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Cold of Crimson Water (M)

Started by Lion, March 11, 2016, 01:06:05 AM

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Lion

He sniffed.  And casually pushed her beer closer to her.

"I got into all sorts of trouble after I left.  Fluffy ran off.  I can't say I know what happened to him.  Thought maybe I'd make better money with risking my neck less and got this job.  Not much else to tell."

He settled in the awkward silence a long while, shipping his beer.  Eyes flicked to her before he leaned in and kissed her cheek gently.  "I missed you," he uttered the words quickly, but not so quietly.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

pomelo

Zahi's hand slipped around the mug of beer, but she didn't lift it to her lips yet, just ran her fingertips idly over the fired clay mug. It was a little gesture to appease Quinlan. While still defying him, of course. His presence unsettled her, and she wanted this encounter to be over as quickly as possible. Maybe it would go faster if she did drink the beer, she thought. And, as much as it pained her to give into Quinlan's wishes, she took a slow sip of the beer while Quinlan gave a brief summary of his misadventures. Her expression one of pained, faux-attentiveness.

Of-fucking-course Fluffy ran off. Who'd blame him? Not that Zahi really cared. It wasn't like she'd have been able to take the dog back to Arca. It wasn't like she'd want to have!

She opened her mouth to say something snide about the dog running off all the same, when Quinlan... leaned forward and kissed her! And not a bawdy, sloppy kiss on the mouth. But on her cheek! What was wrong with him!?

Despite herself, Zahi went immediately stiff, eyes wide with surprise. And - worse yet - her dark cheeks colored. The bewildered, and genuine, expression lasted for only a moment or two before it turned into a more comfortable scowl. Made all the scowlier for having been caught off her guard.

"Sure, sure, Princess," she bit back at him, the color not entirely gone from her cheeks. "I'm sure you've just been fucking heartbroken."

But any further barb escaped her, so she simply scowled more and took another sip of the beer - a slightly more generous one - while glancing over to the bar to make sure that Tallinn was not paying attention to them.

Lion

He didn't expect the action to be taken lightly and when the barb followed he just smiled a little and sipped his beer again.

That was more like the Zahi he knew.  But a heated response spoke more than she let on.  The heat from her cheeks, he could feel when he brought his hand up and ran a finger along her cheekbone.  "Are you saying you didn't miss me any? Not even a little bit?"

He leaned on the table, looking at her from the corner of his eye, watching her fingers on the mug.  She'd probably die before ever admitting anything to him.  Anything real that was.  She'd just brush him off like always.  He couldn't say he knew exactly what he wanted, but just sitting beside her was the first time a jolt went down his stomach.

Quinlan let his hand drift toward hers, thumb running along her knuckles on the hand closest to him.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

pomelo

Zahi knew that if she followed her knee-jerk reaction and responded the way she wanted to - namely, shoving Quinlan violently away - that she'd draw far too much attention to them. She wanted to ask what he was doing and, more importantly, remind him that they were in public.. But she hadn't made it as far as she had in her 'chosen' profession, either with the Soot Wolves or now in the Queen's service, by following her knee-jerk reactions. Instead, she settled with snatching her hand away from him. She regarded him then with a hard look, jaw set with a vague frown on her lips.

The look wasn't one of suspicion, exactly. Zahi would much prefer to think Quinlan was putting on a show to tease her. Well, maybe he was. But the idea that bothered her much more was that he wasn't. And she wasn't sure how she felt about that. Though she'd never admit it here, there was a part of her that craved someone familiar, someone she could trust. It was something she'd had in the Soot Wolves, once, but had very much lacked in the last two years. And there was a small part of her now that wanted to take some comfort in Quinlan's presence. That wanted to relax and confide in him, at least a little. A small part that wanted to pick up... Well, where had they left off?

And was Quinlan really someone that she trusted?

"I haven't really thought that much about you," she answered, her more thoughtful frown 'relaxing' back into a faint scowl. It was a mostly honest answer. "I've had a full enough plate without worrying about a boozing, womanizing outcast with a death wish."

Lion

He could sense the genuineness behind the answer.  He sniffed a little and chewed thoughtfully on his lip.  She really had her plate didn't she? Quinlan smiled, just a little before sipping down the rest of his beer.  "Well, it's good to see you're still alive.  And doing, uh, well for yourself I guess."

He didn't hesitate again, kissing her temple this time and withdrawing it as the final gesture of affection. For now anyway.  He found his face a flush, unusual for himself and didn't know what more he could say. 

Instead he cleared his throat and offered a small smile, noticing at least she'd drank some of her beer.  "At least it's not moonshine this time, am I right?" he said.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

pomelo

"Cut it out," Zahi growled as she gently, but firmly, pushed Quinlan away from her. What had gotten into him? Anyone watching them would think they were old lovers, finally reunited after years. Which they were not. Sure, things had happened, but...

