transfusionem | •daybreak inbox

What do you know about the real me?

[She laughs with him. Seems like things are getting interesting. She takes note of the glow, though she doesn't know what's making it. Something under his coat for sure, but what it could possibly be she has no idea.

Not that it matters. What matters is the fight. The rush running through her veins, the way it almost feels like her heart is pounding again from all the excitement. That's more important than a mystery.]

Of course we're friends.

[And she takes the punch, and she can't stay on her feet. She pushes herself up with another laugh, running a hand through her hair. By now it's a mess - she really should've worn it in a ponytail or braids today - and she flips it over her shoulder before sizing up Rex.]

If we weren't, we'd be doing something else.

[She aims lower, this time, settling down into a crouch. Her goal is to take out Rex at his center of balance, knock him down, and keep him down.

There's probably worse things that could happen to him than having a pretty girl sitting on him. Probably.]

[ Rex pointedly ignores the way the neighbour bangs on their wall to inform 'the damn kids' to calm down after the smashing and crashing. If that guy wants them to stop, he can come in and try it himself- he'd probably just die in the crossfire and that'd be dull.

Rex is used to this sort of attack- there are only a few disadvantages to his size in a fight and the major one is being knocked down. It takes longer for him to get up and hurts more, due to both weight and larger surface area. So he bends his knees, making himself more stable and in a better position to deal with her charge. Like a two-person Rugby scrum, a clinch that lasts only long enough for him to ask- ]

Yeah? Like what?

[ -Before he attempts a rudimentary powerbomb. It's not a move he's well acquainted with, so she gets her wish- he goes down and she ends up on top, whilst he lets out a delighted gasp of air. Oh! This might be it! It's too quick! What a shame!

Of course, he's equally unfamiliar with the Human Power and that the strength it gives his muscles makes them more durable in equal measure. Otherwise, he'd pop his limbs from their sockets with every punch, so at least he'll be tougher to sink teeth into (figurative or literal) than most. ]

[The old man can deal with it. If he wanted peace and quiet, he should have gone somewhere else. Which isn't what Adelaide would usually think, because she's not usually hopped up on magic blood.

She's not surprised when he catches her, but she's pleased when he still goes down. She settles on his waist, reaching up to grab his wrists to pin him down. Her grin is all fangs by this point, and she leans in close.]

Studying. Not talking to each other. Who cares?

[She doesn't think Rex does, with the way he finally looks like he's alive. It's a good look for him, and she's glad to see it.

She also knows she could take that away so easily. She could drain him dry. She doesn't want to do that, not right now, but it's simple instinct. Why not follow it for once?

She goes in for the bite, not deterred by the strange glow. If she can't pierce the skin with one bite, she can go in for another - or simply bite down harder. She's made for that, now, changed by the magic that stopped her heart to be able to break though just about any defense possible.]

[ Under her grip, Rex can feel his own pulse as it struggles against her palms. With the way his mind is racing, even in the middle of their battle, he wonders if she can hear those all the time. It'd be nice, he thinks. He wouldn't need to listen to music all the time, if he could have the sounds of his own heart to keep him away from the dreaded silence.

He laughs, earnestly, at her question. Who cares indeed. Forgot all his worries. Nothing matters. Nothing has ever mattered. Except maybe right now, this wonderfully perfect moment. She really is fantastic. He wants her to be by his side forever- even if forever turns out to be just a few moments for one of them. He feels her fangs clamp onto his throat and realises from the way they don't glide in his body is tougher. All the same a few drops of blood are forced through the tiny breaks, no more than an insect's bites.

He has more time than he thought.

She grabbed his wrists.

She shouldn't have left his fingers free.

They rapidly flex as he whips up a spell. Two really. One per hand. The lightbulb in a tasteful lamp pops and pulls a spear of electricity at Adelaide's back, while the other hand alters a few properties of his body so he's not only unharmed by the shared shock but he retains the charge. Not the nicest thing to bite or sit on. ]

[Those few drops are enough - but also not even close to being enough. It's a goddamned tease is what it is, and Adelaide bites down again, trying to rip and tear but not getting very far.

Everything is focused on that she doesn't event notice her mistake until it's too late and there's electricity coursing through her. Though maybe Rex could have picked something better, because what happens first is her body seizes up. Her nails bite into the skin of his wrists, her jaw clamps down, her knees squeeze against his side.

