MARCUS - washing away the dirt

[Victoria Abernathy]

Work was going wonderfully. It was better than anything that she could have ever expected. During her last three years at Galaxia she had always known that she wanted to be a healer. The first month or two had been hard, attempting to fit in, finding the gumption to push herself to find out more, to keep things going the way that she wanted to. But now that she was a working girl, she was adjusting her thinking to what she hoped would be a little bit more adult. She wanted to be more like the women that she had always looked up to, like she was doing today. So she thought, it had been a productive day, she had helped heal a ruptured spleen, without even using her wand. It was a feeling that was too incredible to describe. She knew it was a simple procedure, one that most of the people here didn't even think twice about, but it was a first for her. She was capable of more things that she had ever thought of before. She had always been smart, she had always been one to push the boundaries wanting to know more things, always learning, but now she was realizing that there were so much more that she hadn't even thought to think of. It was, in a word, exhilarating. Her mind was still spinning whenever she reached the locker room, gathering her things and putting on her outside shoes, placing her white no skid sneakers back into the cubby with her last name emblazoned just above. Her tiny apartment was waiting for her, all hers, this whole being graduated, independent thing wasn't as horrible as she had originally thought that it was going to be. She tucked her badge into the jacket she had in here for cold nights and pulled out her pocketbook before turning to head out of the hospital. She should stop for dinner somewhere on the way home, but there was still half a loaf of bread waiting for her. She had made a pretty decent garlic spread to go on it, but Marcus had eaten most of it...he had been poking around a few days a week since they had graduated. He was living with Tobias and Amina down the block, whereas she lived closer to the hospital. To be honest, she wasn't all that certain why Amina hadn't asked to live with her first, she would have been happy to have the room mate, but apparently they weren't as close as she had originally thought that they were. Or something.

She hadn't been expecting to keep in touch with any of her school friends, she had known that she wanted to, she just assumed that they wouldn't want to have much to do with her after graduation, who knew that so many of them were going to be sticking around for so long. Living in such close quarters was interesting, not that she minded Marcus' company. Quite the opposite. He would bring over movies or random bits of food, never enough to make a whole meal, but she was the one working anyway. So she didn't mind, it helped her feel safe, he always made her feel safe. ”What's the matter? Can't hear me?” Victoria's head whipped around on reflex to see who was talking, she didn't think that they were talking to her, but she looked anyway. Just as she knew the whistle that had registered somewhere in her head before the comment did, and righting herself as she pushed open the doors to St. Everdines and the sunlight flooded her face. ”Yeah you, where are you going?” the tone was laughing, were they really talking to her? She managed a meek smile before heading out the door anyway, pay them no mind Vic, just keep walking she reminded herself, just like she had in school whenever the Slytherin's got bored with their normal targets and started to chase her. Vic had hardly gotten three steps into the courtyard before the door banged open behind her and rapid footsteps came bounding out, flanking her with their large, over-cologned figured. ”It's not nice to ignore us, we're just trying to compliment you,” “Yeah girl, you look good in them pants...” She couldn't imagine the sort of woman that would actually feel flattered by their advances. She just felt, dirty. “Please...” she muttered, so quietly she couldn't even hear it. She brought her shoulders closer together in front of her body, hunching herself smaller, wanting just to get past them. They let her go, no dobut just because they were so close to the entrance and people were watching. She should have just turned right back around, she could hide in there. This wasn't the castle, she couldn't just book it back to her common room and cry, she had to handle this. Somehow. She just didn't know what to do. She could feel them staring at her, leering despite the amount of clothing that she was wearing. They fell into step just behind her, watching her, she could feel it. Her flesh felt like it was crawling, she could only hear every other comment that was coming out of their mouths over the blood pounding in her ears.

”Come on sweetheart! I know you've want me,” Shame bubbled within her, but she didn't know why? She hadn't even looked at them, she didn't know what they really looked like, she certainly hadn't come onto them. Why wouldn't they just leave her alone? Where was everybody? Was she really working that late that everybody had already gone home? Somebody should have been here to see this, to help her. Why couldn't she be stronger? She felt like somehow, without reason, that this was her fault. keep your head down Victoria tried to remind herself though she could feel the blush rising in her cheeks. She could feel her stomach coiling in on itself, disgusted. She was out of school now, she didn't want to be a victim any more but she couldn't lift her face from the ground. ”Look at the way she's shaking those hips, she wants us to look at her!” She had experienced bullies before, childish taunts from boys at school, cruel words directed at her gait, her hair, her cloths, never like this. She was wearing a uniform, she was still on the grounds of the building that she worked, so obviously a professional in her scrubs. Yet, they taunted her. They didn't want to stop either, her embarrassment was only spurring them on. She could feel it, the desire to melt into the sidewalk, to disappear. She wrapped her hands around her torso, walking just a little bit faster but they had her sent now. They weren't going to be stopping any time soon, she could hear their footsteps behind her, their mocking laughter. She could feel her eyes starting to well with water

Her vision was blurring to the point that she almost couldn't see anymore, her breathing was becoming labored and her ears felt hot but she kept walking. She would be on the main strip soon, she would be able to duck into a shop or a restroom and cry for a little while. The worst thing she could do right now would be to go running home to her apartment, then they would know where she lived. That would be the worst possible outcome. She doubled her step ”Oh honey, don't go running away, we can make that face turn red a whole other way,” “Yeah, come on, give us a chance” The first tear fell from her face, burning down her cheek until it evaporated down the middle of her crimson face. She couldn't see, they were gaining on her. Why did men think that this sort of thing was amusing? It was harassment, obviously she didn't want to talk to them, she wasn't the sort of female that could take the insults and lob them right back. It just wasn't her, obviously they knew that. They were exploiting her nature and she didn't know what to do about it. She was so blinded by her tears that she didn't even notice whenever she ran smack dab into somebody, a large, very warm figure. “Oh, I'm-I'm s-so sorry...I couldn't” her eyes instantly went to the ground, knowing that if she looked behind her then they would see her crying, her loose hair wouldn't hide her face anymore. Please please don't let this person tease me too she couldn't stop the thoughts from coming to her mind. She couldn't even bring herself to look at the person she had rammed into.

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Wearing:This|Words:1451|Notes: Post City!

[Marcus O'Conner]

Your heart, your heart understands mine
†FOUND IN FORBIDDEN NIGHTS†

†SHARPEST LOUD AND PLACE IS QUIET†

Know the promises we make

Marcus had never been happier. Never. Not when he was eleven and found out that he was getting out from under his mother’s thumb. Not when he’d first met Tobias. Not when Tobias had first figured his secret out and become not only his closest friend but confident as well. Not when Tobias had morphed with him the first time and calmed the man within the wolf. Not when he’d regained his eldest brother back into his life. Not when he’d first met Victoria. Not when Osiris had taken him under his wing. Not when he’d almost kissed kissed Victoria… any of the numerous times he’d had to stop himself here recently. Not when his small pack circle had expanded to include Amina… not when she’d wormed her way into the hearts of he and Tobias. None of that, as monumental as they all were, compared to how happy he’d been the past few weeks since graduation. Not that he was normally unhappy necessarily. He was fully aware that he was a pretty laid back guy; there wasn’t much that got to him in the end. He had his brooding moments. He was a teenager… a teenager who turned furry and exploded into a huge wolf-man once a month with a temperament that was more difficult to control than a females PMS. Brooding moments were to be expected given those very facts. He couldn’t pinpoint just one thing that contributed to the euphoric state he seemed to be existing in- because it wasn’t just one thing that had put him there. It was like walking across that stage had cemented something for him, like it had pushed him over and above the bar for happiness that he had never quite managed to reach before. There would be no more required holidays spent under his mother’s nose, no more summers spent with needles spanning his spine in an attempt to keep ahead of the woman and out of her way as much as possible. He wouldn’t have to sneak around in order to visit with Robert, or keep his friends under wraps in an attempt to appease the monster that lay beneath the innumerable amount of anti-aging spells and potions. He had his own place, his own life. If he wanted to wake up and walk around the house naked all day he could, without fear of earning more than a few joking remarks from his roommates. He had his own family. A real family. Not the farce that he’d been staying with to keep up appearances these past few years because blood and society dictated it to be so, a real family. It was still shocking to him in a way, unbelievable even. His family may not have been conventional. But Tobias and Amina were so far from conventional on their own it wasn’t surprising that the group of them together, especially with Marcus, would be unconventional. They had slipped so easily into the role, satisfying so many parts of him he couldn’t quite comprehend it. His pack, his family- both sides of him were appeased with the close proximity, the ability to feel the two of them in the house with him. He was complete. The goofy grin he’d pretty much kept on his face recently stretched once more across his features.

And Victoria… She played a fairly large part in all of the happiness. Amina was the little sister he’d never had, Tobes his confidant in nearly all matters… and Victoria? Well… she was his happy point throughout the day, but she was also the reason for the rare few brooding moments that had taken place since he’d moved into his new home. He could never accurately guess after spending time at her place whether he’d be coming home floating on cloud nine or feeling like he had utterly failed. Not that anything ever went wrong while he was over there- no, while he was over there it really was the brightest spot in his day. Victoria was… the reason he whistled the odd Irish melodies he rarely went into when not around his brothers while walking to her home and back. She was also the reason his head seemed to go off somewhere else at random points throughout the day. He liked her. He could recognize that now. Had recognized it the day he’d taken her to paint the Hogwarts landscape and barely stopped himself from kissing her. Kissing her. He wasn’t blind… or stupid. He could recognize the fact that she wouldn’t have turned him away, he’d been scenting and feeling other people for years now- he’d become pretty adept at reading the signs. But she wasn’t really interested in him, she couldn’t be. Especially not now that she knew what he was. Maybe it was just the fact that he was an averagely attractive friend of hers. It wasn’t like she was deeply interested in him, not in the same manner he’d had to admit that he was in her. Jaysus, he was sounding like a chickie. He’d briefly considered asking Robert about it, asking for advice- but he doubted his brother would understand his need not to pursue the relationship. Victoria was just… so good. She was pure, and vibrant, and real. It was part of what he found himself gravitating towards. She didn’t have any hidden agendas, couldn’t lie to save her life. The way her cheeks colored at the barest hint of impropriety, or teasing, or supposed teasing, or really anything that made her the slightest bit uncomfortable. Or the way she ducked and dodged any positive comment thrown her way.