But Zahi noticed Quinlan's temporary expression, and the color in his cheeks. And for a moment, she felt very odd. Something in that moment was chipping away at the barrier she'd thrown up around herself. Zahi frowned. This vague, uneasy, but not all together bad tension between them was not something she was enjoying. And seeing Big Mouth Quinlan running out of things to say just made it worse.

"Well, i suppose," she answered noncommittally. "Look, this has been fun.  But some of us have jobs to do.  I think we're done here."

Lion

"Aw, come on.  Don't go.  Things were just starting to get civil between us.  Believe that or not," he said, looking at her more seriously.  Still, he knew there wasn't much of anything he could say that would change her mind.  He just grinned at her and took her still largely filled mug of beer and sipped it himself. 

"As ever the work horse, aren't you Zahi.  Come on. I haven't seen you in two whole years, can't we spend a little time together?" he pressed.  "Alone?  Bah, I guess questioning whether your job is really that important is an effort in sheer futility.  But you can't blame me for trying."




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

pomelo

"As a matter of fact, my job is more important than having a few beers with you," Zahi answered coolly. And it was true.

Zahi wasn't a cut-throat any more. She had real work to do, for the real Greater Good. It was a role that, though she might not easily admit it, suited her. She'd never been particularly inclined towards criminality; it had just been the world she'd found herself brought up in. In fact, she'd excelled as a Blood Wolf because she was more inclined towards keeping the Wolves safe and in order than she was to fleecing, thieving, and smuggling.

Plus this job struck a personal chord with the former Soot Wolf. Kidnappers, traffickers, abductors of girls... It was, after all, the same fate that had torn her mother from her jungle home to a rundown brothel in Zantaric. She wasn't going to let Quinlan distract her from it.

But.

Zahi regarded Quinlan for a long moment, arms crossed across her chest now, her expression hard and inscrutable. Because there was something about Quinlan's almost awkward mannerisms just now. The memory of their time together in Adela, that seemed like a lifetime ago. It was a different lifetime. And while the new work suited her... She'd never admit it, even to herself, but Zahi - accustomed to the constant presence of people since she was a child, of being part of some organization - was lonely in her new life. Even if she didn't particularly like people. She was used to being part of something. Now, or at least for now, she only had a loose affiliation of guards and inspectors who didn't trust her much further than they could throw her.

Zahi let out a long exhale through her nose, knowing she was bound to regret what she was about to say. "Fine," she capitulated, sounding altogether unhappy about it and unable to refrain from rolling her eyes as she said so. "Shove off for now. Go to the Green Lantern," a dingy, rundown, all-around sad excuse of an Inn; exactly Zahi's sort of place. "I'll meet you there when I'm done."

Lion

[The Green Lantern? 8D]

He honestly wasn't sure what he was expecting, but he could damn well say it wasn't that.  Quinlan felt his smirk shrink, if only not to spoil the moment and he stood when he was ready.  "Well, all right.  Sounds good to be," he replied and rapt his knuckles on the table.

"I'll see you then."  Assuming she was even going to show up.  He decided he was going to take that chance.  If she didn't show after this, then at least he could knock back a few shots.  Or...  maybe he shouldn't drink so much right away.  The night was still early, and he could really use a walk.

Cool air soothed flushed skin when he went out.  She'd show, he told himself.  But to what end?  Maybe she'd kill him after all.  Maybe she'd just knock him around a bit.  He supposed he'd just have to wait to find out.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

pomelo

((What's really funny here is that I was actually thinking of The Great Gatsby.))

The Green Lantern was a barebones, dingy place that gave the impression of not having been cleaned - or really even used much - in years. Downstairs, there was a smattering of worn wooden tables and chairs, mostly empty, a few with a melted mound of wax from generations of candles that had never been cleaned away. The only other light was from a dusty, cracked green lantern that swung lazily over the scratched, grimy wood of the bar. Nothing adorned the walls, and the only living souls in the place - aside from Quinlan - were the old barmaid and two or three old men, looking grim and drinking alone, spaced as far apart as they could manage in the fun l dim little room.

The night was growing old when Zahi finally appeared, several hours after Quinlan had left her. The grim men of the bar didn't even turn their heads to look at her. Only their eyes moved. Zahi ignored them, passing directly to the bar without so much as glancing at Quinlan. After a quiet exchange with the tired old woman working it, however, she didn't leave the bar with a drink. But with a key.

She still didn't acknowledge Quinlan until she paused at the base of a rickety stairwell that led up to a handful of rooms that promised to be just as cheery as the bar.

Glancing over her shoulder, she asked, "You coming, Red?"

Lion

Quinlan had almost fallen asleep by the time Zahi showed up.  He'd been reclined at the bar until the door swung open and until five foot six inches of poofy hair walk through the door. He didn't say anything when she did arrive, just slid off the bar and watched her.

He followed along behind, almost regretting his decision not to drink after that one beer, but this was all he'd been waiting for. If she wanted to kill him, he'd regret not drinking.  If he just got roughed up, then he could have a drink to soothe the pain.

"Yeah," he murmured and followed along like a distant shadow.  Eyes flicked to the hallway, to the sparsely decored walls, dirty with smoke and grime.  It was positively lovely.

Quinlan entered behind her, shutting the door gently once it was open.  "Is this where you're staying now?" he asked.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

pomelo

"No," she answered honestly after the door had shut behind them. She turned to Quinlan then and, taking hold of his shirt collar, drew him right to the edge of her personal space. Her hand stayed there, but she didn't pull him any closer. "You don't really think I'd bring you to where I'm staying?"

She didn't trust him that much. Or, at least, she wasn't going to act like she did.

Lion

He lunged forward, pulled by her hand.  He stared down at ber, a bit wild-eyed, but remaining steady.  He didn't answer her.  Wasn't she always complaining about his talking anyway?  He braced his hands around her face, smirking just a little.  But it faded when he kissed her, sealing lips together something fierce.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

pomelo

Zahi didn't flinch away when Quinlan moved towards her. Her mismatched eyes gazed levelly back at his wild ones. Only narrowing, just a little, when he smirked. But she didn't move away from his kiss, meeting it with just as much passion and energy as Quinlan brought. Her arms roped around him, hands pressing into the small of his back as she kissed him.

Zahi was never much for words.

Lion

Thankfully they weren't needed.  Quinlan breathed hotly between kisses, feeling his head throb so hard he thought he was going to pass out.

He moaned deeply, his hands snaking around her and grabbing her ass with hungry hands.  He pressed her waist to his, hip to hip, and slowly snaked them up the back of her shirt, nails prying at her skin.  Quinlan didn't kiss her so sloppily now, taking his time instead in exploring the hollows of her mouth.  One hand stayed at her back, another snaked between them to grasp between her legs.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

pomelo

Zahi returned every attention with a fierce, but detail-oriented and deliberate hunger, and already she could feel her heart beating loudly in her chest. It was almost surreal, being here with him now. Being with anyone like this.

Her hands explored the muscles of his back and shoulders, sliding up his neck and into his hair. She only broke away from the kisses when his hand snaked between her legs. And that was to let out a small, dry laugh.

"Whoa there, Princess," she laughed huskily. "Be direct, why don't you? No need to beat around the bush."

She shook her head at him, pulling away from him just enough to shrug off her jacket before binding herself to him again, pressing hard against his flesh, and steering him towards the dingy little bed as she kissed him.

Lion

She was actually laughing.  And smiling?  Quinlan didn't know whether to be stunned, confused, or both.  Thankfully he didn't dawdle too long before he too took his jacket off and dropped it to the floor.  Off came the shirt as he followed Zahi to the bed, draping it on the rickety chair beside it.

"If I didn't know any better it sounded like you were trying to talk dirty.  And failing," he chuckled.  An arm reached up and hoisted her into his hips.  He sat back on the bed, reclining just enough to settle her on top.

Lips sought her neck and throat sucking deeply there it turned her skin red.  His hands didn't fumble, pushing her shirt off until it landed in a pool on the ground.  He gripped at her breasts, massaging them gently with strong worn hands.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

pomelo

A snort was the only response Zahi gave to Quinlan's teasing. She didn't have time to banter words about. Zahi followed his inertia onto the bed, pushing him down flush against the bed as she straddled him, clinging tightly to him with her thighs.

She smoothed her hands over his bare chest, leaning into his touch until she was over him, kissing him fiercely again.

Lion

The weight of her body pressed firmly against the hardened manhood beneath her.  Quinlan released soft breaths and hungry moans as he ground his hips up against hers.  He bibut at her bottom lip as he was wont to do.  Blood roared in his ears, heart throbbing with an exhilaration he hadn't felt in a long time.

No words, he reminded himself.  Just action.

And that was what he wanted too.  He reached down and slipped the buttons of her trousers off, thumb running along the skin below her belly button, dragging his fingernails along her body.  Lips broke the kiss, leaving a wet trail to take a breast into his mouth.  He sucked deeply on her skin, hands pushing  until the curve of her ass was free of her trousers.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

pomelo

Zahi let out a low moan as his mouth found her breast, and soon she was the one biting her bottom lip rather than Quinlan. She pushed her hips into the rigid member beneath her, grinding against his need. It was a need she hadn't felt in a long time, and somehow knowing that it was his, Quinlan's, only made her own greater. So when he pushed at her trousers, at first Zahi angled her hips to help him.

But just at first. Because that wasn't going to work on its own. So Zahi broke away from his touch just enough to - somewhat awkwardly - kick her trousers off herself. She paused a moment then now naked and above him, to gaze down at Quinlan. Her expression was hard to read, but it was somehow removed from the heat of the moment. And, for that moment, uncharacteristically genuine.

It passed, though, and Zahi lowered herself down urgently to kiss him again, balancing with her legs while her hands wandered down to work at the fastenings of his own trousers.

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