Burn the Witch

-

Alek didn’t believe a word that Neri was saying and truthfully, he wasn’t sure the other did either, at least the way the witch said it didn’t sound all that convincing. He tried to piece together what happened that night, he remembered leaving Neri, finding Cloe, he remembered shifting and fighting - but then things got dark. Darker than a horde of zombies piling on top of people. “There was a fire, I think.” Alek remembered the screams, remembered the heat, the man that stood amidst it all unaffected by it. “I remember burning, when I came to I was a crisp.” He looked down at the burns on his arms, the gnarled burn that etched across his skin.  “The Eye showed up and then everything went black again.” He wasn’t sure going back for his brother had done any good, maybe Alek had only made things worse, he didn’t know. Couldn’t know. “My brother, Andreas-” he didn’t want to ask for help, or for anything, not if it meant Andreas might end up in the cell across from him. His brother was important, he had a destiny, Alek was…. Maybe this was how things were always meant to turn out. “tell him I died.” 

++

This wasn’t the witches business, he absolutely had no right or claim to be so upset by his organization catching some Lycan to do their experimentation on. But then why did he suddenly feel so powerless, what was this heat on the back of his neck and behind his eyes that screamed at him to do something about it. “I never should’ve let you run back into that fucking party,” the young witch seethed out through gritted teeth. Eyes pointedly looking downwards for he was scared that if he made eye contact with the defeated stare of probably his only - friend? acquaintance? rival? he didn’t know what to make of their relationship but what he did know was that for some dumb as fuck stupid reason, his heart we beginning to make him feel things for the stray wolf, that threw all his plans straight into the garbage. “Andreas?” he repeated the name; as though by doing so it would seal in his memory. “Is he a wolf like you?”

Neri shot a nervous glance down the hallway when he heard some noise. “I’m sorry you ended up here - even you don’t deserve this.” More foot steps and Neri looked like he was about to jump out of his skin. Quickly he reached through the bars careful not to touch them and let his hand rest on Alek’s face while he whispered the same incantations from all those other times previously. “I’ll be back to check on you...don’t let them y’know-” he wanted to say, ‘break you’ but he knew it would be more difficult than that and decided against it. “I need to go.”

-

“Fuck!” The lycan roared, though when he grabbed onto the bars the shock that came was immediate, sending him skirting backwards as he hit the ground hard. Smoldering as he looked down at the burns now on his hands. The whimper that fell from his lips was pathetic and foreign to himself as blue eyes looked up towards the witch that had been tormenting him for so long. Was this what Neri had wanted all along -? The Eye, Lain had said, he works for The Eye. If only Alek had bothered to fucking listen. “I think-” Alek didn’t really know what was going to happen to him, but he hadn’t heard many stories about lycans who got out, “I think they’re going to kill me.” The wolf whispered. “Please, Neri.” Alek pleaded as he moved closer towards the bars again, this time careful not to touch them. 

++

Instinctively, Neri had taken a hurried step backwards as the adolescent wolf lunged for the bars despite knowing what would happen when his skin met metal. That kind of shock no doubt would have stopped a humans heart. This is exactly where he wanted Alek, and yet he didn’t revel in it - for some fucked up reason - he felt stressed and uncertain. For once in his life, he wasn’t confident in what he was doing. A couple days ago if Alek had come pleading to him for his life, Neri would have simply laughed in his face and pulled the trigger. Why the hell couldn’t he do that now? “They aren’t going to kill you.” although even the witch seemed unsure, like a kid trying to lie for the first time. Alek no doubt would die if he stayed there; unfortunately he would have to go through a lot worse before they let that happen. “I can’t.” Neri shook his head as he tossed a sideways glance down the corridor. “I’m not even supposed to be talking to you right now.” There wasn’t anything he could offer; he couldn’t just free a Lycan within the depth’s of The Eye headquarters, he’d die - they’d both be killed. It wasn’t worth the risk. “This is your own damn fault, how does a fucking Lycan get caught by a couple humans? What the hell happened?”

@neriiren​ location: The Eye’s Holding notes: four days after Halloween

The last few days had been a blue, he remembered shifting, the taste of blood in his mouth. He saw flashes of Andreas, Evy, others. So much screaming. Then there was the fire, hotter than anything he’d felt before, it washed over him and left him a smoldering heap in the graveyard - the lycan had crawled to some semblance of safety. A quiet place in the forest to die, maybe that would have been better, because when he came to next it was under the knife while a team of doctors restrained him and did whatever they had to do to save his life. He’s a fighter, they said, before the gas kicked in and Alek was knocked back out. 

