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avadakaravadra · 7 years ago

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Puppy Love || Adriana & Jax

date: 26 December 2017 @ approx. 2:30 pm location: The Karavadra Estate, New Rome

Adriana is on the receiving end of Jax’s gift giving attempts, and the pair make a set of new friends.

To be honest, Jax wasn’t sure of the last time he’d been as nervous as he was now. He was almost entirely certain that Adriana would like her present from him, though it had probably been a bit of a strange request when he’d instructed her to meet him for the last portion of her gift. Then again, she too had asked him on an excursion as a gift. Perhaps it was simply another way they were continuously similar, though he abhorred the idea of ever admitting that he and she might have anything in common. Nevertheless, he had led Adriana to the lake’s edge before continuing onwards to the Karavadra Estate. He’d needed a decent sized room for his plan, and his family mansion had a plethora of them. Now, as he stood in front of the double doors of the room he’d planned to give her gift in, he looked to her once more. “You ready?” he asked, nerves still dancing in his stomach. Scuffles of activity seemed to be coming from the room behind him, though it was hard to make out exactly what was happening.

Adriana knew well that sometimes experiences were better gifts than material items. She had chosen such a route with Jax, and now he was taking it with her. The first part of his gift had been brilliantly chosen— she had elected to wear the proper lunar necklace to speak her approval for her —so theoretically his remaining gift would be similarly pleasant, but she didn’t want to build up expectations, just in case. She had come to the First Cohort as instructed and subsequently followed his lead all the way to his family estate. The secret gift had already been intriguing, yet when they stood outside of the double doors to a random room and heard mysterious scuffling inside, her curiosity skyrocketed. There were butterflies in her stomach then. Were there other people involved in this? Was he going to put her on the spot in some way? Despite her anxious thought, her excitement was unfazed. “As I’ll ever be,” she breathed, glancing from Jax to the doors.

Jax had been entirely pleased to see Adriana wearing one of the necklaces he had gotten her, and idly he reached out to touch the chain of it, trailing his fingers down the metal while letting the backs of his them brush lightly against her neck. “I hope you’re wearing this because you like it, and and not just because you’d like to spare my feelings...Though I can’t possibly think of what might have come over you if you were wearing it for the latter reason.” It wasn’t exactly a secret that’d they were always rather blunt with each other, not particularly interested in going light on each other’s feelings. Though of course, they never truly sought to do any lasting harm. Just then he had the urge to kiss her, an urge that was happening more and more frequently at an alarming rate. But here in the hall of his home, where quite literally anyone could see them— it only seemed like asking for trouble. So instead he simply sent another smile her way before opening the double doors behind him. “I hope this isn’t too obvious. I’d hate to come off as thoughtless.” As soon as his words were spoken, the sounds from inside became clear— and the cutest ball of fluff came running towards them at breakneck speed, all too excited to see what it was that lie behind the doors that Jax and Adriana had been standing outside of. Though it wasn’t just one puppy within the enormous room. The place had been turned into a puppy wonderland, filled with toys and treats and countless dogs. “I might have rented out all the dogs from the shelter and brought them here. Obviously you’re free to adopt any of them you might want. That's kind of the point.” He was talking faster than usual, entirely nervous for what her reaction might be. “I figured you’d want to choose for yourself rather than me choosing. And don’t worry about feeling guilty about not adopting them all. I made a rather sizeable donation to the shelter in your name so— even if they don’t get adopted today, they’ll definitely find a good home.” He watched her face closely, trying to gauge her reaction.

The trail of his fingers left a subtle tingling sensation behind on Adri’s skin. The result drew her eyes to his hand, then to his face once more. A smirk crossed her lips. “Well, that implies that you have feelings to be spared.” She was teasing, of course, but it was likewise her way of confirming his former assumption— she truly was fond of his gift. There were still a few persisting nerves when he worried about his greater gift being too obvious, but no sooner had Adriana’s brows furrowed in question than her eyes had grow wide at the sights and sounds the opened doors revealed to them. She was unresponsive, mouth slightly agape, until the fluffball that came barreling through the doors reached her feet. It broke her free of a trance. She reached down and scooped him up securely, then turned on Jax in lingering astonishment. “You rented the entire shelter? How…” The logistics it would have required to get all of the dogs and equipment here must have been a nightmare, and considering Jax had spent the previous day among family, and Jefferson had more than likely been present, he must set this up far more recently. It was a tremendous effort, but he’d taken it on for her.

Adriana grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him into the room, making sure to shut the doors behind them. The instant they were safe from prying eyes, she threw her free arm around his neck and leaned up on her toes to catch his lips in a kiss. It was the thrilled sort of fierce that ended early because she couldn’t help breaking out into a smile in the midst of it. And the squirming pup in her second arm didn’t help. “It was a little obvious,” she grinned at him, though her expression shifted quickly from a tease to sincerity, “but only a madman would call this thoughtless.” After stealing the tiniest second kiss, Adriana set the dog she’d retrieved back on the ground and eagerly pulled Jax into the throng along with her. The whole metaphor about being as excited as a kid on Christmas morning was a literal here as it was figurative. She sat them both down near the center of the activity, intending to let the dogs approach her at their own will rather than seeking them out as most would. “If I’m adopting one, so are you,” stated matter-of-factly. As one of the mutts approached to inspect them, Adriana offered her hand to assure her neutrality. “Surely you didn’t think you could get away with bringing them all the way here and not keeping one as a result?”

Indeed, it had taken Jax quite a good amount of effort to get this ready. Being out of New Rome the day before he’d planned to do it hadn’t helped, and the rather protective owner of the shelter had taken more charming than he’d had to make for getting Leo and appointment with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. After all, she hadn’t wanted her dogs to be maltreated. It had taken everything from signing a contract to giving her a tour of the Estate, as well as a highly detailed outline of all the amenities he would have available for the dogs to convince her to let Jax have his way. But as soon as he saw Adriana’s reaction, he knew it to be worth it. As she pulled him into a couple of kisses, his heart began to race, and he only barely had time to return them with how fast it had all happened. Her words as well as the smile that had lit her face was more than enough to garner his own grin. Yes, all the effort had most certainly been worth it.

Feeling the slightest bit clingy, though he would never admit such a thing, Jax opted to sit behind Adriana and rest his chest against her back, his long legs on either side of her and his arms wrapping around her with his head looking over her shoulder. He’d never really gotten the chance to express physical affection before, and though he still detested the thought of referring to it as affection, being close to Adriana was...nice. But his right eyebrow shot upwards at her mention of him taking a dog home. “Excuse me? Last time I checked this was your Christmas present.” One of the puppies that had been idly walking towards Adriana stopped in its tracks for a moment, opting to change its route at the last second to bump into Jax’s hip. “Great, I think this one heard you.”

Even if it wasn’t necessarily cold inside the Karavadra mansion, Adriana was glad for the warmth that Jax’s closeness provided. She sat cross-legged on the ground, fitting snugly in the gap between his legs. Being held like this was a new experience for her, and she quickly found that she very much liked it. “Yes, which is exactly why I get to choose what to do with it, and I’ve decided that you have to take part.” The daughter of Mars flashed him a wily grin over her shoulder before a newcomer wandered into their conversation. She was a cute little thing, white with black patches-- the very sort of spotted puppy that most kids would go mad over; however, it seemed that she was rather interested in Jax. Adriana watched her paw at his leg and smirked. “I think she’s just curious about you. It’s not likely the pups get much alone time with adults. Usually they have to put up with grabby children who come in to browse.” She watched the creature a few moments longer, raising a brow at Jax when she sat herself down facing his side, evidently waiting for him to acknowledge her. Patience. That wasn’t a quality often found in young dogs, Adriana stored the note away in her mind. “Well? Don’t be rude. She’s curious about you. It’s not like she’s going to bite your hand off.”

