#She's tried taking blood samples and Dog bleeds but the blood brings up Nothing. It's forced system reboots or bricks what she uses.

[theood]

Tannis can you send your weird thing out of the room?

What? D0G? No he's perfectly fine. He's in a powered down state right now anyway. In no way is he going to hinder or stop our conversation. Besides, he's holding half of my equipment right now since the Vault Hunter has decided to take up residency in the medical bay

Not fixing this sketch up you're gonna look at it as is

[jenovahh]

The Honey Pot - Ch. 4 - Lord Zenos

“It’s h-him...” You hear the referee whisper behind you in fear, their words temporarily jolting you back to the moment as you see that Nael is slowly amassing a large pool of blood on the floor.

Before you can even turn to try and do what first aid you know, Zenos’ velvety voice reaches you, as if he doesn’t even have to raise it. “I wouldn’t if I were you.” He chuckles, cocking his hip as he gazes at you through half lidded eyes. “Father had said I should try to instill loyalty within our ranks by not killing those who fail me...I was ready to try, mind you. Until she had, quite literally, tried to stab you in the back.”

“Please...she’s bleeding out,” You begin, but he silences you with a look, one that sends lightning racing across your skin.

“She has worn out her use.” He drawls, hopping the railing to land on the ground floor as if it were nothing. Down here you can see how tall he truly is, the snug fit of his waistcoat betraying the musculature beneath. He was fit, that much was certain, and he towered over the crowd as he stared you down. A sword of Doman origin hung at his hip, surprising, given that Garleans preferred gunblades, as it was a weapon that originated in Garlemald. Beginning to move toward you, your eyes widened as the crowd didn’t give him a wide berth; they damn near parted like the Ruby Sea.

Clenching your fists, you gritted your teeth. “She’s still...you’re just going to let her die?” You snarl, giving another glance to the dying woman behind you.

“I am.” Zenos answers easily enough with a smile. As handsome as it is, his callous nature grates on you far more. Sparing him one last glance you make a dive for Nael, unable to get close enough as you feel the air rush around you, bringing the knife from your boot to quickly block the blade that would’ve cut your arm off.

In the ring now, you can truly see his bulk, feel his strength as you defend his entire blade with nothing but a pocket knife. His expression is neutral, but you can see a fire within his blue eyes as he levels you with his stare. “So you dared disobey me…” He breathes, breath minty and cool as it ghosts across your face. Icy blue eyes race across your features, almost analytically. “But it seems the speed I had witnessed earlier was not a fluke.”

Suddenly the pressure is gone, standing to his full height before you as he sheathes his blade. Looking over your head, he seems to make eye contact with someone. “Save the girl. If she hasn’t lost enough blood by now.” You practically still at the complete shift in his tone; you hadn’t noticed he had a teasing, lilting note to his voice when he spoke directly to you. Speaking to whatever lackey he was looking at, it was if he was giving orders to something lower than a dog.

“Normally, I would not reward such disobedience…” he drawls, bringing your attention back to him. He moves to step even closer, almost as if to see how near you will let him be. His eyes race across you again, this time more appreciatively. “But...you are special. My beast.”

Eyebrows furrowing, you watch as he brushes past you, hopping out the ring in one smooth motion. “Beast?” you murmur angrily, unsure if you like how easily he turned his back toward you. He strides over to where Hollow Glacier and Swywyda are standing, trembling in fear. They jolt as Zenos whips out a business card, its black gloss shining in the low light. “She is yours, is she not? Contact this number, and you will be compensated. Perhaps, quite handsomely for such a find. She was wasted on you.”

Swywyda looks ready to open her eager mouth to say something in defense of the Marauders, but Hollow is quick to save their skins by hastily taking the card from Zenos’ hands. “O-Of course. Thank you for your generosity.” He bows, shoving Swywyda hard to bow as well.

Turning to face you once again, Zenos arches a delicate eyebrow. “Well?” he prompts, gesturing to the door. “Hurry along, before I change my mind.” His voice has regained that lilting note to it once again, but the order is implicit. You can’t explain the urge to resist this man’s every order, but fight against it as you hop out the ring in the same smooth motion. The crowd parts for you too now, in a perfect line that leads to Zenos, and you find yourself wondering if it is out of fear for him being the Galvus heir…

Or for the sheer power you can tell rolls beneath the surface.

You give one final look back to Hollow and Swywyda, waving a small goodbye before jogging to catch up with Zenos’ long strides. He’s already outside by the time you reach him, the chauffeur holding the door to a luxury car open. Swallowing thickly, you watch as he gets in with all the grace of a dancer, the slightly older man giving you an expectant look as you give a deep sigh. Stepping inside, the leather seats are plush and warm, the door shutting behind you before you can even get comfortable.

Zenos is blessedly on the opposite side, hands steepled primly in his lap as you fumble to put your seatbelt on. “Concerned with other’s lives and your own safety...one might think you weren’t meant for the life of a street gang.” He comments smoothly, his eyes boring into you as you feel the click of the seatbelt.

