We Both Know we aren't Getting Out of This Alive {Private W/ Kunai} So Why Not Stick Together?

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    [hmm. What if lil James has some sort of thing for Nathiara, and has something against sage because of it, like, doesn't like him at all because of it.)


    Nathaira frowned as he said that. "Sage really you don't have to get me anything." She felt bad. She always did if someone spent money on her. Even with candies. She often bought her own sweets. Even on days with exchange. Such as birthdays, she felt bad taking gifts from people. She puffed her cheeks as she left. Looking back towards the wall.


    She may have had quite the spirit. But what other people said about her appearance tended to get to her. Her hair was long. Extremely so. She was teased, it was likely they didn't mean anything by it, but some said the long hair made her look bad, being so small. That short hair might suit her. To be honest she did like the long hair... She frowned. "I'll just trim it..." the huff left her lips in a sigh, turning to clean the glasses.

    [How old is James?]


    He waved away her humility, "I might not have to but I want to. Besides surprising you is what I do best and if nothing else seeing your face when you open your gift is a gift to me, so in short do it for me." He chuckled at the doorway. "And as long as that's what you want to do." He gave her a knowing look, he's heard the teasing from the other kids, and he didn't want that to be a factor in her decision. "You look beautiful now and you'll look beautiful with whatever decision you make." He gave her a wink before leaving to the bathroom.


    Sage dressed in a short sleeved black shirt and clean blue denim jeans with a black and silver later belt. He combed his black hair, keeping it loose as usual. As he walked out of the bathroom he saw James at the corner of his eye at his door way. He thought about talking to him but decided against it. Returning to the bedroom he flipped on her bed purposefully to be a tad obnoxious. "Hope I'm not in your way." He grinned as he looked up at her and her painting. "You know for someone with strawberry colored hair you don't like strawberries all that much. Are you more of a pear girl?" Now that it was just the two of them he had his tail laying on the bed and over his stomach. He had an idea of getting her something he knew she'd enjoy. He's noticed her grimaces to the shampoo and thought he could surprise her with an early birthday gift. Now he just had to innocently find a way to ask her preferred fragrance.

    he's closer to seventeen.)


    Nathaira turned as he came in. Laughing as he flopped onto her bed, hopping up to sit beside him. Bringing his head into her lap to play with his hair, something she enjoyed doing often. "Your hair is always so soft. The hell." She liked his nose with a grin. "You really don't have to do anything for me." She fluffed his hair up again, twirling it.


    At the question she laughed, "dragonfruit. I'm a dragon fruit kind of person. I despise strawberries. James says it smells good. I don't thinking so."

    Her running her fingers through his hair made a purr slip from his throat. "Darn it, Nathaira, you know I hate when I do that." But his protesting was weak from enjoying it too much. His tail swished beside him, not realizing it was taunting Mouse. He threaded her hair through his fingers and smirked, "Not nearly as soft as yours." He moved his hand down her cheek, biting his lip with his sharp canines. "I promise you that you're going to love your surprise. I may even give you a hint." He has to restrain himself from letting it slip. He wanted to wait until her birthday to ask her if she would officially be his. But she had such a way to his heart, even if he hid it behind flirtatious teasing and playfulness.


    "And you can protest all you want, but I'll get you to crack." He grinned. "If nothing else I can at least make you curious." He moved his hand away from her cheek to rest on his chest. "Do you want to come with me somewhere?"

    she perked, like a dog to a treat. "Of course I Do!" She grinned and sat up, flopped over to look him in the eye. Her chin rested on her arm, legs swinging gently. "You're doing this on purpose. Making me eager. You know I can't sleep when I'm eager for something. It's like Christmas." She puffed her cheeks and braided his hair gently, in a rather calm manner. Once the braid was done, she'd run her hands through it to undo the fix.


    "I like it when you purr though. It's cute." At this point she didn't hide that she thought he was cute. They both knew it. Had she owned her own tail it would been twitching like that of a cat, mischievous, curious

    As she touched foreheads with him a purr escaped him again. "A hint then? Hmm... Something shiny." He joked with a smirk. "I'm kidding, I'd imagine it's something I've been meaning to give you for a while now." His tail twitched at her touch but it soon relaxed. "You know what they say about touching a demon's tail right?" He gave a mischievous smile, eager to tease her playfully. He raised a brow at her, "Why do you think that is? That you trust me so much." He shifted to his side to look at her better, propping his head on his hand. "From the very beginning I could have been dodgy. Yet you had total faith in me."


