Ҁɩϯy ѳϝ ϛɩȵ - ɩ ϲ α ɾ υ ϛ

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[Pugnacious Peace]

ƒζιคιяιѳ ℒϵϛϵ∂ι

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
Come feed the rain...
because I'm thirsty for your love; dancing underneath the skies of lust.
Yeah, feed the rain...
because without your love my life ain't nothing but this carnival of rust.
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

"Hand me the bucket."

"What bucket?"

"The only bucket next to you! Christ, Andy, you're blind!"

Andy rolled his eyes at his dark-haired friend, and Ankh glared at him. "Feng'll be here soon! Eclair will be back in like... I dunno!"

"...You don't- Ankh, what the hell-"

"WHAT. I HAVEN'T SLEPT SINCE SATURDAY, LEAVE ME ALONE."

Andy pressed his palm to his forehead, about to apologize to Max for her being so loud-

only to notice him pacing about the room. Since Feng went to the hospital, Andy had felt the tension building. He'd hoped that talking in the basement had helped. Then again, since the night ended with Feng going the hospital in the first place...

He sighed, frowning. Something odd was going on with Max. What the hell was that man hiding?

If he's gone home, Feng will flip. I should mention it, but the last thing we need is Feng getting into a fight and ending up burned as well as a few other things.

It wasn't as if he didn't think Feng would be responsible. He knew he'd at least try to stay 'calm', or at least as 'calm' as a panicked boyfriend could be. While Andy didn't approve of Feng dragging Max out of his house, he could understand why it had happened. One of the few nights that Andy had actually been able to see Feng, the boy had told him everything about what had happened before they'd gone home - and honestly, it scared the hell out of the Sylph. What if Feng had made yet another enemy? He didn't need more of them.

Then again, if Max is in trouble around that guy, then the Salamander's an enemy to all of us.

With Eclair and her gun, Ankh with her water, Feng with his fire, and himself with enough power to knock the man off of his feet, he wouldn't stand a chance against all four of them. And he's told Feng this. Of course, one couldn't rely on Feng to not argue.

"Andy, I don't want help. This is my fight and my fight alone - well, mine and Max's I suppose. If I'm about to die, then you can take over. Until then, I don't want to go four against one. It isn't fair, and you know it. I'd rather it be a completely fair fight, if a fight should occur."

Leave it to Feng to have morals about fights now.

Still, watching Max pace like he was brought a whole new fear into his mind - heartbreak. If he wasn't nervous about a secret being discovered, or just happy that Feng was alright, then what was going on? Was he going to leave Feng because the boy was so much trouble? Sure, it would be the safest route, especially if Feng's stalker was an Elemental. Max was human. He fell victim to their powers more than each other, and since he was close to Feng, he was a perfect target to get Feng to surrender. Even so, Feng needed all the support he could get. If Max was pulled out from under his feet by force, it would be one thing. It'd be horrible, yes. It'd be devastating to Feng, probably scar him forever, if he hadn't been already.

But having Max leave him in the heat of battle because things got rough? Feng would be hurt more than ever - and that might piss the stalker off more than anything else. It was a dangerous path they were all traveling - one wrong move, and they were all ********. All it took was the wrong step, the wrong word, and Feng could be-

---

Feng jerked awake, his eyes wide as he looked up into the nurse's eyes. "Time to go home, kiddo." The man smiled, helping Feng sit up. "How do you feel?"

"...tired." Feng slurred, smiling weakly. The man chuckled and pat Feng's back, nodding.

"You'll be just fight, kiddo. Come on, your Aunt is waiting for you."

"Aunt Eclair came to pick me up? I figured-"

"She told me she was more interested in seeing you healthy before everyone else than being with the rest of the group," The man laughed and Feng joined in, holding his side as he was wheeled into the hallway.

"...I can walk, you know..."

"...you sure?"

Feng nodded slowly, accepting the hand that was offered to him and used his strength to hold himself up. His strength had been diminished, that was for sure. He did very little walking when he'd been admitted, and now that he was back on his feet, he wobbled for a moment before the nurse caught him. "And that's why you're in the wheelchair."

"I'm not being wheeled out, sir. I'm walking."

"but you can't-"

"I can, and I will, thank you very much." Feng grinned, looking to his right as a nurse called his name.

"Feng! These just came in for you!"

Feng blinked, watching her hold up a vase. "Oh..." He stared at the flowers, frowning slightly as he noticed some of them damaged. "...shame. Must've been beaten up on the ride here."

The nurse nodded. "Yes, I'm assuming so. Have a good day, Feng."

"You too."

He chuckled, rolling his eyes. It must have been Ankh or Andy - they were the only ones who'd send him flowers. He wasn't sure about Max, but chances were, the man was probably busy as all hell. Which was alright, he didn't mind too much. He was used to waiting.

He walked (though a little slowly) to his Aunt's car, and when the woman pulled up next to him instead of allowing him to walk the whole way, he scoffed. "I can walk, Eclair."

"No you can't. Get your a** in the car."

Feng laughed, said his goodbyes to the nurse, and slid into the seat, shutting the door. He buckled himself in, sighing and leaning against the back of the seat, looking at the flowers.

"Oh, those are pretty." Eclair smiled, beginning to pull away from the curb. Feng nodded.

"Yeah. Ankh or Andy must've given them to me, the nurse said they just got them before we-"

The car came to a sudden stop. Eclair looked at him sharply, her eyes wide.

"...Feng... they've been at home decorating since around two this morning. Neither of them had time to do it."

"...Max?"

"...no."

Feng looked down slowly, noticing a small card attached to a stem. "...Eclair..."

"Yeah? Who's are they?"

"His." Feng stared at the card, his eyes wide and fearful.

