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Cold of Crimson Water (M)

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

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Lion

"Except you did, and you're trying to make yourself feel better by putting it all on me," Quinlan said gently, eyes roving over her face.  Sure he could take criticism.  It was the salt of his life it seemed, and he couldn't survive without it.  Still he smirked, just a ghost of one.  "And before you think I'm getting sentimental, I know what you meant.  I mean, you're free to leave any time, yet you chose to stay."

He sniffed and rubbed tiredly at his eyes.  "Maybe you didn't choose me, but you chose me.  Why?  You don't seem to like just anybody, that's clear enough.  So why me?  Is it my dark mysterious eyes?" he murmured curiously, tone playful.




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 gave Quinlan an extremely skeptical look, letting him know exactly how she felt about this line of questioning.

"Let's get one thing clear," she answered matter-of-factly, "I got stuck with you because I found you carrying my target around in a bloody sack. Then I just got sucked into your little misadventure. I don't know how much choice there was in that."

"Anyway," she continued, "who said I like you? Maybe I just dislike you less than I dislike Tallinn."

Lion

He sniffed, and his grin said it all.  Oh, sure he'd drop it now.  It wasn't like this conversation wasn't going to go anywhere after that dead end.  And it wasn't like he was much of the touchy-feely type either.  But he just wanted to make sure she knew he was perfectly aware that what she claimed and what they did seemed a little less than parallel.

"Okay, Cap'm, whatever you say," he chuckled and leaned in to kiss along her neck and shoulder.  "I won't tell Tallinn you said that.  I wouldn't want anyone thinking you were turning into a big ol' softie."




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

"I'm not soft," Zahi argued, her voice a little breathy from Quinlan's kisses. "Here, I'll prove it."

With that, Zahi rolled them over, pinning Quinlan down beneath her in a brief show of her strength. She gave Quinlan a flash of a wolfish grin, then lowered herself down to kiss the side of his jaw, then his neck, tracing her mouth down his throat. Slowly, slowly, she moved downward. His collarbone, his chest, taking her time, hands smoothing against his sides, down his abdomen. Down further, the coils of her hair brushing against his manhood, her lips reaching its base, then pausing.

But right when Quinlan might be getting the 'wrong idea', Zahi pushed herself up off the bed. Standing there, she looked at Quinlan and shook her head at him. "I gotta get back to work, Princess," she said, regarding him for a moment longer before moving across the room to retrieve her discarded clothing and pulling them back on. She didn't rush about it, though. "Keep the room long as you like. I paid for the whole night."

Lion

A show of her strength that Quinlan frankly had been half-expecting.  He rolled over with ease and watched her, gaze idle and seeming only half-interested.  But the fire of her touches were not lost on him, he was still very much human after all.  Being too good to be true meant just that, and with a sigh he watched her get ready to leave.

"Nah, it's all right.  I told you I've got to find some place to knock back that whiskey."  He stood and stepped in close to give her a proper parting kiss, holding her face for a long quiet moment before pulling away and reaching for his own garments.  "Work smarter, not harder, Zahi.  You're strong, but you don't have to carry the world on your shoulders."  Uh, he was starting to get philosophical now.  It was time to hit a real tavern.

"Good night, Zahi.  Or good morning. Not sure what time it is now.  Not sure it matters," he murmured, sitting on the bed and taking the whiskey from the bed, unstopping it and taking a small sip.  "Still got a kick."




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 wasn't really going to work. In truth, she was simply going to the tavern where she was officially staying to actually get a few hours of sleep. She could stay here if she wanted to. Let Quinlan be her little spoon and sleep entwined with him, with the rare comfort of a warm bed. That, however, was a risk Zahi wasn't willing to take. But she would at least have the decency not to tell Quinlan that. Easier to say she had to work.

"I'll do my best," she answered idly. She threw on her tatty, oiled leather overcoat, then turned to look at Quinlan sitting there on the edge of the bed. Something like regret or pity shadowed her expression. But all she said was, "Take care of yourself, Quinlan. Stay out of trouble."

And with that, she turned and was gone, the door of the room creaking closed behind her.

Lion

If only doing that was easier done than said.

He wasn't going to let  Zahi get him down though.  She was a sourball, but a strange one never the less.  Maybe it was the repellant vibe she gave off that drew Quinlan to her in the first place.  He didn't know what or why, and maybe it didn't matter.  They were thoughts he could mull over with getting drunk elsewhere.

So with a lit cigarette hanging on his lips, he took to the street not long after Zahi left.  Morning was coming soon, but he'd take advantage of what little dark was left.  He sauntered down the street toward another pub, one a little livelier than where he'd just been.  He grinned as he stepped through the doorway, the light and energy bringing back fond memories.

