Experiment 193

(( Indie (Tatts) Devil's Nest RP blog, occasional use of Senji (Deadman Wonderland) for face claim purposes )) Warning: the Lab Five tag includes gore, blood, and eye injuries. If any of these trigger or upset you, do not open the Lab 5 link Disclaimer: While I do not own Arakawa's background chimera, his name, experiment number, nick name, and headcanons are all of my make.

[dolcetters-archive-blog]

  ┈≡▓ {✘}                     “Tch.”

      We at least deserve some answers. If that had been the case, wouldn’t he have gotten some before all this shit? Before she disappeared? Before he spent every other night questioning if she were even alive? Before she came home again, if only for a night, only to be torn from him the next morning? Like her return had been nothing more than a dream.

      She would have given him answers. She would have been honest. Open.                                                                    If he’d deserved it.                                                                                                     …but she hadn’t.

      He almost doesn’t hear the question, attention barely resurfacing in time to catch it and allow it to sink in. Shoulders rise in a nonchalant shrug, dropping back into place as he absently grabs for the glass at his side and brings it to his lips, taking a long swig of the water before swishing the remaining contents with a few lazy rolls of his wrist.

                      “… m’fine. Just…                                                      tryin’ t’keep Genevieve safe. S’all that matters right now.”

[thetattooedchimera]

     "She must be upset." Cain replied. Obviously, the absence of her mother hadn't gone unnoticed. It made him sad for her, too. He knew how she must feel. Cain rolled his shoulders, then turned fully to face the canine chimera. 

     "...Dolcetto." he began. "...I feel... so horrible. For not making amends with Martie. I don't think I'll ever come to peace with that." he spoke slowly, careful with each word. "I need to apologize, and I need you to consider forgiving me.. I gave the two of you a hard time, when times were already hard." His eye wondered for a second before returning. "..Truth is, I was jealous. I don't handle jealously well...never have." 

     He reached a hand out. "Dol. If you need help. If you need.. to sit with someone or a reason to take your mind off anything, find me. I have a lot of making up to do.. and a lot of sucking up to Genevieve." His smile was quick and humorless, as if he could redirect the conversation now, after divulging the worst.

[thetattooedchimera]

Completed OC :D

[dolcetters-archive-blog]

  ┈≡▓ {✘}                     “Fuck if I know.”

      He drums his fingers slowly along the glass, expression unchanged and eyes still focused downward. All signs of hostility now gone, he’s returned to an eerily neutral state. And he’s quiet, once more, for a few seconds.

                   ”…like I said. Details are vague.”

                                                                                         Didn’t know why.                                                                                   Didn’t know for how long.                                                          Hell, she was gone for nearly a whole year before—…

      Jaw rolls slowly and he exhales through his nose, swallowing hard and reaching up to scratch at the back of is neck. It bubbled in his stomach again. The cold. The truth. His refusal to say the word. She wasn’t just gone, she was… —… no.

      He shakes his head, shoving the glass away from him and clasping his hands on the counter, leaning onto them and twitching his wrists as he ducks his head. There is no answer. And there will probably never be one.

                         ”… I dunno.” 

[thetattooedchimera]

     Cain nodded, taking another sip of his whiskey. He absorbed that, the pain that leaked into Dolcetto's short answers. His defenses were high, his barriers solid. He'd gone a whole month probably resisting the cruel fact. "...we at least deserve answers, don't we?"

     Martel was dead. There was no reversing that. 

           "...How ya holdin' up?" That would probably be his last question. He didn't want to provoke Dolcetto anymore right now, not at this time. He was grieving, his emotionless state revealed that much. 

     The chimera's eyes focused on anything but the other male, both hands holding his glass. The whiskey burned his throat, but it helped a little. He never understood that, and didn't think to question. Idly, he wondered if Roa and the others knew, if anyone knew. 

     He wondered where she was buried. Was she taken back to her home, and finally laid to rest in the grave dug for her all those years ago while they suffered in the labs? Or had she just been planted somewhere random, like a plant, abused and forgotten? No, he wouldn't let that happen. Wouldn't let her memory die, even though things ended bad between them. God, he wished he made amends. 

[thetattooedchimera]

veterator said: -Stalks-

-notices- .3.?

[thetattooedchimera]

Working on an oc .3. Myswordmyshield.tumblr. com

[dolcetters-archive-blog]

  ┈≡▓ {✘}                    The words lingered in his head, echoing as the rest of the bar momentarily dissolved away. And for the briefest second—the tiniest moment—something swells in his gut; it vanishes before he can place what it is, were it hope, anger or heartbreak. Expression, however, shows no flicker of change.

                   ”… Don’t be stupid.”

      Even his tone has gone flat. Void of any obvious emotion. He turns away and steps to the side of the counter, retrieving a large glass for himself and moving to the cooler to gather ice. His left thumb absently rolls the ring still worn on his finger. Once the glass was topped off with ice water he wandered back to the bar, keeping a small distance between where he stood on one side and Cain’s seated position on the other. Seconds pass, a long sip is taken from the glass, before he speaks again.

