Morning Coffee And Sweet Surprises (Closed to Poprockz)

[Drobabes]

She was starting to feel a little tipsy herself, but it was a slow burning, comfortable feeling in her stomach, rather that hard and fast drunk that the guys had gotten, as she had eaten before she decided to drink a little. However, even if she hadn't have been slightly intoxicated, she imagined that she still would have had the same feeling when Damien turned that boyish charm on her full force.

With the door now shut behind her, she leaned back against it gently, her smile softening into a look of pure affection as Damien showed her his fancy new toy. It only faltered slightly when he stood and wobbled to the side, as for a moment, she thought she was going to have two drunk men on the floor. Damien from tripping over his own feet, and Vin from trying to reach out in anticipation of catching him-only he looked even more precarious on the edge of that bed.

"Oh shit man" Delvin laughed.

"You fall and break that guitar and Sabastian might really kill us."

Cora let out a little snicker, but quickly turned her attention back to the hansom man in front of her.

"Cora. Look. I'm playing Vin's guitar! Obviously I've already surpassed his skills. There's nothing more he can teach me."

Her snicker turned into a full on laugh, and she raised her hand up to cover her mouth, trying to hold in her giggles a bit as Damien puffed himself up for her, reminding her of a rooster. His guitar playing was awful, but she was not about to ruin the mood and tell him that-he just looked too damn cute with how much fun he was having and showing a bit of that soft cockiness.

"Oooh, Cora. The beautiful woman with a kind-hearted smile!"

Vin, who had readjusted himself back on the bed, began to clap and slap his knees once more, and she had to admit, it did help the tune.

"You light up my heart with all of your care,
The only thing more silky than your voice is your und-"

Her hazel eyes had been looking into his own with playfulness and affection, but upon hearing where that last verse was going, she suddenly became panicked and quickly reached up to place her free hand over his lips, cutting him off from finishing that last verse. Her drink spilled slightly over her hand, but she didn't mind, her wide-eyed look turning back to amusement once more.

"Alright mister, I think that's enough guitar lessons for one night" she giggled, leaning in close so that she could look up at him through her long lashes and give him a playfully warning glare.

 

[Poprockz]

He hadn't expected Cora to stop him, so caught up in his singing as he was. It seemed as though she was really enjoying herself and her laughter had further brightened up the room. Though when her hand connected with his mouth and she gave him that warning look, he indeed stopped for her. Reaching up, he gently removed her hand from his mouth and kissed her palm, then her wrist before seeming to realize something.

Damien's face became surprised for a moment before he said, "you're right. If I continue to sing your praise, then Vin will fall in love with you too, and then I'll be a sad third wheel... Until we find Sabastian. Then I'll be the sad fourth wheel, watching his growing harem from the sidelines while you three do kinky things without me! Like... twister." The last two words were uttered with a hushed tone, as though the thought almost seemed to horrify him for a moment.

His face turned into more of a sad puppy expression, putting his arm around Cora's waist and drunkenly pulling her against his chest. The sudden movement caused some of her drink to spill on him, but he didn't seem to mind all that much. His other hand let go of her wrist and went above her to stroke her hair as he continued, "he may have long, flowing locks, rugged looks, a charming personality, and probably a big dick, but I swear to God I'll love you better than he ever could!" he dramatically said, clearly very drunk.

Vin had always been a source of worry for him at the very back of his mind, even since he had claimed feelings for Sabastian, and it was expressing itself a bit. In his right mind, he knew he didn't have anything to worry about, but he couldn't stop a small part of his brain from worrying about absurd things like that.

 

[Drobabes]

Vin wasn't really listening to Damien's drunken insecurities, his own drunk state being much stronger and teetering on black out, so all he was really aware of were the immediate things-such as the music had stopped, and that now his guitar was sitting on the chair where Damien had been. With his eyes trained on the guitar, he slowly started to lean forward to grab it, momentarily catching Cora's eyes as she was very worried by his body language that he was just going to face plant into that chair. He seemed to manage it, however, grabbing the neck of the guitar and sitting back on the bed just as she looked back up at Damien.

"...watching his growing harem from the sidelines while you three do kinky things without me! Like... twister."

She had been listening with a good natured smile, but upon seeing the look on his face when he said 'twister', she laughed with sudden intensity, her eyes closing and her face twisting with mirth until she was suddenly startled out of it by his warm arms pulling her close. She let out a startled 'oh!' when more of her drink spilt, and then she started laughing again as she tried to talk.

"Oh, oh, okay, someone did not pace themselves..."

"he may have long, flowing locks, rugged looks, a charming personality, and probably a big dick, but I swear to God I'll love you better than he ever could!"

She pulled her face away from his chest to look up at him, a bit of a shocked look in her expression, although it was interrupted as the next thing that happened was Vin burst out laughing behind them. When Cora then moved back a bit to look behind Damien, she saw the big man laying on his back on the bed with the guitar laying across his chest.

"Oh no, Damien, sweety," she giggled, turning her attention back to him as she tried to back him up a bit and get him to sit down.

"You know that isn't true..."

Delvin started to play behind them, momentarily confusing Cora as to how he was getting the drum sound, until she saw him tapping the back of his heel against the wood of the bed.

"You don't know how you met him
You don't know why
You can't turn around
And say goodbye,

All you know is when he's with you
He makes you free
And swim through your veins
Like a fish in the sea,

I'm singin'
Dami-en needs to find his own room,
Cause he's gonna lay his lady down real soon,"

A blush starts to heat up those light mocha cheeks as Cora suddenly looks over at Vin, and then glares.

"Delvin I swear I will pour my drink on you..."

"And if you don't leave, I can guarantee,
You won't want, to, see
How bad that boy-can-be!~"

"Oh my god, I'm done with you two!"

Cora tried to put on a pouty posture as she stood there with one hand on her hip, and her drink poised at her lips, but she really couldn't hide the smirk that was playing behind that glass just before she downed another half of it. There was no way she could deal with these boozehounds as sober as she was.

 

[Poprockz]

It looked as though Cora was about to say something before he heard Vin bust up laughing behind him. A glance was made his way before returning to Cora, the connection not being made at the moment that Vin was laughing at him.

"Oh no, Damien, sweety... You know that isn't true..."

Damien got a confused look on his face as she began to back him up. Was she saying that the things he said about Vin weren't true, or that it wasn't true that he could love her better? His drunk brain wasn't really processing it as sharply as his sober brain could, but he was temporarily distracted as Vin started to sing behind him. A grin came back to his face as he listened to the lyrics. It made him want to dance, but at the very least he recognized that he probably shouldn't be dancing if she still had a drink in her hand.

Damn, Vin was really good at making up lyrics on the fly- he had to give it to the man. Instead of dancing, he found himself swaying slightly, closing his eyes and letting his fingertips linger on Cora's hips as he did so.

"Dami-en needs to find his own room,
Cause he's gonna lay his lady down real soon,"

That part made him open his eyes, a sheepish grin on his face as he looked over to Vin and then back to Cora once more. Her cheeks were flushing and it was too damn cute. Lifting his hand, he lightly brushed a finger against her cheek for a moment before chuckling lightly. He decided he wouldn't mind taking her back to a private room and giving her a bit more love. They had already relieved some tension in the bathrooms, but he was never one to turn down a hot, steamy session with his lady and the booze had him feeling like he needed to be close to her.

