Dancing With Danger

[sayuri]

Reiko surrendered in the kiss he gave, was he suffering and he dare not share his secret? He seemed to hide his true self from her all the time and still revealing the most of himself he ever had in a long time she proclaimed. She held on to his shoulders letting her arms slide underneath his arms; she frowned gently bringing her right thumb to his cheek. “You don’t have to hide your past forever…not like I can talk much myself since I’m not any better.” She gave a slight chuckle tilting her head at him staring into the silver orbs of stillness; she tried to ignore the images shutting her eyes rapidly letting go of him. “I’m sorry…I have no right to ask about your past like that.” She replied glancing back at him giving another smile, her hands hooked around the stair railings entranced by the night’s calmness. She felt his stare burn in her flesh for the few silent minutes that passed until Reiko decide to leave him; maybe he had enough of her now. “Stay out here, and we’ll both freeze…Raoul, do you have nightmares every night?” She questioned, at that moment her heart leaped in fear if he denied and she was the only one who was haunted in the cold terror of dreams and feared sleep.

[Anya™]

Raoul had reluctantly let her go. She clearly didn't have any intention on staying with him, to help him keep his demons at bay, but she didn't really know about them, did she? And she never really would. He sighed, stepped away with his back to her, but his body went rigid when she mentioned the nightmares. A chill ran down his spine and his eyes, now nearly black again, closed, his teeth gritted together until he thought fangs would literally explode in his mouth. His animal side, his inner panther, was clawing to get out and start a rampage somewhere, anywhere, but as long as it was away from this woman who had turned him into such a mess.

"Yeah, I have nightmares. And they're not very pretty," he said. His voice had returned to its distant gruffness. He was glad that the sound had come back, telling him he still had his old self who would rather be by himself. Yet that other part lingered like a ghost, not going away. But suspicion found itself through the folds of his thoughts, wondering how much she really knew about him. Raoul glanced back at her with dark eyes briefly before leaning against the wall, arms crossed and head tilted down slightly. His sandy brown hair hung in his eyes a bit, obscuring the minimal light that seemed to find its way into the dark alley.

[sayuri]

Reiko was taken back at his voice but if someone asked her that question she would probably been the same. “Nightmares are never pretty. Well, I should get going…” She said softly heading towards the door, which he leaned on, “G’night Raoul.” Changing her course down the stairs to avoid him shoving her hands in her pockets. Somehow she was glad to know she wasn’t the only one with nightmares and yet she felt sorry he suffered through them too. Reiko motive of heading back home changed stopping right in front alley watching a couple of drunk idiots walk down nosily. She was about to turn hoping they haven’t notice her just yet, sad enough they did and they were loud about it. “Hey hawf stuft **hic** whaf you duing out here alf **hic** alone?” One called out sending his buddies into eruption of laughter making their way to her, she just glared at the sky shaking her head displeased of fate doing this to her, again. It wasn’t the first time this happened before; she rolled her eyes swirling around slouching one hip to the side. A chorus of “Ooooooh” from the drunken men broke out; they circled her like a pack of wolves making her animal instincts tickle for a fight. She took off her trench coat throwing it aside making them whistle she interrupted “Is there something you dumbass pricks needed or you just staring at me for the hell of it?” She taunted at their stupid snarls, her hands wrapped each other cracking her knuckles and rolled her neck in half circles cracking. She wasn’t gonna back away now.

