Gabriel / Loki:Gabriel glanced up at the antique shop in front of him. Somehow it was still in business. He couldn't figure how, but he wouldn't question it. He hadn't been here in a very long time. Mostly because he'd been... other places. But he couldn't deny the fact that he'd avoided it on purpose at least a little. The memories still stung more than he cared to admit.
He missed her, ached for her, and nothing would ever change that at this point.
He walked around the building, towards the little window, ready to use this place for a night's rest. But when he neared it, Gabe froze, his eyes growing wide. He knew that scent. Was... She was still here?
Dean:
The male mixed breed cat stood outside the window, his eyes peering inside. There lay the black cat that had been reported as killing a few of the newborn kittens in the area. The idea of someone killing such innocent souls made Dean frown. His eyes dark as he was ready to kill should he need to.
He hadn't been sure this was her.. Not until he had been lead this way after following her. Seeing her stalking the streets, she fit the description to a T, and he had made sure he knew exactly where she was going.
"Come out come out where-ever you are." Dean called out through the window, before backing away before she could see him. He wanted to lead her outside, where it would be easier to get to her should he need to.
Kali:
Kali paused when she heard the voice, her paw still raised from the bath she had been giving herself. It had been what felt like months since Loki had left.. She wasn't sure why she stayed, but she did. The voice made her heart skip a beat. It hadn't sounded like Loki right? Maybe.. The idea of it being possible made her smile. She stood, and headed towards the window, peeking out herself. She didn't see anyone, but that really didn't mean much of anything. Jumping to the sill, she leapt out into the grass.
"Loki?" She asked, eyes scanning the area. They fell on a cat, that was so different from Loki it made her smile stop dead in it's tracks. Her hands balled into fists, and she arched an eyebrow.
"Who are you?" She asked, a growl escaping her throat. The hair on the back of her neck was standing straight up. She was not getting a good feeling about this cat, the way he looked at her was that of a predator.
Dean:
Dean smiled bitterly, looking at the she-cat he had managed to bring out into the open. She didn't seem dangerous, but he noted by her twitching tail and balled fists that she wasn't exactly weak either. He would have to be on guard. Anyone who could kill kittens, deserved nothing but the worst.
"How did those kittens taste?" He cut to the chase, eyes darkening as he said it. His breathing rose, and he was ready to get to business.. Sam would be waiting for him, and this didn't need to take too long.
"I'm afraid I haven't the slightest idea at what you are asking me.." She responded, and her voice was strong. Never wavering despite her body telling her that there was going to be a fight.
"Don't lie to me, b***h.." He growled, his own fists balling up as he stared at her. Her eyes were like fire.. It made him pause for a moment, but only for a moment. There was no way her eyes were dancing like the fire he could see in them.
"Call me by anything like that again, cat, and you will sorely regret it.." She took a step closer to him, her tail flicking back and forth, clearly agitated.
He stepped closer too, and she began growling low in her throat. He hissed in response to her growl, and she followed suit. Hissing her own warning that he'd better back off. She'd never had to fight a male before, but she could be sure she was not afraid of him. If she died, she died. But she was thinking he would be the one to bow down before her.
In that split second, Dean was in the air, coming at her, and with a loud cry of anger, she met him with a fury of teeth and claws.
Gabriel / Loki:
Gabe's ears perked up when he heard the sound of voices. He slunk around the corner and- s**t. His ears flicked back as he took a paw-step back. He hadn't expected to see Kali at all, much less so soon, and even worse. Dean, the mook, what was he doing here?
And then he heard what Dean was saying and the scenario brought itself to harsh clarity.
When Dean attacked Kali, he rushed forward and shoved the other male back.
"Can't get anything right, can you?" he scoffed, a smirk on his face. It was all he could do to hold it and hide the apprehension of being in this situation. Usually he just did stuff that pissed the hunter off and then ran off. He'd never faced him down like this, especially not without an advantage.
And Kali... He didn't even know where to start with her.
Kali:
Before Loki reached the two, Kali had already given Dean a new mark over his eye. Her hands dripping with his blood, she was surprised as he was shoved back. It all happened so fast, and she found herself just staring.
"I can do this. I'm not afraid of him." She said, though her eyes didn't leave Dean. She had a situation at hand, and matters of the heart..well.. They just weren't going to be able to be discussed right now.
Dean:
Dean snarled when he was pushed back, barely managing to stay on his feet.
"Trickster..." Dean said, and it was clear that there was no love lost between the two. Though his anger took on one of irritation instead.
