SOLECISTIC

[toxicmoofin]

Dinner Rush✦

[toxicmoofin]

“Mr. Zerozaki?!” Nina hissed incredulously. From what little she knew of him and the demeanor he carried through his life, she figured he might have some sort of plan. Even still, the girl didn’t exactly find the idea of willingly putting oneself in danger an attractive option. Unconsciously, Nina’s hand wandered into her messenger bag. She grasped her digits around until she found two things– a needle and a can of pepper spray. She kept the needle in case of emergencies, specifically if she happened to need to give someone a shot for allergies. That kind of medication wouldn’t help them right now, but she felt like she would carry it to feel a little less helpless. She knew that in all reality it wouldn’t be much of a threat to anyone.

The man with the knife lunged forward, and Nina couldn’t help but feel a scream rise from her throat. Nobody left their houses. She might have seen people crowding around their windows in her peripheral vision, but that was the reality of this city. If someone didn’t know you, their survival was much more important than yours. She couldn’t say that she found this to be an illogical stance. 

In an instant, she could barely comprehend what happened next. Half of it was a blur. They had hopped back a few paces, being pushed back by her companion. Hitoshiki had kicked the pursuer’s wrist, making the knife fly across the other side of the dirt street. Nina’s finger tensed and hit the trigger on her bottle of pepper spray, catching the man’s eyes as he fell forward. Nina started hyperventilating, her knees buckling underneath her until she could no longer hold herself up. A crowbar couldn’t have torn her grip from the bottle. It looked like the other man had started to flee in the meantime. 

[kyotoprowler]

      A reflexive action, honed instincts had prevented any undue harm from befalling the surprisingly faint-hearted adolescent. The shrill scream had been wholly unanticipated, as it was, head having ducked downwards after the preemptive kick with eyes squeezed shut at the trivial pain that’d afflicted his hearing. A single eye peered over his shoulder at the collapsed youth, a brow lifted to properly display a look of incredulity, his body language much too lackadaisical for someone on the verge of committing a capitol offense. His gaze no sooner alternated to the fleeing individual, bypassing the momentarily stunned man upon the ground.

      “Ah. That way’s no good, my man.” 

      An offhand comment, a less than well-intentioned warning, the dialogue held no other purpose than to serve as a, ‘I told you so.’ There had not been enough time to heed the words, the panicked sprint that the man had taken up whilst retreating unable to be stopped before reaching the mouth of the alley. His form continued onward, just past the entrance, escape seemingly accomplished before the body simply fell apart like a box of grotesque puzzle pieces dumped out in preparation of assembly. Uneven hunks of flesh strewed about, copious amounts of blood painting the asphalt a shade much too bright to possibly ignore, the unrecognizable remains were filleted so very finely.

      The following distressed shrieks of the pedestrians that had played witness were incapable of muffling the cynical chortle of the responsible party, an implausibly stationary cutthroat that’d decimated without movement. “I tried to tell him, but he was having none of it. Guess that’s what happens when you turn tail on a fight that you picked yourself.” Callous scarlet pupils watched apathetically as the man upon the ground reeled back, a hysterical scream wretched from his throat as the hand that once brandished the knife cleanly detached itself from his wrist. “You end up being the one picked off.”

[toxicmoofin]

Dinner Rush✦

[toxicmoofin]

There went dinner. If anything good would have come out of this day, she would have hoped that returning home back to normal would have been what saved her sanity. She was asking for a lot, when she wasn’t even sure that she would get out of the alleyways with her life. Oh well, some other day then.

“I don’t do it on purpose!” Nina forced back tears–more jumpy than a stray cat. She resisted his movement towards the criminals, but ended up just dragging her feet against the dusty road when he kept moving forward. It seems that Hitoshiki wanted to face them head-on, even after she told him to stay away from fights. “I would love some friends my own age, but there’s a reason why you don’t see many girls outside around here.” She bit her lip, staring into the eyes of the men at her feet. She felt like they would hop up to grab her throat in retaliation for what she did.

In her amazement though, the thugs took one look at Hitoshiki and their faces twisted into a grimace. For some reason, Nina got the feeling that these guys at least knew of his reputation. One of them spit blood right in front of Nina’s guardian’s foot. Another rose to his feet and flashed his knife around, wobbling until he could finally steady his vision. It looked like he fell onto a rock when he landed. Nina might have been proud of her trap if she wasn’t so scared.

“Mr. Zerozaki… I don’t think we should–I’m calling Officer Chad about this. You don’t have to fight them. I just need to get home!” She didn’t want to drag him into this. She knew why they were after her. Dr. Theo’s little errand girl, she could probably help with a fix. Unfortunately this wasn’t the first time something like this has happened.

[kyotoprowler]

     An explanation was unnecessary in regards to the unmistakable lack of young women upon the streets, the violent underbelly of the city barely blanketed from view. Rampant bloodshed, illicit acts of prostitution, and the prominent presence of Twilight guaranteed permanent discord, the very confrontation at hand all the supporting evidence that was needed. Avoiding predicaments of this nature was possible, but perhaps that was much more difficult to accomplish for someone able to supply the very stabilizers that decided life or death for choice individuals such as himself.

     But these men, these ordinary humans, had no excuse.

     “You worried about little ol’ me, Doc? That’s actually kinda touching.” An airy response to the concern shown, the introduction of the knife was duly noted. Far from impressed by the boorish selection, digits slid from the soft skin of the younger’s wrist to allow both hands to be uplifted in mock surrender. “But the cops aren’t necessary. They’ve got the Three Principles to keep them safe, ya know. My hands are tied.” A short chuckle followed the announcement, but the fearlessness remained intact despite the supposed vulnerability.