    He shrugged when she suspected his relishing in her anticipation, "Maybe I do a little bit, but that makes the surprise that much sweeter." His tail wrapped around her arm lazily, "Nah, I'm vicious and terrifying." He stuck out his long sharp tongue out through his pointed jaws.

    she gave him a precious smile. Shrugging slowly, thinking. "I dont... I'm not sure what it was. The second you stepped in and fought for me, something just clicked. I knew you were someone I could put faith in. Someone I could lean on." She didn't emphasize much further. Her mother used to say she would know when she had come across her partner. Even as a stranger. She would be drawn to them. She hummed gently.


    "Oh Sage. Aghra you know I'm not going to stop messing with your tail. It's fascinating to me." She teased and pointed the point of his tail at him. She laughed at his comment. "Sure. Vicious. Viciously precious." She poked his nose again. Something that had turned into habit. An affectionate gesture.


    She was unknowing of the boy stopped outside the door, overhearing the affectionate conversation between the two. Fists clenched he turned, storming down the stairs.

    "I guess we do just click don't we?" He said thoughtfully, "Perhaps it's because of just how you have such a way with things like me." He glanced at her to see her pointing his Arrowhead at him, making him laugh. "I'm glad I stayed too... You're the one person I can be myself around, I never thought that was possible."


    When she poked his nose he smiled and sat up pretending that he was going to sneeze on her just to make her squirm. Detecting the presence of someone at the door his ear twitched. Here could smell that it was James and he was giving off a jealous odor. This made Sage frown, it was something he hadn't noticed about James to He tilted his head towards the door to listen as he ran down the stairs. How curious... But strangely he felt a satisfying Alpha complex from it. His stomach rumbled to signal fo Sage it was time to go see Arthur. He slipped his tail away from her gently before bending down and gently poking her nose with his, "I need to go see Arthur for another treatment, I'll have to catch up with you in a bit, okay?" Normally Sage would take her with him but when it came to his treatments to supress his dark hunger pains he didn't want her to see it. The treatment seems simple but it's always so taxing on his body. And sometimes it would try to fight back and reject the treatments since he's only been experiencing them for a year.

    "We do. We clicked from the start." Her chuckle was soft. "I want you to know that you can lean on me whenever you need it. Dont be scared to come to me when you need something or need to talk. I feel I can do the same." She smiled at him with caring eyes, bumping noses with him once more. "Alright Love. I'll be here or somewhere in the house. Say hi to Bel for me alright?" She ran her hand through his hair again affectionately. Watching him leave the room with a soft smile.


    Arthur knew they were getting closer. He thought it was perfect she was going to balance him out and he was going to support her. The thought of their attraction to one another made him smile. Reminding him of his first love. He met his fiance on the field. Being an undercover excorsist in his younger years, he was partners with a young woman who he hadn't gotten along with. Over the years, they grew close. They were scared. Scared of falling or coming together in such a dangerous situation. When they decoded they were official, he proposed. He wanted her to be his. In such a dangerous job. It was only a month after that she saved a demon. A creature who protected orphaned children. Saving the demon, she was executed by her own professors. It was then he decided to help the creatures.

    "Will do." He nodded to her as he hid the extra limb under his shirt. As we went down the stairs to head to the lab he had to pause and hold his stomach as it rumbled. When his unholy hunger got this bad he'd hear clicking at the back of his head. He cursed at himself for waiting this long between sessions. He continued down towards the lab, accidently bumping into James. "Sorry- didn't see you there."


    In the lab Cato raised his feathered head as he seemed Sage making his way here. Cato chortled at Arthur in hunger.

    James spun, glaring towards Sage. "Are you really?" He growled. Grey eyes narrowed. "You know. You two sure are close. For not being in a relationship it's awful suspicious. Salem's never really been interested in romance before either." He gave him a smug look. "Before you came around her and I were real close" This was a partial lie. He had been utterly infatuated with her. Still was. But he wanted to ruffle Sage's feathers. "Technically, I did call her first. I could always just come in and snatch her from you. How do you even know she likes you the way you like her?" He was good at this. Putting doubt in the minds of someone he felt he despised. A rival. He gave a vicious look. "But it's your funeral. She tends to give mixed signals." He turned to leave, thumbs hooked into his pockets cockily.