But then the initial shock passes, and she rips herself back.

That...hurt, in a way most things haven't hurt since she's been changed. Surprisingly, one of the first things she's noticed was that pain isn't the same anymore. Stubbing her toes, scraping her knees, burning herself. It didn't hurt anymore. Nothing hurt at all any more, but that did.

It makes her feel alive.]

Oh, that's a good one.

[She laughs again, shaking her head. Her hair is around her like a halo from all the static, and she moves her hands up to thread her fingers between Rex's. She can still feel the shock and knows she should probably get off of him to stop it, but...

She doesn't feel alive very often. She wants to revel in this, even if it means it's killing her.]

[ Rex doesn't cry out as he feels her jaw tighten, pushing deeper and rewarding her with a thicker gush of blood, more oozing from his wrists. No, he doesn't cry out- it's more like a breathy moan as her knees press into him and force air out of his lungs. Oh, it does feel good to be injured so! This is what life is all about- this is what he was born to do, born in the midst of, grew up with. He used to swing from a papoose while mom headbutted people to death. There's no joy like it. ]

You're wonderful!

[ But the thrill he's chasing is different to hers- what Rex wishes for, more than anything, is a fight to the death with no malice. It's the culmination of everything he is, what he really is... A warrior with a heart filled to the brim with love. But Adelaide doesn't seem to be fighting anymore. She's embracing the attack. Suddenly, it's no fun anymore. That joyful smile disappears and the golden heart, too innocent to know the thrill of the kill is anything but fun, is wrapped in a flood of black instantly. The medal's power vanishes with his desire to fight. It's not a fight. It's just a side effect of his failures. ]

Stop.

[ The shining light has gone and he draws the charge inside of him- ready to be released in a burst if she refuses to relent. He's just trying to get her to listen to reason, unaware that the power flowing through her still responds to his commands like all phantom matter. ]

[She doesn't want to stop. She wants to lean back in and tear him to pieces, give him that rush he wants again, but...

She finds herself letting go of his hands, pulling back. She blinks at him for a moment, mouth opening and closing but no sound coming out. She doesn't want to stop, but she does. She has to. She has to listen to Rex.

She doesn't know why, can't piece it together, and she pushes herself upright on shaky legs. It's not like everything stops or the haze lifts or anything like that. It's just a chanting of obey obey obey obey- and she's off of him.

She blinks at him, stupidly, from where she stands above him.]

Okay.

[Even though things are pretty far from okay.]

[ Rex doesn't believe in any sort of higher power (gods and whatever obvious exist, but they're just powerful entities, not important) but he thanks them in some sort of nebulous way. He's killed a lot of things and a few people, but never someone he cares for so deeply. He knows, without a doubt, it would drive him insane. He'd break. He'd just end. The last drop of Rex would be gone. It'd be the same as being dead, except he'd have to keep walking around.

Her response is suspiciously submissive and her dumbfounded look makes it clear she's as surprised as he is. He breaths heavily down there, fingers flexing as he comes up with a plan. He's caught between protecting himself further or restraining Adelaide. He opts for a stronger barrier, one that takes more time to prepare. Did she listen to what he said because the blood is wearing off? Or because he said it? ]

...Sit down. Please. On your hands.

[ He starts to stand, slowly, carefully, waiting for another attack at any second. He wants to mop up his blood- thankfully the barrier is putting pressure on the wounds for him and stopping more from leaking out, but there's already far too much for comfort when locked in a room with a vampire. ]

Tell me what you're thinking.

[She finds herself obeying, sitting down as soon as he says to. She tucks her hands underneath her once the order comes in, staring up at Rex as he stands.

The scent of blood is stronger now, and the taste is still on her tongue. She wants more. She didn't have enough. It's not fair she had to stop, but she had to listen to Rex.

For some reason. She doesn't want to, though.]

I don't want to listen to what you tell me to do. Why am I doing what you tell me to do? It doesn't make any sense.

[She takes a breath, letting it out with an irritated huff.]

You smell really good. Your blood does too - and it tastes good. I want more. I want to drain you dry, but you're not going to let me.

