Morning Coffee And Sweet Surprises (Closed to Poprockz)

[Poprockz]

Come to think of it, those bugs did look way more scrumptious than they had any right to be in the movie. So much so that she was surprised it didn’t get more kids to try a beetle or two. The thought of it was absolutely disgusting and she expressed this by sticking her tongue out in a “blech!” face. She would probably pay to see Quint eat some bugs though- now that would be a sight to see.

When the trio of robed companions came out, Sabastian breathed a small sigh of relief. At least things had gone off without a hitch. No one had been kidnapped, assaulted, or threatened, and he considered that a definite win. It was funny how a chain of events could leave one with such odd standards. It had only been a couple days since the mall incident, and several since rescuing Cora- they really needed a break from all the bullshit if possible.

He heard Vin’s rumble of acknowledgment, looking up to see the man casting his eye around the place warily. Though his wariness seemed somewhat subdued, as though he too was tired of all the excitement they had been through lately. Sabastian certainly couldn’t blame him. He had only recently had one of the most traumatic experiences of his life, so it was a given that he would hope for a respite.

“Come on, let’s get some heat.” He laid his hands on Vin’s forearms and gently started to try to lead him forward while staying in his embrace.

Nearby, Damien made no move to follow them in. It wasn’t like he would be doing anything in there anyway, so he preferred staying outside with Cora for the time-being. Speaking of which, he looked at her in that fluffy robe, wondering if she was wearing anything underneath it. He found her tousled wet hair to be gorgeous. Though it wasn’t brushed or styled, it was natural and healthy, giving off a beautiful sheen under the light of the hallway. He didn’t voice these thoughts, but his expression was one of soft fondness and appreciation as he looked at her.

 

[Drobabes]

"Come on, let’s get some heat."

A little nod of acknowledgement was given, the big nomad willingly, and quite honestly needing to, hand the reins over to Sabastian and letting the little blond lead him to comfort. And while an amused smile curved his lips as the way his little lover tried to stay in his arms, walking like that was a bit impractical, so he gently pulled him over towards his side. Once there, however, he held him close; as close as if he would never let him go again.
____________________________________

In response to Sayori's 'blech', Quint just laughed and shifted his now only slightly damp bundle of clothing to the other side of his chest.

Cora hadn't immediately met Damien's eyes when they stepped out, her attention momentarily being drawn into the relationship between herself, her brother, and Sayori. It was a new dynamic that she wasn't yet used to, but was wholeheartedly ready to accept though she hadn't consciously recognized the decision just yet. Instead what her thoughts were lingering on was the way in which Sayori had been staring at Quint while they were in the shower room. She wouldn't connect the dots just yet, as she had not yet had enough time to observe them acting like more than just close friends who had become extremely bonded through shared pain. Instead, her mind hopped to the conclusion that Sayori had perhaps been searching for the exact spot in which Quint drew his tentacles from.

She was certainly curious herself, having not yet, as far as she could remember, actually seen either Sabastian or Quint without their shirts on while their tentacles were out. At the lake, she had thought she had seen Bastian's purple appendages come out through the sides of his chest. However, he had been shoulder deep in water, and she had quickly been hit in the face with the cold liquid as he had turned to splash his way to shore, so she couldn't be sure. She was going to have to get Quint alone later, and hold him down while she poked and prodded his tender sides. Maybe if she tickled him in the right place, one might pop out from his other side like a wack-a-mole.

The thought made her giggle, her eyes finally roaming away from the playful duo as a white and orange mass came up quickly near her ankles and caught her gaze. It was Bowie, having seen them exiting without him, and having quickly followed behind. The white was she had seen from the corner of her eye was actually a fresh robe, and as he passed them and dropped it beside Damien's feet like an obedient retriever, she felt her mood sink. She should have thought to grab him some warm clothing, or at least a towel, knowing that he wouldn't be able to come in and stand under the hot and soothing spray himself.

When she looked up and made eye contact with him, she mistakenly took his soft look for one of sadness, projecting her own feelings of guilt and shame over not thinking of his needs onto the situation. Quickly she strode over to him, and, bending down, took the robe from Bowie before giving the snake an affectionate head pat. She then stood up and opened it, offering to help him get it on his sore body so he wouldn't need to struggle and further his injuries.

"Does your shoulder or your hand hurt?" she asked gently, concern heavy in her tone now that they were relatively safe, and her green flecked eyes finally coming up to meet his gaze.

 

[Poprockz]

Sabastian recognized the benefit of walking beside him, so he didn’t complain when Vin rearranged their position. All he wanted was to get them in, out, and safe. So far, the place seemed relatively harmless, but they could never let their guard down at risk of being attacked in some way. Take the church people for example. All seemed well and good, and then the priest had to go and start trying to blackmail and imprison people.

He walked them into the shower room while keeping a wary eye peeled, though when he got there, he couldn’t help stopping to look around the place. It was goddamn massive! The heated stone benches, large shower booths, sinks, robes, and mirrors… it was truly like some kind of luxury resort. Not that he had ever been to one before. Margaret had offered to take them along on one of her vacations once, but of course he and his mom had declined. She had said it was too much for her, but Sabastian had personally said no because he knew there were strings attached.

“Holy shit. It’s pretty fucking fancy in here, isn’t it?” He said, still feasting his eyes on the fancy decorations and such. His nose could smell the shampoos and body washes the others had used, and he had to say they smelled really good.

——————————————

The grey-eyed man hadn’t noticed Bowie while looking at Cora, his thoughts having distracted him from the snake’s helpful offering. When she noticed his admiration, she gave him an odd look. If he had to guess, it was a look of guilt or of being uncomfortable, but why? Did she feel bad that she had showered and he wasn’t going to get one?

He watched her come over and scoop up the robe, finally noticing that the big noodle had grabbed one for him. It was surprising, and oddly heartwarming that the snake had been thinking about him. Damien found himself gazing appreciatively at his scaled companion before nodding and simply saying, “thank you Bowie.” His attention then returned to Cora and he shook his head.

“My arm twinges every now and then if I move it wrong, but it’s largely fine. My hand is mostly numb with a bit of a burning feeling around the wound, but I’m fine. Nothing actively hurts, thankfully.” He looked at the robe being offered and opened his mouth to say something before shutting it. A sheepish expression came to his handsome features before he said, “Cora… well, is there any way you could help me out of my shirt? I’m not so adept at buttons these days.”

——————————————

A look of disdain came to Sayori- she simply couldn’t help it when it came to Damien. She had seen the way Cora had started immediately seeing to his needs as soon as she got out, offering to help him with his robe and asking about his injuries. He didn’t deserve to have someone like Cora fussing over him like that. Speaking of which though…

“Come here for a second.” Sayori reached out and grabbed Quint’s arm firmly, not waiting for a reply before guiding him to the other side of the butler and slightly away. She certainly wasn’t going far, just far enough to have a private conversation.

Once there, she glanced at Cora and Damien and then back at Quint, leaning in and saying just loud enough for him to hear, “I don’t think you should heal his hand. I know Cora is going to ask you to, but does he really deserve to have it fixed? His arm is going to heal in time and he’ll have full use of that hand then. I don’t see any reason for him to be given the means to hurt anyone again.” The woman’s gaze was fixed on Quint now, dead serious and with an intensity that betrayed how strongly she detested the idea of Damien having two working hands.

 

[Drobabes]

Delvin stopped as well, his darker eyes taking a slightly slower look around in equal wonderment before they seemed to be jerked back to reality and proceeding to scope out the entrances. There were some vents and drains that he was particularly suspicious of, after Damien had been ripped from himself and Cora's grip by that changed rat.

"Holy shit. It’s pretty fucking fancy in here, isn’t it?"

"It is... Makes me wonder how long I would have had to save back in the day to be able to come to a place like this."

His eyes then roamed over to the shower stalls, his thoughts racing before he could make a move to step forward out of his indecision.

Vin wanted to stay outside while Sabastian showered, but he simultaneously feared being alone, even with so little space between them, and feared for his lover being alone as well. He had been shocked into submission twice now, and had the absolute shit beat out of him multiple times as well. The big man was a tough son of a bitch, but when the odds were tilted extremely in the enemies favor, it was difficult to hold onto any sense of pride or confidence in your ability to fight and hold your own. Sabastian had been molested, raped, and kidnapped and tortured as well, and it still ate at Delvin's soul even though in hindsight, there was little he could have done to change the outcome except to be in the right place, at the right time. And perhaps now was not the right place, nor the right time, but at least they were together. It was not a great comfort, but it was something when he had nothing before.