    The doctor eyed Cato, shaking his head gently. Watching as both the otter, now mobile, and Belam, perked in utter excitement. Due to Nathaira's strong feelings to Sage, the raptor absolutely adored the boy. She shot to her feet, jumping from her perch and darting toward the door. She slipped out of the slightly cracked opening and into the bar. Jumping onto the table, then the edge of the vent to look up the stairs, barking in excitement. Feathers quivering playfully. A play hunt settled in her mind.

    Meanwhile Arthur sighed, motioning Cato over, He tended to keep around live rats for both testing and feeding. They were albino, as most feeder rats and mice were. He picked one up, holding it in a grip impossible to escape. before tossing it to Cato. "Hunt. It'll help Sage calm his hunger till he gets down here." He hummed and turned once again to pull a syringe from a cooler. Attaching a covered needle and taking out some doctrine disinfectant wipes. Then heading out to greet Sage. Jumping in surprise as Belamy landed on his shoulder from above. Shaking his head with a chuff.

    Safe scoffed as he turned toward him, "Excuse me? Chill dude." When he taunts him about their relationship, Sage's face became more serious, crossing his arms over his chest. "Well if she never thought of any romantic relations before then were you really that close?" He countered smoothly. His patience was quickly dwindling with hunger. When he mentioned snatching her his brows twitched annoyed. "Don't let her catch you talking about her like that. She's not your property. Not like you had the guts anyways." He approached James so the distance between them was just short of a foot. Sage too had grown in height by a couple of inches and was still going. And the work on the cars had helped him develope some extra muscle in the process. It was obvious that talking about Nathaira in such a disrespectful manner got to him. When he jabbed doubts at Sage about her having mutual feelings he narrowed his eyes at him, "You don't know shit." Backing away he started for the lab again, "If you come at me again talking about Nathaira like that I'll be sure you learn your place real quick."



    Cato normally would eat his rats with a quick nip and a swallow, but feeling Sage's agitation his calm demeanor became violent. The beast lubed for the rat, coiling around it tightly and proceeded to tear into the mouse with it's jaws.

    James laughed. "Beat me up? Yeah. Show Nathaira you're a real asshole." She shook his head, grinning up at him smugly before turning. "Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on her for you." He shot a finger gum and chuckled.


    Arthur hopped up the stairs approaching Sage. "You look upset. You and Nathaira alright?" He patted the Boy's back. Belamy lunging and snuggling up on Sage's chest with an adorable chatter. Feathers quivering.

    His jaw was tense as he bristled, his hunger wanting to drive him to putting James on the menu. He forced himself to turn his back on him as his canines started to extend. As soon as he entered the lab with both Belamy and Arthur greeting him he had to resist punching the wall blindly, but God knew how badly he wanted to.


    He caught Belamy in his arms, her warm welcome reminding him of Nathaira was somewhat relaxing. Her soft fur and feathers tickling his chin was almost amusing. He used one hand to stroke the raptor, the cloud like feathers allowed him to expel some negative vibes. Relaxing his tail to the ground it was visible that additional spikes by the tip were itching to grow out and his demon eyes were present. "Yeah, we're fine." He growled as his whip of a tail lashed behind him. Cato crawled towards him, he too had grown over the past year, his current length at 27 inches. The illuminating feathers were raised and shaking, usually used during battle between other basilisks as a form of intimidation. Sage allowed his familiar to crawl up his leg to rest on his shoulder as his body curled around his left arm. It was like having a devil and angel on each shoulder: Belamy's calm presence that brought reason; and Cato's abrasive darkening aura. Sage sat down on a stool in the lab before bending over to out the two down. "Sorry, Arthur." He apologized for the rough reply as he rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger. "Nathaira and I are okay. Just... It's nothing. I'm ready for my monthly check up and treatment." He said dismissively, ready to get his mind off of James. But his snark voice was dancing to the sounds of the clicking at the back of his head. Little shit thinks he's so damn charming. Must be nice being a cocky human boy with nothing to worry about but his masculinity.