[ 'You're not going to let me' more or less confirms that he has some sort of control over her. It's an unexpected side effect, but all of it has been. He wants to dissect the situation in depth, but this is really not the time or place. ]

Because I'm being perfectly reasonable.

[ That's the reasoning he's going for now, at least. It's almost certainly not the case, but it'll do until he can work out something better.

Rex has not read Peter's Evil Overlord List, but he's going to stick to Rule 48 anyway. It flexes his hands some more and all the blood already out of him swirls into a sphere, which he plops one of the mugs the inn so helpfully provides. It cleans him up and- ]

So you know that if you follow me, I'll make sure you get what's best for you, not necessarily what you want. Right?

[ He puts the mug next to her, backs up a bit and- ]

You can have that now.

[ It's not likely having a taste of the real stuff will dilute what she's taken of his phantom material, but it's going to help his foundation for getting a good mindset out of her. He has some degree of influence over her, but who knows how much? Better she wants to follow orders too. ]

And while you do, think carefully- what will be better for you. Drinking me to death now or following me and getting much more with my help.

[ He kind of feels sick at the idea of weaponising a friend, even if he refuses to use the word 'friend' in his head despite how loud his heart is, but... it's not a bad idea. ]

No, you're not.

[She might have to obey him, but that doesn't mean she has to agree with him. There's nothing reasonable about him at all!

She huffs, watching the mug, not moving to take it until he says she can. She takes slow sips, mulling over everything. There's still a part of her screaming to drain him dry, to make him hurt, to enjoy making him hurt, but that part is quieter than the part that has to listen to him. That wants to obey.

She finishes the blood in the mug, trying to think things through. Her head is the farthest from clear it could be. Like her thoughts are all jumbled together and incomplete and she doesn't know how to get any focus back. Slowly, things seem to be getting clearer, but...

The phantom blood still lingers, coloring her thoughts.]

I don't know.

[The answer is still sullen, as she puts the mug down. She wants to throw it at Rex, angry that she has to listen to him, but she doesn't. She can't.]

What does what's best for me matter? I'm just going to end up dead again anyways.

[ She might if he tells her to agree with him! But that seems like a poor idea, he correctly identifies for once. She at least seems to follow the intentions of his orders rather than the literal wording- she didn't smash her face into the mug because she wasn't told she could stop sitting on her hands, for example.

It says a huge amount about Rex that he finds her statement that it doesn't matter what she does because she's going to die difficult to argue against. It is, however, a good sign that he wants to argue against it. He will only apply the argument to her and not himself, of course, but a few months ago he'd probably have shrugged and agreed. ]

I know it's the weakest answer possible. [ But it is also the only one he can think of. ] But because I like you.

[ He's taken a seat across from her, distance enough he thinks he could pull off a quick spell if she makes a move. Looking her dead in the eye with his incredibly dark eyes. ]

[It's very good he doesn't do that, because that would make things so, so much worse. Adelaide already hates that she's obeying him - not being able to think for herself would just be the icing on the shitty cake.

She presses her lips together, keeping her eyes on Rex. Her gaze doesn't linger on any one spot, bouncing around from the would on his neck, his hands, his eyes, the spot where that glow had come from. Eventually, Adelaide's shoulders relax, and she meets Rex's eyes.

He likes her enough to want to keep her around, huh?]

I didn't know you liked me so much.

[It's teasing, with the hint of a laugh around the edges. Slowly, the phantom blood is wearing away, leaving Adelaide as just herself.

It's definitely a good thing he didn't give her very much of it, or this whole thing would've been much more painful.]

Well. [ Moving from pointing out he'd be a tasty snack to the teasing that is more like her. Despite it all, the ludicrous situation they've found themselves in, Rex still finds the time to gain a bashful glow to his cheeks and rubs the back of his neck briefly. ] I do.

[ He feels like there should be some sort of dramatic thing he can say or do, some set of words that will make everything okay- but he'd never find them no matter how long he thought about it. So he's just left with that. ]

[Adelaide laughs - this entire thing is so ridiculous. She tried magic blood that ramped everything up to one hundred and nearly killed Rex in the process. He doesn't seem to be too sore about that, though, and she has to admit there was something exhilarating about just letting go, so she's...not going to apologize.

She doesn't even really feel guilty, unlike how she felt when biting Toki. Maybe the guilt will come later, but for now she just has to laugh about how absurd everything is.]

