Morning Coffee And Sweet Surprises (Closed to Poprockz)

[Drobabes]

"Damaris... is your sister right? Did you guys live on a farm?"

The burly man let him go, if a little reluctantly. If Sabastian had showed any interest in relieving some of his sexual tension Vin would have been more than happy to oblige him. On his own terms, of course, as he had not forgotten about their little agreement. But he was a soft dom, and rules could be bent to their will as needed. Especially so considering that they had not had hardly a moments rest to sit and talk about the more sexual aspects of their relationship. Delvin had merely been testing the waters so far, feeling his partner out and being pleasantly surprised to find his partner seemed to be a naturally submissive lover. But just because they had both comfortably fallen into their roles very quickly, and passionately, did not take away the need for negotiations and clarifications. Eventually, Vin would have to poke and prod his little man to further his own knowledge on where Sabastian's boundaries lay and which one's his partner felt comfortable exploring and pushing. And Vin, too, needed an opportunity to further communicate his own wants, desires, and lines not to cross. It was a conversation that could wait, but he hoped for the day they might be able to have it. Until then...he would have to control himself. Bu it didn't stop those brown eyes, soft as warm chocolate in the cloudy morning light, from staring hungrily for a moment at Bastian's smooth and slender legs as the robe gave him a little peak of his sexy lover.

"Yea, my older sister" he answered, gratefully taking the offered hands and standing with care. The muscles in his arms tensed and bulged, choosing to use the only part of his body that was not extremely sore in order to stand. And once he was up, he was able to walk, with a bit of a limp, towards the closet to see if there was anything that might fit him.

"It wasn't a farm to start, but once Momma passed and Damaris decided to take the property, she went ahead and turned it into a pretty self sufficient piece of land" he said as he shuffled through the hangers, taking his time to look at the clothing.

"Momma's second husband got her a beautiful thoroughbred as a wedding gift, something she had always wanted but never could afford it having to feed us, and from there the collection grew a bit more. It was easy enough to have a couple horses-it's a sixty acre property, and then she decided to get a couple meat pigs, some chickens and ducks, a few goats, and a dairy cow. I went off on my own for a while, but Demmy loves the farm life and if wasn't hard for her to keep up the work when they passed. Me and Lizzy would come home a couple times a year to help build a new shed, or fix up the stalls. Basically anything that needed a little more work than what Damaris could handle on her own."

Picking out a looser brown shirt, because he knew it was going to hurt getting it over his shoulders, Vin then started to look for a pair of pants that would fit and hopefully have a bit of give for the bruises that he knew were starting to poka-dot his body. He went a bit quiet then. Not an uncomfortable silence, but just a pause to give Sabastian a chance to speak and for his lungs to catch a breath, a sharp pain pinching with almost every word.
____________________________

Both of the siblings were taken back as Sayori suddenly showed a side of herself that neither of them had seen yet. While Quint stood like a deer, suddenly frozen and unsure, Cora stepped back and leaned against the wall, simply holding the box of supplies as her, now wide, eyes watched the brave little women lay into her brother. In in a few sentences, Sayori managed to sum up feelings and arguments that Cora herself had tried and failed to express for years to Quinton.

"We’re not against you, we’re more with you than you know...but I think you just see it as an okay risk as long as it’s just you who suffers."

He hadn't really known what to do when she first refused his case, suddenly unsure on his feet and unable to come up with the words he needed to keep her out of danger. And it was only made all the more difficult when she not just peeled back his layers, but full on pulled his protective armor off to touch the beating heart beneath.

Quint was not conscious of when Bowie had escaped to his shoulders, but somehow his hands had become free. Now, with eyes suddenly moist with tears that refused to fall, those same hands placed themselves softly on her tender body. One on her wrist, where she was holding his shoulder, and the other, after just a moment of hesitating, on her warm cheek.

"I know you're not" he said, keeping the volume of his voice much lower. He then tried to smile, but it faltered.

"It's the reason you are so precious to me. Sayori...I can't let you waste your life because you happened to stumble into ours. Because you got in the line of fire and took a bullet. Please" he almost whispered, those damn tears right on the brink.

"Let me get you off this battlefield. You don't have to die here with us. You have a life that you got to start, and you have a chance to finish, and make it a happy one again. We're" he said, glancing up for a just a brief glance at his sister.

"Just now learning how to glue the pieces of ourselves back together. We're broken, Sayori" he said, his brows suddenly furrowing and his gaze becoming intense. Yes, they had gone through some shit together. Some really fucked up, traumatic shit. But Quint knew they were almost out of it and he knew that soon, this precious little jewel would have to spread her wings and fly away from him. Fly out of the burnt and pillaged landscape that was the twins lives. It was what she needed-to be free, and find a place with sunlight and grass. A chance at happiness.

"Don't waste the life you were given Sayori. I'm not going to let you do that. Not for me."

 

[Poprockz]

After having helped Vin up, he too searched in the closet for something for himself to wear as he listened.

"Wow, she sounds like a badass," Sabastian commented appreciatively. One might assume that farm life was conducted by boring people who were backwards country folk, but if it was anything like gardening then he knew it took quiet dedication to do. The fact that she was able to manage all of that by herself was impressive, though he wondered what she would do now that there weren't any feed stores or veterinarians available at the moment. He assumed she could diagnose small things and treat appropriately, but sometimes nasty things liked to happen to animals when it was least convenient.

"I'm an only child, so it's always cool to hear people talk about their siblings. Like I bet it's super annoying but super nice at the same time." He flashed Vin a grin and picked up a pair of skinny jeans and a long-sleeved black sweatshirt. "Does she ever drive you nuts or do you guys get along well?"

---------------------------

Throughout his speech, she quietly listened. Though she wanted to close her eyes and lean into the hand on her cheek, the woman instead continued to look straight into his eyes. His words were heartfelt and sweet, but she didn't like that he was effectively pushing her away while putting himself down. It was evident that he cared for her deeply; she had no doubts that if he had his way, she would be tucked away in a little box until everything was said and done.