She was good. Too good. Something he couldn’t stain with his fingerprints. He felt his own cheekbones coloring at the implications of the thought, fingers balling into fists as he chased away such thoughts. He liked her. He wanted to be with her. But he couldn’t. But he also couldn’t keep himself away from her. He’d thought about doing that, considered that route… and had blanched at the very thought. So instead he’d decided on a different course of action. He couldn’t be with her in the way he wanted. But he could be her best friend, he could be the best friend she’d ever had. And that would be enough, because it had to be. He’d heard the whispered (for what point he had no idea, it wasn’t as if he couldn’t hear her anyway) musings of Amina, listened to her wishes on the subject of he and Victoria. How did he explain to her that he couldn’t be with her because of what he was without her thinking that it applied to her too? He ran a frustrated hand over his face, shifting the weight from one foot to another as he leaned more fully up against Victoria’s building. Amina was good too. Different from Victoria to be sure, but just as bright- just as alive. She had plenty to offer someone else, even without how pretty of a bird she was. Marcus was attractive enough, he knew, but he didn’t possess the same light inside of him they did. He couldn’t allow himself to stain Victoria in that way, pull her under with him. Hell. Even if he could talk himself into believing that he couldn’t ever hurt her emotionally or physically… just being with him would tar her reputation- especially with things the way there were now. His kind were being labeled, hunted, looked at. And he was registered. What if they got together and her work found out? He knew what would happen. Find out she was involved with a werewolf and suddenly a promotion at work would come up- one she had worked for, wanted… and she’d find herself passed over for no apparent reason. People that hung around her would find out and inevitably treat her differently, befuddling her- especially considering her already sensitive nature. She’d put on a brave face of course, at least he figured she might for him. He couldn’t do that to her… He wouldn’t do that to her. He would remain her friend…

He was getting impatient… waiting outside of her building for her to get here. She was later than usual, it wasn’t the first time it had happened surely… but she was later than even her usual late time. He could feel the worry building within him. Victoria was pretty and young… and this country was in enough of an uproar for his worry to be valid. The toe of his right boot started to beat rhythmically against the paved street, arms shifting over his chest as if to keep himself in place. It was late... Another worried pass of his hand over his face, this time from chin to forehead before he scrubbed shaking fingers through his hair. He pushed off of the building erratically, straightening his spine and glancing around for the familiar bob of red hair that was definitely not present. It wasn’t like healers didn’t have late shifts, it wasn’t even the first time he’d been waiting at her apartment and walked the short distance to her work to make sure she made it home safely. It was however the first time he hadn’t planned to go to her place. He and Tobes had planned a movie marathon tonight, had the whole horror movie spiel spread out… only Tobias had crashed on the kitchen floor long before they’d even been scheduled to start. Why the kitchen floor? Well it didn’t really matter- it was hardly the oddest place any of them had fallen asleep in their new house. He knew Red was slotted to work late that night, which meant he had ample time to take a shower and make sure he didn’t’ smell or look too musty before he headed over… only she’d gone even later than expected. And now he was going to fetch her. Like Lassie. Only his dog form was much more impressive. He nodded decisively, whistling out of the side of his lips as he shoved his hands deep into the jacket pockets and started off with lengthy strides towards St. Mungos. His stomach rumbled lightly and he grinned again- he could probably talk Vic into stopping off somewhere and grabbing a bite, surely she had to be hungry getting off shift. And it would mean spending even more time with her, which was always a plus. He just needed to get to her…

He heard the catcalls long before he actually came upon the scene, they weren’t as vulgar as others he’d heard but he felt the giddiness he’d been experiencing slowly start to slip away. They were bad enough. It was the scents that hit him second… cheap booze and any number of illegal potions filtering through the already polluted veins of the men calling out. Of course, any number of those things explained how he missed the familiar scent that finally assaulted him just moments before he turned the corner to where they all were, his feet halting instantly fingers curling hard into his palms. Red. Red was out there. Red was just around that corner. It was RED that those men were yelling out to. Everything seemed to slow down around him, his blood pounding furiously within his head. It was his Red that they were talking to like that, disrespecting like that. He made half a step before the crippling strain of trying to hold his wolf in pressed upon his very skin. He couldn’t think, couldn’t feel- he thought he’d faced rage before. He thought that the night Travers had been changed… the night Amina had to face her wolf… he thought his temper had surfaced then. He’d never been so angry, never been so close to losing any remnants of his humanity. All he could hear was the words they’d yelled out to her, all he could feel were the emotions rolling off of the monsters, all he could see was the intention behind it all. They weren’t just calling out to her as she passed- they were following her, they were hunting her. His wolf recognized the steps towards it, recognized the many numbers of end game that they could have. And none of them calmed him. They were hunting his Red… and now he was hunting them. It was a quick step he made around the corner, feet once more freezing as he fought back the shuddering in his bones, the heat within his blood at the sight before him. Salty-sweet her tears assailed his nostrils, flaring in reaction. Sweet, her fear filled him with even more anger. They had scared her. Had made her cry. Were hunting her. He couldn’t contain the shaking that took over his body then, couldn’t stop the lengthening of nails within his pocket that tore through the leather viciously. He couldn’t even stop as Victoria walked straight into his chest, couldn’t step aside as she bumped against the straining muscle. ”Oh, I’m- I’m s-so sorry… I couldn’t.”

He barely looked down as he brought his once more human hands out of his pockets, fingers closing steadily over her biceps and lifting her up from the pavement and placing her behind him with a low possessive growl, stepping forward towards the now laughing group advancing.
 “Stay,” the growl ripped from his throat as he attempted to make the words come up as something other than full growling, “behind. Me.” He couldn’t afford to hurt her, couldn’t afford for her to get caught in the crossfire of what was to come.

( OUTFIT )  here
( WORDS ) 2,266
( TAGGED ) Victoria, Dead Men
( BANNER ) © BRYBERRY of caution 2.0
( LYRICS ) Head Is Not My Home; Ms Mr
( LAYOUT ) © BRYBERRY of caution 2.0

[Victoria Abernathy]

Her chest felt like it was having convulsions, despite how much she wanted to, she couldn't seem to get her breathing in order. It was coming in short, erratic patterns. She was a healer for Merlin's sake, an apprentice, but a healer none the less, she should know how to handle these sorts of situations. She should know how to react, be better under pressure. It certainly wasn't the first time that she had been targeted. Wasn't the first time somebody make her feel dirty, to feel sick just by talking to her. She could naively hope that it was going to be the last time, but she doubted it. Her sniveling was pathetic, she knew that but still..she couldn't stop. The fact that this was exactly what they wanted only made the situation worse. She could practically see the water welling in her eyes, threatening to pour down her face at her own shame. She just wanted to go home, but she couldn't She couldn't let those animals know where she lived, she was going to have to find somewhere to go, wait them out. Maybe loop around the block and come right back to the hospital. It wasn't until she felt the hands close over her upper arms that she managed to look up. Marcus? Her brow knit together in confusion. A large part of her was thrilled that he was here, he could help her, he would know what to do. He seemed so large now, so solid, strong. Even as he stood over her, heat transferring through the sleeves of her shirt from his hand. She was also ashamed to be crying in front of him, she didn't know if she ever had before. Red faced, certainly, but never crying. She didn't think. The growl that rumbled through him was out of place to her, for a moment, her detached brain didn't connect the dots. Didn't realize that the predators were messing with a predator. None of it connected, she could feel guilt rising to her cheeks, even though none of this was her fault. She couldn't help it.

The laughter didn't stop just because she no had company. The cruel, mocking laughter kept coming, adding more comments about how she would 'throw herself' at just about anybody. He should be wary of somebody like her. Things about her playing the 'victim' card. ;“Stay,” She was scared of his anger, not because she thought that he would do anything to her. She trusted him, she felt safe around him, but she hated to be the cause of it. She didn't like that she was the reason he was angry. If she had just walked back inside, if she had just stayed at work for twenty more minutes, this never would have happened. She wanted to comply, to stand still and let him handle it. Even more, she wanted to bury her face in his chest and cling to his shirt. He always smelled so good. She knew that would make her feel better, she wanted him to put his arms around her and walk her home. But she did none of that, she hardly could bring herself to look at him. Not with their insults still coming her way. They weren't intimidated, though she wished that they were. ”Is that your boyfriend?” one slurred, being nudged by his friends, she could feel Marcus' grip tightened only slightly, the men seemed to have stopped, just laughing at one another. She wished that they would just go away. She couldn't understand what would compel a person to be like this, to target people who had done nothing. She had done nothing...right?

“behind. Me.” Meekly, she nodded, both of her hands going to grip his wrist, to keep him with her. Never before had she been bold enough to hold to him like this, she would touch him, surely, but he always had initiated it. She didn't even realize what she was doing, silently asking him to stay with her. He was familiar. ”Tell us, friend, does the carpet match the drapes?” It seemed like just the one was the leader, the one saying all the really rude things, the others were just chiming in as they saw fit. Her head lowered just a little bit more, clearly humiliated. ”What do you say? You willing to share? Fine honey like that? a strangled, almost sob left her lips as she let go of Marcus, very tempted to start running and never stop.

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Wearing:This|Words:756|Notes: Post City!

[Marcus O'Conner]

Your heart, your heart understands mine
†FOUND IN FORBIDDEN NIGHTS†

†SHARPEST LOUD AND PLACE IS QUIET†

Know the promises we make

He didn’t want to scare her, he didn’t want to ever give the girl whose arms lay under his hands a reason to fear him- the very thought went against everything he’d been working towards with her, you weren’t scared of your friends… at least you weren’t supposed to be. Friends didn’t make your heart seize up within your ribcage from fear any time you made a sudden movement. Friends didn’t do any of those things, and yet here he was… very likely only increasing the fear she’d felt before he showed up. He could smell it on her, thick- clouding the air around them. The fear and the shame. The salt in the water running down her face. All of it combined in just the right amount to bring his wolf clawing to the surface, tearing its way through his chest and forcing his figure to shake, the hands holding her were the only thing keeping his arms steady. The heat was building up within his bones, starting at the base of his spine and spreading outwards. Hard, hot, and fast it spread- threatening to burst from his skin. So close. He had a monster building within him, an animal that wanted to break free of the inferior flesh that was holding it in, to tear through muscle and bone until it reformed into its own. He was a monster, but the men in front of him had no such excuse- nothing other than a perversion of their brain to blame on their behavior. They were monsters by choice. Monsters whose strength nowhere near matched his own, monsters who relied only on the thick chords of human muscle encased in their skin- monsters who went in groups after small girls who posed no real threat. Monsters who fed off of the fear and pain they caused to the weaker prey. It disgusted him, it infuriated him- there was no pushing the wolf back into its proverbial gilded cage when for the first time. For the first time ever, he was in complete agreement with the thing. He wanted to let it loose, wanted to bend and break into the animal and go after the scum before him. Play. It would be play. The seductive timbre of the voice within his skull reverberated. They would taste sweet, the slick darkness of their perversion turned to fear- of their malice turned to twisted reverence. His wolf was excited at the idea, intoxicated with the prospect. It would be so easy; his shifting took so little time these days. A brief explosion of pain and it would only take a matter of moments to dispose of the three sacks of meat incased flesh before him. Moments to let his incisors tear through the rough sinew and bone. He could feel it, feel the resistance it would provide, very little… they were weak, and they were easily disposable. They were prey. His prey. The best kind. The kind who thought that they actually stood a chance. His nostrils flared, head dipping just slightly to the woman in front of him before he finished pushing her all the way behind him.