"My condolences about your injury, Feng. I hope you enjoy the flowers I've given you. Beautiful, aren't they? They reminded me of you. So bright and cheerful... but something seemed off. So I destroyed a few of them. Now they're almost perfect for you. I hope you don't mind. By the way, I thought you'd like to know a little something. Perhaps you should be keeping a closer eye on your friends? Not all of them are telling you the truth. I do hate to keep this note so short. I absolutely cannot wait to speak with you in person. You must hold an positively riveting conversation."

Feng tossed the vase into the hospital's dumpster. "******** you." He hissed, tears in his eyes as he held his shoulders. Eclair took him around the waist and helped him back to the car, frowning.

"Don't worry about it, Feng. It's alright. Now that we're coming home, I'll be staying in the same room. And if I don't, someone else will. Ankh and I are staying with the both of you until things die down."

Feng smiled and nodded, but held the locket under his shirt, squeezing his eyes closed.

---

He felt much better. An ice cream cone and a slice of carrot cake later, Feng stood outside Andy's house - hearing a loud yelp. He jumped, blinking, before hearing,

"GOD DAMN IT, ANKH."

"I. AM. SO SORRY."

Eclair rolled her eyes and helped her nephew to the door, shoving it open.

"I'm home!" Feng yelled, jumping at the instant contact from Ankh. He got a tight hug before the girl hid behind him.

Andy stood angrily in the center of the room, flicking paint off of his arm. Feng stifled a laugh, biting his lip and closing his eyes.

"...new look?"

"Shut the ******** up." Andy snarled before loosening up, sighing and walking closer and nearly giving him a hug. Feng jumped back, shaking his head.

"Whoa, boy. I'm not touching you until that is off of your arm. This is a nice shirt."

Andy glared, then looked over at Ankh. The girl stared and looked down at her shoes, noticing the paint splatters on canvas.

"EEEIII!" She whirled around Feng and up the stairs, finding herself being chased by Andy. Feng stood, stunned, in the middle of the doorway, moving to speak, before he sighed and rolled his eyes.

"...glad nothing's changed around here." He chuckled, spotting Max. "Hey!" He grinned and moved forward quickly, stumbling slightly on the way. He tried to cover it (unsuccessfully) by leaning against the archway of the kitchen, beaming at the older man.

╔════════════════════════════╗
Don't walk away, don't walk away...
Oh, when the world is burning!
Don't walk away, don't walk away...
Oh, when the heart is yearning!
╚════════════════════════════╝

ooc

[Miss Swifteh]

M A X I M I L L I A N
ESCORT | CHAIN-SMOKER | HUMAN

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

BUT WHAT I DO ISN'T UP TO YOU
AND IF THE CITY NEVER SLEEPS THEN THAT MAKES TWO

▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀

The scene outside the kitchen hardly made an improvement to his mood. The decorations seemed to be coming along (at least he assumed they were, but who was to say with all the noise and commotion?) which brought a slight smile to his lips, but it soon broke down and dissapeared as he remembered the reason behind their hard work.
Feng was coming home, and he still hadn't thought of what he was going to say to him.

The time seemed to be moving too quickly. He had returned to the kitchen to pour himself another drink when he heard the door open and an exclamation from Andy - though not one of welcoming. He almost mistook the noise for another scuffle between the two when he heard Feng's voice soar above the others, leaving no doubt in his mind that the boy had returned.
He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, cursing on the exhale. Showtime...

He turned to be greeted by the sight of the young salamander, his eyes betraying his anxiety for a moment before he settled down into an air of faux calm. He took a step forwards, his stance casual and tone level as he spoke the other's name. " Feng. "

And...that was it. On his next step his breath hitched in his throat. On the next he felt his his legs seize up, his limbs freezing.
He panicked. He still had no idea what to say to the boy in front of him, but his time was up. He couldn't excuse himself to think over his words any longer, the moment was now.
And you're screwing that moment up. MOVE YOUR a**.

Lost and striking on on his instincts, the escort swooped downwards to take Feng's face in his hands, pressing their lips together in a tentative kiss. Where words failed, an action would suffice...if only for the moment. With any luck one of Feng's friends would return to whisk the boy away and celebrate his return; Max would have a chance to blend into the background a little, take a step back and calm down. Hell, he could even drink a little more wine, get some more confidence in him.
He deepened the kiss subconsciously, fingers catching in the other's hair. s**t...perhaps this wasn't the wisest idea when his thoughts were so distracted and muddled. He couldn't...um...what was it again...
You can't think. THINK.

...But wasn't that what he wanted? Not to have these thoughts rattling about in his mind...

▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀

[Pugnacious Peace]

ƒζιคιяιѳ ℒϵϛϵ∂ι

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
Come feed the rain...
because I'm thirsty for your love; dancing underneath the skies of lust.
Yeah, feed the rain...
because without your love my life ain't nothing but this carnival of rust.
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

Feng watched with a slight frown. What had happened? Did Andy or Ankh say something to upset Max earlier? If they had, he'd give them hell. But Max didn't seem the type to take whatever was said quietly... then again, it could be the fact that they were his friends.

That didn't seem right. It didn't sit well at all with him. He frowned, opening his mouth to speak-

There it was, yet again - the surprising kiss. Feng gasped against Max's lips, but only fought for a moment, more out of surprise than anything. He backed them up toward a wall, pinning himself between Max and said wall, wrapping his arms around Max's neck. He nipped Max's bottom lip, struggling to keep himself above the water.

Something's wrong here. Max... Max doesn't seem like he gets nervous about things. He's never done this. Sure, I've only been around him for a few weeks, but that seems enough to know that he doesn't do this.

"Perhaps you should be keeping a closer eye on your friends? Not all of them are telling you the truth."