     “I mean, that’s what they’re designed for. To keep someone like me from doing a damn thing, not even when it’s to save a damsel in distress. Counterproductive if you ask me, but I don’t think my opinion is valued very highly.” Maneuvering to stand before the adolescent as a makeshift safeguard, the body language was all too challenging for one harboring such a diminutive stature. “Now that the air’s been cleared, it looks like you’ve got us right where you want us. Ripe for the picking. Lambs for the slaughter, and all that.”

[toxicmoofin]

Dinner Rush✦

Nina checked the cheap plastic watch on her wrist. She was careful not to make any noise, peering cautiously from behind a pillar after she felt that she was being followed. She held a paper bag full of groceries for that night’s dinner. it was getting close to the time where she would need to be back at the clinic too. Dr. Theo was expecting her and expecting her alive no less. Nina bit her lip and tried to plan an escape route.

Nina had incredibly sensitive ears, and when she felt that the footsteps she was hearing were getting too close for comfort, and the taunting calls of two men telling her to come out of hiding, she sprinted down the alleyway. She jumped over piles of garbage and avoided bottles of broken glass, turning corners until she lost her knowledge of the area. Ergastulum was a big place and she wasn’t sure that she had completely lost her pursuers. She shook her head. 

Think, Nina. Think. You can’t beat them, but you can outsmart them.

She took a small pocketknife out of her bag and cut a low-hanging laundry wire that was hanging across the alleyway. She apologized to the owners for ruining it. Then she tied one end to pipes attached to the two buildings on the side of the alley. She ran when she started to hear voices again, Her legs carried her as fast as they could when she heard the men trip on the line behind her, but to her surprise she was running towards a familiar face.

“Mr. Zerozaki, run! Run!”

[kyotoprowler]

      Fortunate, yet equally unfortunate, was the unexpected reunion.

      An arm shot outwards to impede the adolescent’s retreat, digits clasping securely about a thin wrist and successfully causing an abrupt halt with a meager amount of strength. The unassuming action was staggering for the woman as her body was yanked backwards without prior warning, the groceries that’d be in hand impossible to be salvaged as they fell to freshly litter the asphalt. A sheepish apology, half-hearted but genuine all the same, would’ve been offered if not for having been hand delivered an unnecessary complication on what had been a relatively uneventful evening.

      Entirely avoidable was the ensuing confrontation, but the option of withdrawal had been denied with a distinct sense of obstinacy. Fingers loosened the grip upon the wrist in hand, remaining in place but lessening the pressure, and when incautious steps were taken towards the fallen forms did they coax the adolescent into following in spite of the blatant danger posed by the individuals. Brashness apparent in the way he bowed forwards, undaunted and heedless of the threat, a cocksure grin bore teeth when cheekiness was vocalized.

      “Friends of yours, Doc?” A rhetorical inquiry, the mirth was evident in his voice while the severity of the situation was unappreciated. “You make it a habit to hang out with the wrong crowd. I thought you’d be smart enough to draw the line at me. Even then, that’s pushing it. But regular sleazeballs like these? C’mon, Doc. You can do better.” Disregarding the incensed expressions the aforementioned pursuers wore whilst regaining their footing, the provocation continued. “Dont’cha think so too, guys?”

[toxicmoofin]

“The intentions are different.” Nina felt her mood become surprisingly grim. Rarely was her job ever outwardly considered to be something aiding the continuation of corruption and violence here in Ergastulum. “If Twilights didn’t receive Celebrer they would die. People can’t be monitored all the time, so I have no way of knowing or controlling whether it gets abused. I know it does, but with the way things are now we can’t really do anything about it. We just have to hope that we save as many people as possible.”

Celebrer dependence was a serious issue. The higher the ranking of the Twilight, typically the most pain and serious disabilities they had to endure as well. Nina knew there was nothing that could be done about the past, but giving people a higher quality of life through her medical training could help improve the future for these people. It didn’t seem like this idealistic notion would have been agreed upon, so she kept it to herself. As it was, the young girl constantly felt a nagging guilt over not being able to do more. She wanted to save the world, or at least make it a more livable place for people who are on the fringes and constantly abused. It wasn’t fair.

“You know your body. If that’s the case I’ll probably give you a dosage closer to what I might give an A rank. If there are any problems though, I want you to come back here and tell me so that I can adjust.” With that, she walked away to retrieve two pill bottles for uppers and downers and filled them appropriately according to the instructions she wrote on the label.

There was something about his attitude that rubbed her the wrong way throughout this conversation. Nina being herself automatically assumed that she couldn’t make any rash judgments, and that he had his reasons. Still, she hated to think that someone she was trying to help would automatically assume the worst of her– as if she upheld the same values that Ergastulum did. Politics weren’t her thing, and never would she truly understand them.

“Here you go, Mr. Zerozaki! Is there anything else I can help with? Just say the words.”

[kyotoprowler]

        The hypothesized ranking was consistent with his capabilities, any possible margin of error excusable as the consequences wouldn’t be severe. Aware of this, the once ill-placed smile remained untarnished, much more appropriate now for expressing gratitude. ❝Hey, thanks, man. You’ve got a real knack for this. You know, dealing with Twilights. And I don’t just mean figuring out the proper doses, either.❞ What he meant was the boundless patience that was necessary to simply handle the incessant, bothersome quirks of the patients under her care. Not everyone could humor the elongated speech that spilled from his lips, the nonsensical rambling comprised of self-depreciation, as elegantly as she had.

