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 Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 2:59 pm
He'd texted her the day before to remind her that the race was this weekend and that he'd pick her up about an hour before it was supposed to start. He'd sent a second message the day of the race to let her know he was leaving his house and would be there in fifteen minutes. He made sure that it was a definite thing so the girl couldn't back out on him last minute.
He'd said it was a business agreement, but he had ulterior motives.
Chase wanted to check up on her, if only to see if her father had gotten his hands on her again. (He wished Regan would let him get his hands on her father.)
He arrived at the garage, parked his bike and pulled his helmet off, setting it on his handle bars next to the second one, a dark blue helmet with stars scattered across it. As he'd explained, he dressed in all blacks; black leather jacket, black combat boots, black skinny jeans, black riding gloves, and a black t-shirt.
He knocked, pushed the door to the garage open tentatively. "Regan?" he called.
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Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 11:45 am
Regan pursued her lips as the first text message came, and she ignored it. Like she saw it on her phone, but she wasn't sure how to respond. Maybe Alex was teasing her.
No one seriously offered to do something with her.
When the second text message came, the girl ran around her apartment finding subtle gear for bike riding and...and going to races. Like, she loved the fast and furious movies for being over the top ridiculous but...were races also like that? Did she need to dress like...to kill?
She didn't have much as far as outfits, but Chase had once told her that leather jackets and jeans were the safest to wear. Her outfit was a mix of both plus boots she had for years, a gift from Chase. He had told her it was many gifts to come. She struggled with her hair and decided that it was probably best to leave it down in the helmet, and then she would tie it up at the race.
His voice called out and she shouted down her elevator shaft, as the rickety old thing came down. "Coming, Coming!" She pushed the metal gate open and looked him over.
"Do they even see you on the race track." She rose a brow and then looked nervously at his bike. "Hello Hermes." She greeted, coming closer to inspect. Just a quick over had her content. He would fly tonight in the race and she wanted to see. She was moving much better, and the bruises across her body were now just that...bruises and some minor aches. Her ribs were the worst but she had dulled the pain by taking some painkillers.
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Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 3:02 pm
A slight wave of relief crashed over him when Regan's voice floated down and then the girl herself appeared. When she hadn't responded to either of his texts, he wondered if she was going to skip out on him, an idea that bothered him more than he was comfortable admitting.
He offered her a wry grin, that was so fleeting it might've been hard to notice at all, then held the door open for her to go out past her.
"That's the point," he said, following close behind her as she took a quick look at Hermes. "Always surprises them when I come out of nowhere. They have to keep an eye out for me." The first time hadn't been unintentional, but it had worked and he found he liked the air of mystery the all back gave him.
He plucked the helmet he'd brought for her off the handlebars and held it out to her. "Put this on, we should get going."
He slid his own on after he made sure hers was secure and swung his leg over Hermes, looking back at her expectantly. "You're gonna wanna hold on to me really tight." Gloved hands reached for the visor, hovering so he could say, "try and stay upright too, let me handle the curves and tilting."
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Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 8:10 pm
Regan was pretty sure her legs were turning to jelly, the closer she got to the bike. And while looking at it over, she was starting to feel some regrets.
The helmet was pushed towards her and the girl was just...just...
"I...I..." She stuttered for a second. "Ok...Okay." Because what else did she say? She had already accepted his offer, she couldn't run away. That wasn't always her.
She snapped the clasp shut, and got on behind him, her hands rested on his hips and she tried not to have such thoughts like, omg I am gonna die, holding on to him is not helping, why am I doing this?
She felt like Jelly that was on a bike and she was pretty sure she was going to get them killed. Even worst....What if she really lvoed it?
[quote"Nuxaz"]
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Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2016 10:15 am
Hermes turned over easily beneath Chase's hand, roaring to life beneath them with a pleasant hum. Regan's hands were tentatively on his hips and he clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "If you just hold there, you're going to fall off." He shifted the weight of the bike so that it rested against one of his leg and reached for her hands.
"When I say hold tight I mean hold tight," he warned voice muffled by the visor, pulling her hands so they were secure across his stomach, pushed her fingers so they might lock around her own wrists. He could understand her tentativeness, given that she didn't seem to like being touched but this was important and he didn't want to injure his mechanic.
He needed her for vehicle related things. Obviously. Nothing else.
He waited for her to secure her grip, lifting his visor so she could hear him clearly. "Do not let go, under any circumstances." He slipped the visor down again, shifting the weight of Hermes again so that he was ready to peel out of the parking lot when she was ready.Pixie Nyxie you can wait for me to describe the ride or you can!
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Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2016 10:13 pm
Oh god, there was a big difference from hearing the machine rumble to life off to the side in her shop, compared to actually being on it. It shook her to the core and she was sitting there limply like, what else could she do?
