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Post by Kelathi on Jan 9, 2017 22:10:49 GMT
As he turned to leave, panic gripped her suddenly. She had noticed his stiffness, almost... Resigned, and she realised her reaction may not have been as subtle as she had thought. It couldn't have been helped, but the last thing she wanted to do was offend the man whom had selflessly helped her countless times before. "Wait!" Her voice betrayed her urgency, and she felt her cheeks blush in response to how desperate she had sounded, aware that Tristan's curious eyes were now focussed on her face. She forced herself to regain her composure, shifting Tristan in her arms, highlighting her nervousness as she uttered her question, unsure on what his response would be.
"Would you... Would you mind walking us home?" She asked sheepishly, as he paused. It was meant as an olive branch, extended as a mute apology, to show him that she did indeed trust him. But a part of her was worried he would be annoyed at her request, misread the situation and think that she was taking advantage of his generosity.
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Jan 10, 2017 1:51:26 GMT
The panic in Ariane’s voice had Allan ready to fight, still stiff as he turned around to her… only to find there was nothing new, no one to fight. So why the urgency?
Had it not been for the glasses, Ariane would have very plainly seen the wide eyed look of surprise at her question. She… wanted him to… to walk her home? Him?
“Of… of course.”
The words came out awkwardly, unsure of how to answer, or indeed how she’d take his own answer. Of course he’d mind? Of course he’d help..? He was used to the communication they had; his arrival in the bar, some short snippets of conversation that were still largely one sided, and then parting ways. Being asked for help… he wasn’t sure if he had responded the right way. It had been so long since he’d last been asked such a thing…
While he made no attempt to lead, seeing as how he didn’t even know where “home” was, he turned back to the pair, as if trying to indicate he was willing.
It was almost funny, seeing someone usually so reserved looking so lost in a situation.
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Post by Kelathi on Jan 10, 2017 3:07:00 GMT
Her gaze softened and relaxed at his reply, evidently pleased that he had agreed. She shifted Tristan down out of her arms then, grasping his hand instead. He had been strategically placed between the two adults, Ariane reasoning that he would have protection at both sides... Not that she expected any trouble, now, anyway. The man, she was sure, was fairly infamous, and his presence alone would avert eyes, never mind trouble.
Her blush had begun to fade now, merely a healthy pink tinge to her cheeks as she offered him another smile as they began to walk. "Thank you. Although I feel bad, now." She left a slight pause for dramatic effect, noting how lost he looked... And finding it quite endearing. How strange that someone like him, would be awkward with someone like her! In fact, it was his unsure attitude that made her bolder, as she continued cheerfully. "Well, you know my name, and it's just occurred to me that I never learnt yours." She explained, looking at him expectantly as they walked.
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Jan 10, 2017 4:44:25 GMT
Allan followed Ariane’s lead, noting how the boy was set between them. While it was protection for Tristan, it also felt a little like protection for the hunter, a space between them that resembled the bar in a way.
This sensation continued even as Ariane began to speak, again growing calmer as the old patterns fell into place. At least in Allan’s mind; he probably would have stopped cold in shock if he had known anything he was doing could possibly be considered “endearing.”
The nature of her question for his name went unrecognized for a moment, glancing over with a bit of a pause as he finally caught it a few moments later. “It’s Allan,” he answered, again simply, quickly avoiding the topic of how he had managed to overhear her name rather than have it given to him directly.
Why was he more on edge walking with Ariane than he was when hunting down dangerous men?
(short but I gotta get stuff ready for tomorrow ^_^)
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Post by Kelathi on Mar 10, 2017 20:14:55 GMT
((No worries!))
