himself into the path of the screaming lightning bolt that had shot down from the sky, pointed at Kaylie’s unprotected back. Stupid, stupid girl…and hell, stupid, stupid him. This was really going to hurt…and she would probably just run from him again.

But it didn’t matter. He protected what was his.

Electricity sizzled and snapped as it ran through his body, causing his limps and head to thrash and jerk. His heart stopped, blood poured from his ears and nose, but he bit back the scream. He almost severed his tongue in the process- aw, what a shame if he never got to speak anymore- but he refused to let the Goddess hear that her petty punishments got any attention.

Not that it wasn’t getting his. Gods, fuck, THE PAIN!

He made a garbled noise as he fell to his knees, the material of his suit sizzling along with his flesh. He was burnt to a crisp and gasping for air through incinerated lungs, but he knew that it wouldn’t last. He wasn’t allowed to die; not until he atoned.

He let himself fall to the side, squeezing his eyes shut and gritting his teeth against the screams that bubbled in his throat. Just breathe…in and out, in and out. The pain would pass; was already passing. Slowly, as he lay there gasping like some kind of warped tuna, his flesh was knitting itself back together. He could hear voices in the distance, but ignored them. Kaylie had probably run again…but he ignored that too.

Breathe, he told himself. Just breathe.

[Kaylie Fugate]

She did her best not to let her wince show at his mention of Abby and JM, her fists tightening by her sides. For once, she said nothing, refusing to be as emotional as screaming at him would have lead her to be. A bitter taste filled her mouth, and all she did was swallow it and let it sink down in her stomach. She wanted to slap him, scream at him until her lungs and throat gave out, hit him as hard as she could. and yet, she wanted him at the same time.

She used his yelling about the Goddess to push her forward. Don't look back, she told herself, fists pressing tightly against her sides to help hold her together. Don't. Look. Back.

And yet that's exactly what she did. The sound of his movement made her look over her shoulder, lips parting as she readied herself to snap back a comment...But all that came out was a scream. Turning around the rest of the way, she stumbled backwards, eventually losing her balance and tumbling down onto her rear. Her scream stopped suddenly as she stared in horror, mouth hanging open as she watched the scene unfold. Her stomach turned while her eyes took in what his body went through, her throat tightening to hold in any sounds for now. She stared in complete silence, her body as still as a statue, unsure of exactly what the hell was unfolding. He's dead, the words pounded through her ears as if someone had just said them and she wasn't thinking them. Those two words repeated Lord only knows how many times before the reality hit her. He can't die.

"Kel!" She finally snapped back into her mind when he fell on his knees. Her mouth was dry, tongue felt like sand paper as she shouted his name. Scrambling, she flipped onto her knees and crawled towards his body quickly. "Kel?" She lowered her voice, coming to a stop by his gasping body. Sitting back on her heels, she lifted her hands and pressed their heels against her eyes briefly. Swallowing hard, she willed herself to look at him again, biting back a gag at the sight. Sure, movies and television showed people burning...But you never knew what something looked like until it unfolded infront of you. "Breathe, Kel..." She couldn't find the words to say and was almost positive what she was saying probably wouldn't help. Looking around, she lifted her hands to run them through her hair, chest heaving while she willed herself to stay. Looking up to the sky, her brows furrowed for a few seconds. What the hell happened? She refused to think that that....thing up there did something.

Looking back down to him, she drew in her lower lip and bit down on it roughly. She didn't want to say anything...Part of her wanted to get up and run. Part of her wanted to stay...And she went with that part. Lord only knew why she spoke up again, voice soft as ever. "I'm here, Kel..."

[Velokell Villalobos]

Deep breaths…deep breaths, in and out, in and out. The mantra repeated itself in his mind as he fought to stay awake. The last time some shit like this had gone down, he’d woken up in the morgue and scared the crap out of an intern; the poor schmuck. Given the fact that he wasn’t a fan of pulling utensils out of his body, and snatching his liver out of a scale near his head, he couldn’t fall asleep. Someone was bound to find him, and then what?

For a few minutes, Kel pretended that this was his last few minutes on earth; that he’d finally be granted a pardon and would be allowed into Heaven. He’d waited for so damn long, did so many damn bad things for his Mistress in order for her to survive in the modern world, that he SO deserved a bit of rest. In five, he’d be able to rest. His body would turn to dust, and he would be at peace.

Four…three…two…

”KEL!”

He tensed as someone called his name. Fuck, there went that ‘die peaceful’ idea; right down the fuckin’ drain. Just one little word, and he was reminded of the reason why he’d begun to fight against that need to die.

Damn her. GODDAMN her.

“Don’t curse Her again,” He rasped through burnt vocal chords. His eyes practically glowed in his ravaged face, as he squinted his normal ‘do that again, and I’ll SO beat you’ glare. “Only I’m allowed…to do that…’cause I…ain’t allowed to die yet.”

His flesh was slowly weaving itself back together, the burns vanishing with every passing minute. He should probably leave before she got too freaked out. It hurt like a motherfucker, but he was such an old hand at this ‘pain’ crap, that it was almost too easy to find that quiet place in his head and push through the fog. His breath whined through his throat as he brought himself to his feet, and he glanced down at his hands, watching as the skin re-grew, and those familiar tats returned.

One good thing about all this shit was, no matter how fucked up he got, he never had to replace the ink. Not bad, in his book.

