reiremington

[reiremington]

It figured that while he was out fighting fires, his home was getting destroyed, or at least damaged. It was a shitty situation, leaving him without a place to go. He might have been talking with his father more, but he definitely was not staying in the tower. When Beck suggested they stay at her place in the Shipyard, he was quick to agree.

He had been trying to sleep when the smell of smoke woke him up better than any alarm. Speaking of, there were no alarms going off so he cautiously ventured out into the kitchen in his shorts, only to find Beck there and no fire. Rei let out a small sigh of relief, his shoulders relaxing. "Losing the fight against breakfast?" he questioned, moving closer to see the damage. "Want some help?"

@reiremington

It was a quiet morning, the sun filtering through the kitchen window, as Beck stood by the counter. She'd woken up early, picking up some groceries and now stood with a creased brow as she attempted to make something resembling pancakes. In all honesty, she wasn't so used to cooking any more, and the batter hadn't turned out too lumpy - but she'd gotten distracted, and there was soon the scent of burning and a blare from the fire alarm above her head. "Fuck."

Coughing as she wafted some smoke away from herself, she's quick to grab the pan and shove it towards the sink, turning the tap on. She turns with a slight cringe as she hears footsteps behind her, blowing a lock of hair from her face, as she meets eyes with Rei. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. Don't worry, no fireman duties needed." She smiles a little sheepishly, soon turning around to face the sink.

"That was meant to be an apology, for..." She cuts herself off, deciding not to mention her previous disappearing act. "But, may end up accidentally poisoning you instead. I got cereal, too, as a back up, if you're hungry." She nods her head towards a cupboard beside her.

[reiremington]

It felt strange to walk back into Remington tower. He had promised himself he'd never return when he'd left, but this was circumstances that he never could have imagined. Rei was hesitant but eventually found himself at the familiar building. He hesitated again before sending his father a message and stepping inside.

"Hi," he managed before he was pulled into a hug. It was awkward, but he didn't push it away, instead tolerating it, albeit a bit tense. Everything about this felt tense, but he had chose to come here. "Yeah, I'm fine. How are things here?"

He'd managed to beg and plead and convince Rei to let him know when he was at the tower again. Even with all the assurances that he was safe and whole, Elijah wanted to see him in person just to make sure. When his phone chimed with the message, Elijah couldn't help smiling. He excused himself from a meeting with contractors to repair and rebuild the damaged rooms in the tower and searched through the various people in the lobby until he found Rei.

"Rei." He knew they weren't quite that comfortable with each other yet but still pulled him into a brief hug before stepping back. Elijah would be worried about him no matter what, but given Rei's job was literally running into burning buildings, he was more concerned than normal. "You're still ok? Nothing you need to see the healers about?"

[reiremington]

It definitely seemed like the guy was warming up to him a bit. "I promise I can be good when I have to be." Not that he thought that was often, but he could do it to fit into Vicium and its culture. He got along well enough with demons, but it'd be best not to push the limits. "Duly noted. I'm assuming you're not a demon then. Does that mean I can see you again if I come back?"

[reiremington]

It was clear that she'd already made her decision and nothing was going to change her mind. It had been a long time since he wanted to take care of someone, wanting to make sure she was safe and comfortable and happy. Happy always seemed like the hardest one, and that went double for her. Even with her refusal, he made a mental note to find other things she might need during the year to have in the apartment, just in case.

He kept his hands from reaching out to her, from holding on. The touch of her hand along his cheek was the most difficult to resist, especially with the soft and unspoken intimacy of it all. "You better," he replied, his tone serious, a little firmer than before. Whether it be by her choice or not, he wouldn't stand for her disappearing. "If you're not, I'm coming to find you."

[reiremington]

"You think so highly of me," he joked, though he did appreciate the comparison. He might have made a good wolf in another life, and it wasn't the first time he'd thought so. Somehow, Daphne had managed to make him relax almost instantly. "I'll take whatever they'd got on tap," he replied before allowing his eyes to skim over the crowd. Now that he had let go of his bad attitude, it was easier to observe the crowd.

"I didn't think I'd see you here," he noted as his attention returned to her. "Have you been bar hopping without me?"