"Oh my god, I'm done with you two!"

An outright laugh came from him, the man able to see the way the edges of her lips were curved into a smirk behind that glass. It was nice to see that despite her protests, she was also having fun with them. It was weird being so loose with other people, but he embraced the chance to act less cautiously around them.

On that note, he smirked and said loudly, "perhaps we should go get our own room at some point. I think Vin needs to work one out by himself. He's probably still got butler-Sabastian on the brain... With that cute little bow-tie." Twisting around slightly, he looked to see if Vin heard him, a joking look in his eyes.

 

[Drobabes]

The light brush against her cheek didn't go unnoticed, her face only becoming more rosy after he had pulled away. She didn't have any particularly bad memories from such light little caresses, but even if she had, she imagined that eventually Damien would have replaced each and every one with something tender and sweet.

His laughter, so boisterous and uncollared, was such a beautiful thing. It gave her a warm flush of emotion that she was the one that had made him laugh, and when she was done with her drink, she sat the empty glass down and came to stand near him. The atmosphere in that room, right at that moment, felt warm and comfortable. It reminded her so much of the lighthearted playfulness that she had felt between Sarah and Quint, and the only thing she wished in that moment was that Sabastian was there with them to share it.

"He's probably still got butler-Sabastian on the brain... With that cute little bow-tie."

Vin was still laying back on the bed, but upon hearing that he stopped playing and started laughing again, his hand going up to cover his face for a moment as he got it under control. When he let his hand down, he forced himself to sit up on his elbow and meet Damien's playful grin with a devilish look of his own.

"You know, I thought I saw a clothing shop on the way over here. Maybe I should punish the little pirate for making us go on a wild goose chase."

Cora started giggling again, taking a slow seat down on Damien's lap and gently wrapping her arm around his shoulder.

"If you do dress him up as a butler, you should totally get him a pink bowtie instead of a black one. Then when his cheeks get all rosy, you can point out that they match."

 

[Poprockz]

Vin’s laugh only made Damien’s smirk grow, knowing that while he hadn’t been successful in embarrassing his friend, at least he had made a good joke. The other man’s response made him laugh again, knowing that Sabastian would likely be pissed, but would agree to it anyway.

Damien found himself being guided back into the seat, that lovely plush ass gracing his legs as she sat down upon him. The man’s hands went around her waist to gently hold her against him, the feeling of her arm around him making the drunk man very happy. To be sitting cuddled up against Cora was number one on his list of desired activities at the moment. He was in a cuddly mood, and he would be damned if he didn't have that warm body pressed to his.

“... you can point out that they match.”

A snicker cane from him, picturing Sabastian all grumpy and grumbling, pretending to be opposed to the idea. He shifted slightly and spoke up, “Ha! I can see it now...” He tried to make the most Sabastian-like pout he could and say, “I’m only wearing this for you because I feel guilty, okay? It’s not like I like it or anything, so don’t get any ideas!” His little impromptu imitation was finished with a little, "hmph!"

 

[Drobabes]

That little display of Damien's earned a chorus of laughter from both Vin and Cora, his facial expressions having been almost spot on, no doubt from years of living with the blond and having observed him. While Cora remained seated in Damien's lap, Vin fell over onto the bed face down, his laughter being muffled through the sheets and soft blanket. He remained like this, his laughter soon quieting down until no more sounds came from the big man.

After a moment or two of silence from the big guy, Cora looked down at Damien with a bit of a questioning expression before she looked back at the bed.

"You doin alright over there Vin?" she giggled.

The only response they received from the nomad was a tired grunt which sounded an awful lot like "just drop anchor captain, I can't take this swaying much longer..."

 

[Poprockz]

It only took a beat or two for Damien to join in with their laughter, high off the feeling of their shared good humor. It felt so amazing to experience such comradery, the man almost wishing they could continue on joking and chatting for the rest of the night. While he definitely liked the idea of getting a bit frisky, there was part of him that hungered for these such scenarios.

A sting of sadness struck him at one point, the man thinking to himself that the moment had passed far too soon. All the money in the world couldn't buy these precious moments that he was experiencing, and he knew he wasn't necessarily guaranteed more of them. He hoped though, hoped that the group would be together for a long time to come. Perhaps he had found what he had so desperately wanted his entire life: a small family. It almost seemed too good to be true, but the very thought of being a part of something like that lifted him out of his sadness, the man squeezing Cora slightly and laying his forehead down on her chest.

After a bit of time not hearing anything though, he looked up just in time to meet Cora's gaze with a questioning one of his own, his grey eyes going to the drunk man on the bed.

"You doin alright over there Vin?"

An eyebrow was raised as he heard that grunted reply, Damien noticing that the man hadn't even taken his shoes off. Oh well, it wasn't like it would do any harm. Looking back over at Cora, he smiled and said softly, "I think he's already walked the plank. Do you want to go back to another room with me and enjoy the ocean ourselves? I think that one movie said that "it's better down where it's wetter, after all." He chuckled and kissed her jaw affectionately, his lips lingering on her skin.

 

[Drobabes]

Her hazel eyes looked down at him with affection and amusement, his little jokes making her chuckle. When he leaned forward to kiss her jaw, she closed her eyes and brought her hand up to softly thread her fingers through his hair, letting out a little sigh of contentment before she answered.

"Mm, well the bar man did give me an extra room key."

It had surprised her honestly, as she would have thought that if the base had any extra rooms, they would have been being used already. It was a sign of the times, it would seem, as when she had asked, she had been informed that not that many survivors had come or been brought here. And for the survivors that did come, they didn't have the equipment here to help the sick and injured, so they were carried taken to the more safe bases, which still had working hospital equipment and trained staff.

She opened her eyes and then turned so that she could gently lay her forehead against his own. For a moment, she simply stared into his eyes with a drunken little smile, her expression a bit neutral. In truth, though, she was thinking rather hard through that fog of hard liquor coursing through her veins. She felt a little sad that he had thought, even for a second, that anyone else even had a chance with taking her away from him, and she wondered how much of that was a healthy amount of worry, and how much of it was his mother's words still clinging to his soul.

"I love you so much, do you know that?" she asks softly, for the moment, all but forgetting that they were not the only two in the room. Her fingers come back around to trace up his jaw line, and then gently sweep over his cheek.

"You treat me so good, like a princess. And your pancakes are the best, even when they're burnt" she giggles.

 

[Poprockz]

I love you so much, do you know that? You treat me so good, like a princess. And your pancakes are the best, even when they're burnt.”

He let out a little chuckle of his own, knowing that the only reason his pancakes were burnt sometimes was because of her incorrigible sexiness. That flirty minx would likely be the cause of many more burnt pancakes to come. “I love you too, more than anything...” Her hand felt so nice, the man sighing against her soft palm as it caressed him, finding himself forehead to forehead with her a moment later.