Part of her couldn't blame him. In the face of Kuznet and his men, Sayori had displayed nothing but cowardice from the start. She had trembled upon seeing them, done everything they asked for in hopes of avoiding punishment. The only defiant thing she had done to her knowledge was to see Quint in the shed, and that was only because she was piggy-backing off of Cora's bravery. He probably thought of that moment sometimes when she had begged for a reason to go on in that big bed in the basement, when she was so low that he was the only thread she could cling to in order to stay alive. How was he supposed to trust that she would be okay when he had seen her at her very weakest?

She leaned forward almost as though she was going to kiss him on the mouth, turning her head and instead pressing her sweet lips against his cheek. They lingered, perhaps just a second more than necessary before she drew back with a more vulnerable look in her eyes.

"I'm on this battlefield whether I like it or not, until Kuznet is dead. You have done little but protect me the entire time we have known each other. You cleaned me up on my first day and sealed my cuts; you cut off your tentacle; you saved me the night Niles came; you gave me your hand every time I felt like dying was the better than living in that hell." It felt uncomfortable to say it out loud, but it was necessary. "I wish I could have done the same for you, but I couldn't even-" Sayori turned her head and tried to regain her composure.

She couldn't even protect him from herself.

He would find her turning back to him; her own eyes were watering now, but her gaze became sharp once more, defiant. “So don’t you dare talk to me about “wasting my life.” If there is anyone I would want to waste my life on- it’s you. You may be broken, but I'll hold those pieces even if my hands bleed because it's MY choice." The woman's voice broke and she blinked, swallowing down the lump in her throat. Her words would not be denied though, her grip tightening on his shoulders. "I'm free now, and I won't have anyone telling me how to live my life. Hanako is dead. I’ll never see my family again. You're all the family I have now. So even when this is all over, I’m not going anywhere because I won't be happy without you there too. I don't need you to be whole, I need you to be Quint."

Cora had faded into the background for her at this point, her words meant for Quint specifically. While she liked his sister and they even shared a trauma bond, it wasn't the same.

 

[Drobabes]

He couldn't help but smirk, feeling appreciative that Bastian called his sister a badass. It was a pretty accurate description and he hadn't even met the women yet. But even though Sabastian had had the opportunity to live a life of wealth and luxury, Delvin remembered that his little lover was anything but spoiled and the money had not gone to his head. Bastian's charisma and sweet heart shined through brightly with everyday Vin was blessed to be near him, and despite everything, he still felt more fulfilled than he had ever previously been. Perhaps, at one time, he had come close to that feeling. But that marriage had ended and Delvin had just as much a hand in that as his partner at the time, though it was maybe the first time he had acknowledged that end of it since signing the papers.

"Does she ever drive you nuts or do you guys get along well?"

It was interesting to know he was an only child. They had had so little time to explore these questions about each other, so if Bastian had told him before then surely Vin had forgot. It didn't change his feelings towards the little man, but with a little morbid humor, Delvin supposed it might be easier for his lover. To not have lost, or still possibly lose, people that he loved.

"Oh we drive each other crazy" he said with a laugh.

"Honestly, we have a bit of a nuclear relationship. We're always either all good, or all bad. Been a problem since we were kids and we've never been able to work through it, but that's alright" he shrugged.

"No matter how much it might look like we want to throw the other one over a cliff, we know we got each others backs" he said, smiling, and then making his way over to the bed to sit and try to figure out how he was going to change his clothes in the least painful way possible.

"I think she's going to like you, though."

Looking up, he gave Sabastian a charming smirk.

"You'll probably bite back with a tongue more sour than hers, and I'm willing to lay down a pretty good bet she'll laugh her ass off at your spunk."
_____________________

Cora watched them both for just a few seconds more. She sensed, though, that they might need a moment to simply be together without prying eyes. So, as inconspicuously as she was able, she sat the box down on the ground and snuck off to the bathroom...

So vulnerable was he in that moment, that Quint might not have had the will to turn her sweet lips away if she had decided to kiss him. It would have changed everything between them, once more, but so caught up in his own drowning emotions, the half zombie might not have even regretted it. At least, for a few moments until his senses came crashing back to him.

The warmth against his cheek saved him from having to make a choice, but it was no easier when she lingered there against his slightly scruffy skin. Instead of giving into the urge to turn his nose towards hers, seek her out in desperation and affection, he simply shut his eyes tight and let a few of the tears spill over. His hands moved down to her sides, unconscious in how easily they touched and held her soft frame. And it was only when she started to speak again that he opened his eyes to meet her gaze.

"I'm on this battlefield whether I like it or not, until Kuznet is dead. You have done little but protect me the entire time we have known each other."

While she wasn't wrong, he knew too that he could protect her. He could, indeed, lock her up in a little box and tuck her away to keep her safe. And he would do it. He would do it because it was the right thing to do, not because he was selfish and didn't want to walk this life alone. Because she was right about one thing-this would not be over until Kuznet was dead. For good. This time, Quint planned to make sure that there was no way the evil son-of'a bitch could survive...even if that meant he had to go down with him...

Quint voiced none of this though, simply looking into her soft eyes as she looked away and recognizing that she wouldn't back down. So, he would let her win this round, and think that they would be together until this was over. And he would divulge in that fantasy himself for a while longer as well. Until the time came where he would have to break her trust.

"Hanako is dead. I’ll never see my family again. You're all the family I have now. So even when this is all over, I’m not going anywhere because I won't be happy without you there too."

He smiled gently, reached up to wipe her tears away, and then took her into his arms and held her close to his chest. For a long moment he just held her close, his cheek coming down to rest on her soft scalp as he took a moment to compose himself.

"It's alright Sayori. I promise when this is over, you're going to be happy."

His arms tightened against her back for a moment, and his hands almost tricked himself into thinking they could hold her forever against his heart.

"I swear I'll get you there, and you can stay with me until we find that road."

Until I have to go.

 

[Poprockz]

“Hey, it’s not like I’m going to give her sass for no- “ Sabastian looked over his shoulder with a deeply worried look that had a touch of confusion about it. He was sure he was feeling Quint, but what he felt was very, very painful. It felt like his heart was a lemon and someone was trying to juice it. Oddly enough, it felt a lot like how he felt when he had left the group.