Well, I like you too.

[The words are easy to say - and they're completely true. Adelaide does like Rex. She likes spending time with him, and she likes getting to know him. She knows she's barely scratched the surface, but...

It's been nice, and she knows he's unlikely to hold this little tussle against her.]

Gotta say I wasn't expecting that to happen.

[ Honestly, Rex probably wouldn't hold it against her even if he didn't consider himself wholly responsible. Not once, from childhood watching his mother kill or the blood on his own hands, as he felt anything approaching hate or resentment to his enemies. Things are as they are. Circumstances make things occur. The worst person in the world (2nd, after him) has a reason they're that way.

In her case, it's because he's a miserable waste of skin who shouldn't have even bothered. Everything he does that's just trying to help causes so many problems. How on Earth is he supposed to save the world? Is the Hero Medal fucking broken? Is he so horrendous a human being merely scanning his heart ruined it forever? It's a serious concern! He'd just been thinking the world needs an evil bastard until now.

All this builds up in his head, pitch black high-pressure smoke that is blown away by the gentle breeze of her laugh. Why is everything so hard? Why is sometimes something easy enough to make him lower his guard long enough to get sucker punched?

He laughs as well and it goes on for a while, until they transition into sobs and his hands cover his face. ]

[Adelaide doesn't know what Rex's thinking - probably wouldn't be able to piece it together even if she could see his thoughts. She doesn't know about the blackness that weighs down on him, how he views himself as something foul and twisted.

She has some ideas, though, of what might be weighing him down.

She scoots closer to him on her knees, until she can reach out to him. She rests a hand on his head, stroking his hair gently.]

Rex...

[She lets out a breath, blowing her hair out of her eyes.]

It's okay, Rex.

[Whether he believes her or not is another story - whether the words will help is another story. She just doesn't want him to be upset, or to blame himself for what's happened. Nothing bad has happened. They tried something new and it didn't work, but that doesn't mean Rex has failed.]

You didn't do anything wrong. I know you probably think you did, but trust me, you didn't do anything wrong.

[ He flinches when her hands apply a delicate touch to him. He hadn't in battle, not even before that smiling madman inside him came to the surface. But it's cruel, to accept care and concern from her after this.

He gasps in a deep breath and removes his hands from his face, resting on his knees. But his head stays down, staring at the floor as he contemplates if this should be when he gives up entirely. But he knows he can't. He can feel the medal's tiny weight on his chest and how it has the same weight as billions of people. ]

I almost made you a murderer. It's not okay.

[ It doesn't occur to him saying that gives the implication he'd rather have let her kill him than kill her to protect himself. He would. He promised to protect her. ]

[She doesn't pull back when he flinches, though she wonders for a second if she should. She doesn't want him to think she hates him, though, so she instead scoots even closer. She hesitates for a moment, before gently tugging Rex down so he can rest his head against her chest. It's awkward - there's a lot of Rex - and it's not like there's a heartbeat he can focus on - but she doesn't want him to pull away.]

You protected yourself.

[Even if he hadn't meant to, the medal had done its part.]

You fought back and you made me stop. [He had, and that counts. That's important.] ...And besides, none of us are going to get through this without getting blood on our hands.

[The end of the world is coming up, and Adelaide has no illusions she's going to be escaping it without killing something. Or someone. That's just the nature of the beast - and on top of that, she's got no choice in the matter anymore. She needs to get blood from somewhere, and she'd rather get it from someone she knows can stop her.]

[ Rex feels more pathetic than ever, that he's the one that needs comforting after this when it was surely so much worse for Adelaide. But he's not pride enough to reject it anyway, sliding off his seat onto the floor to make it easier. To stay in that embrace. Taking slow, deep breaths enough to make him slightly dizzy. But it's that or cry- despite his sobs, he staved that off. He knows he's too big, and too pale, and too stupid and grim and awkward and... the list goes on. He doesn't deserve to be held, to feel safe for a second, but since when as he believed in justice anyway?

It takes a while of silence, but his arms ever so slowly rise, hooking around her so his fingers rest on her shoulders from behind. ]

I... like being close to you.

[ It might be a sudden swerve of a topic, muffled against her silent chest, but it floated out of his mouth by way of his heart. ]

The worst thing I could do to you... is stop you from being who you are.