Jax rolled his eyes at Adriana as she glanced back at him, though it was possible some of the effect was lost as his lips turned upwards to mirror her grin. It was the strangest phenomena, more and more often Jax seemed to be responding to her smiles with one of his own, and he wasn’t entirely sure how he felt of it. “I should have never gotten you a present in the first place. I should have known you’d go all tyrannical on me.” Normally, Jax would be replying with their usual sass, but he couldn’t deny that he had a surprisingly soft spot for animals. Perhaps it was because animals were much less annoying and idiotic than humans. Either way, Jax glanced downwards at the young pup who was trying to gain his attention. She was rather adorable. “She’s a puppy, not a hellhound. Of course she’s not going to bite my hand off.” Though, it was debatable of whether or not a hellhound would actually bite his hand off as well. Such was a benefit of being the grandson of the mother of hellhounds. Nevertheless, Jax picked up the fluffy mongrel, and began to pet her steadily. “But enough about this little girl, how are you doing on your end?” After all, Adriana was meant to be the one finding a puppy.

“Please, if you think this is tyrannical, you’ve seen nothing yet,” a brief, devilish grin sparked upon her features but disappeared just as quickly. The lightness in her heart for the time being was too strong to grasp dark thoughts, even playful ones, for long. “Even hellhounds have their puppies,” she shrugged. “Doesn’t make them any less of a hellhound, technically.” She was thrilled to see that Jax had actually picked up the little lady at his side. Her wagging tail was an obvious sign of approval. On Adriana’s end, picking a pup should have been easy. Young dogs wandered over to her, though scattered, as if pulled by some invisible magnet, like they could sense the canine bonds in her godly blood as well as in her familial legacy. But while they all received a bit of attention, none of them were really jumping out to her. She pegged a few as good dogs for training-- future military, rescue, and service dogs --just not companions. Then, a dark streak of fur stalking along the far edge of the room caught her eye. He looked to be avoiding the rest of the company, taking advantage of their distraction to get at the treats and toys they had left behind. Adri liked that. She rose from her seat by Jax without a word, padding over to the lad, who seemed ready to bolt. But as she knelt down and held out a hand to him, as she had with the female in Jax’s arms, he paused and lingered where he stood, gradually leaning forward to sniff at the appendage. She didn’t push it or attempt to speak to him besides the simple words of “It’s alright.” Eventually, he ducked his head beneath her hand and pushed up into it, expecting a scratch on the head, which Adri gave him gladly. “I’m not entirely sure,” she spoke backwards at Jax, “but I think this guy’s growing on me.”

Jax wasn’t entirely sure if she’d missed the point of his hellhound comment, or if he’d missed her’s. “Yeah, but I’m assuming normal puppies are rather less likely to bite my hand off than a monstrous one.” Though he was somewhat disappointed by the loss of Adriana against him, it did give him the opportunity to bring the little puppy that had come to him closer to his chest, where he cuddled it for a moment. But once he saw a certain dog to have caught Adriana’s eye, he set the young pup down, drawing somewhat closer to the pair— though making sure to keep his distance. But at his heels was the little dog that had seemed to take a shining to him, though he couldn’t possibly imagine why. It wasn’t long before she began to whine, obviously wanting to be held once more, and as another puppy approached Jax, the first puppy gave a territorial bark in the newcomer’s direction, as if she’d already laid her claim to the man. Raising an amused eyebrow, Jax scooped up the same puppy once more. Looking towards the dog Adriana was speaking of, Jax couldn’t help but point out the obvious. “Of course you choose the one that looks like it’s straight out of Lupa’s pack.” The puppy did have a rather wolf-like appearance.

“What? And just because it’s small and fluffy it’s less likely to hurt you?” Although the chatter on said subject had grown finite, Adriana sought to make her final point. “Not that I suspect most of them would do such a thing, but looks can be deceiving.” The solitary canine that had seized Adriana’s attention had not only done so by his sly behavior. His cleverness was a clear mark of intelligence -- an intelligence that, it appeared, had not aided him in making allies. “So? I don’t see why there’s anything wrong with that.” An imperfection in that inky coat was what had truly drawn the daughter of Mars over to him. Her left hand took over scratching him behind the ear whilst her other drifted down to gently part an uneven patch of fur on the right side of the base of his neck. She referenced the spot to Jax with a glance, drawing his eyes to the scar of a scratch that was hidden there. It had been well tended to by the shelter owners, but nonetheless, it was evidence that not all of these small canines were as darling as they let on. “It’s not a bite, but I’d say it’s evidence enough that size and youth don’t necessarily represent temperament, even in puppies.” Sitting down once more, Adriana offered the pup a chance to lie across her lap, which he did, forelimbs folding over her left leg. Her right hand switched to stroking along his head and back, providing both comfort and companionship. “He’s a bit larger than the others. Sharper. But alone. Easy to take advantage of.” A happy-sad expression overcame her features. “He needs allies.”

Jax knew Adriana would get to her point about the biting and the dogs eventually no matter how trying it might be for Jax as she took her time getting there. A shrug tugged at his shoulders and he said, “I never said anything was wrong with it. Someone’s sensitive, aren’t we?” he teased. “You don’t have to take everything I say as a critique. Though that in itself...was somewhat of a critique,” he said with a bemused smile. “But not everything has to be.” It was a rather foreign peace offering, as he knew their usual relationship had always been a lot of banter and the like, but he hoped Adriana knew that it was okay to simply talk and exist like normal people every once in a while. Otherwise, he wasn’t sure how long their ‘arrangement’ might last if they were constantly at each other’s throats...though sometimes it was quite enjoyable to be at each other’s throats in places such as his bed and her desk.

A sigh shook Jax as Adriana finally made her point of size and age not being a factor of someone’s temperament. “Obviously I know that. Such a thing was made obvious when you were winning numerous arm wrestling matches and screaming about it at age five. I just meant- obviously something with a monstrous heritage would most likely be more inclined to be violent than something without. Though before you try and make an argument against that, obviously I know some exceptions might exist.” Jax considered the ball of fluff he was still holding before saying gently to the young pup, “You know what I’m talking about, don’t you?” Jax wandered closer to the two of them, wanting to be close to Adriana but not wanting to ruin whatever moment she might be having with her pup. Vaguely he registered the trace of sadness in her smile, and it tugged at his own emotions as the realization that there probably wasn’t much he wouldn’t do to keep Adriana from looking sad set in. “Well I think he found one,” he said with a small smile towards Adriana. “If you’re ready and willing,” he said playfully. A if to prove his point that not everything had to be a critique, he tried for something a little different than their usual words. “He’d be lucky to have you.”

To be honest, the banter was a bit ridiculous and convoluted, yet it kept rolling on seemingly without end. Why? Adriana had a thought that she wasn’t too fond of admitting. She and Jax had been arguing with one another as if they needed the conflict to breathe up until their relationship evolved into what it was now— which she had no idea how to classify. Suddenly, the banter was far less frequent. They were— dare she say it —enjoying one another’s company. And while it was still there, the atmosphere between them was practically foreign to her. Perhaps she was trying to compensate for the differences and keep that argumentative component alive, even if it didn’t give her the satisfaction it used to. Everything just had to slow down in order for her to catch up. Adriana was adaptable on the battlefield, but personal relations demanded cautiousness. It was simply how she’d been raised and she couldn’t escape it. Not on her own, anyway.

No matter the attempted upkeep of banter, Jax broke through it once again. Her heart softened at the sight of him speaking so gently with the young dog in his arms. It was a sight she’d never have imagined seeing, yet here they were. “Ooh, yeah,” she managed to smirk back in his direction. “Your arm wrestling record was pretty sad, wasn’t it?” When the puppy in Adri’s lap moved to switch his position, he drew back her attention and another scratch behind the ears. She continued to smooth a hand along his back, offering him comfort. Soon, he found his way into her arms and Adriana pressed a gentle kiss to his head while holding him to her chest. “Yeah…” she smiled at Jax’s words— surprisingly sincere ones. “And you’d be lucky to have her.” A quick glance at the furball in Jax’s possession accompanied a small chuckle. “They’d both be better off having the two of us to deal with, I suppose.”