At this point, due to the fact that he wasn’t responding, he assumed that Vin was either asleep or too drunk to remember any of this anyway. He was silent for a moment looking into her eyes with adoration, his expression slowly becoming a bit tinged with sadness. He couldn’t help it, those hazel eyes looked at him with such love that it made him almost want to look away, like two small suns burning too brightly for him. At what point would she melt the wax in his wings, sending him back to earth like Icarus?

When he finally spoke, his voice was gentle and quiet, baring some of his feelings to her in his drunk state. “You’re so beautiful Cora, so so beautiful. You’re beautiful to your core, kind and forgiving and I’m not... good. I’m not like you.”

His arms around her waist became a bit more snug, as though trying to comfort himself, the man looking away from her and continuing. “God, I want to hold you, but I don’t want to hold you back. I don’t know if I believe in a higher power, but if there is one, I think they might be a bit confused. I feel like I’ve been given something so precious that I’ve never done anything to deserve. I’m... grateful for every second I have with you but...”

A lump started to form in his throat, the man swallowing and returning his steely eyes to her. There was pain in them and regret that went deeper than even he knew. “I feel selfish for wanting to keep you. I... don’t deserve it. If I got what I deserved, I think maybe I wouldn’t be here and maybe Quint would be alive.”

 

[Drobabes]

She saw the look on his face slowly change and a bit of worry settled in her. Had she said something wrong? Although his next words, and the way he wrapped his arms around her, made her frown and lean back from him just slightly.

"...and I’m not... good. I’m not like you."

Her frown only deepened, becoming sad and worried. Her own hands moved to lay over his arms, seeking to comfort him as she opened her mouth to speak. However, he didn't seem to be done talking, so she held her tongue and waited for him to finish.

"I don’t know if I believe in a higher power, but if there is one, I think they might be a bit confused. I feel like I’ve been given something so precious that I’ve never done anything to deserve...I... don’t deserve it. If I got what I deserved, I think maybe I wouldn’t be here and maybe Quint would be alive."

She hadn't noticed it, but her hands had moved from his arms to back behind his shoulders and begun to stroke him gently. She hated that he was feeling guilty about being with her, and again, she had opened her mouth a small bit to speak. However, when he got to the part about Quint being alive, she sucked in a small breath and tensed.

So many things had happened, and while she had begun to mourn and let go, in her drunken state, it was much more difficult to deal with those emotions. All that pain came flooding back to her in a moment that threatened to crush her beneath the weight of it, the alcohol only serving to drown her rather than lift her up. Hot tears stung her eyes, and she has to pull her hands away from him for a moment to try and hold herself together, reaching up to wipe them away before they could run too far down her face.

Delvin had unintentionally been listening in on their conversation. He wanted to sleep, but he was dealing with his own little bout of pain and had been waiting for his friends to leave the room so that he could deal with it before finally passing out. But the more that they had talked, the more intrigued he had become. It wasn't like he had purposefully hid around a corner to spy on the two, he thought to himself, and if it was something that they truly wanted to be private, then they really should have gone to their own room to talk.

What Damien had to say confused him a bit, but also made a bit of sense in that, he seemed to very hard on himself and possibly having dealt with a lot of depression in his life. It sounded like self loathing at it's finest, and he hoped that the man could heal from that with time. When Cora started to speak next, however, the conversation suddenly took on a bit more interest for him. While he was sure they didn't notice that he was still awake, he still took a bit of care to carefully turn his head to the side, just a bit, and then opened his eyes to stare at the wall as she spoke.

She had sniffed a few times and used the back of her hands to wipe away those stray tears so that she could meet his eyes once she had calmed down a bit.

"Baby, do you remember back in my apartment, when I had first gotten home?" she asked quietly, sniffing again and readjusting herself in his lap a bit.

"And you had tried to hold me to get me to calm down, and stop making so much noise? I yelled at you that it was your fault, and I know I hurt you when I said that. I know I did. But...that wasn't your fault."

She paused, looking down into his lap for a moment as she let out a shuddering little breath and tried not to outright cry again.

"When...I had gotten back to my car...there were messages on my phone. But those messages were from when I had first started my hike. So, you see, it was already out of my hands. Sarah turned....long before I could have ever gotten there. She was already sick, before I even left that day. And if I had just..."

A broken smile worked itself onto her lips as she let out a choked little sob, looking up towards the roof as she shook her head a bit. She then sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She didn't know where she was going with this, but her own guilt with the situation, with not having just kept her phone on her for him, was starting to bubble up as well. Suddenly her shoulders slump and she leans down against his chest, her head coming down to lay on his shoulder as she sniffles again and swallows hard.

"You don't know how much it meant to me, to see you there on my couch when I came in" she said, her voice strained as she tried so hard to hold her emotions in.

"We barely knew each other then, but you... You were the only one that could hold me after I..." she swallowed hard, then took a deep breath in.

"After I found him like that, on their bed. And after I had to shoot Sarah. I had to shoot my best friend, Damien. That...broke me. It broke me in a way far worse than anything He ever did to me. And then later, when we found Daphne, and what they were doing to her... I couldn't do what needed to be done. I wouldn't have been able to. But you stepped up for us both and saved us. So...maybe in a way you're right, but only in a way.

"If you're worried about if you deserve me or not, well then that's up to me and only me. I want you with me. I need you, Damien..."

Her arm came up, and her hand wrapped around his side, clinging to him with sudden intensity and she turns her face towards the crook of his neck and her body starts to shake with quiet sobs.

"Please don't...please. I know I'm an idiot for begging" she half sobs, half mumbles against his skin.

"But please don't do that. Because one day you'll wake up and just...do something stupid, thinking that you'll be saving me, when the truth is that I haven't even been living until you came into my life."

 

[Poprockz]

"Baby, do you remember back in my apartment, when I had first gotten home?"

He nodded, watching her as the tears ran down her face, her hand fighting a losing battle in wiping them away. The man merely listened as she described the scene in which she had started breaking things in a grief-stricken rage in Quint's room, his lips pursing slightly as she said that it wasn't his fault. In that moment he felt like maybe she was just saying that to make him feel better, knowing that her words had hurt him even though they were true. He couldn't look at her when she paused, also looking down as he tried to think of a way to respond.

"...Sarah turned....long before I could have ever gotten there. She was already sick, before I even left that day. And if I had just..."

Damien's eyes had widened slightly, the man looking up at her face as though to confirm that what she said was true. He knew in his heart that it was from how her voice wobbled as she said it, but it was still surprising. The news was both a relief and a tragedy. In some ways he felt a bit soothed that he wasn't the reason she hadn't been able to save her brother, but at the same time maybe she would at least have been able to say goodbye to him and get some closure. It was such a fucking shame that Cora had no idea her brother had been trying to contact her, and it wasn't her fault in his opinion, just a tragic occurrence. Being that he was her own brother, he imagined her guilt was tenfold greater than his own had been, his face twisting in pain slightly as he saw her look up toward the ceiling.

When she settled her head down on his shoulder, he moved his arms so that one arm still secured her waist on his lap, but the other came up to cup her cheek and hold her gently against himself.

"You don't know how much it meant to me, to see you there on my couch when I came in. We barely knew each other then, but you... You were the only one that could hold me after I..."