"Nice to meet you officially, Allan." She noted with a grin. Unnoticed by her for the moment, Tristan had unconsciously reached up his other hand, searching for Allan's automatically as they walked. "Allan why do you not have any eyes?" He asked conversationally, with the brashness that characterises boys of his age. Ariane visibly appeared shocked for a moment... and then paused to turn her face away. It might have looked like she was trying to conceal her embarrassment... but in truth... she was trying to force the laughter away that threatened to rise. Of course, she knew Allan had eyes, she just didn't know why he wore those strange glass things over them... it had occurred to her to ask, but she had staved off her curiosity for fear of being impolite. Now, inadvertently, she very well may get an answer as to their purpose, so she didn't chastise Tristan for his brazenness.
((The 'no eyes' thing returns xP haha))
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Mar 11, 2017 3:38:55 GMT
(hahahaha Tristan I think is good for Allan too XD)
The child’s touch had been like electricity; Allan’s fingers had twitched, an innocent enough reaction, breaking contact instinctively. Surprised, his unseen eyes dropped to watch Tristan try again, not realizing how much of a reaction he had actually caused. Allan stilled his hand when they made contact again, the height difference meaning only a finger was gripped, but it was… strangely grounding.
Why did the prolonged touch of such a small hand have such a calming effect? It was like… connecting to something lost. But what was lost? Allan took a silent, steadying breath as he forced the questions down, not wanting to become lost in his thoughts in case they had more to say. He knew he was enough of an outsider as it was… at least to others.
Tristan’s question, however, earned a less silent sigh; he had wanted to dissuade the boy’s concerns before, and had shown him his somehow "desirable" eyes. But the thought of exposing his eyes yet again to the light cast by the lampposts along the road made him cringe. “I have eyes… as I showed you earlier,” Allan replied, his tone clearly indicating that he was trying to be patient not out of anger, but simple exasperation. “They’re ‘blue,’ remember?”
The boy had ended up being enough of a distraction Allan had actually missed Ariane’s look of shock, only guessing at the emotion when he noticed how she had turned her head away. One more glance at the boy, and another exasperated, steadily growing uncertain and short sigh escaped him. He was not used to talking this much about himself... as little as even this was. “I can’t handle a lot of light.” Hardly any, in truth… not anymore.
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Post by Kelathi on May 10, 2017 21:21:23 GMT
The walk continued in much the same way, Ariane and Tristan asking questions, and Allan trying his best to answer them. His answers were stilted, unsure- it was clear that he was not used to this much attention. And yet, Ariane had found the experience pleasant- which was not a word she would usually use for the walk home. But with him, she felt... Safe. Instead of the quick, wary power-walk home, they strolled as if taking a leisurely walk in real daylight- of which, of course, she could only imagine.
She was disappointed when she realised they were merely minutes from home.
Stopping just short of the street, she turned to Allan. It would probably be best that Malik did not see him, the last thing she needed was for him to give her the third degree. She made it her business to minimise conversation with him as little as possible, for everything he said infuriated her, and he was always ready to start an argument about... Well, anything. "Thank you, Allan... I really appreciate it." She stated sincerely, with another one of her smiles saved just for him. "It's just round the corner, we'll be fine now." As if on que, Tristan loosed both their hands, and picked up a bit of a spurt, before stopping suddenly as Ariane called him to wait. He turned and pouted, crossing his arms impatiently. He was ready for home, and ready for bed. "Tristan, what do you say to Allan?" She chastised. Her little brother appeared to think for a moment, before announcing, "Thank you for showing me your eyes."
Ariane gave him 'the look'.
He began again, a cheeky smile forming on his face. "Thanks for being nice to my sister?" Although the phrase was innocent enough, and could be taken as just referring to tonight... Ariane was alarmingly aware that it might be assumed that she spoke often of how Allan helped her, and her cheeks began to slowly bloom red. She turned to Allan quickly. "What my brother means to say is thank you for walking us home." She answered in what she hoped was a calm manner, unaware that her rouged cheeks were giving her away. Tristan, meanwhile, looked rather triumphant.
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Jun 10, 2017 1:07:02 GMT
Allan was a little surprised when Ariane insisted that Tristan say thank you to him, but only a little more than her own thanks. For what? For his mere presence?
