#sobani

Stranger (noun): a person whom one does not know or whom one is not familiar:

“Oh my, is it really safe for you to be out here alone at night?” Came the boy’s smooth voice, as he took a step towards the older man. A low growl sounding from the fox beside him, as she regarded the other. The damn fool that had dared to tread in their territory. She had half a mind to rip him to shreds where he stood; to put him in his place. But the gentle hand on her back kept her rooted in place. Yet, her lips remained pulled firmly back, and body tense. One wrong move, and she would ensure this stranger would never dare set foot in Johto again.

“Whatta want kid? I don’t have to play with ya’ anymore,” The larger man snapped, arms crossed over his muscular chest, as he took a step forward. Not willing to back down from the challenge that had presented itself to him.

“I am merely looking out for your wellbeing. Consider it a favor for entertaining me earlier.” A smile slipped onto his cunning features, and he didn’t back away from the stranger man. Hand still steady on the Ninetales’s back to keep her from lunging. Patience was a viture, and he would not rush headlong into a battle he couldn’t win. But when the day came that he could, he would silence the threat to his people without hesitation. It was his job, and he would keep this little confrontation from getting ugly to save face.

A rough laugh came from the other’s mouth. “Yeah, right, get outta here kid. I’m done playing with ya’. Go home. It’s best your bedtime.” He leaned over the other, a smirk lining his features, as he looked down at the boy.

“Well then, I suppose you have no interest in getting to know one another then?” He turned his back to the other, removing his hand from the fox’s back. “That’s a shame. I found you rather interesting, but I suppose a stranger is all you’ll ever be.” Or rather, a dead man. He waved his hand to signal the Pokemon to follow, walking away without bothering to look back. 

  Friendship (noun): a relationship of mutual affection:

Legs dangled neatly over the edge of the aged building, tapping carefully against the worn bricks, as the sun beat down upon his pale features. A hand moving to run through dirty blond hair, as his detached gaze shifted to the man beside him. Uncomfortable, as he toyed with his thumbs in his lap, and frowned in a growing anger Cas couldn’t place.

“Ya’ know we probably shouldn’t talk like this,” He huffed, leaning back onto his scarred hands. Features scrunching together, as he glared out over the city. This isn’t how he had intended his trip to this country to go. What kind of gang leader befriends the whore of another? Well, he had gotten what he had wanted, but in the end, it hadn’t meant a damned thing.

“I’m afraid I’m missing your point.” Cas stated easily, keeping his gaze on the other man. “No one will judge you for bedding a whore, stripes,” He teased, but his smile faded quickly, as he sae the other man’s jaw clench. And Lexi turned to him sharply, fist reaching out to grasp Cas’s shirt within his palm. Startled, the younger pulled back slightly, but made no effort to escape the stronger man’s hold. Only gazing into his with confusion, as he was met with hostility.

“Ya’ keep calling yourself that, it’ll be all ya’ ever are, princess,” He snapped. “Don’t ya’ care what people think of ya’.” He shoved Cas back, releasing his hold on him, and crossing his arms over his chest. Surprise lingered in Cas’s features for only a moment until his arms wrapped around his chest, hugging his body tightly, as a series of giggles escaped his mouth.

“For a second I thought you were going to say something meaningful, but I guess I was wrong,” He managed to slip out through his laughter. “If I cared what people thought about me, I would have died long ago.” He shoved himself onto his feet, taking a breath to calm his heaving lungs.

“Tch, you’re a weird kid,” Lex snorted, turning away from the other.

“I think you’re the strange one here for considering someone like me a friend.”

“Keep yapping , and we ain’t friends anymore, princess.” A smile pulled over Cas’s lips, as he leaned forward quietly, flopping gracefully onto the other’s back.

“Keep dreaming, you’re stuck with me.”

Crush (noun): a brief, but intense infatuation for someone:

Calloused fingers brushed gently over rough knuckled, as he felt the other’s hand curl into a tight first beneath his in frustration. A smile graced carefully over his delicate features, as he gazed down at the other’s battered hand. Folded so forcibly against the already crinkled surface of the page. The neat words that had once covered it now dulled, and difficult to make out beneath the lines of agitation that had been scrawled carelessly over them.

“Hmm,” He hummed quietly over the older man’s annoyed grunting. “Read it slowly, and use your finger as a guide. And if you keep turning my handwriting into another gang fight, I’m going to break your thumbs,” He sang quietly into Lexi’s ear before prying his index finger out of the hard fist the man had formed. Placing it beneath his own, as he slowly began to move it along the beaten surface of the page. “What does it say, now?”

Lexi snorted. “Don’t go getting ahead of yourself,” he threatened, taking his gaze away from the page to glare at the younger man standing behind him. Brows yanking together, as a chuckle fell from Cas’s lips, as if he was trying to suppress a louder laugh. “Fine, I’ll show ya’.” Yanking his gaze away from the smaller’s frame, he squinted at the page, slowly dragging his, and Cas’s, finger over the letters.

“C-A-S-T-I-T-A-S…Castitas…,” The other man managed to mutter out, and Cas felt his heart skip a beat at the sound of it leaving the other’s lips. Smile fading, as he felt a heat rise upon his features before he swallowed thickly, and hide it beneath a mocking grin. “What the hell, Cas, this is just your name! The fuck did I need to know how to read that for?” Lexi shouted, whirling around.

“Oh, come now, I’m just having a little fun with you,” He teased removing his hand from the other’s, and tracing it along Lexi’s arm until he reached his shoulder when he promptly smacked the man, hard. “Didn’t anyone ever teach you not to argue with your teacher?”

“Shut up, you little punk.” He rubbed his shoulder, standing up from the chair. “I’m heading out.” Was all he said before slipping out, and slamming the door behind him. A bit louder than he had intended, and Cas couldn’t contain the laughter that brushed across his lips, at the sight of the powerful man walking off in frustration.