At that point he couldn't hold back, tears running down his own cheeks as he held her, the most precious woman in the world. It meant so much to him to know that in her moments of pain, he had at least been able to ease some of her suffering. He had been able to repay her a sliver of the kindness she had shown to him. To him, he felt like her decision to accept him despite his flaws and misdeeds was such a monumental gift that he would never be able to repay her, never be able to give her back the amount of happiness she brought him.

All he could do was continue to listen, his voice seeming to have been temporarily lost to him as she recounted her pain over Sarah and Daphne. He pulled her closer, if that was even possible. His grip on her was tight, but not painfully so; it was more the grip of someone who was adamant that they wouldn't let go of the other person for anything or anyone. It seemed like she had lost everything that week: her brother, her best friend, Daphne, her way of life... Maybe she clung to him because he was all she had left. Or maybe... she just truly loved him. The very thought of that made his heart ache.

"If you're worried about if you deserve me or not, well then that's up to me and only me. I want you with me. I need you, Damien...Please don't...please. I know I'm an idiot for begging, but please don't do that. Because one day you'll wake up and just...do something stupid, thinking that you'll be saving me, when the truth is that I haven't even been living until you came into my life."

They were both clinging to one another like two people caught in a storm, holding onto the only thing that could save them. He had no idea what she saw in him or what led her to feel so strongly about him, but it almost seemed like her own desperation matched his own. To think that he was her world, her rock... it scared him. It scared the absolute shit out of him. He had only ever been used to being used, disappointing people, and making irrevocable scars on the lives of others. To think that she needed him made him terrified that he was going to fuck it up or let her down. That being said... he wanted to try. He needed to try and be everything she needed, to fight to keep her safe no matter the cost.

"I will never willingly leave you," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "I don't know if I'll ever feel like I deserve you, and I don't know if I am truly the man you see when you look at me with those kind eyes of yours, but I'll be damned if I don't try." Damien kissed her forehead softly before leaning his head against hers and taking an inhalation of the sweet scent of her hair. "I'll love you for as long as I'm still kicking, and I'll try to prove to you every day that you won't regret it."

There was a moment of silence before he continued, "Cora... I feel like you're the closest thing I've ever had to having a real family, and you have no idea how happy that makes me. I can't leave you. It might be selfish, but you're just too important for me to ever leave. So... don't worry. I'll be here." He rocked them slightly back and forth in the chair, closing his eyes as he simply felt her warmth against him.

 

[Drobabes]

Delvin was very confused by a lot of what she was saying, and some of it was mumbled so quietly that he couldn't hear it at all. What he did know, however, was the pain in her voice, and the desperation within her pleas. It was so strong, and it struck a chord in the big mans heart, because, it was how he felt with Sabastian.

Not for the first time throughout the last few days, he remembered once again what Damien had said before they left the shop. How Sabastian had asked to be killed, his final wish being not to become some kind of monster. But had he meant a monster like the cobwebbed eyed zombies? Or had he meant, too, like that bastard from the diner and Margaret? If it was... Well. Damien wouldn't be needing to get his hands dirty again.

He shut his eyes hard suddenly, his own cheeks becoming wet. Why had his thoughts become so dark? Sabastian had been here, at this base, and no one had gotten hurt. Likely no one even suspected him of being what he truly was. And again, the note... No.

He was out there, somewhere, scared and likely down right terrified, and Vin was going to find him. And if he ran again, then Delvin would track him down once more. For as long as it took.

...

Cora hadn't been able to answer him. Though his words did comfort her, she was simply too far into the booze to even begin to get a grip on her pain. All she could do was cling to him, letting the comfort of his arms and the promise of his love hold her together, until, she finally tuckered herself out until she was merely sniffling.

A movement behind her, a shuffling on the bed, reminded her that they weren't alone in the room. When she lifted her head to look, though, she realized it was just Delvin reaching down and bringing the guitar up to his chest, seemingly in his sleep. It brought on another wave of pain, seeing him clinging to that precious gift, but she didn't start to bawl again. At least with Sabastian, they still had hope.

 

[Poprockz]

Damien glanced up at the slight movement as well, watching as the man grabbed his guitar like a child might grab a teddy bear. No doubt the purpose was the same: to chase away the nightmares and to provide physical comfort. It made him slightly sad to see him hugging it to himself like that, as though he wished that what he was holding was really that stubborn little pirate. They were so close though, so close to having Sabastian back with them. He imagined that once Vin actually confronted Sabastian straight-on that the blonde wouldn't be able to run away again.

On that same note though, he did wonder about how safe Sabastian truly was. The blonde hadn't displayed any symptoms of being changed before he had that all-out flash of madness. It made him wonder if it was just something that was going to happen from time to time, or whether maybe there had been a specific trigger. Maybe there had been a specific smell that set him off in the gun store. If that was the case, then all they had to do was be more careful and treat it as though it was a severe allergic reaction.

He sighed, looking back over to Cora, "we should probably go to bed. We've got a big day tomorrow, and Vin should be left to sleep." Carefully standing up, he set Cora down and wandered over to the window to shut the blinds. Vin was likely going to be hung over as hell tomorrow, so the last thing he needed was light in his eyes to start out the day. With that, he moved back over and took Cora's hand, leading her out into the hallway and closing the door behind them. He didn't really know where their room was though, so he looked to Cora to guide them to it.

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

Meanwhile, back at the base, Robert and Genevieve were sipping on their drinks, an empty basket of potato wedges on the counter as they chatted and simply drank in the atmosphere. Though he had two ciders down, Robert had drank them slowly and thus barely felt anything more than a very gentle buzz. His wife on the other hand, was feeling just a bit tipsy, the man smiling slightly at her as she leaned on his arm and rubbed it affectionately.

Though the look on his face made her pause, tilting her head slightly before she said, "you look a bit restless. Do you want to go for another walk? I know it helps you clear your head."

He smiled, finishing the last sip of his cider and nodding. "Yes... There are definitely a few things weighing on me. Would it be alright if we did?"

"Of course, love." The raven-haired woman stood up and hooked her arm around his, "helping" him up and out the door after thanking the bartender. And with that, they started to aimlessly wander the camp, their strides slow and thoughtful.

Robert was deep in thought, contemplating how Sabastian had ended up there in the first place. Had those people harmed the others, killed them and taken the zombie as a toy to experiment on? He really didn't want to think of that possibility, but the truth was that people were desperate and cruel sometimes, evil always finding a foothold in the hearts of men. If only they searched inside themselves to find the kindness that was also inherent in mankind, the kindness that the lord gifted them upon their first breath in addition to their ability to chose.

The second zombie also troubled him, not knowing whether this zombie was an ally or someone aiding in these men's crimes. To reach out to that presence would be reckless, and yet if there was any chance it was someone in need, he longed to take that chance. To be recklessly kind was the type of person he strived to be, even knowing that kindness in of itself could lead to heartbreak. It was like that saying: when there is a snake that falls into the fire, one should not be angry if the snake bites them when being rescued from the flames; one does not do kindness to be thanked, but to know in their heart that they had helped save one from misfortune.

