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Post by lily tomlinson on Jul 16, 2008 1:02:46 GMT -8
Stay away from me
Build a fortress
And shield your beliefs
Touch the divine
As we fall in line
Can I believe
When I don't trust
All your theories
Turn to dust
I choose to hide
From the all seeing eye
Destroy this City of Delusion
Break these walls down
I will avenge
Justify my reasons
With your blame
You'll not rest
Settle for less
Until you guzzle
And squander what's left
Do not deny
That you live and let die
Destroy this City of Delusion
Break these walls down
I will avenge
Justify my reasons
With your blame
Destroy this City of Delusion
Break these walls down
I will avenge
Justify my reasons
With your blame
Eve had woken three days ago to a world of pain. Woke up in a filthy alley with bruises from god knows where. She'd winced at all the grime she'd picked up somehow, and the ache that she had no memory of getting.
Three days since her last blackout. Long enough to make her paranoid, to have her thinking herself crazy again. The perfect amount of time to have her stew and finally decide it was time to suck up the nerve and see a doctor. A head-shrinker, more like. She really hated psychiatrists, but at this point, she felt she had no choice.
And so here she was, standing on a street corner waiting for one of three buses she would need to take to get to the Vegas Psychiatric Hospital. Joy. A soft breeze fluttered across the empty bus stop and she closed her eyes, taking comfort the in the sudden chilling breeze. The summer sun had been beating down on her for the period she'd been waiting. She hated the sun, hated the heat. Even in a light camisole and shorts, she was still miserable. She didn't know why she preferred the night, preferred the coldness, but as it was, she'd never been a day person.
Why couldn't shrinks be open at night?
Grumbling to herself, she took a step off the curb to see if the bus was coming. She'd just brought up a hand to shield her eyes from the blinding sun, only to stumble and pitch forward into the street.
Oh, and look, there was the bus.
Oh, crap.
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Post by shinigami on Jul 16, 2008 1:12:37 GMT -8
With her fair hair, she blazes as she pitches forward into the path of the bus; maybe that's why he saw her. Darren is dressed as a generic business man, a gambler anda man of fortune, except generic businessmen don't look this good. His suit is tailored, but the tailor is a genius who knows how to make simple lines into art.
The point is that Darren saw her, and he wasn't very far away. In fact, he was close enough to hook a hand around her upper arm and pull her -- almost lift her, because he's strong, and he doesn't seek to conceal it -- out of the street and onto the safe sidewalk.
The sidewalk that he happens to be on.
The ... safe... sidewalk.
"Was that an example of your vaunted grace?"
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Post by lily tomlinson on Jul 16, 2008 1:20:18 GMT -8
Eve had closed her eyes, waiting for an impact that never came. Instead, she was hauled back, a strong hand on her arm. A hand that still had yet to let go now that she was back on tow feet. One eye peeked open and then the other, and though it was blinding at first, her eyes so light they reflected the sun, she managed to make out a man in a nice business suit.
She wrinkled her nose at that. Too hot for suits. Too hot for so much fabric. Ugh.
"Yeah, thanks for saving my life and all," she said ungraciously, quickly and efficiently killing any possible thoughts that she was a nice person. Looks were deceiving. "But there's no need to be so rude about it. And you can let go now."
As if to emphasize her point, she tugged her arm back, but no luck in escaping. Creepy strong man. Greeeeat.
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Post by shinigami on Jul 16, 2008 14:28:04 GMT -8
Darren slowly raises an eyebrow, as cool as winter. He'd been holding her steady, holding her firm, and he once would've enjoyed the look in her eye when she pulls away like a spoiled child but doesn't quite manage to break free. He gives her a look over. For practical purposes, it's because who knows what weapons the girl had on her now? For impractical purposes, it's because Darren can't stop himself, not quite, from noticing how beautiful she is, how wantable. Even if he does think it's absolutely disgusting.
"You're welcome." He's going to pretend that he didn't save her life just then. He'd just regret it. "But I was hoping I'd run into you again," he says, smoothly. "I'd like to talk to you -- about my pants."
Now, given that Eve doesn't actually remember what happened, that statement sounds portentous in ways that it just shouldn't.
"And the drycleaner's bill."
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Post by lily tomlinson on Jul 16, 2008 14:33:38 GMT -8
With raised eyebrows, she gives him the foulest glare she could ever whip up. And if looks could be deadly, he'd be a pile of ash on the ground.
Why were the handsome ones always the crazy ones? What on earth was he talking about?
"I've never met you," she snapped, angrily tugging at her arm again. Must get away from the crazy. "And I don't know anything about your pants. I don't want to know anything about your pants. And if you don't let me go, I'm going to kick your ass so hard you'll be walking funny for weeks. Got it, hoebag?"
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Post by shinigami on Jul 16, 2008 14:42:45 GMT -8
Darren lets her go just as she tugs really hard on her arm. After all, poor guy. He just saved the girl from a bus, he wasn't harassing her at all, oh no, just trying to make sure she was okay, and look at how she's reacting, well, well, well, well. It's just a shame. The people who didn't get on the bus are eyeing Eve askance.
And Darren? Darren's expression is -- kept distant, kept aloof, and yet he's perplexed. "Oh really?"
But no -- it is her. Isn't it? It must be. The voice is the same; the hair; even the smell. He refuses to believe he'd be attracted to two mortals in the same year, too.
"I'm sorry. I must've mistaken you for someone else."
This had to be some kind of trick...