She was the only thing keeping his bones in place, keeping the heat from escalating until it exploded out of him. He could feel her body heat behind him; feel the beat of her heart pounding into his skin from where her hands were wrapped around the wrist of the hand he’d used to finish pushing her behind him. They had been going to hurt her. Another growl ripped through his chest, kept barely contained as the figures approached closer- came closer. He couldn’t even hear half of their words, his ears so attuned on the blood pumping through the body behind him- making sure she was safe, safe from them… safe from him. He felt her hands wrap completely around the wrist, inhaling sharply against the contact before he twisted his wrist around, loosening her grip until he could slide the two hands down into his own much larger one, fingers pausing over the ten they were wrapped around and squeezing lightly. He wanted to reassure her, in any other circumstance it would have been his first priority, would have been the very first thing he’d done when he’d come up. He was too angry though, his wolf too present. He couldn’t risk that. Not now. Not here. Not with her. His lips thinned unnaturally, teeth poking out from between the pink flesh predatorily. He could see one of the two flanking the first flinch back from look on his face, could smell the slight fear that registered. Good, one that wasn’t as inebriated as the other two. He could smell the alcohol; smell the dangerous levels of it that were running through their veins. It certainly didn’t help their case though. Something inside of him whispered the word weak, the word dipping and twisting to accommodate the distaste that it was colored with. ”Is that your boyfriend?” His fingers tightened slightly on her own, thought whether it was in apology to her or anger at the men he couldn’t be sure. Maybe both. Tell us friend, does the carpet match the drapes?” The one leading point sneered his way, disgusting words falling into Marcus’s ears and very nearly sending him over the edge. How dare they? How dare they talk like that to anyone? Anyone, much less Victoria. She was so innocent, so… pure, it was vile. It was wrong. Everything about this was wrong, but the more the first man spoke the more Marcus felt like he wouldn’t be able to hold to the tenuous control he was exerting.

Humiliation, it filled his nostrils. Not theirs, yet, but hers. Without turning he pushed his other arm behind him as well, fingers trailing down from her elbow to the fingers wrapped around him and in his grasp. He wanted to tell her he was sorry, that it wasn’t her fault. He couldn’t speak though, couldn’t work past the now near constant stream of growls that were exiting his lips and passing into the night air. They were quiet, quieter than the men in front of them could register- but he knew she could, and that made him all the angrier with these men. Their fault. Slowly the fingers that trailed down her arm wrapped around her wrist, pulling her one hand away. He needed his hands- needed them free. Something spiked in her scent though, making him pause and squeeze her fingers again. He was here. He wasn’t leaving her, wouldn’t leave her, couldn’t leave her. Not her. He just needed to keep her safe. ”What do you say? You willing to share? Fine honey like that?” Her fingers left him of their own accord, body pulling back slightly from him and this time the growl that arched out of his chest crashed into the night air, stilling the men’s steps as he reached blindly behind him again, pulling Victoria behind him until he could feel her against the heat of his back. If she stopped, if she got to far he’d lose it, lose the battle he was fighting to stay in his own skin. The fear that spiked behind him calmed him somewhat though, had his hands returning to his sides even as they curled into fists. “Red,” less growly than anything he’d said to her before, his lips dipped sadly around the nickname, “if I say run, ye run. Don’ look back. Ye run straigh ta Amina and Tobias. Fas’ as ye can go, ye understan’?” The accent that already ran thick through his voice concentrated even more- his words slow and measured even as he took a step away from her. They needed the space between them. Just in case. ”What’re you two whispering about over there?” The slurred words slipped between the coward’s lips as he regained whatever false bravado that had been pushing him in the first place. Of course. He couldn’t back down now, not without losing face in front of the other two. And obviously that wasn’t an option. Good.
Bad, he reminded himself- reminded the wolf. “I dun think its any of yer business.” He was trying for calm, trying to keep the very obvious anger out of his voice. If the way his voice slipped over the words like rough sandpaper wasn’t enough though his hands had curled even tighter, shoulder shaking with the seriousness of the repressed emotion. Another growl left his lips as the front man took another step forward, glare twisting his already ugly features into something almost demonic in this lighting. “It’s my business if I say it’s my business boy.” His voice had lost the jeering quality he’d used when calling out to Vic, turning nasty with fury as he curled his own fists in response, eyes slanting. “SHE is no any o’ yer business.” Something twisted in Marcus’s ribs, forcing him another step forward as his chin jutted out, facial features shifting angular under the street lighting- muscle and bone forming and reforming beneath the too tightly stretched skin. “She is if I say she is. I think we’ll just have to take her from you.” Only the two who had been flanking him had fallen back a step, fear twisting into their very prevalent scents- something Marcus only dully noted as his lips twisted up into a feral smile. “Ye can come an try.”

( OUTFIT )  here
( WORDS ) 1,580
( TAGGED ) Victoria, Dead Men
( BANNER ) © BRYBERRY of caution 2.0
( LYRICS ) Head Is Not My Home; Ms Mr
( LAYOUT ) © BRYBERRY of caution 2.0

[Victoria Abernathy]

She couldn't stop thinking about the fact that they were outnumbered, there were three of them and only two of them. She knew that Marcus was stronger than most, he was by far the strongest man that she had ever met. So brave. Fear was just clouding her judgment. She seemed to have forgotten about the wand I her power, seemed to have forgotten that she was once head girl, she knew how to defend herself...her brain was just shutting down. Certainly not a good quality to have in a time of struggle. She should have been better, should have reacted better. She had backup now too, the two of them should have been able to discharge the two with a few simple spells...why couldn't she remember any of her spells? How had they gotten out of the hospital anyway? They should have been locked in some sort of drunk tank, that was a thing wasn't it? She should attempt to pull him away, should have attempted to keep him from listening to what they were saying. He should have walked away with her...but he wasn't. He was being eerily still. For somebody who tended to move a lot...she didn't know how to handle the way that he was reacting. She had no idea why or how he had come to be here, but Merlin was she glad that he had. Who knew where she would be right now if he hadn't of happened by. If she had crashed into a like minded individual...she would have just had to hope that she could run faster than their drunk minds could follow. She had never been particularly athletic though.

His hands wormed their way around both of hers, holding her to him, calming her need for flight, she obviously didn't have any fight instinct. He was so angry with the men, though she wasn't sure the reason for the intensity of his reaction. She just wanted to leave. Her hands curled around his thumb, wanting to keep him close. She might have questioned herself in another situation, wondered if the contact was alright, but she couldn't. It was pure reaction. The tears were falling freely now, silently as they made their tracks down her face and accumulated on her jawline before falling to her shoulders, peppering her shirt with an even darker shade of purple. The nerve endings in her arm, the one he was now touching wasn't registering, it should have been, he hadn't ever touched her like that, but they weren't working. Her own body trembled at the growl that left his lips as she moved a little closer to him. She wasn't scared of the sound, but she hadn't been expecting it, startled her. “Red, if I say run, ye run. Don’ look back. Ye run straight ta Amina and Tobias. Fas’ as ye can go, ye understan’?” She moved more into his back, almost pressing herself into him, elbows tucked down by her sides, side of her face pressed firmly just below his shoulder blades. Safe here. Her eyes screwed shut as she nodded into his back. Even as she agreed...she didn't think that her legs would carry her away from him even if she willed them too. She felt like lead, rooted to the spot.

Until he stepped away from her, her hands shot out reflexively just a little, fingers grasping for him like she was falling and she needed to catch herself, even though the rest of her didn't move. Her eyes sprang open again and her fingers clutched again for him in her silence before letting her arms wrap around her torso. ”What’re you two whispering about over there?” She just wanted Marcus back, she wasn't even looking at them, they weren't even looking at her, she thought, not while she was in Marcus' shadow. “I dun think its any of yer business.” “It’s my business if I say it’s my business boy.” Funny how he didn't sound drunk any more, funny how now that he was faced with a real challenge...his whole attitude changed. Funny how it made her feel worse instead of better. “SHE is no any o’ yer business.”“She is if I say she is. I think we’ll just have to take her from you.” Terror turned her blood cold as her shoulders started to shake, the weight of their words finally sinking in. The thought of what they wanted to do to her setting in. She hadn't even thought....she had just assumed they were harassing her. Not that they were going to harass her. Her eyes had to be as big as galleons, she couldn't help herself, hiding easily behind Marcus' back. He was so warm, so soothing as she pressed herself into his back without protest She knew he had moved away from her, but her terror wouldn't allow it. “Ye can come an try.” “M-Marcus,” her voice was soft, almost a whisper, her throat catching on the letters of his name, she felt like she had been drinking sandpaper. ”That right friend?” the littler one started ”You think you can take all of us on then?” the other echoed laughter of the one speaking, Victoria had never thought of herself as a small person, but the light wind was moving through her now like she was nothing, shivering like she was. She wished she could be more brave.

---

Wearing:This|Words:904|Notes: Post City!