"Let's get warmed up and get out of here" he said, gently but impatient nonetheless.
________________________

It was a relief to hear that he wasn't in any pain at the moment, only discomfort. That was something she could have some control over and feel as if she could ease for him.

"Cora… well, is there any way you could help me out of my shirt?"

Her name upon his lips, in that moment, tickled her nerves and left her belly feeling rather funny. She thought she had become immune to the way in which his voice effected her, when spoken so softly, but the sheepish look he had in those enchanting silver eyes of his left her a dumbstruck. To her credit she was able to snap out of it quickly, her teeth snapping together with a very quiet click though her mouth had not been hanging open. How embarrassing would that have been?

"Mm. Mm-hm" she mumbled simply, averting her eyes down as she slung the robe over her shoulder and began to make quick work of his buttons. Unbuttoning...his buttons. Had she ever had the chance to do this on her own? She had certainly watched hungrily from the sidelines as his magical fingers seemed to sweep them open with mere finger light touches, those same fingers then coming for her own soft skin. Oh god, now was not the time to be thinking of that. She needed to stay on her toes here!
___________________

The half zombies somewhat relaxed features had quickly hardened into that now familiar look of hatred; not quite mirroring Sayori's own face but definitely complimenting it. And though he had the urge to resist her persistent tug in order to go over and try to intimidate his sister into perhaps thinking twice of helping that rapist bastard right in front of their faces, he nonetheless prioritized Sayori's comfort over his burning hatred of the tall Playboy bitch.

"I think you're right" he whispered back, his voice almost as dark as his stormy eyes as he glared over in their direction.

"I was already thinking about it, honestly...what the hell is that?.."

His face suddenly scrunched up into a look of first confusion, and then disgust, as just the slightest of breezes blew their way. His neck tensed as if he were trying to fight off a gag and not make it obvious before he quickly lifted his robe up to his nose while simultaneously growling out his sister's name in a sudden shout, like an owner catching their dog getting into the trash.

"Cora!"

She flinched like someone had dropped an icecube down her shirt, and while Quint could have mortified her with what he had just smelled wafting out from between her legs, he instead chose to direct his anger and disgust at the punching bag again.

"Grab some soap and a hand towel from the shower room when they're done in there" he barked, letting the robe go in order to point towards the entrance.

"And wash your goddamn mutt down once we get to our rooms. It fucking stinks."

Her head whipped up and her eyes swiveled over to him harshly, though her cheeks were now a furious red from her embarrassment. She knew exactly why he had shouted her name out, and while she was mortified, Cora couldn't help but snap back.

"Quit being a fucking dick..."

Though her voice was harsh, it was also half mumbled as she had begun to turn her face away and back towards the task at hand, finishing the last button as her fingers started to tremble a bit from her emotions.

"What? Speak up!"

"God, fine! I said okay!"

"Yea, that's what I thought" he scoffed, starting to turn his face back to Sayori before he stopped and looked back when Cora mumbled something else. It was too quiet for him to be sure, but Quint thought he had heard something about him being the dog because he was flexible enough to lick his own balls.

"If you want to start this shit, we can go all day sis, you know I have more stamina than you."

 

[Poprockz]

“Mm.” He acknowledged in’s comment about its expense, wagering that it would have probably cost him a couple month’s wages to spend any amount of time here, and he was paid pretty well. Not that he would want to- there were plenty of other things he would rather spend his money on.

“Yeah… The sooner we get back the better.” He replied, casting a final searching eye over the place before reaching up and pulling the poncho up over his head, dropping it to the floor. The shoes he was wearing were slipped out of, leaving the laces still tied on top. His fingers then gripped the edge of his shirt and that was soon off as well. It was at that point that he started to get self-conscious.

It was ridiculous- Vin had seen him naked before, and yet it still made him feel a bit exposed and embarrassed to be completely bare in front of him. Why did he always feel this way? Perhaps it was his own sense of modesty or perhaps he was afraid that Vin would think him too eager or find a flaw upon him. He wasn’t sure. Introspection wasn’t at the forefront of his priorities at the moment.

Before unbuttoning his pants, he turned his body away from Vin’s, making a point not to look at him as his pants and underwear soon slid down his pale legs and onto the floor. He stepped out of them and used his toes to hold the socks down as he escapes them as well. He was completely naked now, the blonde crossing his arms loosely before walking a few steps forward, turning his head now to see if Vin was following as well.

In the well-lit room, the scar was all the more apparent on his slender frame, his back an intricate mass of scars coming together to form that visage of a devil’s wing. The other side was smooth and unblemished, untouched by Kuznet’s cruelty.

————————————

With a little sigh of relief, Sayori nodded at Quint, happy to know that they were both on the same page. She had been prepared to argue her case at length, but it seemed as though their hatred for Damien burned just as brightly at the moment. The petite woman was about to say something when Quint wondered about a smell, his sharp “Cora” making her jump and look over at his sister with a bit of confusion.

In the next moments of the conversation, she found herself feeling a bit uncomfortable. While she hated Damien and agreed that telling him that he stank would be at least a good kick to the ego, she wasn’t sure why he was directing his anger at Cora. She didn’t like or approve of their relationship, but it seemed rather harsh to be barking at Cora for something that was wrong with Damien. Part of her wanted to say something, but she remained quiet for the moment.

Damien’s jaw clenched and he glared over at Quint. While he knew Cora didn’t need him to defend her, nor would it likely help, he couldn’t simply stand by and let her brother bully her like that.

Stepping around her, he stood tall as he looked Quint right in the eyes. “Have you always treated your sister like shit, or is that a recent development? As far as I can tell, you have no right to speak to her like that and order her around. You don’t owe me any niceties, but Cora is a grown woman who doesn’t need to be talked down to like she’s a little girl.” Though his voice wasn’t full of rage, there was a quiet anger about it regardless of the fact that his tone was clear and firm.

He didn’t give two shits about the fact that Quint was basically telling him he stank. Though it did make part of him feel a bit insecure, he was much more receptive to personal criticism than to anger directed at his partner.

In the middle of the hallway, the butler had his eyebrows raised, but otherwise didn’t engage, merely looking ahead as if to say, ‘juicy tea, but it’s none of my business.’

 

[Drobabes]

Delvin was quick to strip as well, though even with everything hanging over their heads, his sex drive was as strong as ever. Those gentle chocolate eyes lingered on Sabastian's form as he began to peel his clothing off, his expression soft but hungry, and then changing to slightly amused when the little blond got a bit embarrassed. He wanted to be polite and look away as he unbuttoned his own pants and let them drop to the ground, his junk being clearly visible as a large bulge beneath his boxers as he confidently strode over, but it was just so much fun to tease his little lover. He was just opening his mouth to rumble something about that silky smooth skin, when Sabastian turned around enough for Vin to see the damage to his back once more.

His lust was forgotten in a second, and his throat went so dry that he had to swallow or cough, choosing to swallow instead. Feet carrying him forward quickly, his gaze was much more concerned and full of sorrow when Sabastian glanced back.

One of those big bear paws of his reached forward and gripped his shoulder gently, holding him as if to ask, 'wait' while his other hand came up to run his slightly calloused knuckles down the length of it.

It didn't look this clean...no, bad, the other night...

The moonlight hadn't done it justice, and the only thing that Delvin could latch onto for some semblance of hope, was that Kuznet had at least been an amazing artist. It would make his and Damaris job of cleaning it up later all the easier.

Using that same hand, Vin pulled Sabastian back against his chest and held him in a tight embrace with both his strong arms as a tremble ran through him. He didn't linger long, just wanting to hold Sabastian before he bent down and kissed his blond locks, finally releasing him to warm sprays of water.

With tears in the corners of his bloodshot eyes, he was getting ready to step into the shower himself, when he heard Cora's name suddenly shouted from her brother. His eyes darted down to Sabastian's with fear, and then he turned and strode towards the door quickly, being almost completely nude except for his blue boxers.
_____________________

"You've only known her a few months, mutt, I've known her my whole life! Don't stand there and try to play like you're concerned with her well being when you barely know a fucking thing about her" Quint spat back, immediately taking a step toward him, itching to start the fight he had so desperately been craving.