    His tail lashed in clear agitation, Cato backed away from its range to avoid getting cut or knocked down. The familiar hissed at Sage to calm down, his voice sounded annoyed. "Watch it! I don't see why you're getting so mad when you can just exterminate that roach."


    "No, Cato." He said with a huff. Although Cato obeys him, he always seems to voice Sage's inner most dark thoughts. Not to say he was a bad influence, but he always seemed more in tuned with the demon side more than Sage tried to be. "You need to spend more time with Belamy, she'd be a great influence on you." He flashed him a scolding look. But Cato knew Sage was thinking the same thing. Flicking out his tongue in slight attitude he took his leave to do just that. Cato, too was high strung and stubborn, but he knew if he could bring down his agitation it would help Sage with his.

    The man smiled to him gently. "She can be stubborn. If there is an issue ever just let me know alright?" He took the syringe, wiping down Sage's upper arm. "I know you have a thing for her kiddo." He hummed shooing Cato away a little. he tapped the syringe a few times. "Ever thought about imprinting?" He squeezed Sage's arm, cutting off the feeling to where he'd inject the needle. Doing so with a clean poke and injecting the serum. Pulling away. "There you are bud." He disposed of the needle and syringe in a medical manner, putting a plaster over the injection.


    "Gotta be careful sage. Your urges are becoming more frequent. I may have to up the dosage and your body won't like that too well..." He frowned, picking the squeaking otter up, letting it scarf around his shoulders. "Cato acts differently as well when your urges kick in." He hummed. Taking off his own glasses. "Though Nathaira can always keep some pills in her room. They help to push back the urges. Though you will still have to come down every month or two."


    Nathaira slid down the railing. Jumping to the bottom with a quiet huff. Wincing as a pillow hit her head. "Ow! What the hell!" James snickered. "Just got done talking to your boyfriend."


    "He isn't my boyfriend James." She scoffed. The two were either always fighting, or getting along at some points. "Anyways. Don't mean to burst your bubble gorgeous. But I really don't think he feels for you." He shot another set of finger guns, walking backwards giving her nose an affectionate poke. She slapped his hand away. "Firstly. No touching. Second. You can't read minds. You wouldn't even know" he chuckled. "Such fire. I like it~ but either way. When he breaks your heart, don't come crying to me Princess."


    "Whatever." Though it did kinda hurt her heart thinking about it. She knew Sage wouldn't have just told her she were beautiful or the likes if he didn't have any hints of feelings for her. Nibbling her bottom lip in nervous thought, she trotted towards Matt's room. Puffing her cheeks.



    (I want a fight hnng. I haven't actually seen Sage in a real fight yet. The Lucien fight was one sided)

    Sage scoffed, "Well I'm glad you find it obvious. Normally I don't like talking about it, but..." Talking to Arthur always helped him get back in touch with reality, he was always that male figure that any guy needs in his life. Sage had a large amount of respect for the man, the things Arthur's done for him couldn't be thanked enough for. "I've thought about it... I was actually..." He sighed as he looked away, his face blooming red, "thinking about asking Nathaira to make things official on her birthday..." He said with a bashful mumble. "I wouldn't want to impose imprinting on her until I at least get over that hurdle. Even then I want her to want it as well."


    Once the injection was done Sage stood up, only to be hit with a wave of nausea. He put his hand on the counter for support. He grabbed for a trash can as he yacked up his half digested breakfast, his body shaking and convulsing. Spitting the last of the bile out of his mouth he went to the sink, resting his forehead on his forearm, his hands clenched in fists. The only reason he went through this torture was for Nathaira. If he could prevent putting her in danger he was going to do anything he could. "Ugh... Still not as bad as the first time." The spikes on his tail disappeared as did any other demon accessories that riddled his body. Now that the contents were out of his body he washed out his mouth and face. He took a seat on the couch and said with a pained good humored smile, "You know, I could really go for a cheeseburger right now." He looked up at Arthur with a sigh, "Whatever it takes, doc. What are the side effects of the pills?"