“Sorry…” he said, distractedly. “It feels like Quint is going through some shit. It’s weird, it’s like… it feels like a familiar feeling.” He was quiet for a moment before shaking his head, “I’ll have to keep an eye on him. I don’t like it.”

————

“I trust you,” she whispered, no doubt in her mind that he would fulfill his promise. He was the one person in this world she knew she could rely on, the person who had earned every ounce of her faith.

She turned her face up to him, her long lashes still wet with tears.

“So no risky plans with our sketchy host. Let’s work together to grab the rich bitch and go.” She thought about it for moment and sighed, “as much as I hate the idea, you might be able to get her to let you see him if you offer to heal up his hand. That way you don’t have to sleep with her, and we get an opportunity to get more information.”

 

[Drobabes]

Vin froze just a mere fraction of a second after Sabastian stopped talking, and for a tense moment, didn't even dare to breath.

"Sorry…It feels like Quint is going through some shit."

Quietly, he let out the breath he had been holding. He had thought for sure that the trap had sprung, and they were going to have to make a break for the balcony and to freedom. But while he was relieved to hear it was nothing serious, Delvin couldn't help the small twinge of annoyance that pricked beneath his normally calm demeanor.

Vin could be pretty oblivious towards his own self, but when it came to comfort-or lack thereof, of his partner, he was pretty tuned in. It hadn't gone unnoticed each time that Sabastian's eyes had wondered distractedly when the the other half zombie had been feeling something particularly strong and on a certain level, the big guy was a bit miffed that their little moment of normalcy had been interrupted.

Just as quickly as it came though, it dashed away on the wind. He didn't know Quint that well. In fact, he honestly felt a bit uncomfortable around the guy. But, that was still Cora's brother, and they all loved Cora, so therefore he couldn't help but feel a tribal need to protect and care about Quint as well.

"It's alright. I'm sorry it shook you up. I can't even imagine what those two must be going through that their not telling us..." he said, trailing off a bit. Finishing that thought seemed to suddenly be too burdensome to bare, so with a bit more focus, Vin started taking the task at hand more seriously, trying his best to get their morning clothes on and, unfortunately, get ready to face the day ahead of them.

____________________________

His eyes watered a bit more at her strong conviction and faith in him, so he quickly reached up to it away before she could see.

"...you might be able to get her to let you see him if you offer to heal up his hand..."

Quint was quiet for a beat as he looked down into her eyes. He then reached up to gently wipe her own tears away as he spoke.

"You know what, that's not a bad idea. Not a bad idea at all."

He smiled, but it wasn't until he heard the bathroom door opening that he realized he still had a hand on Sayori's hip. With a little awkwardness, he quickly pulled it away and made a beeline for the closet. Pulling out the first shirt that he thought would fit him, asked,

"What did she give you Cory?"

"I'm not sure..." she said, walking over and stooping down to take a look inside.

"Oh" she said, just a tad surprised.

"It's a bunch of costume and disguise type stuff. Colored contacts, movie make-up for covering tattoos, fake tattoos, hair dye, wigs...a bunch of stuff in here. Sayori, you want to come look? We might be able to finish disguising ourselves with this..."

 

[Poprockz]

"It's okay," Sabastian answered, mustering his smile back on his face. "We'll be there when he does something stupid."

With that, he went to his lover and did what he could to help him dress, letting him dictate whether he helped at all or not. He knew Vin's ribs probably didn't like him bending over or reaching up, so he wanted to be as available as possible.

-------------

Sayori walked over to her, glad for a distraction. She had felt a flutter in her chest from Quint's soft fingers on her cheek, and she was afraid of what would happen if she stayed that close to him for too long.

The box had an impressive selection, truly something for everyone. Her eyes were drawn to the fake tattoos, holding a few of the strips in her hands and looking them over. While her skin had white stripes from Niles' whip, she didn't have anything on her body that she had chosen. She figured it might actually be nice to try out some ink.

"What do you think? Should I do a face tattoo?" She held up one with skulls against her cheek with a fake-dour expression.

 

[Drobabes]

Ooc Edit: Vin's outfit-going to edit it in properly later, just can't get it to work on mobile right now.




He accepted the help gratefully, knowing it would have taken him much longer if he were to dress on his own, and with considerably more pain. Once they were done, he went to the bathroom to get a look at himself in the mirror. Just before he went in, he stopped by the closet one more time, looked briefly, then grabbed a hat from the top.

Taking a quick glance in the mirror, he cringed a bit at the now unfamiliar face before him. His ear was bandaged up, but his, albeit clean, hair was a choppy mess. Putting the hat on, he was pleased to see that it covered a majority of the mess, though what was left on his sides was still very unruly. He started to look around the bathroom for an electric clipper, didn't immediately find one within sight, so instead resigned himself to simply wearing the hat and took a more proper look at himself.

It wasn't his usual style at all, but it covered his tattoos well and it would keep him warm. And while he didn't feel quite himself in such expensive articles, there was no denying that the material was high quality and felt good on his skin.

"I look like I stuck my nose up a politicians ass" he grumbled, then sighed.

"Oh well. Ready to head out?"
__________

She managed a half hearted smile for the young women, but shook her head gently.

"Maybe not on the face. Or at least, not a skull."

A beat passed between them, and then abruptly she turned her eyes to the tattoos and seemed to purposely put her shoulders back a bit.

"Ahem, what about this one?" She asked, her voice a bit lighter, as if she were trying to force herself into a better mindset despite the circumstances, as she pointed at a small black inked Lilly.

"And maybe on your collar bone? That way it's just peaking out enough for someone to take notice."

While she had been in the bathroom giving them a moment of privacy, Cora herself was taking that time to try and get herself together as well. She was angry, distraught, and a nervous mess without Damien by her side. But she also new that if she couldn't get it together then she would only add to the problem and possibly mess things up.