"I don't treat her like shit, we" he growled, gesturing around his injured shoulder and towards Cora.

"Talk to each other how we need to talk to each other."

Yes, the tall man did know quite a bit about his sister, but Damien hadn't been there during what Quint actually considered their hard years; the years after the attempted suicide and when they had finally freed themselves of Kuznet's grasp. The mutt hadn't seen Cora at her worst, not yet, and he knew it because of how plump and lively his sisters skin was. She had yet to attempt any self sabotaging behaviors that would slowly drain the life from her eyes, wasting her away until she barely weighed over a hundred pounds for her five foot, seven frame. He hadn't been there when himself and Sarah had tried everything under the sun to pull her out of it, taking her to multiple therapists across multiple states and almost coming to the last resort of simply shoving an I.V. drip into her arm and force feeding her fluids.

What had finally broken the spell them? When Quint himself finally snapped.

In a desperate attempt not to lose her, he had let himself become like the thing he had loathed. He had, in a grief stricken rage, simply tossed a chair across the room and ordered her to eat her goddamn soup in the same tone of voice as Ray had once yelled at him. It had worked, and he had cried, but he hadn't lost her. And after all that, he had still had to force her, command her, and ride her ass to keep her from finding other avenues out. Only rarely had he let Sarah comfort him that he was doing it with Cora's own best interests in mind and not from Quint's desperate and selfish fear of being abandoned.

There were layers and layers of built up trauma between the twins, and threads so interwoven that at times, they themselves could not tell where one siblings began, and the other's ended. It was only through years of bitter, but loving battles, had they finally began to untangle themselves and finding healthier and more stable ways of simply being.

And now, in Quint's eyes, here came Damien trying to burn all that progress down and lay them both to waste in the path of destruction he had already caused. He didn't know that Cora's newfound confidence was of her own, built up through love and support and not something that could be easily swayed or crumbled. He didn't know that he need not protect her anymore, that now, finally...she could stand on her own two feet.

"Quint stop it! Damien, you're not helping!"

Her voice had a bite, but it also shook with a bit of fear as she quickly strode up and stood right in front of her brother, knowing he wouldn't hurt her but not being able to do anything to shut him up.

"It's funny you pointed out 'recent developments' though; feeling a little guilty that we're fighting? Maybe it is your fault,-"

"Quinton!"

"Maybe you should hit the fucking road and everything will go back to normal."

Cora had both of her hands up on his chest now, and she could feel the way he was trembling, his strings tight and ready to snap at just one wrong word, or even look.

"Quinton...please stop! You're too strong now, you'll kill someone!"

"Good" his voice bit, not seeming to have any problem with that idea at all.

 

[Poprockz]

Every word that Quint spoke instilled more doubt into Damien, the man’s indignation fading into unease and uncertainty. Quint was absolutely right in that he knew Cora better than Damien might ever know her. Their bond was so tight that it was feasible that one day Cora might realize that there were no gaps in which Damien himself could fit.

He started to get a bit of a glaze to his eyes as he internally fought with what Quint was saying, his heart beating hard in his chest. Was he coming between them? Was he a wedge preventing Quint and Cora from being as close as they used to? What if something happened to Damien and the rift had grown too large for it to be mended. If that happened, she would be miserable. People talked a lot ol about one’s “other half,” but it felt like Quint was more her other half in a more real sense than he was in a romantic one. By the time he was done, Damien had deflated considerably.

———————————

It took the blonde zombie a moment to realize why Vin’s eyes were so somber, not quite understanding until those knuckles ran down his back. It made him shiver, that contact with his skin. It was as though Vin was reaffirming that it was indeed real, the wing etched into his very skin. It didn’t hurt anymore, but it still bore the weight of the memory that came with it. Kuznet had basically perched over his ass the entire time, heavy and foreboding, never really letting on whether he was content to finish his art and go… Or whether the art was merely a prelude to his own death. It had occurred to Sabastian during the ordeal that it was quite possible Kuznet simply fancied himself a beautiful corpse.

Inexplicably, his own eyes were starting to water now that both of those arms were holding him warm and steady in their embrace. His shoulders visibly relaxed when the kiss was placed upon his head, those lips like the most powerful sedative known to man. Vin was the embodiment of comfort to him right then, the smaller man wishing that it could last longer. Alas, his lover pulled away, if only to allow Sabastian to get into the shower.

He turned the nozzle until it was warm and stepped in, about to give himself to the water until he heard a loud, “Cora!” Almost mirroring Vin, he looked at him in alarm, wondering what the hell was going on.

And just like that, Vin was gone to check what that shout had been about.

“God fucking dammit…” Sabastian grumbled through gritted teeth as he stomped over to the towel rack. Wrenching one out, he wrapped it around his waist and tucked it in so he could quickly follow his lover into the hall. All he had wanted was a nice, hot shower with the man he loved, and now shit was possibly hitting the fan again. While there was a bit of fear in the back of his mind, he was mostly irritated that bad shit kept happening.

———————————

Damien actually flinched at hearing that one-syllable agreement to Cora’s concerns, the harshness of it jarring him out of his present state. So Quint was finally saying what they all knew to be true- he thought Damien would be better off dead. There was a dissonance inside him; one part of himself agreed with him, while another whispered that he should defend himself.

Sabastian had admonished him for being too passive, for letting others tear down his and Cora’s relationship without putting up a fight. He had always simply agreed whenever his relationship had been criticized, because deep down he too feared that what he was doing was wrong and reprehensible. He still did a little bit, if he was being honest, but he had made the conscious choice to stay with her and be a partner that stood with her rather than behind her.

Straightening up, Damien shot back, “I love her, and I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me whether you like it or not. Maybe she likes me because when I get pissed, I don’t take it out on her!”

Sayori glared at Damien, fully on Quint’s side now. This rich ass had no room to talk when it came to “taking his feelings out on people.” He had no room to talk about much of anything unless it had to do with being a selfish, hedonistic pervert.

————————————

Upon catching up with Vin, he Sabastian also went into the hall to see what all the fuss was about. There no zombies attacking, nothing was on fire, no one was having a health crisis; the only thing he could garner from the situation was that Damien and Quint were squabbling. Needless to say, he was livid.

“Jesus Fucking Christ, can we go one day without this bullshit?! Quint, stop antagonizing Damien, and Damien, stop being a pompous know-it-all prick! I want to take a goddamn shower with my boyfriend in peace. Is that too much to ask or do I have to put you two in a timeout like the fucking children you are?!”

“But he-“ Damien started, fully intending on defending his point.

“You shut the fuck up, Damien!”

“I was-“

“SHUTUP.” His tentacles writhed, agitated at his sides as he gave Damien a seething glare as if daring him to continue.

It was then that Sayori noticed that Vin was practically naked. Her eyes widened as she took in the man’s body. It was… quite a sight, as was the bulge in his boxers. She had to look away politely to keep from staring at him. While she had not intentions of ever sleeping with him, she couldn’t deny that he was a handsome looking man.

 

[Drobabes]

"I love her, and I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me whether you like it or not."

While the rest of what Damien said didn't go unheard, the fact that he was willing, already, to draw his line in the sand floored Quint for a moment and actually managed to shut the half zombie up. It was a big first step for Damien, but also, none of her other boyfriends had ever gotten this far after learning even a fraction of how far Quint would go to make sure she was protected. The half zombie was actively threatening his life right now, and yet Damien was still standing tall merely to protect her honour, knowing full well that he was at a severe disadvantage under the circumstances.

"Jesus Fucking Christ, can we go one day without this bullshit?! Quint, stop antagonizing Damien..."

His eyes were so focused on his target that he hadn't even noticed the two of them come out until he heard Sabastian yell. When he finally turned his face, fully intending to glare at Sabastian, Quint caught sight of Delvin standing there in basically nothing. It caught him so off guard that he immediately dropped his scowl, and his eyes to the ground, and simply raised his brows in a mild expression of shock. Even Cora took a step back from the situation, and she had seen Vin shirtless a few times. The context was a bit different, though, and she wasn't looking to be having nightmares, or god forbid just regular dreams, about one of her best friends junk.

"SHUTUP."