"Get out of the way, Loki. Now." He growled, looking back at the woman standing behind the newcomer. He didn't know what Loki was doing here, and quite frankly he didn't care. But he was in the way..
"Don't you have a show to do? You are wasting your time here."
Gabriel / Loki:
Gabriel glanced over his shoulder at her and gave her a small, heartfelt smile.
"I know," he whispered. She might not be afraid of Dean, but he was. He was a stupid, stubborn cat who was worse than a dog with a bone. And despite the bad memories mixed with the good, he was terrified that the a*****e would hurt Kali, his Kali.
He turned his attention back to Dean and rolled his eyes.
"And you have a dog to chase. Why don't you run along and let the adults talk while you figure out why you're always wrong?"
Dean:
Dean wiped his forehead with the back of his head, panting a bit as he drew it back. Blood stained his hand and he growled. God damn it, he had a job to do, and he hated the Trickster.. Hated him more than he hated much of anything.
"I will be back, Loki. And I'll be after her." Dean said, and his eyes met Kali who smiled at him.
"Oh please do. This was a very pleasant outing, I'd say." Her tone held warning, telling him she'd be ready in not so subtle of a way.
Dean growled again, straightening his coat, before taking off around the side of the building. He wasn't up to doing two against one..Not without Sam, and not with Loki.
Kali:
But with Dean gone, Kali's eyes were no longer drawn away, and she waited for Loki to turn around. She was quiet for a moment, before finally deciding on her words.
"I wondered if you'd return." It was a flat tone, very matter of factly. She was angry he'd left her.. She knew why, but it hurt her. She wondered if he had returned for her.. or if he thought she'd have been gone by now.
Gabriel / Loki:
Gabriel's fur stood on end at Dean's threat and he took a threatening step forward.
"The hell you will," he hissed, but the other tom was already gone. He'd have to teach the mutt not to mess with his lady. Only... Kali wasn't his, not really. No matter how much he dreamed of it.
He was quiet for a while, trying to get over the confrontation.
"I..." But he didn't know what to say to her. He couldn't even bring himself to turn around. He didn't want to see the look on her face, the hatred he was sure was there. "Did you miss me?"
Kali:
He stood for awhile, before speaking. His words were like a soft blanket, something familiar she'd been missing all this time. Placing her hand on his shoulder, very gently she prompted him to turn and face her.
She looked in his eyes, which looked startled.. She either made him really nervous, or he couldn't lose her and he wanted to. Either way, she gave a soft smile.
"No." But her eyes told him that she was lying. She had missed him more than anything. But her wounds were healed, her bruises gone and her skin back to it's normal rich glow.
She reached out, grabbing hold of his jacket and pulling him closer, kissing him once, and then pulling back ever so slightly.
"You are lucky I am forgiving." She whispered. But deep down she knew there was room for rejection. He could easily tell her he didn't want this, and she would feel something she had never felt before.. The feeling of not being wanted.. The idea sent a shudder through her.
Gabriel / Loki:
He flinched when she touched his shoulder, as if he expected her to lash out at him. Which he honestly did. He was a coward and an a*****e and he deserved everything she wanted to beat into him. But she only turned him and looked up at him. His heart sank a little when she said no, too lost to see beyond what he could hear.
But a kiss he could understand.
His eyes snapped wide for a moment before falling shut and he rested one hand on her waist, pulling her closer. He'd been just starting to enjoy it when she pulled away from him.
"Do... Do you?" Did she really forgive him? For leaving her, for his secrets?
Kali:
She looked serious for a moment, her eyes meeting his again. When he held her close, she took in the warmth of his hand. He was such a handsome, stupid, cat that she just couldn't understand why she liked him so much.
"Maybe." She said, eyes still locked with his. Her hand raising up to touch the side of his face, trailing fingers down his neck and over the scar the collar had left behind.
"You have a lot to make up for, Loki." She said, still calling him by the name he'd called himself. She normally was not forgiving. She was surprised she wasn't ripping into him with angry claw. But no matter how angry she would have been.. Hurting him would have never been an option.
Gabriel / Loki:
"Let me start here, then," Gabriel replied, ran his hands deep into her hair, and kissed her again. He was cocky, he usually lorded over other cats, but it didn't take much to make him submit to Kali. If she wanted to push and pull him around, he'd be more than willing to let her. But in this moment, even just this single moment, he was going to take control.
After a moment, he pulled away and just held her, his thumb just brushing his jawline.
"I'm sorry." It didn't feel like enough.
Kali:
When he wrapped his hands into her hair she purred and allowed him to do so. If she hadn't wanted the affection, there was no way she'd allow it. But how desperately she missed this cat.. She actually rather liked that he took control of the moment. It made her forgive him that much more..