    Now that the medicine was flowing in Sage's veins, Cato curled up at his nesting area to sleep. The drug always made him groggy for a short time, but he didn't mind it. It meant that they could both settle down and recover from the fluctuating hunger pains and the symptoms they bring with them. Sage looked over at Cato with slight worry, "You doing alright Cato?" He was always diligent to check on Cato after these episodes. The snake nodded its head sleepily and joked back It's a trip, man. Sage chuckled lightly, "Yeah you're alright."


    [Sure thing, it'll be like street fighter, but with out characters XD Mine is going to bring yours to the ground!!! (I kid) and how shall we define imprinting in this case? Having the sex or kissing or just a bite that puts his scent on her and how does that affect her etc? And for the fight are we going to do back to back short posts to prevent power playing? I mean yeah we can keep them long either context and such but you know what I mean]

    yeah, to avoid power playing we should do shorter posts. And he can fuck her. It's usually through something intimate. He doesn't have to but it would make his whole "killing" her so much traumatizing... and imprinting to a human would make an extremely tight bond, but not quite as strong as paired demons. They would mostly just be really affectionate and all that. It would lengthen her life.)


    He smiled broadly at that. Perking in excitement. "My god! I was wondering when you'd ask Her!" He smiled widely and put the otter back. His hands nimble as he put some pills into a bottle. The hacking brought him to turn around in worry. "I'm sorry about that Sage. The pills don't do this. But they do make you a bit jumpy for the first few hours. It changes depending on your species." He gave him a bit of food. "Go on up stairs. I'm gonna close up shop."


    Belamy sat in front of the door. A worried glint in her eye. Nathaira was worried. So she was to. Her hood of feathers twitching. She cocked her head, hook claw twitching.


    ----


    Nathaira frowned as she sat on Matthew's bed. Head in her hands. "What if he's telling the truth Matt... What if I'm just over thinking things...." She whimpered and flopped back.


    Mathew raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding me right Salem? You be seen him look at you? You guys are so much closer than just friends should be." He sat beside her as she flopped. "Who even told you this?" "James." She whimpered and he growled. He'd let Sage know.

    [And that sounds good. And I mean the soul sucking as part of the ritual for imprinting. Like he sucks a little bit of her soul and stores it inside him.]


    Sage gave a sheepish grin at his excitement, "Thanks, Arthur... I just hope she accepts." Taking the pills he nodded another thanks. He bit down on his granola bar as he hopped towards the door, stopping to pay the usual familiars some attention, including the young otter, Belamy and Cato. He kneeled down by Belamy to see her restlessness. "Everything alright, Bel?" Giving her a scratch under her jaw he got ready to depart. He was going to have to check on Nathaira. Making his way up the stairs he took a small handful of mints to bomb out the bitter taste in his mouth.


    Seeing that Nathaira wasn't in the bedroom he felt a bit disappointed. Sitting on his bed he eyed the bottle in his hand, checking the dosage. Remembering James snide remark about her sending mix signals stirred up the old memory of the first night of him being there and how his transformation frightened her. Arthur was right, the urges were getting worse. God knows he's had half a dozen dreams about almost eating Mouse. But he wasn't going to give up. He popped the pills in his mouth with a swing of water from a nearby water bottle. He slipped the pills in his underwear drawer so they wouldn't be out for anyone to stumble upon, and her certainly didn't want to alarm Nathaira.


    He got up to look for her, praying that James hadn't gotten to her. He walked to Matt's room, hearing both of their voices he stopped in the hallway to listen in. But all he heard was the mention of James. Ugh what did that twerp say to her? He would have hunted him down had he not been weakened by the injection. Sage saw one of the younger kids passing by from leaving the bathroom. "Hey Sam?"

    The blonde eight year old blinked at him "Yeah, Sage?"

    "Would you mind getting me a bite to eat from the kitchen and bringing it up here?"

    "Hmm... What's in it for me?" The kid smiled mischievously.

    The sly look on the child made Sage laugh, "You're learning too much from me. How about this? When I go to the store later I'll pick you up a little something?"

    Sam beamed brightly, "Really?! Okay!" He ran down the stairs with great enthusiasm, making the demon chuckle. Sage went to wait for Nathaira in his room, laying down on his bed to let his stomach settle some more. He frowned in thought about what James might have said to Nathaira to make her and Belamy so uneasy. Im going to have to kick his ass later.