"O...Okay." She mumbled out, frowning as he pulled her arms forward and she tightened around him. She didn't like the close contact, but it was mostly because of how nervous she was. But she did her best to follow his directions, sitting straight, holding tight. Part of her eyes closed just to deal with it.
"Okay. Okay we can do this." She clenched really tight and gritted her teeth, prepared to just fly off behind the man and his bike.Nuxaz DRIVE LIKE THE WIND, CHASE
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Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2016 11:17 pm
Regan was secured firmly around his waist by the time he pulled out of the alley and onto the dimly streets of Destiny City. Hermes ran smoothly with Chase taking the curves of the roads with ease. He was constantly aware of the small girl's presence behind him, mindful that he didn't go too fast or turn too sharply.
Regan was trying to do as he'd told her, but he knew how easy it would be to lean the wrong way and send them both off balance. He was certain he would be able to save them no matter what, but he wasn't ready to show that other side of himself to the girl.
He was sure it would happen, in due time, but now was not it.
Chase drove through the richer districts of the city, before they'd reached the outskirts where a large gathering of people had collected. Given that street racing was highly illegal, the races were always held on the outskirts of the city, just past all of the construction zones and the perimeters that the police patrolled. It was the perfect ideal.
When they arrived, the sea of people parted for the pair and whispers of the midnight rider and his mysterious companion began to flood the conversation. He slowed his bike, until they stopped and he leaned the bike so she could dismount. "The race typically takes fifteen to thirty minutes," he told her lowly, words mildly muffled by the visor he didn't lift. "Will you be okay?"
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Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 10:31 am
She tried not to jerk on the ride, when he took some turns, or when the wind whipped at the helmet and she could hear the whistling sound of air passing by.
Her eye cracked open and then her other as she watched the streets pass by. Even as she passed through the more developed part of the city, she could recognize the large houses and fancy lawns. It wasn't a complete blur passing by.
Byt lights left a little trail and she shifted only a margin, turning her head to look at cars. Slowly they faded, and they were heading to the outskirts of the town, hidden in construction and nestled in large plots of land and windy roads.
The small gathering made her more nervous then the ride, and she realized that meant something. She had enjoyed it. She had enjoyed riding by the city and its sights. Chase had made it very easy ride, and for that, she was very grateful.
As he leaned the bike down, she slid off and tried to pretend her legs weren't jelly. She took her helmet off, even amongist the group and whispers and smiled at the rider.
"I'm gonna see the other bikes." She looked around, "You better win." and then leaned down, "Don't worry about me." She looked at the group and shrugged. "The ride...." She shook her head, "I'll tell you after. Good luck."
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 2:51 pm
He watched her curiously, aware that his expression could not be seen beneath the visor and dim lighting. Regan smiled and his brows lifted in surprise, it'd not been an expression he'd been expecting to see and he smiled back forgetting, briefly, that she couldn't see it. "You've got ten minutes," he warned her with a sharp nod.
There were sharp whispers all around them, fangirls muttering bitterly to themselves and other spectators that were in complete awe that the Midnight Rider had brought someone.
Who the hell is that chick?
He's never brought anyone before.
What the hell?
Does anyone know who that is?
They were easy for the man to ignore, he was used to people talking about him, to hear the rumors that were spread about him. It happened when one was as shrouded in mystery as he was. He wondered what it was like for Regan, who didn't seem like she got out much if she could help it. Chase hoped that it didn't scare her off from working on his bike and attending things with him.
"Don't worry, I haven't lost one yet," he told her, a hint of pride in his voice. He watched her wander off before pulling Hermes to the starting line, dismounting long enough to pay the fee before the rest of the riders lined up beside him. His fingers twitched on the handlebars as the other riders revved their engines in preparation. Chase didn't, he had nothing to prove unlike the rest of the riders.
They'd all gone against him multiple times and lost, he was certain that this time would be no different. Besides, he had someone to impress this race and Chase always did better when there was a bit of pressure on his shoulders. The signal flare was shot and they all peeled off the starting line, with Chase falling behind a rider with a dark red bike. It didn't worry him, because the street was narrow and the two began to weave around each other, other racers close behind. When the first obstacle came, a low hanging bar left from one of the construction sites, the red bike rider swerved to avoid it.
Chase skidded underneath it with a practiced skill and ease, like he'd done it hundreds of times before, and with the way he'd righted himself and Hermes immediately after going under it was likely that he had. They turned a corner sharply, disappearing from the view line of the spectators.
His heard was pumping in his chest, a wild grin on his mouth as adrenaline pumped through him and he checked his mirrors for the other riders who'd begun to fall considerably behind. The new parts that Regan had installed were proving their worth, making him prouder of his mechanic than he'd been before. A rev of his engine and a gear shift later and he was pulling back into the line of onlookers who eagerly gathered to watch.