Sayori's suggestion was an excellent one in her opinion, but she doubted she would be allowed to go with Quint if she asked to see him. At least maybe not then. Perhaps Angelique could be p
ersuaded later, though.

 

[Poprockz]

"I'd love to be that politician..." Sabastian said quietly with a little smile, pretending nothing had been said as he headed into the hall. As far as he was concerned, Vin looked handsome in any wardrobe. That being said, there was something interesting about seeing him in something that looked completely opposite of his typical style.

Walking to the other door, he knocked a couple times, glancing at Prochette sitting at the end of the hall and giving Vin a look that said, 'what the fuck is that weirdo doing?'

"Hey guys, it's me!"

Sayori had just been about to tell Cora that she really liked that suggestion when there was knock at the door and the sound of Sabastian's voice. She scuttled over to the door and opened it, letting the two of them in.

 

[Drobabes]

Delvin turned his head as Sabastian walked by, his lips forming into a little grin as he followed his lover into the hall. If there wasn't a pretty good chance of it turning into a coughing fit and ruining it, Vin might have pulled Bastion back into the doorway for a brief moment to give a little predatory growl into his ear.

He looked over at Prochette briefly as well and just gave Bastion a little shrug from his good shoulder. Vin wasn't sure what she was doing either, but he was wary.

Cora made some room for them, taking the box of supplies over to the bed so that they were not all standing near the doorway. Quint came out of the bathroom, having been splashing some water on his face, and briefly greeted them before heading to the closet to see if he could find something fresh to wear that would fit him well enough. He saw that Delvin had changed his clothes as well and thought it might not be a bad idea to try and dress down a little. His usual style for himself was often a mixture of high quality, but unique, never really being one to enjoy just a simple suit and tie.

"Prochette gave us a box of costume supplies" Cora said, looking down at Sabastian as she held up a little box of some brown colored contacts.

"But there's some pretty high quality stuff in here. I think we could finish disguising ourselves."

 

[Poprockz]

Sabastian nodded, "yeah, that sounds good. I think it'd be nice to walk around feeling like an average Joe for once." He took a pair of the brown contacts and studied them before taking them out and very carefully putting them on his eyes.

"Fuck, that's weird," he cringed, having never needed glasses or contacts before. After a few blinks though, it seemed to settle and he looked at Vin. The husky-eyed man was mis-matched no more, each of his eyes a deep chocolaty brown.

Sayori marveled at the change, though she didn't think she wanted contacts herself. Instead, she took the tattoo Cora had suggested and went into the bathroom to get it wet for the application.

 

[Drobabes]

Quint came out of the bathroom with a towel in his hand, of which he was using to wipe his face dry after having splashed some water on it. He glanced at Sabastian, gave a little "hmm" and then looked around in the box as well. After a moment of digging, he pulled out some contacts that were a much darker shade of brown, and a box of natural black hair dye. His hair was already arguably dark, but in the light of day it was clearly a deep brunette. A slight tweak should put him at just enough of an advantage. With it, he went into the battle to do a very quick dye and wash while Sayori applied her tattoo. Instead of crowding around near the sink, he went over to the shower and just stuck his head under the warm stream to wet his hair.

In the other room, Delvin gave Sabastian a little smile and nod.

"Not bad. You almost look like a whole new man. Did you want to dye your hair too?"

Behind the group, Bowie sat in a bill curled up ball, his little tongue flicking in quick, curious licks. His people seemed to be shedding their old skin and changing into different coats and scales. He felt an urge to join in, but the chemicals from the stinky box where somewhat offensive to his nose, so he didn't think he could slither up and pick something out... But maybe...

"Bowie?" Cora said, noticing him heading for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"He's just going to hunt, Cory" Quint answered, stepping back into the room and making a beeline for the balcony. There were tears in his eyes, and his voice sounded a bit funny as he held his nose shut against the harsh smell of the dye.

"He said he won't be too long."

Cora blinked, watching him go and wondering how the heck the had the balls to put on hair dye knowing how sensitive their noses were. She briefly wondered why he could handle that, but Sabastian had not been able to handle the perfume in the mall? Then again, that perfume had left her own normal nose stinging, and her eyes in tears. So maybe those bottles had been made of much more concentrated stuff.

"Alright...i just hope he's safe."

 

[Poprockz]

Quint was not given much shit about the smell of the hair dye, as Sabastian had asked for more of his goop for Vin and was grateful. He could tell that it wasn't particularly delicious or even appetizing, but he made sure that Vin drank every single drop. It helped that they mixed it with water to help him keep it down. He decided to dye his own hair as well, only he opted for light-brown hair.

Sayori completed her tattoo, and decided that some hair dying might be fun as well. At that point, the zombies retreated to the other room, as the smell was simply becoming too much even with the balcony doors open. She opted to keep her roots brown but dye the rest of her hair a caramel color. She didn't bother changing her eyes, keeping them as they were.

At one point during all of this, they had a few "room service" deliveries from Prochette. After about two hours, the zombie had assumed that they would not in fact be coming down to partake in the breakfast, so she had brought it to them. Though they had eaten luxuriously with Angelique, their breakfast wasn't as opulent. It was crispy breakfast potatoes with strawberries and sausages. It was still very delicious, of course, but it seemed as though Angelique wasn't one to spoil her guests when there could be food shortages down the line. She also brought them lunch which was grilled cheese and tomato soup.

When Bowie finally came back, he almost made Sayori scream when she had opened the door. The woman had squeaked and leapt back, shutting herself out on the balcony. He was black now, with a long white stripe down his back. And he stank. Badly. Very badly. Extremely badly. The two zombie boys were absolutely gobsmacked by how terrible the snake now smelled, as though he had been sprayed right in the face by a skunk. Sabastian actually ran to the balcony, leaned over it, and promptly lost his lunch.

Once Bowie was recognized for who he was, Sayori had come back in, the group marveling at his new colors.