Delvin moved to stand behind his lover, placing a calloused hand on his shoulder and rubbing his muscles with a pressure that was almost rough. While he wanted to calm Sabastian down a bit, it was also his own anger and flat out fatigue that was leaking through in that nervous tension of his thumb digging into the little blonds hard muscles. In his panic to see if they were in danger, he hadn't thought to grab a towel and cover himself. He wasn't very embarrassed that he was practically naked but he was regretful that he was making the girls uncomfortable.

"Now isn't the time, and it sure as hell ain't the place" Vin said, dropping his hand down from the blonds shoulder after realizing that he was probably rubbing Bastian a bit too hard.

"To be picking a fight. Let's just all chill the fuck out, wait until we're in a safe space, and then you two can throw a couple rounds and get it out of your system. Okay?" he finished, raising his hand up slightly and gesturing at Quint. And although it had been spoken as a question, there was a definite tension between the nomad and Cora's brother that implied there was only one right answer. If Quint, who Delvin was beginning to grow a dislike for, wanted to push it, then he was going to step back and let Sabastian put him on his ass.

 

[Poprockz]

The hand upon his shoulder was welcomed at first, but he soon cringed at the uncomfortable pressure it was putting upon him. He was just about to ask that it be removed when Vin did so himself, saving him from having to swat it away. Anger and tension were the likely culprits for why Vin had rubbed him so aggressively, so he didn’t hold that against him. Sabastian was no punching bag for others’ emotions, but he had the empathy to see that Vin was stressed out and meant no harm. It was those two assholes stirring the pot that who were to blame. Fuckers.

He cast his eye around the group, looking to see whether the two of them had gotten their warning, the blonde noticing that most of them looked rather awkward. Damien had finally noticed Vin’s exposed body, his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck as he turned awkwardly toward Cora. Even the butler seemed to be very interested in a light fixture nearby, though he seemed to be doing so out of politeness rather than embarrassment or awkwardness. Glancing at Vin behind him, he realized that everyone in the room was trying to avoid looking at the large nomad, and he had to admit he was grateful for that a little. He liked to think that Vin’s body was mostly for himself, so he didn’t like the idea of others ogling him.

Still, if he were the one standing there in his boxers, he sure as hell would be blushing from embarrassment. While Vin didn’t seem embarrassed on the outside, it was possible that his anger was hiding the internalized feelings about his exposure. The thought of that only made the blond grumpier, his eyes narrowing in annoyance once more as Damien spoke up.

“That sounds reasonable,” he said reluctantly, nodding his head in affirmation.

“Good,” huffed Sabastian, turning toward the other zombie. “What about you, Quint? Can I go back inside and shower without worrying about you two going off on each other?”

 

[Drobabes]

“Yup” ended up being Quint’s simple response, one of his hands moving to give the blond a thumbs up. His gaze seemed to be avoiding looking anywhere near them, wishing the two would just hurry up and get back into the bathroom. It wasn’t like it was even that big of a deal, it was just the situation; like a woman stepping out in her underwear versus a bathing suit.

After the two walked back into the bathroom, Cora nudged Damien to come stand a few feet away from Quint and Sayori while she finished the task she had started, keeping her eyes focused on what she was doing and making sure to be as gentle as she could with his injuries. She kept her body angled towards her lover and refused to look anywhere near Quint. While they may have been having their usual sibling squabbling earlier, there was some real tension between the two now, and Cora was mad.

She knew that Quint wouldn’t have actually killed Damien, but he could have broken his bones without meaning to. That and the fact that he was even willing to go to that point in his anger when she was asking him to back down, supremely pissed her off. Cora knew he had no trouble, barring certain triggers, keeping his anger in check, so when he did shit like this, she knew it was because he didn’t want to, not because he couldn’t. He could have just kept his initial frustration directed toward herself. Sure, it would have been embarrassing for Cora, but she wasn’t a little girl; he didn’t need to keep protecting her.

Pulling the robe up Damien's shoulders, she carefully brought the neck of the soft material up over his soaked hair and gently patted it dry. She was very careful to avoid the nasty bruise and cut on his forehead, from where he had hit the concrete stairs full force. When she was done, she held the collar of the material on either side of his cheeks for a brief moment while looking into his eyes and giving him a soft smile. While she had been annoyed and scared in the moment, that he had escalated the fight between her and her brother, Damien had still stood up for her and proclaimed his love. The fact that he had gone so far as to tell Quint that he wasn’t going anywhere had her swooning in a way. Of course she didn’t like the anger and tension that had brought it about, but it tickled that inner girly romantic part of her that wanted nothing more than to simply be swept off her feet once in a while.

“What am I going to do with you?” she whispered affectionately, letting his robe go back down to his shoulders while she pulled the belt around his waist and tied it.

 

[Poprockz]

Once inside the bathroom, Sabastian returned to the shower he had intended to use. His soft robe was removed and hung on a golden hook outside the stall before he once again turned on the hot water. Of course he was still annoyed, even though both of the assholes had backed down without any further fuss. The warmth of the water helped soothe his anger once he stepped into it though, the rivulets running through his hair and down his back in a comforting cascade of familiarity.

He sighed, turning back to Vin and taking the handle of the shower door, making sure it was partially closed so that water didn't splash out too much. Before speaking, he leaned forward slightly so that his head peaked out slightly, his blonde hair dripping onto his shoulders a bit. "You can shower in the same stall if you want- there's enough room for both of us." His shoulders shrugged as if it was no big deal, but he still gave off a slight air of shyness as his eyes didn't quite meet the other man's. "I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to, but I... kind of wish you would."

Sabastian didn't want Vin to feel pressured to shower with him, but he couldn't deny that it would definitely make him feel more comfortable. Usually he wouldn't be so direct in asking for something embarrassing like this, not wanting to seem desperate, perverted, or clingy. However, sometimes one had to prioritize their needs being met over their own fear of rejection.

-------------------------

Having the wet shirt peeled off his torso was simultaneously a relief and slightly chilly. The introduction of the air to his damp skin made a shiver go through him before that warm robe was wrapped around him. Even though he was still wearing wet pants and underwear, it made a world of difference to have half of his body warm and dry. And it was all thanks to Cora...

He closed his eyes as she pulled up his robe and dabbed/rubbed at his hair. It felt fantastic, those soft caresses of hers against his hair. It reminded him of when he was a child being dried off by one of the maids. Though their touches had been somewhat callous and detached, it was still some semblance of physical affection. Damien had pretended through closed eyes that it was someone kind and affectionate caring for him in those moments. He didn't have to pretend anymore- there was just that sort of person in front of him.

When his grey eyes opened, they were full of appreciation. Sometimes it just hit him how even the small things she did were everything he needed.

He leaned forward just a bit so that his face would be hidden from the others with hers as a shield. "Anything you want," he replied quietly, in an effort to keep his flirting under Quint's radar at the moment. Though he couldn't resist the urge to give her a flirtatious yet conspiratory wink.

 

[Drobabes]

He had moved to the wall just after they strode back in, leaning his frame back against it and finding the hard surface surprisingly warm against his cold shoulders. Perhaps it was just the steam of the spa keeping the whole room at a pleasant temperature. When Sabastian poked his head out to speak to him Delvin had simply been staring around the room with one hand absentmindedly rubbing his good ear, too tired to do much of anything else. If he had been allowed to lay down in that moment, even if it were on the hard floor, he thought he might have just been able to sleep for three days straight.

"...you don't have to if you don't want to, but I... kind of wish you would."

Before Sabastian could even finish that sentence, Vin was already moving away from the wall with a tired smile. The little blond had expressed a need and the Delvin was more than happy to oblige.

Choosing to leave his boxers on for the moment, he stepped into the warm stall and stood behind Sabastian, giving his lover plenty of room to move around. His brown eyes were still weary, glancing up and towards the top of the stall walls from time to time, but by and large he began to relax. When it was his own turn to step into that hot cascade, he let out a small groan of pleasure before water the water from his face.
_____________________

Cora's eyes met his as his face came closer, acutely aware that he wanted to keep it between the two of them. What he said caught her off guard, though, and she 'stumbled' on her emotions as he gave her that little wink. Her cheeks didn't quite blush, but she looked away bashfully, thoroughly flustered by his tempting offer.