Jax’s fondness for animals wasn’t something he tried to hide, though it wasn’t a trait he paraded about either. It was simply a part of who he was. No more. No less. And it was exhibiting itself as Jax dangled a playful finger above the little one in his arms, a half-smile of amusement present on his lips. It’d been put there by the little puppy’s reaction to his teasing as she pawed at the wiggling finger, and gave a playful snap towards it. “Ohhh, someone’s decided to get a bit feisty, haven’t we?” Was he talking about the puppy or Adriana? Perhaps both. “You wish,” was all he said at first in response to Adriana’s quip about arm-wrestling. “You’ve probably just blocked my amazing success from your memory, unable to bear the shame of it.” With a sigh, Jax knew he was done in for. If he was being honest, he’d known he would be taking the puppy in his arms home the moment she’d followed him. Still, he’d tried to at least pretend he had some form of resistance to cute animals. “Well I guess it’s settled then. Looks like we’re once again proud parents.”

Jax and Adri shared a fondness for animals. It was one of the few things they had actually agreed upon as children. Despite her awareness of that fact, however, watching Jax dangle his finger above a puppy he was holding in his arms was like discovering it for the first time. His interaction with the pup was… adorable, and putting that word in context with Jax may as well have made him a stranger. Adriana had to blink off that thought in record speed when his teasing tone resurrected-- thank the gods. This was the Jax she knew best. “Mm, no. I think you’ve got that the other way around. Are you sure you didn’t rent out an entire dog shelter just to get me gullible enough to believe such a thing?” She had been prepared to smirk at him, but once again the pup in her arms was a paramount distraction. When he nuzzled against Adriana’s chest, the daughter of Mars tightened her hold on him. He yawned and she placed another small kiss on the top of his head. Jax received a mirror of that kiss on his cheek a few seconds later. “Thank you,” she spoke quietly beside his ear before stepping back. “This is the most outrageous thing anyone has ever done for me. Unfortunately for you, I don’t know how you’re ever going to top it.” Taking a small step closer to him, she leaned in just enough reach out a hand and scratch under the muzzle of the little one in his arms. “So what do you think you’re going to call her?”

The expression that came over Jax every time he was preparing to tease Adriana came over his features, a certain sort of glint appearing in his eye. “I wouldn’t have to rent out an entire shelter to get you gullible enough. You’re already there.” Perhaps he’d been a bit different around Adriana as of late, but they weren’t the same two people they’d been a couple of months ago. Or perhaps they were, but they’d simply discovered that together, they could be something entirely different than they’d been. Either way, they were changing by the day. It had yet occured just yet what that change may be, and he wasn’t too concerned with analyzing the shifts in their relationship, simply taking the changes as they came. Thus far he hadn’t stumbled across one development that wasn’t to his liking. In fact, he was quite fond of the new discoveries. One such discovery was the fact that the heart in his chest seemed to thump a little quicker as Adriana planted a kiss on his cheek, and her words and closeness brought a small smile to his lips. If he’d made Adriana happy today, that was all he’d wanted to do. Though he wondered slightly at when making Adriana happy had become a priority of his. “‘I’m glad.” Holding his new pup in a single arm, he slipped his now free one to Adriana’s chin to tilt her lips towards his, and moved in to plant a kiss on her lips before speaking against them suggestively. “But we all know better than to doubt my abilities to top things.” He looked down at the pup squirming between them, his hand falling from her chin to her hip. Jax would be lying if he said he hadn’t already been mulling names over in his head, and he’d chosen one that seemed to fit the young girl. “I was thinking Sabine.” A crater on the moon near the Statio Tranquillitatis who had somewhat of a twin crater. Who knew, perhap one day he’d gain another pup and have a matching set of names. “What about you and your new boy?”

“Debatable,” Adriana smirked at the tease Jax imposed upon her, yet not defying it as vigorously as she used to. There were far more relevant topics at hand. That her kiss, however small, brought a smile to the man’s face triggered a blossoming warmth in her chest, a sense of satisfaction that she was still getting used to. Usually the heat in her chest upon a victory was more intense, coupled with the adrenaline of having won some more traditional battle. This, however, was almost a cosy sort of sensation, one that coaxed a similar smile to her own lips. Jax could be annoyingly infectious in that way. It was an expression that persisted through his kiss, only to shift its form to a hinted mischief at his innuendo -- that she was as well have put in his mouth, intentionally, the moment she brought the concept of ‘topping’ into their conversation. “Fair enough.” Adriana withdrew from their close contact with a feather-light drag of her teeth over his bottom lip and subsequently directed her eyes to his pup. “Sabine,” she nodded. “A lunar name. It suits her.” After a final ruffle between the little lady’s ears, the dark ball of fluff in her arms received her gaze. For a moment, she paused to contemplate what name he might be given. She hadn’t been actively thinking about it until now, but Jax’s name for his new adoptee proved to be a valuable inspiration. “Polaris.” The axis mundi of the cosmos; a guiding light; a stellar constant. And it was a rather appropriate name too. Despite the dog’s pitch black coat, there was one stark white spot on his chest. Surely that would prove representative enough of a star. Polaris was returned to the floor a few seconds after his name was declared, as was Sabine, who Adriana took directly from Jax’s arm to release. Once they were free to roam among the rest of the canines in the room, the daughter of Mars returned Jax’s hand to her hip by her own touch and stepped forward to stand practically flush with his body. This time it was his chin that was tilted, only down rather than up, so that she could properly deliver a tease to his lips. “Now, what was that you said about knowing better?”

Already Jax was wanting to return to Adriana for yet another kiss from the moment she parted from him, her toying teeth all too tempting to deny. For the most part, he’d thought Sabine a fitting name as the two black spots over the pup’s eyes were all too reminiscent of the moon’s twin craters when placed against the field of white that was the rest of her face. Then he was humming an approval of Adriana’s name choice, not so secretly pleased with her, quite literally, stellar choice. It was no secret he had a fondness for celestial names. As the woman took both his new puppy and withdrew from his touch, the smallest of what could only be called a pout formed on his features. How was it fair that his two favorite things in the room had been taken from him? Thankfully, he wasn’t left without one of them for long as Adriana came back to him in a way that was all too welcome. Instantly his hands were pulling her impossibly closer, his lips already beginning to pepper kisses down the side of her neck as an amused chuckle fell from him. “It sounds like a demonstration is in order.” Not bothering to separate them, he began to pull her towards the door of the room. He could think of a few empty and close rooms that would be all to easy to fall into with Adriana, making good use of the seldom utilized bed.

#chatzy #Puppy Love #c:Adriana

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dirtysxuth · 7 years ago

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Duke pulled on a backpack, trying to be as quiet as possible. He wanted to dip out to go find someone to eat and maybe buy a couple of things for the home. As much as he’d like to keep his emotions off the entire time they were there, it was proving to be impossible. It ate up all his energy, making him more hungry than usual and when he lay in bed with Solomon at night, the nightmares had just gotten worse. He needed to do something to relieve his guilt and he needed to taste fresh blood to keep up his act. When he took a step towards the door, he felt the presence of Adriana and let out a heavy sigh. “Yes?”

#alluringgin #c:adriana

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yvonne-rutherford · 6 months ago

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"Thank you." Yvonne opened her mouth to protest but shut it just as quickly. She doubted Adriana wanted to watch her have the life she couldn't have with her own fiancé. The silence hung in the air, heavy and oppressive, as thick as the air immediately before the rain.

"I'm just worried about you."

"Congrats." She was sure Yvonne was happy. Another time, she'd have asked her sister to make sure to keep some of their traditions, at least she knew Yvonne enjoyed as a kid. She'd have asked because she knew how enticed her sister was with her new family. But this time, she didn't have it in her. To say nor to fight about any of it.

With a sigh, Adriana forced a smile. "No, it's alright. I'm not very good company right now. You know... Me getting engaged and then watching my fiance being dragged away by the French." She let out a heavy sigh, wanting to reach for a drink, but she remembered she'd promised Henry not to drink before 7PM. Him and his weird fucking rules.

#c:adriana

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grexsed · 7 years ago

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“I don’t think this is a good idea.” Duke informed the older woman wearily, stepping out of the car and holding a hand out for her. “Without that chain, I have very little... control. We probably shouldn’t push it.”

#alluringsin #c:adriana

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coliincorrect · 7 years ago

Conversation

bailey: Sorry, I think I need to be alone right now.

bailey: Thanks for being alone with me, Adriana.