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Post by lily tomlinson on Jul 16, 2008 14:59:31 GMT -8
Eve just about fell backwards into the street again when he let go finally. But luckily she somehow managed to find some grace at the last minute, and spun away from the curb. Score.
Straightening up, she huffed, blowing bits of hair out of her face. And then tossed a glare at him. "Damn straight, you got the wrong person," she snapped.
For a moment there was an odd glint, a killing light, when the hunter part of her tried to take control. Forcefully. A sudden migraine took residence in her skull, painful enough that Eve was forced to press a hand to the side of her head. These were the headaches that always came before a blackout period, but Eve would be damned if that were to happen to her in front of a crazy. Not that it mattered. She was crazy too. But still!
Gritting her teeth, she stared hard at the sidewalk in front of her, refusing to let some stupid headache get to her. Which only angered hunter- not that Eve knew that- but it just meant that the Hunter couldn't get out while Eve was fighting.
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Post by shinigami on Jul 16, 2008 15:11:31 GMT -8
Darren raises an eyebrow, again. Seriously, he could singlehandedly (or single eyebrowedly, as the case were) combat Global Warming.
He sends out a tendril, just a tiny finger, of Power, brushes it against her mind in an attempt to understand just what the hell is going on, just how much she's lying. The touch is very very very slight.
Less slight is his hand on her arm, as if he cared. "Well, I didn't mean any harm by it. Are you all right? Did you need a ride anywhere?"
He's decided to play it straight.
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Post by lily tomlinson on Jul 16, 2008 15:19:05 GMT -8
The hand on her arm startled her, but she resisted the sudden urge to bit his hand off. Ok, she wasn't normally so rude automatically. It took more than mistaken identity to make her angry. But for some reason, she just was pushed to be absolutely nasty to him. And that damned headache!
"I just have a headache. I'm fine," she said through gritted teeth. Now this wasn't out of anger, but the headache, the gritting of the teeth.
And for another moment she thought. She never excepted rides from a stranger, especially one who she'd thought creepy at first. Did she now? She didn't really know. Something in the back of her head just kept trying to push her to knock him around and then flee, but she stubbornly and stupidly ignored it. She figured that was just the crazy part of her speaking. She didn't realize how close she was in that assumption.
"I was actually on my way up to a... doctor's appointment," she said slowly, with mild embarrassment since she didn't want to mention it was with a shrink, "And since I missed my bus... Fine. But if you try anything untoward, don't think I won't beat you down."
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Post by shinigami on Jul 16, 2008 16:53:48 GMT -8
His mouth curves, slightly. The smile? There's cruelty, there, but also the appearance of wry good humor. Darren? Darren isn't human. He pretends, but only so far as the law requires that he pretend. He has that something. He was born to it. He couldn't behave otherwise if he tried really hard.
"Lady, I will behave toward you only as is appropriate. This way." He tilts his head to indicate a direction, but doesn't offer to take her arm. The car is around the corner. "So am I supposed to remember you as the girl who almost fell in front of a bus, or do you have a name, too?"
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Post by lily tomlinson on Jul 16, 2008 16:57:26 GMT -8
Eve's eyebrows rose again, but she continued to glare at the sidewalk as she followed him. "And what am I supposed to call you? The creep with a fetish for pants?" she griped back. There was a short pause before she gave in and mumbled, "Eve."
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Post by shinigami on Jul 16, 2008 17:31:40 GMT -8
He smirked and reached out to touch her elbow, steer her to the side and into a parking lot. "You may call me Darren." As if it were a personal favor.
His car is the most expensive toy in the lot and it gleams the colour of the moon, pale and liquid and lovely. The license plate isn't personalized, although there is, very distinct on the bumper, what looks suspiciously like one of those Jesus Fish or those Darwin Fish, except of course its mouth is open and it has fangs.
"What are you going to the doctor for?" Maybe he hurt her as much as he'd hoped he'd hurt her that night. She seemed to be walking okay, alas. Well, so did he, but he had advantages that humans didn't. Still, she seemed mostly okay.
Except for the lack of memory, which he was beginning to think (to feel) was sincere.
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Post by lily tomlinson on Jul 16, 2008 17:42:28 GMT -8
Eve gave him a sidelong look, a look that clearly said 'You don't even want to know'. She didn't answer otherwise. Instead she chose to walk around the car to the passenger side and hop inside. And then leaned across her seat and his and threw open his door with a rebellious grin.
"Because I'm crazy," she finally said, in a cheery way, even though she wasn't cheery about it. Still, it would be quite fun to mess with his head. Take that, sucker.
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Post by shinigami on Jul 16, 2008 18:41:38 GMT -8
He -- with a negligent sort of grace; a grace that was dark, that was as careless as it was generally suppressed for the comfort of the sheep -- inclines his head (wry, still) when she throws his door open and then ducks in. His mouth twists, at her answer. And he starts the car.
But he's not looking at the road, oh no. He's looking at her. "Really. Do voices tell you to kill things and burn people or do you just take off your shirt a lot?"
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Post by lily tomlinson on Jul 16, 2008 18:57:43 GMT -8
Eve repressed a chuckle at the humor. She didn't know anyone with this sense of humor. If she'd told her roommate about her episodes, most likely there would be screaming, white jackets and sedatives involved.
"No, no voices, though if I have too much alcohol I'm more apt to take off my shirt then," she said, giving him a short wry smile. "No. I have headaches.... Headaches that lead to blackouts. And then I wake up somewhere that I don't remember being. A lot of the time bruised... Or, um, covered in blood... that's erm, not my own."
She had no idea why she was saying this, and to a stranger nonetheless. What was wrong with her?
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