        The conversation was what the thankfulness had actually been for.

         Digits tucked the proffered prescription into one of the countless pockets sewn into the fabric of the tactical vest he wore before stretching out legs in preparation to stand. With an overdone hop was he back upon solid ground, shoulders rolled for good measure as did he indulge in the belief that the treatment time had been unbearable lengthy. Seemingly as if all business had been concluded, a few steps towards the door was taken until a sudden halt occurred, a single leg still lifted as he rounded with an impish smirk curling lips.  ❝Actually, there’s one more thing ...❞

        Without further preamble did he all but throw his body upon of the nearby beds intended for critically injured patients rather than a minimally pained young adult, face pressed soundly into the comfortable embrace of a pillow. There was a lull of silence, the vagabond permitting himself unhindered enjoyment as far from commonplace were such luxuries, and only once fully settled did head turn in an incredibly slow fashion. Scarlet pupils peered upwards at the clearly befuddled nurse, their depths containing that same mischievousness for that single moment until they closed in contentment once more.

       Fingers half-heartedly released bleached locks from their confinement, allowing the strands to hang unrestricted while boots were kicked off in the same slothful manner. It was once truly having mad himself at home that it appeared the purpose behind the recent actions was going to be explained. ❝Don’t let me sleep too long, huh? Gonna have to make up for all this lost time.❞ Without providing a viable reason, a convincing argument for this intrusion to be even be considered, the Twilight successfully turned a deaf ear until consciousness was able to become fully immersed in much needed slumber.

[cherishingdreams]

     Humming in thought, Diva waited for a moment before approaching him and shaking her finger into his face once she found herself to be close enough. “Who said it’s never pretty? I find it to be quite beautiful at times! It’s a little insult that you think it could be otherwise.” She took a step back and railed her hands and she shrugged her shoulders. Murder can be art after all, a very messy one, but an enjoyable one with such a lovely sight afterwards. 

      “I think the sight around us is a lovely one. The smell is quite nice, too, don’t you agree?” It is doubtful that he will. Any normal person would find it gross with how strong the smell of iron is. Raising a brow, Diva leans forward towards him a little. “To be honest, I’m quite surprised that you’re so … calm about this.”

     After all, a person who hasn’t been around corpses as messed up as these would have said goodbye to whatever they had earlier – or everything they had the entire day. It’s interesting, he’s interesting and someone that she is going to keep an eye on or maybe do something more with. It would be a shame to let such a wonderful person go to waste.

[kyotoprowler]

      The unforeseen forwardness caused owlishly blinking, scarlet pupils momentarily cross-eyed whilst gazing at the digit scant inches from them. It was abrupt, so unbelievably so, that survival instincts faltered for a telling minute, the flight or flight lifestyle forgotten in wake of the baffling placidity that’d been offered. It was as though he was treated with familiarity, one that extended beyond murderous disposition and touched upon a camaraderie that simply didn’t exist.

      In a way, it was akin to his own receptive nature, this conversational ease and detached affability. If the situation greatly differed, it would’ve been accepted in kind. As it was, he leaned backwards to maintain a comfortable amount of space, a crude expression contorting facial features. ❝You’re reaching pretty far if you expect us to be birds of a feather. I mean, c’mon. There’s no way in hell this smells good. You’d have to be pretty fucked up to think something like that.❞

      And perhaps she was, but how hypocritical it was for him to say.

      ❝You yanking my chain here? You can’t really expect me to believe that you’re surprised. Not after I tore through your pets as if I was cutting through butter.❞ Tongue clucked condescendingly, mouth parted by a fanatical grin. It was impudence through and through, an invitation for consequences to befall him from this foolhardy baiting of the remaining monsters. ❝Being honest wouldn’t help me here, anyway. There’s a fat chance that if I said, “I just want to go on my merry way,” that you’d actually let me. There’s something you want, yeah? Most people don’t just attack others for no reason, but we’re not exactly normal to begin with. Gahaha .. !❞

[toxicmoofin]

“Nurses might as well be detectives,” Nina smiled, giving his hand one last inspection before determining that she had removed the last of the debris from his wounds. She left his hand running under the water for a bit so that it would be cleaned out thoroughly. “I don’t mean to, Mr. Zerozaki…I promise I just need to do my job. I fix what people have broken, but I also want to keep people from hurting themselves again, you know? Keeping healthy has a lot to do with preventative measures as much as it does with the cleanup.”

Nina blinked curiously when she saw the color of his eyes. They were unlike anything she’d ever seen here before–the bright scarlet color. She had never read of a certain group of people outside of Ergastulum known to have those kind of features either, so the young girl was quite puzzled. She didn’t bother mentioning it, however, as it was currently irrelevant to what he was here for. Twilight ranking was much more useful to her in this current situation than race, anyway. Nina didn’t even have any guarantee that he would come around here to be treated again. She might have asked for some more medical information if he was going to be treated here regularly.

The girl felt some relief knowing that he hadn’t been antagonizing the owner of the tags, but that was quickly complicated by the fact that the owner was now dead. There was certain views he had that Nina thought admirable, and others just reminded her how brutally violent this city remained. She knew how Officer Chad always said Ergastulum was more like a war zone than a city. “I’m glad to hear that, I suppose… ah! So then, what rank are you, Mr. Zerozaki?”