That had been all he had given… despite their questions, he had avoided really saying anything. What he did say was often cryptic, or abstract enough to give almost no clarity. His most informative answers were the simple ones; “yes” and “no.” While it might not have shown very well in the darkness, Allan was appreciative of the extended time with Ariane, settled with the distraction of having Tristan to deal with, something to distract Ariane.
The boy’s grounding touch was… unexplainable, but it was certainly missed as the child let go and moved off. Despite the risks inherent in the dark, Allan knew it was safe for him to move like that. And as usual, he didn’t question how he knew.
Allan had paused initially as Ariane stopped to thank him, noting how she didn’t want him to take them to their door. Then Tristan had run off, and a somewhat awkward exchange was made between the two. Over thanking Allan. This was why he found himself momentarily musing over his answers, wondering if he had said or done something to in fact scare Ariane… but there was the strange looks from the boy and Ariane that suggests maybe that wasn’t the case.
Ariane’s attempt to recover from Tristan’s strange comment had Allan confused, only hearing the reference to the current situation. What was Ariane hearing from the line?
“You’re welcome,” Allan said, as stilted as ever, unsure how to proceed. As she began to walk away, however, he acted on impulse, uncertain how he would sound. But somehow, he needed to say it. It had been so long since he had met her… and it was only now that he was getting a chance to see her beyond the bar.
“If… if you… would like, I can… keep doing it. Walking you home… if you need help with… anything.”
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Post by Kelathi on Jun 18, 2017 21:59:15 GMT
((HAD AN IDEA! WILL PM YOU)) It was evident that he had said the right thing when her face broke into a smile...
"I would like that."
***
The next few weeks were like a dream for Ariane. Things felt almost… normal. Allan’s presence seemed to change the very world around her- the fearful power-walk home had turned into a gentle stroll, an event she now looked forward to rather than dreaded. And people even seemed to notice that she was spending more time with him- hardly anyone made a pass on her now, or dared to offer an inappropriate a comment when she was near. But this form of protection she merely looked upon as a bonus- above all, she was genuinely enjoying his company.
When she was with him, she felt… safe. But she was also intrigued. There was much more to him hidden beneath the surface, she was sure, and his answers were just cryptic enough to pique her interest in finding out just what that was. But every time she felt she was on the verge of something, where he seemed to forget himself and reveal just a little too much… he seemed to mentally back off before he said anything that might be too incriminating, and for a while, or sometimes even the whole evening, his answers would become vague and blunt once more.
Mostly, she found herself talking about herself, which he didn’t seem to mind. She suspected he liked the fact that the attention was drawn away from him…
She awoke early, with… a smile, of all things, on her face. She hummed to herself quietly as she sorted breakfast, the rest of the house yet asleep. Until she heard hesitant creaking on the stairs… her brother? She popped another slice of bread into the toaster just in case. “Good morning, sleepy!” She announced as she turned around… but it was not Tristan.
And then suddenly, with startling clarity, she knew that today would be different from the moment she saw the look on her mother’s bruised, tear-stained face.
A pause.
“What’s happened?” Ariane’s voice was quiet, and with each word she felt the dread pour into her as if she had stepped into cold water…
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Jun 19, 2017 3:55:44 GMT
Even though he had found himself asking the question, he was certain of what the answer would be. Didn’t want to inconvenience. Don’t want to take advantage of your offer. Don’t follow me home. Any answer that would clearly demonstrate her fear of him, and desire to be apart. He wasn’t walking them to the door… that seemed a pretty clear signal. Even so, he had asked.
He was visibly surprised when she had accepted.
Allan had recovered a few moments later, confirming her answer while she offered some strange little smile he hadn’t often seen her use. And so he had, staying in the bar until the last patron left. It had almost been satisfying the first time the barman had left, spooked at finding Allan waiting by the door, as silent as the creatures that haunted the forests. It was harder to tell if Ariane had been surprised that first night, or the ones that followed, but as time went on, things settled into a rhythm. Despite his profession, Allan liked rhythm.