Doing your best to keep your heartbeat under control, you meet his unnerving stare head on. “When you go flying face first through the windshield, we’ll see who’s meant for life at all.” You reply, hoping your voice is as steady as it sounded in your head. You nearly blanch as Zenos roars with laughter, before he takes advantage of your restrained state to lean into your space. You wince as your back presses harshly into the door, nowhere to go as the Galvus heir’s breath mingles with yours.

Now out of the warehouse, you can finally breathe him in, and boy does he smell lovely. Your eyes rake across his form much like he did yours earlier, noticing the finer points of his body. His golden hair reaches just barely past his chest, obviously well kept. His entire outfit is clearly tailored to fit, not a button too tight for someone who has bulky muscle. Everything about him is imposing, and even were he not the heir to one of the biggest drug dealers this side of the Ruby Sea, people would respect him regardless.

“Tell me, my beast…”

At that you bare your fangs, letting your ire be known. “What’s with that? My name is Honey. Not beast.” You hiss, growing angrier at his smirk.

“Your name doesn’t matter.” He states simply, and you have to remind yourself of your mission fairly quickly to keep from decking him in the face. “Not in the Hunt.”

“The Hunt?” You repeat, wishing he’d just go back to his side of the car already.

“I know you could sense me, my beast. Could feel the danger I presented.” He purrs, the sounds rich and deep. You find yourself a bit more captivated than you thought as he continues to speak. “You could sense me as easily as I could sense you. From the very moment you walked into that sham of a contest, I knew you were different.” You gasp as one of his fingers gently traces your jaw before capturing your chin in his hand, tilting it to the side. You try to jerk away reflexively, but his raw strength holds you in place. Leaning closer still, you squirm as you can feel him chuckle. “Even now, you try to fight back. I like it.”

Finally, he pulls away, eyes swirling with a myriad of so many emotions you find yourself unsure what to think. “Normally you would be shoved into a suitable rank after one of these little tournaments...but I think we both know your skill far exceeds even the most skilled fighters within our...business.” He says this almost thoughtfully, reclining against the door.

He won’t stop staring. Won’t stop appraising you like some Twelve’s damned piece of meat. “Take a picture.” You snap, crossing your arms and staring out the window like a petulant child. You don’t have to face him to feel his amusement at your behavior.

“We will have that taken care of once we reach my home.” You whip back around at that, feeling his amusement grow exponentially. “Did I not say you were different? Your skill has earned you a far more prestigious spot than wasting away in the barracks with such lowlives…I must still sample your skills myself, but I think for appearances, you will make a fine bodyguard.” Giving nothing but a quirk of your brow, you’re content to spend the rest of the car ride in silence.

The city passes by relatively quickly, your eyes drawing a mental map as you can see yourself visibly enter a different tax bracket. Passing over the Tasogare bridge, you watch in muted wonder as the car sails through the Kogane Dori; a strip where big shots like the Galvuses did their more legal dealings. You had never been on this side of town before, for the reasons of Kugane not being your hometown as well as being too poor to come here. You can feel Zenos’ eyes upon you as your eyes get their fill of the towering structures that line the streets, trying to mask your own curiosity to no avail.

“You will be afforded a far more comfortable life than you are used to.” Zenos speaks and you throw him an annoyed look, to which he doesn’t even flinch.

“You sure are talkative.” You grumble. From what you had been told the Galvus heir cared for no one but himself and only lived for the thrill of the kill. That he seemed so intent on engaging in conversation with you had thrown off your plans entirely.

“To you.” He practically croons, his velvety voice slipping over your skin. “So far, you are worth my time. Disappoint me, and well, I certainly have no use talking to a corpse.” The delivery of that statement alone is far smoother than it has any business being. Far too self assured as if he has no problem killing you, and he doesn’t just mean as a mere matter of skill. Pursing your lips together, you catch his gaze from the corner of your eye, letting him hold your attention for a few moments.

“I suppose it would be hard to talk when you’re dead, wouldn’t it?” You snark back, somehow unable to help yourself. Even with Lyse and Y’shtola you are not so quick to snap back, treating your close friends much kinder.

Something in this man makes you want to snap and bite and snarl.

His smirk broadens once again, the emotions in his eyes unreadable as he runs a hand through the length of his golden hair. “Some might say such confidence would border on cockiness, my beast. For your sake, let’s hope you can meet your own expectations.” He chuckles lowly, and you get a terrible sense of dread.

The city passes by for a number of minutes until the chauffeur pulls into the basement of a familiar high rise on the Kugane skyline; the blood red lights of Magitek Industries gleaming onto the city below. The garage lights up as the car drives further into its depths, the lights subsequently shutting off behind you. Unsurprising, given that the Galvuses are one of the forerunners in Magitek technology.

Pulling to a stop, the chauffeur lets Zenos out of the car first before circling the car to open your door. Whispering a quiet thank you (which seems to surprise the man by his upraised eyebrows) you quickly and quietly follow behind what is slowly starting to feel like your captor. His strides are long, which is expected for someone of his height, and from behind you muse on how someone could manage to have the perfect amount of height and bulk in such an attractive package.

At least the Galvus heir didn’t hurt to look at. Not that that was any of your concern. 

“You must stay here tonight unfortunately, until I have adequately tested your skills. While I am certainly not doubtful of your prowess, even I still have to answer to my father.” The way he says father is with such distaste, you note. Bored, but as if he can hardly keep himself from grounding it out between clenched teeth. Tucking that knowledge away you frown as he steps into an elevator, forced to follow him in despite sharing the close quarters of his car earlier.