Hours passed, and at last it was time for Quint to make his move. Well, kind of. They had spent so much time in the room that it seemed their host had become impatient. Nathaniel came to the door, with a stately knock, asking if Quint would please kindly follow him to see the Mistress of the place. Once he agreed, he was led away. They went up the elevator to the second-highest floor, yet another sitting room having awaited him. This one was decorated with cream colors and accents of gold, their illustrious host sitting a wing-back chair with her legs crossed and a nice cup of tea in her hands.

There was a cup for Quint too, the tea not smelling to be drugged at all. It was simply chamomile tea, with sugar and cream on the side if he so chose.

She was dressed in a red dress with a very deep V line, obviously for Quint's benefit.

She bade him have a seat and then started the conversation.

"I'm sorry for being impatient. I was just so excited to... get to know you better." The woman took a sip of her tea, eyeing him as though she was a cougar in a tree, deciding when she wanted to pounce on an unsuspecting hiker.

 

[Drobabes]

Throughout their time spent changing their appearance, Cora was careful to keep herself busy. She had slept fitfully the night prior, convinced that at any moment during the dark of the night, one of Rays men could show up to escort Damien away. She knew that practically speaking, he would likely send something like a private chopper to cover the distance quickly, and that she would be able to hear it. However, there was also the possibility that whoever was most likely tailing them-because he would have sent someone out to start following them almost immediately, was just as likely to be able to arrest her lover and lead him away. The chances of this were slim but not impossible, and it had caused her to restlessly slide off the edge of her bed multiple times throughout the night in order to go to the balcony and lean over the edge, searching uselessly with her mere human eyes.

She was preparing everyone a bit of coffee in the small complimentary pot that was in their room, when Bowie had come sliding under the door. Like the rest, she was also taken aback by the strong reek of the smell, and she had made sure to immediately turn on the fans and try to air the room out. After that, she had requested a skunk spray or soap from Prochette during their room service visit. When it had arrived, however, Bowie was nowhere to be found.

He was somehow able to block out Sabastian and Quint from sensing where he was at, so she had had to search the room diligently for almost forty minutes before she found him stuffed in the back of their bedside desk drawers, between where the drawers themselves slid out, and the small two inch gap at the back. And, much like a cat, she couldn't understand how he had managed to get his chunky body back there without getting squished.

"Bowie, unless you can turn that smell off, you're getting a bath."

The snake had hissed and rattled his tail, tapping it rapidly against the wood and making the whole desk vibrate, but his mother had been unconvinced of his bluffing and reached in with bare hands to wrestle him out of there. She managed to get a good grip on his neck, holding him firmly to but gently, and then pulling out his big body with her other hand. But at the last minute, the reptile wrapped the end of his tail around the frame and began to drag the whole desk with them.

"David Bowie, you let go of that desk! Right, now" she growled. Immediately the snake relented, pulling his tail out with quick speed, but managing to slap her thigh with it on the way out. Cora didn't even flinch, and together the two of them went into the bathroom, where she slammed the door shut with her foot.

The next several moments were full of chaos. There was a few seconds of quiet, then a hiss from the reptile that sounded closer to the whine of a dog, and then Cora was growling once more for the snake to sit calmly and soak in the water. Then there was a great splashing of water and Cora could be heard above the noise shouting the snakes name several times while telling him to knock it off, and then, finally, peace and quiet. After a few seconds more, the much more pleasant sounds of soft water trickling from a cup could be heard, and Cora's soft, deeper voice, wafted beneath the door and she softly hummed to the tune of Come Back Home . Some of the lyrics she sang out loud, with every other line or so, but they were soft and slow like a melody.

...

Though the smell was greatly reduced after the bath, there was still just the slightest pungent that made it difficult for any of the party to want to be near the reptile. Vin seemed to be the only one who didn't mind Bowie's foul deterrent, and together they sat on the balcony with a blanket wrapped around them to keep warm. The big man was currently petting the snoozing reptile in his lap while he stared out at the storm, letting his mind wander as the rest of them talked, Cora having started the conversation.

"I know she told us to enjoy the resort, but I don't feel comfortable leaving this room" she said, a few moments after Quint had left. What if Angelique was purposefully trying to separate them? It seemed a bit unnecessary, as she was sure if their host wanted to, she could likely just lock them all up. But at the same time, she just couldn't sit in the lavish comfort of the hotel. It felt too good to be true in a material sense, and she especially now did not trust her heroic tale of saving the resort guests after finding out she was working with Kuznet in some capacity.
___________________________

Despite having stayed inside, it seems the mistress of the manor could be avoided no longer. As he was escorted away, Quint began to mentally prepare himself.

When they entered the room, Quint made sure to slow his step and let his eyes wander her form appreciatively. Once he had seemed to have his fill, he let them slowly pander back up to her own eyes and gave her a deceitfully hungry smile as he sat and took the cup in his hands. He made himself comfortable and took a sip first, then decided to add a little sugar but skip the cream. His body craved the rich proteins and fat of the animal byproduct, but they had been well fed last night, so his psyche rebelled against the thought of taking in any more animal flesh than was necessary.

"That's quite alright" he said, letting his back sink into the plush seating.

"I apologize for keeping you waiting. I'm just...a bit weary, after the trip we've had."

Running from a dictatorial warlord was no picnic, so Quint did nothing to hide that from his eyes.

 

[Poprockz]

"If you want, I could go out and explore stuff. If she's trying to maintain the image of "the best host" then I don't think she'll come out guns blazing as long as we're around other people." Sabastian shrugged.

----------------------

"I can only imagine," Angelique replied, taking a sip and giving him a sympathetic smile. "I suppose it's a good thing you ended up here though- resorts are for the express purpose of easing weariness, are they not? I'm quite skilled at massage myself if you need to be loosened up." Extra emphasis was added to the last words, a black, inky tentacle coming out of a hole on the side of her dress to delicately grab a cube of sugar and deposit it into her coffee without her shifting an inch. It seemed her clothes had been tailored to allow the tentacles to come out without ripping the fabric, holes having been made with cloth curtains covering them.

 

[Drobabes]

She looked at him, biting her lip for a moment before bringing her coffee up to her lips. It wasn't a bad idea, but the thought of any of them getting separated, even just momentarily, made her a bit dizzy with worry. Delvin seemed to mirror that thought, as he piped up from outside.