Nina patted the wound dry and began unrolling gauze to cover it with. As she was winding the sheet firmly under his palm, she attempted to answer his question. “It’s not so hard to believe he would act like that. For many Twilights their identity is the only thing that they can really say they own. Being able to fool someone into thinking they’re more powerful than they are is commonplace. There’s also a very strong pressure many people feel that comes from being ranked. For higher ranking Twilights, it’s no problem– some use it as an excuse to show how strong they are by killing innocent people. Lower-ranking Twilights are seen as undesirable to agencies looking to hire them, and are also seen as an ‘easy target’ for Normals who hate them. I’m sure you know already that a D-rank might be just as strong as a Normal. People who take advantage of their power are usually nothing more than cowards.” 

“The whole thing is disgusting, really…” She puffed out her cheeks and went quiet for a moment. It was just lately that she had been started to be informed of just how politicized this system of hatred was. All she could do about it was save people hurt by this awful cycle before it was too late…and sometimes she wasn’t even able to do that.

[kyotoprowler]

        Head listlessly lolled over the back of the furniture during the extended explanation about the economic standing of Twilight, the excessive injustice that was regarded as acceptable mistreatment. It made it understandable, expected even, for a warped mindset to take root in those who suffered from the wrongdoing, for their only sense of worth and identity to be worth jeopardizing their very life. It was logical, sound reasoning, how the world continued on, but he still couldn’t fathom the necessity placed upon such a thing, not when the importance of living itself escaped him.

        Lethargically, after indulging in the temporary silence that’d permeated, gaze lifted upwards for pupils to stare apathetically at the cracks littering the ceiling. ❝But isn’t this the same as everything else?❞ Sounded the bored drawl, voice devoid of the passion that’d been present during the girl’s ardent speech. ❝Use and abuse. That’s kind of a principal humanity’s made all their own. Doesn’t matter if it’s a Twilight or just some average Joe, discrimination’s always been a thing. The weak are always taken advantage of and the strong do anything to make sure they don’t become the weak.❞

        Establishing an untouchable existence, an insurmountable strength that extinguished any trace of opposition, had been the goal obtained by the organization that had been abandoned. A lofty reign, a reputation of indiscriminate extermination, it was a surrogate family that was only as powerful as they’re bonds with one another was. Perhaps that was why he’d felt suffocated, smothered and oppressed, for nothing but insufficiency could be garnered by an outsider unable to realize the potential of those emotionally aligned.

        ❝Which brings us back to what my rank is.❞ The appropriated dog tags were lifted skyward, held above his head in the hand not in the midst of being treated. ❝Without a pair of these, I don’t really have a way of knowing. My parents were S/0 before they kicked the bucket. Knee deep in the drug addiction that they probably didn’t even know what was left and right anymore. That kind of shit is inherited, right, Doc?❞ He already knew the answer, had been aware of the increased likelihood of conceiving a child predestined for a declination into a Twilight. Remaining ignorant was impossible when raised within a den of Twilight, forced to witness varying states of forfeited sanity since birth.

        A wry expression overtook his features as he drew the now bandaged hand towards his person, obediently offering the one still need of treatment. ❝Don’t worry, though. The numbers don’t add up. The amount of Celebre I take is nowhere near the amount any S rank would need.❞ He finally lowered his head, the crick in his neck disregarded in favor of beaming a smile much too bright for the topic at hand. ❝I won’t be eating you out of house and home, gaha! It’s your lucky day.❞

[toxicmoofin]

Nina’s heart felt as if it had swelled up with this revelation–she knew that people stole the tags of Twilights to cause trouble in Ergastulum. She could never really understand the motivation behind it, but she found it so disrespectful and despicable. That was somebody’s identity–somebody else’s life. Often times in a city prevalent with such a class gap between Normals and Twilights, and rampant with poverty and misfortune, it was one of the only belongings a Twilight had. 

Nina bit her lip. Most of the time tags were stolen from the deceased. It was more usual that someone would have killed the Twilight in question and taken his tags so that he couldn’t be identified by the police. It was their way of fighting against the system, and the whole thing made Nina sick. The way he phrased it sounded as if the victim was still alive, but she couldn’t be too sure. Just what kind of guy was he? Not that she could discriminate lifestyles as a nurse.

“Why do you have these tags?” She asked in a lower tone, bitterness seeping through each word. She looked them over, seeing if she recognized the name. It was a big city, and she saw a lot of people visiting the clinic. Maybe she could take possession of these and return them to their original owner.  “I would appreciate it if you told me who you really are then. That way I can know how to treat you. If it helps, I’m Nina.” There was a big difference in the medical needs of an S/0 and a D rank Twilight, after all. She lowered her gaze to his hands, turning on the water and pushing them under so that she could start to clean the wounds. Transparent Pink solution streamed from his hand from the mixture of blood and water. She took the tweezers to examine and remove any dirt and debris from the cut.

“No matter the strength or ranking of a person, their life is just as important as anyone else’s. I don’t appreciate you degrading these people because of their rank.” Nina was young and possibly too idealistic for living in such a dangerous city, but she was very solid and unwavering in her beliefs. 

[kyotoprowler]

    Tempered resentment was distinguishable within the lowered volume, indicating that the described theft was thought to be contemptible. It was somewhat confusing for ill suited feelings to arise in an ordinary human when it came to a Twilight matter, but perhaps it was not truly extraordinary. After all, it was difficult for him to ascertain this world, to perceive normality and accurately interpret emotions, as humanity was as an incongruity not unlike himself. This ineptness was inborn rather than compensation for the very drug he’d just ingested, and it prevailed in every interaction, every questionable response he provided without forethought.