(ooc- Thee Drama Queen *pose* lol )

[Anya™]

Raoul listened to her leave, a part of him leaving as well, just like earlier. He suppressed the notion of going after her, telling her she couldn't leave him just yet. His fingers dug into his arms, his brows furrowing. He wasn't going to give in to the temptation. He had suffered a lot in the past, every single night that his demons invaded him in his sleep. Every night he woke with the same morale in his dreams, forever embedded in his mind. And every night he felt like killing something or someone, preferably the people who ran this joint. But he knew, even now, he wasn't going to have that luxury. Nor was he going to have the luxury of Reiko beside him

Just when he was about to leave, he heard the drunken remark, muffled slightly from a distance. He then heard the burst of laughter, right from the direction that Reiko had gone. Drunken bastards... he thought bitterly, already starting ahead as a panther. It was a swift change, due to his large amount of rage. He stuck to the shadows, his eyes dark and barely standing out as he stalked forward eve so slowly. His fangs itched to sink themselves into one of their necks, taste the blood and dare of them putting a damn hand on Reiko even before he had reached them. He slid forward, taking the metal stairs upward silently without being seen nor heard. His gaze focused on the closest one, narrowed into deadly slits as he suppressed the feeling to just leap down and tear them all to shreds. He would wait for the best opportune moment to leap down--when they dared to lay a hand on Reiko.

[sayuri]

Reiko sighed as they advanced closer shaking her head “You guys sure as hell don’t know how to pick your fights do you? You should know better than to pick a fight with a girl twice the muscle and half your age.” Giving a shift kick to the closest guy in the stomach then dropped to her knees swirling around leaving her leg to knock down their ankles so they fell. She put her foot on the leader’s neck pressuring him so he gang not able to breath. “Apologize.” She said fiercely feeling her eyes flash into her fox form provoking fear into him, he tried to speak but he just gasp trying to pray her foot off him.

His friends came back on their feet grabbed Reiko’s arms, she growled in protest while the man got off the ground coughing violently. “You little B*tch!” He shouted walking towards her readying his fist, Reiko grabbed one guy who held her arm forward and kneed his stomach then kicked him into the leader. “Damnit, I’m not in the mood for this.” She hissed trying to hold off the other two guys from behind. She didn’t even have a scratch after a few minutes of fist fighting until a second later surprise slapped her, a foul behind the back move but shock over took her. She hung her head down touching her cheek where she got punched…now she was really pissed off…and she wasn’t gonna hold back anymore.

[Anya™]

It was when Reiko was slapped when that tiny fragile thread snapped, sending Raoul into a killing frenzy. He leaped from above, fangs exposed and claws reaching out for the man who had dared to touch her. His fangs met his throat, sank deep, while his claws dug themselves into his chest, scraping down to leave long bloody trails. The panther was pissed and he wasn't going to hold back. To finish off the first man, he bit down, hearing the sickening bone crush beneath his fangs, blood rushing in and over his maw to land on the ground. Raoul leaped away, aiming for a second man. His teeth sank into his leg, settling deep before he ripped his maw away. A large chunk of flesh was thrown to the ground, blood spurting from the man's leg, but Raoul was already leaping toward a third one.

He leaped again, claws making contact with the third drunk's face. Deep gouges were left behind as his fangs damaged his soft vulnerable stomach. Raoul instantly pushed away, heading for the fourth man as he came straight for the panther. Black eyes, mixed with a tinge of red, met the dirty green ones, a flash of a death promise and rage that could never be sated, as his jaw clamped down on the throat when he had leaped. Raoul then turned his attention toward the fifth man, fangs covered in four mens' blood, matting the fur around his maw and dripping to the ground. The men lay motionless, blood pooling in a large puddle that didn't quite reach the ebon panther's paws. The leader was left and he wasn't going to walk away from this night unscathed.

Raoul stepped slowly forward, his mind only consumed with rage and a need to protect Reiko. Nothing more and certainly nothing less. He lunged forward, claws stretched. The man dodged quickly, throwing a punch, but missed the quick panther. Raoul lunged again, this time managing to leave deep gouges across the mans chest. His teeth sank into the mans right arm, shaking his head violently like a dog with a chew toy, leaving the arm battered and mangled. He then let go, leaping away. The man cursed a string of foul words and ran out of the alley, holding his bloodied mangled arm. Raoul then turned his eyes sharply on Reiko. He had waited too long and she had suffered an injury. He didn't care that it was either small or large, she wasn't supposed to get hurt, and he blamed himself for that. Just like he blamed himself for his past, for his mother getting beaten so brutally and eventually killed.

