Loki walked into the club just as it started to rain again. He wore more modern clothing than was his typical attire; a white dress shirt and black slacks. Several rings of various styles adorned his slender fingers, and he wore numerous earrings, complimenting his more rebellious side. His long, raven hair cascaded down his back in a waterfall of ebony, and was pulled back with only a few strands trailing into his face.
The building he arrived at had a brick front, papered over with posters in tattered layers worn by rain and dirt. He didn't recognize any of the bands.
The inside of the club was painted black. The lighting in the room seemed to be absorbed by the walls. A few multicolor lights strobed over the bar and across the stage where a band wailed.
He took a seat at the bar and ordered a glass of wine, sliding some money across the bar. Slight movement to his left caught his eye, and he turned as a young man took a seat just two barstools away from him. He pulled his leather coat tightly around himself, casting a wary glance at the door.
The boy had soft features and radiant blue eyes outlined in thick, black eyeliner. He was slender, dressed in a rumpled black tank top and dark jeans. Small leather bands with silver spikes were wrapped around his thin wrists and ankles. A matching choker was buckled around his neck as well. His unkempt black hair was infused with chaotic blue and green streaks. Loki found himself focusing on his piercing sapphire eyes and wishing to be caught in their gaze. He traced the black cross tattooed under his eye languorously. The boy picked up a drink menu and began glancing through it carelessly.
"I hear the strawberry daiquiri is exceptional," Loki offered in his soft-as-ash voice.
The boy turned slightly, locking Loki into his piercing gaze. The bartender stopped in front of him. "Water," he said, gracing Loki with a half-smile. Loki found himself smiling back.
"I'm Loki." He extended his hand politely.
"Israel," the boy answered, shaking his hand.
"Israel," Loki repeated quietly. "So, you come here often?"
"No…Actually, this is my first time out in a very long time," Israel answered, adding a slightly nervous laugh.
Loki lifted the glass to his lips and drank deeply. "Well, this is a pretty good little bar. The drinks are cheap, and there are plenty of drunks to pull into dark alleys…"
Israel choked on his water. "E-excuse me?" he spluttered. He stared over at Loki with an incredulous expression. "Well then…I guess I was right…vampire."
Loki's face contorted with mock surprise. "Oh, my! I've been found out!" He laughed and took another sip of his wine. "So what does that make you? Your scent isn't quite human, but I'm certain you're not a vampire."
"Me? Well…" Israel raised his hand above his glass. A strand of water floated out of the glass and swirled around his twisting fingers. "I'm a Tellurian." He closed his fist, and the water fell back to the glass with a small splash.
"Ooh..." Loki grinned. "Better be careful. If someone sees you doing that, they'll burn you at the stake for witchcraft." He flagged down the bartender and requested another drink. It arrived seconds later.
Israel grinned. "Well, I survived the trials once already. I think I'll be fine."
"No shit?" Loki picked up his glass and downed it quickly. "How old are you, Israel?"
Israel smiled lightly and sipped his water. "Three-hundred and forty-one this July."
"Ha! Well, in that case, you're only three-hundred and twenty years older than me."
"Twenty-one?" Israel raised an eyebrow at Loki. "Doesn't that mean that you're only just old enough to be drinking?"
Loki giggled. "Yup. And tonight I'm celebrating this momentous accomplishment." He raised his glass in salute.
Israel shook his head and smiled. "It seems like you hold your alcohol well…At least so far…" He cast a glance at the door, but turned back to Loki quickly.
Loki shrugged, running his finger along the rim of his glass. "I suppose it's not as potent to my body." He frowned. "Kinda sucks though. I came here to get buzzed…it's taking forever." As if on cue, the bartender dropped another glass off next to Loki. "Aha!" Loki exclaimed with a grin. He took a drink and sighed with satisfaction.
Israel turned in his chair and looked towards the entrance again. "Well there you go, Loki. Maybe this one will do it." He looked back at Loki and smiled.