Remembering the note, he narrowed his eyes slightly, though he continued to press his body against Max, his flesh warming. He pulled himself from the wall, pressing himself flush against Max's chest, smirking and nipping once more at his lip, pulling away and doing the same to his ear. He was tempted to push him to the couch. Judging by Andy's reaction to Ankh, they may be up there for a while. Not only that, but Andy had to wash the paint off of his arm. That gave him just enough time to...

Something's wrong here, Feng. Stop trying to get laid and say something!

Feng pulled away, suddenly realizing he'd backed them up just before the couch. He blinked, breathing heavily, before looking up at Max slowly. "...Are you..." pant, pant, "Feeling alright...?"

╔════════════════════════════╗
Don't walk away, don't walk away...
Oh, when the world is burning!
Don't walk away, don't walk away...
Oh, when the heart is yearning!
╚════════════════════════════╝

ooc

[Miss Swifteh]

M A X I M I L L I A N
ESCORT | CHAIN-SMOKER | HUMAN

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

BUT WHAT I DO ISN'T UP TO YOU
AND IF THE CITY NEVER SLEEPS THEN THAT MAKES TWO

▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀

Feng's decision to end the kiss helped Max's willpower to resurface, though his lips still hovered over the other's. A glance about himself made him realise how little he'd noticed whilst lost in that kiss; They'd changed location from the kitchen to the sofa. Just one push and they could both tumble over the arm and into the cushions. Feng would be silenced by lust and he wouldn't be expected to speak at all, they could both just forget--
NO.
He closed his eyes and reeled back, his breathing laboured by shock rather than passion. He couldn't avoid things by pinning Feng down and letting their bodies take over. It was cowardly, it was innapropriate and most of all, it wasn't something that he normally did. It was the sort of thing Sylvester would do, avoiding questions with kisses and solving arguments by tumbling into bed. Did he really want their communication broken that badly?
Except that, for a moment, it worked. He had no worries, no dilemmas.

But it doesn't last. You're just trying to run away from the situation and it's not going to work.
Feng's still there, and now he's concerned.

He opened his eyes slowly, a troubled expression on his face as his gaze sank to the floor. He had no idea what came over him when he suddenly pulled Feng into a kiss. He'd just...moved, and that had been the result. But he hadn't the resolve to follow through his actions and distract Feng with a flurry of affection. True, it would make up for his lack of words and awkwardness but it simply wasn't him.
And what's more, Feng knew it.

He glanced up at Feng just a little, taking another precautionary step back just in case he felt the urge to kiss the boy again. He was sincere, if a little flushed. Max's lips drew into an automatic smirk as a witty remark lingered on his tongue, reflecting on his breathlessness...but he couldn't voice it. The humour died and he turned away, roughly patting Feng's head.
He shook a little, masking his unease by sitting on the sofa arm, his broken smile forced onto his lips. Smile. For god's sake, just keep smiling in the very least.
" Just pleased to see you home. Did you like your welcoming gift? " He managed to get out, thankful that at least now he had something to talk about.

▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀

[Pugnacious Peace]

ƒζιคιяιѳ ℒϵϛϵ∂ι

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
Come feed the rain...
because I'm thirsty for your love; dancing underneath the skies of lust.
Yeah, feed the rain...
because without your love my life ain't nothing but this carnival of rust.
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

Feng frowned, his suspicion growing. It shouldn't, not really. He felt horrible being suspicious of Max, but he had no choice. Something felt... wrong here. Very wrong.

"...yeah." Feng whispered, frowning and sitting next to Max, though not with his usual calm flop - a slow, nervous, confused fall to the cushions. "...Max. Something's wrong. Don't try to lie to me." His voice was soft, his eyes searching Max's face, concern written all over his face. "Did Andy or Ankh say something to you? Or even Eclair, though I don't think she would..." he had no real reason to believe that Max had returned home - he had put enough trust (though perhaps a little too much - they were both stubborn men, when it came down to it) in Max to remain with Andy. Not only out of spite for Sylvester and fear that Max would end up getting hurt by the other Salamander, but out of fear of him being hurt by whoever it was after Feng. Any one of them could be next. He wanted everyone to stay together, keep an eye on one another. Stay public.

He pulled his legs up quickly, though wincing at doing so. Perhaps it was still a little soon to be doing that... he set his feet back on the floor only to stand and re-position himself, sitting on his left leg and pulling his right up and sitting cross-legged, facing the man.

"I'm listening."

╔════════════════════════════╗
Don't walk away, don't walk away...
Oh, when the world is burning!
Don't walk away, don't walk away...
Oh, when the heart is yearning!
╚════════════════════════════╝

ooc

[Miss Swifteh]

M A X I M I L L I A N
ESCORT | CHAIN-SMOKER | HUMAN

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

BUT WHAT I DO ISN'T UP TO YOU
AND IF THE CITY NEVER SLEEPS THEN THAT MAKES TWO

▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀

He knew that it wouldn't be easy to throw Feng off his case. The boy was fairly observant and, whilst trusting, was obviously too suspicious to accept just any old excuse at face value. He had to think carefully about what he wanted to say, how to bottole it inside, and what lie would be believable enough to put a halt to Feng's questioning.
First things first, what didn't he want Feng to know? There were various issues he kept to himself but he supposed the most damaging of all was that he defied Feng's wishes and went home, where he ended up in Sylvester's arms.
Again. And again. And again...
Personally he didn't see the problem; It was his apartment and what he did with his body was really no concern of Feng's. To his eyes they weren't seriously dating so if he wanted to spend the night with Sylvester, there really shouldn't be a problem. Would he care if Feng hooked up with someone else? He'd be curious but he wouldn't pry too far into the boy's affairs.
But he couldn't be certain that Feng would have a rational reaction to news. Whilst his mind was fairly open, Feng's was a little more focused. Where he saw a little light fun, comfort and stress rellief, Feng might see an infedelity. The fact that the boy had been volatile towards Sylvester before didn't help either; Sparks were sure to fly if the boy knew that he'd been continuing his screwed up, broken relationship behind his back.
It really was better if Feng didn't know.

