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 Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2015 2:47 pm
 It hurt.
Kappa curled up on the dirty sidewalk, body pressing into the closed liquor store as the bodies passed by. Some gawked. Some tried to talk to him. Others asked where he lived. He never answered, simply burying deeper into his arms. Sometimes he'd lift and flee when the threat of someone getting help arrived, and then he'd find new hiding spots. This time he had fled to the liquor store and hid, curling tighter when the rain began to pour and drench the young boy.
He knew, soon, it'd be curfew and then the staff would wonder. No longer would they assume he was in the library or with friends (which he had none of). Eventually they'd come running, and he already dreaded the familiar gaze Ava would give him. He just didn't know what to do. He didn't know what was wrong with him. He didn't fit in. He didn't blend. He was just an awkward teenager who said the wrong things and found the entire world terrifying. He couldn't do the simplest thing, like make a friend, without fear gripping him and leaving him paralyzed. He just.... couldn't function.
Today, he had tried. He approached a group of kids in the library and, instead of mustering words when they turned to look at him, he had gripped his hands and just stared. Of course, they laughed and eventually ditched him. He was, after all, the freak. The kid who often just stared or would blurt out nonsense when approached. He was known for it, and even tricked by those who pretended to be interested in him, only to giggle when he stammered or eventually began to, in frustration, cry. He just couldn't. Something was wrong inside him, and after the library incident he had fled. His feet had taken him from the academy and into the town.
He was soaked at this point, body pressing into itself as the body hugged his knees to his body. He had stopped crying a long time ago, instead content to lean against the liquor store and hold himself. He wasn't ready to go home. He couldn't. Not yet. Maybe never. Maybe he'd just run away, forever.
Maybe.
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Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2015 3:00 pm
 Today was a s**t day. His last client had, after much whimpering under the needle, decided to just stop. The unfinished tattoo grated on his nerves, reminding him that something he had made was not even a half of its potential. It wasn't like that was the first time it had happened. Many folks came by and assumed they could handle receiving a tattoo, only to yelp and flee minutes after the needle descended. It drove him insane.
So, he left work early. He had locked up, grabbed his maroon trench coat and black umbrella, and began to head home. He had always enjoyed rain, often finding it peaceful. Tonight was no different. The hybrid couldn't help the smile that crossed his features when the rain beat a soft rhythm against his umbrella, occasionally spinning the umbrella in a brief second of child-like glee. He was, only barely, an adult. Still young enough to be called a child, yet old enough to have formally dropped the teen at the end of his years. Often, he lied, stating he was twenty-five, but everyone knew better.
His eyes illuminated the darkness around his face, leaving only the image of glowing eyes as the sun descended. For a second he almost missed a small figure, even going as far as walking past. However, the movement of a rat caused his eyes to trail over, and suddenly his eyes locked upon the teenager. He halted, hand holding his umbrella as he just stared. What was he supposed to do? What was a kid doing out here? They probably belonged to the academy, now that he thought about it. Hell, knowing them, they'd freak in an hour or two. They'd find the kid, eventually.
Yet, he didn't feel right leaving them in the pouring rain. Rolling his eyes, Claus approached, raising his umbrella and holding it over the boy, a foot raising and gently nudging the others leg.
"Hey, kid." He called, kneeling down and keeping his hand raised with the umbrella. "You alive?"
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Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2015 3:10 pm
He had, long ago, stopped listening to the sound of footsteps. He heard the soft squeak of a rat here and there, but that was all he allowed himself to focus on. The rain was, in a way, soothing, as if it was cleansing him of his fears and oddities. 'If only.' His brain snorted, betraying his moment of safety with a twitch of sarcasm.
He didn't exactly notice someone had stopped before him until water slapped against his ankles. His body stiffened, deliberately ignoring when a voice called out. Kid. That's what he was. A sixteen year-old brat.
It took one single touch to send the nerves within Kappa on fire, head snapping up and hands raising to smack at the offender, hand connecting with the umbrella and slamming it to the ground. Instinctually, he raised an arm to protect his head, a soft whimper leaving the skinny boy. His heart hammered, blood turning cold as his brain screamed at him to run. Again, there it was, the constant fear. His brain didn't rationalize. It didn't comprehend the umbrella, nor the question asked. All it understood was there was a stranger, and thus he was in-danger.
Kicking off the ground, the boy attempted to scramble away, instead dripping over a drenched pant leg and falling straight into the cement. A defeated whine left him as he pushed up into the side of the building once more, hands raising to defend himself.
"I'm sorry! I-I'll go! I'll leave! Don't worry! I-I won't intrude! I'm sorry!"
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Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2015 3:17 pm
Now, he hadn't expected a hand to shoot out and smack the umbrella, sending it rolling to the side, violently smashing into the cement. "Wh- ********> He snapped, reaching out to grab the umbrella, only to be overwhelmed when the boy whimpered and practically cowered, covering himself.
"Deites, what the hell was th- just, just stay there... hold on." Now he was absolutely worried! What was someone like this doing on their own?! The boy obviously wasn't suited to be outdoors by himself! Or, was he just over-reacting? Would he had panicked if someone approached him as a teenager? No. He would have punched them, probably. Sighing, one hand extended in an attempt to gesture for the boy to stay still, the other extended for the umbrella.
And then the boy had to get up and collapse all over himself.