The ride is quiet save for your shared breathing, your blood feeling like it's almost jumping in your veins just by being near him. You can’t tell if it wants you to flee or to tackle him down.

What is he...

The elevator dings, and the floor you are deposited upon is somewhat dark. Once again the lights flash on as you follow him down the long corridor, the heels of your boots clicking against the fine tile. Reaching a door, Zenos quickly places his hand near an access point which merrily beeps, the door next to it sliding open in a loud whirr of machinery. “These will be your rooms, for now.” He drones, having regained that bored edge to his voice.

“You will find a bathroom to clean yourself in the corner over there and anything else you will be needing for your stay is already stocked within the room.” Glancing quickly over the room, you find what he says to be true, the suite looking more like something out of a four star hotel than sleeping quarters for a gang. Walking past you, you stare long and hard at his broad back as he stops at the door. “I, however, will be going home for the evening. Someone will be here shortly after sunrise to prepare you for my arrival tomorrow.”

Looking over his shoulder, he smiles in a way that is almost disconcerting. “If you need anything between then and now, there is a phone on the nightstand, near the bed.” Holding a hand up you spot your cellphone in it, your eyes widening as you wonder when he could’ve possibly palmed it off you. “I’ll be keeping this. Whether you pass or fail tomorrow, it will be destroyed.”

“Hey! You can’t just destroy my phone! What about,”

“What? Missing your ‘friends’ at that dump already?” He taunts, giving the phone a light shake.

“Hardly.” You snort, clenching your fists tight.

“Well then, my beast, who possibly could be within this phone that you treasure so dearly…?” He muses, tuning the phone toward his face and giving the lock button a press. Fear races down your spine for a split moment before you squash it down, hoping he didn’t notice.

“Who said anything about anyone?” You growl, doing everything within your power to hold yourself back. “I just got a buncha shit in there I wanted to keep.” You lie, praying he buys it.

“Is that so…” He murmurs, twirling the phone this way and that. You gasp as he drops it to the floor from his hand, the heel of his shoe stomping down on the screen forcefully. The phone gives a sick crackle and hiss before sputtering out. “And now you don't. Rest well, my beast.”

It is a few moments as you stand there dumbfounded as he turns to walk out the door, before your mind catches up with your body already moving forward, powered by rage. “How dare you, you bastard!” You yell but the door shuts in your face, locked as well when you try to open it. You can feel his amusement radiating from the other side, your fists hardly feeling the pain as you bang on the door. Even through the sturdy metal you can hear his footsteps quietly walk away, and you wonder if he can hear the tears streaming down your face.

Dropping to your knees, you swiftly pick up the crushed remains of your phone, shards of glass falling from what remains of the screen. Your vision is blinded by the tears pooling in your eyes, the leather of your gloves rough as you drag them across your face to stop the tracks of your tears. “M-Minfilia…” With trembling hands you pop out the fixture on the side, unable to even sigh with relief as the small card within remains intact.

Standing, you trudge to where the bed is pushed against the wall, it’s overly plush covers looking only somewhat inviting. Finally dragging your gaze to the window, you are pulled from your sorrow by the view of the city, having never been this high up in a skyscraper. The city glitters before you so prettily, taking your breath away as you clutch the small card tightly within your hand.

What now? Captain Merlwyb had expected for you to get taken in by the Galvuses yes, but it seems as if they did not account for just how close the Galvus heir would want to keep you. The plan still involved you being able to move around independently, to not be under such close watch of the Galvus heir. If he saw your skills tomorrow, then surely…

You had to throw the fight.

Even entertaining the thought pulled your lips downward in a frown, but you could think of no other way to try and salvage your mission. You were sure that your superiors thought you were safe and out of harm’s way…

Little did they know you had leapt right into the jaws of the very beast the Galvus heir thought you to be.

Your stomach churns uncomfortably at your self-imposed stress, and at that moment you think you could do with a nice warm shower to take your mind off things. Stripping down, you hurry into what feels like a luxury bathroom, grumbling for a few moments as you figure out how to work the shower to a comfortable temperature. Sure enough does the water wash the night’s events away, cleansing both body and soul.

You let the water cascade over your skin as your thoughts plague you once again, drifting back to Zenos, as much as you hated the fact. There was no way around it; he was the very crux of your mission to topple the crime overlord that was his father. But nothing could’ve prepared you for how quickly he took to you; you had expected him to at least treat you no better than the dirt under his feet.

Yet he had personally saved you. A fact that strikes you only now under the stream of the water. Zenos yae Galvus, heir to Galvus Industries, had saved you. There was no way that Hollow Glacier or Swywyda would’ve made it in time to aid you, and even you doubted your ability to dodge quick enough with how close she was when you had turned to face Nael. Was he truly that impressed by your ability, to go out of his way to protect you?

Too bad that you’ll have to let him down in the morning you think, noticing the water doesn’t seem to run cold. Shutting it off, you gingerly step out, grabbing perhaps the fluffiest towel you’ve ever held. Fumbling through the drawers you manage to find some clothes suitable enough to be pajamas. The bed is as lavish as the rest of the room unsurprisingly, its cushy covers seeming to pull you into a sweet embrace.