When he came to next he was wearing some standard issue crap, in a cage that burnt him when he touched the bars. Alek tried to shift but there was nothing, like whatever monster was inside of him had been sedated. The doctors came with guards, forced him against the wall, took his blood, then they’d be gone again. Leaving him with nothing but the wounds Serkan had beaten into him, the ones that Neri hadn’t bothered to heal. Alek heard the door outside his cage open and close again, he expected to see the guards and got up, ready this time as he snarled - knocked out wolf be damned.

“Neri?” The name came out as a question, Lain had told him the guy worked for the Eye, that he was bad news, but seeing him away from the city - in this place of stone and fluorescent lights felt strange in a way. Like watching a snake unnaturally poised upon itself. “You gotta get me out of here man.” He rushed to the bars, Neri had put a bullet in him once, tried to kill him a handful of times, but they’d also kissed - the latter was the most recent in their fucked up order of events. That had to count for something, right?

++

How the hell he had managed to escape the party without too much trouble could be attributed to the Lycan (whom he had sworn to kill) helping him get out of a tricky situation with the walking dead. The problem was afterwards, when he found him again. He kissed him - why the hell did he kiss him? Neri couldn’t remember the last time his emotions took such a hit. The young witch has no idea how to process it - that wasn’t what he was good at. He was good at keeping his head down, and killing what needed to be killed. Not catching feeli -- whatever the hell, from stupid wolf’s and their stupid faces.

When he had been called into The Eye headquarters he was a little confused but not too concerned. No doubt they’d be looking for answers about what happened during that party, and Neri unfortunately wasn’t going to be the one to give it to them as he himself had no idea what had happened. Albeit that was his fault for being distracted by a Lycan getting the shit kicked out of him and then taking care of him - but that’s neither here nor there. When he stepped into the office of one of his superiors he was expecting a punishment, or a firm talking too. What he hadn’t expected was to be assigned to one of the Lycan subjects that they’d managed to capture during the night of the party. Poor drunken idiot no doubt.

But, as he walked down to where the subjects were captive - it felt as though he’d just been punched in the chest, the air knocked out of him as he met the familiar bruised and sharp stare of the very lycan who hadn’t left his mind since that night. Instinctively the witch took a step back from the bars; so many thoughts ran through his mind but not a single word came out as he tried to come up with how he wanted to play this; how he wanted it to play out. If he even cared what Alek thought about him, or what happened to him. “I uh - how? What? how the hell did you end up here?” eyebrows furrowing in growing frustration and clear disappointment. “I can’t just break you out.”

Adrenaline charged the air between them, the fighting, the transformation. It was stupid to think that the two of them hadn’t killed each other yet but here they were, Neri would be safe now - the witch could obviously take care of himself but Alek was going to go back in. If anything happened to Andreas while Alek had just run away, the lycan would never be able to forgive himself. Neri hadn’t said much about his own family, in truth, Alek hardly knew anything about him beyond the fact that the witch liked to kill supernaturals as part of his job. Maybe it was a family business.

“He’s my brother. I have to.” Alek said, pack aside, Andreas would always be reason enough to put his life on the line. There was a beat where the lycan hesitated, where he thought for a second that maybe there was something else between them, something more. Electricity charged between them, Alek’s heart beat loudly in his chest and if he focused he could hear Neri’s too - hear the air as it moved in and out of his lungs. See the place where it passed over his lips and it was there that Alek’s eyes fixated, mouth going raw as he reflexively moved his tongue to wet his suddenly dry lips. In his mind he wondered what it’d be like to kiss him because Alek was just masochistic enough to imagine himself kissing the witch that had tried to kill him multiple times already. Then he was. In the heat of the moment Alek had moved forward, lips planted hard against the other’s as the lycan’s hand gripped reflexively hard along the hunter’s jaw.