"Nah, I can see you more as a dire wolf from Game of Thrones. People would know better than to mess with you." Although Rei certainly did have his moments of moodiness. She liked to believe that it was a combination of long days and people trying his patience. Deep down she was certain that he had a soft heart that he didn't show to many.

Looking around the bar, she could see a few people who wouldn't hesitate at the opportunity to go home with Rei. She didn't want to ruin his evening, but the opportunity to catch up with him was too good to pass up. "I'll grab us some drinks while you assess the field. What's your poison?"

[reiremington]

text from Eli: Hey, is there a good time for us to catch up soon? I can come to you if that works best. ---- text from rei: I can swing by the tower. text from rei: Still need to figure out where to stay until the apartment is repaired and I need to get away from the station for a while. ---- text from eli: Daphne's organizing places for people to stay if you want to ask her. text from eli: your room at home is always open if you'd want to use it, the wards will still recognize you ----

text: I'll think about it. It doesn't mean I'm joining the coven, though.

@eremington

[reiremington]

text from Eli: Hey, is there a good time for us to catch up soon? I can come to you if that works best.

text: I can swing by the tower. text: Still need to figure out where to stay until the apartment is repaired and I need to get away from the station for a while.

[reiremington]

From Max

A ziploc bag with a colorful post-it note is left in Rei’s stuff.  ‘Happy Friends day! Thanks for being my friend. - Max`

[reiremington]

It definitely seemed like the guy was warming up to him a bit. "I promise I can be good when I have to be." Not that he thought that was often, but he could do it to fit into Vicium and its culture. He got along well enough with demons, but it'd be best not to push the limits. "Duly noted. I'm assuming you're not a demon then. Does that mean I can see you again if I come back?"

“That doesn’t happen,” Augustine reassured with a challenging look. “Not if you want to be a client of someone here, of course. Even the brats know how to properly toe the line,” he added with a wink. “Just avoid the demons around here, and you’ll be fine.”

[reiremington]

"If they do, we haven't heard anything about it." That was the shit end of the stick, clean up the fires but never hear is the culprit was caught. His intent had been to vent, not seeking advice, but he wasn't stupid enough to turn down help. "I don't think I could say no to an offer like that. Appreciate it." He didn't know much about vampires and their feeding habits, spending most of his time with humans and wolves as of late. "When you say hunt, is it more of a figurative thing, or do you treat it like an actual hunt?"

"Oh." Teddy mused, genuinely surprised that anyone would find purpose in performing such acts of vandalism. Rei was clearly not amused, and who could blame him. "I'm guessing the security cameras outside don't catch anything? I could..provide some tips, if you're open. After all, I do work security at the Shard." It was an offer. Common courtesy, if you will, but the vampire meant it, a faint smirk reappearing on his face at the witch's assumptions about his feeding preferences. "Sure. When you just want to drink from them -but with the blood shortage over, I can be..more selective. Enjoy variety. And that is without factoring in the hunt. Most of us vampires like to earn our meal."

[reiremington]

It was clear that she'd already made her decision and nothing was going to change her mind. It had been a long time since he wanted to take care of someone, wanting to make sure she was safe and comfortable and happy. Happy always seemed like the hardest one, and that went double for her. Even with her refusal, he made a mental note to find other things she might need during the year to have in the apartment, just in case.

He kept his hands from reaching out to her, from holding on. The touch of her hand along his cheek was the most difficult to resist, especially with the soft and unspoken intimacy of it all. "You better," he replied, his tone serious, a little firmer than before. Whether it be by her choice or not, he wouldn't stand for her disappearing. "If you're not, I'm coming to find you."

He trusts her. The words settle somewhere in the pit of her stomach. She bites back her immediate response to tell him not to. She knows she's the direct opposite of reliable, but... there's a small sense of pride there, to have his trust. "I trust you too, Rei." Her words are genuine. She'd never shown anyone the scar before, or willingly told anyone what she actually was. Never been glad about someone knowing, either - but with subtle surprise she realised she was. To no longer have some secret between them.

Her lips hover just a breath apart from his, her hand remaining tangled in his hair for a moment - before she slowly draws herself back, despite every instinct in her body screaming at her not to. She tried to keep a hold of that link to the rational, human part of her mind - even if everything else is crawling to reach back out to him.