#c:bailey #c:adriana #canada

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avadakaravadra · 7 years ago

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@canemnecredite

As the sun continued to rise on the horizon, the upper half of it had now managed to peek over the line where the sky meets the Earth. He’d already taken Kolina to the infirmary, and weariness was tugging at his bones from not having slept the night, and fighting the fire throughout it. But he was a Centurion of New Rome, which meant that he wouldn’t be resting until some order was found. So he’d gone to the lake to see what he could do there, heading towards the medic tents. But a somewhat familiar sight caught his eye, the same one that had snagged it all those hours earlier at his family’s party— albeit a bit more bloody, charred, and torn.

Adriana stood leaning against a tree, and as he took in her ragged formal wear, he couldn’t help but look down at himself. He’d lost the jacket halfway through the fire, and his shirt was singed through in some places from catching stray sparks and the like, and together he and Adriana looked like they were attending a ball held for the end of the world. He approached her slowy, finally holding out his hand to her just as he had done at the party. “May I have this dance?” he teased, far too tired to find anything scathing to say.

#tw blood #blood tw #c:Adriana

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kitblckthrn · 2 years ago

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˙ ˖ ✶ Adriana

"Hi," he cooed happy to be in her arms as her warmth enveloped him. "Me too, I love you so much Adriana, and yes it was scary but I also kicked major ass...well technically I kicked her boob hard enough to send her through a glass wall, but that's details, but's that's neither here not there, i'm just happy to be here," because others had not been so lucky, others had met their fate at the hands of the people they once thought were friends.

Adriana didn't expect Kit to be out of the hospital so soon, but then again she didn't know the complete extent to how badly he had gotten hurt. Either way she was more than thrilled to see him next to her. "Hi, honey." Her arms wrap back around him, pressing her face against his as they hugged. "I'm so fucking glad you are okay, Kit."

#c:adriana

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dirtysxuth · 7 years ago

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Duke didn’t know how to handle being so close to his exes. It wasn’t as if he didn’t trust Adriana, he absolutely did. But their home was small and cramped and Elias didn’t seem to want him there any more than Duke wanted to be there. He moved into the kitchen one morning, shirtless and in search of the blood he’d seen Adri take out of the freezer the other night. “Does he always leave you alone this often?” He asked, not looking up when he heard Adriana enter the room. “Doesn’t it drive you mad?”

#c:adriana #alluringgin

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lazarusashworth-blog · 8 years ago

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@adriana-romero

Besides staying out of the spotlight, Lazarus wasn't sure why his father decided to send him to Aisling of all place. It could have very well been somewhere closer but no, the older Ashworth sent his heir to the other side of the world; not that Lazarus was complaining. He was treating it as another vacation. Bored out of his mind, he approached a familiar door and started pounding on it, "Open up, beautiful, and keep me company. I am fucking bored."

#c:adriana romero #c:#idek

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grexsed · 8 years ago

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Duke walked in Adriana’s room, having mustered up the courage for two seconds to show his face. Immediately, he wanted to run back to his own room. “... Darling.” He mumbled, eyes finding his shoes. “Can I speak with you?” Duke asked softly, hands pushed into his pockets. Maybe this was a mistake; he was sure she’d be to furious with him to put up with his presence for longer than a minute.

#c:adriana

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yavuz-azra · 2 years ago

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amaroadriana:

A light chuckle left her lips as she looked down her dress. It was a sad excuse for a fight back, but at least it was something. “Honey, this is basically latex - a little drink won’t even leave a mark.” She bent down, swishing her hand in the pool water so she could wash off the alcohol from it. Not because she felt the need for it, as throughout the night - that wouldn’t be the last thing spilled on her dress. A little wine was almost like a christening of the night. “Unfortunately, burn hair will have a lingering smell for a while. Well, at least even the dogs can find you.”

Azra’s eyes gleam with anger, but the sly smile upon her face never wavers. She places down her now empty wine glass, and gestures to the waiter for another drink. This bitch was hardly worth staying sober for after all...

“Well, them and Aviv I think. You needn’t worry darling, I’ll make sure his attention is quite...distracted tonight. With what I’ve planned, I hardly suspect he will be looking at my hair..” She takes a sip from her wine glass, and swirls the liquid with her hand. “You seem to have quite the plans yourself tonight darling. Wearing latex to a party such as this...well, I suppose it means you need only hose yourself down when you are done. I’m sure that will save you some time between your various...dates. Who is your date tonight by the way? I must have missed them when they entered..”

Location: The London Awards After Party Date: 31st of March, 2023 Tagged: @mobscene-starters

A sly smile plays across Azra's face as she makes her way through the party. It was important on an event like tonight to project confidence and strength, to be a socialite even when her world seemed to be crumbling apart. Predatory eyes were going to be on them tonight, watching and waiting for them to show weakness. So, she sauntered her way through the crowd, making sure those she cared for were enjoying the expensive drinks....and that they were behaving themselves...

#c:azra #c:adriana

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coralynn-macclellan · 9 years ago

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#YOLO || Adriana, Nico, & Coralynn

You Only Live Once ‒ that’s the motto for ya YOLO and we 'bout it every day, every day, every day like we sittin’ on the bench brother we don’t really play

Before Cora stood the gaping tunnel that she, Adriana, and Nico were about to enter. Everything was in order. She was equipped in the armor Ryan had given her for Christmas, water bags filled to the brim with salt water as well as her sword in hand and two daggers strapped to her thigh. Her wrists were bare for the first time in two weeks, as Lucius had done a more than fine job in doing away with her power inhibitors. Once Percy was home safe, they would return to their place on her wrists but for now, she needed all the weapons she could get. After all, sneaking into a Cult base wasn’t something to bat an eyelash at. Even though this particular was supposed to be empty at the moment, it would be foolish to enter the lion’s den without her abilities. Turning to her current comrades, she simply asked, “Are you ready? You both remember the plan, right?” There were reasons she had gone to Nico and Adriana. Nico had earth based abilities that would do them well in the underground tunnels. Originally, Adriana had only been an attempt to get more information, but once it became clear she was familiar with a Cult base, the knowledge had been utilized. She would lead them in, as she knew the way. These weren’t the only reasons they had been chosen. They both had attachments to those taken, and Cora had faith that they were willing to do whatever it was to get them back, just as Cora would. They would get in, grab any information they could find on Cult bases and prisoner intake...and get out.

Once more Nico felt the presence of the Earth drawing him in. He took a deep breath, feeling energized. Feeling the darkness that emanated from the cave. He could feel the realm of his father. Reaching up towards him. Pulling him in, and he was more than willing to oblige to the demand. His friends were down there. The people he loved most in the world. Percy. Jason. Reyna. Percy. Jason. Reyna. And he was going to get them out. The son of Hades was going to stop at nothing. The rage from the Catacombs still burned. A low flame, growing steadily. Nico’s famous glare was deep set as he nodded at Cora. “Of course.” He unsheathed his Stygian iron sword, the blade seemingly ecstatic for it’s return to the shadows. For the thought of more blood. This time Nico was prepared. He knew more about his ability now, having worked at it the moment he set foot outside the hospital wing. He was prepared for a quick escape, to perform the finer details in working with the Earth. There would not be another to go missing this time. He looked to Adriana, jerking his head towards the entrance. “Let’s get going.”