He watched the scene, mouth slowly opening in pure shock as the boy panicked, scrambled away, and smashed into the ground, immediately cowering back against the building. Slowly, he picked the umbrella up, standing and observing the boy. What the hell even just happened?
"Wow." He blurted, immediately feeling idiotic and instead placing the umbrella back over the boy. "Hey, kid, relax. No, shut up. Relax. I'm not gonna hurt you, alright?" He tried to lower his voice, but, well, he was Claus. Being soft wasn't his forte.
"That was a nasty fall. Are you okay?"
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Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2015 3:27 pm
He didn't know what to do. He stayed crumpled against the building, hands raised and eyes wild as the other spoke. He didn't quite register the umbrella, instead flinching when the hand rose. It took a good few seconds to realize the rain hadn't graced him to realize, truly, that the other was helping.
For now.
Clearly, he was about to be kidnapped. He knew it. He sensed it. No one spoke to him unless they had bad intentions, or they were forced to out of the necessity of keeping their job. The speaking was bad enough; it had been the touching that set the boy off. He was going to die, he knew it.
The lack of movement between the two settled his heart, hands slowly lowering just enough to stare at his "attacker". Just another scrawny Nightmare before him. Did that matter? Size didn't equate weakness. His eyes flicked back to the umbrella, hands lowering further. Perhaps it was the gesture that had calmed him enough, or maybe the worry for his well-being when he fell. Either way, his hands lowered and he sat up, cautious eyes locked on the older man. His fingers slipped into fists, nails worrying at his palms.
"Please don't kill me." He whispered, voice so faint the rain almost swept it away. "I-If you do, can you do it quickly? I-I.... don't like pain much."
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Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 2:42 pm
Claus just stared at first, his head slowly tilting to the side as confusion settled. Kill him? When had he ever given that vibe off? He wasn't even as tattooed as half the people he worked with, so his image couldn't be the fault. Sighing lowly, he reached out and touched the boy's hand, lifting it and placing the umbrella into the open palm, hand closing his fingers.
"I'm not gonna kill you, okay? Do I look like a murderer? Actually, don't answer that." Removing himself, he stood up, watching the boy under the rain. His hair slowly began to stick to his face as the rain swallowed its victim, leaving the tattoo-artist drenched. It didn't matter, he was just glad to see the drenched boy covered for now. Fumbling in his pockets, he removed a card and hastily dropped it in the boy's lap, hoping it wasn't too wet to read.
"Hey, if you need help come here." He offered, head cocking towards the right. "I work near here, and I was a troubled kid, too. I know how much the academy frets if you stay out after curfew." He paused, flashing a genuine smile, even if he was uncertain what the hell was this kid's deal.
"Ask for Claus, okay? I'm gonna go, since you seemed like you got this.... handled." Wrong. He was leaving mostly because the other boy looked terrified. He made a move to leave, pausing and tilting his body back to view the boy once more.
"You're okay, right? I'm not gonna regret this and see your name in the news, right?"
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Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2015 12:49 pm
 Kappa listened to every word intently, body tense as the other seemed devoted to ensuring Kappa knew today wasn't his last. The Geist jumped when the hybrid moved closer, nearly pulling his hands back to his face when instead a piece of paper fluttered into his lap. Blinking back distress, the Geist lifted the card, slipping it into his palm to protect it from the rain. The man – Claus – seemed done with him, making a move to leave. A breath of relief left the boy before, suddenly, the hybrid stopped, his glowing eyes locked onto him once more. Kappa recoiled into the back of the wall he was leaning on, watching cautiously.
Was he okay? Would his name be in the news? Did that matter? Why did this complete stranger care, anyway? Wasn't that weird? Didn't they advise not to talk to strangers? What did it matter if his name was in the news? It wasn't like the man – Claus – knew it. He wouldn't ever know if Kappa died today or not. Yet, if he said 'no', if he was honest and began babbling how not okay he was then the man would stay, and that was the very last thing he wanted.
"I'm fine." He muttered back, voice low as he waited, no, prayed the man would believe him. It didn't matter, anyway, if something happened to him. He was of little use. It was as if he was dead already. He didn't benefit anyone or add to the world. He was just another mouth to feed. Another body to keep warm. Another burden.
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Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 10:24 pm
How he didn't believe the other. Claus frowned absently at the boy, tilting his head side to side before sighing. There wasn't much he could do, anyway. He already offered the boy a sanctuary, which he doubted they'd take. He wasn't about to push it by demanding he come with Claus. That, and he wasn't a kidnapper. His hand raised, feebly raising a faint goodbye before he shrugged and headed back to his original task; going home. He was sure his parents would chastise him, again, for staying out late if he wasn't back soon. How they always knew whatever the hell he was doing was beyond him, but the man didn't try and think about it too much. Parents were parents; evasive and concerned about the world their children associated themselves in. There was no fighting the world they seemed comfortable in.
Taking one last glance over his shoulder, Claus watched the Geist boy before shaking his head, exhaling sharply. What a weird meeting that had been. The fact the academy had let one of their students get so far away so close to curfew left him briefly puzzled, but it wasn't his place to concern himself over their policy. How many times had Claus gotten away with misbehavior? Too many times.
Hopefully, he'd never see the boy again. He prayed whatever troubled the child enough to have him curled on the sidewalk in the rain would dissipate. Hopefully.
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