That soldier too... who was he? Why did he know about the inner workings of the evil that apparently happened here? And why was he so willing to help? He hoped that he wasn't being led astray, but there was something about Tommy that made him feel like he could trust the young man. Whether that was a good thing or not remained to be seen.

 

[Drobabes]

"we should probably go to bed. We've got a big day tomorrow, and Vin should be left to sleep."

She nodded, then took a moment to collect herself after he had put her down. Despite the way he had reassured her and held her, she was still feeling very down and vulnerable at that moment, no doubt in part because of how quickly she had drank her own alcohol. Watching him close the blinds for Vin made a sweet little smile come to her face, however, and she briefly wondered if he had always been so thoughtful, or if it was simply something he did for the people who he felt were close.

When she felt that warm hand wrap around her own, she squeezed it gently and then leaned into his side as they left. Digging down into her jeans pocket, she pulled out the key for their room, and then led them down the hall just a little way until they found their door. Inside, the room was very similar to Vin's if with a bit of a smaller bed. Cora didn't mind, however, as they had been sleeping out on the hard ground or in the car for the past few days. It had to be more comfortable than that.

She waited until Damien climbed in, and then she slid herself under the covers and crawled up close, tucking her nose against his chest to breath in his warm scent. Her hand came up slowly, and then she gently laid it over his heart, her eyes closing so that she could focus on the way it beat beneath her fingers.
________

How much time had passed? He didn't know. He had been laying there, locked in a mind-numbing fog so thick that it was difficult to tell whether he was even still conscious. Though, he imagined that were he sleeping, he would have been having more dreams.

Quint could have broke out of his bonds by now. He could have ripped off the bindings holding his tentacles in, or broken the metal handcuffs. At the very least, he could have lifted himself up onto the bed. He didn't want to though; not only because he hadn't been given permission to do so yet, but also because he simply wanted to lie there on the ground, suffering. He didn't want to make himself comfortable, he didn't want to make his body warmer. He didn't want to feel.

Years. It had taken them literal years to learn coping mechanisms. Methods and suggestions, and pills and therapy sessions. So many therapy sessions. So many of them simply time wasted rather than actually helping, but, they had did it anyway. They had did it because they had someone waiting at home for them; someone who didn't necessarily need them, but who wanted them, and wanted to know that they would be okay.

Now who did they have? Each other? Tossed back into the rank dungeons that had slowly broken them in the first place? What was the fucking point anymore? He was going to get her, he was going to collar them once again, and then he was going to wipe out their whole world, in a way that he had always promised to do but had never had the chance to before. And as much as Quint hated him, as much as he wanted to strangle him and beat the life from his eyes, a small part of Quint still hoped that Damien ran and got away.

Run. Run, far away, and maybe he won't be able to break her this time...

The fear and pressure on his mind made him open his eyes, staring at the wall numbly as he felt the animals work themselves up into panic. He didn't try to soothe them. What could he do to save them? Nothing. He couldn't do anything. He couldn't stop Kuznet from taking Sayori, nor could he stop him from hurting Sabastian. He couldn't do anything in this place, and his only joy came from those rare moments of kinship with a friend, or being able to pull forth that rare glimpse of frustration or anger from Ray.

The lock on the door clicked, then there was a brief pause before it opened, and Jonathon stepped through. All at once, Quint's thoughts of sorrow and uselessness shifted to focus on anger. Here was one of the bastards that had caused the world so much pain and agony, for years, and likely with hardly anyone even knowing it. The little bastard spy that was so good at what he did, that Quint was now convinced that the only way he would ever be able to catch him would be by using those now inhuman senses of his to track him by smell.

A big grin slowly formed on his lips, the half zombie pushing down all those nasty feelings behind that facade of false emotions. Turning his head slightly, he forced himself to look up at Jonathon as he brought in a tray of food.

"Johnny boy! Long time no see! You finally decided to come say hi, huh? What's it been, like eight years?"

"Jonathon. And closer to eleven, actually."

"Oooh, yea. That's right. Mm, watcha got there?"

Quint forced himself to shuffle around a bit, trying to sit himself up as he took in a deep lungful of air, catching the smell of the delicious food along with just a hint of Jonathon's own smell. Damn, the guy had cleaned himself up very carefully before coming down here. Smart bastard. Still, the smell that he did catch was distinct, and only helped to reinforce what Francisco had given him before.

"Split pea soup and crackers."

Johnathon sat the tray down on the ground, and then came over to Quint to unlock his cuffs, having been given permission to take him out for testing. Once the cuffs were off, he went to his ankle chain to unlock it as well, while Quint started to unwind the cloth from around his torso.

"Looks like you brought enough food for two, are we going to have a date to catch up? You know there's so much I could share. Like, there's so many new shows on tv...well, there was, and they came out with a new gaming console called a VR-swear to god, it literally feels like you are in the game."

Those blue eyes looked over at Quint with a bit of an annoyed scowl as he undid the metal, freeing his ankle. He had been too busy with leading his teams and the experimentation on the animals to take on this particular duty until now, but he had to say, he did not miss this. Unlike Francisco, Quint just never shut up.

"No, we are taking food to the prisoner, Sayori, and then we will be going out to experiment in the labs."

Quint had pulled the tray over with one of his extra limbs, snagging a few crackers before Jonathon had the chance to swat his hand away and take the tray back. He had just been noisily munching away on one when Jonathon said her name, making him pause and his chewing slow to almost a crawling pace before he swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly feeling very dry.

"Oh. I don't suppose we have enough time to stay and eat lunch with her, do we?"

He knew what the answer was, but, he could still hope.

...

Not long after Quint was up and had annoyed Jonathon even further by taking his time with a good long stretch, they made their way down the hall and to her bedroom door. Quint waited near the shorter man as he unlocked it, holding the tray of food in his own arms, and then almost dropping the damn thing as they both stepped inside.

The room absolutely reeked of sexual fluids and cum, and although it was strong, it likely wouldn't have bothered him so much if it were anyone else's fluids. No, it was the fact that it was specifically his abusers disgusting scent that it sent a chill of icy cold straight down his spine and made him very unwilling to want to eat anymore.

Looking around the room, he tried to spot Sayori as he carefully forced himself to keep a neutral expression. He knew that being back in this room, alone was likely the last thing she wanted, and he didn't want to upset her further.

 

[Poprockz]

Sayori had no idea how long she had sat in that shower, but eventually someone had shut the water off, probably to prevent her from wasting any more water or heat. Once it was gone, she simply sat there for a while. Getting up had proved to be a difficult task since sitting had only made her body more sore from the ruthless fucking she had been given. Still, the lack of warm water made her cold, so she very slowly and very carefully worked herself up to her feet.

With much difficulty and shaky legs, she managed to dry herself off and redress. Though she put on the puffy pants and the sweater, leaving the under armor and crop top off. She had stood there, staring at the comforter that had a small pool of his cum on it, the cum that had leaked out of her after he pumped every drop he could into her hot passage. That cum that she had so desperately wanted at one point. It was disgusting, her lip curling slightly as she quickly grabbed the comforter and pulled it off, leaving it on the floor at the foot of the bed.