What they were about to do was reckless-- the kind of reckless AJ had been so adamant about preventing when he’d clamped a restraining bracelet mercilessly on the wrist of his best friend. Fortunately, thanks to Cora’s icy abilities, the silver band was no longer an issue, but in short time, enchanted inhibitors would be the least of their concerns. Adriana had been wary when Cora first came to her seeking information. There was bad blood between them, yet despite their former discontent, they’d been able to overcome their malice for the common cause of doing anything to aid in the rescue of the ones they loved. Nico was just as equally motivated, of course, and his powers made him the perfect addition to their rebellious little crew. So here they were: one secretly ex-cultist about to lead two Greek companions into what she considered the figurative mouth of hell. The plan was simple enough. Get in, grab the documents, get out. What could go wrong, right? Flashing her amber gaze to Cora, then Nico, Adriana gave a nod and armed herself with one of her daggers just in case things got out of hand. “Alright. Stay close and keep out of sight best you can. Like I said before, we shouldn’t run into any trouble today, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned from the Cult, it’s to expect the unexpected.” Propping up the hood of her leather jacket as an added security, she regarded her accomplices with one last look of confidence before plunging into the darkness with practiced steps, a quiet phrase murmured under her breath. “Ready or not, here we come…”

Darkness is one of the very first things humans learn to fear, as it is a concrete solidification of the very human instinct of a fear of the unknown. It’s impossible to know what might lurk in shadows beyond, whether friend or foe be masked by the inky stains of the night. In an attempt to orient herself in the pitch black, Cora placed her hand on a side of the tunnel they’d entered as she followed after the sound of Adriana’s footsteps. There was a part of her that severely disliked relying on the daughter of Mars, but her brother was missing, along with Jason and Reyna. What other choice did she have? The generally talkative Cora was silent, firmly in the same state of hyper-focus she had been in since waking up to discover that Percy and the others were still missing. For once, she wasn’t interested in making friends, or better friends of those she was with. The only thought she had was all-consuming, a mantra that was a constant mission running through her mind. I have to find him. He has to be okay.

Already he could feel the shift in the walls. The cracks that traced through the rock arching overhead. Nico was cautious as they moved forward. He slowly found himself, while in complete pitch blackness, still able to find his bearings without the use of the wall for support. His body was adjusting slowly to the darkness, becoming accustomed to the lack of light. The boy breathed it in deeply, feeling stronger with each step. The problem that remained was seeing farther than ten yards ahead and behind the group. He knew their location relative to the surface, which was under a law firm currently, but did not know what lay at the end of the length of their slow pace. “These caves are so fucking unstable.” he hissed into the darkness. “They’re going to kill us if we don’t hurry this along.”

Adriana knew these tunnels. She didn’t need a hand on the wall or the earthly perceptions of a child of Hades to find her way around. Her pace was solid, confident in its direction, and yet mildly slowed by caution. Relying on muscle memory for their path, she concentrated the rest of her focus into her senses, listening intently for the sound of any unexpected voices or the footsteps of a stranger. They were making decent time, she thought, but apparently Nico was feeling impatient-- albeit with good reason. “We’ve moving as fast as we can,” the Order member responded to her fellow Italian in hushed tones. “If we rush into this, we risk getting caught whether we’re seen or heard. Sounds down here travel farther than you’d think. Just keep your rocky radar on guard for any potential cave-ins. Okay, sposa cadavere?” If only a certain pair of sea lovers hadn’t produced a fucking earthquake that shook the whole city, they wouldn’t have this additional concern. But Adriana wasn’t going to address that out loud. The last thing she wanted to do was get herself drowned by a pissed off mermaid wannabee meters below the city surface.

Cora was glad that the two of them seemed to be entertaining themselves, as her mind wasn’t quite fit for making small-talk at the moment. Still Nico’s claim of unstable tunnels was cause for concern, and she stepped gingerly, as if doing so would prevent any cave-ins though she knew better. Adriana hadn’t voiced her thoughts, but it was no small step for Cora to conclude that her and Fergus’ tirade had worsened the state of the underground tunnels. Instantly, the same bout of guilt that had been filling her over the past week or so filled her gut. Was there any end to the damage she and Fergus had caused? Tightening her jaw, she forced herself to push the thoughts aside. It proved harder than usual though, and she couldn’t be sure if it was because the emotions were festering or intensifying, or if it was simply the shadows at play around them, pulling at the darker corners of her mind. In a whisper that barely rose to audible tones Cora asked, “How far is it to where we’re going?”

He could already feel the weight of the rocks. The slight vibrations from the city above, and the movement from them walking knocked loose rubble. Loose stone that slid just fractions apart. Bit by bit. Nico felt a sense of panic slowly rise in himself and began to use his geokinesis more to keep the roof over their head together. He grumbled once more and shrugged, feeling the energy draining from himself slowly. He needed to save most of it just in case. “Hopefully not much farther-” The son of Hades was cut off as the weight and pressure of holding he ceiling together was becoming too much. The earth was slipping from his grasp, and he tugged the other two forward very quickly. “MOVE.” He demanded, letting the ceiling slip. The thunderous cracking echoed through the tunnel, and all was still as Nico hurried them forward. Then gravity pulled the first rock down. A huge boulder that blocked most the path by itself. And with it was a shower of dirt and chunks of stone that continued to collapse on them. “Adri! How much further!?”

There was an uneasiness in both Cora and Nico that the daughter of war could feel in the tense darkness that surrounded them. Whether such feelings were brought on by brotherly concerns, personal guilt, or the instability of a seemingly endless cave system didn’t matter-- they needed to focus on the mission. “We’re getting close,” Adriana snapped, a mild annoyance in her tone. Yeah, they weren’t moving at light speed, but did they have to be this damn impatient? “Just shut up an--” A sudden tug on her arm cut her off mid-statement, closely followed by the echoing crash of earth right where they’d been standing only a moment ago. ‘Shit. Someone will have heard that…’ she curses silently to herself, already having taken up a light sprint through the tunnels to escape the collapsing corridor. “Not far! Keep your wits about you. We shouldn’t run into too much company, but a crash like that is sure to grab someone’s attention. We might have to improvise a new exit strategy if we don’t wanna end up the interrogators’ new source of entertainment.”

Focusing on the mission at hand was far from being a problem for Cora, as focusing was all she had been doing ever since she’d woken from her few days coma after she and Fergus had wrecked the city. Losing Percy had driven her into a state of hyper determination and drive. It was all she was running on now. So when she asked how far it was she was doing so to know their situation better. Her mouth already open to tell Adriana exactly what she was getting close to (potentially a slap or more simply going back on her word and not letting the girl come to rescue Percy...and hopefully Reyna should they find the information they were looking for). But then she was being pulled forward by Nico as the crashing rocks came tumbling down. There was no time to thank him as she scrambled to follow after Adriana, her focus now being brought to an ultimate high as adrenaline kicked in. Whether it be needed for fight or flight would be determined and though it were foolish, part of Cora was hoping for fight. More than anything she wanted to take a strike back at the people who had most likely taken her brother. They turned another corner and suddenly, they weren’t in darkness any longer. Instead, they were met with a cavern full of apparent Cult members, all staring back at the three of them with dumbstruck looks. If it hadn’t been a life-threatening situation, it would have been almost comical to see the cigarette fall from one of the Cult member’s mouths in shock. In a Western-style standoff, no one moved for a few moments, both gauging the other.

There were about twenty-five Cult members in front of the group, give or take, plus those who would probably arrive to aid their friends one the sound of a scuffle began to echo through the tunnels. They’d already be coming because of the tunnel collapse. So Nico made the first move, knowing if they waited longer they’d be even more outnumbered than before. He gathered the darkness quickly, and flipped the table the cult members sat around. It trapped a number of them, and soon the inky black tentacles blew out most of the lights. Covering some. Providing a decent distraction for Adriana to dart through and look for files. Weapons were drawn immediately, and Nico threw himself into the fray. “Go! Get what we came for!” He shouted, blocking left, right, elbowing a man in the face behind him. He had heard the satisfying sound of the man’s nose break as he then swung his sword and ripped open the stomach of the woman in front of him. Everything inside her seemed to spill out, and his sword began to greedily absorb the blood. He felt her life flicker out, and he kicked her into another cult member.

There was no time to waste. Thankfully, it seemed Adriana’s hood hid her specific identity from the other Cult members long enough for Nico to forge a distraction. Until they had successfully made their rescue attempt, she couldn’t afford to reveal her traitorous position. It could be of use to them yet. As the light was blocked out of the room, the daughter of Mars darted forward, using one leg of the overturned table as a launching pad from which she was able to flip over the remainder of the crowd, roll to her feet, and charge into the tunnel beyond without much interference. A long corridor and a few turns later, Adriana recognized her target room. The faint light of a burning brazier illuminated the area, so she approached cautiously, dagger tight in hand. Sure enough, one of the archivists was present. He was scribbling nonchalantly at his desk, absorbed in his work-- which made it all to easy for the Order member to sneak up behind him and deliver a quick but heavy blow to the back of his head. The man rendered unconscious, Adriana set his head down carefully on the desktop to make it appear he had fallen asleep in case any others came running by, and then, she took to the shelves to begin her frantic search for the documents they required.