++

Really it would be better off if Alek rushed in there and did die, that would probably solve a lot of Neri’s problems right then. One of these problems being that he couldn’t look Alek directly in the eyes at the moment - his heart was racing and he felt hot. Of course these symptoms could be expected after escaping a party swarming with the walking dead, but this felt different. This felt confusing and overwhelming - he thought that he might be sick. “You don’t have to do anything,” he retorted back - almost childishly in some stupid attempt to try and keep the Lycan from running back in there. He hadn’t had much of a chance to say much else, or search his feelings for a reaction for what happened next. Neri felt as though his hand should’ve reached for his knife, or at least pushed the Lycan away as he closed the distance between them. There was an “mmf” noise as mouth smashed against mouth. Eyes wide open as Alek clutched his face and lips pressed into his. It was rough and unplanned, they both smelled like sweat and blood and Neri’s heart only seemed to pick up the pace, trying to decide if it should go into fight or flight mode.

It took far, FAR too long for the witch to make a decision with what to do. Enjoying the kiss far more than he should’ve. Hands uselessly hanging at his sides while he embraced the kiss a little bit longer. Okay. Okay that’s enough. Lifting them up to push against Alek’s chest to separate them finally. A little breathless, and completely flustered. The normally silver tongued boy was left speechless. “W-what?”

         a gift for @neriiren​,

           The tactical bowie knife was thrust into the skull of a zombie, twisting the blade as if such caveat and show of violence would subdue them permanently. The zombies could bleed and be torn apart but seemed to hop right back up again, Wade’s anger blossoming due to his own vexation, “We should get back.” Extempore was scowled out as his free arm came up to practically clothesline one of the creatures.

++

Trying to make his way out of the party was proving more difficult than he would’ve anticipated. The walking dead were swarming guests and it was becoming increasingly difficult to get a grasp of where the doors were or to even find an opening to get a head start away from them. He knew he should’ve brought a gun. Currently using a chair leg to keep a biting bastard at bay when a bowie knife cut through the creatures head like a hot knife threw butter. Blood and whatever the hell else splattered on Neri’s clothes and face and he did his damnedest not to lash out at the man who had actually saved him. “Well obviously.” the young witches words dripped with Venom, but his shoulders and stance dropped in relief now that there was another able body willing to help him. “How the hell do we get out of here?”

-

Could two people who were so far apart really ever come to understand one another? Their existences lived in polar opposites of one another and yet… Alek wondered sometimes if the two of them were really all that different. Had they been born into different families, different circumstances, maybe they could even be friends. Maybe even more. There was no telling what would happen when he transformed, but as Alek’s bones began to break he quickly understood that he wouldn’t have much choice in the matter. Maybe Neri would run, maybe not, but Alek buckled as he fell on all fours, a roar of pain broke through his lips as his jaw broke and jutted forward into a muzzle. A thick coat of fur erupted from his skin as he traded flesh for a strong hide, furious yellow eyes looked up at the hunter, Alek had never known control before, still didn’t, but when he looked at the witch something in him remembered the other’s touch, his healing hands. He lunged over Neri and tore one of the undead in half, clearing the way for the witch. 

Beyond the palace walls the dead were fewer, Alek violently turned back into a man as he stood on two legs again. Somehow he was surprised to see Neri in one piece, but relieved, despite their history. Still, he looked back to the party, clothes in tatters before he turned back to Neri. “You good? I have to go back.” It was probably a death sentence, but Andreas was there. “My brother is still in there, my pack. I can’t just leave them.” 

++

This relationship of Kill or Be Killed was interesting, and becoming far more complicated than the young witch anticipated. Albeit, he still had the responsibility, and orders to slay any supernatural creature that stepped out of line - the line was becoming very blurry. Neri had seen countless transformations in his time as a hunter of the supernatural, primarily Lycans were his forte so it wasn’t uncommon to enrage one into a beast. But, there was always that trickling fear behind his eyes whenever the beast came to fruition; the uncertainty of whether or not he would be able to escape it’s jaws or succumb to its teeth. The young witch felt as though his heart had stopped as the boy in front of him began to change form. Neri had seen this beast before; however last time he had a gun and a good couple meters - this was far too intimate and left him exposed to whatever Alek’s wolfish mind decided to attack. Staring into those bottomless amber eyes, he awaited the beast’s decision. To his surprise (as well as to his relief) Alek lunged beyond him into the mess of walking dead that threatened behind him. Neri did not hesitate to make his escape; however grateful he was for the monster to help him - he did not show his gratitude.