Limping back to the side of the bed, she carefully pulled back the covers and slipped into it, pulling them up and over herself. After that, she had simply laid there, drifting in and out of sleep as she simply waited for the time to pass, not feeling like doing much of anything else. What else could she do? She was alone in a gilded birdcage with no one to talk to and no activities to keep her occupied.

When Jonathan and Quint came in, a small movement alerted them that she was in fact that lump under the blankets in the middle of the bed, curled up on her side. It had been several hours since the ibuprofen, so it wasn’t enough to hide the pain her hips felt. Every now and then she had to move to keep them from becoming more sore in any given position.

The little woman had heard the door, but didn’t have the energy to care who it was or why they were there. She had taken her pearls off when she showered, but hadn’t put them back on yet, instead holding them in her hand. Sayori hadn’t needed to look at the mirror to know that she had a necklace on her skin anyway, one made of the bruises left from Kuznet’s enjoyment.

 

[Drobabes]

Upon seeing where she was, Quint frowned. Jonathon had told them that they wouldn't be staying very long-only long enough to drop off the food and then head out, so he didn't waste what few moments he had. Striding over to the bed quickly, and trying his best to ignore the smell, he sat the food down on the little end table near the bed post. He then leaned down and, a bit slowly, started to peel back the covers.

"I think, if I am not mistaken, there is a princess under here somewhere that needs a cup of enchanted coffee. Unfortunately, I am not a prince, and all I got to offer is...split pea..."

His words trailed off as his eyes took in first her expression, and then the bruises on her neck. His jaw clenched hard and his brows furrowed with a scowl, the hand that had been peeling the blanket off coming up to gingerly touch her neck.

You son of a bitch Ray, she's too small for this shit. Were you trying to kill her?

Right as those crystalline ocean eyes were coming back up to meet her brown, Jonathon's radio clicked on.

"Jonathon?"

Quint didn't look over his shoulder, his eyes remaining on her face as he let his hand come up to cup her cheek gently. He didn't bother to try and hide the sorrow from her now, knowing that she had likely reached her limit. There was no point in trying to put on a mask of cheer for her, at least not right now. It would be insulting in a way.

"Francis" Johnathon answered back, almost sounding bored.

"Are you near the office?"

"No."

"Well how far away are you?"

While Francis spoke, there was a noise in the background that sounded an awful lot like someone gagging. It caused Jonathon's bored expression to become puzzled, and he looked down at his radio for a brief moment before answering.

"Pretty far, and I'm busy. Who's with you?"

"Aw come on Johnny boy, you're always busy,"

And there was that awful retching again, surely whoever was doing it being on the verge of losing their lunch, and possibly more.

"As for who, it's Niles. He's being a little bitch. I told him to put on his big boy panties before we headed down, but I guess-"

"Shut the fuck up Franci-heehw!"

"he didn't want to listen. So, anyway, listen, I need you to go open my safe for me. There's a document in there."

Johnathon looked very amused when he heard Niles try to speak, only to be cut off by his own gagging, but it changed once more to annoyance as Francisco spoke. His pale blue eyes glanced over to Sayori and Quint, studying them both and seeming to ponder something for a moment.

"You know," he answered back finally.

"There's only so many hours of daylight. What do I get out of this deal?"

 

[Poprockz]

There were light footsteps and then she saw the sheet move slightly as a hand grasped it, likely coming to force her out of her comforting little cocoon. She almost considered clinging to the blanket or turning away, until she heard that playful voice of his. Sayori almost though that maybe she was imagining it until the covers were pulled down to reveal that it truly was Quint leaning over her.

"...Unfortunately, I am not a prince, and all I got to offer is...split pea..."

A surge of relief and gratitude came to her, seeing him there. It was completely unexpected to be seeing him again today, but for some reason he was there with her. Maybe he was just delivering food, or maybe they were checking to see if she was okay, but whatever the case was, it was like seeing the sun poke through the clouds on a dreary day.

She noticed the way his eyes flicked downward though, his hand following as though to make sure that his eyes weren't deceiving him. They weren't; she truly did have a bruise necklace now. Kuznet had squeezed her so hard she had almost passed out. How wonderful would it have been if he had allowed her that mercy? Quint looked troubled, but she supposed anyone in his position would be disturbed by her bruises as well.

When the radio clicked on, she jumped for a moment, looking over to see who it was that was there in the room with them. Seeing that it was Jonathan, she relaxed again and returned her eyes to Quint. Honestly, Jonathan was probably the best person to have visited. She didn't think she could stomach seeing Kuznet or Niles right now, and she felt like Francisco would just try to put on that clownish act for her. He probably meant well, but she wasn't in the mood to be pandered to.

Quint's hand felt nice against her cheek. Unlike Kuznet, she knew that his caresses had genuine affection behind them. His eyes though... they were so sad, like two pools of sorrow. In a way it made her feel vindicated, that he saw how badly she was hurting. Kuznet had really cut her deeply, and she almost felt like she was slowly bleeding out. Her eyes watered for a moment, the woman blinking as she tried to think of what to say, wondering to herself what words would be enough to convey how she felt and what she wanted.

"When you leave, tell me you look forward to seeing me again next time, okay?" She struggled to sit up, moving gingerly to avoid irritating her sore hips. When she did though, she leaned over and put her arms around Quint's torso, resting her head on his chest. Sayori had told herself that she would hold on until she saw him again, and now that she had she didn't know how else to hold on other than to make that same promise to herself.

 

[Drobabes]

He watched her struggling to sit up, her delicate little body obviously in quite some pain. He wanted to reach down and push her back against the bed, making her lie still so she didn't hurt herself, but her words brought forth such a stab of pain through his heart that he was helpless to stop her as she wrapped him up in that soft hug.

I don't know if I want to give you my name. I'm... probably not staying for very long anyway...

...Even if he does make you hurt me or even kill me, I would be glad simply to have someone there with me at the end...I do not want to be used as a tool for hateful things if I can help it. It may be presumptuous of me to say so, but do not let him use me to twist you, no matter what might happen...

...I wish... a lot of things. But I’m grateful you’re here with me, as selfish as that might be. I feel like without you here, I might really go insane...

"Sayori..."

His voice was a quiet whisper, and so full of pain. His arms came down to wrap around her gently, one of his hands going to back of her head to softly hold her there against his chest as he bent down to lay a little kiss atop her soft hair.

Over near the door, Johnathon didn't seem very bothered, or even surprised by what the two of them were doing. Instead his attention was simply focused on his radio as he waited for a reply.

"Damn you drive a hard bargain Johnny boy. What do you want, the keys to my truck? My gold ring?"

"How about that coin?"

There was a bit of a longer pause again, and then when Francisco did answer back, he was laughing.

"Alright, alright you sore loser. You can have the damn coin, just-hey, HEY!"

Francisco's voice suddenly became loud and authoritative over the radio.

"You puke on your own shoes, and I'm going to make you pick it up and and put it back where it came from bitch boy! The Green Berets might have made you just carry it in your pockets, but we're long past that point-oh for fucks sake!"

