|
Post by skyeknight on Mar 29, 2017 12:40:30 GMT
He was on the run. He couldn't stop, couldn't rest. The police had his wanted posters across the entire city - perhaps even as far as neighboring towns. So he stuck to the worst part of town, the part he grew up in. He had gone back to his place, only to grab the most important things - the few valuables from his childhood, some clothes, cash and food. But by now, the food was running low. The cash was useless until his face wasn't plastered on every wall. He couldn't just go to a store, buy what he needed and go. Someone would call the police. Still, he slept with his bag close because it held his entire life in it. Along with the Sapien.
He glanced over his shoulder. Paranoid. He had been switching abandoned buildings almost daily. Never in the same place twice. He couldn't be too cautious. Frustrated, Vanitas slumped against a brick wall, concealed in the shadows of an alleyway behind a shop. What had he been thinking? He had seen his opportunity for escape and just took it but why? He buried his hands in his hair. Nothing made sense anymore for him. That stupid... No, Moses, had gotten into his head because now, he couldn't stop thinking about him. He didn't know why.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2017 17:07:58 GMT
Moses was worried. Since the prison break he had been searching for Vanitas. He knew the man had gotten out, it was on every news station and wanted posters were plastered to every wall. Vanitas was in trouble and Moses had to find him. He knew Van wouldn't be stupid enough to go back to Van's hideout for long, but Moses went to check anyway. It looked like some things had been taken but Moses couldn't tell if it was from idiots looting the place or Vanitas taking things.
Moses couldn't call out to Vanitas so he was stuck searching Garcon Perdu for his love street by street. Finally a weary Moses went to sit in the mouth of an alley way. His feet were sore, his heart was worried sick and all he could think about was Vanitas. He heard some shuffling and turned to peer into the alley way. "Anyone there?" he called, hand going to the knife sheath that he'd kept strapped to his leg since the prison break. His old knife was sharp and ever ready.
|
|
|
Post by skyeknight on Mar 29, 2017 17:26:26 GMT
There was someone there. In the alley with him. Vanitas slowly looked up, wondering if he would have to fight - again - or if he could just scare the person off. A knife was being waved around. He got to his feet, carefully eyeing the weapon. It wasn't until he stepped into the light when he saw Moses. The Half demon looked about as exhausted as Vanitas felt. What on earth could he have been doing? Vanitas had tried to lay low, wait until the police let their guard down before he went crawling back to Moses. He knew he would, it was just a matter of waiting until the police were distracted. But he honestly hadn't expected to see Moses like this.
"Moses," he breathed. "What are you doing here? You have go. Before someone sees."
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2017 19:53:15 GMT
Moses stood up when the person got closer, holding the knife ready and waiting. But he didn’t have to use it. It was the person he was looking for, Vanitas. He put the knife back in its sheath and ran to hug Vanitas tightly. “I’ve been looking for you” he said with utter relief. He took Van’s face in his hands and kissed him deeply. “I’ve missed holding you” he murmured and smiled as he smoothed hair out of Van’s face. “You have to find a place to hide. I’ll get you food. A bed. Something. I think I know where you can hide. Come with me” he took off his jacket and put it on Vanitas, putting the hood up and over his face. “There. Nobody will look twice”
|
|
|
Post by skyeknight on Mar 29, 2017 20:34:28 GMT
"I-"
Vanitas barely had time to blink let alone get in a word edgewise. A kiss silenced him. It was short and brief, but showed the demon every ounce of worry that he had put Moses through. Just as Vanitas managed to gain enough sense about him to try to hold Moses back, his hair was smoothed from his face. His eyes flickered across Moses' face, trying to make sense of it all. He was tired and perhaps a little confused. He felt like he should feel something there. Relief? Maybe. It was frustrating how Moses made him want to feel emotions.
"Where could I possibly go?" he asked, almost in defeat.