"I don't think it's a good idea to get separated from each other. At least our track record seems to reflect that."
__________

Honestly, the offer of a massage did sound pretty good, but he knew what it would lead to. And Quint was going to avoid that at all costs.

"I might take you up on that offer" he answered, giving a soft curve of his lips before taking a longer sip of his tea, then setting the cup down and clearing his throat.

"Only I feel like it's a bit early in the night for that. Oh don't worry, I'm very interested to find out how soft your fingers would be against my skin" his voice soothed.

"But I'm just as interested to get to know our most gracious host, and maybe, trade a bit of knowledge" he said, letting two of his own tentacles come out to play as weaved under his shirt and casually crossed over his stomach, resting just beneath his crossed hands. The color of her own was concerning, but nothing he would worry about at the moment. He still had very little knowledge of why they all seemed to have such unique colors and shades.

"You had asked me before what my abilities were. I apologize for not being completely up front with you, but I'm sure you can understand why I might not want to show my hand just yet until we were a bit more acquainted. That being said, if I can see a bit of proof that you're resort is as safe as you seem to imply...then I would love to show you a first hand demonstration of exactly what this" he said, pausing to bring one tentacle to the tip of his finger and let just a drop of his healing goop leak out onto his skin.

"Can do."

As he waited to see if she would take him up on that offer, he casually rubbed away the sticky substance between his thumb and index finger, then picked his tea back up to finish what was left in his cup.

 

[Poprockz]

Sabastian took note of Vin’s comment and redirected his attention back to Cora and scoffed, “so you don’t want me going out alone, but you don’t want to come with me?” He raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms, “Soooo, that doesn’t really get us anywhere, you know that, right?”

Nearby, Sayori sipped on a hot chocolate and frowned, “I would like to put my vote toward staying in the room until Quint’s back. He may have found Damien and then we won’t need to poke around.”

———

Her body went tense with excitement, though she didn't make a move. She was obviously more focused on whether or not he could heal than whether she could fuck him.

"Proof, you say? I'm not sure what sort of proof you're looking for," Angelique's amused voice responded. "Nowhere is truly safe these days, and I am no exception. That's part of the reason why I gifted you some supplies to change your appearance. I'm sure I don't have to say that your mere presence puts everyone in this resort at risk. Regardless of how the world has fallen, the fact remains that a General still has power: influence, weapons, control of the narrative."

"If I'm being honest, I considered wrapping you up and ferrying you to his doorstep along with Damien." Her head tilted to the side slightly, "but somehow, I get the feeling you wouldn't deserve that fate. You can try to convince me that you work for him all you like, but I doubt he would call his employee his pet with such a scary look in his eye." She had metaphorically laid one of her cards on the table, her red lips in a small smile while her eyes remained fixed on him.

 

[Drobabes]

Cora pinched her brows in annoyance for a few seconds before suddenly sticking her tongue out at Sabastian and blowing him a small raspberry, her cup poised just beneath her chin. She then took another anxious sip before answering him.

"I didn't mean to say I wouldn't go out with you...but yea, I know" she frowned, sighing and looking towards the door once more.

"I would like to put my vote toward staying in the room until Quint’s back..."

"That's probably the smartest thing to do..." she said, trailing off without finishing. What if her brother didn't come back? She did not want to repeat another incident like with that crazy preacher.

No, she thought stubbornly, closing her eyes for a moment to get her worries under control. Sabastian was right, the way she was acting right now wasn't going to get them anywhere. She needed to be calmer, more collected. Opening them back up, she finished her mug and turned to the sink to rinse it and get a cup of water this time before turning back to them.

"Did you get a chance to look out the balcony much Sabastian? I hate to have to do it, but if we needed a quick escape...I would rather be prepared this time then not."
___________

She had tensed. It was a good sign; he had her interest at the very least. Now it was just a matter of moving his pieces with precision.

"You can try to convince me that you work for him all you like, but I doubt he would call his employee his pet with such a scary look in his eye."

A little smirk over his tea cup, his eyes gleaming with just a tease of mischief as if to say, 'you got me!'. But really, this was good. This was really good. The fact that she knew he was something 'precious' to the general meant that she knew how dangerous it was to keep said treasure from Kuznet. And he was going to call her out on it.

"So why didn't you? Ferry me off, that is."

He sat his now finished tea down, but kept his eyes locked with Angelique's, that little smile still on his face.

"You have a pretty good chunk of resources here, not to mention people who are relying on you for a safe haven. You're completely right in that I know, exactly, how much risk it is to have me here. But I doubt that not wanting to see me get tossed to the wolf is the real reason you would risk all of this. I also don't think that you would even attempt it if you weren't confident that you could keep me off of his radar."

He sat back and made himself comfortable. Not quite sprawling out in his seat, because that might come across as being a little cocky, but just relaxed enough to let Angelique know that he wasn't shook up by what they were discussing.

"I don't lie, Angelique. Twist the truth a bit here and there, sure, but I didn't lie to you. I do work for him, but as you likely already picked up on, it's not voluntary. I've got an invisible collar. Leash. And it's a pretty short one too. He never lets his pets go very far."

He took a slow look around the room for a moment before bringing his attention back to her.

"It seems like we might both be in a bit of a pickle here. You, taking a risk by even having me here. Me, taking a risk by staying. So as far as proof...I just need to see what it is, exactly, that makes you think The General won't sniff me out here. Because this" he said, gesturing at the colored contacts and his dyed hair.

"We both know isn't enough to throw him off the trail for long."

 

[Poprockz]

Sabastian shrugged, "when I was barfing up a storm? Actually, yes. I could carry you all down the balconies. It'd be one hell of a ride for you guys, but I think I could do it. I could see what looked like an orchard, a garden, and some other stuff. This place is big. Like humongous."

Sayori tried to resist the urge to snicker into her own hot drink.

---------------------------

His speech had her tentacles having coming out to twitch with excitement. If one was to study her expressions, they would find that she was delighted with his cleverness. She returned his smirk with a grin, her teacup being set down on the table.