    The query as to the why was believably rhetorical, an answer unnecessary as the reason should’ve been quite clear: avoidance of criminal enforcement, just as she’d suspected. If one did not abide by the three principles, it was only logical that greater effort would be put into remaining undetected and completely untraceable. The rules issued by the family, forcibly engraved into his very being, were what aided him in dodging pursuit, protecting him in a way preferable to donning his own identifying markers and living under a suffocating amount of surveillance.

   It didn’t mean that he hadn’t been curious about dog tags, though.

    ❝It’s not like I’m trying to hide who I am, more of where I am. So introductions are cool, Nina. I’m Zerozaki Hitoshiki.❞ It was an unrecognizable name, a result of his origins not being found within the boundaries of Ergastulum. Free digits plucked the tinted shades perched upon the bridge of his nose since the very beginning, their purpose meaningless indoors and leaving scarlet pupils unprotected from view.  ❝As it is, I can’t really clarify exactly what I am. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to purposely hold out on you just because you’re getting too personal or anything. Which you kinda are, but nurses are supposed to ask the hard hitting questions. Or was that detectives?❞

   Features contorted by a deeply concentrated expression, the hand holding the eyewear carelessly waved as if to sweep the issue aside. He slouched back into the cushioning to garner further comfort during this extended endeavor, other hand still in the careful grasp of the adolescent attending to the wounds. ❝I know I was higher than the guy I killed,❞ was admitted offhand, tone of voice notably passive. ❝It wasn’t a case of bullying or picking on the weak. Nothing as immature as that. I’m not a stickler for rank and I don’t judge people based on it. What it comes down to is who’s an enemy and who isn’t❞

     Proposed had been animosity with the admittedly deceased individual, but it wasn’t that black and white. ❝Taking out someone who’s after your blood is the only thing to do. You’re just asking to get bit in the ass if you let them go.❞ What had gone without explanation had been the cause of the conflict, but it easily followed.  ❝Still can’t wrap my head around why he was so protective of those things, though. Freaking out and trying to kill me over wanting a peek seems like a waste, if you ask me.❞

[idxntmiss]

         { ☠              People like us

                                                              don’t get happy endings             ☠ }

[toxicmoofin]

“Don’t stay stuff like tha–!!”

Oomph–

When he moved forward, Nina lost her footing and her nose planted right into his back. Squeezing her eyes shut, she rubbed at it and quickly apologized, stepping out from behind him to follow him through the door. It only hurt for a second, and then she was already darting around the room to prepare the things she would need. She pulled a rolling leather chair over to a sink basin and told the man to sit there. Then she skittered around the corner to grab a stool of her own to put in front of him.

On a rolling tray, she placed bandages, tweezers, gauze, cotton swabs and antibacterial ointment on top. She too wheeled that in front of him. Though his expression remained less than gratuitous, he let her run around without another complaint about how unnecessary it was. Finally, the girl returned from a cabinet near the desk with three small round pills of celebrer, an empty glass, and a container of store-bought cookies. She slid the cookies in front of him and filled up the glass in the sink.

“That’s right. When we’ve exhausted our options maybe I’ll think about cutting your arm off,” she stretched a pair of mint green gloves over her fingers and started pointing to the items in front of him. She didn’t ever particularly like sporting a dark sense of humor, but it seemed to be what this man responded to. “There’s one upper and two downers there. Take the upper first and then the other two. Also, since you’ve lost some blood it would be a good idea to have a snack. Though you say you’re not made of glass, I still like to see people take care of themselves so I can hear more good news rather than bad, okay?”

Before Nina got to work she watched him take his pills as instructed. “So, what is your name? You could make this easy on me, or I could reach over to read your tags.”

[kyotoprowler]

      An astounding amount of docility was what had allowed his mouth to remain firmly closed, a tirade of repetitive complaints thankfully refrained from. An almost bored expression, his visage portraying bottomless indifference, was what played upon his countenance as scarlet pupils lazily explored the inside of the residence from the seat he’d been all but ordered to perch upon. It was simply a better way in which to spend time in place of actively observing the frantic bustling of the acclaimed nurse, but attention was redirected towards her when prompted so.

      With no apparent hesitancy were the required stimulants graciously accepted, the instructions followed in the same ominously taciturn manner. It was once they’d been properly ingested that face became a lit with ecstatic relief, fingers swiftly tearing into the proffered nourishment like a starved man. It was an accurate visual representation as his homelessness had denied him proper nutrition, the free food actually appreciated much more than the Celebre. Half the package had been hastily scarfed down before the inquiry was acknowledged, what remained in the cavern of his mouth roughly swallowed to make speech possible.

      Amiable from the excessive generosity, harmless cheekiness had taken the place of anything remotely dour. ❝That won’t do a whole lot of good seeing as they’re not even mine. And I really doubt you want to call someone by the wrong name. It’d be seriously embarrassing, like a case of mistaken identity.❞ A hand had been raised during the careless confession, the male intending to childishly lick the crumbs from the tips of fingers, but with a grimace at the smeared crimson staining them it’d been reconsidered. Instead, he fished the aforementioned markers from the inside of his thin sweatshirt and tossed them to her.