Fondness (noun): affection or liking of someone:

Siting up, the younger allowed a soft sigh to press against his smooth lips. Gaze turning to the man lying beside him, a hand moving to rub the back of his neck, and he followed his bare legs beneath his thin body. Fingers tugging slightly at the collar of his unbuttoned shirt, back facing away from the other, as he grasped the thing fabric tightly within his hand.

“Lexi, are you awake?” He leaned slightly to the side in order to get closer to the other’s face. A gentle smile appearing on his lips, as the other’s eyes snapped open to glare up at him before he shoved himself into a sitting position.

“Now I am, what do you want, Cas?” The older man barked, a yawn slipping from his mouth, as he rubbed the back of his head. Messy hair scratching against his palm, as he allowed life to return to his harsh gaze.

“I need to talk to you.” His voice took on a serious tone, and curiosity leaked into Lexi’s gaze. Pressing his lips together, Cas slowly slipped out of his shirt, tossing it onto the ground beside the bed. Taking a deep breath, he could feel his heart pound in his chest, and readied himself for the possible consequences of his confession before turning his back to the other man. “Look at me. Do you know what this is?”

Lexi’s eyes strained in the darkness of the room, as he glared at the other’s scarred back. The image of a Houndoom printed neatly upon his skin. Proud, and tall, the beast stood. It’s paw firmly placed upon a skull, and the gang’s name sprawled carefully along the bottom of the image. His hand reached out to touch the tattoo, as if he had to ensure that it was there before he quickly took it away. “The hell does this mean, Cas,” He grunted out, anger slipping into his voice.

“Must you play dumb, Lexi?” He asked, turning to face the other now. “I might be a good whore, but I’m a better murderer,” He whispered, leaning forward into the other man. Lexi’s eyes widened with rage, and his hand reached out to latch onto Cas’s neck, shoving him back down onto the bed beneath him.

“You fucking lied to me!” He shouted, grip upon the younger’s neck tightened, as he felt his force contort with a series of emotions he had never known before. Fear, betrayal, desire, and anger all mixing openly onto his face.

Gasping, Cas brought his knee up, ramming it hard into Lexi’s stomach in order to force the other to release him. “Calm down,” He breathed, still trying to collect himself, as he slipped out from under the larger man while he still had the chance. Feet quickly hitting the ground, as he wasted no time in slipping the gun out from his pants on the floor. Holding it steadily at the other man. “If you’re being honest, you’re the only one I haven’t lied to. I will tell the truth, so do try to remain level-headed. Yes, I am the leader of Horrific Houndoom, and I have been for a few years now. Gunnar? I am sure you know his name.” He paused, waiting for Lexi to nod. “I murdered him. This I tell you now before our relationship advances. I am sure you understand that situation we’re in now. The choices is yours to make, Lexi.” He tossed the gun to onto the bed, in front of the other. “Do I mean more to you than your gang?”

Lexi’s frown deepened, and he picked up the gun. Holding it tightly within his hands for only a moment before he hurled it across the room, barely missing Cas. “I ain’t gonna pick you or my gang. I knew what I was getting myself into from the start, and I ain’t changing my mind now. But you’re something else.”

“Whores tend to be, you know?”

Devotion (noun): passionate and selfless affection and dedication to a person:

A trembling hand reached up to cup around his mouth. A burning sensation lingering in the back of his throat, as he could feel sweat begin to drip down the back of his neck. Tongue clicked against the roof of his dry mouth, as he swallowed thickly. Trying to force the growing lump in his throat down, but his spit only hitched within his throbbing neck. And he quickly swung his legs out from under the thin sheets that covered the bed, bare feet landing neatly onto the hard floor, as he shoved himself from the soft surface to shuffle out of the room. Quietly pulling the door shut behind him, as he fumbled out into the dark hallway, placing his free hand on the worn wall to guide himself down its length.

Tripping carelessly over his own two feet, as he nearly ran into the aged door of the bathroom. He slowly removed his hand from the wall, struggling with doorknob until he was finally able to fling it open, and stumble into the bathroom. Abused tiles creaked under his feet, as he hurled himself over the stained tub at the back of the room. Yanking his hand away from his mouth, as he felt his body heave forward. Lungs, and throat burning wildly while his hand clawed at his sore neck. Scratching the skin there with ease. Tears streaming down his delicate face, as body lurched, a hot liquid ripped from his mouth, and poured onto the smooth surface of the tub.

His hands lowered to grip tightly onto the rim, shaking, as he lowered himself down onto the ground. Legs cold against the chilled surface of the tile, as he took a deep breath. Prying his hands away from the tub only to bring them up to his face, and smoother his eyes in them. Attention not even shifting as he heard the soft sounds of paws behind him, and felt the chill of a long nose press into his back. A small whine emerged from the Pokemon’s throat, and she sat down carefully beside her master. Massive tails wrapping carefully around his frigid body, as she licked at his dry hands.

“Eloise,” He mumbled through his palms. Her ears twitched upwards in response, and she rubbed her snout against his cheek. Allowing his hands to fall away from his face, he glanced to the fox with horror in his eyes. Body trembling, as he reached out for her. Arms wrapping tightly around her neck and chest. “I-” He choked out through strangled sobs, as his grip on the loyal Ninetales tightened. Hands balling into fists, as regret and guilt flooded through his mind. “I think I love him.”

The fox pressed her head against his, as her ears pricked up. She could make out the faint sounds of breathing, and careful footsteps. Another heart beating. But she only released a low grumble, as to not alert Cas to the other’s presence. Eyes glancing towards the open door, as a warning. Relaxing only as she could hear him walk away. 

Love (noun): indefinable: