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[aydencross]

wesley-kelley:

( @aydencross​ )

Amazingly enough, Wes had forgotten. the three liters of alcohol he’d stashed away for later. He’d filled up a couple plastic bottles with the odds and ends of different whiskeys all the way back from that hotel bar. He’s glad he’d scrounged together stuff – glass bottles would not have survived the carnage. So he did, admittedly, start sipping at it alone before he hatched a little plan. 

He’d grabbed plastic children’s mugs ( they were dust free, hidden because they were so damn hideous with off-brand cartoon characters plastered over them ) and began exploring the garden seating. He’d dragged over a bean bag, let loose a whole shelf full of them. He’d even began setting up a swing chair before he realizes he’s not having as much fun as he oughta be having. Maybe it’s because he’s trying to follow some instructions to build a chair. Wes knocks back the last of his whiskey, takes the other plastic mug from the packaging and fills it up a hearty amount. He knows who is missing from this bit of fun.

It takes a lil bit of time to find them but when he finds her he grins, calling out to the back of her head, “Ayden!” When she turns, he stops, holds the two mugs out like he’s won a fucking prize and ready to share his spoils, “I’m pretty fucken certain I still owe you a drink, honey.” Ayden can’t protest because he’s putting the plastic mug of whiskey in her hand and if she doesn’t take it, it’s meeting the floor.

“C’mon, I found a shit loada beanbags!” He walks ahead, knocking back more of the drink, hoping she’ll follow.

Normality was a strange thing to strive for at times like these, especially when her life had been far from typical even before hell had decided to open up its gates. Except even then she’d had a routine, a structure to carry out her day with, and Ayden found herself missing the little things more than she’d ever expected. Perhaps that was why whenever she found a free moment, she almost inevitably found herself cleaning her guns even if it felt like it was straying into monotonous territory. 

Except a voice breaks her out of it and the hunter finds herself grinning in anticipation even before she turns to face the man that she knows is behind her. “I was beginning to wonder if I’d have to remind you.” The words might have been chiding but the smile on her lips makes it perfectly clear that there’s no real meaning behind them other than to tease lightly. 

With enthusiasm that’s all too infectious, the blond places a mug of something in her hand and it’s something she wouldn’t have had the heart to decline even if she hadn’t wanted the alcohol that it contained. Taking a sip, she hums in approval at the choice of liquor before turning the mug this way and that trying to figure out what on earth was on it with little success. “Nice choice, though I don’t think I recognise the character on it and I figure that’s not just because we never used to watch tv.” 

The decision to follow him was an easy one and she quickly falls into step behind him as they wind their way through the aisles until coming to a halt in front of a cosy looking pile of bean bag and what seems to be something half assembled. “Quite a set up you’ve got here, honey.”

[aydencross]

wesley-kelley:

“I think I’ll give ya piggyback when I haven’t just been shocked,” he laughs, even as the ache has settled in and the only thing that ever followed being tasered was tackled the ground, a knee in his spine whilst being cuffed. Whilst that black poison spreading in his chest was, probably, no good he’s grateful he missed out on the worst of the shock. So, despite it all, he’s grinning.

Only Ayden frowns, genuine concern colors her words and it’s a disarmingly genuine thing to see. Something rarely ever directed at him. So he smiles, it’s all he can do, and he finds a joke along the way.

“I’ve been tasered before,” he says to reassure her, even if the moment it’s past his lips he realizes what it implies. Wes continues quickly, another flash of a grin because they’re both alive and safe and he’s not gonna ruin that for them, “I’ll just walk it off. I’m a big boy.”

She looks around, and Wes joins her. Taking in the destruction left around them. The stragglers around and a few faces he still needs to see to safely call this an attack the group survived.

“I’m always feeling fine.” Wes smiles but he shifts into something a little more serious, he nods at her, “Let’s get to work, honey.”

( fin. )

[aydencross]

No matter how much she might try not to be a creature of habit when predictability could easily end up being dangerous, Ayden still found herself falling back into the same patterns. The easiest way for her to process and plan was with a gun in her hand, something about the familiarity of the weight of the weapon enough to ground her and clear her head enough that she could sort things through as logically as possible.