"Tell you what, I have a little game for you, Quint." Her grin widened, obviously very excited. "Tomorrow, I'm going to hide Damien from you somewhere on the grounds of this resort, and we'll play a game of hide and seek. If you can find him, you can take him home. You will have from when the sun comes up to when the sun goes down. If you can't find your little Finch in that time..."

She rose from her seat on the couch, walking around the table between them until she was on his side. The woman leaned over and put a hand on the back of his sofa on either side of him. Her violet eyes burned into him with the intensity of her gaze.

"... you'll spend a night in my bed."

There was a little chuckle before she continued. "What do you say, morceau savoureux? Of course you could refuse, I'm not going to force you to play. In fact, I think it's rather unwise for you to accept. Your failure is guaranteed. The reason I'm proposing this to you is because I want you to experience first hand how difficult it is to find someone if I don't want them to be found. What better way to make a point than a demonstration?"

 

[Drobabes]

"Alright" she said with a little nod, feeling at least a bit more at ease. With a little curiosity that had felt nothing of last night, she decided to join Vin on the balcony to have a look herself. And when she stepped out into the light of day and actually saw what Sabastian had been talking about, her brows raised a bit.

"Dang" was her simple response.

It was huge. Maybe even big enough to hide if they had to.
_____________________

Tomorrow. That was a century when you were running from the law, but...they had already been there throughout most of the day and the alarm bells hadn't been raised just yet. There was also the fact that Kuznet was currently working with this women. Supplies would not be traded with someone who he deemed less than worth his time, but taken, so it was promising. Angelique might have every right to feel as confident as she did. Unfortunately it meant they were all screwed if they couldn't make the jail break. Or, well, rather, he was going to be screwed.

"Mm" was his response as he reached up and placed his hands on her hips, and then gently but firmly guided her down to sit on his lap. He let her have her eye contact, keeping his own as he took a deep breathe through his nose, seemingly taking in her fragrance.

"So, a first hand demonstration...or a night with your succulent body. Hm. Choices choices."

His hands slid up the sides of her dress and back down to her hips, resting just above her plush rump.

"It doesn't seem as if I have much to lose" he said softly, giving her a grin that to him, almost felt like it made him look a bit like a rich douche. But the more materialistic folks of society seemed to like it, so he practiced it often until it had become a well sharpened blade on his belt.

Somewhere underneath the layers of his pompous facade, Quint was concerned that she would use this opportunity to give him a little taste of what was to come. It was bad enough that he now had her sent near his sensitive nose, but if she decided to do some flirting and teasing before the main event, he knew he couldn't stop her or risk blowing his cover.

 

[Poprockz]

"Right?!" Sabastian exclaimed, crossing his arms. "Like this place is pretty legit. We must have been driving on it for quite a while before we even got close to the main building."

He squinted, seeing something coming out of the treeline. As it came closer, one could see that it was Truffle the raven. The bird seemed to spot them on the balcony, altering its course until it landed on the guard-rail.

"Rrr! Hello! Good good good!" She shuffled on the rail and turned around once, perhaps meaning that it was a good day, or that the weather was good.

---------------------------

“It sounds like you’re up for this little game,” she said in a pleased voice, reaching out to stroke his chest sensually. "Before we start tomorrow though, I would like to propose that each of us has three rules we can institute, if the other party agrees, of course. My rules would be these:"

"One," her hand dipped lower on his chest, moving gradually over his stomach, "no damage to my property. You don't need to break anything to find him, so I would appreciate if you handled my castle with care."

"Two," that same hand moved even lower, unbuttoning the first button of his pants once she reached it, "you cannot divulge to my guests what game you're playing with me. You can tell them you're on a scavenger hunt, are running errands, or are simply exploring the place, but I think it would be best if they didn't know that I'm giving a criminal the opportunity to walk free based on a 'game.'"

"Three," Angelique slowly pulled down his zipper, "and the most important rule: you are NOT to go to the very top floor of this resort. I will not hide him there, but I cannot have you go there either." Her hand slipped into his pants to rub against the bulge in his underwear.

 

[Drobabes]

Cora gave him a glance before looking back out at the landscape. She was concerned that if Sabastian was right about that, then that might mean that their vehicles were not as hidden as she hoped. Quint had talked with her earlier about going a bit off their intended course to dump the Ferrari and use it as decoy. She made the point that Ray might not fall for that, but they agreed that at the very least they needed to get rid of their bright red beacon, once they were out of here.

She was going to speak her thoughts but thought better of it when Truffle arrived. The bird was just an animal, but it was an intelligent animal that could speak. Cora didn't want the raven overhearing their plans and spilling the beans to anyone.

"Hello Truffle" she said politely, reaching out tentatively to see if the bird would like a little rub behind it's head while she observed it's enchanting purple eyes. Some birds seemed to really enjoy that sweet spot between their shoulders and neck.

Delvin was a bit disappointed that his cat-snake slithered away with haste when the bird approached, quickly climbing off his lap and heading into the room. Rubbing the smooth scales on Bowie's back, even if he still had a slight pungent odor, had been very soothing to his wandering mind. But he supposed it was getting a bit too chilly out on the balcony for him anyway, and his ribs were really aching. With some care, he stood up gingerly from his seat and gave Sabastian a little nod.

"I'm going to get some water and see if there's any Tylenol or something in the bathroom."
_______________________________________________

"Mm, fair enough" he answered, not at all liking that wandering hand and where it was going. But he had suspected it to happen, so was ready for it. Not breaking his composure he simply let his hands wander her form as she laid out her rules for their game, memorizing them with ease. Of course it intrigued him what might be on that top floor that she didn't want anyone seeing, but it wasn't worth risking their safety. That was a job better left to Francisco's team.

When she reached his cock she would find it semi hard, Quint having let his mind loosen just the smallest bit to feel that ever flowing current of their changed form. Perhaps he was imagining it, but it was almost as if he could smell a pheromone seeping from Angelique's pores. It wasn't very pleasant, but it nonetheless plucked his cord. He reached his own hand down, laying it upon hers and taking a little control to rub her soft fingers over his underwear and up his shaft, his light eyes finding hers to hold them.