      ❝Can’t say he’d appreciate it very much. The guy I got those from, that is. He wasn’t all that willing to let them go.❞ Elbows were propped upon knees, body bowed forwards as mirth danced within scarlet depths.  ❝To be honest, I don’t understand why. They’re just B/2. Nothing to write home about, gahaha.❞

[alrightieidie-deactivated201604]

On lonely nights, when thoughts were consumed with ideas and vague concepts that darkened his stream of consciousness too much to fall asleep, for some reason, feet would wander to a certain person’s house. Touch was an action he understood, it was soothing in comparison to the words that would escape the mouths of those around him. More soothing than his own thoughts, and even more soothing than his own words. Being in the company of Hitoshiki, while confusing and conflicting, brought some sort of peace on these days.

Upon opening the window, immediately he was greeted by the overly confident visage and taunts by that of his comfort. No sooner did a grin appeared, fingers grabbing the pillow that the one before him would lay his head, and shoving it upon his face, strength smothering his company and flinging him upon the bed once again. “Ahh, quiet, you.”

Now laying down on top of his victim of interest, he moved the pillow in order to be on the other’s chest, then his elbows to rest on the man’s sides for him to have a nice view of his face, and with a laugh, he spoke, “Don’t you know how to greet someone that goes through your window? You gotta scream, or better yet, stay sleeping.” Raising his eyebrow, a tongue was shown, Izumu sticking it out in an attempt to tease the man for him to calm down enough to eventually have the two fall asleep.  “Stop squirming, man, resistance always turns me on. Gyahaha!” Banging his legs and feet on the bed during his laughter, the grin on his face barely faded, and in fact grew larger and the discomfort expressed by his victim.

[kyotoprowler]

        It happened too quickly for him to put up proper resistance. One moment he was truly delighted to be a venerable tattle tale, and the next suffering from asphyxiation had become a very real concern. Struggling was simple futility as there was no comparison, no candle able to be held, to the overwhelmingly inhuman strength harbored by the agitator. This irrefutable fact did not stop arms from flailing haphazardly, slapping at the unmovable hands of the other male with the barely discernible force that bore resemblance to an unimpressive kitten.

        Short lived was the precarious happenstance, oxygen greedily inhaled in exaggerated gulps that were more solely for show rather than necessity when he was released. A marvelous performance, it was meant to emphasize just how unappreciated the hazardous affection was, and just as undesired it continued to be in it’s entirety. Life toyed with as if some unimportant trinket, no sooner had he’d been reduced to impromptu furniture, the position one that could be considered romantic yet was regarded as anything but.

        ❝Shut up! Anything and everything I do turns you on. It’s so gross. I can barely stand living knowing that every time I breath it makes you happy.❞ Flattery was not drawn from the physical attraction harbored by the capricious individual as nothing good had ever come from it, only copious amounts of harassment. Scarlet bore into yellow hues, narrowed by fury and the frown twisting lips left little room for reconciliation. ❝Just go home. I don’t know why you’re here, but it’s probably better not to know. I have classes tomorrow and I’m not missing them because you want to go on some moonlight escapade.❞

[outpaces-deactivated20210829]

          There’s a Twilight Loretta has to meet with tonight. She’s heard of this one in a sense, volatile and without an alliance. Not a rare occurrence, but if he has the gall to request her directly, then he must be sure of himself or a fool. When she’s finished with her needed work, it’s past the meeting time they agreed upon, not that Loretta is worried or guilt ridden. She’s a busy person after all. He’s easy enough to spot despite the number of people, the only one complaining so openly and looking out of place. 

“I’m right here. Has anyone ever told you patience is a virtue?” She states, voice firm and hands crossed over her chest. “Be careful what you say about my club. It’s one of the best in town.” There’s pride in her voice and defensiveness in her stance. This place was her father’s legacy and now it’s hers. Loretta will be damned if she lets someone compare it to the dirtier places in the area. People seek safety within her walls for a reason.

She gives the guards at her back a pointed look and off they go with heads bowed, but not too far away, never too far. Attention turned back to the Twilight in front of her, unabashed in her scrutinizing. He is shorter than her, but the boss knows better than to judge based on appearances alone, some of her stronger members often looking like they couldn’t hurt a fly. 

“Alright,” the blonde begins once she’s ready. Amber locks with crimson, gaze unwavering as she continues. “What exactly do you want? Someone briefed me on it already, but I’d rather hear from you, direct from the horse’s mouth and all that. So there are no mix ups.”

[kyotoprowler]

    Expressive, excessively and tediously so, teeth were bared by the receptive grin that split lips upon the arrival of the stringent figurehead. Intolerance for nonsensical behavior was already blatantly clear by the sternness of the short sentences offered, guaranteeing that their exchange would be comprised of unavoidable friction. There was simply no preventing it, contradictions unceasingly vocalized and elongated speech thrived upon in such a manner that it was oftentimes unappreciated by those tasked with conversing with him.

    Regardless, he couldn’t just change who he was, not even for this brief meeting.

    ❝Patience might be a virtue, but time is a commodity. Not everyone is so keen on letting something so valuable just slip through their fingers. Neither of us have all that much have to spare to begin with.❞ Paying homage to the commonplace knowledge that the woman’s presence was, in itself, a sought after rarity, and that his very existence was akin to a flickering candlelight, it was self-assured sass at it’s finest. A less than spectacular beginning, there was little hope for a gradual improvement as first impressions really were everything.