Moses was moving a mile a minute. One second, he had been swooped up in a kiss and the next, a jacket was draped over him. The hood would help. It was warm and it smelled like Moses. Silently he slipped his arms into the sleeves. The sleeves were a little long, but not by much.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2017 21:05:54 GMT
Moses took Van's hand. "I know a place here. An abandoned House You can stay in the basement. I used to. I'm....really happy to see you safe and sound" he hugged Vanitas again, their clasped hands held to their chests, and breathed in the smell of their mixed scents. It smelled right. "I'm going to keep you safe no matter what it takes Vanitas" he promised. "Now come on. We gotta get you off the streets and into safety. You'll be alright if you just listen to me, kay?"
|
|
|
Post by skyeknight on Mar 29, 2017 21:27:08 GMT
Still dazed, still confused Vanitas managed a soft nod. Perhaps it was because of the shock of actually finding someone looking for him after all this. Perhaps it was because he was sincerely glad to see Moses too. His hand clenched Moses' tight, as if he would leave or drag him away to the police. It was a relief to know that Moses had a plan because Vanitas didn't. The floor had been dropped beneath the full demon. All his plans, all of his schemes, everything was thrown out the window. He was lost. He didn't know what to do next.
"I'll listen," he said. "I'll go."
An abandoned house wasn't entirely ideal. Nor was staying in the basement, but with the way that Vanitas had been spending his last few days, it was better than sleeping under a cardboard box. Safety. He had told Moses time and time again that there was nothing safe, but when Moses said it, he wanted to believe it with every fiber of his being.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2017 1:01:50 GMT
Moses squeezed Vanitas's hand tightly. "When everything calms down and they stop talking about you, I'll take you back to my place" Moses promised. "But right now I'll take you to my old hideout. Nobody goes there because they think it's haunted. I've never had any problems" Moses walked quickly with Van's hand firmly in his. He walked through side streets to avoid people and kept Van close beside him, as though Van would try to escape him. Moses walked to the center of the bad part of town, where there were the most abandoned houses and nastiest neighborhood. He walked to the center of a cul de sac and towards one of the creepiest, more ruined houses. Nothing grew there, the windows were all broken, and the soft moaning of the wind was heard through the empty holes in the roof. It was like Moses had never left. "Don't worry. People stay away from here. It only looks bad. Nobody's gonna look to find you here" Moses looked over at Vanitas and smiled reassuringly.
|
|
|
Post by skyeknight on Mar 30, 2017 2:18:14 GMT
Questions danced on the tip of his tongue. Why would Moses do this for him? Why find him somewhere to hide? Why get involved with him at all? The police would arrest Moses if they knew that he was in contact with him, let alone finding him somewhere to lay low. At the same time, Vanitas knew the answer. Moses loved him.
"I shouldn't have left," he said. "When things got bad at the prison I saw the opening and I didn't think."
He had been running on pure emotion. Which was normally what Vanitas did, but the emotions were foreign to him. Still muted as they most often were. There was something churning inside of him as he walked beside Moses, hands tightly laced. Perhaps it was because he had been locked away - again. Losing the light of day had done a number on the demon the first time. Now, he was out - again - and would have to hide again. But he was the one who messed up. Now Moses was there to clean up the mess.
"Fuck... Moses, I-"
He what? Sorry for dragging you through this shit? Sorry I'm a messed up prick? Sorry I decide to work my problems out by killing people? He closed his mouth.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2017 4:24:21 GMT
"No, you didn't think. But that's okay. I can work with this. I'd honestly rather have you with me than in prison treated like a dog" Moses squeezed Van's hand reassuringly and nodded at him. Moses put a finger to Van's lips and shook his head. "Sorry doesn't suit you. What's done is done. It's okay. But now we have to be careful ,okay? This isn't the first time I've had to hide a friend. And I doubt it'll be the last time I come to this house either. You mean enough to me to want to hide you and keep you safe" Moses cupped Van's cheek with his free hand and kissed him again before leading him to the door of the house. The door was mostly of its hinges so Moses pushed it open and walked inside. There was some signs people had been there, with graffiti on the walls and beer bottles scattered around the halls. But it all tapered away once it got to the end of the hall where the stairs were. Moses took a deep breath and walked down the stairs to the basement. Everything was as he left it two years ago. Knives stuck in the wall, quilts folded on a dusty mattress, stacks of comic books in one corner. Moses smiled slightly. "It's almost like coming back home" he said quietly. He looked at Vanitas. "You can stay here. I'll bring food and clothes. You're going to be alright again"
|
|
|
Post by skyeknight on Mar 30, 2017 12:53:53 GMT
"Aren't you mad?" Vanitas asked.