When he ended the kiss, she was almost sad it was done. But her eyes had been closed, and they fluttered open under long lashes. She didn't want to forgive him, but she would. She already had before she had even see him again.
She pushed her head into his hands, nuzzling into it with a purr escaping her throat.
"You should be." She teased, but she smiled softly.
"I shouldn't have pushed." She had been stuck thinking all this time, she had pushed him too far.. Pushed him right out of her life with her demands. Which weren;t likely to stop.. she was about as demanding as they came.. But he was here and that was what was important.
Gabriel / Loki:
The small smile fell from his face when she half-apologized. No, she shouldn't have, but that didn't change anything. While he still kept one hand in her hair, cupping the back of her neck, he untangled the other and ran it through his own.
"How much..." A breeze brought him back to where they were. He glanced around and shook his head.
"We should go inside." He had enough trouble talking about this at all. It was so much worse to be out in the open doing so.
Kali:
She was curious about what it was that he was going to say, an ear twitching when he started speaking. Though it was cut short when he mentioned going inside. Yes she supposed they should.
"Wait." She said, and leaned over to kiss him, and detangle him from her. She wanted to get rid of the proof that she'd been pining for him.. If he saw the cutout she'd found, and slept next to since he'd left... He'd probably laugh at her.
Leaping onto the sill, she got back inside, scurrying over to the couch to grab the article. She looked left, then right, and after realizing there really wasn't anywhere to put it at the moment, she shoved it down the top of her dress, and repositioned herself.
She appeared back at the window, looking a bit flustered, but wearing a smile.
"Okay.. I think you can come in now."
Gabriel / Loki:
An eyebrow rose when she told him to wait, but Gabriel was whipped rather obediently. He stayed put, waiting until she allowed him to enter her domain. He slipped inside, glancing around and noting that nothing had changed since he left. The guilt grew.
He couldn't meet her eyes when he asked, "How much did you figure out?"
One hand went to his pocket and withdrew the small collar. He held it limply, his thumb rubbing across the old fabric.
Kali:
When he asked her the question, she debated what to actually answer.. Should she say what she knew? Well she certainly wasn't a liar, and she wasn't about to follow his example. She took a deep breath, before reaching down into the top of the dress and retrieving the paper out once more. She unfolded it, the picture of Gabriel becoming visible once more along with the headline.
"I found this." She said, holding it out to him. If she hadn't known the truth before the article, Dean had certainly confirmed her suspicions.
"I sort of drew my own conclusions, and then that alley cat mentioned it." She said, hinting at Dean, and his mention of Gabriel being in a show.
Her eyes went to the green collar, the one she remembered vividly.
"Wanna fill out the blanks for me?" She asked, approaching and holding the hand that held the collar.
Gabriel / Loki:
Both eyebrows shot up in surprise when she pulled something out of her cleavage and held it out. Damn, that was where the article had gone. He took it from her grasp and slowly walked over to the couch. He sat and stared at it. Gabriel looked... tired.
"They left me in a box on the street, my mother's humans. I was small and not the right breed. They wanted Abyssinians, and I'm not. A kid fed me, one day they caught me. They gave me a home, a name." He looked down at the collar in his hand. "I wanted a name, I felt wanted."
The paper shook at he clutched it, hard enough to start wrinkling it. "His mom tried to put me in shows. I didn't like it, I was too active for them. The b***h drugged me," he said, his eyes closing briefly as the anxiety welled up again. He shook it away. "They didn't want me, just a pedigree for their medals. I hate that name as badly as I wanted it. I keep the collar to remind me that humans are never to be trusted."
Kali:
If she had been embarrassed to produce the paper from her dress she didn't show it. He took the paper, walking back towards the couch. She walked closer, taking a moment before sitting beside him. She could feel the emotion from him, before seeing it. But when the paper started shaking, her hand touched his, wanting to support him.
His story made her hate those humans. Those humans had tortured him, much like her own family. Even if fists hadn't been thrown into him. She frowned, anger at them filling her eyes. She took a deep breath, calming herself, but her tail still twitched.
"That is horrific.." She started. Then she felt even more guilty for having pushed him before. No wonder he didn't want to use his real name. She couldn't blame him..
Her other hand strayed up to run through his hair, doing what she could.
"The bastards have no idea what they lost." She said, leaning over him and laying her head on his shoulder. She wasn't submissive by a long shot.. But for this moment she'd allow herself to be vulnerable with him.
"I'm sorry, Loki." She never apologized.. But damn it, much like her effect on him.. she was already head over heels.