An embrace so sweet, it is already morning when you next open your eyes.

You only feel moderately rested, considering that while you were no night owl, even you don’t get up at sunrise. You make a point to get a solid hit in on Zenos for making you rise at god awful hours of the morning, for surely even the son of a CEO didn’t need to get up at daybreak.

Trudging back to the bathroom you quickly brush your teeth and splash water on your face, style your hair suitable enough to where it shouldn't get accidentally stepped on or tugged. You had already set out some work out clothes the night prior for you to change into, the cotton loose and breathable as it settles on your skin. Dressed and prepped for the day, you feel antsy without your phone, feeling a sense of disconnect from your life.

Unthinking, you run your foot lightly over the small card that sits in your tennis shoes, praying that Zenos will not go as far as making you undress to find anything else hidden on your person. Soon enough is there a knock at the door, an Au’ra man dressed in a suit holding out a breakfast tray. “Good morning. Lord Zenos has requested you eat your breakfast in a timely manner and meet him in the gym within the hour.”

Delicately taking the tray, you watch as the man places a small device on top of your tray before you can retreat back into the moderate safety of your room. “Use this device to page me when you have finished eating and I’ll be back to take you to him.” With nothing more to say, he steps back and begins to stride down the hallway. You watch him until he disappears around the corner, quirking a singular eyebrow. “Lord?” You mumble, stepping back into your room to sit at the small table.

Uncovering the tray, you sigh at the nearly overwhelming amount of protein that covers the plate. Dzo Eggs and sausages of varying types are littered across the plate, with only a bowl of mixed fruit and juice to compliment it. You won’t deny that after not eating for about twelve bells it does look mouthwatering, and dig in as you watch the sun gleam on the glassy panes of the Kugane skyline. You admit, for someone who must seem like a hooligan that a rich boy picked up off the street, the Galvuses are at least hospitable, seeming to spare no luxury in your stay so far. The food is clearly cooked by a master chef, and for a moment you forget yourself once you finish the meal ready to sit down with a good book and continue to enjoy the sunrise.

Sadly your eyes drift over the alarm clock sitting on the desk, its glaring numbers reminding you of your situation. While you feel the sudden urge to make the bastard wait, you still have a mission to complete. Reaching for the device it takes a bit of finagling, but you eventually figure out how to page the earlier housekeep to retrieve you from your room.

“Hello again, Miss.” He greets, watching with a trained neutral expression as you step out into the hall. “Lord Zenos awaits you in the communal gym that is for use amongst the...clients here.” He informs as he quickly strolls down the hall, sighing as you hurry your pace to keep up. You’re hardly able to give a long glance at anything as you pass by, having to focus on not losing the housekeep lest you fall behind and get lost.

So far it seems like any normal office building to someone none the wiser, with multiple people of multiple races going about their day. Following the Au’ra man into the elevator, you take a few calming breaths, hands clammy as you think about how you’re going to convince Zenos you’re not as great as he hoped. The silence from your guide doesn’t help to ease your nerves, your anxiety rising as you both step from the elevator onto a much more intimate floor. Walking down the hall you can hear the echo of grunting and combat, the sound getting louder as you finally reach the doors of the communal gym.

It is far bigger than you expected, the walls lined with only the finest machinery gil can buy as well as multiple types of practice weaponry. As you step in your presence goes unnoticed at first, the various men and women caught up in their training. There are very few Garleans present you realize, meaning that perhaps the higher ups have an even more personal gym for their own use.

Across the way, Zenos stands, his skin dewy with sweat as he somehow manages to elegant down half of his water bottle. His hair is pulled into a high ponytail, the style accentuating his already sharp features and even sharper eyes as they take note of your presence and burn bright with anticipation. “My beast. You’ve come.” He grins, the action looking almost unnatural for how devious it looks.

“Yeah, well you didn’t give me much choice did you? Abducting me and all…” You sigh, rolling your neck nonchalantly as the entire gym’s eyes focus on you. You try to brush it off by heading to the wall where several cubbies rise from the floor to the ceiling, if only for appearances seeing as you brought nothing along with you.

“Come now. Even your blood must sing, ready for our duel.” He purrs, the sound going right up your spine in what feels like should be all the wrong ways, yet somehow feels right. You stare at him for a moment from the corner of your eye, inwardly praying that he doesn’t know he’s right.

Praying harder that he won’t be too angry when you intentionally hold back.

“It did no such thing.” You answer coolly, turning to face him fully as you give cock your hip to the side. “I’m ready to get this over with.”

If he notices your change in demeanor he does not show it, remaining silent for a few moments. “Very well then. Let us dance, my beast.” He motions for you to follow, the few gang members hurrying off the open space on the floor. Everyone crowds along the walls, even going as far to sit on the machines where there is space, clearly not wanting to miss what will be the beat down of the century.

Standing there with him now, you finally feel the intimidation the crowd felt last night. Wearing nothing but a snug workout shirt and matching pants, he almost looks as if he is someone you would spot in any average gym, save the fact that he has a face fit for the runway. You both stand there measuring each other up for moments, before he slowly brings up his fists, you doing the same out of reflex. You curse yourself for being unable to even hold yourself incorrectly as he begins to circle you, your body instinctively mirroring his movement.