[sayuri]

Reiko watched half amazed half frighten, she never seen someone die that way. Plus she was kinda piss that she didn’t get her revenge herself not that she was complaining, they got what was coming-in fact, the panther was being more merciful than she planned to be. Usually if Reiko ever got angry enough to very bloody she cut off limbs or break the most painful bones let them linger for a while then finish them.

She watched them all fall one by one in the river of blood streaming down the alley touching her feet. The leader had fled with a critical wound to the chest she saw, she was about to go after him-she couldn’t, the panther glanced at her freezing her to that spot. “Raoul…?” She walked over to him falling to her knees in front of him hugging his head sprinkled in blood. “You idiot! You didn’t have to do that…what if he had a gun or something?! You could had been hurt badly or worse, killed!” She panic and yelled at him knowing it could had been the same with her but she would never forgive herself if he got hurt on her behalf…she just didn’t want him hurt, he suffered enough she could tell-he didn’t need any more pain. She buried her face on him snuggling against his fur draping her arms around his strong neck, she didn’t cry…just sat there hugging him for what seemed hours. “Thank you…are you okay though? You didn’t get hurt, did you?” She asked pulling herself away staring into his eyes worriedly.

[Anya™]

The feline just stood there, faintly confused but welcomed the feeling that washed over him. Sure, she was yelling at him, but it felt as if he had been yelled and screamed at by her tons of times for being stupid. He was barely aware of the purring noise that began lowly and he cut it off, looking at her. His eyes seemed to shift, take on more of a silver color. He wasn't sure if he was hurt or not. He eventually shifted to his human form. A smear or two of blood decorated his forehead and cheek as he looked at her. "Mon Cherie, I think I'm hurt right here," he said, placing a hand over his heart with a slight grin on his face. "And I knew he didn't really have a gun on him. Or else I would have used the tactics I learned-" He cut off, about to reveal information about himself yet again. Reiko was like some magnetic pole that wanted the information so badly.

Pushing the thought out of his mind, he took advantage of the moment and dragged her closer with an arm, pressing her close just as she had been when she was hugging the panther. "Don't you ever try to take on five drunken men, Rei. I could sit here and lecture you all day, but I'm not going to since I saved your life. Literally," he said. His hand was in her blue hair, moving slowly over the silky strands as he sat there and enjoyed her company. Hopefully she wasn't too pissed to go around stalking him for revenge if he did something wrong.

[sayuri]

Reiko laughed when he pointed at his so-called wounded heart then allowed him to hug her back. Then it clicked,” Wait a second, you may have “helped” but you didn’t save my ass, I could had taken those guys no problem! I was going easy on them, and what about you, huh? What if they did have a gun, what would have you done? And how did you know they didn’t? Damnit Raoul, you scared me to death!” She said folding her arms like a stubborn little child glaring daggers at him, she stood up leaving him on the ground grabbing her coat from the ground. “And how did you find me anyhow? I thought you stopped following me.” She continued, she liked pressuring him for some reason-was she trying to find out more about him or just annoy the hell out of him. Maybe a little of both, she offered a lending hand up to him still wearing a grim face. It wasn’t her place to keep asking questions so personal but she needed to know. She admitted, she did really care for this stranger-this man who was willingly to sacrifice himself in teh face of danger for her safety.

[Anya™]

"Okay, so I saved their asses from you. But I have to admit, your ass is much cuter," he said, testing her patience with his boyish mind. He took her hand, stood, but drew her close to him. "And to tell you the truth, babe, you weren't that far down the alley. Anyone could hear those damn high-jacked monkeys a mile away..." It was pretty much the truth, knowing if drunk men were laughing like that and saying something that sounded obscene, a woman had to be involved and it had voluntarilly come from the direction she had walked.