A big grin grew on Jonathon's face, and although it wasn't quite as creepy as when he had looked at Sabastian after the little blond had stole his gun, it was damn close to it.

"Pick it up little boy! I SAID PICK IT U-"

The radio clicked off then, and Jonathon honestly looked a bit disappointed. It seemed as if he was really looking forward to Niles getting an old fashioned drill sergeant command. Still, he had earned himself that pretty piece of medal, and he wasn't going to wait for Francisco to change his mind. Looking over towards the two of them, he pointed at Sayori while he spoke to Quint.

"She needs to eat. If I come back and she has not eaten, I will feed her myself."

After his little threat was made clear, left the two of them alone and locked the door.

Quint hadn't moved much except to look up when he was addressed, but as soon as the door shut, he pulled the covers back and then used his extra appendages to lift her as carefully as he could. He then crawled up into that big bed and cradled her against his chest, his hand returning to the back of her head to hold her against him.

"I will always," he said in a hushed tone, his lips moving against her hair as he leaned over her protectively.

"Look forward to seeing you Sayori. Because every time that I see you, it means I know you are alive, and smiling, and that one day I'll get to hear you laugh again."

 

[Poprockz]

"Sayori..."

It seemed like he knew what she meant, her name on his lips sounding as though he almost wished she hadn't said such a thing. Not that he looked down on her, but more that he lamented that she felt she needed to ask. Sayori simply breathed as she hugged him, closing her eyes as she felt his arms go around her and his lips coming down to give her that tender little kiss atop her head. She wasn't really paying attention to Jonathan, only focusing on the sound of Quint's heart beating inside his chest.

However, she registered that last sentence, that they had actually come there to give her lunch. She wasn't hungry, or rather she didn't want to eat. There was an empty pit in her stomach, but she felt like anything that passed her lips would come right back up. Still, if trying to eat the food was the price she paid for having Quint with her, then she would comply to the best of her ability.

His appendages were gentle, but she still bit back a few twinges of pain. She didn't want him to feel bad for moving her, and when she was finally settled on his lap, she didn't think there was anywhere she would rather be, free or not. Once again, her arms wrapped around him and she simply clung to the zombie-man for comfort. Silent tears came down her cheeks, the tears of joy mixing with the tears of sorrow.

"I will always... look forward to seeing you Sayori. Because every time that I see you, it means I know you are alive, and smiling, and that one day I'll get to hear you laugh again."

Sayori let out a sob at his final words, sniffling and trying to wipe the tears from her eyes. It made her heart feel like it was going to burst, such sweet words having been spoken to her. It was exactly what she wanted and needed to hear- that she was loved and that he wanted her to keep going so they could stay together. Even in this hell, she could find refuge with Quint and maybe be a source of comfort for him as well. She couldn't say anything for a minute or two, simply too emotional to do much but cry in his arms. However, once she wound down a little, she took a shuddering breath and spoke in a forlorn voice.

"I feel like I am losing myself, Quint... He told me they were vitamins and an anti-anxiety medication, but they made me feel so hot. I said things, felt things... Did things... that make me want to crawl out of my own skin. What kind of woman am I if I would willingly do such things with the man I hate most in this world? Am I so deprived that I find pleasure when a man forces me? That's not who I thought I was and yet... Every time it's like my body doesn't listen to me. They tell me that I am a whore... and the more time that goes by, the fewer arguments I have to defend myself." The woman tilted her head up to look at him, tears at the corners of her brown eyes and a beseeching look on her face, as though she hoped that maybe he would want her anyway, despite her pitiful attempts at denying what she might truly be- a whore that delighted in being taken by those cruel men.

 

[Drobabes]

As she began to talk, he couldn't help but squeeze her just a bit tighter to his chest. He didn't want to hurt her, but every fiber in his being was simply screaming at him to comfort her, to protect her, in the only way he could.

Alright, so maybe he couldn't stop Kuznet from physically harming her. Maybe he couldn't do much of anything, really, but so long as he had a voice, so long as she could hear him, then he would keep fighting for her. And them. And...for himself too.

"No. No, no no, sweety, you are not a whore. Sayori, he drugged you. There might have been some vitamins in what he gave you, but he either lied about that anxiety medication, or he slipped it in alongside it. He did it to Cora, and he did it to-"

Quint's eyes flicked away for a brief second before quickly coming back to her own.

"...did it to me."

That last part wasn't a lie, but it wasn't what he was going to say. So caught up in his need to comfort her, he had almost slipped and told her that Kuznet had drugged others. Not just them, but his other victims that he had, for Cora and Quint were not the only one's he was obsessed with. While Francis theorized that there were not many, The General definitely did have other victims that he treated with as much 'respect' and 'care' as he did his little Cora and Quinton. He collected them like objects, like the photos he liked to keep, and the only reason that Francisco thought that there couldn't be more than a handful was because the General had to share his attentions with them all equally. To have too many of them would take away from his very special time that he liked to spend with them.

"It's just one of the many tools he uses to get inside your head, Sayori. I know it's...so easy, to feel like it's your fault, but you are not to blame here. Our bodies have physical responses to physical stimulus, but that is never an excuse for consent being taken away. Never."

He pulled her head down against his chest again, and then he laid his chin on top of her hair. With his free hand, he stroked her back gently.

"I told you Sayori, no matter what he forces you to do, I will never look at you differently, and this isn't any different. You didn't want that, and you have every right in the world to hate him for it. You have every right to feel hurt and helpless, but just know that you're not. Up here-" he said, reaching up to lightly tap against the back of her head.

"Right here, he can't get to us. He can try, but there will always be a little piece of us that people like him can never take away."

 

[Poprockz]

His little squeeze didn’t bother her, the woman not having any problem with him holding her more securely.

So she had been drugged... no wonder she had felt hot, her sense of danger having been stripped from her. It made sense that the only way he would be able to make her think she really wanted it was for her mind to be impaired. She could say to herself that she would never let it happen again, but there was really no guarantee. He could put it in her food, or even just tell her to take the pill. If he were to tell her that he was giving her roofies or something and demanded she take them, it wasn’t as though she would be able to decline.

“... did it to me.”

Her eyes relayed a more pained expression, realizing that Kuznet must also have been using Quint for his sick pleasures as well. His cock was so big though, she could only imagine how painful it must be for Quint to take him like that. The thought of Kuznet fucking her in the ass was terrifying, the woman knowing that he would actually seriously harm her if he didn’t train her to take him beforehand. How had Quint dealt with such things? Maybe it was his sister that he relied on when he was struggling.

While his body wasn’t warm, his embrace was so comforting. It made her feel like she was protected and safe, and in a way she was. Quint had a way of mending her that she simply couldn’t fathom; every time it seemed like she had hit rock bottom, something about his words and touch seemed to bring her back to life. Sayori closed her eyes as he pulled her head against his chest once more, the gentle weight of his chin on her head and his hand on her back making her feel relaxed and calm, the woman silently listening to his words and taking them in.

He was right in a way; no matter how Kuznet clawed or bullied, as long as she retained that small piece of herself, he would never truly have her. Though instead of that part being in her head, she personally believed it was a piece of her heart, or perhaps her very soul. Maybe that was part of why Kuznet did some of the things he did- because he didn’t really have a heart. Perhaps he looked down on others for feeling things because it was something he himself would never have.