When she always found herself torn between head and heart, it was nice to have something to occupy her attention for a few minutes. Except as she worked on cleaning each of the guns she had left, the hunter found her eyes wandering over those around her. Almost doing a double take as she saw what she thought to be a familiar face, the brunette couldn’t help but call out with something close to disbelief in her voice. “Carter? Carter Hawthorne?”

@carterhawthorne

[aydencross]

wesley-kelley:

The hug isn’t second-guessed the second Ayden’s leaning into the hug and her arms wrap around him. It’s a moment of peace, real peace, even as he’s starting to feel the after-effects of that shock to his back. Wes doesn’t intend on letting go, not in a desperate sort of way just he’s comfortable.

A little bit of peace he hasn’t felt in a while – although saying he’s ever felt something like peace even feels like a stretch. Wes moves back only when Ayden begins to loosen her grip. It felt right, he doesn’t regret it, but there’s still a glimmer of embarrassment for his spur of the moment reaction. He supposes that only makes it more genuine.

Ayden looks up at him, and not for the first time he’s struck by how beautiful she is and how… well, how she looks back up at him like he matters.  She tells him she’s fine and he smiles, “That’s good. Not ready t’carry you round again anytime soon,” he jokes even if that’s something he seriously never wants a repeat of, joking’s all he’s got in him, “I got fuckin’ tasered. But… I’m good, honey. All in one piece.” 

As a hunter she knew that she would be glad to see any face that she laid eyes on, a relief washing over her that calmed her need to be everywhere at once. But there were a few people that she was slowly coming to realise that she looked for first, eyes drifting over everyone else until the landed on the ones that had somehow become placed above the others despite her best intentions to remain neutral enough to protect them all.

Whether she had meant it to happen or not, Wes had become one of those people and she was glad of the hug because of that. Smiling and giving a little shake of her head, she replies. “Not today I’m sorry to say. Unless you’re planning on dishing out piggy back rides any time soon.” She joins in with the humour without hesitation when despite being grateful to him for his help, it’s a situation she’d rather forget.

There’s a frown that makes itself at home on her brow, making her displeasure at whoever had attacked them known. Tasers aren’t a weapon that she’s familiar with and she doesn’t know enough about the effects of them to know whether she should be telling him to sit down or not. “If you’re sure, honey.” The words aren’t dismissive, spoken softly enough to suggest that it’d be fine with her if he wasn’t. But then she’s casting her eyes around and deciding that it was time for action again. “Are you feeling fine enough to lend a hand?”

[aydencross]

martyrsfall:

“Hold on – You’re just gonna drop a bomb like that and move right on past it? Really?” He shakes his head with a small ounce of irritation. “What happened to it?”

“I don’t know the intricate details because I wasn’t the one to bring it down but I believe a building was dropped on it thanks to one of the witches here so hopefully that was the last of it.”

[aydencross]

wesley-kelley:

“You’re askin’ like that’s some devious plan t’have.” If there’s feigned hurt in the words, they’re not really noticeable. There’s a lightness to their conversation that’s often missing from everything else, he’s not going to ruin it, just try and keep those smiles and laughter ever-broadening,“Actually, he leans forward to whisper conspiratorially, “I’m just tryna figure out which way the fairie’s swing. Maybe I’m not their type.”

He said don’t laugh but she does and it’s a damn delight watching her features light up. Wes doesn’t bemoan her for that, only grins twice as wide back,“That’s always how it fuckin’ is, the bad shit’s real but we can’t get any damn fairies.”

“Well I definitely think you’ve got some sort of plan- devious or not.” Smiles always came easily with Wes when most of the time she struggled to find a situation that she couldn’t make serious when years of hunter training had left her with too much of a realistic or cynical view of the world. Shrugging slightly, the brunette is grinning once again at his words, all too keen to play along and extend the lightness of it at little longer. “If that’s the case then that’s their loss, honey.”

She can’t help but laugh slightly at the irony of the fact that he brings up. Hell had emptied itself out into the world and any of the softer myths that had existed seemed to be staying nothing more than stories. “Maybe they’ve just got the sense to stay out the way of it all.”

[aydencross]

Who do you wish you were closer to?

“Almost everyone here- it’d be impossible to just pick one or two out of a whole group. Closeness means trust and that’s important.”

[aydencross]

Are you lead more by your heart or your mind?