Giving himself a minute to steady himself against the wall, he grimaced. He always hated the feeling of hair re-growing; felt like spider legs running across his head. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he turned to look down at Kaylie, reading the shock on her face with another one of his usual scowl.

“Just go, Kaylie-girl,” He said softly, voice in contrast with his expression. “Better for you. Go get back to your little sugar plum life and leave me the hell alone.”

[Kaylie Fugate]

She stared at him, barely blinking while she watched the scene unfold before her. Each weave of skin that stitched itself back together, she watched. She made herself do it. She'd seen her brother after his jumping, hell she waited by his bedside until his last minutes, and yet she couldn't watch this with Kel? Why couldn't she just....stay? Swallowing hard, she shook her head roughly at his comment and glare.

"Why should it ma--" she stopped, finishing the sentence off in her head. 'Why should it matter if it's me?' She didn't have her parents, her brother, or anyone really...Just Kel, if that counts. The two of them couldn't figure out just how they felt about each other, however, and he'd already told her a few times tonight alone to leave. She slowly reached her hands out in an effort to help him up, though once he moved on his own she brought them back. Stepping back, she stared at him, for once dead silent. The scowl didn't scare her off, it simply made her stand taller and stronger.

"No," she finally said after a few long seconds, arms crossing over her chest tightly. "My life ain't a 'sugar plum life,' no one has one of those. Look, I don't know what it is, but we just can't get the fuck out of eachother's lives. No matter where I go, you're there, and vise versa I guess. Maybe we're just...Shit, I don't know, meant to do this shit to each other...Meant to be in each other's lives to keep us on our toes...Like I said, I don't know." She paused, looking at him for a few seconds, her voice low the entire time. Reaching up, she pushed some hair out of her face, swallowing hard and staying quiet for a few seconds. Beneath her, her knees felt like they were about to give out, but she made her legs move.

"Thank you." She finally said, looking down before back up to him, holding eye contact for a few seconds. Pushing herself, she forced herself to turn around, finally listening to him and trying to leave, even when it put a hole in her stomach and ached through her body.

[Velokell Villalobos]

‘We can’t get out of each other’s lives.’ Well, wasn’t that definitely an understatement for the record books, wasn’t it? It was as if Fate had decided that he should be haunted by the face of a woman he could never have. And if he wasn’t around her, hearing her voice, getting that casual ‘I hate you go die’ glare…he was thinking about her. Dreaming about her.

Aka, he was a bigger schmuck than others told him he was. Gods, why couldn’t he fall in love with a puppy, or something? At least then, the animal would run away to a new master.

“Believe me, if I could stay away, I would,” He muttered under her breath. He knew the words were hateful, tasted the bitterness on his tongue, but it was the truth. Every moment that she was around him, she was in danger, either from his own sick and twisted appetites or the psychotic mind of his mistress. Not to mention that, for some strange reason, he kept feeling that irrational urge to hurt her as much as she’d hurt him.

She’d wormed her way through his defenses, this stubborn, infuriating little woman. After so many years of isolation and loving none but his reputation, she’d managed to make him feel. He’d opened up to her, told her about his curse, allowed himself to feel…and then she ran away from him. She saw him as the freak that he knew he was. It had hurt…hurt so badly that he didn’t want to feel anything again.

But that just wasn’t an option around Kaylie. She was his…even if his head didn’t want to acknowledge it.

As her words sank in, Kel found himself practically leaping after her as she turned to walk away. His burns were quickly fading and as he grabbed her arm, his hand was whole. Almost viciously, he yanked her back toward him again until he could look down at her. There was a mixture of emotions on his face- confusion, anger, and others that he refused to name- and he gritted his teeth against the urge to shake her. He’d wanted her gone, dammit, so why was he bringing her back?

“First you run away, and now you think that we’re meant t’be in each other’s lives? Make up your mind, human. Whassit’ gonna be? Fear’n disgust again? I let you in, dammit, and you ran from me—“

With a curse, he abruptly let go of her arm and stepped away, shoving a hand through his unkempt hair. Why the hell was he still talking? Just turn around and leave, dammit! But he couldn’t and, like a schmuck, he just stood there, waiting.

[Kaylie Fugate]

She shut her eyes to the mutter, pretending she hadn't caught any bit of it. She didn't know what to do or what to think. Her legs felt like lead, and inside she was torn for what to do. Moving away seemed like the best option, and yet not a night went by that he didn't filter into her thoughts. At times, she still tasted him on her tongue...it made her sick and made her want him at the same time.

When he grabbed her, the air left her lungs. The faintest of sounds escaped, dark eyes wide and staring up at him. Her shoulders rolled in, and she silently curled in under his hold...And the slightest bit towards him. She stayed dead silent, staring up at him and taking the words like hti after hit. When he let her go, she stumbled back. Instantly, she grabbed her arms, rubbing the area he held her by only moments ago.

"I have a name," She finally said, voice low but strong. "Don't call me 'human,' you know my name." She paused before suddenly stepping towards him, dropping her arms to her sides. "But that's just what I am. Human. So what do you want from me? To just accept that maybe there aren't just people in this world? Every person I saw get shot didn't get back up, so what did you want from me when you did? What do you want, Kel? She paused, hesitating only a moment before moving so she was stationed directly before him, close enough she could still faintly smell the burnt flesh and hair. "You let me in, and I'm here," She paused only a moment, lips barely moving and yet the last comment slipped out clear as day. "I can't run anymore."


[bahh not as good as I want D: D: I'm sorry! ;-;]