The witch owed his escape to the Lycan who helped him clear a path, as well as a couple other lycans and creatures tearing their way through the undead. Coming across human Alek just as his transformation had come to an end. Had he learned how to control it? Is that why Neri still remained alive right now? The bite on his shoulder begun to sting again, and he was covered in blood and viscera; but little of it was his own. “You’re going back in there?” he questioned, disbelief flashing over his features for a brief moment. “If your pack is anything like you I’m sure they’ll be fine.” Neri hissed; he had no reason to feel pissed - why was he so angry that Alek was about to risk his life again to go back in there? Eye’s flittered over his body, most wounds were light - bite marks and scratches from the undead didn’t look lethal. His body relaxed at that, Alek would be fine. “That’s stupid.”

“That’s what you think this is?” Alek asked, he wasn’t being full of himself, he just wanted to live his life without the fear that some hunter was going to put a bullet between his eyes. “You can get another job.” It was all the lycan could say as Neri stood up, stretching while Alek’s eyes wandered habitually up and down the other’s frame. It was probably fucked up to be attracted to someone who’d tried to kill you multiple times, at least, it definitely said something about the lycan’s habits. Some lunatic taking halloween too seriously tried to take a bite out of Neri and Alek’s eyes went wide as he saw the witch pull out a knife and stab the man straight in the chest. “Dude did you just fucking stab that guy?” He was dead, he was for sure dead, but as Neri looked back at him he saw the man who’d tried to bite him getting up again, unphased by the attack. The lycan was on his feet, grabbing the other by the arm and wrenching him back before he tackled the thing to the ground. It was all thrashing limbs and gnashing teeth, it got a hold of Alek’s arm and the lycan all but yelped before his fist connected with the thing’s skull. Wet flesh and brittle bones broke beneath his blow as he made a face at the gray matter that splattered the concrete. Still the limbs wriggled, an eyeball rolled across the ground, a tongue wagged in the mangled skull as Alek stood up. “Friend of yours?”

++

“That is what this is.” 

Clutching the spot where the man had just helped himself to a chunk of skin, the young witch felt a little disorientated. Sure he had killed plenty of creatures before and knew where to strike, but even he had to admit his reaction was a little aggressive. “I uh-” unable to get a coherent thought out as he worked on focusing instead on whispering an incantation to heal himself up. Pulled again away from his concentration when Alek yanked him back to avoid another bite. Watching in what could only be awe as the Lycan’s fist penetrated the weak skull and skin of the man’s face, the mangled but now less mobile corpse still watched them even as an eyeball rolled to his feet. Neri thought he might barf. “No. Obviously not.” he groaned as magic left his fingers to ease the pain of the bite for now. He’d need to be in a better mind set to patch it up completely. What the hell was going on? Why were there walking corpses? This couldn’t be some party trick. “I think - we should probably get out of here? I don’t want to be here when more of them show up.” all he had was his knife and a wolf with a high temper - there was the chance if Alek transformed he might kill him along with the rest of these biters.

Alek polished off his drink with an easy swig before he moved to set the glass down, Neri’s hands coming away after the magic had run its course. This place stunk of the undead but even through it he could have picked out the human’s scent from a crowd of leeches. It was distinct, familiar at this point. Alek’s best friend was a guy who couldn’t really stand him, his mentors had both tried to kill him on separate occasions, and he and his brother were as far apart as the moon was from the sun. Twisted as it was, Neri was probably one of the most significant relationships he had - even if it was built on a mutual disdain that had started under a full moon. Alek was new back then, barely able to tell up from down but the hunter’s cruelty had brought him to seek out the arno. The wolf that had bitten him, Burak, then Serkan. Neri had brought him here. He smirked in response to Neri, not really sure he had much of an aesthetic, he was just another guy. “Why do you hate us so much anyways?” Alek had to ask, Neri didn’t look like he was any older than him but still the man hated the lycan enough to try and kill him on multiple occasions. “I’m just, trying to live my life man.” 

++

“Don’t be so full of yourself,” Neri huffed with a roll of his eyes, going to take a sip from his glass, but changed his mind when he got a whiff of it, it smelled like it had gone bad - which was strange as he’d only just gotten it, and it had tasted fine before. “Just because I’ve been trying to kill you doesn’t mean I hate your kind - it’s my fucking job to kill bastards like you who step out of line. You’re not supposed to be alive right now.” There were some screams and some laughter coming from where the party was the most congested with guests, but he only figured there was some sort of show or scary event going on that he was happily missing out on. Sighing, he pushed himself up off the ground and gave a little stretch, figuring he’d done enough fraternizing with the enemy for now, when some stumbling baffoon bumped into him, teeth and dull nails digging into the flesh at his neck - luckily the bite had missed his mark and got his shoulder - but it still hurt like a bitch. “Jesus what THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM!” He snapped back at the clearly delusional man and shoved him away, withdrawing his knife and driving it right into his chest without hesitation. Looking back at Alek with an incredulous look, as though saying ‘what-the-fuck-was-that?’