Just by looking at him you can see his perfect form, with not a muscle out of place. He is clearly waiting for you to make the first move, making you purse your lips at how to best proceed. He certainly won’t give you an opening, and you can’t make one without showing your skill.

Patience is not one of his virtues it seems, as it seems he tired of waiting and strikes first. The blow is nothing extraordinary, coming from malms away even with his speed, but you force yourself to merely raise your arms up and block it, wincing at the sheer force he exerts. He swings again, advancing on you with rapid blows that force you on the defensive. You do your best to maintain your distance but he seems to grow angrier with each hit he lands, swinging harder, faster to where his advance is brutal.

“Fight.” He growls, sweeping his leg out behind yours to send you falling backwards. You quickly use your momentum to turn and roll out of the way of his kick, watching as his blue eyes grow almost manic as he pursues you. “Fight. Me.” He snarls, golden hair whipping with his movement, and for a moment you feel fear at the crazed look in his eye.

“Fight!” He lands a solid hit on your jaw that makes you see stars, but it's thankfully not hard enough that the bone is broken. “Why do you not fight?!” He all but roars, landing another decent hit to your gut. You whimper through the pain but move yourself out of his reach again. “Do you want to die?” His voice is like ice and the room feels like it to, the gym entirely silent as they watch their heir smack this smaller woman around.

“Maybe you should just hit harder--” Your taunt is cut off by an elbow to your rib, a cry of pain ripped from your throat as you meet his eyes like a scolded child, trembling at the malice you see there.

“A disappointment.” His voice is bored as he lands another hit, pulling another pained whine from you as you struggle to stand. “A failure.” He spits, knocking you down on your back. Standing over you, he reaches down to grab you by the front of your shirt, his strength allowing him to pick you up with one arm. “And to think…” he trails off, eyes jumping across your bruised face.

“I should’ve expected such from a savage.”

At that, your world stills.

“What...did you call me?” You cough out, hands slowly reaching up to clutch his wrist.

“I don't repeat myself, savage--” Your fist is in his face before he can finish, his hand releasing you instantly. Roaring you feel adrenaline shoot through your body as your hands reach out for him, hands grabbing at his shirt, feet spreading to plant yourself firmly on the ground. With a show of strength you yell as you grab Zenos and throw him onto his back, the gym echoing with the hard thud as he lands.

Blinded by rage, you move to kick at him to which he quickly rolls out the way, his reflexes as quick as yours though he looks noticeably stunned as you rush at him. Instinct guides you through your fury as you duel with the Garlean man before you, unable to feel the pain from his earlier blows as you fight. His shock quickly turns to steel as he turns back onto the offensive, however you do not merely take his hits, opting to dodge them to try and get some of your own in.

He won’t let you, his large frame abnormally nimble as he evades your fists. He laughs, the sound as manic as you would expect, but it only angers you more. His smile makes you see red, and it is then you have no other desire than to put this man in his place.

You close your eyes.

Hear…

The gym is still silent. Your heart bangs like a drum. Zenos’ fist sails through the air.

Feel…

The floor feels solid beneath you as you once again spread your legs in preparation. You quell your rage just enough to take a deep breath, feeling reason guide your actions.

Think…

There are no thoughts save for the sole wish to take Zenos yae Galvus and his father down.

You take his blow to your shoulder, gritting your teeth at the impact, but that sacrifice is all you needed to get a decent grab on his arm and shirt again. With satisfaction you watch his eyes go wide as you channel his own momentum against him and spin him behind you, tripping him along the way so that he lands painfully on his back. In a second you are upon him, hand still fisted in his shirt, your other hand upraised in a fist as you kneel on his chest, reared back for if he even thinks about moving.

Leaning in close, you bare your teeth. “Never...call me a savage again, you Garlean scum.” You growl lowly, ignoring the several gasps you hear across the room.

Zenos stares dumbfounded from the floor, the very picture of disbelief. He hasn’t made to move, only staring at you somewhat blankly as if his mind is catching up with the rest of him. Your chest heaves with exertion, grip loosening as the adrenaline slowly drains from your system. Pain courses through your body slowly until you are hardly able to sit up at all, let alone keep Zenos pinned to the ground.

You begin to slump over before a strong hand catches you immediately, your crystal eyes meeting with stunning blue. He says nothing as you yank yourself from his hold, his body shifting beneath yours as he sits up. “You were holding back.”

You can’t school your expression fast enough to not give yourself away, and you feel like that alone will be your downfall in this whole undercover nonsense. “You don’t even hit that hard.” You grumble as you force yourself to stand, locking your jaw as to not show on your face how your muscles scream at you. “Are we done now?” You hiss through clenched teeth, moving to head out the door.

“And just where are you going?” You hear Zenos question, hearing his footsteps behind you.

“To shower. It’s what you usually do after a workout, ain’t it?” You snap, throwing him a nasty look before continuing to trudge toward the door. Taking another step your leg cramps and pain races upward as you begin to fall downward. Zenos’ hand is there to catch you before you can even hit the floor, his grip strangely fierce.