[Marcus O'Conner]

Your heart, your heart understands mine
†FOUND IN FORBIDDEN NIGHTS†

†SHARPEST LOUD AND PLACE IS QUIET†

Know the promises we make

It took him a minute to realize that she was pressing into his back. Not pulling away from him. Not running away. She was pushing into his back, practically conforming to it. Took him another moment to press the wolf back into the back of his mind long enough to realize that she was seeking comfort from him. Not just using him as a shield. She was trusting him. Trusting him, even with the growls ripping from his throat, and it was almost enough to physically stagger him. Had the wolf not already been so close to the surface, had he not- for the first time- been in complete agreement with the animal within him… it would have succeeded. He could take a moment later to be thankful for the fact that his mind only absorbed the information instead of focusing like he would have been prone to do otherwise. He didn’t have time for that; the voice in his head was pushing, insisting. It was so close to time. The heat spreading from his spine intensified- pulsed through his every vein. Like a drummer that had just learnt the score his step paused, purposefully faltering as he felt the strength course through his veins. So close. The animal within him was no longer clawing its way out. Somewhere in the past few minutes they’d come to an understanding, silent- but sure. His limbs seemed to be lighter, his bones seemed reinforced- like iron had wrapped around them, fortified them. He was Iron Man, but the amusement that would normally accompany such a thought was vacant. In its place was resolve. Everything within him seemed to quicken, his heartbeat slamming against the ribbed confines, blood pumping at alarming rates- his very being seemed to be on a vibrating chord, moving too fast to even be comprehensible. His core was… alive. Alive in a way he hadn’t even known was possible. His skin was vacant of fur, but that didn’t mean the wolf was any less out because of it. For what felt like the first time both wolf and man looked through the same set of eyes, both equally present. Both equally infuriated. Molten gold flashed menacingly beneath the lighted glow of the street lamps as he mentally acknowledged that he didn’t want them to turn and run, that it wasn’t just the wolf that wanted to be rid of the threat in front of them in a more permanent manner. They were animals in the worst sense of the world. Vile, cruel, and disgusting. There was a part of him that could acknowledge that if it wasn’t Red it would be some other girl, some other time.

It was what drove him that extra step forward even though he could feel the telling movement of air behind him, even though he wanted to let her hold onto a part of him- holding him both back and to her. She was so scared. At the announcement of taking her he felt her return to him, felt her slight form pressing back into him from behind and it did nothing to quell the beast. Fury lanced through him. That they could scare her in this manner. That they could talk to him like that. That they could suggest removing her from him at all. It wasn’t acceptable. Wasn’t going to happen. “M-Marcus,” If only she could trust in it just as much. He’d never thought about his wolf’s reaction to her, he’d never really had the opportunity to see- what with how tight he kept the thing locked up. But it liked her. It approved of her. And that both scared and strengthened him. Because there were two fighting for her now. There were two parts of him that wouldn’t bear to see something of theirs stripped away. Even if he, the man, couldn’t lay claim to her in good faith, he could protect her. That was his job. “Red,” his voice was low, warning her. He was going to have to move. He knew it, could feel the shift in the air. He was going to have to move and he couldn’t have her holding onto him, no matter how much he wished he knew how. No matter how much it helped to feel her pressed to his back- willingly, trustingly. He couldn’t chance it. He shifted, subtly, Victoria’s hands sliding along him although he was nearly certain with the way she was shaking, with the way she was effectively blocking out as much as she possibly could that it wouldn’t register. Not until her hands were gripping his side, the side he had her pressed into, eyes staying on the looming figures. “Red,” this time it held more force- a pleading sort of command that she seemed to understand as her head lifted, wide eyes connecting with the one he rolled her way. “I need ye to stay back.” Not run. He realized now how futile that was, not only because she wouldn’t need to- but she’d likely do herself more damage. She was so accident prone; it was something that had always been endearing about her. One hand ran again down the length of her arm, from shoulder to wrist before he stepped forward, his shoulders rolling back as his calf muscles coiled. There was nearly a foot separating he and Victoria now, he could only hope she’d stay back. ”That right friend? You think you can take all of us on then?”

A derisive snort left his lips as his form seemingly elongated, just the slightest of shifts, everything about him taking on a different sort of cast- a different structure that seemed just barely concealed. “Do ye think ye can take all o’ me?” His lips pulled back, curling over the sharp canines housed within as he took another step forward, another step that sent the one on the right flank stumbling backwards. The man leading the attack seemed to grow bolder at his words though, even angrier- as if the more threatening Marcus became the more the man needed to prove himself. That was fine. It played well into Marcus’s hands. He’d never been a fighter, not really- he wrestled with his brothers. Wrestled with Tobias. But even when people at school had physically taunted him, had him pressed with his shoulders against the stone walls he’d avoided any physical altercation- kept himself from letting go of the anger that was so deeply rooted within him. He hadn’t wanted to hurt them then. Not even when the teasing had become too painful. Even when his wolf had wanted to. He wanted to hurt these men. And that made all the difference. “What do you know about handling boy?” The man’s hands move down to make some sort of offensive gesture that Marcus refused to follow, some mockery of what he was sure had nothing to do with what he himself was referring to. “Although, with a little thing like that you do probably have to do all the work don’t you?” That jeering note had returned to his voice again, as if he was enjoying this exchange. As if it somehow bolstered him. Marcus hoped it did. He hoped it lifted him just that much higher before he tore him down.

The man’s feet carried him ever closer, his head cocking to the side in some sort of signal- the two others branching slightly further out. Victoria, although separated, was still too close. They recognized that, Marcus and his wolf. They agreed on something again as his feet pushed off of the stone beneath, pushed closer to the prey his wolf so desperately wanted. “Is she in shy in bed as she’s been out here with us? Ohhh, I bet she’s a screamer, don’t you think boys? It’s always the quiet ones. Little hellcats once you sack ‘em right.” His hands gestured towards his genitals again, fingers curling and uncurling in the crude movement. But that was all Marcus needed. Wordlessly he snarled, springing off of the balls of his feet, his body propelling across the very short distance to slam bodily into the shorter man’s chest- slamming them both back to the ground on impact. Hands tore angrily at his jacket, fingers prodding and pulling to find purchase. Leather. Marcus’s arm shot out, fist curling in the moment before it splintered against bone, crunching beneath his knuckles as the two lackeys crowded him from both sides, one rushing and jumping his back as if to pull him off. Unlikely, his thighs parted, slid down until he was seated fully on the first man’s stomach, other fist slamming from the side against his opposite cheek- blood spurting in a satisfyingly sick squelch as it connected. His mouth. He wanted to jam it shut, push his cheekbones down until they splintered to form a cage of the trap, hold in all the vile things that seemed wont to leave them. One of the men found purchase on his left arm finally, both arms fully curling around it as if they could keep its movement stilled that way. He didn’t pause to focus, didn’t try to shake it off just yet. Something within him snapped, his head slamming forward and down with a sickening sort of momentum until his forehead connected with jaw, until he could feel each individual indent of tooth through both layers of their skin separating the veneer from him. A resounding series of cracks filtered through the air, the body beneath him going limp. One blow. He knew, his wolf sang to him. One more blow and he could end the creature beneath him. Already the heart faltered, darkly erotic, sweet within the man’s chest. One more blow and he could silence his mouth for good. But both men were holding his arms now, trying to bend them back at the elbow unsuccessfully.
A snarling roar tore through him, his feet flattening against the earth as he pushed both himself and the other two upwards suddenly, smaller men practically hanging off of his arms as he rolled his shoulders back- bodies flying from the combined momentum until one fell against the pavement, squirming uncomfortably between moans… the other sailed till it hit the lamp post, curving around it in the moment before it too fell, a reverberating crack accompanying the movement before the yell that it’s owner had been emitting was cut off.

Three heartbeats in front of him. One so weak it was faltering every other pulse, the other two stilled to unconsciousness… One behind him pounding furiously. He took a step forward towards the body still directly in front of him, growl still sounding within his throat… only… the heartbeat behind him. He wanted to end the one in front of him, wanted to silence it for good- his wolf demanded it. Demanded the blood it was owed. He wasn’t a murderer though. The man couldn’t stomach it. Even with what the man had almost done… he hadn’t accomplished it. His shoulders shook violently for a few moments, the two warring with one another before complete stillness descended, broad shoulders hunching in upon themselves as he crouched, forcing the weakly rolling eyes to his own. “Aye’ve got yer scent.” His words were quiet, lacking the growl they’d held before- though somehow that seemed to only make the man below him more scared, seemed to register the difference as the smell of urine hit the air. “If aye ever scent ye aroun’ here… If aye ever see ye again…” The threat hung loose in the air for the few heartbeats it took before the filmy blue eyes rolled back into the skull, breaths evening out as Marcus straightened- pausing just where he was. The fear rolling from behind him was too great. Too great to just be directed at the circumstances. He knew he’d scared her. Knew she understood now, would look at him differently. And she’d trusted him. Trusted him and he’d almost killed a man.

Revulsion rolled through his insides as he turned finally, taking the few steps back to where she was cowering in on herself, his hands held slightly in front of him, palms facing her as if he were approaching a startled animal. Nevermind the blood covering them, he couldn’t even see that. He could only see the mass of red curls and shaking limbs. “Red.” He swallowed hard around the lump in his throat, breath picking up within his chest. “Aye’m so sorry. So. So. So sorry.” He stopped within two feet of her, craning his neck so that he could see her properly, worry etched into every line creasing his face.

( OUTFIT )  here
( WORDS ) 2,115
( TAGGED ) Victoria, Dead Men
( BANNER ) © BRYBERRY of caution 2.0
( LYRICS ) Head Is Not My Home; Ms Mr
( LAYOUT ) © BRYBERRY of caution 2.0

[Victoria Abernathy]

Even if she could pretend to be brave, she would. Even if she could pretend to know what to do, maybe that would enable her to actually do it. For just a few moments. That would be all she needed. Just to channel somebody better than herself, to hold her head up high and pull Marcus away. Brush those men off like the nothing that they were. To laugh in their faces as if it was impossible that they might get under her skin. But she couldn't. She was cowering here, arms wrapped her own torso, fingers pressing so tightly into her own flesh that there was no doubt in her mind she was going to be bruised. She should have focused on the fact that he was attempting to protect her, that she had been in danger, danger that she hadn't even been able to grasp the magnitude of, and he had appeared out of nowhere and saved her. Was still saving her. “Red,” She had never heard his voice like this before, never thought that he could even sound like that. Yet, here he was. Luckily she was already too scared to be intimidated by the sudden change. “Red,” her face lifted to see him, track marks left down her face from her tears and now faded make up. “I need ye to stay back.” the quiver of her lip was the only form of an answer that she could fathom. He was going to move away from her now, she could accept that...sort of. She wanted his heat to stay by her, not to leave. Not to confront them, just to take her away from all of this. If that were even possible, which it was seeming like now, it wasn't. Slowly, his body heat seeped away from her. Her hands balling into fists and pulling closer to her chest again, just pretending that he was still close. She had never had to depend on him like this before, but she was glad that she could.