Her own eyes needed a moment to adjust to the darkness of Nico’s powers, but Cora’s first move was to withdraw every drop of water she had from her pouches and draw a hard line through the center of the room with it, following Adriana’s aerial path and mirroring it on a lower level with her water. It pushed the Cult members who were in the way aside, leaving her with an open path to dart across the room and face her back towards the tunnel Adriana had darted down. If she was going to find anything of use to them she was going to need time and no disruptions, so Cora would keep any disruptions from finding her. The daughter of Poseidon made good on her thoughts as her sword found a sheath in a Cult member’s kidney. Cora pulled the dead member towards her, using their form as a shield against another oncoming attack before throwing them to the ground and dispatching the next Cult member who appeared before her. Earlier she’d let the water spread across the floor, but now she gathered it once more in preparation for another attack.

Nico did not mind their deaths. Despite the anger roaring through him, he was relatively numb to the blood slowly being splattered across him. To the crimson pool on the ground, soaking slowly through his shoes. The striking of metal reverberated through the cavern, and Nico fought from all sides. It was almost overwhelming, feeling them all in the darkness, on the earth as they moved. The way their souls were dragged into the underworld and trying to concentrate on each swing, pivoting, punching, slicing, and then he lost his balance. Tripping over one of the fallen he landed with a thud on the ground, but was quick to knock everyone back with the shadows. He stood slowly, breathing heavily. Sweat starting to run down his face as he began to condense the dark matter around a few of the men. It took seconds, but the image was so vivid it seemed to slow time. Their bones snapped like twigs and they screamed so loud, it hurt Nico’s ears. But it was good. Their eyes popped out first, and blood began to spill out of their mouths. Becoming blobs of flesh and crushed bone. “Is she done?” He screamed at Cora, as the other Cultists attacked with a renewed frenzy based on fear. He could feel it. And he grinned.

It seemed that Cora and Nico had very distinctly different fighting styles. It made sense that Nico reveled in the death, after all it was practically his domain. Cora wasn’t opposed to it, but while there was still no absolute proof that these were the ones responsible for her brother’s disappearance, she wouldn’t be the one to cause unwarranted deaths. Instead she settled for maiming as well as knocking out, sometimes pairing the two in order to ensure that they would not rise. With the water she’d pooled, Cora created a whirlpool that swept up a third of the crowd of Cultists. She kept it going as she ducked and weaved amongst those that were still free to fight, crippling them as she went and leaving a path of painful groans in her wake. Soon enough, the whirlpool had done it’s job of keeping those trapped inside from getting oxygen, and they passed out and lay with their fallen brethren. There were only five men left standing, and as she turned to them, they saw that Nico was also still perfectly able to fight and dropped to their knees in fear, begging to be spared. “She’ll be done soon enough. Now all we can do is wait.” She looked to Nico, finally managing to make a small joke in the relief of their victory. “So let’s make some new friends while we wait,” she said whilst nodding towards the five kneeling men. “Nothing brings people together like bloodshed.”

Adriana had always enjoyed a good book now and then, but never had she skimmed through so many pages in so little time. The Cult’s archives were hugely expansive, containing almost every form of media from ancient scrolls to modern digital records. Thankfully, a majority of the members were stubborn to make the technological switch, so the daughter of Mars was safe from having to try her hand at any hacking. As she moved along the shelves, she sought out the few spots where the layers of dust were at their thinnest, knowing such an observation suggested the literature in question had been in recent use. The first several minutes of searching turned up little more than financial records and transcriptions of Senate meetings-- nothing of use. Her frustration began to stir as time stretched on. Cora and Nico would be impossibly outnumbered if she didn’t wrap this up soon, and there was no way the loss of two more Big Three demigods was going to aid the city in its state of instability. Flipping through a thick, leather-bound roster, Adriana wasn’t about to get her hopes up, but then, she saw it. Percy. One name. Not the name she might have been pining for, but a lead, nonetheless. She didn’t waste time reading over the details. Ripping that page and the others following it from the binding, the Order member quickly rolled them up and secured them inside her jacket before rushing out of the room to rendezvous with her accomplices as planned. The sight of carnage she came upon was hardly a surprise and elicited the faintest of smirks as she paused to assess their readiness. “Looks like I missed quite the party. I found what we need. You guys ready to get outta here?”

As Adriana returned, Cora’s anxiety peaked. Had she found what they needed? Did they have a way to find Reyna and Jason? She was afraid to dare and wish for something so lucky as a possible location on Percy, but she couldn’t help the hope that had fostered in her. As much as she wanted to spread the pages of the documents out on the ground then and there, she knew doing so would be foolish. Instead, she used some of her water to form ice handcuffs around the remaining conscious Cult members wrists, binding them into sort of chain gang. Then she fastened the end of the ice rope to the wall, making sure it wouldn’t melt for a while yet as well as hardening it to be difficult to break. “That should keep you guys busy for a while,” she said to the remaining Cult members. Then she looked to Adriana and Nico with the smallest spark of hope in her eyes. “Thank you. This wouldn’t have been possible with you guys.” And then the trio went about leaving the cavernous depths of the Cult behind.

#blood tw #tw:blood #c:Nico #c:Adriana #chatzy:YOLO #YOLO #chatzy

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jax-karavadra · 9 years ago

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Hoe-down Throwdown || Adriana & Jax

Adriana has said something she shouldn’t have, and Jax is far from being able to forgive her for it.

Note: The events of this chatzy took place directly after Chad’s induction into the Cult of Romulus.

The amount of times Jax had actually lost his temper, he could count on one hand. It was an entirely rare occurrence, thanks to the careful emotion control his family had taught him, as well as the feeling that losing control in such a way was far beneath him. Truly, there was little that could set him off, but it seemed Adriana had managed to find on of the few things that had the ability to draw out his anger. The moment she had even dared utter the mention of his brother, a fluorescent red line had been crossed. His teasing had all been in good fun, and then the daughter of Mars had insisted on practically driving a wreaking ball into his carefully calm and collected demeanor. Forget the stupid tour she was supposed to give Chad. He was going to deal with the Caninii bitch right here and now. Going to grab her wrist in what would be a vice-like grip, Jax knew he had about ten seconds before his patience shattered into pieces as he tried to lead her to a nearby room he knew to be deserted. Crashing open the door and then slamming it shut behind him, and hopefully her, the wall nearly shook with the force he had exerted in his act. The son of Discordia stood disconcertingly still, though his anger was betrayed by the shaking in his hands, hands that had been balled into tight fists. Finally, he spoke. "I should cut out your tongue for that. Or just kill you all together." There was no softness in his words. For all it seemed, Jax was entirely serious as he advanced on her.

She knew she'd crossed a line. There had always been a silent understanding between Jax and Adriana that his brother was never to be mentioned. His death had left lasting wounds on them both, but while Adriana had made an effort to allow her wounds to heal, she wasn't so sure Jax had done the same. If she hadn't been so pissed off by Chad, perhaps she wouldn't have gone so far; however, as Jax dragged her suddenly and mercilessly away from view, she knew there'd be no taking back the words she'd just spoken. What really made it dangerous though was that she'd meant it. The thought had occurred to her many times before what Theodore might have seen in the man his younger brother had become, but never had she voiced those observations until now. Any hints of devious mockery or internally festering rage had left her the instant that door slammed shut behind them. Teasing Jax now was only going to worsen her situation. Instead, the daughter of Mars presented a grave expression, taking a cautious mental note of the shaking state of his fists. "Okay, you're angry. Understandable. But how about we take a step back and avoid doing anything too rash?" Adriana was trying to appear somewhat calm and sensible. Alas, her quick steps backward and the glint of panic in her eyes when she felt her back brush against the door gave away her concern. She braced her hands out in front of her chest as a method of both personal defense and practical surrender. "Jax, let me explain."