           a gift for @neriiren​,

          “Hey, they let you in the door this time I see,” Abel snickered, not entirely phased by the aftermath of their scuffle at the bar. He had a cocksure grin, perhaps enjoying the festivities of Halloween a bit too much, though he’d blame Nathan’s presence for that; coining off the blame onto the cambion. Abel plucked two drinks off one of the nearby trays, holding it out to the younger witch as if in absolving their issues for the sake of the Senator’s party.

Neri, having sported a sheet and sunglasses over his body when he entered the party, the young witch had long since discarded it somewhere since then. Even at the ripe old age of twenty-six did he feel like he was far too old for these types of things. More so now that he was approached by the immature bastard who’d bothered him once before. Dark eyes fell on him, flicking up and down his body as he approached with a drink, an olive branch if you will. There was a brief moment as he contemplated accepting the offer, but ended up reaching out for it anyway. “And what the hell are you supposed to be?” biting back an insult with the question, trying to be civil for once.

Alek’s body was littered with scars but Serkan hadn’t done anything that would have left permanent damage, the lycan couldn’t say the same about Neri. There was a bullet-shaped scar on his shoulder that the hunter had left behind the first time they’d ‘met.’ They weren’t friends, they didn’t even really know each other. Neri was on the growing list of people that the Alek wanted to hunt down and sink his teeth into, but right now he was just a guy at a party, a guy with cold hands but just some kind all the same. Some guy with eyes that looked simultaneously wounded and menacing, a strong jaw that didn’t break - at least not easily. Alek’s breath hitched when the witch laid hands on him, different from the last time they’d done this as a small sigh passed through his parted lips at the easy flex of magic. “Yeah, well, I do a lot of stupid shit.” Alek mumbled, his throat dry as Neri kept his hands in place. At least the lycan could breathe now without wincing in pain, “What about these?” He asked as he pointed to his swollen eye, it’d be black soon, the split lip and bloodied temple. 

++

Neri kept telling himself if it wasn’t for the party or the potential to get in trouble with his family for causing a scene, or even the looming threat of MANY Lycan wandering around the party. He would have killed the Lycan then and there. But really, he didn’t bring his gun, and to kill a strong wolf with a silver knife was practically a death sentence - why didn’t he bring his gun if he knew Alek would be there. “I know you do a lot of stupid shit.” He countered back quickly, “You chased me down into the catacombs and got us fucking trapped.” hand still remaining on the boys torso as he let the magic finish flowing out from his fingers and into the different wounds. “I don’t think you’ve had a single intelligent thought in your life.”  Clearing his throat he pulled his hand away and reached for his glass, leaning back as he took a swing from it. Sitting cross legged in front of the wolf, he grinned at the request as he thought it through. This was becoming far too intimate, to heal the facial wounds he’d have to basically caress his face. “Nah, you don’t want me to do those.” Sure he might get a hand bit off if he moved in that close. “Besides, isn’t the ‘tough guy’ look your aesthetic?”

Neri didn’t give Alek much of a choice as he forced the drink in his hand, the lycan’s uncertain brow furrowed before he accepted it and mumbled something that almost sounded like gratitude. If he had the energy he’d have chased the other all around the party, back underground like one of their last altercations. “I only did bones on the face,” Alek explained, “well, my roommate did, but she insisted I take the black all the way down.” The lycan lifted his shirt and winced before he gripped one of his ribs, “You uh, you remember when you patched me up that one time?” He smirked a bit, “Think you might help me out again? You can go back to trying to kill me tomorrow.” 