“Do ye think ye can take all o’ me?” She had never thought of Marcus as the fighting type, never had he seemed confrontational. This was the first time she had ever seen that side of him. Even if it was only for a moment before her eyes slammed shut. It was bad enough having to hear what was going on without having to see it as well. “What do you know about handling boy?” She knew them all by voice now, could hear the footsteps that belonged only to Marcus as he moved toward them. “Although, with a little thing like that you do probably have to do all the work don’t you?” her shaking started anew as she chewed on her lip to keep from crying. She was vulnerable like this, she knew, she should look, to see if anything was coming her way, she knew...but she couldn't. “Is she in shy in bed as she’s been out here with us? Ohhh, I bet she’s a screamer, don’t you think boys? It’s always the quiet ones. Little hellcats once you sack ‘em right.” her arms pressed so tightly into her own body that she was hurting herself, her muscles were aching and her hands shifted only slightly to clasp one another she wanted to shake her head no, but she was almost to her limit, she could feel it. Healing people was something she could do, she could handle the blood and gore...it was this, the violence that she couldn't fathom. Was too much. The sickening series of crunches and snaps that followed almost made her dizzy enough to pass out. The only thing that kept her from it was knowing that if she did, she had no idea what would happen to her, or if she would even wake up. She trusted Marcus, knew what he was, but there were still three of them, and one of him. Something inside of her was telling her to calm down, that Marcus was winning. She just didn't know how it was possible. She was tempted to look, to see, but her eyes stayed faithfully shut.

“Aye’ve got yer scent.” Marcus. Out of breath but still alright. He didn't sound hurt, though the others...the moans and groans must have belonged to them. “If aye ever scent ye aroun’ here… If aye ever see ye again…” he'd never spoken like that around her before, referencing his alter ego like that. As he had put it whenever he had explained it to her. Was it because he was upset or because she knew now? “Red.” her. That was her. He was addressing her, it was all over now, the sounds had stopped, she was allowed to look again even though she was wound so tightly it was going to be a wonder If she ever managed to lower her arms again. Slowly, ever so slowly one eye peered open, for a moment all she saw was him. He didn't seem hurt, but there was something else on his face. Concern? Worry? Was there something that she was missing here?

Her eyes were unblinking, wide since her mind had finally given her permission to see again. She hadn't watched, she couldn't. She didn't want to see them hurt, even with what they had said to her, even with what they had planned to do..she was so thoroughly nonviolent. Her hands were cupped over her mouth as her mind connected the sounds, the thickness of each bone and the sound it had made when it was breaking. She had seen enough of them now, the healing process was so very easy, these men were less than a hundred feet from the entrance to the hospital, they would be fine. Even now, she would have healed them if she had trusted her hand not to shake so hard. Her whole body was vibrating, the terror she felt wasn't leaving her. Her head was beating harder than she thought that it ever had before. She had been taunted, and teased countless times but never on this scale. Never had anybody defend her either. She knew Marcus was approaching her, but her eyes couldn't focus, staring at the carnage before her face, her fingernails pressing fiercely into the skin of her own face. “Aye’m so sorry. So. So. So sorry.” Like a rubber band her eyes snapped to his face, he was so worried. He had been so strong...taking on so many. She knew that he was gifted...with what he was. Not that they talked about it much. Even Amina, her best friend, didn't like to talk about it much. She just hadn't pictured the speed she had heard, not even watched. His arms were held out, like she was a stray that would bite him. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes anew at the sheer amount of things rushing to her mind all at once, glad her hands were covering her quivering lip as his deliberate steps brought him even closer. Whenever he was close enough, her hands fell, and she practically crumbled into his arms without thinking. The nerves and hesitation that would have been present had this been any other time gone. The questioning that she had ever time he was in her apartment, the wondering if he was going to reject her muted to her own want as her hands grabbing the sleeves of his jacket and balling them in her fists, her face meshed against the cold leather, the wet, sticky leather sleeves didn't even register as her doe shaped eyes kept staring at the men on the ground.

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Wearing:This|Words:1282|Notes: Post City!

[Marcus O'Conner]

Your heart, your heart understands mine
†FOUND IN FORBIDDEN NIGHTS†

†SHARPEST LOUD AND PLACE IS QUIET†

Know the promises we make

He had never felt more disgusted with himself than in the moments after he'd finished knocking all three of those men down, hadn't ever thought that he could. He'd been raised feeling it after all, feeling disgusted with the wrongness that his mother saw in him, in the way his father couldn't even meet his eyes most days. On all fronts he was surrounded by people who seemed to find him lacking- at home, at school, even when he took solace in the Sunday ritual of Mass... he fell short on all sides. It was only in the times he spent with Tobias, Victoria, and recently Amina that he didn't have to worry about that sort of thing, where it wasn't a constant question in the back of his mind- if he was doing it right, if he was acting as he ought... with his friends he didn't have to worry about that, didn't have to question whether or not his 'odd' behavior would bring forth any derision from them. They were their own sort of haven unto eachother. They were all good- his friends. And he liked to think, that with their acceptance of him, that they thought him capable of it as well- that they held him in the same sort of light. Only, with the voice of the animal so clear in his head, with its promises and threats only spurring the man on instead of disgusting him... he'd been shown just how wrong he was, just how wrong he could be. He'd wanted to kill those men. For even thinking of touching Victoria, for even calling the things out to her that they had. And it hadn't been in the abstract sort of way you heard those peers back in school call out when angry. He'd been able to see it, to feel it, to taste it thick on the bumps of his tongue- and the fact that he had... completely tore him apart from the inside out. Had Victoria not still been there, if she hadn't needed him- he would have lost it. He knew it. He'd prided himself for so long on his control, on how much he'd worked for it. But these past few months he'd been proved time and time again to still be... lacking. He felt like his wolf was taking over, like he was losing himself to the beast he'd worked so hard to cage. He had agreeed with it. Revulsion shuddered through his large frame, his outstretched hands shaking slightly as he looked down at the lowered head of red curls. He was supposed to be her friend, supposed to protect her. He wasn't supposed to be some mythical monster out of children's fairtytales.

He almost wished he hadn't spoken to her, that he'd been able to move her, or step in her line of vision and block of the carnage that he'd created. He knew that it looked bad. He could still, in his minds eye, see the crumpled bodies behind him- one beaten so badly that his face no longer even remotely resembled that of a normal human anymore. And he'd done that. He'd take responsibility. But he couldn't take the way the fear seemed to intensify on her at the sight before her. The sight he'd created. All he could do was apologize, hope and pray to the good lord above that she'd listen to what he was saying- that she'd understand that he didn't want to be the person who had done that. Even if a very large part of him had enjoyed bringing those men down to earth, enjoyed the violence it had taken to do so- he didn't want to be the type to enjoy it. He didn't ever want to be in a position where he had to face himself on that level again, wasn't sure he would like the results yielded. He was forced into being a monster once a month- more when he changed outside of the full moon- already, he didn't want to be a monster when in his man skin as well... He took another step forward and before he knew it she was flying at him, falling into him without any sort of prelude. His arms hung out where he'd been holding them away from his body for a moment- body stilling completely as he felt her little hands wrap up into the fabric of his jacket... He took a deep breath, the air shuddering into his chest, painful in the way it wrapped around his ribs before he brought both arms around her, cradling her as tightly as he dared in his embrace- very careful not to press too hard as he brought his head down- bowing it away from the air around them and enclosing them in their own space. He hadn't expected her to want him within several yards of her after what she'd born witness too- even if her eyes had been closed, much less be seeking comfort from him. He felt... undeserving, the moisture building in the back of his tear ducts and pressing against the suddenly gritty eye sockets. His neck craned, eyes drifting down to her face as if to reassure himself that she had really come to him, wanted him after all she'd just had to deal with- and was met with her eyes still focused solely on the bodies behind them.

With a very small pause, his arms breaking their grip and hands hesitating just slightly- “Aye'm goin' ta pick ye up Red,” his voice was hesitant still, her name almost shaky on his tongue. But after what she'd almost been through, even with the fact that she'd been the one to come to him first, he couldn't touch her without warning- couldn't not give her the option of telling him not to. After a moment of silence he finally brought them down, his right arm wrapping around her torso, fingers widening to splay over the small of her back as he bent at his knees, other arm scooping up under her legs and pulling her body up to his chest. She was cradled, bridle style, against him now, his shoulder cutting off any view of what had happened from her- another benefit of the positioning. He just needed her away from it, needed away from it himself... a bit of moisture escaped out of the corner of one eye- slipping down the rough skin of his cheek as he began walking, turning the very corner that had led him onto the scene he'd interrupted. His throat felt tight, as if the air he was taking to keep breathing was too much, built up within it and trying to block off any more from entering. He wanted to bundle her up and take her back to his own house- wanted to have Amina and Tobias look her over and assure him that nothing had happened to her- that she was going to come out of this okay. He wanted to be back in his house as Tobias mixed up some potion that would calm her down, that would take away the shock and horror that had been coloring her features since he'd run into her on the street. He wasn't sure he could though, wasn't sure he could take someone else touching her when he wasn't even sure that once she did calm down that he'd be allowed. Wasn't sure he could calm himself or his wolf down enough to have anyone else near him period. He cleared his throat roughly, feeling the scratchy air push its way down into it with his shaky inhale. “Di... Did dey to'-” he cut off, his throat constricting again. He hadn't smelt her on any of them, had thought that just maybe he'd gotten there soon enough to prevent it... but the question was still there, the wonder if they'd touched her in any way before he'd stumbled upon them.

He wasn't sure he could handle the answer though, wasn't sure he'd be able to keep walking forward with her in his arms if the answer was yes- wasn't sure he'd be able to keep from going back to where they no doubt still lay. “Are ye alrigh'?” Alright? Why would she be alright with all that she'd gone through? She wasn't, even he could see that- but he wasn't sure what else to ask her and he needed, desperately, to hear her voice- to know that he was doing the right thing with how badly he'd fucked it up before- with the fear he'd no doubt instilled in her with his actions.

( OUTFIT )  here
( WORDS ) 1,445
( TAGGED ) Victoria
( BANNER ) © BRYBERRY of caution 2.0
( LYRICS ) Head Is Not My Home; Ms Mr
( LAYOUT ) © BRYBERRY of caution 2.0

[Victoria Abernathy]

Her hands wrapped more tightly into the fabric of his jacket. Her hands were no doubt going to wrinkle the leather too firmly, it was going to wrinkle. She shouldn't be worried about his jacket, but it was easier to worry about the jacket than to keep herself from going over to those men. Morbid curiosity that she didn't even know that she had wanting to see that they had paid for scaring her so. She didn't want to hurt anybody, not ever. She could heal them...at least they would think twice before harassing some young woman again. She hoped, that they would think twice before drinking to that extent again. She didn't even know why they were at the hospital, or why they had been allowed to let go. Yet, she couldn't let go of Marcus for anything, her hands pulling the jacket closer to her with all of her worth. Not that it was doing anything different, not that it was bringing him closer. She had pressed herself so completely against him without even thinking, her body still shaking in shock. - “Aye'm goin' ta pick ye up Red,” her hands frantically grabbed at his jacket again. Afraid that if he moved away from her, she was going to collapse. She wasn't even thinking, her mind was cold and quiet. She didn't know why but all she knew for certain in this very moment is that Marcus was warm. Warm, and strong, and familiar. After a long moment, his hands were on her again, and though she didn't want to move, she didn't fight him. It couldn't even register that he was touching her more than he had ever touched her before.