He felt like something was wrong here. He shouldn't be getting kissed and gentle reassurances. If he were honest, he wasn't complaining, but it just felt like this was strange to him. He broke out of jail. A federal crime. Moses was the guy who lectured him for breaking into his house! He was guy who had worried about him bleeding on the couch. Vanitas wasn't used to people looking out for him like this, or being nearly this affectionate. It was natural for him to expect some sort of backlash.
The ramshackle house was not the worst place he had lived. As long as no one came to tear the place down, he was likely to be able to get by for a little while. The wear and tear scared most people off except for stupid teenagers who thought it would be funny to dare each other to go there. He could play off the rumors of the place being haunted if he had to, but if he kept it up, it would attract the wrong kind of attention. First thing that came to mind were the humans who claimed to hunt ghosts but were little more than children playing in the dark.
"Why aren't you yelling?" he asked. "Or hitting me? I deserve it. If anyone finds out you've helped me, they'll lock you up too."
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2017 15:43:46 GMT
"Yes. But getting you somewhere safe is more important. I'll throw knives at a dart board till I'm not angry anymore later" He knew he should be mad. Angry, absolutely furious but Moses had been so scared that Vanitas would be found hurt or dying somewhere, whether by him or someone else that he couldn't feel angry at this time. He loved Vanitas. Seeing him alive and mostly well was the greatest part of his day. "Vanitas. I would never hit you. Unless it's like the first time and you goad me into it. But normally I'll never hit you. That's not a healthy relationship. I want to be there for you" Moses gave a hard little smile. "I know. But I'm selfish. I'd rather you somewhere I can hold you than out of my reach. But if you want me to turn you in at any point, just say so. I'll pretend I just found you somewhere"
|
|
|
Post by skyeknight on Mar 30, 2017 16:27:39 GMT
Vanitas sat down on the dusty bed. Almost sinking into it from his own exhaustion. If he hadn't, he knew he would have been pacing the room despite himself. Nerves. Anger... something had him jittery. Ironically, the mattress there was probably softer than the one at his hideout. But he pushed that thought out of his mind.
"Healthy? Since when has any relationship in my life been healthy?" He sneered, gaining back some of his usual bite.
At the suggestion of turning himself in, Vanitas gave Moses a hard glare. He wasn't going back. He would rather die first. Moses didn't know that prison wasn't Vanitas' first time in a cage but the demon didn't like talking about it and didn't know how to bring it up without invoking pity. He didn't want Moses' pity. He wanted... well, he didn't know what he wanted. Wasn't that why he tried to find Moses in the first place? So he could find out? The Sapien in his bag could do that. The dose would last 24 hours.
"I'm not going back there. Not again."
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2017 16:37:14 GMT
Moses shrugged at the biting comment. "Always time to start one" he said. "You and I can be a healthy relationship. I'll take care of you, you'll take care of me. We'll be together and happy. Don't you want something like that?" Moses sat beside Vanitas and wrapped an arm around him. "You're not going back then. I'm going to make sure you're safe and can learn to be happy. We're going to survive, Vanitas. You and I, we're good at surviving"
|
|
|
Post by skyeknight on Mar 30, 2017 17:28:19 GMT
"We can.. We can try," Vanitas consented. "But... I can't give you a normal relationship. I can't take you out. I can't buy you things. I can't go on dates."
His criminal record would keep him from doing all of that. But worst of all, for Moses, is that one day, Moses would get older. Vanitas would stay the same. Just as young, just the same as when they first met. He would only prolong that hurt for Moses in the long run by sticking around. He grit his teeth and ducked his head, feeling the frustration bubbling through. He didn't often contemplate doing the right thing so it came to no surprise to him that he didn't know the right thing in this situation.
"Before the prison..." he said slowly. "I was in a bad place. Worse than the prison... I can't go through that again." What he did certainly didn't feel like he had been surviving. It felt like he was solely living for revenge on the people who had hurt him. He had killed the scientists that had used him. That hadn't been enough. So he targeted the people on their paychecks. It eventually just spread until he was after the whole city. But he was only one person.
|
|