She kept her hands safely on the tie of his makeshift belt, knowing that her fingers were itching to wander. It wasn't that she was necessarily wanting to throw herself into his arms and make sweet love to him right then and there, although that was certainly always an option on her mind, it was just that she wanted to feel the comfort of having him close. Any time that he touched her, even simply looked at her as he was doing now, he gave her intimacy. It was one of the many things she had been lacking in her in her life before and not known how to receive or even truly give if she were being honest with herself, although she had tried many times. But how could she give something that she had not truly understood until meeting him? It was what made Damien's flirtatious advances so powerful to her.

"Rain check?" was her simple, and whispered, response as her eyes came back to meet his gaze.

 

[Poprockz]

The shower felt more safe with the other man in close proximity. Perhaps it was an illusion, but it was a comforting illusion. In what seemed like mere moments he was done cleaning himself, stepping aside to let Vin enjoy the deliciously hot water as well. That groan brought a little smile to his face, knowing all too well the feeling. It seemed like ages since they had been able to have a real hot shower, and who knew when they would be afforded such luxury later?

Every now and then, he could see the water near Vin's feet turn slightly pink from the blood that had been loosened by the torrential rain from earlier. Sabastian had indeed sealed it, but it hadn't cleaned the area around it. The wound was still a raw subject for Vin, and he hadn't wanted to push the man into allowing him to clean it. Instead, he had simply waited until such time as the man suggested it himself. Now it seemed as though it all worked out, the short Zombie simply enjoying the hot steam as he waited for the other man to complete his baptism of relaxation.
----------------------------

"Sure," he replied softly, giving her a good-natured smile. In truth, it had merely been a witty reply that came to him, though he could see where she might have interpreted his flirting as trying to draw them to being more intimate later. He had to agree- he wasn't quite in the mood for anything but a long night of rest next to her, his mind and body feeling more weary than usual. Straightening up, he merely leaned against the wall as he waited, occasionally looking at Cora, occasionally glancing at the butler.

 

[Drobabes]

He didn't take very long cleaning up. After the initial wave of relief and pleasure from the heat, it was right back to being on guard. Keeping his eyes open as much as he could, though he did feel a bit more comfortable with Sabastian by his side, he was careful to wash his aching body gently with the soap provided.

He made a point not to linger on his scalp, nor to look down at the floor too often, or for too long. Very sooner, sooner than he craved, he was shutting off the steamy water and wiping the moisture from his eyes and face. His stomach growled as he did, but it was like he didn't even hear it, not wanting to acknowledge the thought of any kind of meal even if his body desperately craved calories to fuel all the energy it had lost, and replenish what it would need to heal.
__________

Cora stayed near his side, staring off at the beautiful architecture in order to distract herself and keep herself from accidentally meeting her brothers gaze. It seemed Quint was doing the same, his usually good natured face now taking on a grumpy scowl that was only made more prominent as he pulled the bill of his hat down from time to time out of annoyance. Neither one tried to break the silence as they waited, and out of the party it seemed as if Bowie was the only one unaffected by the drama.

His little snoot bobbed and weaved as he slithered around the floor, his tongue flicking out quick and curiously, taking in every available scent and taste. When he came nearer the butler, he paused and lifted his head, his little tongue flicks only slowing down a fragment of an amount.

 

[Poprockz]

Sabastian stepped out of the shower and grabbed his robe, pulling it shut and tying it off. Glancing at Vin, he realized that the man hadn't grabbed himself a towel or anything. The man shuffled over to the towels and grabbed a large robe as well as several towels. After all, the two of them had to try their hair too. Well, he supposed they didn't have to, but who liked walking around with wet hair?

He returned to Vin and held out the spoils of his pillage, hoping that the robe he grabbed was a suitable size for the buff man. Though, he had to admit that he would probably be unable to stifle a chuckle if Vin tried it on and couldn't fit through the arms of it.

------------------------------------------------------

The butler looked down on the noodle and gave the snake a polite smile. His eyes sized the snake up, curiosity showing in his dark pupils. There were unspoken questions on the air, though the butler made no moves to change this. As his role dictated, he simply stood straight and waited for his guests. The madam would be cross with them if they were late, but they had time. Even if they didn't, he was the picture of relaxation.

Sayori's stomach rumbled slightly and she reached into her pocket, pulling out a stick of jerky before taking a bite of it. She chewed, finding that the sound of her own grinding teeth upon the meat was almost deafening in the silence. Uncomfortable though it might have been, she continued to eat.

 

[Drobabes]

Sabastian was given an appreciative smile as Vin took the procured items. He dried his body first, squeezing the excess moisture from his boxers rather than taking them off. As much as he detested the feeling of walking around with his junk feeling wet and moist, he detested the idea of being completely naked underneath the robe. He knew Sabastian and Quint would tell him if there were any zombie hordes nearby but it did little to stop the mental image popping up in his mind, of a random pasty white hand latching onto the fabric and ribbing it from his body, leaving him sprinting butt naked down the streets-junk flopping proudly in the wind.

Having moved a towel over his head and face to dry, a short snort could be heard. Or perhaps it was just a sneeze.
...

Feeling somewhat refreshed, and much more comfortable, Delvin stepped out of the showers alongside Sabastian in that fresh robe. The sleeves were pulled up closer towards his biceps. The half zombie had grabbed the right size robe-but just barely. It hadn't been difficult to slip on per-say, but it definitely gave him an unpleasant feeling to have his wrists feeling so restricted.

His stomach growled once more having seen Sayori eat the last bite of her jerky, but he was still so disgusted with the idea of putting any kind of meat in his mouth that he had to turn his gaze away, waiting for the butler to show them to wherever it would be that they were heading.

 

[Poprockz]

The butler seemed to brighten as he saw the two of them coming out of the showers. Sabastian had a towel turban on his head to dry his blond locks, not having been satisfied by just a towel-rub. He was tired of feeling cold and uncomfortable. It was nice to simply pretend as though he was at a spa.

"Excellent!" The formally-dressed man checked his watch and nodded appreciatively, "we're right on time. If you will all follow me, we're going to the performance hall first, and then the madam of the resort will likely invite you to dinner." With that, he turned quickly on his heel and briskly walked down the hall, trusting that they would allow time to guide them. The group matched his pace, Damien's long legs helping him to keep pace easily while Sayori occasionally had to trot a bit to catch up at times.

There were several turns in the halls before he got to an elevator, into which they all entered. Seven people and a snake surprisingly fit in the elevator quite comfortably, as it was as luxurious as the resort around it. The ride up was as smooth as butter as the numbers lit up. 1... 2... 3... 4. It was at the fourth floor that they got off, the butler once again whisking them away, though this time it wasn't much of a distance.

There was the sound of a crowd on the other side of those doors, applause being well-heard in the hallway even before he opened them. What they would see when they entered was a large theater from a small balcony that looked to be able to seat ten people at most in the comfortable leather chairs. The chairs had been dyed red to go with the aesthetic of the theater, but it was obvious that the host had first and foremost picked them for how comfortable they would be. The carpet was a similar hue of red, though it had gold, shimmering leaves throughout the design. The railings were a classic gold with the familiar gold leave vines wrapped around the edge railings of the balcony where one was likely not to put their hands.

To say that the theater was grand would be the greatest of understatements. It was downright majestic. Theirs wasn't the only balcony it had, one or two being even higher than their own. The room grew hushed now, the lights dimming until the room was almost completely dark.

Though it wasn't apparent who was going to sing, a voice suddenly started their song. "She talks to girls she talks to boys but she's no keeper."

"She’s gonna play with you and make you a believer. She knows! Now she got you where she wants, you can’t let her go... Let her go... She makes you love her, makes you want her, makes you jealous. She’s so much than you know you could ever handle. She knows... Now she got you where she wants you can’t let her go.. Let her go." The voice that sang was silky smooth and seductive, drawing one in to the beat that was beginning.

The stage was dark before a pair of almost glowing violet eyes opened. It was like one of those horror movies where a monster waits in the shadows. Indeed, she had been waiting for them to arrive, and it seemed as though they were right on time. She always did love making an entrance, and it was rare for her to be able to pull one off so smoothly. Suddenly, the stage lights flashed on, illuminating the woman whose eyes were fixed upon their little group. On stage, Angelique stood in the center with a confident stance wearing a beautiful high-waisted black and red dress. There were gold leaves woven into her voluminous hair, and of course she had the red lipstick and nail polish to match her wardrobe.

