Morning Coffee And Sweet Surprises (Closed to Poprockz)

[Drobabes]

Cora still had little smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she finished packing their sleeping gear.

"Well, if she's anything like me, I'm sure he's expecting at least half of what he's going to get."

Her smile turned melancholy for just a brief second before she managed to wipe it off her face. Watching Delvin and Lizz play like that had warmed her heart, but it also made her miss her brother, and Sarah. She hadn't really had time to mourn Sarah, or even Quint, with how much had been going on, and she thought to herself that once they were finally at Damien's safe-house, she was going to find some place to make them a grave.

"Why did he wrap you up?"

"Because he's a dick!" she yelled, snatching up his shoes as she walked by once more. Her eyes were still scanning the shop for something.

Cora let out a little sigh, then she turned to Sabastian.

"So, I wonder how today is going to go."

Her eyes turned towards the room that Maverick had disappeared in, and she dropped her voice down a bit.

"I'm definitely not looking forward to spending all day here with Tif the bitch after what happened last night..."
________

Vin was still looking around a bit, seemingly trying to find something else, when he mentioned the cattails.

"Hey, maybe grab a few pieces of tender too. I don't think there's any lighter fluid. Or if there is, I can't find it..."

He dropped the tarp he was holding and walked back over to the grill, then started knocking off some of the old bits of burnt char that had built up on the metal. Honestly, he was happy to get the bricks started with wood rather than lighter fluid, as it would leave the food tasting a bit better.

 

[Poprockz]

Sabastian had glanced at Cora briefly as Lizz feverishly paced the room on her hunt for the perfect payback. She seemed a bit down, and he wondered why. He contemplated it for a few seconds before he wondered if she was talking about her brother. Cora had mentioned that he had passed away, but he hadn't been told how or when. It seemed like it was more recent, but losing a sibling could be one of those things that simply stuck with you for a long time.

"I'm definitely not looking forward to spending all day here with Tif the bitch after what happened last night..."

The blonde frowned and nodded, "yeah... I kind of think it would be better to separate you two. If it's me, Damien, Maverick, and Vin going out, then if she picks a fight with you, then only Lizz will be here for you. Don't get me wrong, Lizz is a strong chick, but usually it helps having more than one person to break up a fight. I'm not sure what else we could do though. I think Damien said he could pick locks, so he'd be good to get into places if they're locked up, and I need to go... well, because I'm stealthy and all that." He briefly glanced at Lizz before looking back at Cora knowingly and continuing.

"So really that leaves Vin and Maverick. Maverick is a total asshole, so so Vin would be the only logical choice." It was obvious that he didn't want to leave Vin behind, the little man having looked forward to going out on the errand with him. However, if it was for Cora's safety, he was willing to part with his tattooed stud.

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Damien screwed up his face in concentration as he tried to remember. Weren't the cattails supposed to be tender? Or was that the wood? Best to grab them all, he supposed. The man grabbed a couple large pieces of wood, small pieces of wood, and cattails before putting a bowl and some pancake mix in his pan and carrying it all over.

With a knife from the car, he cut the cattail a bit and put the puffy pieces of it into the barbeque and started putting the small sticks in there. It must be the small sticks he meant, because it didn't look like the big sticks would fit. Now all he needed was the fire starter. Walking back to the car, he grabbed it, some potatoes, and a vanilla bean from a little pouch he had. There were very few of them, but he felt like today was a special occasion for some reason.

He went to the barbeque and started to try to light it, his eyebrows knitted as it continued to spark, but failed to light.

 

[Drobabes]

Cora thought about it for a moment, and then she crossed her arms. Maverick was very flirty, no doubt, but after he had offered those scented oils to her, Cora felt a lot more comfortable with the man. There was just something about that gesture that told her that he was good person at heart, despite the rude way he so openly flirted with them.

"Actually, you know, I think I would be ok staying here with just Maverick and Lizz if he's willing to do that."

Her mind was weighted down with what had happened, although she wasn't sure if Vin had told Sabastian the reasons he had gotten into that fight. She kind of hoped not, although she felt like she would have to talk about it sooner or later. Still, she wasn't looking forward to that, as she still felt pretty hypocritical about the whole thing. Her emotions were at war with what she could have done, and what she felt was right.

Over in the corner of the shop, Lizzy let out a maniacal laugh.
_________

Vin had been standing with his arms crossed, trying to let the steely eyed man just do his thing, but the more mistakes he saw the more he wanted to interfere and save the poor guy. He might have been a good cook, but damn if it wasn't obvious he hadn't gotten outdoors in his youth. He didn't want to offend him or make him feel stupid though, so he tried to think of how he could get in there and help and not kill the good mood going between them. After a minute of thinking about it, he had an idea.

"Hey, let's make a bet. If I can get those coals started within the next ten minutes, then I get a free pass on trying your spiced wine. If I can't, then you get a free pass on killing a twelve pack of wheat juice with me."

He crossed his arms and gave him a grin.

"What do you say?"

 

[Poprockz]

"I don't know... I think it's a bad idea. After all, he and that Tiffany chick are leaving either later today or tomorrow, so it might be his last chance to do something shitty to you. They're unpredictable, like how Tiffany just decided to start shit with you. Who's to say that he isn't the same way? He's probably just waiting for his chance." Sabastian seemed a bit worried, not wanting Cora to be left with a man that was horny as hell and obviously much stronger than her. He could easily overpower Lizz and Cora, then take turns doing perverted things to them.

He looked over to Lizz, his eyebrows still knit slightly, but he was now a bit curious as to what heinous thing she had found over there.

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"So wait, you're saying that if you win, you have to drink something that sounds absolutely gross, and if you lose, I have to drink something that I'm not super fond of? I feel like we're both losing no matter what happens. Hm. I suppose you could also say we're both winning too though... Okay, you're on." He handed Vin the fire-starter, wondering if the man was going to be able to light it within that ten minutes. The fact that Vin wanted to turn it into some kind of bet made it interesting, and he was secretly glad that he was going to give it a try.

If Delvin failed, it would seem like they were both having trouble with it and he could try again without feeling too bad. If he succeeded, then Damien wouldn't have to worry about continuing to bumble things up.

His eyes fixed on Vin's hands, wanting to watch what he did and whether he did it differently. It was a good learning opportunity so that next time he could be better at doing so.

 

[Drobabes]

"Well, I'll have Damien's pistol on me when you guys leave, either way, and he's still got a full clip. And I don't think he's going to do anything," she said with confidence.

"He seems like a rude prick, but honestly, after last night I feel safer around him than I do Tiffany. He recognized what was going on with me so he knows something about trauma, and he was helpful with it instead of just being a dick. That says something, you know?"