So where did that leave him? Ah yes...he needed a believable lie. Perhaps if Max had led an honest life he wouldn't have felt so comfortable lying to the boy, but ever since his arrival in Saol he'd been conditioned to make people happy using a web of lies that obscured the truth. He did it in his work and from there he'd applied it to his past relationships, faking happiness where he was troubled, love when he was indifferent and, in some cases, the opposite. It had never clicked with him that each of those relationships ended in tragedy and perhaps some honesty might of kept them together...but it's easy to speculate when you're not involved. For Max, lying was the easiest way to keep relationships intact; so long as you weren't caught, you were fine.
But what lie could he use? It needed to be something that wouldn't cause too much concern so that Feng didn't fret over it, but it also needed to be as independent as possible. The last thing he needed was to rely on alibis that Feng could call upon, such as Andy or Ankh. One wrong word and Feng would know something was wrong again.

He was silent for only a few moments as his mind raced. His expression contorted into one of conflict before he sighed, turning to face Feng.
" Sorry...I'm a little on edge because I've been having a few problems with work. It's nothing too serious I guess but it's definitely hitting me hard. " He smiled weakly, reaching across to place his hand on Feng's knee.
" s**t kicked off last night...I guess I saw you and...well, let's just say I'm feeling a little less stressed about it now. " He withdrew his hand, his fingers gently brushing against Feng's knee as he did so.
Like he's a client. Is that how you're gonna play it, Max?
" Everything alright with my favourite patient? " He asked, ignoring his thoughts.

▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀

[Pugnacious Peace]

ƒζιคιяιѳ ℒϵϛϵ∂ι

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
Come feed the rain...
because I'm thirsty for your love; dancing underneath the skies of lust.
Yeah, feed the rain...
because without your love my life ain't nothing but this carnival of rust.
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

Feng stared at Max, watching his eyes. At first, he was tempted to buy into the lie, to take his word for it. He started to relax before the letter yet again came to mind. He shouldn't be trusting the one man that was out to kill him...

Yet it made sense. Something wasn't right here, and right now, it all pointed to Max.

"...You're lying to me." Feng grunted, glaring at Max. "It's not work, or if it is, it's not the whole story. Max, come on. I tell you what's going on up front, most of the time. I don't have many secrets, the only ones you don't know are the ones that could hurt you - and before you ask, not just emotionally. And it'll hurt me. Quite bad, actually. Very bad- that's not the damn point! The point is, is that unless you killed somebody, raped somebody, went on some... drug... thing, I want to know what the hell it is you're hiding from me. A relationship cannot exist without trust, Max, and with all the s**t standing between us, what with the murderer, and the hospital, and your work, and my work- well, lack of work, now - and Sylvester-..." He stopped, mid lecture, his finger pointed up slightly, mouth still open. It dropped, and he slowly turned an accusatory stare at Max.

"...Sylvester. Your apartment- THAT JACKET!" Feng stared, wide eyed. "That's why it's not like you. Because it wasn't yours- You went back to your apartment, didn't you. How long? Just that once, or ever since I ******** left?" Feng stopped, his chest heaving. He had to calm down... he could feel his heart thudding and his side aching. He breathed in heavily, letting his head fall back as he stared up at the ceiling. "...I asked you not to lie to me, Max. That's all I asked. If you'd been upfront with me in the first place- yeah, I'd have been a bit pissed. But not as... hurt as I am right now." His voice shook with the devastation of being lied to - and worse yet, the thought that Max had purposely left him alone not to work, but to have a chance at Sylvester without Feng being a hindrance.

"...I want to hear it from you." Feng said calmly, leaning back, his face apathetic, though his eyes shifted between anger and emotional hurt.

After all that's happened, am I still going to be lied to...?

╔════════════════════════════╗
Don't walk away, don't walk away...
Oh, when the world is burning!
Don't walk away, don't walk away...
Oh, when the heart is yearning!
╚════════════════════════════╝

ooc

[Miss Swifteh]

M A X I M I L L I A N
ESCORT | CHAIN-SMOKER | HUMAN

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

BUT WHAT I DO ISN'T UP TO YOU
AND IF THE CITY NEVER SLEEPS THEN THAT MAKES TWO

▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀

You're lying to me.

His smile froze with the accusation. He'd been certain that Feng would buy into that lie - in fact, he'd depended on it. He couldn't make up another and try again; Feng's trust was already at a low and to change his story would only reduce it more. As he stared at the other he realised that his options were waning, slipping through his fingers one by one.
He couldn't change his story, but perhaps he could reinforce it? Max waited for Feng to pause in his rant, to give him just enough of an opening to bluff his way out of trouble. He'd tell Feng that he was angry for no reason; it was the absolute truth; he could explain it, so calm the ******** down.
But each passing second he spent waiting for his chance drew it farther from his reach until, finally, the penny dropped for Feng.

He'd gone home. He'd seen Sylvester.
And he hadn't told Feng.

By now his smile had dissapeared, replaced with a blank expression, a mask of defence. There were no more chances, no more opportunities. Perhaps if Feng had forgotten about the jacket, it would of been easier to convince him that he was jumping to conclusions. He would of told Feng that he was being ridiculous. He hadn't gone home and he certainly hadn't seen Sylvester. There was nothing to worry about. Did the boy really have no faith in him at all?
But the jacket made all of that unbelievable. How could he have gotten it if he hadn't been home? Why would it be there in the first place if it wasn't Sylvester's?
He's not going to have faith in a liar. But then, you knew that, didn't you?