He was lifting her. Somewhere in her mind she knew that was a good thing. Knew that her feet wouldn't have been able to move on their own. Even if she had commanded them to. She knew she should walk on her own, should say something, should thank him for saving her. Because that was what he had done, was save her, right? Her arm managed to come up his back, under the arm that was supporting her and grasp onto his jacket somewhat weirdly given that there wasn't much extra fabric available for her to grasp. Her head leaned into his strong shoulders as her heart slowly started to hammer in a more normal fashion. She had always had a nervous tick, she had always been excitable, but this was something else entirely. “Di... Did dey to'-” She heard him, but didn't seem to be capable of reacting. She just stared forward as he carried her, the familiar scenery glossing past her eyes as they moved. He held her like she was nothing, her small frame fit so easily into his arms. It took longer than it should have, for her mind to catch up to just what it was that she was asking of him. She supposed it was a fair question, something that was normal to want to know. In silence, she shook her head no. hoping that might reassure him. No sounds other than the scratch of her curly hair against his jacket answerer her though. With her head pressed against his chest, she could hear his heart beatings, erratically, but strong. “Are ye alrigh'?” Alright? Was she alright? Physically she was fine, other than being in serious need of a shower to get this stuff off her face, and to help her calm down. Mentally – she would be fine. She just didn't want him to leave. She couldn't answer him, didn't want to lie with either answer. She would be fine, she knew come the morning. Nothing had happened, nobody had died. It was just the threat that she could still feel on her skin.

It wasn't long before they came to her apartment, having to let her legs go in order to unlock the door with the key she had offered to all of her friends whenever she had moved in. With her luck – she was going to need them all. She had already had to make new copies twice. She was hopeless about those sorts of things. Her arms curled around her torso until he got the door open, pushing it free for her to go inside. Somehow, her shaky legs carried her past the threshold and she paused to turn and look up at him, staring at her expectantly. She didn't know why he didn't come in, he'd never had any issue with it before. “I think...I need a shower.” Her voice was soft, uncertain as she looked at him, waiting for him to come inside, for him to do anything. She didn't move toward the bathroom. “Can you...sit with me?” her bright eyes lifted to his, needing his company, she felt safe around him. With what had just happened...she wanted to keep feeling safe. Carefully, she took a step toward the bathroom, but it felt wrong. Made her feel nervous to go back there alone. “Could you...” her voice trailed off, wanting him to go and make sure there wasn't any scary waiting for her back there. Somehow, her legs carried her back to the door – double bolting it. She doubted that she was going to be able to shower without him in the room. As uncomfortable as that thought made her – she was too paranoid not to need the comfort, if he left she didn't know what she would do.

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Wearing:This|Words:923|Notes: Post City!

[Marcus O'Conner]

Your heart, your heart understands mine
†FOUND IN FORBIDDEN NIGHTS†

†SHARPEST LOUD AND PLACE IS QUIET†

Know the promises we make

He knew he should be trying to reassure her, trying to make a case for what he’d just done. And maybe it was selfish of him to keep his lips closed so firmly over the words that threatened to eschew from them with every passing step- because he didn’t want to hear her tell him that she couldn’t stand him touching her, he wanted to put off her rejection of him as a person for as long as he could. So he walked, carefully so as not to jostle the small girl curled into his chest, his face set- eyes nearly unblinking on the familiar route back to her place. Tobias would have known what to do in this situation, would have acquired the right potions from his bag as if he’d somehow been aware that it would happen- would have been able to calm the people involved no matter their temperament and see Victoria through it- no doubt with a smile on her face from some antic he’d managed to do at just the right moment. Amina would have been able to reassure the girl in his arms as well, to hug her and tell her all the right things… but he was left without any comforting words or any knowledge on how to bring them forth. He’d never been good with these things. When Victoria got just plain anxious sure, she’d done that enough throughout their years at Galaxia for him to become familiar with it- but this wasn’t the same. This wasn’t something he could make her laugh at- or needle her until she became so red that they had to change the course of their conversation in its entirety. This was something he had no experience with. He shifted her only marginally as they came closer to her apartment, his arms tightening in the moment before he reached her front door- his heartbeat escalating at the prospect of leaving her alone here. But he didn’t know what to say other than the apology he’d already given, he wasn’t sure what words were needed for him to earn that sort of forgiveness, wasn’t sure that he should be afforded it in the first place. He slid the arm out from under her knees slowly, bending his knees to bring her close enough to the ground to fall easily.

Even after she was standing on her own though he couldn’t quite bring himself to move the arm around her back, holding her to him for a moment while he shoved his hand into his jeans pocket, fingers searching for the little silver key he’d shoved into there upon leaving the house. The pads of his fingers located it slowly, pulling it forth from the denim and dragging the inside of his pocket out along with it, something that he ignored as he swallowed thickly, letting his arm fall down from around her and stepping forward to push the length of silver into the lock of her door- twisting it and the door knob in one go before he stepped back to let her pass- looking everywhere but her as she did so. He didn’t bother removing the key- he wasn’t sure he could have handed it over without saying anything to her, and with no ideas on what that should be… it was better if she just took it from the door without comment- easier on him in so many ways. Easier on her too, without having to provide the painful explanation that they were both already aware of. He could hear footsteps from the opposite end of the covered walkway- the sound of someone ascending the stairs on the other side of the complex- could hear the sound of several inhabitants sleeping… it was late after all… but more than that he could hear her heartbeat, erratic in her chest as she passed him into her home. Another thick swallow and he turned his head down, lips pressing and releasing as he tried to find the words he wanted to say- but she was looking up at him, her eyes still so much wider than he was used to seeing them even in her most anxious state. His breath accelerated slightly, heartbeat quickening as he watched her facial expression shift- however subtly. “I think… I need a shower.” His feet shifted on the concrete, soles of his boots scuffing the rock as he waited for her to tell him to leave. She was being polite, even now- even after what he’d done she was just… He nodded shakily, one hand going up to scrub his fingers through the already mussed hair atop his head.

Of course she had to shower, as he ran his eyes over her face it was obvious as to why, he hadn’t even noticed earlier- hadn’t comprehended that he was getting their blood on her… Guilt churned within him as he waited for her to close the door. “Can you… sit with me?” He’d never been an actor, never been any good at keeping his expressions at bay- but the shock that flooded his features as she asked was so palpable that he felt that he should have been gasping, or giving some other indication. As it was his jaw dropped slightly, lips popping open to reveal the tops of his teeth as he stared at her. She was asking him to come in. As if it hadn’t even been a question… His whole body seemed to stiffen in the second before he stepped forward, pulled as if on a string as he stepped into the space she’d left for him, his fingers going to the key automatically and lifting it out of the lock- pushing it into his palm as his fingers curled around it, the door shutting behind him with a small shove of his other hand. He didn’t know why she wanted him here, or understand even how she could- but he wouldn’t be telling her no. Not now. He watched her step forward, looking away and down to his curled hand before slowly tightening his fingers. ”Could you…?” His head lifted suddenly at her words, watching what she was indicating the moment before she crossed back to the door- locking the both of them inside of it. Of course. She was frightened, she had every right to be. “O’course.” He didn’t bother telling her that he’d already know if anyone else was in her home, he knew she’d take it negatively- and he didn’t mind offering her whatever extra reassurance that he could.

Knowing she was waiting on him he walked forward despite her indication, checking the locks on the screen door before crossing over to her kitchen- walking through it and circuiting back around her to open the closet door, affirming its emptiness before closing it once more, wide enough for her to see in as well. He turned again, passing the bathroom entirely to walk into the bedroom, flipping on lights as he went and opening the closet. He didn’t think he’d been back in her room before- didn’t have time to pause and observe anything. He was just showing her that her apartment was clean, that she had nothing to fear in here- but still he nodded to her, passing and opening the bathroom door, looking around and taking the step back to the doorframe slowly. “Empty Red. Do ye wan’ me to sit outside ta door fer ye?” He shifted uncomfortably on his feet, unsure if he should have just walked back to the living room and waited for her or not. He could still smell the fear, thick in the air around her, still see the way her body seemed unable to stay still. “Aye promise ye’ll be fine.” His arm extended out to her, palm flipping to face upwards as he held it out to her.
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( OUTFIT )  here
( WORDS ) 1,445
( TAGGED ) Victoria
( BANNER ) © BRYBERRY of caution 2.0
( LYRICS ) Head Is Not My Home; Ms Mr
( LAYOUT ) © BRYBERRY of caution 2.0

[Victoria Abernathy]

Her eyes followed him as he moved around her small apartment. He had been here enough times before to know the general lay of the place, her eyes running over the screen door to ensure that it had been locked as she knew it ought to have been before she even left the apartment for work this morning. She didn't even want to think about what was going to happen whenever she was supposed to go back there tomorrow. To walk over the same spaces. She very well might call in sick and stay home, binge on ice cream and old movies. It sounded like heaven. That was of course, if she managed to sleep tonight at all. This encounter shouldn't have been as bad as it was. Shouldn't have been so horrible. She should have been able to handle herself better than she did. It wasn't like she didn’t know how to dispatch a couple of thugs. She could rattle off excuse after excuse to herself to justify the behavior, to attempt to rationalize the way she had handled things but it was only going to make her feel worse, only going to make her feel like more of a coward. He indulged her, checking the closets and pantry. It was kind of him, as if he hadn't already done enough for her. She didn't know what she would have done if he hadn't, if he wasn't...