At the mention of Tiffany starting shit out of nowhere, Cora looked down with a bit of guilt in her eyes, and then she said rather quietly, "Tiffany didn't start that fight...I technically did..."

She went a bit quiet after that, her hazel eyes looking away as she crossed her arms and bit her lip. The guilt only seemed to be growing until finally, she let out a little sigh and looked over to make sure Lizz wasn't within ear shot.

"I woke up last night and went looking for Damien. I think I must have had a bad dream or something, but anyway, I couldn't find him, so I went to check the bathrooms, and I...well I overheard Tiffany in there..."

Her eyes met his sapphire for a brief moment, and then she looked down at the ground.

"She was trying to get Damien to sleep with her, but he kept telling her no. When he wouldn't take her up on it, she threatened him that if he didn't, she was going to tell all of us that he raped her..."

Her eyes started to mist up a bit and her arms seemed to tighten around her chest.

"I know I must sound like a complete hypocrite to you, but I...I blew up on her. I know what Damien did wasn't right, but what she was trying to do wasn't right either. It was the same, just brush stroked in a different color, and I...well, the cycle has to stop somewhere, otherwise that ball of pain will just keep rolling..."
_________

He got a toothy grin when Damien accepted his deal, and immediately he squatted down over the grill to start. He turned his body at an angle so that Damien could watch what he was doing, however.

He started by quickly emptying the barbecue of everything that he had put inside, sitting each item in it's own pile. He then picked up the fluffy cattail and plucked it apart with his thumb and forefinger, making it come apart in a similar way to cotton. Once he had a good handful of the soft fluff, he squished it just a bit, into a loose ball and sat it down in the middle of the grill. He then grabbed the smallest of the tender sticks and broke them up into even smaller and slimmer pieces. After they were broken, he stacked them into a little T pee pattern directly over the ball of fluff, giving it about three layers. Her then took a few thicker pieces of stick, although they were still pretty small, and stacked them over the last layer. Once he had that ready, he carefully lined up some pieces of charcoal around and over the T pee, stacking them so that they wouldn't simply tumble down to the side.

"Alright, hand me a match or a lighter."

Once he had a way to start a spark, he lit the fluff of the cattail on fire and watched as the flame ate through it quickly, licking at the sticks above it. In his hand, he was still holding more fluff, and he went ahead and fed this to the flame, shoving it in carefully with a loose stick. Once the smaller pieces of tender started burning good, he put a few small pieces underneath where the cattail had burned away, and then in about two minutes, he had a few of the coals burning hot from the flame of the wood. Once they were hot enough, he started to slowly add more bricks, just a few at a time.

All in all, he did it in about seven minutes, and once the last of the bricks were added, he held out his hand in a closed fist towards Damien without looking at him. He had a big, 'I won the bet', grin on his face however, and it seemed as if he was expecting at least a fist bump in acknowledgement.

 

[Poprockz]

"Hm." Sabastian wondered whether she was right about Maverick. He didn't think that just giving her some scented oil was going to make up for the fact that he was hard to get along with. Besides, the guy could have recognized the trauma from having inflicted it on someone before, the man sucking up to Cora on the off-chance she would lower her guard. He still wasn't convinced of the man's integrity, but if Cora felt confident, then he supposed they would simply see what happened. Hopefully Lizz would have Cora's back too.

"Tiffany didn't start that fight...I technically did..."

His eyes widened and he looked at her with a confused and surprised expression. It seemed odd that Cora would start a fight like that. Even when they had quarreled over Bowie's safety, she still hadn't tried to actually fight or intimidate him (not that she would have stood a chance). He was quiet as he waited for her to give him an explanation.

"...she was going to tell all of us that he raped her..."

Sabastian was doubly shocked. Considering Damien's history, it was almost ironic that she had tried to threaten him into sex. Still, it was a disgusting, manipulative move and he could understand why Cora would get worked up about it. She loved Damien despite his history. The jury was still out on whether Damien's actions in the past could be forgiven, but there was no doubt that he was very dear to Cora.

"It's only natural to want to protect the ones we love, right?" he said softly, looking out one of the windows at Damien and Vin. "I know I would do anything for Vin. If someone tried to hurt him, I would make damn sure they were never able to hurt him again." Sabastian paused and watched Vin for a few more moments, the way the man grinned at Damien as they discussed something near what looked like a barbeque.

He then turned back toward Cora and shrugged, "sure, maybe your actions were hypocritical, and maybe decking her in the face wasn't a good step in the direction of "ending the cycle" but you're only human, and you were rightfully pissed. Sometimes you just have to fuck a bitch up to get your point across. I don't know... These are pretty complicated issues."

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It had been the fire-starter he handed over, the two sticks which he assumed were flint. A way to start fires that wouldn't require any fuel or matches. As Vin worked, his eyes were fixed intently on all that Vin did, trying to soak it all up.

"Well I'll be damned," Damien said, impressed as he watched the barbeque having come to life. He glanced at Vin and then noticed his fist was held out. His eyes flicked from the fist, back to Vin and then back to his fist. Hesitantly, as though he wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do in this situation, he fist-bumped Vin. Hopefully that was what he wanted. He couldn't say he'd ever really fist-bumped anyone, his family being the way they were and being the head of a company, having to maintain an air of professionalism. It wasn't like the women he took would ever fist-bump him either, the very idea being laughable.

"I'm going to go grab a bowl and some water for the pancakes, so I'll be right back." he walked over to the car again and grabbed the bowl, some water, and his trusty spatula. Maybe he should add some cinnamon to the pancakes as well, but he'd have to go inside to grab it from his spice pouch. Coming back over to Vin, he set his stuff down and sighed. "Do you like cinnamon in your pancakes? I'm thinking vanilla and cinnamon." He smiled warmly at Vin as he waited for an answer.

 

[Drobabes]

Perhaps because she was too used to her brothers hard stances on morality, Cora had been expecting an angry answer, or at least some kind of mild scolding, but Sabastian surprised her with his empathy. Still, the man beside her hadn't fallen in love with someone who had blood on their hands and Cora wasn't sure when she would stop feeling anxious about it. All she knew is that she had drawn her line in the sand and she was ready to accept the consequences that came with it, whatever they may be, because until she had met that gentle, steely eyed man, she had simply been walking through life as well. Walking, and waiting, because she didn't have the will to end it and hurt those precious few people who she had loved more than anything, and who were worth more than any pain she might ever feel.

"...and maybe decking her in the face wasn't a good step in the direction of "ending the cycle"... Sometimes you just have to fuck a bitch up to get your point across."

She let out a choked laugh, then wiped her eyes.

"Heh, no, decking her in the face probably wasn't a good move. I was just so mad."

She shook her head a little and looked up towards the ceiling.

"I never used to get why my brother would get in so many fights, but I think I got it last night. And I swear I've felt more emotions in the last few weeks of being around you guys than I have in...I can't even remember..."