Adriana knew the terms of their tentative friendship or frenemyship, whatever it was she and Jax were, and had blatantly broken them. She had known that his elder brother was strictly off limits, and Jax didn't give the slightest care as to whether or not she had been Theodore's best friend or anything more or less; as far as he was concerned, the daughter of Mars before him had betrayed his brother the moment it appeared her sentiments towards the Greeks softened. To Jax, her budding friendships with the Graceus scum had been insult enough to Theo's memory, for it had been the Greek's fault that his older brother was dead. Then, her engagement to Storm, a son of Zeus had pounded the last nail into the coffin. His steps hastened towards her and suddenly he was upon her as his hand shot up to try and find a home around her neck, attempting to slam her against the door her back had found. "Right. Of course. Not do anything rash. Not like you did." Instead of getting louder, Jax's anger was quiet, and his words came out low, gravelly, and icily cool. "Nothing about this is rash except for your idiotic actions. " Noting the panic in her eyes, a chilling smile slunk across his lips. "You're right to be scared. At least I know you're not entirely stupid in addition to being suicidal. Not that it will keep me from making you wish you were never born. You want to talk about how he would feel about you or I today in terms of disgusting? Alright. Let's talk." It was inconsequential to name the 'he' Jax was referring to.

Clearly, this was about more than just Adriana's mention of the elder Karavadra brother. Jax's anger was chilled, but it was fuming, and in her experience, it was the coolest rage that could become the most volatile. Although she attempted to duck aside from his hand, he still managed to catch her. The unpleasant contact with the door elicited a grunt of discomfort from the girl, though worse was sure to come, given the son of Discordia's ardent threats and intimidation. One of her hands wrapped around his wrist in a feeble attempt to relieve some of the pressure on her throat. If he wanted her to speak, she was going to need a little more freedom to breathe. "Well then-- why don't we start- with you telling me- what the fuck else this is about...?" Adriana managed to request despite her neck's restricted situation. "Because clearly-- my 'actions' have ticked you off- just as well as my words... Seriously, what is your problem with me? Please, tell me it's not- about your stupid grudge against the Greeks. You can't blame them for everything, especially not for Theo." There it was-- his name. Jax may have been seemingly avoiding it, but now that the cat was out of the bag, so to speak, the daughter of Mars saw no reason to shy away from the subject.

The moment Theo's name had crossed Adriana's lips, Jax officially let loose. Projecting a surge of physical pain onto her, the amount that usually brought a man to his knees, Jax maintained his steady grip on her neck. This time, his words were further heated. "I swear to the gods Adriana, if you don't shut your fucking mouth-" Jax's words were lost in his anger, though his meaning was clear as he finally let the wave of pain he had placed over her to abate. Apparently he had changed his mind about talking. "You don't deserve to know the things that go on in my head. Not that I would expect a Greek sympathizer like you to understand anyway." Figuring she'd had a long enough break to recover from the first bout of pain, he did something that she most likely was not expecting. This time, instead of inflicting pain, he drew it away from her. It was a technique he had used many a time, and he was eager to utilize it on the young woman in front of him. He was going to make her pay for her words, for her idiocy, for every moment she had ever dared to so much as look at a Greek and then had the faintest hint of a thought about Theo. For the way she had possibly turned her back on the citizens of New Rome, the ones she was betraying by so much as giving a graceus the time of day. "You don't get to ask questions. That's my job."

Although it was obvious they were driven by anger, Jax's specific words were quite difficult to make out when the daughter of Mars' body was riddled with the sudden surge of raw pain. The grip on her neck seemed harmless then, a mere annoyance compared to the indescribable torment that racked the rest of her being. A few pained gasps and a hissing undertone accompanied the reflexive tightening of her hand around his wrist; however, Adriana managed to bite back a scream for the time being -- in both a literal and figurative sense. As soon as the pain let up, the bitter taste of copper washed over the select portion of her tongue where her teeth had clamped down. It wasn't a serious bite. No doubt it'd sting for a few days, but it hardly seemed worth worrying about when Jax apparently had some far more elaborate tortures planned for her. She used the brief reprieve to attempt catching her breath, then was completely thrown off by the sudden lack of feeling that came over her. Honestly, the sheer uncertainty of the purpose to this numbness scared her in a way more deeply than the infliction of direct pain ever could. At least pain was usually predictable; it's absence, not so much. "Fine then. Do your job," she growled at her interrogator, fixing him with a daring amber glare, "but I'm not going to guarantee any results, so you might want to get a little more creative with your tactics." Adriana was making a real effort to sound strong and fearless, even though they both knew that wasn't the case. If he questioned about the Order, though, about Reyna, she was going to have to harden herself. She'd withhold every secret if she could help it, deny Jax's every request for information. So what if he tortured her as a result? Part of her believed there were reasons she did deserve to be punished, and it wasn't as if she hadn't considered for some time that the Cult would eventually question her loyalty. Her relationship with the Greeks wasn't exactly discreet, and even though she could often find excuses for her lack of distaste, she had a feeling Jax had become rather impervious to her myriad of everyday deceptions. He wasn't about to make this easy-- but neither was she.

For a few moments, Jax simply let Adriana bask in what he assumed was the discomfort of feeling nothing. The closest he himself had ever come to such a thing was undergoing minor anesthesia after a gym accident had occurred during his stint in a mortal high school. He'd always cursed the fact that he was impervious to his abilities and therefore unable to drain his own pain away, but the strange sensation of numbness along his right leg had given him the smallest form of insight of what it was like to be on the receiving end of being pain-free. "Do you miss the ability to feel?" he asked, not really wanting an answer, just wanting to taunt her. "Well, I love to accommodate, but I'm afraid you're going to have to wait a bit longer." Finally, he let loose of her neck and threw her down to the ground, though he hadn't yet lifted the numbing effect he'd put on her, so she most likely didn't feel the hard surface of the ground. His next move was to aim a swift and savage kick into her side. "You won't feel that now, but I can promise you it's gonna hurt like a bitch later." Next, he moved to bring a heavy combat boot down on her hand in a harsh stomp. "Same goes for that." For now, he set her physical pain aside and instead began the more intuitive process of the emotional side of his abilities. "Right. Where to start?" He pushed on the button that existed only in his head, one of many of the keyboard that was his visual representation of places to prod at Adriana's most harmful fears, deep-set insecurities, possible family problems, lost loved ones, really anything that could cause her emotional trauma. There wasn't the slightest idea of what he was pushing at, his abilities didn't grant him that, but often such things revealed themselves. "Let's begin with your time as Centurion shall we? Which of the scummy Greeks was your favorite? And how much did your grandfather punish you when seemed to start taking a shine to them?" Honestly, Jax could only guess at whether or not Adriana had actually developed a tender for the graceus but there were many signs, and he couldn't ignore the feeling of his gut that had been telling him of Adriana's wavering dedication to their cause for many months.

When he asked if she missed the ability to feel, the only answer Adriana gave was a continued glare. There was hardly anything she could do to stop Jax from throwing her to the ground and abusing her as he did. Due to the sideways manner in which he pushed her, she'd at least managed to use her hands as a brace to keep her head from hitting anything, but his kick to her side encouraged a bought of coughing as she found herself laying on her opposite side in a fruitless attempt to recover. "Yeah, no shit," she growled at his comment about how the fresh injuries he'd inflicted would come back to bite her later. She had to admit, it was a genius interrogation tactic, but knowing what it was didn't mean it might not affect her. Only time would tell what happened when he stripped her of her current numbness. Then, all of a sudden, the numbness became the least of her problems. It was like Jax had reached into her mind and started pulling out all the memories she had tried to suppress. It started off with something simple, but impactful, nonetheless -- a flashback of her youth, locked up in her room at the villa. It was one of the abstract combinations of lessons and punishments that Gaius had liked to use, blocking out any natural light from the windows and depriving the room of any artificial illumination in addition, forcing a little Adriana into overcoming her fear of the dark. He would leave her in there for as long as he felt appropriate, even if that meant a full day or two. She was re-living what that had felt like now, fear and panic forcing her eyes shut, subtly shaking hands coming to cover her ears in a pointless effort to block out the sounds of her own crying and screaming. Yet, she could still hear Jax's voice over it all, trying to coax an answer out of her as if giving one would put an end to the memory. Despite the trauma he was stirring in her, however, she held out, even managing to snap her eyes back open so she could defy him, using a bit of her natural rage to burn through the anxiety that aimed to cripple her. "Why do you want to know? So you can torture them next? Sorry, but I'll die before I sell out my friends to the likes of you.”