++

“That’s lazy,” the witch huffed under his breath as the brought the glass to his lips to take a taste of the far too sweet spooky themed beverage; he’d forgotten what they had called it when they handed it to him - pumpkin orgy or something weird. Following the Lycan’s swollen hand down to where it lifted at the fabric and revealed a bruised but fit stomach; he forgot how ripped lycan’s could get. Flickering his gaze from his stomach back to his face, eyes searching the bruises and cuts that still lingered there as well. “Aren’t Lycan’s supposed to have super healing; I don’t see the point in wasting my time when you’ll be fine in what? A couple hours?” putting his cup down on the ground beside him he shimmied closer and rolled up the sleeve on his right arm, giving a quick surroundings check to make sure no one was paying attention to them. Hopefully the Eye wasn’t watching (bc it’s an eye lol) him help out some dumb dog in that moment. Last tIme his hand had just hovered over the skin, this time his palm lay flat against Alek’s torso. He was hot. nO LET ME rephrase that - his body temperature was incredibly warm. As Neri whispered an incantation he idly wondered what it would be like to cuddl -- no. What was in this drink? “These are mostly surface wounds, idiot. They would’ve been gone soon anyway.”

Alek got what Serkan was doing, establishing authority, letting everyone know who the big bad wolf was. Alek had attacked a senator, apparently Serkan only cared what the other lycans got up to when the shit rolled back on im. “You saw him right, Serkan is more meat than man. That guy is like twice my size. Even still, he’s the alpha.” Least for now anyways. Maybe Alek could’ve wolfed out an fought back but that wasn’t the point, “I fucked up, sometimes you have to take what’s coming to you.” Burak had done worse the night Alek was turned, if the beta knew anything it was how to take a beating and just grin and bare it. Everyone was so sensitive about it too - whatever - it was a party, sometimes you got your ass beat. “If you were me you’d be dead.” Alek yanked off the other’s sheet and shoved him in the opposite direction. 

++

Neri would pretend like he didn’t understand the loyalty and strange alpha/omega mentality that Lycan’s had, if Neri had been in that situation with the head of his family making an example of him in front of others, he would’ve taken the beating just as Alek had. “You Lycan’s are fucking weird,” the witch huffed just as he was shoved away letting out a soft oof as the abrupt motion caught him off guard. “I seriously doubt that,” glaring down the other boy before pushing himself up and storming away - only to return a couple moments later with a glass of some alcoholic beverage in each hand. Jutting out his hand he forcefully gave Alek one of the drinks, “here.” Really, a defeated Alek should be easy to kill - but it was a party and Neri would get in trouble. At least that’s what he told himself as he sat back down. The drink was just payback from the bus ride - albeit he hadn’t taken that warm ass beer. “What are you supposed to be? A skeleton? Only your face is painted. Where’s the rest of it?”

@senatusstarters​ notes: Serkan just beat the fucking shit out of him in front of the whole party

It was hard to breathe. Alek’s friends had dispersed pretty quickly once it had started, at least once it was over and Serkan’s warning rang in his ears still. It didn’t feel fair and all he could feel was a bitterness towards every fractured or broken bone, every bruise, every blow he’d taken. Someday he was going to be alpha and he didn’t care how long it took but he was going to rip that fucking guy’s head off with his teeth. “What are you doing here?” Alek asked, resigned, “Didn’t get enough of the show?”

++

There had to be some divine spirit watching over him that night for him to witness the ass beating of the century to the bastard who deserved it the most (in his opinion) Boy did the wolf know how to take a punch, Neri knew of course the strength the Lycan’s possessed but even taking blow after blow, it was miracle like that the boy’s face wasn’t smashed to pieces. How could he not take the opportunity to make Alek’s night even worse? Naturally he approached, lifting up the ghost sheet he had worn and flashing a poisonous smile, “you poor thing,” fishing a cigarette from his pocket, “You forget how to fight or something? y’know you’re supposed to hit back when someone’s wailin’ on you like that.” offering a lopsided shrug he plopped down beside him BUT NOT TOO CLOSE handing him the fresh cigarette. “That was pathetic, if I were you I would’ve killed that fuck.”

@neriiren​

location: public transportation chan

notes: really I just wanted to use this gif

The moment that Alek stepped on he caught the scent of the witch he’d been after, and had been after him, for months. Very public, nice and crowded. Convenient for Neri. Alek strode down the aisle and shoved past a few standing around before he stopped short at his chosen seat, he let out a whistle and gestured for the guy to move before he plopped down in the twin seats just in front of the hunter, curious where the guy was headed, maybe now he’d get some sort of insight into what the other got up to when he wasn’t trying to shoot people. 

“You know what your problem is-” Alek said as he tipped the can to his lips and took a big swig of the daytime roadie. “You don’t know how to have a good time.” For a hunter, the guy was young, somewhere around Alek’s age anyways. All the lycan really cared about was the next job and the party that came after, he couldn’t imagine taking shit so seriously that he’d devote his life to it. Not like this guy. “Here-” Alek offered as he reached into his bag and pulled out a lukewarm beer, he offered it to other. Momentarily pulling it back. “Unless you wanna throw down right here.” The lycan’s eyes flashed gold for a second, he was kidding. Mostly. 