Her eyes came back down and she simply stared out the window, watching as Damien and Vin got breakfast ready. Behind them, Lizz had come back with Delvin's shoes and was seemingly trying to put them back exactly where they had been, a wicked grin on her face as she worked.

"Nobody puts Lizzy on the shelf" she said, standing up to admire her work.
________

The gesture was hesitant, but Damien had returned it all the same, so he was satisfied. As he went to get the ingredients for breakfast, Vin finished cleaning off the last bits of burnt on food from the metal bars and put them back in placed, so that the pan wouldn't be sitting directly on the coals. Oh yea, it would be a lot easier to cook with.

"Do you like cinnamon in your pancakes? I'm thinking vanilla and cinnamon."

"Yea, that sounds good, just no sugar in mine. So,"

He said, pulling over a cinder block to sit on.

"I talked to Maverick last night. He said he would leave with Tiffany, but he would like our help getting a car to make it to a base. I didn't tell him everything about what happened at the last base, I just told him that they didn't want to let people with bite marks leave, and the only reason I was able to was because they had an outbreak. He still wants go to one, though, with Tiffany. And if he does that, I'll probably travel back with Lizz. It's only about a nine hour drive, if she doesn't stop much, but I'm worried if she gets a flat tired or something."

Vin paused, looking up at Damien.

"He seemed apologetic. Took full responsibility for what happened, even though he wasn't the one that did anything wrong."

Delvin could have just waited to tell Lizz and see if the little mechanic wanted to even help them, and he was still going to do that, however, he also wanted Damien's opinion. He had fallen into a natural sort of relationship with the tall man, feeling comfortable seeking advice from him and making plans. Despite the way in which the steely eyed man had threatened him upon their first encounter, Vin had come to trust him. Especially after what happened between them and the crazy preacher.

Damien would take the necessary steps to keep them safe, and that was something that was very important to Vin. He could rely on him, he would do what needed to be done, and because he felt comfortable relying on him, he also felt comfortable making decisions with him.

 

[Poprockz]

"Really? I feel like getting into fights pretty often. I've got to be careful nowadays though. If I end up decking someone too hard, they'll fly to the moon." He chuckled at the image, following Cora's gaze outside to the two men. It looked like they were making pancakes; he could sure go for one of those fluffy, buttery cakes.

"Anyway, we're in a weird time right now, so I'm not surprised that you've been feeling a bunch of different shit. I've heard apocalypses bring out all sorts of shit in people." He shrugged glancing behind him upon hearing Lizz. Cora had to have been very angry to hit the girl in the face, though he thought that she probably only had such a strong reaction since her love for Damien was quite strong as well. He hoped she was okay, the blonde getting the feeling that maybe Cora wasn't being completely open about her feelings, though he hoped maybe they could have a midnight meeting and talk about it soon.

Down the hall, Maverick was coming back out, though Tiffany was still nowhere to be seen. The woman was hiding out in the backroom, not wanting to face the group since she knew they would all look at her like she was a total bitch. He walked into the room and briefly looked at Lizz, raising his eyebrow as he saw her put the shoes down before looking outside at the two men making the pancakes.

Quietly, the man walked into the office, digging around in his massage bag for something.

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

Damien nodded at Vin's "no sugar" request. In that case, he would make Vin's pancakes first, and then mix in some sugar for the rest of them. He too followed Vin's lead and grabbed a cinderblock to sit on, starting to mix things up as he listened to Vin.

So Maverick intended to leave with Tiffany did he? Honestly, it made him a bit relieved. He didn't want to tire himself out constantly watching the man to make sure he didn't touch Cora while also watching both of their backs for Tiffany's shenanigans.

It intrigued him that Maverick actually seemed to be apologetic. People often pretended to be apologetic when put in situations where they couldn't deny what had happened. However, he trusted Vin's judgement of the man's sincerity, despite his surprise. It seemed odd that a man who so blatantly flirted with almost anyone would feel guilt about something that Tiffany didn't seem to think was a big deal.

He didn't care what Maverick and Tiffany did once they left the group. A military base would be risky, but wasn't risky nowadays? At least they would be part of a community.

"Well... At least they'll be relatively safe at a base. I don't think it's unreasonable for us to help them get a car working so they can go." He took out a knife and cut open the vanilla bean, scraping the inside of it out and into the bowl before mixing the pancake mix again. "I'm concerned about you taking Lizz back though- the logistics of it more like. Are you taking Sabastian with you? And where would we meet up again once you came back, or..."

It hadn't occurred to him before, but it was possible that Vin might decide he didn't want to come back. After all, it would be his sister and Lizz in one spot, and if he took Sabastian with him, he wouldn't really have reason to come back to them. "... well, unless you intend to stay over there." The thought of Vin leaving seemed to put a dark cloud over him, not having realized just how attached he had become to the man. Cora was still his world, but he couldn't deny that he liked having Vin around to talk with, to have jokes with. He felt a bond with him that he hadn't felt in a very long time.

 

[Drobabes]

She laughed a little herself at that mental image, imagining that he could probably send them flying to Mars if he tried hard enough. Letting out another yawn, she finally let's her body loosen up as she stretches again, and then she grabs a change of clothes.

"I'm going to go clean up a bit in the bathroom. Who knows how long the water is going to stay on? I'm surprised it hasn't turned off already."

Lizz looked up at Maverick when he glanced at her and she gave him a smile. He seemed to be awfully quiet, though, and she wondered what was up. Despite how flirty he had been, Lizz actually liked the guy for the most part, so she was a little concerned when he didn't seem to have any witty remarks about her short pj's or spaghetti string tank top. Not that she had wore those clothes to get anyone's attention-she was just used to him making some kind of innuendo, so the fact he didn't set off her alarm bells.

She waited until he went into the office, and then she walked in quietly after him. After another moment of silence, she leaned around him and gave him a grin.

"You're awfully quiet this morning. Did dinner give you a belly ache?"
________

He nodded in acknowledgement, slightly concerned about the logistics himself. Although, it wasn't that hard to avoid the regular zombies-he had been doing an alright job of it save for when he lost his first guitar, but that hadn't been from his own poor judgement and walking into an unsafe scenario, that had been from another survivor lying and hiding their bite mark. The thing that did concern him now, however, was other people that weren't quite turned, but that weren't like Sabastian and Robert. They hadn't encountered any more of them, but that didn't mean they weren't out there.

When Damien mentioned him not coming back, Vin shook his head.

"Naw, I can't stay in that town. I don't even like the idea of sending Lizz back there, but Demmy's house is pretty tucked away in the forest, and she has her dogs to let her know if anyone is sneaking up on her. I wanted her to leave with me, but she won't give up her home short of the place burning to the ground."