What he hadn’t anticipated was how Ariane had to be evaluated once he was spending more time with her. How often had Pip walked him home from the bar, once into the outer, dim rings of light? How often would she meet him, glowing brightly even as she sat at the edge of the halo? The first week, she continued to do so, intently studying him. The second week? She had followed, slipping between nearby shadows, soon becoming as familiar with the path as Allan was. The third?
Perhaps Ariane hadn’t noticed. Allan wasn’t sure, she seemed rather perceptive… but he had walked closer to her. Could she have mistaken it as a sign of familiarity? He didn’t want to push her - wouldn’t try - but he had… felt them. Several nights in a row. The only confirmation was that a few alcoholics didn’t reach home over those few days. Only bloody handprints and smears remained in a few darker alleys.
But the distance between them while walking hadn’t grown after that, even when it was again safe enough for Pip to trot along behind the two, long tail curled upwards like a cat’s. There was no more distance, no more barriers beyond the bar… but Allan was beginning to feel that he could trust himself with Ariane. She would happily talk about anything, often having to resort to herself as a topic, simply… settled with his presence. Last night, he had found the compulsion to pull her in even closer almost irresistible, but he had stayed his hand. A gentle touch… did he really trust himself to do only that? With hands that had killed when all he heard was conversation?
Perhaps he didn’t trust himself with Ariane after all.
The last few nights, he had been coming to the bar later and later, finally beginning to make progress on decrypting his disc. His employer was beginning to grow impatient as news of the disc’s disappearance were spreading, but Allan didn’t want to give up something for less than its real value. Besides, he had gotten curious. His meetings were getting more and more complicated to orchestrate, however, requiring more hoops and so longer times before he’d ever arrive at the bar. Last night, the same night he had almost pulled Ariane close, he had only arrived an hour before they closed, not even leaving the building while they cleaned and closed. He had stepped outside in time with Ariane. It had been… grounding.
Again, he was running late. This time, he remembered the fight. His lip was split from one good punch, but he had gotten worse. The man was too scared to help him beyond the initial attack. But he had a hard skull… Allan’s knuckles were sore from the one punch that laid him flat. Without remembering just how the fight had gone, he might have wondered why it felt as if he had hit something repeatedly.
As it was, his hands were splattered in red, but a good punch could do that. He’d have to wash his hands once at the bar… he didn’t want Ariane to see how violent he could get. His mercenary life was still a secret to her…
But not for long.
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Post by Kelathi on Aug 12, 2017 20:45:51 GMT
She had, of course, noticed that there were times when Allan had seemed to arrive much later, but initially she had thought nothing of it. Especially not enough to ask him why. His world did not revolve around her; after all, she just assumed he must just be busy. But she did miss him, and found herself waiting hopefully each night, especially as the evenings drew on slowly, void of his presence.
After the morning that her mother had confronted her, however…
Hopeful glances towards the door had suddenly become anxious ones. Each day after that, they had walked and talked much the same as they had many times before, and yet… something was different. Each time she longed to tell him what was going on, ask him for help… but every time she found herself about to blurt out what was really one her mind, she had stilled her tongue. There was nothing he could do. She had to see it through, to save her mother… no, not her! She was the one that had gotten them into this mess! No, she was doing it to save Tristan. To save his home.
So she would say nothing.
But tonight… the urge to run was greater than ever, even with her responsibilities weighing heavily on her shoulders. And she was sure that were she to only catch a glance of his familiar face, she would run straight towards him and forsake everything. There had to be another way, she reasoned in her mind. He could protect them, surely? Herself and Tristan. He could take them away and…
These thoughts circled in her head endlessly, making her head spin. But the night wore on anyway, and the customers were served again and again, their faces blurring and merging with one another in her mind… and still he had not come.
And now it was time.
And he wasn’t here.
Angelika stepped out into the dim light, and motioned to Ariane at the other side of the bar. The sad, sympathetic look on her face made her feel sick, and she pointedly did not look her mother in the eye as she approached her, walking woodenly past and descending the stairs…
Into the room in the basement.