"Pitch black eyes when you look away.. Cold as ice but you’re caught in flames. Black widow baby leaving lipstick stains. They all warned you but you still stay." Angelique's voice became more sassy, her lips curved in a self-assured smile. All their eyes were on her, as it should be.

She continued her song, strutting along the stage with her microphone headset. Her back-up dancers danced in time with her own routine, their own moves more free for movement as they weren't wearing a restrictive dress like she was. Occasionally she would flirt with her dancers, caressing a cheek while looking into their eyes, or sliding her hands down their sides. At one point she even wrapped her arms around a man and pushed him down to his knees in front of her, tilting her head back before quickly turning swiveling around and dancing off as though it meant nothing.

"She'll give you all besides her heart..." The dancers lifted her up and let her lay in their bridged arms languidly, as though she was laying on her back upon a piano, the group slowly rotating as she sang.

Throughout the entire song, Sayori simply stared with her mouth open, completely gobsmacked. It was as though she was unable to process what was going on from how bizarre it was. How did that woman have two violet eyes?

Meanwhile, Damien had frozen and his body had gone tense. His face was pale and it looked as though some kind of horrific epiphany had hit him. So that's why this place had seemed so familiar! He had seen a brochure for this place once and turned his nose up at it due to the fact that she was the one running it. Now she was a zombie? What kind of world would allow a narcissist like her the strength and power that came along with what she had become? More than that, what was he going to do now that they were forced to meet her? Was she going to divulge his past to the group, or was she going to quietly slip comments into their conversation that only he would understand? Was there still time to run? He looked toward the doors at the smiling butler and then back to the stage. No... it seemed as though they were trapped.

As she finished up her song, the crowd cheered, standing up and giving her a thunderous standing ovation.

 

[Drobabes]

After the last of the shivers had left her body, Cora had attempted to let the luxury of their surroundings ease her mind into a tranquil state. Try as she might, though, she simply couldn't relax and kept glancing around as they walked.

When they reached the balcony and were shown to their seats, a slew of mixed feelings were fighting for her attention. The last time that she had sat in such opulence, she was fourteen and dressed in fine silk regalia, shades of pine and rouge to mark the holiday of gifts and giving. Her brother had been on her right, similar to how they sat now, and on the stage below had not been a concert per-say, but rather a play-The Nutcracker. Oh how the dancers had delighted and dazzled her young eyes, their own garments like magnificent jewels adorning their slim and graceful bodies in shades of silver, snow white, and pearl. Their seating had been just as plush and lush as the ones they were now seated in, and more than once, Cora had leaned back in her chair just to feel the way her back would sink into the cushion, contouring to her slender frame. Like many of her memories, however, this one too had been tainted with non-deadly poison.

She had been allowed out on that particular outing as a chess piece. A pretty little doll adorning her captors side to add appeal to the business meeting he was conducting with a very high society women. Who she was, Cora did not know, only that many glances, both curious and almost sickly sweet, were directed towards herself and her brother during the show. It wasn't exactly uncomfortable to have the attention of a stranger, though Cora would have preferred to watch the dancers. However, little touches to the back of her shoulder, or large fingers curling absentmindedly through the rings of her soft hair, was a constant reminder to play her own role.

"She talks to girls she talks to boys but she's no keeper...Now she got you where she wants you can’t let her go.. Let her go."

Cora had been trying to regain some sense of happiness over the fact that they were going to be treated to a free personal concert, even starting to crack a small smile at the sound quality being amplified up to their balcony. There was nothing quite like a theater, after all, and her four senses were certainly being delighted with all the finer things that life could offer. It was right in the moment that she had been turning to Damien, to share some of her happiness with her man, when the glow in the dark made her breath hitch and her eyes jerk back to the stage.

The figure that stepped out was gorgeous, her form voluptuous and entrancing in full dress and makeup. Her voice and movements entrancing, drawing all eyes to her and the backup dancers being just that; backup. But that was to be expected of a fully turned zombie, wasn't it?

With her heart starting to race, Cora glanced over to see Damien had gone pale and she could feel how tense he was with his shoulder pressed up against her own. Her own hands started to sweat and ball into small fists, but before she could have a full meltdown, a sudden squeeze to her thigh made her glance over. Noticing her brother lean in to whisper in her ear, she obliged him and turned her face to lean in closer to better hear.

"Focus Cory; we don't know what's going on yet. Losing our heads isn't going to get us out of here safely."

He didn't know what was going on, but the shift between the group had been felt almost immediately, and upon a simple observation Quint had seen the look on both Damien and Vin's face. He couldn't quite see Sabastian from where he sat, but he could feel his half zombie companion very clearly, and it only made his will to stay calm all the more important.

Pulling back, the twins met eye to eye. His own amethyst flecks glowing just slightly in the dim light only added to the sanity and humanity in his deep, cobalt blue, and immediately Cora's heart rate slowed. She took a small breath, letting it out on a nod. She had her partner in crime back, and just like when they were young teenagers, together they could put on a show of utmost respect. Kuznet hadn't raised no uncouth brats, after all.

Turning back to Damien, she placed her hand on his bicep and rubbed him in a gentle manner as her lips curved into a polite smile-a show for their butler.

"It's gonna be okay baby" she whispered into his ear, keeping her eyes on the show as if she were merely commenting on the entertainment below.

"Let's stay on our toes and keep an eye out for the exit."

...

"Fuck" Delvin said under his breath, the reaction being startled out of him. Unlike Cora, he had been sweetly lured into a false sense of security. Getting out of the rain and into the comfort of a human inhabited building with not only a pleasant atmosphere, but hot showers and luxurious, baby soft robes that cuddled against his skin and made him feel almost as good as the last time he had had the money to rent his own hotel room, when the world was still whole and sane. And, he had wanted it. Vin craved the security of being safe after everything that had just happened to them, so he had willfully let his guard down...but those glowing indigo jewels shook his world once more, and with a sickening flip of his stomach, Delvin almost passed out. The corners of his vision dimmed, though he didn't notice it until the stage itself almost became black. Not knowing what else to do, he reached out until he found Sabastian's hand and gripped it tightly, his usually rough, warm palms now sweaty and sickly cold, feeling especially clammy with the healing gel covering the burn scars.

When the first act of the dance had come to an end, and the crowd stood, he vaguely noticed that Quint, and then Cora, had stood as well to clap and cheer along. It was probably the smart thing to do, but Delvin's legs were shaky and his body weak with fatigue and shock. He simply couldn't do it; even if he tried, he knew he would only go sinking right back into his seat, lacking the energy to make even a half hearted attempt.

 

[Poprockz]

Cora’s hand on his arm lifted Damien out of his own thoughts, the man focusing his attention on her. She was right… all they could do was bide their time at the moment, regardless of how uncomfortable he was with what was to come.

He too stood up with them, refusing to cheer but certainly giving a clap that was just enthusiastic enough to not be seen as mocking.

The blonde was too busy with being supportive of Vin to clap, his hand lent to him in the hopes that it would give him strength. To be fair, it hadn’t even occurred to him to give the zombie an applause for her show. The grand reveal hadn’t affected him as much as Vin, but his hackles immediately went up, his body becoming tense in his wariness. If she was anything like Margaret, then she was bad news to be sure.

Taking a hint from the other three, Sayori also stood and clapped, though she still didn’t quite know what was going on.

“Thank you, thank you… You’re too kind!” Angelique beamed from the stage, obviously loving the attention. Her eyes lifted to their balcony and zeroed in on the four of them standing and clapping. For a just a moment, there was a look of surprise and recognition on her face before she was back to her beaming self. Their show of appreciation was well-received, the woman blowing their balcony a kiss before striding off the stage. All the while she waved to her adoring crowd.

When she disappeared behind the curtain, another person came out with a mic, going to the middle of the stage. She was a zombie with mousy brown hair in a braid, glasses perched upon her nose. Though more than likely she didn’t need them, as her eyes were akin to mind-zombie’s with half of amethyst and half of brown. She waited for them to quiet down, a polite but awkward smile on her face, as though she wasn’t used to be on stage. Her demeanor itself was slightly apologetic, as though her task was intruding on the people’s chatting and not the other way around.