Red rider pulled out close behind him, swerving in a poor attempt to get around him but Chase kept them right behind him because he knew they were too chicken to hit his rear tire no matter how frustrated they were.
Another obstacle stood in their way, a long pile with a ramp on the far left side, that stretched a few meters wide. Red rider opted to take the ramp and Chase-- he opted to just jump the thing, using his speed and velocity to jump Hermes into the air, sliding across the expanse of the pipe and hitting the street with more impact than he'd intended.
It didn't seem to deter him the way it had the other riders, one crashing their bike when their jump off the ramp failed.
The racers disappeared around a corner again and before he knew it, the finish line was in his sights.
Red rider managed to pull ahead of him but, as he was prone to doing, he slid forward and across them, effectively cutting them off and forcing them to skid to a halt and swerve to avoid wrecking. When he cross the finish line, sweeping Hermes to a sharp stop people around him cheered despite his opponents uttering curses as they too finished.
His helmet turned towards Regan, smugness radiating off of him. "Good enough win for you?" He called, loud enough to be heard over the crowd.
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 9:33 pm
Rumors and whispers were easy to ignore, more so that none of them came up to her and badgered her. In fact they kept a good distance as Chase took his spot among the riders. The sleek black in the street lights looked wicked and cool compared to the flash red and whites of the other motorcycles.
It made him appreciate his choice in bike painting as she realized that red was indeed to flashy. She didn't like it as much. She waited till she heard the revv of the bikes, and the flash of lights. They took off and disappeared into the street. Soon she couldn't see them.
That was when she ventured over to the other bikes, and riders that were left behind. They all had their eyes glued to the screens of something, and she realized it was tablets, with camera's focused on the riders through their whole course. Some watched with binoculars instead.
She stuck close to a guy with his tablet and asked him questions, her breath catching as Chase slidded under a construction bar, making her eyes widen.
"He's flashy." The rider smirked, "But the move doesn't cost him the lead." She nodded and peered down at it.
"I am glad his bike is running smooth." She started, gaining the eye from the man and then they went into discussion of parts, pieces, her work, his work. By the end of the race, and knowing that Chase would be pulling in soon, she passed over the shops phone number to the man and moved to where she could see the racers return.
True to the bike's name, he flew over the pile and brought his rider careening into first place, Regan's hands worrying each other at the end. Then her fist pump in the air came as there was a loud break of cheering and applause. Some chants of his name.
She came closer and grinning, all the excitement and adrenaline of his race was coursing off to her and infecting her. "You were amazing!" She leaned in closer, "Show offey, but amazing! and Hermes...." She didn't touch the engine but bent down and gave a satisfied sound of approval. "The parts worked well. They held up, look good." She stood up again. "I feel like my blood is racing."
She almost forgot that ideas like that were bad, and if she grew attached to it...she would lose the sensibility to deal with her father like she always had.
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 9:52 pm
Chase was grinning from ear to ear, a bright grin that hadn't crossed his face since almost the day he'd first purchased Hermes and yet-- he was beaming at Regan because she looked like she was having the time of her life. It'd been worth it then, to have offered to bring her along if she looked that delighted. Now, now maybe he'd be able to convince her to finish up her bike too and let him teach her how to ride.
Driving Hermes was practically second nature, it was as easy to him as breathing was.
"Of course I'm showy," he chuckled, low and throat with his grin slipping when he realized she couldn't see his face. He debated taking off the helmet but it was all apart of his gimmick, besides it protected his identity. "Hermes runs well because he's got a great mechanic," Chase said, head jerking as the head of the races approached them holding out an envelope full of prize money out to Chase. He took it easily, sliding it into the inside of his jacket before nodding at Regan and her helmet.
"Wanna take a ride while it's still pulsing thick and strong?" He asked leaning to one side so it was ready for her to mount. "Then I'll show you what's really showy." His tricks in today's race was nothing compared to what he could, and would, do given free reign of a course.
Kat had learned how daring he really could be when she'd accepted his personal challenge.
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 10:02 pm
It took a moment for her to remember that he was wearing a helmet, and her reflection was beaming off the visor. She couldn't see his grin, or his eager face but she could see hers and it made her....
wonder.
Was that what she looked like when she smiled? That was rare, and nothing like the usual stoicness she saw in the mirror. Her grin started to fade and return to normal, but the blood still pumped. Their ride had been safe, fun but safe and now....
"Yes." She shoved the helmet on and climbed on, gripping his waist. "Just don't kill me, remember." She breathed out and felt the engine hot between her legs. Hermes was a beast, but safe.
and Free.
He felt, and they felt, so free.
It was a nice wind to ride on the back of.