Her gaze softens as he speaks, brows furrowing as she takes in just what he's saying. Gently, she raises a hand, letting it rest on his shoulder - feeling the heat pulsing beneath her skin at the point of contact. "You've taken care of me more than enough. More than you know." Her tone is sincere, trying to convery exactly how much that means to her, even if she's not sure how to say it. Still, though, when he mentions contacting someone for another heat potion - she feels her body tense up. "No." The word comes out a little quicker than she intended. It was one thing Rei knowing, but she didn't want things to spiral any more than they already had. "I just mean... it's okay. I'll figure it out."

The way he looks at her has her pausing, the worry in his eyes. It almost makes her give in - really she'd want nothing more than to forget the outside world with him, to watch some stupid TV show and order pizza. But... it's not just the heat she had to think about, the full moon too - a looming promise in the coming days. She couldn't risk hurting him. Or him seeing her shift. She didn't want to scare him away, even if it scares her to have someone so close. Her hand is shaky as it lifts from his shoulder to his face, brushing his cheek gently as he had done for her earlier. "I'll be home soon. I promise." She watches him closely as she says it, hoping that he believes her.

[reiremington]

"There's still time," he countered, though it wasn't as if he'd come to a club looking for a gentleman to pass his time with. The comment brought a laugh to his lips, though it wasn't enough to distract him from the way the man was looking at his neck. "Keep treating me well and maybe you'll find out," he replied, letting his eyes flicker over Isko's features before meeting his gaze again.

"Would it turn you off if I was?" he asked, his tone teasing and flirting. Rei lifted the last shot to his lips, downing the liquor before setting the glass aside.

The vampire chuckled, watching the young witch take another shot. "I think a gentleman would tell you to take it easy in a dangerous place, maybe even get you a taxi to take you home." Isko was anything but a gentleman so he was happy to push another shot forward for him to drink. Whatever sour mood the witch had would disappear in a few drinks time. "What can I say, I've always been a fan of sour candy and you look like you'd taste like that," he answered with a hum, eyes drawn to the exposed line of his neck. "Lucky indeed, Rei. I'm Isko," he replied in kind, holding his hand out to the other.

"Now, you're not the son of the mayor or anything are you?" he asked, deciding to find out how much trouble the young witch could cause him.

[reiremington]

He gave her a moment to straighten out her words, to figure out what she wanted to say. As she lifted her shirt, his gaze moved to the wound. A scar not just on her body, but her entire being that changed the very fabric of her life. He would hardly imagine what it all felt like, though it did explain some of her behaviours, how she talked about things. "Of course, Beck. I do trust you." More than most. Nobody else would have the kind of access to his home that she did.

It didn't take long for her to be pressing closer to him, returning the kiss and allowing her hands to move to him, but as quickly as she had given in, she was pulling back. Rei's eyes mimic hers, scanning her face and her expression. As always, it seemed like her mind was racing with thoughts and emotions, and his first thought was to calm them however he could to help her navigate through it all.

"But I want to. I want to make sure you're okay, take care of you." It felt like she would bolt at any second, always in fight or flight mode. "I know some people, I can make a few calls and see if I can get you another heat potion, if you want." His eyes met hers, a silent plea, a worry that she might not return after she disappears. "Stay. Please."

As Rei asks her outright what she is, she can't help but stare in disbelief for a moment. Then an incredulous laugh escapes her, tilting her head curiously. She'd been expecting some disgust or fear or... something. But he asked it so simply, as if asking her star sign. At least he wasn't on the hunt for silver bullets just yet. "You... knew, all this time?" She tries to make her words seem casual, though the tension in her voice is still clear. "I should have told you, but... I wasn't always like this. A wolf, I mean - I was..." She doesn't know quite how to say it, so instead she shifts to watch the wall behind him as she lifts the bottom of her shirt to one side - enough to reveal the scar at the lower part of her abdomen. Well healed, but a clear bite mark - the loathing of it obvious on her face before she quickly lets the fabric drop back down, only looking back to him once it's covered. "I didn't even know witches existed until a few months ago. But... that does help, actually. Thank you. For trusting me with that."