"Also, if I had scared you to death, I'm not so sure I would have let that man go for one second. And I'm also sure that I wouldn't be talking to you and getting yelled at, either. I'm pretty sure you nearly gave me a heart attack when you actually thought you could take all of them on without me knowing, especially after he had slapped you," he said as-a-matter-of-factly. "And there's no way I can't stop following you. I have a feeling that you get into trouble a lot more than I could probably manage." Hopefully she didn't get into too much trouble or he'd just have to do something to make her safe.

[sayuri]

Reiko stared at him blankly before she started laughing in agreement, she couldn’t help it. She grinned at that last comment fixing her trench coat, “It’s true, and I’m the kind that’s attracted to trouble and it so happens it follows me like a shadow. Troublesome Reiko!” She said dusting off her arms, Reiko walked over to him quickly taking out a tissue from her pocket. “You got blood smears all over your face. You’ll scare the hell out of someone if you walk up to them covered in blood. C’mon, I’ll take you back the dressing room so you can wear something not blood-stained regardless how sexy it looks on you.” She joked wiping off some blood on his face grabbing his arm after she finished, Reiko dragged Raoul to the back doors of the dressing rooms forgetting she didn’t have any keys to open the door. “Shit, forgot the keys. Ahh, wait-please tell me I still have it…” She mumbled to herself searching her pocket desperately before holding up a piece bent wire proudly. “Tad-da! Alrighty, only need to give it a few careful turns.” She bent down eyeing the lock jingling the wire until a click went off opening the door. “C’mon Raoul.” She smirked pulling him again aggressively; luckily no one was inside already so she rushed over to the guy section of the wardrobe.

She stole a glance at him every few seconds looking at the clothes, she broke out laughing taking something off the rack. “Oh this is so you Raoul!” She said holding out a pink dress with fuzzy martial on the ends, she bite her bottom lip to hold back her laughter. Not waiting for a reply she went back to the search finally finding something similar to what he was already wearing, she tossed it to him smiling “I won’t peek, go ahead and change in here.” She said taking a seat on the couch on the other side of the room waiting. Her body laid gracefully stretched out on the cushions, the thin red satin dress leaked through her body curves showing that Reiko an oblivious beauty. “Are you done yet?” She turned around peeking at his bare back stripping off his shirt, her cheeks burned with bright red blush turning her attention back to the ceiling. Reiko drifted off closing her eyes humming a melody she couldn't remember where it came from but just happened come out of no where taking over her thoughts.

[Anya™]

He felt her eyes on him only seconds after he had shedded his shirt and a satisfactory grin appeared on his mouth. So she wasn't as uninterested as she had seemed, which was good for him. But then it hit him that maybe she had looked away quickly because she had seen the scars. Some were barely visible, maybe just a thin line here or there, but some were also more noticeable. Also, that damned brand had been visible and hopefully she hadn't seen it. With a mental push, he pulled the spare shirt quickly over his head and finished dressing. He didn't bother to even see if his hair was a mess, just running a hand through it carelessly as he tossed the bloodied clothes aside. It wouldn't be the first pair he had ruined and certainly not the last, either.

When his gaze settled on her, he found it hard to look away. A swift blow to his stomach made him realize that they were in a room alone, just the two of them. And that dress wasn't helping much when it just showed off every curve of her body, practically exposing her to him. Too bad her eyes were closed. He loved those eyes and he felt like he could drown in them because they were so damned beautiful. He moved over to the couch, hunkered down slightly only to realize that she had fell asleep. Great. Now I have to babysit a sleeping star when I want to do something completely different... he thought sourly.

But he stood anyway, his hands slipping under her slim body to pick her up. He sat down on the couch, lifting his legs and stretching them out as he set her down beside him. His arm curved around her waist as he settled his head down on the fluffy armrest of the couch, her head pillowed against his shoulder. It felt right having her lying with him like that, on the couch. As if they were meant to be together. He looked down at her face, feathered a thumb across her cheek, and couldn't shake the temptation that finally won. He kissed her lightly on the lips, wishing he could do more, but felt that he shouldn't. Raoul cursed in his mind, wished that it was different and easier for him to be around her, but it seemed as if she had taken his world and literally turned it upside down. His hand wandered back down to her waist as he rested his head against her lightly, a doubt in his mind even as he just layed there.