[Adelaide gives Rex the time he needs, staying quiet to let him sort out his thoughts. She keeps a hand in his hair, and she wonders how she ended up here. This isn't what she thought her life was going to be. She never knew how little she knew about the world, but she was unfortunate enough to find out.

Maybe if she had found out another way, she'd consider herself fortunate, but becoming a vampire isn't a pleasant experience.

She's not expecting what Rex says, but it makes her smile. It's not like he can see it from where he's tucked close, but she smiles all the same.]

I like being close to you, too, even if things never go the way I'm expecting.

[She hmm's softly, thinking for a moment.]

You've been good to me. I don't think...I would feel as safe as I do here without you.

[ Rex has never considered having a normal life. He has always been seeped in the magical world. And even for those like him, he's been strange and isolated. Did he ever think his life would be anything? He was content to see tomorrow. No dreams, no hopes, no goals. No future.

Her heart might not be beating, but his is. Slowing down, his quiet panic passing. It is cruel and it is wicked to allow her to feel safe. If she'd said those words not long ago, he'd have dismissed them immediately as her simply making an error. But after the reminder of the boy he used to be, he recalls the one and only thing he ever wanted to be. ]

All I ever wanted... [ It almost hurts to do it, but he pulls himself from her chest. His face is a warm pink, not quite the usual red hot blaze of embarrassment and his black eyes are soft as he wipes at his eyes with one finger. ] All I wanted was to be the sort of person that in times of disaster when I arrived people would think 'it will be okay now' and feel at ease.

[ Instead, he's always been a symbol of doom, an ill omen that comes before a disaster. A black dog. ]

You believed me when I said I'd protect you, right?

[She can hear the slowing of her heart, which is... It's a relief, but it's one of those things that makes her remember she's not human anymore and never could be. She tries not to listen to the heartbeats of other's - it's usually still faint and easy to ignore, but when she's this close to someone it's much harder to pretend she can't hear it.

But in this case, instead of making her stomach churn with how inhuman it makes her feel, it's comforting. He's calming down, and that's all that matters in this moment.]

Of course I did. [She had no reason not to, despite barely knowing him. He had just seemed so sure of it, and...a part of her was desperate. She said too much too a stranger out of frustration, yeah, but she'll admit she was scared. Scared of being a threat, scared of being killed just for existing. Rex was the first person who offered to protect her. Not even Richard did that, after turning her and deciding Daybreak was the best place for her.

Rex was the first, and she believed him.] And I still do. You haven't really done anything that would make me think you were lying.

Good, because I was not. [ It wasn't what he was truly worried about anyway- he was concerned that he would incapable and she knew it. ] And it was not lip service either.

[ He would honestly do just about anything for her safety, even perhaps things she'd rather he didn't. But that's the role he has assigned himself, self-sacrificing and self-punishing. Now, at least, there's some semblance of a noble purpose it's directed at. That unfathomably giant goal of holding up the world by himself makes him want it to be too much, so he can finally snap and be done with all the struggle.

But... Maybe, one step at a time. ]

If I can protect one person...

[ One arm had stayed around her when lifted his head- the other moves around to the back of Adelaide's head, gently encouraging her to rest against his chest now. Feel his heart as well as hear it, soft and slow. Certain and unwavering. ]

Or two or three...

[ ...Maybe he can protect everyone else, one step at a time. ]

Yeah, I figured that much out. [It's said with a small laugh, almost self-deprecating. She wasn't expecting to rely on Rex as much as she had, but here they are.

He's been there when she needed him most, and that's...a lot. Maybe it shouldn't mean as much as it does, but it means a lot to her. She thinks without Rex she'd have done something much worse by now than biting Toki.

Well...maybe that's not true. Maybe things would have been okay and she's not giving herself enough credit, but it's still true she was able to get help from Rex when she was so sure she had fucked everything up.]

I think you can.

[She rests her head against his chest, closing her eyes. It's...nice. Being held. Being safe.]

Don't push yourself too hard, but... You're not alone in this, either, okay?

[It's not quite a promise to protect him, but it's close. Adelaide knows Rex is probably more dangerous than she is, but...

He's only human. She's not. She doesn't want to lose him because he's so fragile.]

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