She sat down on the bed, and waited.
Her mind had stilled now, becoming blank as she waited calmly for the inevitable. The faded carpet, the basic furniture… all remained unobserved by her eyes, her thoughts absent, suddenly deserting her now the time had come.
Until…
Until she heard the heavy footsteps on the stairs, and her heart abruptly began to pound in her chest. She felt the panic start small, in the pit of her stomach, a fluttering that slowly mounted into a rapid churning as he opened the door.
He didn’t say a word. They both knew why she was here, there was nothing to say, no introductions to be made. He began to take off his tie. She watched it fall to the ground, and tried to keep her eyes fixed on it as he approached. And now he was before her, obscuring her view, and she saw instead his hands, large and rough, hands that still bore the purple flush courtesy of her mother’s face…
And that was when she lost it, and the silence finally broke. “Wait…” the word was merely a whisper, and was merely ignored as he pushed her down. “Wait!” A little louder, a little more panicked… but no less ignored. That was when she began to struggle. He seemed to like it. At least, he did at first… but not for long.
And now she was running. Blood splattered her face, especially around her mouth. She hadn’t had to think about it, she had panicked, her mind overworked and adrenalin spurring through her, her legs immobile as they were pressed tightly between his and her wrists restrained by one meaty fist… she had done the only thing she could, the primal instinct of a cornered animal welling up inside her as she thrusted forward… and seized his nose in her teeth. A split second later and she was free, thundering up the stairs, running through the pub and sprinting out onto the street. She thought she could hear her mother calling after her, but maybe she was imagining it, for she could not even hear her feet slapping on the pavement, her blood was roaring in her ears, her heart pounding so hard she thought her chest might burst…
And then he had grabbed her arm, spinning her round, stopping her flight short. His face, snarling, his eyes ablaze with anger and blood running from the laceration on his nose… and before she could cry out, the world was reeling, the blow sending her straight to the ground, her head spinning. And then he had grabbed her hair to haul her up, and hit her again, with those practiced hands that had made short work of her mother. He was shouting something, but she could make no sense of it, no sense of anything that was happening. Only pain as he hit her for a third time...
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Aug 12, 2017 22:07:28 GMT
It had taken too long for Allan to finally grow curious about the number of people on the street, unusual for his usual time to arrive. One glance at a clock, and he took the unusual move of running towards the bar.
How the hell had it gotten so late?! A small well of panic bubbled up in his stomach… how readily he had accepted what he recalled this time, a fight true but nothing much. It must have been a much, much bigger deal… But the panic didn’t circle around his lapses in memory. Ariane had come to count on his being there to walk her home. He had noticed but couldn’t bring himself to ask why she had felt so tense the last few nights, as he feared questioning her would make her pull away. All he could do was to simply be there for her. He had earned that much trust, at least. He would do anything to avoid losing it.
It was the sound of flesh meeting flesh that got his attention, so different in the near deserted streets… following the sound came from curiosity, it was true, but also instinct. Instinct to do what, Allan didn’t let himself wonder. But after finding the source, he didn’t give that instinct a second thought.
Ariane. Blood splattered across her face, matching what showed on a man’s hands…
Before the fist could come down yet again, Allan’s swung in hard, surprise sending the man back as much as the brute force had. Moving in to fill the space between him and Ariane, Allan punched the man’s ear, sending him into the ground before he had a chance to react to being hit the first time. The man cried out as he held his head, his ear ringing from the impact and disorienting him.
“Ariane? Ariane!”
Allan’s concern blinded him to the man’s recovery, adrenaline bringing him to his feet far more quickly. Kneeling next to Ariane, Allan gently touched her as if he’d break her, concern showing in his face despite the glasses he wore. Then his expression changed suddenly, gritting his teeth even as he kept himself from crashing into her when a blow came from behind, the man panting and cursing.
“You get the hell out of here, you little shit! Don’t get involved with what don’t concern you!” the man growled, Allan pushing himself up to his feet while blocking another punch. “Leave her alone,” Allan growled, using a tone that he never dared use around Ariane. The man pulled back for a moment, but began to laugh.