"I don't think those rules will be a problem at all."

She would find her fingers guided back down slowly, his abs tensing slightly.

"As for mine, I'll keep them simple as well. I want my party accounted for at all times while we are here. No splitting us up for any reason unless I've been informed of where everyone will be, and for how long. We're just a little jumpy right now" he said, giving her a little wink.

"Two, on that same vibe, I don't want any of our real names being used around your guests."

Quint rubbed her hand up his shaft one more time before gently guiding it away from his cock, and to his zipper, where he wrapped his fingers around hers and 'helped' her to pull it back up.

"And three...I want to wait to share bodily fluids until the game is over."

Leaning forward, he moved a strand of her hair aside to whisper in her ear.

"It's always so much better when you let the tension build..."

With that he leaned back and smiled, letting his eyes wander her chest and the red of her dress once more.

"What do you think? Maybe winner even gets to be on top."

 

[Poprockz]

"Alright," Sabastian answered with a warm smile, though he didn't follow him in. He wanted to be on the balcony with Cora in case the bird tried to carry her off or attack her or something that zombie birds did.

She had craned her head to watch Vin leave, shuffling slightly on the railing before settling again. Though he didn't say anything, Sabastian got the vague sense that the bird was... disappointed? Perhaps the bird had a fondness for him, being that he had been the one to let her land without hesitation.

Truffle took Cora up on her offer, extending her neck and cooing softly as her finger made contact. It seemed as though the bird was quite friendly. The bird stopped rubbing against her to look up at the sky, another bird coming in the distance. "RR! Go go Truffle! Bubye!" She spread her wings and took off in the direction of the other bird, the two circling each other before heading toward one of the higher windows. The bird was obviously also a raven, but this one was a bit bigger than Truffle. It also had violet eyes.

----------------------

She laughed, giving Quint a wolfish grin, "Oh honey, I'm always on top." The woman obviously found the idea of being submissive to be extremely amusing. His rebuff of her advancement didn't seem to put her off, the woman retracting her hand without complaint. It seemed as though it was born from the confidence that at the end of the next day, he would be screaming her name on a luxury mattress anyway. However, she did lean forward and kiss his cheek, then his jaw, then his neck. There was a little pinch as she gave him a hickie right in the middle of the side of his neck, a brazen little love-bite. When she pulled back, she looked rather satisfied with her mark.

"Alright, we'll leave it here for now. Your rules are also acceptable, so we have an agreement. Now, I would like to have you escorted for a visit with Damien, as a show of good faith that I haven't squirreled him off somewhere during the day. At the same time, I would like you to prove that you can really do what you say you can. I would like you to heal his hand, if you can. It breaks my heart to watch his fingers twitch uselessly. I assume you can heal it in one session?" Once again she looked excited, eager to find out if his goop was a miraculous wonder-liquid or whether there was more to it than that.

 

[Drobabes]

Cora watched the bird fly away, her eyes staring steadily as the two found each other in the sky. She almost lingered but decided against it, instead turning and heading back to the room to wait. There was nothing more to do for now and worrying about Damien, though of course she feared for his safety, was not going to free him.
_____________________

"Oh honey, I'm always on top."

He grinned in response, having no doubt of that. If she were a more attractive specimen to him he might have even found the prospect mildly interesting.

The love bite was tolerated, Quint simply closing his eyes so that he didn't make a face of disgust when she left her mark on his neck. He could only imagine how well that was going to go over later when Sayori saw it...but there was nothing he could do. At least she hadn't gotten too far into his pants.

Quint perked up a bit when she said she would like him to see Damien. Not only was her wandering hands done touching his flesh, but he could take in a lot of details of where she might be keeping the mutt, even if she covered Quints eyes on the way over.

"I assume you can heal it in one session?"

He knew his zombie goo worked miraculously quickly, and while he had initially sealed Damien's cut to stop the bleeding, he had not since then offered any more medicine. However, that initial seal alone had already made a great deal of progress on the tissue and ligaments that had been severed, and Quint could make a pretty good educated guess as to when the hand would be usually once more. Which was too bad, really, but better the mutt have two working handa then all of them be put in more danger by having to stay any longer.

"It may take two sessions depending on the amount of damage that was done" he spoke confidently, not wanting to sound too full of himself in case she noticed that immediate results were not achievable, and therefore became unhappy with him.

"But it is very powerful. Kuznet was able to regrow a severed human bone in almost less than a week."

 

[Poprockz]

She seemed pleased with that answer, tapping her cheek thoughtfully. “That makes sense that it wouldn’t be instantaneous, but you never know these days. I suppose you’ll have to see him tomorrow as well then. At the very least, you need to be assured that I didn’t send him away during our game.” Angelique stood up from his lap and went back over to her own couch to lounge.

Not a moment later, there was a knock at the door before both Nathaniel and Prochette entered, the brunette being given a hungry look and a twitch of the head before she sat on the couch next to the Mistress of the place. Prochette didn’t look enthusiastic with her straight-back and rigid body, but she didn’t look reluctant either; though, one could feel an undercurrent of excitement from both of them.

“Nathaniel will take you to him,” Angelique waved her hand at him, her other hand starting to unbutton the woman’s shirt. “Take as long as you like within reason, two hours tops.”

With that, the butler smiled politely at Quint and held the door open for him.

 

[Drobabes]

Quint watched the two for just a moment, feigning interest as Angelique began unbuttoning the young women's shirt. He worried that perhaps she was going to have to take over and fulfill the mistress's lust, where he had left her hungry for more. But the lack of reluctance and the feelings he was picking up from the two eased his guilt, and he was able to make an exit from the room gracefully.

Once they were out in the hallway, it was like taking a breath of fresh, cool, air after sitting in a sauna for just a bit too long. The pressure of the act was mostly off his shoulders now, and he could focus on work once more; paying attention to where it was that the butler was taking him. Well that was, if he didn't get blindfolded or something.