This entire session had start off with Jax's rage at Adriana having the audacity to even hint at Theodore. Though that anger was still present, Jax was beginning to retain his rationality, and an idea presented itself to him. Hurting Adriana beyond belief was beyond fun, especially when it was done as a form of revenge. But he was so much better than this, so much better than giving a simple beating in return for her stupid words. Would continuing the way he was dishing out pain bring him satisfaction? Probably. But why stop at simple satisfaction when he had just hatched a plan that would bring him a sense of blissful success? Satisfaction was something one felt after a good meal, but the kind of fulfillment this new plan would give him was the absolute feeling of being stuffed after a Thanksgiving dinner. Jax changed gears ever so slightly. "That's not what I want. I'm trying to understand, Adriana." For the first time since he had begun his bashing of her he used her name. "I'm trying to understand why you've decided to love the very Greeks that are responsible for his death. The very ones who are the reason why the person I thought was your best friend, if not more, is no longer alive on this Earth to spend another day by your and my side. I don't want the names of your friends. I want to know why." Again, he pressed another button on his mental switchboard of emotions, one he was hoping was connected to Theo. Intuition guided him, and usually his intuition was right. However, it wasn't full-proof.

Jax had paused ever so briefly, most likely cooking up whatever his next devious move was while Adriana still lacked the strength to defy him. It was during that short period that she adjusted her position, using her uninjured hand and the wall to either side of her to force herself into a seated position. He may not have approved, but all in all, her situation remained unchanged-- her body still numb and her memories and emotions still compromised. Jax's use of her name when he spoke once more elicited her full attention, temporarily giving slight relief in that she was drawn away from the darkness in her mind. But naturally, he threw her straight back in without the faintest touch of mercy. The praetor drew from another part of her mind this time, a much deeper, far less visited portion. Her entire form, breath included, stalled when the first memory popped up, a familiar figure haunting her every attention. It wasn't a sad memory, but a pleasant one. She was teasing Theo, and he responded by simply laughing and teasing her back. He'd always had the upper-hand when it came to sly insults, though his continuously maintained a subtle respect in regards to the daughter of Mars. Then, the vision shifted, and she recalled one of many times she'd visited the Karavadra home, where Theo often invited her to sit by his side when he wanted to show off his musical prowess on the piano. Somehow, Jax's probing enhanced the scene in such a way that Adriana could feel the tears gathering in her eyes throughout the recollection of the beautiful tune. And just as a small smile threatened to break upon her lips, that beauty was harshly torn to shreds as she was made to relive the last moments she shared with the elder brother alive. He'd come so close to admitting his full feelings to her only to dart away into battle before she'd been able to respond. Never had she regretted a goodbye as potently as this one. She had been speechless, unable to act. She'd never told Theo that his feelings were returned, and she'd never get the chance. What was worse-- only he and Jax had ever had the slightest clue about how close they truly were. She'd had absolutely no one to confide in after his loss because had been so shaken himself that he'd abandoned Adriana when she needed him most, effectively shattered the friendship they'd once shared. A strained series of breaths and the staining of some irresistible tears preceded the unsteady answer that she finally gave. "I did hate them at first. For the longest time, I blamed them for his death, for all the pain I thought they’d caused, but that was just it-- I wasn’t thinking straight. I was so angry, so lost, that I couldn’t see it at first. Then, over time, I realized that the Greeks were never the ones at fault. It was Rome that declared war on the Greeks. It was our home, our ancient grudges, and our blind rage that brought us to that battlefield and that is why your brother is no longer standing at our sides.” Although underlined by thin streams of tears, Adriana’s eyes were burning, possessing a hurt and a raw hatred the likes of which she had yet to show to anyone. “I didn’t just ‘decide’ to ‘love’ the Greeks; I just had the common sense to see that the real virus has been hiding in plain sight this whole time. This Cult, all the stubborn, greedy members of the Senate, this notion of ‘purifying’ Rome or whatever the fuck it is-- it’s poisoned our home and recently, it has brought nothing but pain and misery to the people of this city. If your brother was still here, even he’d be able to see it!”

Adriana spoke and Jax listened, though not very actively. However, his skills at facial control shone through as he first molded his features into a wary expression, as if he were actually considering what she was saying. Adriana knew him fairly well, though he hated to admit it, a by-product of her being Theo's best friend. In the recent years though, they'd kept their distance when it came to deeper thoughts and such. Since Theo's death Jax had become even better at keeping secrets, and keeping the inner workings of his mind party to only himself. So perhaps she would believe his next words. Hesitance shone from his face as he retreated a step back from the daughter of Mars. Brow furrowing as if deep in thought, a conflicting range of emotions flew across his face. Fisrt anger, followed by confusion, and finally he settled on something akin to what a lost puppy might look like. "But- but- that doesn't change that they're the ones who were the final blow. The reason why- why we're left here without-." Theo's name didn't come this time, as he couldn't bring himself to speak it once more. The first time had been soul-shattering enough. The tones of his voice were now a far cry from the harsh rhythms and patterns Jax had been speaking earlier, and he slowly sank to the ground. Finally, he was at Adriana's level and he slowly brought his gaze to hers. Something close to an apology lay there, along with what a want to go on believing what he had about Theo and the Greeks, but the appearance of now knowing that such a belief was wrong. Releasing a fraction of his abilities, he allowed Adriana to have her own ability to feel back. Enough to register the beginnings of pain, but not enough to fully unleash the extent of the physical damage he'd done to her, as had been his original plan.

It was true that Adriana knew Jax quite well-- or, at least, she had. The distance they'd forged between one another in recent years had made it admittedly harder to predict his intentions and behavior, especially considering how deeply the loss of his brother had affected him. Part of her wanted to doubt that the jumble of emotions that flashed across his face were false, that it was yet another part of a complex hell he'd designed for her. But in the moment, after the memories his powers had brought back and the raw emotion he had breached in her, she was completely susceptible to his ruse. What she heard was a hesitance to let go of a long held grudge against the Greeks, though when he fell to her level, she thought she saw an indication that her words had gotten through to him, in part, even if he was still unable to speak Theodore's name. The revival of feeling took her by surprise, causing a brief gasp as she began to register the damage to her side and hand. It further fueled the tears that were already burning in her eyes, yet she had glimpsed the faint apology in the son of Discordia's eyes and as such had mustered the will to do something it we was doubtful he expected of her. Among the tears and stiff breaths, she'd come to pull him into a wary embrace, her arms folded over his shoulders and around his neck in both an offer and need of comfort. "Why didn't you ever tell me? We could've talked about this earlier-- We should've been there for each other, but all we've done is fight... And it never stops hurting. Not completely. Gods, Jax. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. --How did it ever come to this?"

One moment Jax was inflicting terrible amounts of pain on her, and the next...Adriana was hugging him. The initial instinct to pull away was hard to quell. He didn't like being touched if it wasn't by Jordan or he hadn't initiated it, and the fact that it was Adriana just made it...weird. Still, he managed to relax his stature after a brief moment, putting his arm carefully around the uninjured side of her waist. "We fucked up, Adri. I fucked up." The weak words were much quieter than any Jax had spoken so far as he let her embrace commence. Gingerly, he tried to support some of her weight, no doubt she would be hurting after their little conversation. "Let's get you to the infirmary," he stated before trying to shuffle her along. There was silence for a moment as Jax thoroughly looked the part of a defeated man, but finally he broke the silence and said something he rarely said. He wasn't even certain he had ever said the phrase to Adriana. "I'm sorry, Adri. Gods above, I'm sorry."

#casual way this all happened before the event #tw: violence #tw:torture #tw:serious injury #c:Adriana #chatzy #chatzy:Hoedown Throwdown

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