“I believe you will be needing more than a shower, my beast.” He purrs, none too gently pulling you up to your feet.

“Let me go,” You yelp as you go crashing back down onto the floor, flashing him a vehement look as he gazes down at you.

“If you want to refuse my help, that’s fine by me, my beast. So far you are the only dog that seems to snap at the heels of it’s master.” He chuckles, crouching down so that he can be closer to your face. “I don’t appreciate you trying to hold back for whatever reason...but if I must insult you for the challenge I crave, so be it...savage.”

You can see your own hate reflected in his condescending stare, vowing to do more than throw him to the ground the next time you get the chance. Perhaps down a flight of stairs.

“I’ve seen all I need to. I will have someone come and bring you to the estate.” Those words alone douse you like a bucket of cold water, snuffing out the flame of your rage.

“E-Estate?” You stammer as you watch him head out the door.

“Of course. I’ve decided you will be kept as my bodyguard. Congratulations.” With that he steps out and strolls down the hallway, leaving the gym as quiet as he had kept it.

“...Fuck.”

[mutantsrisingrpg]

Congratulations BECKY! You’ve been accepted as VENUS.

Becky’s back, back again. Becky’s back, tell a friend! Now that I got that out of the way, I can make this a serious acceptance note. I can honestly say there was not a moment while reading this app that I didn’t think your Hana was it. Hana is obsessed with power and the way you hit on that through her bio had me on the edge of my seat. You created this storm of a girl that I want to know more about even if I know the danger associated with her. Both of us are beyond excited to see the “human embodiment of pikachu with anger issues” on the dash!

Welcome to Mutants Rising! Please read the checklist and submit your account within 24 hours.

Out of Character Information:

NAME/ALIAS: Becky

PRONOUNS: she / her

AGE: 24

TIMEZONE & ACTIVITY LEVEL: GMT ( but technically GMT +1 currently bc summer! ); online daily, particularly active atm because ya girl is working from home

In Character Information:

DESIRED ROLE: Venus / Hana Mercado

GENDER/PRONOUNS: Female; she/her

DETAILS & ANALYSIS:

Even in a city like Miami, Hana is hard to miss in a crowd. Bubblegum bursts, her lazy chew concealing the switchblade sharp smirk that slides across her mouth a little too late for anyone to be able to avoid the trouble that comes from it. She thinks she’s wired up wrong, like a casino gambling machine full of bullets that just keeps dishing out violence while playing its disjointed electric-warped song of congratulations, bright lights flashing wildly.

To your left, a man walking his pet leopard down the sidewalk; to the right, Hana Mercado paralysing a man with the touch of a fingertip for wolf-whistling her. She fits in well here, Florida born and raised, helping the drug lords keep their territories and the mutants keep their identities and everyone and anyone in between keep what’s left of their slowly unravelling sanity. Despite the bustling sea of tourists that ebbs and flows with the good weather, it’s easy to feel lonely. Hana isn’t great when it comes to other people. Pushing them away is a lot less difficult than making them stay.

Everything is loud. Everything is bright. The electricity is near palpable as she splashes through the remnants of a thunderstorm, rainwater spraying over fresh white sneakers. She’s quiet when the sun sets, bleeding red across the sky, the colour of the popsicles she’d eat for dinner as a kid. It’s hard to fear the consequences of her actions when she’s as close to a young god as anyone’s ever going to get. Mutants? Deities? Same difference if you know how to play to the right narrative.

Fuck you has always been easier to spit than a genuinely spoken I love you and that’s the honest-to-fuck truth.

[ + ] driven / brave / resilient / passionate [ - ] arrogant / reckless / unpredictable / childish

BIO:

Money is power. And power is power. And electricity? The sort that decorates the country like a spiderweb, an interwoven network of wires, all humming, all singing to her, the siren’s call of greatness from above ground and beneath it? Power.

Hana is a vicious formation of blood and desire, with the scent of someone burning from the inside inhaled like a nicotine hit. Interrogation comes naturally to her; smiles that should be sweet on a face like hers turn sharp and deadly. She likes to hear them beg. To watch them shake. People spill their secrets to her whether they like it or not.

It’s been that way since she was nineteen years old, static dancing between her fingertips after getting too riled up in an argument with a neighbour’s son over stealing her family’s gas cylinder. An impromptu lightning strike had left the tarmac lining the trailer park sizzling, black and sticky like summertime ( and don’t worry, the Cheeto-dust-decorated-rude-mouthed-slacker-of-a-punk-ass-brat had survived – getting hit by lightning suddenly made him interesting, too, so if anything she’d been doing him a favour ).

A freak accident, they’d called it. Another one of those unexpected Florida storms. But she knew better than that. As had her mom, smoking a fresh pack of Camel Blues from the other side of the door’s insect screen, fresh foils in her hair, acrylic nails the colour of the algae in the neglected community pool down the street. Thinking back, maybe this all stemmed from swallowing too much of that fucking nuclear-waste-looking water when she’d dared to swim there as a kid, hot and sweaty as a storm breaks on the horizon.