That was another thing that Vin was worried about, although much less so than the zombies. Sabastian might have gotten the impression that he lead their LGBT meetings, but he had actually acted more as a body guard and making sure that things stayed quiet. The people that needed to know about it did, and the ones that didn't could pose a threat. He only hoped the townsfolk hadn't gotten more set in their ways and violent since everything had changed.

"Besides, I think Sabastian wants to stay with you and Cora, and truth be told I wouldn't mind that either. I want to be around people I can trust, and once everything's more stable, then I can go back and get Lizz and Damaris."

He went a bit quiet then, simply thinking. It seemed like there was no real safe way to do things-either he brought Lizz with him so he could keep an eye on her, or he sent her home to the outskirts of a shady town. If she stayed with him, he couldn't guarantee her safety, especially with whoever was following them. They hadn't seen any new notes, and he certainly hadn't seen anyone following them, but they could still be out there.

"Anyway, as far as coming back, I haven't figured that out yet. I've been fine for the most part travelling by myself, so I think I can make the trip back fine."

He looked over his shoulder for a brief moment and then let his voice drop down a bit when he turned back.

"If someone' still following us, I would really rather have Sabastian stay with you guys. His sense of smell is insane, and on top of that, he's been going out and dispatching any zombies before they get very close."

 

[Poprockz]

The blonde watched Cora leave, wondering if he might be able to catch a little morning nap before they woke him up for breakfast.

Maverick had heard her come into the office despite her quietness, so he hadn't jumped upon hearing her voice. To be honest, he was a bit on-edge, not really knowing what to expect from the group now that they were in the light of day. Damien had every right to be pissed at Tiffany, so he wouldn't blame him for giving Maverick a piece of his mind as well.

The very fact that Lizz was greeting him as though everything was normal meant that she probably hadn't been filled in yet. He didn't think she was particularly fond of them to begin with, so he didn't think she would care as much that they were heading out later once she found out the situation.

"Well, you could say something isn't sitting right with me. I wouldn't worry that sexy little head of yours, though." He smiled and winked, turning back to his bag and confirming that he hadn't put his massage stones back. They were on the chair last he remembered, so he went over to it and counted three of the stones. The man grabbed them and put them into a specific pocket of his bag before looking around the floor for the fourth. It had to have rolled off the chair at some point, so it had probably rolled under the desk. He got on his hands and knees, leaning forward to look under the desk and around the floor of the room, finally spotting it near one of the desk's legs. Reaching out, he retrieved the stone and stood up, wiping the dirt off his jeans and putting the stone safely back into his bag and zipping it up.

Not only did he want everything to be staged and ready to go once they had a working car, but he also figured that Tiffany could use one of the weed gummies he kept in his bag, the woman being very stressed out right now even though she had brought it on herself.

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Damien listened, a small smile coming to his face when he heard that Vin was attached to the group and intended to stay with them. He hadn't expected to feel relieved, but there he was stirring a bowl of pancake mix as his shoulders relaxed slightly. The first two pancakes were poured into the pan, the man waiting for them to bubble.

"Hm. I don't know. I would prefer for Sabastian to stay with myself and Cora, simply because I want Cora to be safe from zombies and... others who might want us hurt, but I don't want you to be on your own on the way back as a result of that. Sabastian might like staying with us, but if he hears that you're going to be alone when you return, he might advocate for going with you anyway, and we know he can be pretty damn stubborn." Damien flipped one of the pancakes in the pan, pleased at its golden-brown color.

Indeed, it was much more likely that Sabastian would refuse to let Vin out of his sight, especially with what had happened previously. The fear of losing Vin probably still ran deep within the little blonde, and he couldn't necessarily blame him, especially since they had admitted to each other that they wanted to engage in a relationship.

 

[Drobabes]

Lizz watched him quietly for a moment, wondering what could be bothering him so much that he was completely buried in what he was doing. She was also curious why she hadn't seen Tiffany all morning. Did they have one too many fights and this one was different or something?

"Alright, well, if you need to talk or anything I'm a great listener. And, I can work better when I have a chatting buddy."

She gave him a soft smile, hoping she could lighten his mood a little. While she had found him very annoying at first, she didn't like to see people sad or in pain.
________

"...and we know he can be pretty damn stubborn."

"Oh don't I know it" he laughed. He stared at the pancakes, watching as they bubbled up, for a moment as a little smile came to his face. He found Sabastian's stubbornness to be a little exasperating at times, but also very endearing and cute in a way. Especially since a lot of it stemmed from that strong will of his, and that need to prove that he could handle himself. His strong little pirate man with that adorable eye patch.

Vin realized he had been staring just a little too long at that same pancake, so he clears his throat a bit and cracks his knuckles.

"I guess we could just ask everyone else what they think. I don't know if you guys would want to wait up for us, if he comes with me, or maybe have some kind of halfway point to meet up at.

I guess another option we could consider, is that we could all travel back as one big group, and then turn around and head back. It would take some progress off your current trip, but maybe it might trip up whoever is following us. Maybe we could lose them if they thought we were still on a straight path."

He looked up at Damien then, wondering what he thought of that plan.

 

[Poprockz]

Maverick sighed again and turned to her with his bag resting on the desk, his own hand in the handle as though prepared to pick it up and leave. His other hand rested on his hip as his body was in a relaxed posture. His eyes settled upon her, seeming almost warm as they met her gaze. He then reached out and patted her shoulder.

"Look pouty lips, I appreciate the gesture, but I'd hate for you to get too lovesick for me when me and Tiff leave. Talk to one of the others for the deets, cuz I have to get back to Tiff." He gave her one last pat on her shoulder, his hand almost seeming to linger for just a moment before he removed it and walked past her, not looking back as he walked with a relaxed gait toward the back of the building.

He wasn't an idiot- he knew he'd miss Lizz even though it had only been a few days. The man would miss the way she rolled her eyes at him and blew the hair out of her face. She was a tough girl though, and with her now being with a new group (especially one with someone she was close with), she would likely be able to get through these shitty times.

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The rich sound of Vin's laugh made Damien himself chuckle, also thinking fondly to the times when the blonde was almost excruciatingly strong-willed. He personally liked the fact that Sabastian wasn't one to be cowed into doing things simply because he was pressured to do so, or felt like it was expected of him. It made it seem like when he chose to do things deliberately, it actually meant more.

For a few moments, the tall man's eyes watched Vin as he seemed to stare into the pancake's very soul. He thought to himself that he was either deep in thought about Sabastian, or he was extremely hungry. Maybe both. Taking a paper plate, he put the two pancakes on the plate and handed them to Vin, turning back to the bowl and poising to add a tablespoon or two of sugar. He paused though, wanting to know if two pancakes would be enough for Vin.