“Empty Red. Do ye wan’ me to sit outside ta door fer ye?” Her feet shuffled uncomfortably, at least she was starting to get feeling back to her limbs. It was about time. Her feet felt all tingly and warm. “No...I,” he paused, knowing how strange of a request it could be. She needed to be able to look up and see him. “Can you sit with me?” Her voice was tight, her brow pinched hoping that he would understand what she was asking. Her eyes lifted sheepishly to look up at him where he was standing. “Aye promise ye’ll be fine.” “Please?” was all she could manage. Slowly, she headed back into the direction of her bathroom, pausing half way to look back at him, like she needed to make sure that he was coming before she could go into the small room. She left the door open for him to follow as she kicked her shoes from her feet. Given that she finally had feeling back to them, that part was easy enough. She hoped that if she could manage to get her arms working, she might be able to get her shirt off. She really didn't feel like standing under the faucet with all of her clothing on. Then again it wouldn't be the first time. Only, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her face and half of her hair matted with blood, her eyes wide and puffy. Bloodshot. Her fingers were still white from having been clinging on to things too tightly. Her grip loosened only fractionally as she looked down at her fingers. Like she didn't think that the reflection was accurate, like she couldn't possibly look like that. She hated that Marcus had seen her like this. She had tried so hard to keep him from seeing her and thinking that she was ugly. She felt ugly.

The sound of water hitting the tiled floor of her shower startled her, a jump resulting as she whipped around. Marcus, it was only Marcus. He had turned the faucet on, and had his hand under the stream, testing the temperature. She needed to get in there, but her arms didn't want to lower. She couldn't seem to move them much more than the finger wiggle she had just managed. Her chest seized, sniffling against her will as her body seemed to decide that she was actually done crying. It felt better, even if she knew it wasn't something that would seem normal. His body moved closer to hers, but she didn't know why, her wide eyes lifting to his with question, asking for help without her even knowing what she was doing and his warm hands were on her arms, lowering them down to her sides. She didn't want them at her sides. If she was holding herself she felt better, felt like she was able to hold herself together. It had been alright whenever he had been doing it for her, but even though she knew better, she couldn't help but want him to keep doing it. Somebody should. It was more shock that was effecting her now, the problem had been taken care of. They couldn't find her here. His hands moved to the bottom of her scrub top, and her arms moved on their own. She was grateful for his help, really she was. She didn't seem to be able to connect with her brain as it was lifted from her. The first one gone, she could manage the second shirt, the long sleeved black undershirt that was still pushed up at her elbows. No doubt her skin was horribly indented from it. “Thank you,” she whispered. For everything. For saving me. For helping me. For not leaving. A tiny smile was all she could manage as he turned his back to her, moving to sit in the door jam of the small space and she pulled her other shirt from her. It was strange, certainly not how she would have ever pictured this sort of thing happening, but it wasn't like he was going to look. He was too good for that. Holding the black top against her torso, in front of her bra she watched him, he didn't even blink as he sat. It was easier with him here. Quickly, and as modestly as she could, she got into the shower and set about getting herself clean.

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Wearing:This|Words:923|Notes: Post City!

[Marcus O'Conner]

Your heart, your heart understands mine
†FOUND IN FORBIDDEN NIGHTS†

†SHARPEST LOUD AND PLACE IS QUIET†

Know the promises we make

He felt like he should say no, tell her that he couldn’t- it wasn’t that he thought she was asking more than she was, he understood that she was frightened, could completely understand her need to have someone else there with her. It wasn’t even the nudity, he’d been around naked people much more than he should probably ever admit to those that didn’t know him. Tobias and he weren’t exactly afraid of being around one another dressed or not, it wasn’t like they were looking at the other like that anyways. And Osiris had been shifting with him once a month since his second year. Hell, Amina had ridden on his back naked before- it wasn’t that big of a deal. It was a body, one that shifted and changed so often that he had stopped looking at it like it was something… wrong or other. Only this was Victoria nude that they were talking about, and even with what all had just happened he was a teenage male. A teenage boy who was being asked to sit in the room while a girl he fancied, even if he couldn’t act on it, stripped and showered with him in there. Even acknowledging the fact that he liked her in that way knowing that she was going to be undressed soon made him uncomfortable, made him feel as if he were somehow violating her. He nodded his head yes slowly though, watching some small amount of the fear leave her with his acceptance. If it made her feel safe he couldn’t say no, he’d known that even as he’d struggled with nodding his head in affirmation. He watched her turn away, heading back from the bathroom that he’d just searched and stood for a moment, awkwardly shifting his feet as he looked down at himself. He’d been lucky enough for the blood to mostly only coat his jacket and exposed fists. His head shook slightly, quickly pushing the fabric down his arms even as he walked over to the hall closet, wincing as he grabbed a hanger out of the space and fitting the shoulders around it. He couldn’t exactly wash it here, but if he was staying- with her washing the remnants off of her he wanted to hide whatever evidence from her that he could- erase the things causing her fear to linger so poignantly. He moved quickly from the closet back to the bathroom, somewhat thankful that the space was small enough for his absence not to be too noted. From what he could see she’d only managed to take her shoes off of her feet.

His lips pulled into a slight frown, eyes running over her still form before stepping around her to open the shower door- his fingers reaching out to adjust the shower’s spray- hands darting under the water as if to test the temperature, which he was… but while he waited for it to warm up enough he was sure to scrub the blood off of his skin as well- the sleeves of the hoodie he’d been wearing beneath his jacket pushed up as far as he could manage on his arms. He could feel her fear spike as the sound of the water filled the small room. He couldn’t acknowledge it though, his chest constricting painfully at the thought. He didn’t want her to feel awkward- any more awkward than she might already. He withdrew his hands slowly, rubbing them over the denim covering his thighs as he went to pass her once more, stopping only when he saw that she was still standing there, looking at him as if she were lost. He stepped the remaining space in, his hand lifting to brush his knuckles across a particularly thick streak of blood coating her cheek- his fingers dislodging the hair from it and pushing it back as he did so. “Aye did no’ mean ta get any on ye…” His frown deepened as he pulled away, the excess still clinging to the back of his hand. He hadn’t. If he’d thought it through… he shook his head slightly, fingers going to close over her arms- pull them away from the grip he had on herself. “Aye did no’ think…” Another shake of his head and he was wrapping the hem of her scrub top up in his fingers, between them and tugging- pulling it up and over her frame. She needed to be able to wash it off of her, needed the reminders to be removed so she could attempt to calm down. His hands pulled it up over her head, careful not to snag either hair or skin before bundling it up in his fists, discreetly dragging the fabric along his hands until he could drop it to the floor- both hands lifting this time in order to push the matted hair back from her face. “Ye need ta get in ta shower Red.” His voice was lowered, palms pausing on the side of her head to force her eyes to his for a moment. She just needed to rinse away the dirt…

He let go of her slowly, nodding as he stepped back only to walk around her, keeping his back turned as he slid to the floro- his shoulder against the doorjamb. This way she could shower without worrying either of them about him seeing anything he shouldn’t. This way he didn’t have to worry himself. “Thank you,” his head jerked slightly, surprise filling him once more. Thank him? He almost laughed at the absurdity, shaking his head as he muttered under his breath for a moment intelligibly. “’F course.” Again. He was silent until the sound of water hitting her skin could be heard, his cheeks coloring despite the fact that he couldn’t see anything. It was awkward, whether he wanted it to be or not, even though he wasn’t doing anything that she hadn’t asked of him. His hands went to his face, fingers pushing into the stubbled skin as if to calm himself down even as he started humming low in his chest- familiar tune trying to drown out the sound of her showering. If he didn’t’ focus on it it wasn’t his fault… He wasn’t sure just how long he’d sat there doing that… he knew it couldn’t have been too long- but he could hear the shifting behind him- could feel the spike of nerves once more fill her before stood from his post- body rising off of the ground as his hand groped blindly beside him, fingers closing over the plush cloth of the towel and holding it behind him with his arm at an awkward angle. “Do ye want me ta get ye some clothes from yer bedroom?” He’d barely even asked the question than he was walking out the door, cheeks heating once more as he fled into the other room- opening and closing the drawers of her vanity until he came across something that looked like a pajama drawer. He didn’t pause to look at the options, grabbing the first things that seemed suitable before he made his way back to the room she was in- holding them around the door and waiting silently once more.

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( OUTFIT )  here
( WORDS ) 1,207
( TAGGED ) Victoria
( BANNER ) © BRYBERRY of caution 2.0
( LYRICS ) Head Is Not My Home; Ms Mr
( LAYOUT ) © BRYBERRY of caution 2.0

[Victoria Abernathy]

The water was a little colder than she might have otherwise liked, but she couldn't bring herself to change the temperature. It was doing it's part to numb her mind. She had managed to scrub away the blood and dirt within the first five minutes. She knew because the water had been running clear for a good while now. Her hair seemed brown like this, soaked and nearly straight. The suds moved off of her skin and finally she pushed herself away from the shower wall. Still, she didn't leave until her fingers were pruny, and even then it was just because she knew she couldn't let Marcus sit there forever, it wasn't even half fair to him. Stepping out of the spray she wrung her hair out until it was no longer dripping, already It was starting to shorten itself into it's normal curly, frizzy mess. Turning the water off she stood in the shower, her feet rubbing over one another. She hadn't even thought about this part...she had a towel there but it wasn't clean and she didn't want to attempt to cover herself back up with the clothing she had just removed. She did feel a heap better now that she was clean. Her brain wasn't being constantly fogged with the smell of copper and nickle coming from her face. She figured, should she want to make a facial expression, she could because there was nothing caked to her skin any longer. It was a small improvement, but it was enough for now.

She figured since he stopped humming, that he was thinking of how to move forward as well. Finally he found the towel and held it behind him, awkwardly enough to make her smile just a little bit as she dabbed at her hair and then wrapped the large cotton bath sheet around her body, effectively covering everything that needed to be hidden away. It was still more exposed than she wanted to be...but she would manage. “Do ye want me ta get ye some clothes from yer bedroom?” She didn't even have a chance to answer the question before he was out of the room and fishing around in her bedroom. Which, should have bothered her. Maybe tomorrow whenever she was able to think more clearly it would. For now, she turned to glance backward into the mirror, at least she looked more like herself now, even if her eyes were still swollen and red. Marcus appeared at the door again, at least this time she was ready for him, accepting the clothing and shutting the door half way so she could put herself into the clothing that he had chosen. It didn't match, the long sleeved shirt and the sleep shorts, but she didn't care. Using the towel to get the rest of the water from her hair as she could, she opened the door once more, thankful to find that he was still standing right there. Overcome, she pushed herself back into his arms again. Her face molding to his chest, her arms wrapping around his torso in a way she wouldn't have been able to talk herself into before. She hoped that he would know just how glad she was that he was here. “Do you have to leave?” her voice slightly muffled for the fact that she was talking into the oddly clean smelling fabric of his hoodie. She hoped not. She would have to wake up Amina if he did...or just follow him home. Either or.