“Alright… um, if we could quiet down a bit…” It took a bit longer for the crowd to settle, the woman waiting for them in uncomfortable anticipation. Once it happened, she cleared her throat and spoke once more, “the exits are to the right and left of the stage as always, but I was told to make our evening announcements earlier today. A reminder to shut off all lights when leaving an area, and also that groups B, D, and F will be taking their turn on the bikes tomorrow. The storm just rolled in, so please stay indoors for the time-being. Also…” she hesitated, waiting for a few groups to hush again.

During that time, Damien leaned over to Cora and spoke in a low voice, “I know her, the woman who performed. Our families are… acquainted.” The last word was spoken as though he had a sour taste in his mouth.

“We’ve received notice that there will be a hoard moving by three days from now, so we’ll need everyone to be prepared to remain in the main resort until they pass. If you have any questions, please refer to myself, Angelique, or Nathaniel. Thank you, and have a good evening.” With that, she nodded and scuttled off-stage, likely relieved to be out of the public eye again.

Nathaniel cleared his throat pointedly and addressed their little group. “The madam would like for me to invite you to dine with her this evening. I believe the menu today would be chicken Alfredo if I’m not mistaken. I would be happy to escort you there.” He opened the balcony door, holding it open for their exit.

 

[Drobabes]

In an attempt to mask his true concerns, Delvin put a hand over his mouth and feigned feeling ill to his stomach. It wasn't very hard, seeing as the symptoms were real enough with the way it was suddenly lurching.

Quint kept a smile on his face, but his eyes almost met Angelique's as she blew a kiss. It seemed specifically pointed at their own balcony and it got his gears turning. When it started to quiet down for the next person coming up to the stage, he turned and leaned down to whisper to Sayori.

"Keep cool, but something's going on. Everyone else is on edge, and I think that last performer is bad news."

He pulled up, smiling once more as he stopped clapping and started to sit, and then leaned in again as his hands found the chair behind him to guide him back.

"Let's look for the exits but play grateful until it's safe."

...

Cora looked towards Damien with a practiced, easy smile that looked too tired to touch her eyes as she listened closely to what he had to say.

"Our families are… acquainted."

It was only the small twitch in her neck, where she tried to repress a swallow, that gave away any sign of stress. She nodded, still smiling politely, and turned her eyes back to the stage. So that women knew Damien's family? And by that, she guessed he meant his mother...

Her fingers felt cold, and though she knew there was nothing there, the unmistakable sensation of ants crawling across her arms suddenly overtook her. She faked a shiver just so that she could have an excuse to cross her arms and pull them against her chest, pleading with her nervous system to calm down. She needed clarity right now, not the urge to crawl out of her own skin.

Leaning over, she smiled at her brother to grab his attention and then whispered again.

"That women knew Damien's family. Bad news."

Cora had paused, thinking to continue, but before she could Quinton shocked her by asking a very loaded question with a mere name.

"Margaret?"

She almost lost her composure, the feeling still raw within her bones and lingering throughout her skin. She simply hadn't expected him to know of her, but upon contemplating for a moment, she realized he had been linked with Sabastian for some time. So that was how.

Their eyes met, and she gave a curt nod before sitting back up and trying to take in what the half zombie on stage was saying. It was too difficult a task to keep the information contained, as her thoughts were now swirling with not only the extent of what her brother might know, but what this women might disclose as well. They needed to get out of there...

"The madam would like for me to invite you to dine with her this evening. I believe the menu today would be chicken Alfredo if I’m not mistaken. I would be happy to escort you there."

Quint gave the man a polite gaze and then cracked a semi nervous smile, as if he were feeling a bit socially awkward.

"I'm starving but," he looked down at his robes, and then at his groups attire as well.

"I don't know if we're exactly dressed for the occasion. It would be a little embarrassing to go to a fine dinner in a bathrobe" he laughed, light and clear and without even a tremble in his throat. Cora once again recognized the deadly skill that her sibling had acquired, and once again it both humbled and scared her.

 

[Poprockz]

"O-oh, okay," Sayori replied, an uncomfortable smile on her face. She was honestly a bit disappointed that they wouldn't be staying there, but there was nothing for it. A soft, warm bed was nice, but she knew first-hand how comfort could turn cruel. So, she simply sat down until the announcements were done, listening to them carefully before standing up with the rest of the group, her eyes catching the unfortunate state Vin was as well as Sabastian's attempts at soothing the man by holding his hand and rubbing his back.

Sabastian's ears had perked up at the mention of Margaret, his own memory being tickled a bit. He felt like he should know who this mysterious zombie was, and yet he had no clue. The fact that she was associated with Damien didn't necessarily mean that bad things awaited... but these days it was unwise not to be wary of everyone, especially fully-turned zombies.

"Nonsense! You look quite suave in that bathrobe," the butler replied to Quint, waving his hand in a good-natured way before moving to open the door. Though a moment later, he paused thoughtfully with his hand on the door bar and turned back to them. "However... it's understandable that you would want something more comfortable to wear, so I am more than happy to provide clean clothes for you all before the dinner. Come now, we mustn't let the food get cold!"

What followed was the butler ushering them out into the hall and up the elevator once more,. When it dinged, he led them to a room full of clothes, all hanging by hangars in a large, extended closet. It looked more like a coat room, but it certainly had a variety of wardrobes and sizes. Sayori chose to wear a Striped Shirt and Jeans, while Sabastian wore black skinny jeans and a plain grey T-shirt. Damien, by habit chose dark blue button-up with grey slacks.

When all were dressed, once again they were whisked away until they reached... two large doors. They were promptly opened to reveal the room within.

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Upon entering the room, they would see a large table that could easily sit ten people. At the moment though, only one person was seated. Angelique sat at the head of the table, still in the dress she performed in. There was a long Smoking Pipe rested in her hand, a stream of vapor blown glamorously out the side of her parted red lips. It was obviously a vape, as there was nary a sign of hot coals.

There was a large red carpet upon the wooden floor, a red loveseat over by an electric furnace. It wasn't on, likely as zombies didn't enjoy even the image of flickering flames. It looked like a nice place to lounge, as though someone could have taken lovely boudoir photos there. The classy lamp on the table was lit, a chandelier above the table itself. Upon that well-crafted wood, there were six other places that had been prepared, all on Angelieque's side of the table so no one could attempt to sit further away without seeming very rude. Their shallow bowls were empty at the moment, but there were a couple large bowls in the middle that were covered, presumably containing the pasta.

She grinned at them, standing up and holding both of her arms out in a gesture of welcoming, "hello! Welcome to my resort. I am Angelique, the proprietor of this establishment. Please, sit! I imagine you're hungry." Her gaze turned to Damien and her tone changed to a light banter, "Damien... It's been so long. Sit next to me for old time's sake, won't you?"

He begrudgingly did so, walking over and pulling out his own chair before the butler could swoop in and do it for him. "Angelique," he said tersely, "you look well." While sitting next to her was the last thing he wanted to do, not only would it have been rude to decline, but it would also mean that someone else would have to take his spot. The man glanced at Cora for a moment, a strained smile on his face. Though he selfishly hoped she would sit next to him, it might be better for her to be further away in the settings.

 

[Drobabes]

Fortunately Sabastian's soft attentions did help to calm Vin. The gentle touches to his back were soothing, and having such a soft hand to hold gave some semblance of peace to his rampantly beating heart. He still felt ill, but it wasn't overwhelming him so much that he couldn't hear the answer to Quint's question and feel just a small pang of disappointment. He didn't give a shit about the clothes he wore at the moment, but he too had been looking for an opportunity of escape.

"However... it's understandable that you would want something more comfortable to wear, so I am more than happy to provide clean clothes for you all before the dinner."

Swallowing hard, he finally put his hand down and caught Sabastian's eye before giving his hand a little squeeze. With a little help from his partner, he was able to stand and walk in a straight line at the very least.

Inside the dressing room, while Delvin grabbed a simple hoodie and blue jeans to be comfortable, the twins took their clothes selection very seriously. Decisions were made quickly, but with purpose, and all the while looking for a chance to run.