"...I guess another option we could consider, is that we could all travel back as one big group..."

So far, that was the plan he liked the most. Splitting up the party really wasn't something he wanted to do, believing in safety in numbers. After all, just like Sabastian he wanted to make sure that Vin got back safely as well.

"I like that idea a lot. I'm sure meeting your sister would be a treat, and we've been through a lot of shit so far. I hardly think a couple-day detour to your hometown would derail us too badly." He gestured at Vin's plate. "Will those be enough, or do you want more?"

 

[Drobabes]

"When you leave?"

She got a concerned look on her face, especially when Maverick seemed to be giving her a much more genuine and soft expression than she had seen of the man thus far.

"Wait, where are you guys...going?..."

But he had already left the office, leaving Lizzy to stand there with a concerned look.
________

Well that made him feel a lot better. If they didn't mind travelling as a group, then it would be the easiest and safest course of action, and maybe, just maybe, he might be able to convince his sister to leave with him this time.

When he was handed the pancakes, he took them with a soft smile, thanking the tall man.

"Naw, two's enough for me. As far as meeting my sister, I should probably give you a heads up, she can be..."

He had rolled a pancake up into a taco shape, and he had it about halfway to his mouth before he paused.

"Well, you'll see..."

With that, he started to dig in, and not a moment later, the door opened and Cora stepped out.

She was wearing a big army green hoodie with a sleeping black cat print on the front, and littles holes in her sleeves for her thumbs to fit through. Underneath was a pair of black skinny jeans, and she had pulled her hair back and to the side in a braid, leaving her long bangs to hang down on the opposite side of her face. She had also cleaned up her face a bit with the tweezers and scissor kit she had found, and put on a light amount of make-up to draw attention to her eyes and lips and away from the nasty bruise on her cheek bone.

"Hope I'm not interrupting," she said, coming over to stand under the shelter and hug the soft sweater to herself.

"Ooh, are you making those sweet pancakes again?"

 

[Poprockz]

Sabastian had been keeping an eye on them just in case, still not trusting the man. Though he didn't end up doing anything, merely briefly speaking to Lizz before leaving for the back once more.

As he looked at Lizz, she seemed to have a worried expression, the woman asking out loud where they were going. He hadn't thought they were close at all, but maybe Lizz was just a naturally kind-hearted person like Cora. Getting up from his sleeping bag, he walked over to her and stood next to her as he watched Maverick walk back. "You sleep like a rock," he said softly.

"Last night, Damien got up to go to the bathroom or something and Tiffany followed him in. She was being a real thirsty bitch and ended up trying to blackmail him into having sex with her. She said she'd tell us that he forced her if he didn't do it willingly. Cora walked in on that conversation, and the two chicks ended up arguing and eventually physically fighting. Honestly, I don't know where they're going or how it got decided, but Maverick said he and Tiffany were leaving today."

The blonde shrugged, glancing out the window and wondering if the pancakes were done yet. He didn't like Maverick, but he couldn't shake a small bit of sympathy in his gut that he couldn't quite put his thumb on.

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

His eyebrow raised at Vin when he didn't finish his sentence. That cliffhanger of a sentence only served to made him more curious about what his sister was like. If Vin and Lizz were any indication, she was probably free-spirited and lively as well. Therefore, he wasn't sure why Vin would be hesitant about describing her in more detail. Perhaps he simply didn't have the words to describe her.

Damien didn't press the man, though he really didn't have time to do so anyway as soon he saw Cora appear. She looked sexy as hell in that hoody, though at the same time she looked adorable as well. Her clothes were matching today, and it looked as though she was wearing make-up. Was she simply doing this because she wanted to, or was this some kind of special occasion? Whatever the case might have been, she looked particularly scrumptious that morning and he thought to himself that he wouldn't mind having her as a snack after breakfast.

He hadn't realized it at the time, but he had been staring at her for a few moments as he drank in the sight of her. Though he was soon brought back to reality; he had been pouring the batter into the pan, accidentally pouring more batter than he had intended before snapping back and noticing, quickly bringing the bowl back. "Shit! Oh, uh yeah. They have vanilla and... cinnamon." He glanced at the pan, thinking to himself that someone was going to get a large pancake.

 

[Drobabes]

Lizzy gave him a sheepish grin when he mentioned her sleeping like a rock. It was true, she could sleep through just about anything and had even slept through one of Damaris and Vin's fights. She had had a little help from the boozy bottle that time, but she hadn't drank that much really.

As Sabastian went on to explain what happened, her grin dropped and she took on a disgusted look. Looking back over her shoulder briefly, then looking back at him, she scowled.

"Are you serious? What the fuck?" she whispered.

"God, I knew Tiffany was a bitch, but I never thought she would stoop that low. What the hell is wrong with her?"

________

Vin was simply chewing his pancake, enjoying the fluffy texture as he absentmindedly thought about the day ahead. When Cora came out, he turned and looked over his shoulder, his eyes giving her a brief once over before he gave her a warm smile of greeting. Delvin recognized that she was a gorgeous women, but his feelings didn't go past recognition. There were lot's of pretty people in the world, but no one compared to his Sabastian. But besides all that, Vin knew that even if Cora wasn't physically good looking, she would still be winning over hearts left and right with that sweet voice and gentle soul.

When his eyes turned back to the pan, he was waiting for Damien to answer her. It seemed that answer wasn't coming however, and he watched as that pancake got larger, finally only stopping when the man seemed to realize that he was staring. Vin had to swallow down his mouthful of food before he choked on his laugh, looking up briefly to see the look on Damien's face.

"That's about how I felt all night at the concert when Sabastian got dressed up" he said, sitting his plate down in his lap for a minute.

Cora was smiling softly at Damien as he stared, her own cheeks starting to blush a bit just from the intensity of his gaze. She didn't wear make-up very often, but Sarah had taught her how to highlight her good features without caking it on too thick, encase she ever wanted to, and now she was really glad she had learned. Her eyes then go to the pan, and with an excited little pitch in her tone, she claps her hands together and says, "ooh! I want that one!"

She comes over to stand by the grill, trying to soak up some of the heat and the delicious smell.

 

[Poprockz]

Sabastian shook his head and gave her another shrug, his eye going back to her. "They say jealousy and envy can fuck you up. Maybe she's got other problems too or is just a shit person. I can't really imagine being horny or jealous enough to do something like that. It's fucking selfish as hell."

He recognized that he was also describing Damien, but he thought Damien probably wouldn't be able to argue with that assessment. Taking someone or blackmailing someone was incredibly self-centered, prioritizing your own needs and pleasure over the damage one might do to someone else.