He'd spend plenty of time in there, knocking back one crisp drink after another until one guy thought his drink was the one that spilled into his lap, and wouldn't take no for an answer and decided to shave Quinlan's face with a piece of a broken beer bottle.  Then what Quinlan thought would just be a fun night of getting hammered would have to be spent hammering said bastard's face into the wall.

By the time the city guard arrived, the other man was landing hard on a table and sending the drinks and food off it like a  catapult.  Quinlan was bruised on his cheekbone and his lip was bloodied, knuckles red and they didn't bother asking more questions than that.  The guard had Quinlan and the other man on the ground and before he knew it he was being dragged off to jail.




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

[[Crappy short post to start things up again...]]




"We picked up an employee of yer man. If yeh wanna talk to 'im."

That was the news that met Zahi when she entered the city jail the next morning. She didn't really need to be up and working yet, but she hadn't really slept after leaving Quinlan. So, well, why not? Not like she knew how to do much else.

"Sure," she answered, nodding curtly to the guard. The man clicked his heels and turned to lead Zahi down the narrow, dank halls of the city jail. Full of drunks and low-lifes and cheats. The guard stopped at a little solitary cell at the end of the row.

"Had to throw 'im in here on his own. Kept gettin' into fights."

Zahi only nodded because, snoring on the dingy cell floor, was a rather familiar red head. An uncomfortable jolt hit Zahi in the stomach. Was it something like... feeling betrayed? Or worse yet, hurt? She quickly pushed the feeling aside, her face stony. With just a nod to the guard, she took the key from him and he left her to it. But Zahi didn't unlock the door. Instead, she leaned with a casual air with her arms resting on the bars. She waited a moment, then finally spoke up.

"Wakey wakey, Princess. Beauty sleep isn't going to do your ugly mug any good."

Lion

A little solitary nook just for Quinlan. For once he was actually able to get a good night's sleep because of it. Of course he would have preferred not to be in jail at all considering he never did report back his employer the next morning, and maybe would have wanted to wake up next to a grumpy Zahi with a mean streak.

His butterfly was busy, and after leaving him cold the night before, he fell back into hold habits. No warm bodies this time, just a few good strong drinks to numb the pain of that brawl, and he was curled up on the hard wood bench chained to the wall in that cold damp cell.  Or he was until daylight began to sparkle in through the window up top.

And the voice on the other side roused him from his sleep.

Quinlan turned and put a hand on his eyes, rubbing the sleep crusts out of them and turning over, his head practically splitting open like a watermelon. He grunted, sitting up slowly. With a few deep breaths, Quinlan peeked up at her.

"Hey, Zah," he muttered, trying not to talk so loud. "Man, I'm sorry you had to see me like this.  I know this isn't an ideal second date."  He chuckled a little, giving a lop-sided smile as he tilted his head up to her, eyes squinting in the dimness. "How're you doing butterfly?"




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 did not return any of Quinlan's affectionate familiarity. She stood there, unmoved, gazing stony-faced down at him. This wasn't just normal Zahi-and-Quinlan behavior. Something was different in her demeanor. More professional, more distant, but there was also, deeper down, a hint of something more personal. Disappointment, maybe?

Because, of course he would be involved in this. Of course she would find him again, run into him here, let him in again. And he would be involved in this. It was just fucking typical.

But that was not at the forefront of Zahi's mind now. This was professional Zahi. And Quinlan could be anyone. It was a switch Zahi had developed as a Blood Wolf. After all, being the internal police of a criminal gang meant you may very well be tasked with killing someone who had only just been your friend a few days prior. And you had to do it. And Zahi was better at it than many.

She didn't answer his question. Instead she said, "Your new 'steady-work' employer won't be happy when you don't show up on time this morning, eh, Red?"

Lion

It was hard to tell sometimes, when faced with that cold wall of Zahi. That was the point wasn't it? To keep from figuring out what she was thinking? Quinlan could tell from her icy gaze as she leered down at him that she was in no mood for his games.

Well, being in jail wasn't ever fun. Even he preferred if he could avoid it altogether. And frankly he didn't care to have her see him like this. He'd been in enough trouble for that.

It didn't dawn on him that there could be any other reason she might be upset. But if there was one thing he appreciated about Zahi was the fact that she was practical. That enough could send his heart racing​. For now, the only thing racing was his head

Quinlan forced himself to stand, and his ears were ringing. His eye was bruised but the swelling had gone way down and there was a cut on his lip as he approached the bars and leaned beside the cell wall. Yeah,no doubt his employer would be pretty pissed one of his bodyguards ended up in jail.

"Yeah,well, I did have the rest of the night off. If I'm not fired,then I will probably get a very stern talking to," Quinlan chuckled in his easy going way. "Understone is kind of an asswipe but there are worse folk to work for, I guess."




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

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