    Cocksure demeanor remaining firmly intact when warranted an unsupervised discussion, the astounding level of nonchalance prevailed by the casualness in which he approached the subject. ❝Spelling it out shouldn’t be necessary, right? You know what I am and I know what you deal. We’re supposed to benefit each other. You scratch my back, I scratch yours, kind of thing.❞ Proffered was an essentially vague response, thoughtlessly phrased to sound like an open barter of his services for the necessary medication.

    Whether that was what had been intended, an amused curl to his lips as if he’d been made privy to a phenomenal joke that would be shared. ❝Might be hard to believe, but I’m not here for anything else.❞ Based upon the clientele in the vicinity, what it was they were here for, made it abundantly clear just what he’d drawn mirth from.

[toxicmoofin]

“It doesn’t look like you need stitches, but they are still nasty scrapes. I don’t want you getting an infection. At the very least some antibacterial bandages.” Nina wasn’t taking no for an answer. For being so little, she could be very stubborn when it came to doing things the right way. There were a few patients inside, but most were sleeping off fatigue from being stabilized. Another fiddled with a small radio, and a final man took the newspaper that Theo had left behind this morning. Nina gave up on doing the crossword. 

“Plus, we’re a friend to the Twilights here. You don’t have to worry. I’m not going overboard.” She opened the door to the clinic and ushered him inside. It was a good thing that she had experience dealing with Nico’s outlook on injuries. Powerful Twilights always had a habit of overexerting themselves, and rarely ever think to take care of their bodies. This was more than clear when the man started licking his cuts. That wouldn’t help a thing. “Head wounds aren’t a laughing matter either!” she furrowed her brows and bit the inside of her cheek. “Now, please follow me.”

“You also need some Celebrer, I can see.” Since he didn’t seem to be budging, Nina walked behind him and started pushing his back forward. She wasn’t that strong, but at the very least it got her point across. He didn’t move an inch by her strength, but her shoes managed to make a pitiful squeak on the floor. The broom was now resting on the railing.

[kyotoprowler]

        Lips quirked into a sardonic smirk, satirical dialogue to sound. ❝If I get an infection, we’ll just have to lop off my fingers.❞ The appendages in question were wiggled to emphasize the macabre suggestion, the tone of voice used airy, indifferent towards the repercussions of purposeful disablement. A considering pause, and then his head canted in a thoughtful gesture. ❝Actually, it might be better to go for the whole arm. Like, to safely ensure that there’s no remaining traces of the infection. ‘Sides, what’s a few lost limbs, really?❞ 

        Breathed out was an exasperated sigh in response to his existence as a deplorable abomination unthinkably being eased into the conversation, what was meant to negate his claim only aiding in validating it. ❝That’s what I mean. You know how Twilights work so, by default, you also know that this is a pointless argument. We’re not made of glass, we’re not designed to break that way.❞ The phrasing implied deconstruction in a different aspect, physical discrepancies and a mental degradation caused by an unstable constitution.

        Arguing really was pointless, though.

        Provided with no actual say in the matter, demonstrated by the attempts of forceful relocation, resigning to the inevitable was the only option. It was less bothersome to simply surrender, to give up without putting up a genuine fight as it was infinitely easier than mustering determination. ❝Okay, okay. I get it already. You’re not gonna give no matter how backwards this is.❞ A rather straightforward concession of defeat, with little more said were steps taken to enter the abode as so fervently desired by the persistent girl.

        The abruptness of the compliance certainly seemed to offset the aforementioned teenager, if the stumble that’d occurred when she’d lost the solidness of his back was any indication. It was certainly fair as this happenstance in itself was incommodious for himself. 

[toxicmoofin]

Nina was outside on the steps to the clinic, dusting off the dirt and debris of the city that would make their way to the doorstep from time to time. Dr. Theo was out again on business; of course it was the kind that he had to keep the young nurse in the dark about. She leaned against the handle of the broom as the frayed edges bent in several directions near her feet. When she saw a tattooed man dazed and confused walking towards the clinic, she tilted her head and studied his movements.

She was more confused that he decided to walk directly up to her, insisting that she might have injured his torn hands. If Worick or Nico were here, they might have described the man as a tweaker looking for a fix, and where was a better place to get it than at a clinic? Still…Nina couldn’t be so sure of that. She’d come into contact with some bad people before– they would have attacked by now. Plus, she was always one to keep a cautious optimism about her. Then, she saw the glint of metal poking through the fabric of his clothes. He was a Twilight.

“Your hand is hurt…and you’re not looking too well. Please come inside so I can help. I’m a nurse here.” The girl spoke gently while still clutching onto the broom. Reasoning with him over who sliced his knuckles wouldn’t do anything, but it seemed like this man’s celebrer levels definitely needed some stabilizing. She’d seen a few cases like these before especially with higher-ranked patients. Lapses in judgment, paranoia and hallucinations were not uncommon.

Nina carefully reached out for his hand in a way that might encourage him to trust her. She wanted to take a look at the wound so she would know how to treat it when she got inside. She turned it over when she managed to get close enough, careful not to touch any spot that seemed torn or injured. It was hard to find, considering the amount of blood that dripped down it.

[kyotoprowler]

         The clear avoidance in confirming or denying the accusation of guilt had not gone without notice, a vote of confidence instead meant to be garnered through the statement of her occupation. While not capable of certifying the claim, foolhardy trust was there in an absence of questionable integrity as it simply seemed unlikely to lie about something of that nature. That alone was an assumption lacking insight, an understanding of people’s willfulness something not harbored, but it would be favorable if it was the actual truth.

        There was no better way to procure Celebrer, after all.