The man walked over to one of the toolboxes at the side of the room, casually fiddling with the handle on it before he paused. Reaching down, he flipped the latches on it and opened it up, a smug look in his eyes. A bottle of rum, only about a quarter of it having been consumed. He flipped the lid back down and walked back over, leaving the booze there for now. It would be fun to get a little boozed-up later. Maybe he would even lure Vin into one of the backrooms for a little taste of the big man.

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

Maverick walked into the room with Tiffany in it, his eyes going to her just as he himself had gone to her time and time again. If it wasn't a scar from fighting, it was those salty tears pouring down her face that brought him back to her. Despite what others might think, they weren't really a couple, more like friends that needed the occasional comfort of a warm body pressed up against them.

She was sitting on her sleeping bag, looking out one of the back windows. Her eyes were puffy and wet, a big purple bruise where Cora had decked her. The girl looked as Maverick came in, getting up and walking over to him.

"Do you... Do you hate me?" Her voice was quiet as she looked down at the bag in his hand. He gently dropped it onto the floor and reached out, pulling her against his chest.

"I could never hate you, Tiff. You know that. What you did was... pretty damn shitty, but I'm still here for you." He wrapped his arms around her, gently rocking her side to side.

"I'm just fucking holding you back, Mav. They're all thinking it, even me. You should just drop me off at a base and fucking find some chick to bone and make your own family." Her voice began soft and sad, but a bit of venom came in at the end.

He sighed, knowing that she was just a scared snake hissing as a way to defend herself. Maverick squeezed her and replied, "I'm not fucking going anywhere. You're fucking stuck with me whether you like it or not, bubble gum bitch."

She buried her face in his chest, a guilty look on her face hidden from Maverick's gaze. The woman sniffled and a small smile came to her face, sadness in her eyes as she whispered "You're a fucking asshole, you know that?"

"I know."

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

Damien donned a slightly embarrassed look, having been caught staring red-handed by both of them. Cora certainly had something about her that seemed to make time almost stop sometimes, and he was powerless under her charms. It was just like the time at the cabin where she had somehow coaxed him into another round of passion despite the man doing his best to hold her at arm's distance. This time though, he only wanted her as close as possible; an arm's length seemed too far.

He glanced at Vin, remembering the way Vin had simply stood there when Sabastian had entered in his handsome little white rocker getup. It brought a little knowing smile to his face, thinking to himself that maybe he and Vin did have some things in common- they both had a honey who shined blindingly bright.

Clearing his throat, he glanced back at Cora only to see her face in a soft blush. What was she trying to do? Melt him into a pancake? Maybe he wouldn't mind that fate as long as he ended up in her mouth.

When she came over and claimed that pancake, the urge to make sexual innuendo about the big pancake was strong, but he figured he might be able to tease her about it later perhaps. "It's all yours." He said, smirking. A minute or two later, he flipped the large pancake, again satisfied with the golden brown tint to it.

 

[Drobabes]

Well that had put a huge damper on her mood-and here she had been trying to coax Maverick into telling her what was wrong. Then again, Maverick wasn't the one that had done it. Still, he was leaving with Tiffany, which meant that at the very least, he was still accepting of her. In her opinion it was disgusting and she didn't understand why he wouldn't just drop her ass, as good looking as she was.

With a little shake of her head, she walked off towards her small pile of stuff.
________

Vin finished his breakfast and stood up with a stretch, then he sat the plate down next to the grill, not sure if Damien wanted to use it again. It was still clean, technically, as he hadn't sat his pancakes down on it after taking a bite out of them.

"Thanks for breakfast, that was good. I'm going to go get dressed and talk to Lizz about finding another car, and see what part she's going to need for this one."

With that he left, heading inside and grabbing some clothes before walking towards the bathrooms. However, when he saw Sabastian, he got a grin on his face and sauntered over.

"I don't think I said good morning yet."
________

Once Vin was gone, Cora looked over with a bit of a coy little smile and then scooted herself over to Damien's side, her feet taking tiny little steps until they were touching his own.

"Goodmorning" she said softly.

"Do you think we have enough pancake batter for me to have a few of those?"

He hazel eyes looked up at him, and he would be able to see that she was wearing just the smallest amount of eyeliner and mascara.

 

[Poprockz]

When Vin came in, Sabastian watched him gather his clothes, hoping he would come over; he got his wish when the tall man sauntered to them. Sabastian put his hands behind his back and twisted his torso back and forth playfully, his blue eye meeting Vin's. For a moment, he forgot Lizz was there and replied the first thing that came to mind. "You didn't, at least not with your mouth."

However, a couple seconds later and he remembered that Vin's childhood friend was right there nearby. He would have back-peddled, but there was really no recovering from that one. They all knew he meant Vin's morning wood, and he knew it. The blonde's face flushed and he knit his eyebrows, looking more toward the toolboxes. "A-anyway. Good morning."

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

The steely-eyed man scooped the first pancake out and plated it on Vin's unused plate before, then pouring in another pancake as she oh-so-sneakily scooted right next to him. Of course he saw her doing so out of the corner of his eye, the man wanting to reach out and pull her onto his lap. However, that sounded a bit unsafe seeing as the grill was right in front of them and he didn't want her burning herself.

For that reason, he reached out and put his arm around her waist, pulling her against him. Since she was standing and he was sitting on the cinderblock, his head came up a bit above her hip. Damien smiled and nodded, "indeed we do. I think I should probably grab some more mix if there's some at the store, but I have enough in this batch for it. And..." He reached up and took her hand, kissing it softly. "Good morning to you, beautiful. How are you feeling?"

Of course he was referring to the fight. Though the bruise on her face was covered up very well, he could still tell it was there if he really looked close. He imagined that her scalp was a bit sore after the hair-pulling, but most importantly he hoped that she was feeling just better overall.

 

[Drobabes]

Lizz smiled just a little, but otherwise didn't seem to really notice. She had took it more as a goodmorning kiss reference than any sexual innuendo, and once she had her stuff put away properly, she grabbed a change of clothes herself and headed towards the bathroom. She was really hoping she could get dressed quick and then get out of the shop before Vin put his shoes on. He couldn't corner her if he couldn't catch her, after all.

Vin on the other hand, had a huge grin now, especially as he watched those soft cheeks blush. As soon Lizz went through the door towards the bathroom, he bent down and kissed Sabastian on his cheek, his hand going to lay over his hip in a relaxed manner. He doesn't stand back up right away however, instead lingering near his ear.

"Does that mean you want a proper good morning greeting then, little man? Or do you just want dessert before breakfast?" his voice smoldered.

"I wouldn't mind feeling your lips wrapped around me again. Maybe this time I'll even make you wait to cum until I'm satisfied."

He didn't try to pull Sabastian closer to him, as that would have been way too obvious. At least if someone walked in on them like this, it would only look like he was telling the little pirate something private.
________

Her heart seemed to flutter as he kissed her hand, and instead of staying standing up, she bends down to sit back on her heels a bit, wanting to feel his arm around her shoulders and not just her waist.