Surprisingly, he was calm. Max didn't feel the panic he'd felt before because there was no longer any room for uncertainty. He'd screwed up and now there was nothing left to do but see things through. It was now just a question of whether it ended badly or in tragedy.

He kept his gaze steady on Feng.
" ...I really don't think it matters what I say anymore. " Max rose from his perch on the arm of the sofa, stepping away towards the door.

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[Pugnacious Peace]

ƒζιคιяιѳ ℒϵϛϵ∂ι

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
Come feed the rain...
because I'm thirsty for your love; dancing underneath the skies of lust.
Yeah, feed the rain...
because without your love my life ain't nothing but this carnival of rust.
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

Feng watched Max's expression change, his own eyes softening. He couldn't stay angry at Max - really, he should be furious. He should be ready to just snap and tell Max to ******** off, go ahead and let himself ben taken advantage of by Sylvester - but he couldn't. No clue as to why he would still put his trust in him - but here he was, about to do it again.

Until Max began to walk away. "Max!" Feng cried, almost desperately. He winced at the pathetic under tone in his voice, but he stepped forward, holding Max's hands in his own gently, taking pleasure in the warmth. Lately, his hands had been cold, an unwelcome change. Now was no different. He closed his eyes, pulling himself closer to the man, blocking his way unthreateningly. "...It does matter what you say. It matters to me what you say. It always has, Max. That's why I'm listening. I don't know why. I should be letting you leave. I'm not going to beat around the damned bush and wait for the right time to come crawling back to you, or beg you to come back, or wait until you do the same, though I'm pretty sure you wouldn't. If you want to walk out after I've said this, then I won't stop you. It's just... I..." Feng huffed, annoyed that he couldn't seem to voice his thoughts. A few months ago, he'd have already dragged Max to the ground and shown him what he meant, instead, and they've both wake up later, inhibitions on the floor, regretting their decision.

but he couldn't. Not with Max. Not with him. I can't lose you.

Was that really so hard to say? I love you. I love you. I love-

"...I really care about you, Max..." His voice cracked, pulling himself into Max's chest, sighing. "..It hurts that you would lie, but it hurts more that you would think that what you have to say doesn't matter to me. it does. ...A lot, actually. I care about what you have to say more than I care about what Andy has to say, and that's really saying something. I don't know how somebody could get under my skin so damn fast like you have. It was uncomfortable, i wanted to rip you out of me and just... squash you or something. But after the first day or so... I don't mind so much. Having a little burrower in my skin. I finally have... uhm..." he started to trail off, frowning and biting his lip. "...I'm talking far too much, aren't I." He chuckled, pulling himself away from Max's chest.

He took in a breath. Now or never. Now would be the time to let him know just what you're trying to say. In another life, Feng may have just let Max leave and dealt with the consequences, maybe send somebody out to keep an eye out around Max's apartment, just to make sure he'd be okay.

In this one, however, he looked up at Max's eyes, unaware of the tears until the first fell. He leaned up, placing a careful, shaking kiss on the man's cheek. "...I...I l...L..." He sighed, nearly giving up -

His whisper came out, nearly unheard, but the silent room made it nearly clear as day.

"i love you."

╔════════════════════════════╗
Don't walk away, don't walk away...
Oh, when the world is burning!
Don't walk away, don't walk away...
Oh, when the heart is yearning!
╚════════════════════════════╝

ooc

[Miss Swifteh]

M A X I M I L L I A N
ESCORT | CHAIN-SMOKER | HUMAN

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

BUT WHAT I DO ISN'T UP TO YOU
AND IF THE CITY NEVER SLEEPS THEN THAT MAKES TWO

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He had a feeling Feng wouldn't just let him walk out the door. With an irritated sigh Max allowed the other to take his hands, his gaze steadily settled on Feng's own mismatched orbs before the other moved close to him. He stared at the top of the boy's head, barely listening to his rambling. They were just words. Feng might protest that whatever he had to say was important, but really it wasn't. Feng already had the story, what use would it be to repeat it in his own voice?
Leaving was his best choice of action. Feng was unpredictable and emotional, two traits that didn't combine well with his being a Salamander. Add a couple of elemental friends to the mix and things would probably kick off fairly badly. He certainly didn't want to have to face Andy.

Max closed his eyes. He'd let everyone down again. He was getting rather good at that...

He sighed, his eyes opening as he pulled his hands from Feng's grip, resting them on the boy's shoulders. He moved to push him away when the other kissed his cheek, those three words tumbling timidly out of his lips.

Max stared at him, almost not believing his ears.
" What...? " He breathed, his hands dropping from Feng's shoulders. He searched the boy's face for any sign of humour, any sign of frivoloty. He could be expressing his love in a desperate attempt to get him to stay, just saying those words to make him stay for a while longer...but he doubted it wasn't just a phrase spoken on a whim. Feng sincerely loved him...right?
But he wasn't sure.

He hesitated, his gaze wandering from the other's face.
" It's not a joke, Feng. " He hazarded, waiting to see the boy's reaction in order to gauge whether he was serious.

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[Pugnacious Peace]

ƒζιคιяιѳ ℒϵϛϵ∂ι

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
Come feed the rain...
because I'm thirsty for your love; dancing underneath the skies of lust.
Yeah, feed the rain...
because without your love my life ain't nothing but this carnival of rust.
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

Feng fell silent, staring in confusion. "...joke... what are you...?" He shook his head, frowning. "...Why would you say something about a joke? Did I say something funny, or..." He looked away, retracing his rambling. He was sure he hadn't said something funny, or remotely close to a joke... He looked back up. Was he trying to piss him off, or...-

Is he testing me?