She stood there a little longer than she should have, a little longer than was decent, no doubt leaving a ring of wetness on his shirt from her hair, and whenever she pulled away she couldn't even hope to understand the look that was on his face, but her smile was a little easier, even if it was still a little sad. In a very weird way, she was tempted to ask for one of the cigarettes in his pocket. Instead, she headed for the open area that was her kitchen, looking for the little powdered packets that would make her some hot cocoa, for him as well.

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Wearing:This|Words:696|Notes: Post City!

[Marcus O'Conner]

Your heart, your heart understands mine
†FOUND IN FORBIDDEN NIGHTS†

†SHARPEST LOUD AND PLACE IS QUIET†

Know the promises we make

He didn't bother turning his back this time seeing that she'd half-closed the door on him- his hands sliding over the door frame slowly, running up until they were just about level with the height of his head. He could hear, easily, everything it was she was doing inside of the now blocked room- but, given the fact that she had shut the door for some amount of privacy he blocked it out focusing instead on the finally steady sound of his own breathing. She hadn't kicked him out yet- hadn't acknowledged the events at all before thanking him. Something he still couldn't wrap his head around- or attempt to while still in her company. If he focused on it he'd be questioning her, over thinking what she had meant. Already he ran the risk of doing so as it were. He pushed his legs out behind him, forcing the majority of his weight into his torso- leaning into the frame as it were. His adrenaline was still pumping overtime through his system, encouraging him to move to release it- but he couldn't... not here, not without shifting. He knew he'd be doing so- soon, if only to show Amina what had happened, to relieve some of the guilt- the anger over what had transpired. She'd be able to be inside his head... and he could talk with Tobias. Not for the first time he realized just how lucky he was to have the support group that he did, knew that without it he wouldn't be able to stand where he was. His back arched slowly, neck rolling down as he tilted his face to face the ground, eyelids scrunching to a close as he did so. He found, that as much as the idea of accidentally seeing her naked scared him- the longer she was in there the more anxious he became. Already his heartbeat was picking back up the pace it had finally petered out to, pounding inside of his bounding mind. It wasn't that he thought she could actually be hurt in there, or that there was some monster hiding under her sink- it was just that after everything that had happened, after he'd entertained the thoughts of what could have transpired had he not been there, he found seeing her with his own eyes soothing. Her presence brought him comfort that this door was blocking. Just as his anxiety picked up to an almost unbearable level he heard her heartbeat approaching the door again, his lids peeling back to reveal molten irises as he straightened his neck, looking at her for the half a beat it took before she flung herself back to him. It turned out to be a very good thing he'd balanced himself on the frame of the door.


Something only reiterated as his weight shifted backward to accommodate her, only the space of a few heartbeats passing before he let his hands drop from the stance he'd taken up, wrapping his arms once more around her frame. He'd touched her before- held her hand even. But he'd never held her this much, certainly not all in the same day. He couldn't help but breathe her in, inhaling deeply as his fingers flexed against the soft fabric of her pajamas. She smelled... clean; like the soaps from her shower, the water she'd used to rinse it away, and the scent that was one hundred and ten percent Victoria. His arms contracted slightly, body bowing until his nose was resting on top of her still wet hair, nostrils flaring as he inhaled even deeper. He was surprised when she stayed there, didn't pull away from the lingering proximity or his creepy sniffing of her either. “Aye'm glad yer okay.” He exhaled roughly, the hand behind her back rising, running over the top of her head and pushing the wet locks back from her face. He was. More than glad. He was... relieved to the point of giddiness almost. His heartbeat calmed slowly the longer he sat there with her, his breathing evening out back to normalcy. That is until she spoke again. “Do you have to leave?' He could feel the vibrations from her question reverberating inside of his chest- moving out from where her mouth was closest and spreading through him. Did he have to leave? Did she mean for the moment? Until she fell asleep? For the night? His heart accelerated once more- questions firing quickly through his brain before he could dismiss them, calming himself once more by inhaling the scent that belonged only to the little red head in his arms. In his arms... that was a whole different freakout for another time. Definitely not for while he was holding her... guilt brushed against his gut momentarily before it too was dismissed, his eyelids peeling slowly back. “Na, aye can stay fer as long as ye need me.” He snorted lightly, the air ruffling the top of her hair. “'S no' like they'll miss me cookin' any.” Understatement of the year. “Aye'll jus' send a patronus over...”


In case they started wondering about him, worrying. In case they felt the need to go out looking for him as he had Victoria. Again, he wanted her selfishly to himself for the time being. Something that was apparently being granted to him... He peeled his arms back from her slowly as she shifted, eyes meeting hers as something welled deep within him. Safe. She was safe. That was what mattered. His own lips tilted in response to hers, palm coming up to cup her cheek – thumb rubbing over her cheekbone lightly before she broke away entirely. His hands fell loosely to his sides, watching as she walked down the hallway towards her main living area. Again his lids closed, searching for any memory that would be happy enough to allow him to do such. “Expecto Patronum..” the whisper was low, the wand he'd just fished from his pocket glowing briefly before extinguishing itself. His eyebrows drew together in frustration, hand lifting as he muttered the phrase again... with the same results. He couldn't seem to draw on the right memory, couldn't even remember what had gotten him through school with this spell... only the harder he thought, the longer he took on it the more his mind traveled back to the same one. It was only a few weeks back, they'd all been in the sparse living room back at their house- Tobias had been balanced somewhat precariously on the back of the couch, Amina seated next to Victoria on one of the chairs as Marcus was stretched out on the cushions of said couch. He felt the popcorn bounce off of his nose, his eyes going up to see a laughing Amina, cheeks pink- only in time to catch the blush rise onto Victoria's cheeks, her eyes wide with what he assumed was horror that she'd think it'd been her. His lips curled even now at the memory- watching with some shock as the luminescent husky burst forth from the tip of his wand.

His free hand went around the back of his neck, fingers pushing through the hair at the nape of his neck as he looked down at the thing. “Aye... um, somethin' came up- aye'll be at Vic's fer.. I dunno. Jus' checkin' in... ya know...” He coughed awkwardly, voice cutting off as the silvery creature disappeared from sight. Well... not exactly his most... verbose. But he figured it would do the job. Again his hand ran awkwardly down the back of his neck as he pocketed his wand, returning to the living room and looking over at Victoria moving around in the kitchen... She'd asked him to stay- this part at least wasn't very much different from any other time he'd been over here. He knew where she kept the movies, so it wasn't a stretch for him to crouch down before it, browsing the titles idly as he listened to her move about in the kitchen.

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( OUTFIT )  here
( WORDS ) 1,349
( TAGGED ) Victoria
( BANNER ) © BRYBERRY of caution 2.0
( LYRICS ) Head Is Not My Home; Ms Mr
( LAYOUT ) © BRYBERRY of caution 2.0

[Victoria Abernathy]

“Aye'm glad yer okay.” She shouldn't be allowing her hands to ball up his clothing like this. She had to of done it a dozen times tonight now, like if somehow by holding onto him tighter he couldn't shake her away, couldn't leave her alone in her head for the night. She knew asking him to stay was okay, he had stayed over so many times. Passed out after binging on too much popcorn or watching too much movies. The sight of him laying around her couch – he was too tall to fit properly – was almost familiar. She didn't think that anything that had happened tonight would cause him to think of her any differently, she didn't think. But he was acting strange...not that he was the fighting type. She hadn't even stopped to think that he might not have wanted to beat on those men. She'd never seen him fight before, or even get angry. Not even so much as raise his voice unless it was to a fictional character on the other side of her television. He might be just as upset as she was...how could she be so selfish? “Thanks to you,” she mumbled, her head tilted up so that her chin rested against his chest as she spoke “Are you alright? - do you need to shower or anything?” her voice was still soft – almost lost, but it was easier to talk in his arms. The betrayal of a blush rising into her face as the notion dawned on her, that she was standing this close to him...that his arms were around her body...his thumb brushing against her cheek as she stared up at him. She had done so countless times before, stared at him like this, but it felt different this time. Like she should be guilty or something. Thank goodness he had given them a reason to break apart. Truthfully, she didn't know if she would have been able to. Just standing so close to him, the heat of his skin keeping her warm. He needed to tell the others where he was, that he was going to be here. He was staying. The thought made her smile, if only he could understand how grateful she was. As if she would have been able to put it into words without fumbling all over them anyway.

“Expecto Patronum..” It was a wonder he could manage it, on a night like this. She doubted that butterfly that was hers would be making its appearance anytime soon. She couldn't compartmentalize anything, couldn't have stopped feeling scared enough to produce the damn thing. “Aye... um, somethin' came up- aye'll be at Vic's fer.. I dunno. Jus' checkin' in... ya know...” She was glad he didn't spell it out for them. She didn't want to hear it spoken, no doubt he would tell them when he got home, no doubt Amina would be over here the morning following with bagels and strawberry cream cheese. Grabbing the kettle from above the stove and filling it with water, she set it on the stove to boil on it's own as she selected a few packets from the box that should have contained more bags of tea and instant coffees...she just hadn't gotten to the store lately and this was just about all that was left. Pulling two mugs down she shook the packages in one hand, auto pilot. It wasn't until she attempted to get the powder into the mugs that the issue presented itself. Damn it this shouldn't have been as hard as it was. It would have been a lot easier if she could just get her hands to stop shaking. She was glad to have something to do, even if it was fairly pointless as this point. Just needed to keep moving really. The packet she had just torn open shook all over the counter, leaving a chocolate scented mess all over the place, little dehydrated marshmallows wasted. Biting her bottom lip she opened the second, going to pour it in...and again her hands betrayed herself, this time powder shaking onto her white slippers and still damp legs. Damn it. Damn it all to heck. Stifling back a frustrated sob she reached for another pair of packets. Those obviously couldn't be saved.

Well if she couldn't manage to get this one in properly, they could have...well...she didn't really have anything else. They could have boiled water and dust. Which, didn't really sound appealing in the slightest. She tried to focus, but even still only half of the packet made it in. She wanted to sink to the floor and cry. The urge was almost consuming her, and it was shameful. She couldn't help it, she knew if she succumbed to that too..she would border on hysterics. She couldn't cry like that in front of Marcus. She hated crying like that at all, but sometimes it couldn't be helped. At least the fourth packet managed to make it in. Thank goodness. Bending to brush the chocolate dust from her legs and stomping her feet on the floor to shake loose the bits from her slippers she looked over at Marcus. He moved so easily in this space it seemed, already selecting a movie like he knew that was what she was going to want to do. Then again, there really wasn't much else to do here, she didn't even have cable.

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Wearing:This|Words:907|Notes: Post City!