#pv. sometimes all you have are your lies. assassin & mercenary

[headstrongblake]

" nope ,  that is not my responsibility . " -styxxtavia assassin / @myhiraeth

octavia groaned, moving the phone from her ear to tap against her forehead as the pain in her side grew, blood dripping onto the carpeted library floor as she stood debating with styxx on the other line. after a shuddered breath, she tucked the phone gainst her ear once more with her shoulder to free her hands, "i know that," she bit back with a grimace, fingers rolling up the bloodied fabric of her shirt as she looked at the stab wound.

"none of this is," she started, although not every part of her believed that. without styxx's consistent interference, octavia would've likely continued with her organization without so much as missing a beat. for years, they have given her purpose and direction. but his interference has made her look weak. her refusal to dispose of him like she'd been ordered...only reinforces it to her people. but joining them, that was all on her. & if she had never done that after losing lincoln, well...she would not be running from an organization of trained assassins. "it's mine."

teeth clenched together as she tightly packed her wound the best she could for now. it's only a matter of time before they descend on her few hideouts in the city. "look, i think i've been burned, and i get it; you warned me, again and again, that crap like this was going to happen if i kept working for my people, but..." somewhere in between all the half-truths and hostility, a small part of her had believed she had an alley in styxx. that somehow he cared, at least a little, about her. "please," her voice lowered as she leaned against the bookshelf. "i'm gonna bleed out between the Iliad and oddessy if you don't come."

[headstrongblake]

‘ I’m protecting the innocent. If I step on a few toes in the meanwhile, so be it. ‘ -mercenary!styxx to assassin!o / @myhiraeth​

       for hours it feels as if they’ve gone around and around in circles. meeting in the only place octavia knows to be safe when the two of them come together because her organization wouldn’t take too kindly to a mercenary like styxx. to them, he’d simply be a complication. the abandoned library on the outskirts of the city centre serves well for her but it causes their voices to echo throughout as they argue. “ they’re my toes you’re stepping on! and it’s going to end with me dead! is that really what you want?! ” octavia snapped back, fingers curling and uncurling at her sides.

    after all this time, she can’t understand why he doesn’t seem to comprehend that. they’re not the same. not even close. she doesn’t get to pick her targets or ask for certain ones. she’s assigned a job. one that she must follow through or risk being burned. & if she’s burned? well. she’s good at what she does but even octavia doubts her ability to survive against the entire fleet of assassins from wanlida. “ styxx, i am telling you that you’re wrong about this one, i need to do this and i need you to get out of my way so that i can. ”

[headstrongblake]

" speak to her like that one more time, and i swear to you, you'll never speak again. " -styxx threatening someone threatening octavia / @myhiraeth​

     for as big as octavia has always felt the underground world is...this fucking man kept showing up everywhere. a scowl crosses her features at his voice, frustration itching at her fingertips. at least this time he’s not botching a job of hers, simply coming across her in a time outside of the academy. but it doesn’t make his presence any less annoying. styxx seems protective, or maybe it’s some chivalry thing and because it’s a man threatening her time & space, he feels the need to step in. whatever the case, she’s over the whole evening now. 

     as her eyes drag back to the bounty hunter in front of her, she gives him a tired look to express how done with his invitations she is. when he doesn’t offer another response, octavia turns, but not fast enough as the man reaches for her arm. before he can even touch her though, her hand snakes around him, forcing his body forward to slam against the bar top. & it’s exactly where octavia leaves him as she digs some money out of her pocket, tossing it down beside the guy to pay for her drinks. “ yeah, yeah, i know the drill joey. ” she mutters to the bartender, knowing the rules about making a scene in his underground bar. octavia quickly shot back the last of her drink before she turns to leave the bar again, this time making it to styxx without unwanted attention. 

   “ please by all means, ” she gestured back towards the bounty hunter who’d crawled back to his buddy’s in the corner, “ you just can’t help yourself, can you? ” her head tilts as octavia studies him a moment - why’d he keep showing up? & what was it about her that piqued his curiosity? “ you got nothing better to do? ” she asked, shoving her hands into her thin hoodie before she continued her trek out of the bar.