"...Not a joke, Max." He murmured, smiling slowly. "Like I said, you can walk out, now that I've said what I wanted -...needed... to say. I can't stop you. I'm not like that thing- sorry...don't want to piss you off... I'm not like Sylvester. I'm not going to fling my fire around like it's some kind of government weapon or some s**t. I'm not about to threaten you with it, or scare you with it, or rape you or- I'm not him. I'm not stopping you. So if you want to leave..." Feng backed up, giving him room, though his chest heaved in the anxiety, trying to even his breaths. His voice came out cracked, his lip shaking slightly, but he held his ground. "...yeah. You have your freedom." Feng flushed, biting his lip. He played with the bottom of his shirt, noticing the strip of plastic around his wrist with his name and birthday perfectly written, as well as the hospital's name and the date of his leaving. He had forgotten to cut it off, but now he didn't exactly care, too concerned for his relationship with Max. While he loved him, deeply, in fact, though he wasn't sure how he could have. They hadn't known each other for long, and the man lied to him - he feared more than once - but still, it was there. And he couldn't deny it. The thought of being without him was... oddly painful. He couldn't explain it, really, and he decided that it wasn't worth explaining.

Fliairio, there are some things the mind cannot explain. While we are more in tune with nature than humans, not even Elementals will ever discover every single fact about this earth - nor will we understand our emotions. Sometimes you fight and discover - others...

others, you just lay back and let the flow of the river lead you to your destination.

╔════════════════════════════╗
Don't walk away, don't walk away...
Oh, when the world is burning!
Don't walk away, don't walk away...
Oh, when the heart is yearning!
╚════════════════════════════╝

ooc

[Miss Swifteh]

M A X I M I L L I A N
ESCORT | CHAIN-SMOKER | HUMAN

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

BUT WHAT I DO ISN'T UP TO YOU
AND IF THE CITY NEVER SLEEPS THEN THAT MAKES TWO

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His gaze tracked the boy carefully, his eyes as cold and sharp as steel. Their conversation was nothing like he imagined it to be; In place of anger there was dissapointment, despair even. Now it was Feng's turn to lose his eloquence, his rambling words continually tumbling from his lips. Max's brow furrowed with irritation at the comparison to Sylvester, holding back the growing urge to argue. Feng claimed they were different - he got the feeling the boy thought of himself as a polar opposite - but the more he thought about it the more he recognised similarities between the two. This discovery went beyond his apprehensions about their ability to control fire; There were similarities in their attitudes, their sense of humour, the way they put him at ease.
Don't forget the way they can burn a house down or how they can send you to a burns unit. Try to move beyond it all you want, you'll inevitably return to that one major inhibition.

He shuddered, closing his eyes as he took a breath in, opening them on the exhale. At the mention of freedom Max found his eyes trailing to the door. If he wanted to he could push Feng aside right now, grab his coat and be out the door. He could wander around for a little while before picking up some dinner on his way home to his apartment, opening the door to find Sylvester draped across the sofa with the TV remote in hand and a big smile on his face. Then, during the course of the evening, he'd forget about the dinner he had to make and end up sprawled against the older salamander, his clothes leading a trail on the floor to his bed. He could escape these problems he had with Feng for good, put everything to one side as he lost himself in his ultimate distraction.
But Sylvester isn't as reliable as you'd like. The dull pain from the salamander's betrayal twelve years before still ached somewhere beneath his skin, buried deep. An equally as likely scenario would be for him to return home and find his apartment empty, only to wait for a room-mate who would never return. Or worse, his past could play out again for him like a viscious play with poor taste and he could return home to find Sylvester enjoying a new plaything on the sofa, leering at him from over the back of their head.

He couldn't rely on Sylvester. But then again, he didn't need to rely on him. They weren't an item, they were just prone to enjoying one another's company. There were many words for what they did but Max wasn't entirely sure he liked any of them, mostly because they implied that there was either friendship or obligation between the two of them. The only thing they recognised in one another was convenience.
Yet here was someone standing in front of him whom he could rely on. Feng was dedicated and loyal, and what's more he was in love with him. Max was certain that the boy was speaking the truth about his feelings which meant that he should be able to rely on him more than he did. In any other situation this would earn his affection but unfortunately life with Feng wasn't as sweet as he'd like it to be. There were hidden dangers in every shadow, a looming threat that lingered in the air each time they were together. The closer he got to Feng, the more he attracted the boy's attention he risked placing himself in the crosshair of a psychotic killer. The smartest thing would be to separate himself from Feng, but again he found himself at a brick wall: each time he tried to distance himself he hurt the boy. Feng had grown too reliant on him and so he found himself in a catch-22 situation, his head aching from all the stress.

He grimaced, running his fingers through his hair and gripping at the strands, pulling on them in agitation.
" I just don't know! " He exclaimed, partially to himself. Max took a cautionary step back before falling to one side, his shoulder resting heavily against the wall. His calm was shattered, replaced with a nervous wreck at this new dilemma. He didn't want to have to decide between the two salamanders! It was like being offered a choice of two pillars to stand on - one sturdy yet subjected to a constant pelting of stones, the other cracked and poised to fall but completely out of harm's way. Whichever he chose to stand on he was bound for tragedy.
" ...Let me go home, Feng. Just...let me go home, but don't shut me out. I don't want to sneak around behind your back but I don't want to be confined to this...this...prison! I can't just slot into your life like that - I can't make friends with Andy and everyone else so quickly when most of them are almost half my age! " He paused for breath, almost snarling. " And okay, that might be an exxageration but it's how it feels, Feng. Hell, I sometimes wonder if they think I'm your axe murderer slowly picking them off one by one. Happy little coincedence that I met you before the s**t hit the fan, wasn't it? I wouldn't be surprised if Andy's new police-pal started matching up my movements with alibis!
" None of this exists in my apartment. At home I don't have to think about killers sneaking into your room and rearranging your insides at knifepoint because I'm too busy being pestered by the idiot that's taken up residence in my room. The most I have to worry about with Sylvester is bullying him into picking up a condom before he gets too lost in the moment to remember and making sure I don't piss him off to the extent that he'll leave another hand-shaped burn scar on my flesh to go with the last one he gave me! " Max stopped, realising that he was raising his voice. His own syllables rang in his ears, his words bouncing around the inside of his skull. What use was this rant? He never normally exploded like this unless he'd been seriously pissed off and Feng hadn't really done anything to warrant that.
All he did was say he loved you.