"How are you feeling?"

She tried her best to keep her smile light, although she couldn't quite hide everything behind it, nor did she really want to.

"I'm alright" she says, somewhat neutrally. Physically she was fine; that was far from the worst beating she had ever taken. It was sore, but it would go away in a few days.

"I'm a little nervous about how today is going to go. I don't think me and her should be left alone together."

She chuckles weakly as she picks a small part of the pancake off and puts it between her lips, chewing for a moment as a sort of distraction. That fluffy goodness was delicious, and she finds herself taking another bite before she speaks again.

"If I'm being honest, I feel a little guilty."

She looks over at him, then back down at her plate.

"I don't think I should have hit her."

She took another bite then, chewing slowly. There was no way she was going to bring up what else was making her anxious, nor her worries about what was really going on with the car. Although, she planned on looking for a certain something once the main group left.

 

[Poprockz]

That kiss was the best good morning greeting he had ever gotten, and he knew he would never grow tired of those little kisses. The hand on his hip was also welcome, the gentle touch sending little zips of arousal right between his legs.

Technically speaking, Sabastian had already had a bit of dessert by himself earlier, but he wasn't going to tell Vin about his handiwork. The man was liable to give him some sort penalty like keeping his hands behind his back while trying to work the man's cock. The way his voice rumbled with such a sexy tone made him shiver, the blonde suddenly considering letting Vin drag him into the bathroom again or maybe even one of the back rooms.

"I think I could hold off... If you wanted to give me some cream for my coffee. I would never say no to a sweet good morning from you." Sabastian turned his face slightly and leaned forward, kissing Vin's neck softly. Jesus, he didn't think he could get turned on so easily, and yet here he was standing there already half-hard.

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

There was silence as he waited for her to finish speaking, the man nodding at the mention of separating the two. "I'm not sure what we would do for that though. We were going to split it as women staying behind and men going out, but if we split you two up, then it'll have to be you or Tiffany coming with is into town, and I'm not super keen on bringing you. I love you, but I'd much rather you and Lizz have each other's backs then Tiffany watching either of yours. We could take her with the party going out, but then we'd have to leave someone behind, and I'm not sure who we would leave." He flipped the pancake in the pan, the soft, sweet breakfast cake sizzling very slightly in the pan as it cooked the other side.

"If I'm being honest, I feel a little guilty...I don't think I should have hit her."

"I think part of her wanted you to hit her. She was trying pretty hard to get you to lose your cool. Whether that's just because she was itching to fight or not, I don't know. All I know is that she seems like someone who secretly enjoys the drama that goes on around her." He glanced at her, knowing full well that those words wouldn't be enough to assuage her guilt.

"That being said... maybe you shouldn't have hit her. I personally don't think your anger was misplaced." His voice went a bit more quiet so as not to be overheard, "I wouldn't have blamed you if you had hit me either, back when I was keeping you for myself. Or even after that when we were at your apartment. You had every right to, but you didn't. One might argue that we're similar, she and I."

He didn't look at her, plating the pancake before pouring another one.

 

[Drobabes]

Vin's eyes looked around the room as he waited for Sabastian to reply, noticing that Lizz had run off to the bathrooms. It annoyed him slightly; she always took her sweet time getting ready in the mornings, and he could only assume that Maverick and Tiffany were in the back room as he hadn't seen them all morning.

That little kiss to his neck had him squeezing his hip just a bit, a happy rumble working through his chest. He wished they weren't in such a big group, or they were at least out somewhere like the lake had been, where the two of them could have just walked off to get some privacy.

"Well, it looks like we might have to wait."

He nipped his ear gently, sucking his lobe between his lips for just a brief moment before letting go.

"Looks like Lizzy just stole our only private room."

He stood up with a little sigh, the hunger in his eyes barely contained as he looked down at the heart eye patch. He brought his hand up so that he could softly run his thumb along his cheek, directly under it.

"Besides, breakfast is almost done, and I think we're all going to sit down and plan how we want to go out and find those parts."
________

She ate some more of her pancake as he spoke, devouring it with the same merciless pace as she did when enjoying pizza, and similarly ignoring that it was burning her tongue. She wasn't sure how keen he would be on leaving Maverick with them either, but honestly, she wanted Sabastian and Vin to stay with him for much the same reason that he would rather have Lizz watching her back. If Tiffany left with them, Cora really wanted at least two other people watching her.

"I wouldn't have blamed you if you had hit me either, back when I was keeping you for myself...One might argue that we're similar, she and I."

Cora swallowed the piece she had been chewing and sat the small bit that was left of her pancake down on her place. She stared into the grill for a long moment, and then she turned and buried her face into his side. She wasn't crying, but seemingly just wanting to hide for a moment.

Truth be told, that was partly why she had felt guilty. Why did Damien deserve better treatment than Tiffany? And why hadn't she hit Damien? Was it simply because she had still been a bit cowardly? A lot had changed in her over the last month, to the point where she barely even recognized some parts of herself any more. She had a want to fight now, and a courage that she had never known. So much of her life had been a yin and yang of one mentally ill abuser trying to tear her down at every chance he got; trying to make her feel weak and like she needed to rely on him. However, she had still had her parents for twelve years of her life. Twelve precious years, in which time they had taught her such kindness, devotion, and instilled in her that she always had a choice in whatever she did with her life. She had a choice to be not only kind, but strong, and free. She might not have always had direct control over what happened around her, but she had control over herself, and despite what Ray had tried to take from her and Quint, he could never break that small part of her. He could never strip away her love.

With a little sigh, she brings her face out and goes back to the way she had been sitting. Instead of commenting on the last thing he had said, however, she goes back to the subject of Tiffany.

"Well, you might not like this suggestion, but I think you should leave me your pistol, and you guys leave Maverick behind. I don't exactly want to spend an evening with him, but he seems much more grounded than Tiffany, and after he tried to help me last night, I trust him a lot more. He's a prick, but he seems like he's a good person at heart at least."

She picks up the last of her pancake and starts to finish it off, having forgotten that Damien didn't see the way in which Maverick had offered her some help.

 

[Poprockz]

While the action on his ear felt so sexy, Sabstian pouted, a bit disappointed that he wasn't going to get a taste of Vin that morning after he had been teased so sweetly. The little blonde looked up at Vin as he straightened up, his own eyebrows knit in sexual frustration. It was funny; they just had sex yesterday, but already he was hungry for Vin to feast on his pale, submissive body and to be allowed to drink from the man's lust.

"Hmph." He made a little noise of reluctant acceptance.

"Besides, breakfast is almost done, and I think we're all going to sit down and plan how we want to go out and find those parts."