[sayuri]

Reiko knew her time was running short, the condition was running worse by each waking moment she spent. The doctors were shocked she made it to age 21 being diagnosed with larynx in her early teens. By the time it was discovered in her throat it was be too late to treat properly, all they could do was offer her pain relief pills help her with breathing and talking…after that nothing could be helped. Risk factors for throat cancer include smoking and heavy alcohol consumption she remembered reading, well-isn’t that fucking great for someone like her, a regular party girl who so happens to be a smoker and heavy drinker. That’s why she stopped singing, the greatest thing she treasured. To stop singing felt like she died inside Reiko knew she wasn’t suppose to like she did earlier. Not like she had much to live for anyhow, being trapped in hell she was more than glad to die this way instead of the cage like her little sister had died. But after she met Raoul tonight she thought she didn’t want to die, not if he was part of her life now. She woke up slowly feeling her chest tight from lack of air, was she having a panic attack? Oh…Raoul moved her onto his shoulder and his heavy arm just landed on her stomach-jerk.

She pushed off his arm and slid away carefully not to make him notice her leaving, then she realized he wasn’t asleep caught guilty in action.”Oh, ummm hi? Sorry, did I fall asleep again?” Her throat wasn’t hurting as much anymore inspecting her throat checking for any pain by rubbing, her eyes fell on Raoul again smiling innocently hoping he wasn’t watching her. She probably look ridiculous doing that-with a shrug she sat back on the couch staring at his chest. “That looks good on you…so, Raoul. What now?” She asked ruffling her hair putting her arm on his shoulder perfectly comfortable and relaxed.

[Anya™]

Raoul sat up, shaking his head lightly at her question. He had caught the brief tension before she had sat up, and hopefully this wasn't an act of refusal again. "Are you okay?" he asked bluntly, wondering if that was really the case with her. Maybe she had caught a cold or something, seeing as they made the weather and everything else so real, though he knew it wasn't. He stood, closing the distance between them. His hand was already on her forehead, checking to see if she had a fever of some sort or anything else. "Or do you have to go somewhere important?" He didn't want her to leave, not when he was feeling like this. Hell, he was scaring himself because he was thinking of her staying with him forever, and much more, nonstop.

Raoul's hand trailed down to her throat where her hand had once been, his thumb feathering over it. His now molten silver gaze moved from her eyes to her mouth, then back up. "Reiko, I don't know if you wield some kind of magic or something, making me feel this way, but damn it, don't leave me when I'm like this," he muttered. The words were barely out of his mouth before he had leaned down, his mouth meeting hers. The kiss was pure male-aggressive and demanding, and Raoul had tried so hard to keep that locked up in the back, safe from Reiko. But he couldn't restrain himself anymore. Not around her.

[sayuri]

Reiko fell back being kissed by Raoul aggressively holding on to his shoulders, she didn’t play around with him like she would normally with other men. Maybe there was something special between them for all she knew, her body slipped back on the couch trying to catch her breath. “R-Raoul?” She gasped after breaking away from him, her hands were on his neck with bodies pushed together. Why was this happening? Reiko pushed back the memories that always came to haunt her drowning in emotions; she put her forehead under his chin hugging his neck. “I’m not leaving you…stay with me, Raoul.” She breathed pulling him back on the couch gently, her eyes spoke for themselves slurring in excitement and fear, passion and hate…sorrow and happiness. They hardly even known each more than a few hours and here she was telling him she would never leave him. “Why is it…you out of all people take over my world?” She kissed him passionately hoping he wouldn’t shut himself up again, be himself-show her the real him. After all, she wanted to know the real person behind the man she was falling for.