His expression sank, his eyes dark with guilt and aggravation but an apology was not going to roll off his lips. All that he said was brutally honest, everything that his smiles and jokes had helped to hide over the past couple of weeks. With a sigh he turned his face away, folding his arms across his chest defensively.
" I don't like feeling trapped, Feng. Sure, you say I'm free to go but when all's said and done you're one of the best things that ever happened to me and I don't want to leave that behind. I don't want to walk out that door and...and... " He fought for the word, reluctant to utter it and complete his sentence. I already sound pathetic enough...
He gave in, shoulders sagging. " ...And lose you. "

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[Pugnacious Peace]

ƒζιคιяιѳ ℒϵϛϵ∂ι

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
Come feed the rain...
because I'm thirsty for your love; dancing underneath the skies of lust.
Yeah, feed the rain...
because without your love my life ain't nothing but this carnival of rust.
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

Feng flinched at the outburst, looking down. Clearly, he'd misjudged this relationship. He backed up only slightly, nodding to show he was still listening, but proving that he was no longer going to hold him back. His eyes downcast, staring at both his and Max's feet, he noticed the differences. His own feet were rather small, quite petite even for a boy his age. Only a little bigger than Ankh's own feet, in fact. Max's were normal. They were older - he was older. Feng was... what was Feng, exactly?

Yet again, the Woman in Red's voice floated back to him, mocking him. He tried to ignore it, though as Max's voice rose further, he couldn't help but let it slip through his defenses. Still he said nothing, allowing Max to speak freely. As he'd said prior, he would give Max his freedom, let him leave. It didn't mean he had to like it - but he had to let him go. Feng had long believed that if somebody wanted to leave him, he had no right to force them to stay. It reminded him too much of his own past, he couldn't afford to rely on others too much - but over the years, he had done just that. He relied on Andy far too much. Andy was his crutch, the only thing that, had Max never shown up at all, would have been keeping him alive. If Andy wasn't there, and Max had never appeared or had shown no interest in being anywhere near him, he'd have been alone. He never would have been near Michael's to see Ankh, but he wouldn't have been alive long enough to see Eclair. He'd have been long gone - either by the murderer's hands or his own. He hated the thought of staring death in the face. He'd much rather slit his own throat than let somebody else do it for him. If there was no other way out, and nobody could be around to see or feel the repercussions, that would have been the very thing he'd have done. Cowardly? Perhaps a little. There were people alive that had gone through so much more, but they were still walking, still shoving their way through the streets, climbing up the ladders.

He was frail where Sylvester was strong. He was weak where Sylvester was... powerful, to say the least. If it hadn't been for that insulting behavior and risk to Max, Feng would have just broke things off with Max and told him to stay with Sylvester, where he was safest. Feng couldn't please him. He wasn't strong enough to protect him, he wasn't sexy enough to please him, he wasn't seductive enough to entice him. Wasn't enough, wasn't enough...-

His thoughts halted, the gears whirring to life in the opposite direction of his previous track. His breathing literally stopped - his heart nearly did the same thing.

"Sure, you say I'm free to go but when all's said and done you're one of the best things that ever happened to me and I don't want to leave that behind. I don't want to walk out that door and...and..." the man paused, "...And lose you. "

The heart in his tiny little chest thudded rapidly, those smaller, feminine hands shaking, head pounding to the point where he could have sworn that some little elf had somehow crawled through his ears with a drum and decided to practice its band routines next to his brain.

How does this sound! the voice shouted, and he smiled slowly, dropping his hands from his defensive stance.

Had he been aware that they were being watched, perhaps he wouldn't have made this move. If he'd been aware that he was sealing his own fate against a man he couldn't see, he wouldn't have made this choice - but he hadn't been aware. So blissfully unaware was he that he leaned forward, wrapped his arms around Max's shoulders, and smiled, placing himself on his tip-toes to look him in the eyes. "...You aren't going to. I think the Earth will have to open up beneath me and swallow me for you to lose me completely, Max. Go on. Be careful, alright? Give me a call if something happens?" He kissed his bottom lip, once again unaware of the narrowing eyes, the hatred seething through pursed lips in thick gasps for breath.

---

Their Feng against this human? No. It simply wouldn't do. No, no no- it wasn't right! It wasn't natural. Wasn't normal. Before, they'd been simply annoyed with Max's presence - now, however, they hissed angrily, pushing away from the bushes by the window and took flight, sprinting to the one place they felt safe, protected. Where they could plan. They could plot.

If they couldn't have Feng, neither could the human. They pushed the doors to the empty apartment building open, slamming their fists angrily against the wall. Repeating the action until a dark bruise spread over the side of their hand, they heaved with the energy of their sudden violence, looking up at a woman's figure against the wall.

"Did you find anything?" She murmured sweetly, and the figure shook their heads, frowning.

"Nothing."

"Nothing at all? Well that isn't normal." She tutted disapprovingly, sighing and beginning to move up the steps. "Butterfly won't be pleased to know about this."