        Dainty digits were permitted to grasp at those of his own calloused fingers, brows furrowed at the explicit carefulness of the action. Inexperienced in being on the receiving end of benevolence, it had momentarily staggered him into obedience, petite frame remarkably still for the transient period of time in which the bystander inspected the damage. Expectedly short lived, with little effort were hands retrieved from their captivity, an expression of exasperated discomfiture playing out upon his contours of his face. 

       ❝Pretty sure you’re going overboard. Y’know what they say, how it always looks worse than it actually is. Just stings a little, but that’s nothing to cry over.❞ Accustomed to resolutely holding off on professional medical treatment for wounds of an incredibly more strenuous nature, it all seemed like overkill in his perspective. It was hypocritical to behave so, in retrospect, as initially he had implied it was a grievous infliction, yet he persisted by holding one of the appendages upright for scrutiny once more. ❝See? Just like a head wound or something. All that blood is just for show.❞

        The same hand was no sooner lifted to down-turned lips, a flick of the tongue soothing the blistering flesh. It clearly revealed the misinformed opinion he held in regards to healing, that simply cleaning an injury guaranteed a timely recovery.

[kyotoprowler]

toxicmoofin

       Clouded was the consciousness, concise thought utterly incapable of being fabricated. It went without recognition, without trepidation brought by that harrowing realization, the haze that congested cognitive functions all encompassing. Such a severity extended in obscuring vision, scarlet pupils dulled by a lackluster veil that made surroundings unfathomable. It was a state of vulnerability, a position often met with overwhelming anxiety by average beings, but in this particular instance such feelings were not instilled as the body operated on autopilot, instinct overriding sense.

      It was a distinguishable burning sensation that brought delayed awareness, a thrumming ache that intensified with the slightest movement of his index finger. It was jarring, the sudden clarity, eyes blinking owlishly in an effort to readjust to the alarming brightness of his surroundings. Gaze perused the venue lethargically, the male attempting to reassemble the sequence of events that had brought him to this location, but falling short. Fingers subconsciously flexed, a flare of pain causing a grimace to distort the symbol inked upon his cheek and promptly dispelling the need of sorting out the troubling amnesia in favor of discovering the source.

         Torn flesh and bloodied knuckles was not what he’d been expecting.

    ❝Who the hell did this?❞ Confounded, the befuddlement brought by the perplexing discovery was openly displayed on youthful features. It was incomprehensible, the sudden affliction of which there was no recollection, so much so that it was almost terrifying. A responsible party was sought, gaze abandoning the broken skin and fixating upon the nearest pedestrian. ❝Did you do this? Seriously, this is crazy.❞

        Little did he know that the offender was none other than himself.

[kyotoprowler]

cannibalmagical

        To live was to hurt.

        It was not simply the physical pain, the tremendous aching of a battered rib cage or the speckled bruises littering the abdomen, nor was it emotional turmoil brought by the predestined livelihood of misguided responsibilities that had steeped oneself in self-contempt. It was the very act of living that was so very dreadful, the act of drawing breath, of continuing on, of surviving without a conscious choice in the matter. A heart beat without regard for feelings, pumping blood through veins and forcing a future to come about, forcing the self weighed down by those other burdensome pains to face whatever had created them.

           It meant facing him.

        ❝Izumu ... ?❞

        Stupefaction evident by widened scarlet, an expression of inexplicable vulnerability had been thoughtlessly etched into the lines of his visage. It crafted an image of innocence, softened the sharp edges of cynicism, bringing back a youthfulness that had been long since lost. Voice hadn’t trembled and digits hadn’t quaked, the only evidence of how utterly rattled this unexpected reunion had made him shown by how very human the monster now appeared.

[kyotoprowler]

cannibalmagical

        The fingernails purposefully scratching, attempting to pry the window open in a furtive manner, were less than inconspicuous. A triumphant gasp, the gleeful chuckle that was just barely muted, made it all the more obvious that an uninvited presence had entered the abode. The believed secrecy served to infuriate the reluctantly rousing individual, the very notion of himself being so inexcusably clueless about this invasion drawing forth a need to rebuke. Egotism inspired the callousness of the superiority believed to be held, and it did not allow this blatant insult to his intelligence to go without repercussion.

        After all, the idiot had always been none than this trespasser.

        ❝Ahhh, how stupid. You’re so incredibly stupid. I can barely stand how remarkably dumb you really are.❞ Digits scrubbed impetuously at obsidian strands, the disheveled catastrophe of an appearance reflecting the intruder’s ability of, quite literally, ruffling his feathers. ❝Breaking and entering is a criminal offense. Doesn’t matter who you’re trespassing on, the law’s the law. Do you want to die? That must be it, right?❞ Objection wouldn’t be heard, the unquestionable desire for an indefinite end to the midnight bother made clear. ❝Be my guest. I even give you my blessing.❞ 

        Languidly were arms stretched overhead, a hand lowering to veil an unavoidable yawn before with clear purpose did legs swing over the side of his bed.  ❝Just let me go get my brother and you’ll see just what that bat of his is really for.❞

[kyotoprowler]

        There is no such thing as a fancy promo when I should be sleeping. Regardless, I’ll be delving into the indie world as Hitoshiki Zerozaki / Toshiki Migiwame from a series I’m certain that no one’s heard of. Noteworthy traits are: incredibly contradictory, needs no excuse to excessively use his vocal chords, and is a member of a family composed of serial killers. That said, I’ll try getting started on this account within these following days. Hopefully it’ll all go smoothly and I’ll have a great time with everyone!