While Cora, and now Delvin, looked very different from when they had first escaped, Quint had yet to have a chance to really change his appearance. He still thought it would be difficult, maybe even pointless to try and truly disguise themselves while they were all still traveling in a group, but, he also didn't think it would hurt anything. Bowie liked to hide within their clothing most of the time, or stay out of sight, and every opportunity that they could take for some other person to give a false description of them was a good thing. He would take his hat off tonight to play the role, and despite his dislike of the color and pattern, he grabbed a cotton sweater that would provide enough room underneath for layers, and two sets of pants. The first one being simple, but fitting, jeans and then a looser layer of tan slacks to match the sweater. Layers were important when running into a crowd and trying to get out of sight and he didn't think it would raise much suspicion considered their new cold blooded nature. He was still chilly even now, wrapped in a warm robe.

Cora was on a similar thought process, but not quite so much about being able to peel layers off as being able to move. Her outfit was chosen for appearance and comfort, so that if they needed to break out in a run she wouldn't get caught up and trip in her material, or have it easily snagged by a stray hand...or tentacle, as a long dress might have if it were whipping behind her loosely. The shoes she swapped out for something more practical that wouldn't easily twist her ankle or come flying off of her feet.

Once they were ready and being whisked, Cora and Quint got into character, not knowing what waited beyond those doors. They would be polite, good natured, but political as much as they possibly could. Quint masked his eccentric self while his sister put on her doll facade, taking Damian by the crook of his arm instead of his hand.

Unlike the siblings, Vin was not, nor would not, put himself in the mindset to be political and polite. He would do his best not to openly cringe or scoff at the lady of the hour but he simply couldn't keep up much more than a haggard and weary appearance. Choosing to remain quiet as they entered, he looked around at the all the new luxuries and let Sabastian lead him to where they would be seated. He wasn't even quite sure why they were being treated to a special dinner until the women called Damien out by name, and then his brown eyes shot over to the former company owner. Would it be too much to hope that they were not in as much direct danger as he had previously thought? Damien still looked extremely uncomfortable, but maybe if they played their cards right they would all be able to leave in one peace. After all, the female zombie hadn't immediately attacked them the moment they entered, wanting to violate their every hole...

"Damien... It's been so long. Sit next to me for old time's sake, won't you?"

She didn't like it anymore than he did, but Cora gave no indication that she was insulted. Instead, she merely gave them both a composed smile and rubbed his arm gently before she turned away and went to sit with Sayori. Quint ended up sitting on the side with the girls, wanting to be close enough to protect them both while being far enough away from Sabastian so that they wouldn't both be grabbed in the same trap at the same time-if their was going to be one. Once seated, he leaned in towards the food ever so slightly and took a polite sniff, smiling at the meal. It certainly did smell amazing, and he had learned a long time ago to eat when the opportunity was given. Stress usually had very little affect on his appetite, even before he had become a zombie.

 

[Poprockz]

While Damien was a bit disappointed not to have Cora by his side, he couldn't argue with the fact that she would be safer next to her brother. He tried to look on the bright side: if a fight broke out, at least Sabastian was to his left.

The butler started on the women’s side, portioning delicious noodles, sauce, and strips of grilled chicken on top, served with a side of broccoli. As such, Angelique was the fourth to be served her food. This was a must in these times in her opinion, as most were distrustful yet hesitant to speak up about it. All of the food smelled natural, even to those with more discerning noses. In fact, one could tell that it was all made with top-notch ingredients.

While he did so, Angelique took a sip from a glass of "wine" which was truly just sparkling grape cider. While typically she would have preferred the real thing, she wasn't looking to get drunk and horny at the moment. It already took a fair amount of self-control to keep herself contained, so she didn't need her inhibitions lowered. Still, she at least liked having the illusion of fine-dining.

Once each of them was served Angelique looked around the table at them, not lingering on any one person for more than a second. "It's quite a storm out there. I'm surprised your group was trying to get through, whether you have a car or not. Tell me..." There was a pregnant pause, a musing look on her face before her smile widened. "Have any of you ever been to a hot springs before? Don't answer that Damien, I know you haven't." She waved her hand at him dismissively, much to his annoyance. Underneath the table his finger started tapping on his leg, though his face remained somewhat polite if not thin-lipped. Though he had no real reason, he found her French-accent to be quite irritating. Or maybe it was just everything about her.

Without missing a beat, she continued to address the group. "I have to tell you, the minerals in the water do wonders for the skin! Plus you won't find many things as relaxing as soaking in a pool of hot, steamy water, absolutely. Not a week goes by that I don't personally go in for a soak, even in the summertime." The woman let out a good-natured laugh, forking some of her pasta and twirling it until she had a decent bite-sized amount. Her eyes were expectant as she looked around the room for someone else to respond.

Sabastian's mouth was watering at the sight of the pasta, and he didn't hesitate to start eating once Angelique took the first bite. God it was good... he chewed slowly, savoring the cheesy pasta. If he was alone, he might have even moaned. He was indeed concerned about the situation they were in, but he was hungry and tired. Even if the dinner was uncomfortable, he was going to take full advantage of it.

Meanwhile Sayori picked at her pasta, wondering whether it was truly safe to eat. Just because she had taken a bite didn't mean that the food wasn't tampered with. What if the food was humans chopped up and served to them? She didn't have the nose to tell the difference, which was all the more reason to avoid it. The food was indeed human-free, but she didn't know that. Taking the opportunity to speak and delay her own bite, she spoke up. "I've been to a hot-springs before with my parents, but it wasn't like this one. It was an onsen."

The butler approached Cora with a cheese shredder, silently offering to put some parmesan on her dish.

 

[Drobabes]

Vin was weary to touch the food, not willing to give Angelique even a grain of sand worth of trust, until he saw Sabastian dig into his food. He knew how good their noses were so if Sabastian was willing to eat it, then he figured it must be safe enough.

He declined the chicken when it was offered, still not feeling quite up to having any meat, but the broccoli and noodles were welcome, his stomach growling viciously as soon as his fork stabbed a bite size piece of greenery. It was absolutely delicious on his tongue and he found it helped to soothe some of his anxiety over the situation they were all in. He wouldn't have to talk while eating, and they wouldn't be leaving hungry.

Quint didn't hesitate to dig into his food as well, forking up as big of bites as he could while still keeping proper etiquette. The pasta was absolutely amazing and he was having a bit of a hard time not making a noise of satisfaction himself. Chewing and swallowing, he reached out to take his glass of water and used the motion as a distraction to look around. He noticed Cora's eyes look up when Angelique started talking about hot springs, but he found it odd that her hand clenched ever so slightly against her knee beneath the table. The butler approaching her seemed to break the spell, his sister looking up and giving a small smile before politely declining. They weren't picky about food, but when given the choice, Quint knew she didn't have much of a taste for the stronger cheeses. He himself enjoyed them though and leaned back to let the man do his thing, not stopping him until he had his pasta thoroughly covered in parmy goodness.

"...It was an onsen."

Cora looked over at Sayori in an attempt to give herself a break from the tension and disgust she was immediately feeling towards Angelique. That women knew what she was doing towards Damien, and whether or not her accent was real, it was bugging the crap out of her as well.

"I've only ever seen pictures of those, but I've always wanted to take a vacation to one" she said softly.

"They look like a perfect place to relax your mind."

 

[Poprockz]

Sayori accepted a healthy portion of cheese, watching Quint eat it for a moment before deciding to eat some. Like Vin, she figured if he wasn't tasting anything funky in there, then it was likely fine. Or at least it was advisable to eat. Sabastian and Damien also allowed the butler to cheese their pasta. Though... Damien was having a bit of trouble actually eating. Clumsily grabbing his fork, he was far from graceful. He was having great success in stabbing the chicken and eating it, but the noodles were quite the task. It was quite frustrating, as the slippery noodles kept eluding the tongs of his fork. He had half a mind to simply use his arm in the sling. It would be tender, but at least he would have full use of his hand.

Swallowing her food, Angelique nodded appreciatively. "This place is somewhat similar to an onsen in some respects, though there are certainly differences. As for it being a great place to relax the mind- I couldn't agree more! If you ever find yourselves passing through this area again, I would welcome you back to try them out. I would offer for tonight, but it simply isn't the weather for such things. Besides," she gestured with a piece of broccoli speared on her fork, "I don't know if you would feel comfortable staying tonight either. Your clothes are currently drying, but by the time our dinner is over, they'll likely be ready for you."