                  “… bounty hunters. …they’d… been after her a while. Details ‘re vague, sketchy. …tch. Didn’t even tell me what was goin’ on. … … …she thought she was safe, so she came home. …”                                                      Another long drink from the glass.                    ”…caught up with her. No one was there. …w’just. Found her.”

                                                                                 ”…”                                                                ”… that was a month ‘go…” 

[thetattooedchimera]

A month... damn. 

     No matter if something could be done, if was too late now. It looked like, when it came to their unique life span, the third time they died was the charm. He thought about the two times he'd died already. On the battle field, and then again for Greed in Lab Five. The next time he got offed, would that be the last time, too? 

     He let Dolcetto scold him, and listened to him as he spoke, but shook his head slightly, as if he rejected the words. But, the other chimera had no reason to lie, no reason lie so cruelly. 

     "...." The anger slowly burned out him, leaving him chilled to the bone, numb instead of aching, and incredulous over all. 

     "I don't understand.." he whispered, pouring another shot and knocking it back. "..why her? Why not all of us?"

[dolcetters-archive-blog]

  ┈≡▓ {✘}                     The threat hadn’t passed. Even after the apology, the urge to snap back at the cougar chimera soured his tongue and mouth. But he inhaled slowly, swallowing the bitter taste and forcing the breath out through his nose. Fingers closed delicately around the tips of Genevieve’s hair and he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, murmuring a word of comfort to her when she emitted a small whine.

      For several more seconds, he was still. Then, once positive there’d be no attempt to snatch her from his arms, Dolcetto moved around the bar and up the stairwell, barely throwing a glance over his shoulder as he disappeared up the steps.

      It took a while to get the toddler to calm into a state she’d be able to fall asleep in, but once he was positive she’d drift off, the chimera stepped out the door and took a moment to lean against the frame. His eyes closed and he rested his head against it.

                    “…”

      And with a slow exhale, he pushed away, feeling the heat slowly trickle from his veins with every step back down to the bar. The last of it disappearing all together at the sight of Cain again. 

[thetattooedchimera]

     Cain assumed Dolcetto's absence was due to getting Genevieve to sleep. She wasn't a clueless baby anymore. She was beginning to recognize things, understand things... miss things. He took advantage of the silence to think back. The kid used to be happy, energetic, always excited at the little things. Of course, now, he had no fucking idea what she was like, but her body language concerned him. Hiding behind the bar.. clinging to her father even before Cain's anger came on. She seemed..quiet. She had to miss Martel. That had to be it. Even so young, a mother's absence never goes unnoticed. 

     Then there was Dolcetto, who.. acted much the same. Tight. Controlled. It always amazed Cain how Martel was always able to make him melt in her fingers. She did things to him that revealed him to be so much more than what he let on. The only difference now was that he seemed.. almost numb. Haunted. Alone. God knows what he must have gone through, and how hard it had been. Back in those tunnels, they practically watched each other die, but.. now.. 

     Cain stiffened when he felt Dolcetto return just in time for the cougar chimera to reveal his sudden revelation. "...I need to know, Dol. How did she die? When?" 

     When the canine chimera stood there, looking half-tense, half-dead inside, Cain proceeded with desperate hope. "..Maybe.. maybe it can be like last time. Maybe we can .. can help her. Bring her back." 

     Desperate. Clinging to the treads of a distant possibility. He didn't know it, but the gleam in his eye was naive... but genuine. And just short of pathetic.

[thetattooedchimera]

myowntestsubject replied to your post:From what I've gathered, it was a set up. It was made to look like another chimera had done the job. With her and it dead no one would have anything linking back to her. If you don't believe me her leg is wounded. Wrapped up in a bandage. Give it a check.

(( No. You stay over there. Neeeiiin ; ; ))

ur screwed lady

[thetattooedchimera]

From what I've gathered, it was a set up. It was made to look like another chimera had done the job. With her and it dead no one would have anything linking back to her. If you don't believe me her leg is wounded. Wrapped up in a bandage. Give it a check.

     Cain shut his eye tight to avoid picturing the grotesque scene. He couldn't picture it... not now. But his jaw tightened and he swiftly turned away from the unnamed person feeding him all of this information. 

     And he wanted to believe, oh god.. he just needed a reason to splatter her blood all over the walls. He wanted vengeance for Martel, and for the one to have caused him so much pain in Lab Five to finally reap what she had sewed. It would be oh so satisfying... he could picture it now.

           "Jezabel." 

[thetattooedchimera]

From what my sources have found-- it was Jezabel.

..... as if he needed another reason to slaughter her. "..keep talkin'."

[thetattooedchimera]

I know who killed Martel.

     "...who?" Cain asked, his voice as soft and smooth as velvet, but had ever bit as malice as a man with intent. All he needed was a face.. and a name.. "...tell me the dead man's name."

[dolcetters-archive-blog]

  ┈≡▓ {✘}                     Posture didn’t relax, his muscles still tense and shoulders rigid as the silence lingered between the two. The canine chimera was still. Waiting, in case he needed to move in some sort of defense or form of evasion. The chill of a terrible truth now completely absent in his veins, he was on full guard, ready to protect the one thing left in the world that was his.