“I try to keep a good balance between the two. Logic only gets you so far when it comes to other people and only following your heart usually ends in rash decisions. It depends on the situation really.”

[aydencross]

Are you happy to see another familiar face join the group?

“I think at this stage I’m happy to see any face that doesn’t mean us any harm. The more survivors the better. But of course I’m happy that Zeke’s here, the only thing better than one Bishop is two.”

[aydencross]

sanguisx:

“Considering,” he reiterates. Leon looks down at the supplies with a quirked brow.

“I’m fine. I have enough.”

“Well for what it’s worth, if you’re only considering, I’d like it if you stayed.”

“Then I guess they’re gonna have to find a new owner.”

[aydencross]

martyrsfall:

Zeke simply nods. “Did she say where she’d been?”

“We ran into a scarlet beast early on and she’d been tracking that.”

“What about you?” 

[aydencross]

wesley-kelley:

Wes watches Ayden. It’s something he’s never seen in her.  The slow burn of rage in the tight set of her jaw and near white-knuckled grip on her weapons. The disgust and disdain for whatever creature they’re about to come across is clear as day. Even as she suddenly finds herself back here with Wes waiting for her. Her voice softens and Wes nods her way, “Always am.” He quips before she gives him a reminder, one he was not quick to forget. “Hmmhmm. No stakes, no garlic” Wes answers, serious as he can be even with a joke slipped in because it’s the only way he’s ever known to cope with fear besides anger.

They enter the… den or whatever. It’s really just a shitty, wide room, so tall and wide its corners fade into jet-black shadows. This isn’t new to Ayden, so Wes tries to follow her lead as much as possible because all he can think is of every bad horror he’d accidentally clicked on.

He was expecting Dracula on a dramatic throne instead it’s a dingy pit of ragtag furniture – at least from what he can see. Blood spatters the ground, drag marks lead back out to where the finished ‘meals’ have been dumped. Ahead, as they step in and his eyes begin to adjust to the dark does he seem them: a body, clearly dead but not as long as the others outside.

Wes has to resist the urge to run and flip them over – check the body isn’t one of theirs – because he hears it. It’s a subtle sound, something he’d miss if he weren’t so intensely aware of his surroundings. There’s no way to place the sounds, footsteps, maybe? A breeze? Paranoia? 

“Glad to hear it.” There’s one last smile sent his way, soft and reassuring in contrast to the tension that her anger had caused, before she takes light, measured steps into the room that she suspects the vampire will be hiding in. If the earlier sight had caused her anger, the one that greets her as she walks in does nothing to temper it. Instead the sight of the freshly dead body causes her grip to tighten once more and her eyes narrow even though logic is telling her that she needs her whole field of vision. 

It doesn’t matter when it’s her hunter’s hearing that alerts her to the vampire rushing out at them, bloodstained mouth opening to hiss at the two of them. It’s fast but Ayden’s never been slow either and she’s quickly whirling around to swing her blade towards the creature’s name in the hopes that the blow will be enough to take the head straight off.

Except the blow never makes contact.

A temptation washes over her to stay her weapon, to do the one thing that went against everything she’d been taught and throw away what she’d spent her life doing to spare the creature’s life. Then the whispers started in her mind, leaving her dazed and confused. It was just trying to feed itself. Just trying to survive like all the rest of them. She was better than killing - she could be gracious and merciful and allow it to live.

It’s all so persuasive and it almost has her turning her back on her bloodline before a smirk on the vampires lips clears the fog in her mind enough for her to rebel against the thrall its trying to put her under. Her jaw his tense again but this time it’s from concentration as she tries to get the words out while she mind is still completely hers. “A little help, honey.”

The Beast |ψ| Wes & Ayden

[aydencross]

wesley-kelley:

Wes’ smile stays in place. He wags a finger her way at her answer, “It’s a good thing we’re both here, then. I’ve never done a practical thing in m’life.” He jokes as he reaches back into the bag, opening up another umbrella. He hesitates a second but carries on anyway. Carefully – so as not to poke her – Wes slides the second umbrella into Ayden’s hair, hoping it’ll stay in place.

“‘m thinking of starting a beach up here fer… ok, don’t laugh –” he says, laughing, “– are fairies an actual thing? I mean, we got fuckin’ giants and shit, anything small and friendly an’ supernatural that could chill under this lil umbrella. Hm?” He’s going with them not being real, they’re not exactly Biblical, but he’s got no interest in a conversation that’s too heavy around Ayden. He’ll take small moments of fun and holds to them dearly since realizing back at the airport how much he'd miss this. And her.