"But there's something that you have now." She said, and took her hand, turning his chin so he could see her.
"You are wanted."
Gabriel / Loki:
Gabriel flinched when she touched him, but it was only because of the memories and that her touch startled him out of them. She'd been quiet through his tale and he wondered what she thought. It sure as hell wasn't as bad as what she'd been through. They'd fed him and cared for him and the kid had seemed to at least like him. Kids didn't bother him as much, for humans. Sometimes he even let them pet him, for a moment or two. They were just like kittens, after all. Stupid, trusting, and defenseless. It was the parents, the grown humans that he was wary of.
But Kali seemed to sympathize with him, even become angry over the humans who were long gone. He would never have to see them again, and yet she was still indignant on his behalf. His eyes shut when she stroked his hair. He would never get enough of that feeling.
His heart ached when she apologized for what had happened. No one cared, he should know better, but he wanted, needed to believe her. If it made him a sentimental fool... He already played that role enough, he should be used to it.
When she turned his face, he looked down into her eyes, his brow creased in sad confusion. What did he have now but bad memories and an old kitten's collar?
"Do you mean that?" How could she? No one wanted him, not for what mattered. His mother hadn't fought for him, just quietly watched them put him in a box. Her humans hadn't wanted him, a kitten too small and too fluffy. The kid's family hadn't wanted him, just a trophy. Kali wouldn't want him. He was a liar, a cheat, and a coward. She shouldn't want that.
She didn't deserve that in her life. He didn't deserve her.
Kali:
He looked into her eyes, and the look there broke her heart. So much confusion, uncertainty...pain. Loki was a playful individual, quick to make a joke or a witty remark. But here she could see in his eyes the man underneath the illusion he liked to create.
She quietly tsked him, thumb running along his chin.
"I wouldn't say it if I didn't." She was usually straight forward, very blunt in her own right. But wanting to make sure he understood just how strongly she felt, she spoke again.
"Humans are a vile, evil race. Cats are disposable to them, ready to be tossed out in favor of a brand new kitten. I won't let anyone hurt you again." She said softly, raising her hand to his cheek, and holding it there.
"Assuming you don't take off and make that an impossible promise to keep." She winked at him, something she never did. But she was doing a lot of nevers on her list when she was around him.
Gabriel / Loki:
His ears couldn't believe what they were hearing. It wasn't clicking that she could actually want him. She was right, though, humans were fickle. They both could testify to that. But the thought that she truly wanted him? It was hard to understand.
But not so difficult to accept.
The smirk managed to return to his face as his head tilted slightly, though the tenderness that had crept into his eyes hadn't left. Despite the teasing look, he still held that bit of venerability, he still worried about her answer.
"Still love me, then?"
Kali:
He asked her that question, and her heart pounded like a rabbit trapped in a cage. Was that what she held for this Trickster cat? It would make sense.. She hadn't left when he had left her.. Nor was she mad when he returned. He had chosen to be honest with her, he had told her everything. That had taken a lot of courage. The same courage as helping an almost-stranger when she was being abused by her owners..
She supposed that was indeed the feeling she felt for him. Why she allowed the things to happen, with little concern for herself.
"Yes. I do." She said softly, leaning in to kiss him gently. She pulled away and a grin came on her features.
"I just hope you know what you are getting yourself into. I'm not always so forgiving." She had been called a firecracker before. Not that she knew what it was, but it seemed fitting. She also had a past.. One that rivaled his own.
Gabriel / Loki:
Gabriel's eyebrows shot up almost into his hair over her answer as she kissed him. He... hadn't been expecting that, either. But the shocked look melted into playful challenge when she added on her addendum.
"I'll have to be careful to hang on to plenty of treats to make up for when I screw up," he replied with a matching grin as he wove his hand into her hair again. But instead of kissing her, he pressed his cheek against hers, burying his face in her hair and just holding her.
"I love you, too. My goddess." The words were whispered, but he was sure she would hear them.
Kali:
"Mmm..Especially roses. Those were a nice touch." She purred, answering playfully in turn. She smiled as he pressed their cheeks together, taking in his scent. Love had been the last thing she had been expecting, or desiring in her life. Love was just a useless feeling that really didn't get you anywhere. Except now she wasn't sure she felt that way anymore..
Head over paw, she couldn't keep herself from loving him.
"Don't leave me again, Trickster." She challenged in return. She had been forgiving, but now he had seen the vulnerable side of her she didn't let anyone else see.. She couldn't promise she would be as forgiving if he left after that. She didn't think her heart could take it. But the words, while a warning, were gentle.