As his other hand reaches her jaw, it's suddenly like the outside world is forgotten - her only focus on the points of contact between them, her gaze locked to his before trailing downward to his mouth. She keeps her own hands twisted into fists at her sides, attempting to fight against every impulse that begs her to reach out and draw him closer. Her breath is shaky, voice clearly pre-occupied as she tries her best to speak with some form of coherence. "I'll be fine. Just a few days away and I'll be back to-"

Then his lips are against hers, instinct taking over in quick succession. She is hesitant for a moment, but she soon matches the kiss with deep intensity. A hand reaches up, restraint quickly forgotten as it first runs over his chest, then around to lace her fingers through the hair at the back of his neck. Her body arches toward him, knees pressing against his where they're both resting on the ground, her spare hand moving to the top of his thigh as she supports herself in moving closer. She's not sure where she's toeing the line between werewolf urges and simply wanting him, but right there she doesn't care. Until, suddenly, some sort of sanity grips her, and she pulls back - her forehead still resting against his as her eyes search his face, a mixture of longing and anxiety at exactly what she'd just done clearly visible, the rest of her body frozen still.

"A few days away, and I'll be back to normal. You don't have to help me, Rei." She finishes her previous sentence with a shaky voice - as if they hadn't just kissed. As if they weren't currently millimeters apart from one another. As if she wasn't dangerously close to leaning back in to him. "I can't control this."

[reiremington]

Isko was such a jerk, but he was too hot and confident for Rei to talk back to, instead flushing even more intensely. "I'm not sneaking!" He yelled, although the sound came out as more of a squeak. He was not making himself seem less guilty, and his confidence was definitely not good enough for this.

"I just need to talk to Abraham, that's all." His eyes were drawn back to Isko's bare chest but he quickly pulled them away. He couldn't get caught staring, or the teasing would be worse.

Isko already knew that Rei wouldn't dare take those kinds of photos. He knew enough about him to know he took his photography seriously. "Are you sure? You're flushing like a peeping tom," he teased, leaning into brush his fingers over his red cheeks. "If you wanted to practice your nudes, you should have just asked," he said, wanting to see if Rei would take up the offer. Rei's cheeks were already red but he wondered how red they would become, maybe he would explode.

As he spoke, Isko's hand dragged down his chest and toyed with the knot of his towel. "Why else would you be sneaking around our locker room?"

[reiremington]

Rei's contribution to Class 1C's picnic - Potato salad

[reiremington]

He had been so anxious about giving Augustine the box of chocolates. He had told himself it was fine, they were friends and it was totally normal, except it felt like he was trembling, filled with anxious energy when he'd given the other boy the box and he was so relieved it had been received well.

The rest of his time trying not to think about his tutor constantly, wondering what he thought of the chocolates, if he even likes them, or if he got others from other people. When it was time to meet Augustine for tutoring, Rei was all nerves again. He repeatedly told himself it would be fine.

When he stepped into the room, he saw Augustine at his usual stop and the box of chocolates out on the desk. "Hi," he greeted as he entered, moving across the space to join him. "Did you save the chocolates to have during tutoring, or did you just have too many others to get to that one yet? You probably got dozens."

Augustine had been taken back by the Valentine’s gift when he’d received it. Cheeks tinted pink at such a romantic looking box of chocolates, he had immediately stashed them in his bag with the intent of bringing them back out during his tutoring session with Rei. Sharing them seemed sensible— and also a good way to make sure they were gone before he got home. That was nice, right…? Rei would appreciate it?

Why that was important to him… Coming home with the evidence all but gone? Well, he knew his sisters would find the box and ask. And what was he to say? Sure, he supposed a friend could have simply gifted a box of quite nice looking heart shaped candies… But was that Rei’s intention? His cheeks burned at the thought, heart rate picking up as he in turn thought about how it made him feel. It was all horribly confusing, and as appreciative as Augustine was of the box, he almost wished it wasn’t a thing.

Why? Because it was time for said tutoring session, and the box felt like it had been burning a hole in his school bag ever since that morning. He took a deep breath, exhaling as he sat down and set the box of chocolates out on the desk while waiting for Rei to show up.

@reiremington

[reiremington]

― Running for Grace (2018)