“Now I don’t believe that for a second.” The smile on her face widens into a grin to accompany her gentle teasing when it’s nice to have a moment of lightness that Wes seems to bring to her so easily. She can’t help but laugh as the umbrella is tucked into her hair, touching it gently to secure it in place before gesturing to it as she speaks. “You trying to get me into the party mood here, honey?”

Lips press together in an attempt not to smile or laugh like he asked - albeit unconvincingly - and she’s just about successful enough when the question is one that’s serious enough even if the idea is sweet enough to earn a little laugh from her. “Unfortunately if they are real I’ve never seen or heard of any signs of them. But who know, if you set them up a little paradise then they might all come of out hiding for you.” It’s a conversation that brings back memories of their stint babysitting Delilah, a little light moment of something close to normality in spite of everything else that had happened.

[aydencross]

wesley-kelley:

The black rot in his chest hadn’t eased up, it still kept his nerves numb. Now it was simply a matter of waiting for it to kick back in. Wes was all too familiar with being tasered, knew the excruciating pain was not short-lived. He’d be sat in solitary for hours later waiting for his muscles to stop tensing, for every part of him to relax. 

That moment of relief had not found him, yet. Both he and Charlie had managed to get through with their lives and fewer injuries than he expected. It would’ve been cause for celebration, only the group was scattered and he hadn’t found everyone he’d grown so attached to seeing every day. 

The fear really set in when he passed the English guy. A father with no child. People were gone. Wes was so used to leaving people behind, seeing them come and go and make no real mark on his life. But he’s looking for one person in particular. He’s white knuckling his machete when the very person he’s looking for calls out.

Mary drops with a clatter to the ground and before he knows what he’s doing – Wes is pulling Ayden in for a hug, “Fuckin’ christ, honey.” Wes should hurry back, embarrassed by the sudden overwhelming show of affection but … the black rot, the tightness in his chest loosens. The breath he was holding is let go. 

The ache he was waiting for hits every muscle in his body but he doesn’t let go even as they begin to quiver,“No ax wounds this time, ey?”

If she’d been relieved to just lay eyes on him that feeling only grew as he made his way over towards her with enough speed that he couldn’t possibly have sustained anything more than a superficial injury. But that’s about the only thought that stays clearly in her mind before he’s pulling her toward him, mindless of the blood that covers her.

It’s the kiss that he delivers to her forehead that had her the most taken aback but the hunter quickly decides that she’s grateful for it even if she dismisses it as something that happened in the heat of the moment. It strikes her that she can’t remember the last time someone held her while she was on her feet and that alone has her leaning into the contact slightly and her arms wrap around him without much hesitation when she’s just grateful to see him alive and in one piece. 

For a while she lets them stay like that, a quiet moment after all the chaos where it’s just their two heart beats that fill her ears at it feels like some sort of delicate peace. His hold on her is tight but not enough that she feels trapped or overwhelmed but instead secure. 

A chuckle escapes her at his words. “No, not even a scratch.” Pulling back, Ayden looks up at him with eyes searching over his face for any traces of hurt. “What about you, honey?”

[aydencross]

martyrsfall:

“Good to see you, too. Can’t say I’m surprised. You been with Zo this whole time?”

“If I’m anything it’s predictable. Not quite. Found her a couple of weeks in - or rather she found us.”

[aydencross]

sanguisx:

     “Actually, unless there’s more need of me here, I’ve been considering       moving on in the next few days. So the supplies are yours. Take what       you need. Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.”

“Leaving us so soon?” A brow raises at his statement and it’s not one she’s sure she welcomes but it’s not somethings he voices. “I’m all stocked up on supplies but thanks. If you really are leaving then you should keep them, hate for you to run out.”

[aydencross]

martyrsfall:

Zeke nods with the smallest and most sarcastic of chuckles. “Yeah, sorry. Cellphones are out, couldn’t ask for directions and all that with the world going to shit.”

“And there was me thinking you were just ignoring my calls.” There’s a chuckle that matches his own before her expression softens slightly.

“It’s good to see you, Zeke.”