                    “…—!!!”

      Lips flashed from his teeth as Cain’s arm lunged forward, his own weight shifting back so he was just out of arm’s reach. A movement which revealed unnecessary as the man’s fingers wound around the neck of a bottle and flung it through the air. The splitting shatter of glass causing both father and daughter to flinch sharply under the impact of the noise. Genevieve squirmed in his arms and he quickly shifted them to better cradle her, ducking his head to press his nose just against the crown of her head. His eyes still fixed on the other’s bristling form.

                     ”…” 

[thetattooedchimera]

     "....!!" Cain felt a hiss slide through his lips, his barred teeth, as he propped himself against the bar, his head bowed. "..." 

     Minutes passed in silence and he let his eye close, trying to keep a hold of the fiery fury that took him, and refuse the cold reality of this all. Soon, his jawline relaxed, his muscles loosened, and he sat himself in the bar stool. Quietly, without another word, he found the bottle he spared and drug it over to him. This, he thought, is what alcohol was made for. 

     "... How...?" he whispered, finally, keeping his hazel eye on the bar. Behind him, he could still feel tension rolling off Dolcetto, so he quietly added, "... sorry." 

     A glance over his shoulder, the newest tattoo brimming over his good eyes. 

    "I'm not gonna take anything that belongs to you, Dolcetto. That's not what families do." Gruffly, he gestured for him to come closer. "Put the.. kid t'bed, and.. let's have a chat." 

[bigcatkingdom]

Walking puma (by Tambako the Jaguar)

[dolcetters-archive-blog]

  ┈≡▓ {✘}                   The question sank in. Burned through his ears, skin and into his veins til the frozen chill heated and boiled, bringing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end as his eyes finally shifted just enough to see the other from their corners.

      His gaze became nothing short of dangerous. Enraged with the suggestion, but at the same time wounded by it. Lips quivered, threatening to pull away from pointed teeth but he forced them still and pressed them into a thin line. He had to keep calm, quiet. Ignore the wrenching twist in his chest for the sake of the little one in his arms, who now squirmed a little and clutched at his shirt. The palm gently flattened against her head pressed her closer. Protective. Territorial.

                                                                       If Cain tried to take her away again,                                                                                      he’d rip his arm off.

                                                                                        No hesitations.                                                                                          No questions.                                                                                    He wasn’t losing her.

      A soft growl rattled the word. This time, eye contact wasn’t broken.

                      “…No.” 

[thetattooedchimera]

     Cain felt ice sink through his heart and settle to the bottom of his stomach. There was no questioning Dolcetto's honesty. Even if it had been an accident, Dol would have come clean, would have been eaten with guilt. He was the exact opposite. In fact, he seemed mad, too. 

     The feline chimera was still feeling it. 

            ...God dammit. How could this have happened? How could he have left and come back to someone so ... alive.. whose presence always illuminated the bar... he'd come back to the news of her death. He didn't get to say goodbye, never got to tell her how much he cared for her. In fact, the last thing he'd remembered... she hated his guts, he made her hate him. 

      “Give me my daughter. Now.”

“—NOW.”

 Yeah... that was probably why Dolcetto suddenly clung to his child. 

      Cain's hands curled into fists and he yanked a bottle from the bar, the first thing his fingers could find, and threw it with all his strength-- so much that it shattered against the wall with a deafening crack.

[halseycon]

[dolcetters-archive-blog]

  ┈≡▓ {✘}                     This was the first time he’d ever had to …confirm this. To anyone. All it would take was a single word. A shake of his head. That’s all it would take.

      But his tongue weighed heavy, and his neck felt tight, stiff. His entire being—muscles, veins and all—felt all at once iced over. Frozen, as they were. Eyes remained locked on no specific object in the bar, staring almost clean through it. The bile threatened to rise in his throat again but he swallowed it down, jaw rolling at the bitterness left filling his mouth.

      Genevieve didn’t move from under his shield. She seemed to know not to, and wrapped her arms loosely around her father’s neck instead. A gesture barely enough to help him spit the answer out, just above the volume of a whisper.

                      “… no.” 

[thetattooedchimera]

     Almost immediately, Cain knew. Through the years, he'd known Martel so well, loved her as a sister, as a friend.. and.. admired her even. She was strong, loyal and reckless as hell. The moment Dol chocked out the half-whispered, half-silent 'no', Cain knew there could only be one other option. 

     Martel wouldn't abandon her 'husband' and her daughter, a daughter that had been more of a miracle to the both of them. No, if Martel had come to the decision to leave Dolcetto, if that, then surely she would have taken Genevieve, too. 

     So then.. 

     Cain seemed to speed through the denial phase and straight to the anger. 

           He wasn't sure why he was angry, or what had spurred it, since he'd experienced enough death of friends to have learned the path of this kind of hurt. But this.. this was something else. 

     And all he could think to ask was... "..Did you do it?"

[thetattooedchimera]

okay. you know what. I'm hurting