++

There was a reaming when Neri returned from the catacombs and reported back to the head of his family. The shiner was still in the process of healing, you might think it was impossible for the mean bastard to look even meaner and yet, there he was; scowling in one of the dirty bus seats shooting icy stares at anyone who looked at him too long. Head shooting up as he was approached by the damn lycan who got him in trouble in the first place. God how was he not dead yet, jesus christ. Bracing in his seat, ready to throw a block or a punch if the beast had decided to attack first. Glaring from under his furrowed brows he rolled his eyes, “Is that what my problem is?” quickly snapping back, watching in anticipation as the other pulled out what looked like a bad time from his bag (at least it wasn’t a gun) “I don’t want it; but I’m not going to ‘throw down’ on public transportation - I’m not insane.” there was a little flinch when he noticed the wolfish glare flash over those soft human features for a brief second.

Shooting a look down the aisle to try and see if there were any more seats he could escape to, or maybe he should just pull the string and walk the rest of the way he didn’t have time to fuck around with this stupid wolf. “What is your game here, huh? get me drunk and knock me off on the last stop?” it was hard for the witch to let down his guard or relax even. There were so many beasts and nightmares who’d see him dead if they could. Present company included. “Maybe if you had an actual drink in there; I’m not fucking taking a warm beer from your dirty ass bag.”

          He paused as if simply flummoxed by the younger witch’s approach, having to near bite his tongue from busting out laughing. Abel understood well enough to never underestimate anyone when comparing it on their age, or even size, but he wasn’t sure why the hell this guy was so acutely intent on procuring his knife back through matters of apparent life or death. Abel attempted to give them credit and figured something had to be special about this specific weapon, but he did tend to create more problems as opposed to diffusing them when he worked with his heart and not his mind. “You want a place with a manicured guest list you should have headed to Fates,” though he wasn’t sure the genuine verity of his statement he figured it was a bit classier than the standards The Embassy held itself to; cocktail bar versus just any middling bar and all that. “But I’m not sure they’d cater to your more violent habits,” Abel obnoxiously twirled the knife in his hand once more, eyes flitting from the dart board to the adolescent witch. 

++

Alek didn’t need to ask why the other was helping him, he eased himself to the ground as an indiscernible incantation fell from Neri’s lips. In truth, Alek didn’t much like magic, but he was familiar with it. His brother was a big shot druid that had travelled the world getting fuller and fuller of himself, with an upbringing like that it was hard not to learn a thing or two. It made the transition from human to lycan easier too, fuck, after years of playing second fiddle it was a change that Alek had gladly welcomed. He wanted to be different, to be strong, and to be powerful, and he wasn’t about to go down to a bunch of feral fucking muts. “You’re good at that.” Alek commented noncommittally when the magic receded and there was only a little pain that remained, he’d have to get it looked at still because it was ugly as all hell, but he could stand. So Alek did so now as he hoisted himself to his feet and sniffed the air, “I can smell something.” Pizza? Maybe? It was the only thing that cut through the sulfur right now and he started ahead. “This doesn’t mean anything, you’re not off the hook.” 

++

Neri would be kicking himself later for helping the fucking wolf he’d been hunting down and trying to kill all this time, but really he couldn’t see any other solution to get out of these god forsaken tunnels. So, he would need to bite his tongue and bide his time for now, maybe if there was an opportunity to lock him back in with the dogs when they get to the exit he would take that chance. Glaring the lycan down, he huffed an almost inaudible thank you, really not expecting the uncharacteristically compliment from the rough and sarcastic tongue of a beast. But appreciated it nonetheless; naturally he had a talent for magic, and practising the healing techniques of it seemed smart at the time - albeit he was more interested in the more powerful aspects of it. Most beasts were able to be downed by mortal means anyways. Looking back the way Alek had come, the barking appeared to be getting louder. “Okay great.” Pushing himself up he quickly walked after him, falling into a step behind the other and periodically looking back behind them to make sure the beasts weren’t hot on their tail. “As if I fucking give a shit.” He snarled from behind him, “If you had just died like you were supposed too, we wouldn’t be in this fucking mess in the first place.”