“So you’re the weirdo with the glasses, huh? What’s the matter, too ugly to be seen in public? That why you’re a merc? Can’t get a job doing anything else?” It was becoming clear which of the two men were getting frustrated with the goading, and it wasn’t hidden by sunglasses. By reputation alone the other was hesitating. But he was also angry, bruising in the two places he had been hit already. “Why don’t you go back to minding yer own damn business, eh? What, you want money or some-“
“Leave her alone.”
Again, the man paused, but there was an edge… no, not even that. Something about Allan’s growl… it hadn’t been human. But it wasn’t enough to make the other back down. “Son of a bitch, YOU don’t get to tell ME what to do!” he challenged, rushing forward in an attempt to get past rather than directly charge. Allan twisted to get between him and Ariane again, but was clocked instead, an underhanded move that made him stumble back. The man triumphantly stood over Ariane now, continuing to gloat. “Don’t you EVER get between me and a bitch, you asshole! You hear me?! Don’t you know who I am-“
His crowing stopped abruptly when the eyes moved to him. Even with the street lights, there were patches of shadows that forced their way around the halos. One halo just touched the edge of the sunglasses that had been thrown off, almost mockingly. But the reason behind their use became abundantly clear.
The glowing slits tightened in anger at seeing the man so close to Ariane again, inhuman in their intensity. In the dim light, it was easy to understand the reaction they earned. “D-demon… you bastard-!”
He tried to run. Tried, as Allan moved as soon as he did but much faster. Grabbing the man’s shoulder, Allan was ready for the fist that rose in defense, moving back as he twisted the arm hard, the man suddenly finding his face shoved into the road. “Let me go! Get off me!” the man cried, his anger turning into pleading. These cries were nothing compared to his reaction as Allan pushed his arm further back, earning a loud snap. “I don’t want to fight you if I don’t have to,” Allan suddenly began speaking, his tone unexpectedly that of one trying to contain a situation. “But I will finish whatever you start.”
“Wh… what the hell, you asshole? You came in to this, you got involved-AUGH!”
One sound punch into the man’s lower back earned another cracking noise, interrupting him. “I’d like to settle this like civilized men,” he went on, still trying to talk down the man he had pleading from the ground. “CIVILIZED?! You broke my arm, you goddamn sick - AGH!” A new twist on the arm, a new crack. “Civilized men don’t beat women,” Allan continued rather than replied, his anger seeping through even as he tried to contain the situation he was seeing. This was becoming clear even to the man on the ground, being hauled to his knees by strong hands and a patient voice.
“Instead of staying quiet and stubborn about this, you should run while you still can.”
“You… you’re insane. You’re fucking insane! Don’t you even hear what I’m saying…?” The man’s wide eyes were slowly recognizing the fact that no, he could not. Instead of the look of fury, Allan’s expression had settled, still angry but controlled; he saw himself talking down a man beating a woman. He didn’t see that he had been doing anything himself.
“No… God, no, just let me go, man… no, don’t come near me, I’ll leave! I’ll never touch that bitch again- NO! Let me go!” Pleas continued to fall on deaf ears, Allan moving forward with a move that was smooth, an arm encircling his neck. “You should take me seriously,” Allan continued even as the man tried to tear himself free, his one usable arm unable to do anything. Then, with one last sickening crunch, the pleading stopped. For a few moments, there was stillness.
“If you ever go after Ariane again… I WILL kill you.”
Allan’s expression remained the same, anticipating a punch to be thrown, trying to maintain the peace even as he stood and let the body fall to the ground. But he was watching something on the road ahead. A soft sigh, like letting out a held breath… “Glad to hear it,” he said, clearly watching the man running down the street even as he backed away from the body, his breathing heavy and slow as he turned to Ariane. Watching her seemed to pull him back from wherever he had been, the glow to his eyes fading until they only lingered in the dim light, like any creature of Aurelias hiding in the edges of the forest.