Sayori simply sat snuggled up in his arms for a minute before she replied. “Thank you...” she said softly, giving him a slight squeeze. “I cannot express to you how much comfort you give me, and how special you are to me, Quint.”

Loosening her arms around him for a moment, she drew back and lifted her face slightly, kissing him on the cheek softly before letting her head rest on his chest again. “You may not be a prince, but you’re definitely a superhero to me.” She knew that sounded pretty corny, but the fact of the matter was that he had saved her life more than once in her opinion, and she wanted him to know that she very much looked up to him.

 

[Drobabes]

As they simply sat together, Quint continued to softly stroke her back. It was difficult for him to just relax with her; the only time his mind was not completely on edge being when he was laughing. Even as most of his attention was on her, a good portion of his thoughts were wrapped up with trying to remember how quickly Jonathon walked and how many steps he might have taken by now, so that he knew how much time he had before the man came back down and checked to see that she had eaten. He was also thinking of the bed on which they sat, wishing that Sayori was not so sore and that they could simply sit on the ground together, as the bed gave him so much anxiety.

A little smile came to his face as he remembered Sarah giving him a funny look before coming over to hug him.

"You have such weird habits, Quinton," she had giggled against his chest.

"You won't go near the bed until it's actually time to sleep, and half the time I can't get you near the bathroom to clean yourself. Are you secretly some kind of mythical creature? Do you have rules, like not eating past midnight? Or will your skin start to turn to liquid as you say 'help me, I'm melting!' if you touch water?"

Of course, she had known exactly why he had such weird little tics, but she knew that humor was like his salve. If she had directly approached the problem and tried to help him fix it by simply dragging it out into the light of day, he would have shut down and become unresponsive. By bantering with him, it allowed him to be playful back, and through the humor, give her the hints she needed to help him mend his shattered psyche.

"Thank you..."

That little squeeze was returned with one of his own, and he shifted just a little bit so that he could look down at her as she spoke.

"You may not be a prince, but you’re definitely a superhero to me."

He chuckled a little and gave her back a light pat.

"Good, because I never liked the prince role much anyway. I mean, they always have to use a sword and shield to fight with, do you know how heavy that gets after a few swings? I would much rather use my own fists."

He smiled then, a tired smile that just barely seemed to reach those ocean jeweled eyes, and then he let out a little sigh as he looked over towards the tray of food.

"Do you think you can stomach a bit of that soup? To be fair, it smells pretty damn good, and I really don't want Jonathon feeding you. The creepy bastard would take every chance he got to feel you up."

 

[Poprockz]

Quint seemed a bit tense. She hadn't noticed it before, but it almost seemed like the strokes to her back were to comfort both of them. It wasn't apparent what had him a bit on-edge, but there were simply too many reasons he could be anxious, and she didn't want to put him on the spot and make him more anxious by asking.

"Do you think you can stomach a bit of that soup? to be fair, it smells pretty damn good, and I really don't want Jonathon feeding you. The creepy bastard would take every chance he got to feel you up."

She looked over at the soup and pursed her lips for a moment. Honestly, Quint was a huge help in lifting her spirits, but she had started from a very dark place so it was as though he had just pulled her into a safe zone. The woman felt hungry, but the thought of the soup made her feel slightly disgusted. Usually she liked split pea soup, but any food she could think of right now gave her that same feeling. Every now and then she got the memory of how Kuznet's tongue had slipped over her own and it made her stomach flip. She could almost still taste him in her mouth.

Still... she didn't want to be felt up in front of Quint. Jonathan hadn't been lewd toward her yet, just a bit spacey, but he had taken pictures of Sabastian while he slept and she had no doubts that Quint knew him better than she did. "I wish I didn't have to, but I will try to eat it. The eggs are hungry, but my appetite isn't what it could be..." She sighed once more and thought for a minute before mumbling, "there are no cameras in this room. I bet we could flush the soup down the toilet and he would never know as long as I took one or two bites." By her face, she almost looked tempted to actually do that before she shook her head.

"Hm. That wouldn't work though. Eventually I would be too hungry and they would know at that time. The other night when Niles came to the cells to... well, to be an self-important cunt, I fell asleep having only eaten half my dinner. I woke up in the middle and was so very hungry. It was a bit gross, but I ended up being fed by Sabastian." The woman shifted slightly, hoping that she hadn't overshared by saying that. In all honesty, she felt a bit bad about that scenario. If she hadn't stood up to Niles, he probably wouldn't have felt the need to put them in their place as much as he did, the man seeming to have an ego that couldn't be measured.

She seemed to pout for a moment, frowning at the soup as though blaming it for her lack of appetite before her eyes wandered back to her friend. A little smile came to her face before she said, "ah well. If you grab the soup, I'll eat as much as I can. You know, when I was little, my sister told me that peas were actually worm babies and I believed her. I couldn't eat that kind of soup for the longest time." She shivered for a moment, "bugs... that's one thing I don't miss about the outside."

 

[Drobabes]

He had started to reach over with an appendage, those extra arms coming in very useful for this type of thing, when she half mumbled about not eating the whole bowl of soup. The tired smile on his face turned into a bit of a frown, and he was just about to advice against it when she changed her own mind. It was for the better, honestly. They had ways of telling, and if she had tried to pull something like that, Kuznet would have punished her for it. He probably would have waited until the eggs were out, but Sayori would have learned the meaning of 'starving' very quickly.

"The other night when Niles came to the cells to... well, to be an self-important cunt,"

Quint was glad he hadn't grabbed the tray just yet, because her comment drew forth a laugh from the man and made his body shake pretty hard-hard enough that he might have dropped it, even though those tentacles seemed to do a pretty good job on holding onto things.

Likely any insult to Niles would have made him laugh, but Sayori was so little and sweet, and very gentle, that to hear her talk in such a foul way made it just all the more surprising and better. It was a rare little glimpse of spunk from the lady, and Quint had to say, he like it a lot.

"I fell asleep having only eaten half my dinner. I woke up in the middle and was so very hungry. It was a bit gross, but I ended up being fed by Sabastian."

His laughter died off rather quickly, and he got a bit of a questioning look on his face. What the hell did she mean, 'fed by'? He wanted to ask, but she seemed uncomfortable, so he didn't push it. Still, he prayed that if there was a god, they would mercifully not force them to share that particular dream later.

"ah well. If you grab the soup, I'll eat as much as I can. You know, when I was little, my sister told me that peas were actually worm babies and I believed her."

That made him laugh again, though this time he had better control of himself and managed to get the tray on the bed without spilling any, and then he looked down to meet those cute doe eyes.

"If you think that's bad, have you ever seen Quinoa? Now that looks like it has tiny worms in it. Hmm, you didn't tell me before that you had a sister?"

He was curious, especially seeing as he had a sibling himself. Although, the second that he asked the question, he mentally cringed a bit. He wasn't positive, but he thought Sayori had mentioned before that her family lived far away. If that were the case, there was likely no way to know if her sister was alive or not...