But the point – the point is that, to her mom, having the human embodiment of Pikachu as a daughter was as good as winning a jackpot at one of her weekly bingo sessions. She tries to sell it. Power. The ability to pluck electricity from charged particles in the air makes her daughter useful. A living battery. Studies on mutants at University of Miami dish out hefty paychecks after the right terms and conditions have been signed ( note: if you die, that’s on you, don’t try to sue us ). Hana attempts to protest but even she can’t deny that the allure of getting rich sounds like a dream come true.

So she goes to college. Not in the usual sense, sure, but she gets to live on campus ( in a secure underground testing facility beneath the BioMed building ) and hang out with others ( mostly mutants ) her age. And it’s fine for a while until simple fitness tests and blood sampling turn more extreme. Some days are hazy, pumped full of drugs and hooked up to machines that she doesn’t know the name of, let alone the purpose, beeping their own idle hospital-like symphony. Other days are dark and quiet, plunged into sensory deprivation for the sake of whatever it is the boffins in their lab coats are trying to figure out.

She’ll get rich or die trying and, ironically, neither of those things happens.

When the anti-mutant-testing protestors storm the building, they free Hana from both the confinement and the contract. The money she was supposed to get at the end of all this vanishes, along with the pleased looking humans who pat themselves on the back for doing a good deed and disappear to go and celebrate. None of them ask her if this was what she wanted. None of them stop to think that maybe liberation was never an option for her.

Her mom’s gone too. A new trailer stands where Hana’s home once had. The monthly paychecks from the university never reached her bank account, instead wired directly to Mrs Mercado. She laughs until she cries, the air crackling overhead.

After all that, turning to a life of crime is far easier than it has any right to be. Angry and alone, she fucks a guy in a gang in the back of his drop-top and makes herself useful when it comes to getting money out of those who owe it. She runs from the cops. Has a gun pressed to her temple. Watches an illegal weed farm burn at the flick of a lighter. Nothing phases her because she doesn’t let it. Rules stop meaning anything when you realise just what having powers can get you. Making a living from getting spineless people to open up their mouths and offer the gold that is information makes her feel a little less like a failure. Interrogation has a nice ring to it, after all. And once she makes a name for herself, sought after by those who know that secrets are worth a decent stack of bills – well – who is she to turn a job down?

EXPANDED CONNECTIONS:

YVETTE. It’s more than just the sticky sweet sugar of sisterhood. Hana would fight tooth and nail for Yvette should she say the word; would go to war for her if needed. There are very few people in the world that she cares about more than herself, but her partner ( in crime, in the sport of bringing their enemies down, in a vodka-tasting kiss that she’s managed to take a little too far ) holds the throne to Hana’s adoration. If only Yvette would take another step further into chaos and embrace becoming the seductive sort of danger that people run from.

ANDREAS. He knows how to say the right things, she’ll give him that. Hana wants what is hers. And sure, she may not know what that is exactly but the whispers of power he offers are captivating. After so long of operating alone for anyone with enough money to afford her services, the concept of joining strengths is a tricky one to navigate. She keeps him waiting, keeps him on his toes, avoiding a crystal clear answer for the sake of keeping her cards close to her chest. Better to have multiple options on the table than settling for the first one that comes along.

DEREK. Oh, the joy of knowing she’s the shiny new model; a glossy picture-perfect upgrade; a brand new battery to keep Damien and his clowns energised. The temptation of coaxing out Derek’s anger to watch him slip up and fall further from grace is all too great. She’ll press a cherry red lipstick kiss to the dark shades of the sunglasses he will no doubt need down here in paradise. Her future is bright, can he say the same about his own?

DAMIEN ft. JACKSON. He sends his loyal hound. She can only assume that Jackson is missing a collar because he doesn’t like wearing it in public; his Tiffany heart-shaped dog tag would probably get too warm glinting in the Miami sunshine. Hana knows a mob boss pet when she sees one, sniffing her out amongst the cheap cocktails and plastic palms of a Tiki Bar on Ocean Drive. Who’s a good boy? It’s appealing, the carefully constructed dream Damien offers. Almost a little too good to be true given the circumstances. She knows his gang has chased others out, a fine show of strength and organisation, but how long will it last when he doesn’t even know this city?

EXTRA:

Inspo [ x ]   Pinterest board [ x ]

ANYTHING ELSE: ily both

[avengers-r-us]

Lights Out

So this is my entry for @kaunis-sielu Marvel musical challenge! 

PAIRING: Loki x female!reader

PROMP: Xo by Beyonce

WARNINGS: A cheeky God of Mischief ;)

The Avengers had all gathered at the tower for one of Tony’s famous end of fight celebratory party. You had been apart of the team ever since the battle of New York when a certain God of Mischief was the villain of the week. To say you weren’t attracted to the dark haired God of Mischief, would be a lie. So that’s what you did, you lied to yourself about your attraction to Loki Laufeyson. Anyone could see that the two of you had chemistry, but it was just easier this way.

After spending an hour in your room with Natasha and Wanda fussing over making you look ‘hot enough to drop jaws’ you finally found yourself at the party. “You look lovely tonight, Lady y/n.” Thor spoke as he made his way over to you and pulled you into a hug. The two of you had a good relationship despite your intense need to avoid his brother. Smiling gratefully at Thor, you pulled back from his hug and straightened out your pastel blue floor length dress. “Thank you Thor.”