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 10:17 pm
"I won't, you're safe with me," he told her, promised her. As long as Regan was with him, Chase wasn't going to let anything happen to her. It was when he left and she was alone that he couldn't do anything about it. He knew what it was like to have a father lingering in the shadows just waiting to pounce, it wasn't a life he wished on anyone.
So if he could give the girl some freedom, he was going to do just that.
Besides, Hermes was a six letter word for freedom and Chase could never forget the way he felt that first day he'd bought the bike. He felt free for the first time in cosmos knows how long. He wondered if that was even a fraction of how Regan felt as she slid behind him, helmet fastened and grip secure on his waist. "Hold on tight, don't let go no matter what and if it's too much-- tell me."
He was a safe space - or at least he wanted to be.
They peeled away from the races, the crowd and angry racers parting for him like the red sea did for Moses. It felt natural, being on Hermes and driving as fast as he cared to, darting in and out of the way of obstructions. A steel beam presented itself once they'd gotten away from the track, the people that'd watched until they were no longer visible - Chase always knew how to make an entrance and an exit - and he shifted, hopping onto the beam smoothly, the smallest of jolts to even indicate what he'd done.
The beam was resting against a large pipe tunnel and upon reaching it he leaned, shifting them sideways so he could ride along the top. It felt like flying and Chase loved every minute of it. Nearing the of the pipe it seemed to just drop off and he reached to touch her hands on his waist, urging them tighter together before he revved his engine and they were weightless -- soaring through the air in a smooth arc.
The landing wasn't as smooth as the jump had been but neither were jostled too much.
A few more crazy leaps and a sudden skid here and then and they'd reached a dimly light parking lot belong to a late night coffee shop. Chase's coffeeshop Just Add Coffee. He came to a slow stop, just to give them both a short break. Once parked he tugged his helmet off and grinned at Regan. "How's that for a ride?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 12:30 pm
It was another odd feeling to feel safe with someone. She felt safe in her apartment, and she felt safe in the garage, surrounded by bikes and cars and the smell of oil. She felt safe in the open park, with manicured lawns and wide open space. Blue sky over head.
But she had never felt safe with her uncle Chase, and distant. She always felt the affection he wanted was something she could never give. It made her tense and nervous.
It was the same at school. She had no friends, of her own choosing. She didn't think anyone would want to really befriend a loner who came to school covered in marks and barely moving or talking. She got picked on. She wasn't popular. She didn't know recent bands or music or shows.
But here on Hermes, she felt like she just...didn't care. They peeled away and she forgot all about the crowd and their looks and their words. Her eyes were open this time, so she took everything like a sponge to water and the speed. She had expected it to be scary, but it was just...thrilling. Relaxing even.
Chase ran the bike smoothly, and she felt her hands lax a bit. She was almost scared of the drop below but decided that if she couldn't trust Chase, getting on Hermes had no meaning. She trusted them, she thought, more then she was willing to say.
His touch urged her hands to tighten and she did, and when they dropped, she felt air below her and Hermes disappeared and she was...floating.
And then they were back together and veering off until they were in front of a coffee shop and he took his helmet off. She followed suit, noting that her legs STILL felt like jelly but equated to that by not being used to riding on a motorcycle. Her head turned and she looked right at him, noting the grin and matched his back.
"Intense, Amazing. I thought I was flying. I thought I was floating. The jump at the end? Ah." She shook her head, "It was so amazing. Is that how it always feels? Its so freeing. So powerful." She slid off and rubbed at her legs, "When do you stop having jelly legs?" Her gaze slipped over to the shop, "What's this?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 10:35 pm
Regan looked happy and Chase felt happy, the emotion curling in his stomach and spreading through his bones until it reached the tips of his fingers and even his toes. It was a strange feeling spreading through him and the man couldn't remember the last time he felt happy around, with someone else. It probably hadn't been since he was a teenage, before chaos ran thick in his veins and he was still young and naive.
"It is," he replied, almost beaming at her as he shifted, sliding off his bike and setting the helmet on the handle bars. "I'll take you any time you feel up for a ride. Night rides are my favorite, there's a long stretch of road that leads just outside the city. You get a great view of the stars." He'd taken a girl there once, by the name of London, because he had too much on his mind and it was a great distraction. Often, he found himself looking up at the sky searching the stars for one particular one. He never found it, even though he'd been promised to be taken there one day.
"You'll get used to it, the first couple of rides-- the adrenaline can be too much." He remembered how exhilarating his first ride had been, how he never wanted to stop, and how his legs shook when he finally stopped. "It's a coffee shop," he stated plainly, grin slipping from his mouth when he looked over at the shop and it's lit open sign. "We don't have to go in but, if you want we could."
He hesitated, wondering if it was worth mentioning it was his. Sighing, he caved. "It's mine."
He didn't know if she drank coffee or tea, but at the very least they could snag water and he could take her for another ride before going home. "It's even better when you're the driver."
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