The stalker said nothing, instead following silently up the steps.

As the door closed slowly, there was silence, save for the creaks and moans of the old building, moths desperately slamming their itty-bitty bodies against a light bulb, the clicking of some sort of insect in the hallway -

an unearthly howl erupted from the room beyond the closed door, followed by a sickening crunch and a red liquid seeping through carpet. The woman leaned over the body, snarling at the disgusting coppery scent. "Don't lie to me." She bit, kicking the chair with the man in it, watching him fall. "Butterfly knows all, sees all. And Butterfly... Butterfly knows you lied. You don't lie to Butterfly."

Flame rose from her palms, and three men opened the door, one with vines trailing faithfully behind him, another with rope tied around his waist, and the third with an apathetic expression accompanied by a glowing ball of some sort floating just above his palm, sandy blond hair waving with the air pushed around by his power, dark eyes staring at the mess.

"You don't know how to keep things sanitary, do you." He mused, smirking and showing off his perfectly white teeth. The woman huffed, pushing past him angrily. He rolled his eyes, looking at the other two.

"I suppose it's our job to clean up, isn't it."

"I suppose so."

"Right."

And the three began their regular task, one that they'd been performing since youth - and still performed in their thirties.

╔════════════════════════════╗
Don't walk away, don't walk away...
Oh, when the world is burning!
Don't walk away, don't walk away...
Oh, when the heart is yearning!
╚════════════════════════════╝

ooc

[Miss Swifteh]

M A X I M I L L I A N
ESCORT | CHAIN-SMOKER | HUMAN

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

BUT WHAT I DO ISN'T UP TO YOU
AND IF THE CITY NEVER SLEEPS THEN THAT MAKES TWO

▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀

He flinched as Feng moved towards him, the fear apparent in his eyes as he stumbled back a step, groping at the wall for support. For that split moment he was afraid that Feng was going to swing for him, lay his fist into his jaw. He could hardly complain if the boy did, he had it coming to him.
His eyes closed tight.
He tensed.
And...

The warm sensation of Feng's arms wrapping around his shoulders shocked him into opening his eyes. Max looked into Feng's sincere face, his eyes darting to take in the bright eyes, the youthful smile.
Does that look like the face of someone who wants to deck you?
He cracked a light smile, wrapping his arms tightly around Feng's waist, leaning back to lift the other off his feet in a tight embrace. " Trying to chase me out now? " He joked, his voice breaking a little from the effort of lifting Feng.
" Oh-- s**t! " He exclaimed, dropping Feng back down all of a sudden, his hands ghosting over the healing wounds on Feng's abdomen. With genuine concern he apologised under his breath, worried that his forgetulness caused them to reopen or something equally as painful.
Glancing back up at Feng, his look of honest concern melted into a weak smile. " Forever the a**, right? " He mumbled, running a hand through his hair nervously, fidgeting as he moved back from the other. He'd made such a spectacle of himself within such a short amount of time...how was he ever going to live this down?
" ...Now I could really use a smoke... "

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[Pugnacious Peace]

ƒζιคιяισ ℒϵϛϵ∂ι

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
【 ▇█▆▄■█▄▇▊▆▄▂▇▊▅■▂ 】

╔═════════════════════════════════════╗


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╚═════════════════════════════════════╝

Feng blushed and smiled, giggling as he was lifted - a slight pain radiated from the stitched wound, but it could have been much worse - in fact the drop was more traumatic on his ankles than the lift was on his injury. He laughed, shaking his head. "No, no. It's okay." He sighed heavily, glad that the tension had, for the most part, faded - in fact, he... for some reason (though many could argue that it was the combination of both himself letting out his emotions and Max blurting out a few of his own - it was a step in the right direction, at the very least), he felt better about all of this. Okay, so he could handle Sylvester, if only for a short period of time, to make Max more comfortable. Of course, Feng had his limits - if the man did something he didn't particularly approve of that endangered a life (especially Max's,) he wouldn't hesitate to speak up. He only hope that the other would calmly talk things through instead of immediately resorting to fire.

He still hadn't been able to summon his abilities - every time he tried in the hospital, thought it had been dangerous to do so, he only felt weak, the pain in his side increasing the longer he attempted. Still, he supposed that, unless the killer came after him so soon (though who was to say they wouldn't?), he would be relatively safe. Unless of course, that had been their plan all along - maim him enough to send him to a hospital, push the drug into his system to go 'undetected', only to render him useless if danger should arise-

He found he honestly didn't even care. He only wanted, right now, to smile with Max, to remain close to him until he had to leave. Then he would sleep easy, knowing that yet again, Max would be safe from harm. If Sylvester hadn't hurt him yet, Feng had to assume that he hadn't planned to - at least, not on his personal agenda. And if the murderer should follow Max, he figured Sylvester would be sharp enough to put up a good fight and defend him, even if it ended in a house fire - Max would be alive, that was the important thing.

Feng felt... he didn't know how to describe it, not really. It was something he hadn't felt in a long time, something he'd long buried. He felt alive, important, respected -

Loved.

That brought an even bigger smile onto his face and he looked around at the mention of a cigarette, sneaking over to Andy's jacket draped over the chair. "Well we can fix that, can't we."

Realizing he couldn't be able to light them, he frowned. The last thing he wanted was to cause worry - but he'd said before, back when he'd first met Max, that he was always looking for a safe reason to use the fire.

"...I need to find his lighter." Feng mumbled, shuffling through the kitchen. Finding it on the counter by his keys he grinned, bringing both the pack and the lighter to them. "Eh~?" he winked.

╔═════════════════════════════════════╗


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╚═════════════════════════════════════╝

ooc

New Layout, FTW!