“Well, aren’t you going to tell him he looks nice too?” A smooth voice cut in as another arm was snaked around your waist, pulling you into them. Turning to find the arm belonged to Loki, you quickly removed it from your waist and took a step away from him. Turning to look at Thor, you gave him a weak smile “You look very handsome tonight, Thor.” Nodding his head, he smiling at you “Thank you, Lady Y/N.” You quickly patted his arm and walked away from the brothers, straight to the bar to sit next to one of the S.H.I.E.L.D agents you’ve seen around.

“Long day?” The agent smiles, taking a sip of his drink and motioning the waiter over. Smiling at him you nod your head and sigh “You have no idea.” Pushing your hair over your shoulder you slyly looked at the agent, noticing that something was off about him as he kept looking over your shoulder at the big window behind you. Playing off as if you hadn’t noticed anything, you stood up from your seat and seductively stroked his arm goodbye before you calmly walked away. The swab sample you took of a strange substance you notice on his jacket in your hand as you smoothly pulled the closest team member you could reach into a dance which unfortunately happened to be Loki.

“Hello pretty lady.” He smirked, taking the lead as you danced. “Loki, do you know the name of the agent by the bar.” Swiftly dipping you to the beat of the music, he sneakily took a look at the agent before pulling you back up to face him and twirling you around so you were facing the agent. “His name is Caleb Smith, he’s been working for S.H.I.E.L.D. for nearly a year. He’s single, 28 years old, likes to knit, is allergic to dogs and lives nearby.” You let out a melodic giggle as you moved your attention back to Loki “I don’t know whether to be concerned you know all of that or impressed?” Loki gave you a big grin before pulling you closer to him until you were chest to chest, leaning towards you he whispered in your ear “How about, turned on?” pushing him off, you smirked “concerned it is… I’ve got to get this sample to the lab, keep an eye on him and alert the others if anything suspicious happens.”

Just as you found yourself out of the room and nearly at the elevator, the sound of a gun going off and screams could be heard as the lights went out. Instinctively you found yourself running back towards the room, you began to panic as you saw people coming from every exit. Pushing through you tried to get through the door way but you felt as though you were swimming up stream.

You could hear the screams of pain coming from someone in the room, the voice sounded so familiar. Loki. Pushing harder through the door you began to call out to him “LOKI!” finally pushing through the crowd and into the room. You tried to search for him but couldn’t see in the dark. It was at times like this you wish you had nighttime vision “I-I’m over here, Y/N.” Loki weakly responded before he started to cough. Your heart dropped into your stomach as you quickly followed the sound of his coughing to find him laying on the floor. The only light illuminating his face was the pale glow of the moon through the large window. As you knelt down in front of him, your hands came into contact with a sticky substance, your eyes instantly began to water as you realised what it was “Loki…” you felt him take your hands in his, comfortingly rubbing his thumb on your hand to calm you down.

“You were right, that agent was up to no good.” Loki chuckled before he began to cough up what you assumed was blood. “SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!” You yelled into the dark, but there was no response. Quickly standing up you ripped the bottom of your dress off to tie it around his wound. Realising that the blood was coming from Loki’s chest you quickly wrapped the materiel around his wound best you could in the dark and put pressure on it to stop the bleeding.

“How the hell did this happen?” You asked him, tears falling from your face onto his chest. Reaching up to wipe your tears away, he smiled affectionately at you “I was trying to be one of the good guys and show a pretty lady that I’m not all that bad.” a warm smile formed on your face as he said this, you could feel Loki becoming weaker and weaker in your arms. Taking a deep breath to calm your nerves, you realised that you could save him… all you had to do was kiss him.

So that’s exactly what you did.

You could hear Loki gasp as your lips met, although he was weak he instantly pulled you closer to him and began to kiss you back. All the pent up emotions you felt towards each other, put all in this kiss. The lights suddenly turned back on, as you pulled back from the kiss you were happy to see Loki’s once pale face regained its colour. “That…that kiss was amazing all that love, thank you for that by the way… but I’m still bleeding out.” Letting out a laugh, you began to unbutton his shirt to check his wound. Loki’s eyes widened as he saw what you were doing and laid back down onto the floor, looking up at the ceiling he spoke “If this is the way I die, then be it!” He sat back up to bring you back into a kiss only to have you push him to lie back down. “Look at your chest, Loki.” Confused Loki lifted his head up to looked down at his chest and found… nothing. No gun-shot wound, nothing. Sitting up, he looked at you in awe.

“Loki…Have you ever watched the movie tangled?”

“Yes, love.”

“You know how she has magical healing powers?”

“Yes, love.”

“Well… that’s how I healed you.”

“Marvellous, can we go back to kissing now?” Laughing in shock, you planted a quick kiss on his lips before getting up as the S.H.I.E.L.D. doctors rushed into the room and straight towards Loki. “Where are you going love?” Loki yelled over the doctors surrounding him. Turning around to look at him you smiled “This pretty lady is about to go kick the ass of the guy who hurt her man.” winking, you watched Loki’s jaw go slack as you ran out of the room. Laughing as you quickly darted out of the room, you could hear a Loki yelling after you “GO KICK HIS ASS, BABY!”