“Are you…? God, he… what did he do…?”
Allan had enough awareness to not immediately approach Ariane, he had after all just chased off her attacker… been exposed. But even with those alien eyes, shying from looking too closely at the lights around them, his concern for her showed as brightly as his rage had just moments before. His guilt.
“I’m so sorry I... I wasn’t there… I’m so sorry…”
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Post by Kelathi on Jan 15, 2018 0:55:58 GMT
The logical thing to do, after witnessing what she just had... Would be to run. And so it clearly wasn't logic that threw her into his arms, but rather adrenalin and pure fear; confusing her senses and rational mind, so much so that despite the horrific scene she had just been witness to... All that she managed to utter in a desperate gasp was: "I knew you'd come!" With the relief clear even though it was punctuated by tears, as she buried her face into his chest.
Her mind had yet to process what she had just seen, the violence and... The stark strangeness of it all. So she did not feel afraid, not yet... She did not even feel the pain in her face, although she was sure to later, with a split lip and a bloodied nose... No, instead, she felt an amalgamation of relief, and overwhelming exhaustion, as if her body and mind had simply hit it's limit, and could not process anymore.
So she gave herself up fully to Allan, collapsing into him, and subconsciously trusting that he would know what to do. Because right now, all she could think about was sleep, and the feeling of security of being wrapped in her protectors arms.
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Feb 10, 2018 4:09:13 GMT
He hadn’t expected her to trust him so readily after chasing off her pursuer, not after he had left her alone so long. Not that he had intended to… but he knew there’d be repercussions for it. As he stood there, hesitant to come too close, trying to apologize, willing her to at least believe him… he only caught her out of reflex.
Ariane’s desperate cry brought him back; she felt delicate in his grasp, so frail… With a tenderness that belied his rough nature, he held her close for a moment, breathing in her scent. “I’ll always come,” he said softly, his guilt turning to resolve. Allan pulled back only enough to pick her up, one arm steadily behind her back as the other went under her legs.
It was only at that moment he noticed they weren’t still alone, familiar eyes glittering in the darkness just outside the halos of light. Allan hesitated; Pip was positioned to head towards Ariane’s home, as they had done for the preceding weeks. But he didn’t know how all of this had happened. What if… what if that had been Malik, the one young Tristan had mentioned before?
A nod was all he gave to the ferret before turning towards home, his home, knowing there at least Ariane would be safe. Pip slipped past the body with only a curious glance, trotting along effortlessly from shadow to shadow. Only one thing concerned Allan now. Getting Ariane somewhere safe. He had no thought for covering up his tracks, or hunting down the perpetrator of all her injuries. The only indication anything had happened at all was a body, which wasn’t such a rare thing… not that he had noticed. Nor did he remember that he had left his glasses behind.
(had an idea for some drama in the story XP)
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Post by Kelathi on Jan 9, 2019 3:34:43 GMT
He had gathered her up into his arms effortlessly, of which she was glad for. She felt utterly spent, both physically and emotionally, she doubted she would be able to walk right now. Her mind was currently blocking out the traumatic events she had been witness to, and the one she had blessedly been spared the moment she had decided to run, so that all she could really think about right now was how safe she felt in his arms, despite any evidence to the contrary. Being this close to him, his natural scent enveloped her, mixed in with an edge of the unmistakeable whiff of alcohol. When she felt herself fading out of consciousness, her hand grasped gently at the front of his shirt, as if afraid she might lose him at any moment if she didn’t hold onto him.
She must have been dozing in and out, because suddenly she noticed a change in the air, and they were inside a house, without her remembering the journey here. The familiar chill of outside was gone, replaced with comforting warmth. As he moved to set her down on the sofa, she groggily sat up, feeling dizzy but fighting the urge to just lay down where he left her and sleep. “Where are we?” She asked, clearly confused, looking quite the picture with her innocent, lost look starkly contrasting the blood splattered on her face- most of which was not her own.
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