His blue eye checked down the hall then outside before making a move. Going onto his tip-toes, he kissed Vin on the lips softly before pulling back and grinning a bit mischievously as something occurred to him. His arms went up to lazily rest around Vin's neck. "Does that mean I can call you a dumbass without consequences? You're not going to be able to spank me if I'm naughty after all, hm?"

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

Damien pursed his lips as she hid her face. In some ways, part of him had been hoping for some kind of reassurance that he was different in some way. When he didn't get it, he thought to himself that perhaps Cora was having doubts about it. He deserved her judgement, as harsh as it might be. After all, he had been the one to take her, to do that very same to others. Others who hadn't had a say in the matter.

He wanted to be able to reassure her that he was different, that he had changed, but he couldn't. There was no indication that he was a changed man. Sure, he had friends now, but that didn't mean much as far as his own reformation. One might argue that the only reason that he wasn't out doing the same thing during the apocalypse was because he had met her. She was the catalyst to drastic change in his life, but he suspected she was responsible for all of his good behavior. It made him feel like an imposter, like he was simply pretending to be a good man for her, and that bothered him.

In any case, she didn't want to talk about it based on her skipping over any kind of response. He listened to her thoughts on their party arrangement, stiffening slightly when she suggested leaving Maverick with them. A pistol would protect her against zombies, but he worried about how she would use it against the man. Most who were truly intent on doing bad things knew how to plan it well. If she were to point it at him within arms reach, he could easily take it from her and turn it around on her.

The part about him helping was intriguing though, Damien not remembering the man having stepped in at any point. "He helped you? In what way?"

 

[Drobabes]

Vin laughed, staring down at that cheeky expression as he let his free hand slide up his side and up Sabastian's arm, finally stopping on his wrist, where he gently captured it.

"You can call me whatever you like, but just remember, sooner or later I'll have you all by yourself."

He took Sabastian's hand down off his neck, bringing it around to his mouth where he nibbled the skin of his palm teasingly before letting his hot breath out against his creamy skin with his words.

"How much of a punishment you receive is up to you, but I'll be keeping track..."

He heard some light footsteps coming their way, so he let go of his hand, but moved his hand down to his waist again. It was Lizz coming out of the bathroom, seemingly only long enough to find herself a hair tie, before she darted right back in.
________

"Hm?" she looked over at him, sitting her now empty plate down on her lap.

"Oh, when I was sitting there and trying to calm down, he got up and went into the office. When he came back, he sat a little container down that had scented oils and offered for me to use them. He said, "it looks like you have your own coping mechanisms, but I thought I'd offer", or something like that. He didn't try to flirt with me or anything, he just sat them down and left."

She looked back at him again, her face a bit bewildered.

"It kinda surprised me that he recognized what was going on, so quickly. Then again, I did ask for you to carry me over to the table when he did the massage, so maybe he just picked up on that."

Her eyes looked back down at the grill again, and despite having just devoured a huge pancake, her stomach growled like a caged animal.

 

[Poprockz]

He hadn't expected for Vin to nibble on his palm, finding that it was quite ticklish in a very sensual way. The blonde found himself simply closing his eye for a moment to feel Vin's teeth before all he felt was the man's breath.

"How much of a punishment you receive is up to you, but I'll be keeping track..."

He opened his eye and fixed it on Vin. "I'll be counting on it... dumbassssss." Sabastian winked with a sly smile, knowing that he was going to get a nice helping of discipline later. After all, his creamy little ass was essentially Vin's now, especially since each cheek felt like it was made for Vin's hands. Each spank was going to feel so hot, that sting sending shivers of pleasure through him. If he had to be a little naughty for Vin to bend him over his knee, then he was more than happy to do so.

Glancing over at Lizz, he wondered to himself whether she was getting ready for her impending comeuppance from whatever ungodly thing she had done to Vin's shoes. He was really curious what she had put in them, but he figured he'd find out soon enough.

"You're right though, I am pretty hungry. I'll go get some breakfast- I do love me some pancakes." His wrist was slid out of Vin's grasp, the man turning to head outside. He looked over his shoulder at Vin briefly, a flirty little smile on his face as he sauntered away. Sabastian didn't know if he had ever been as happy as he was when he was with Vin.

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

He met her gaze, his body relaxing slightly at her explanation. It was odd, thinking of the man having a packet of essential oils in his pack. It didn't seem like something a man of his profession would usually have. It wasn't extremely unusual, but typically those sorts of people had more scented oils that were used for massages then the actual concentrated smelling oils.

"Hm... I don't know. I could see him picking up on you being anxious about not wanting to be touched, but I'm not sure that lets him get any kind of insight into panic attacks. If that's how he reacted to you, it sounds like he didn't even hesitate in getting those for you, which makes me think that maybe he's dealt with that sort of thing before with himself, a family member, or maybe a client." A smile curled up on his lips as he heard her stomach demand more pancake. He dished the hot pancake onto her plate and poured another one, confident that they'd have enough for everyone.

"If that's the case, then perhaps he is a little more sympathetic. I still don't trust him, but if you promise me not to go anywhere alone with him, then I would feel at least comfortable enough to leave you with him. I definitely would want to leave you my pistol in that case. I'll take the bat."

 

[Drobabes]

Vin simply grinned down at him, not deigning to reply to his taunting. Not right now, anyway. When he sauntered away, his brown eyes watched him go, loving every move that little man made, from trying to coax him into spilling his load, or simply giving him those little smiles over his shoulder that made Vin's heart melt and his own smile want to turn dopey with the way he was feeling. When Sabastian did finally leave, though, he turned around and let out a little sigh. He had the feeling today was not going to be easy, especially having to explain to Lizz what happened and try to convince her to help them get a car working so they could leave.

While he waited for her to come out of the bathroom, he walked over to his shoes and picked one up. Turning it, he starts to shake and tap it against the ground slightly, trying to dislodge any bugs they might have decided it would make a good home. If there was one thing that camping had taught him, it was that you never put your shoes back on without shaking them out first. Now it was just second nature for the man, even when staying indoors.

To his surprise, the second shoe did drop something out. Something small, and furry, and dead. He scowled, looking down at the deceased rodent.
________

"...but if you promise me not to go anywhere alone with him..."

Cora looked at him and gave him a little eye roll before letting her head tilt towards him.

"Come on now, you really think I would be that dumb?"

She then picked up her second pancake and started taking small bites.

"I just wish," she said, swallowing her food down so she could speak properly.

"I had bullets for my own pistol. I got a lot of time in at the range with it, so I feel really comfortable with it. But it's not like I'll miss my mark if I have to use a different gun."

It was about at that time that she saw Sabastian coming out, and she held up her pancake with a happy grin.

"Cinnamon and vanilla. Even better than Gordan Ramseys I bet."