"Expecting someone?" Loki asked, glancing at the door.
"You could say that…It won't be long before they find me…"
"Ah…on the run?" Loki leaned in conspiratorially.
"No, but my…well, my guards are trying to find me…I got tired of riding in the fucking car back and forth from city to fucking city…So I jumped out of the car and came to the first hole in the wall I could find. Voila."
"Well, I guess that was pretty lucky for me," Loki commented lightly.
Israel caught his eye. "How so, Loki?"
He flashed a dazzling smile. "You're a cute one." He winked.
The look on Israel's face was nothing short of priceless. "W-what?"
"Oh, absolutely." Loki slid over a seat closer to Israel.
Israel leaned away from Loki just slightly. "What do you mean by telling me this, vampire?"
Loki shrugged innocently. "What else would I mean?"
Israel frowned and turned his head. "Never mind…"
"Oh, come on. That's all I get?"
"Did you want something else out of that?"
"Are you offering?"
"No!" Israel stood abruptly and faced Loki. "I think I know what you're getting at, and I definitely am not interested." He sighed angrily. "I came here to relax, too…"
"Are you suggesting that what I'm proposing isn't relaxing?"
Israel stared irately at Loki. "No, but you are annoying me, vampire. And as I said, I'm not interested."
"Annoying?" Loki asked, incredulously. "I was only making polite conversation…" Loki's eyes sparkled with amusement.
"Polite?! Ugh!" Israel shook his head. "No, this isn't polite! This is a vulgar suggestion! If this is all you have to talk about, I'm leaving!"
Loki looked down apologetically. "I'm sorry…" He sighed pitifully and sipped at his drink.
"Excuse me?" Israel looked down at him curiously.
"I apologize for my behavior…I was just having some fun."
"…Apology accepted…," Israel sighed. "I probably overreacted as well." He started walking away, but cast a glance at Loki. "I'll be right back." He made his way across the room, away from Loki. He entered the restroom at the back of the bar and stopped in front of the mirror to scrutinize his reflection. "…Idiot…Why do you get so worked up over things like that?" he scolded himself. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Maybe…he isn't as bad as he seems…" Israel looked at the bathroom door contemplatively. He stayed there for a while, wondering what he should do. …I'll go back, he decided. He exited the restroom and maneuvered through the room to the barstool he had been sitting at, next to Loki. "I'm back," he muttered.
Loki glanced up, his eyes seeming glassy and unfocused. He grinned. "Hey…"
"Umm, hey…," Israel replied. He raised an eyebrow and leaned in a bit closer to Loki's face. "Are you alright?"
"Oh yeah," he giggled. "I'm just…fine."
Israel reached for his chin and looked into his dark brown, but dazed eyes. "Are you drunk, vampire?"
Loki blinked slowly, still smiling. "I wonder…" He laughed, a bit too loudly. A couple at another table looked over.
"Oh shit." Israel smiled apologetically at the couple. "So much for holding your alcohol…Do you have anywhere to go? A ride or anything?"
"A…a ride?" He shook his head; his eyes were glazed. "I have my motorcycle," he slurred.
Israel gazed out of a bar window at the heavy city traffic outside. The rain was still pouring down. There's no way he'd make it out there, he thought. He touched Loki's shoulder and pulled on his sleeve. "Where's your bike?" Israel asked. "I'm taking you somewhere where you won't be a hazard to yourself."
Loki's head lolled forward. Even in his current state he was all too aware of Israel's touch, however casual it was. "It's…the front door…to the right."
"Okay. Come on." Israel helped him to his feet and began leading him to the exit. Loki followed him on unsteady legs. He stumbled and fell against Israel. Smiling, he wrapped his arms around Israel's waist. Israel gasped in surprise, and perhaps something more.
"Sorry," Loki mumbled. "Just a little unsteady I guess…"
"You're…You're fine…," Israel replied. He moved Loki's arms up to his shoulder and continued out the door. He helped Loki lean against a wall and took off his leather jacket. He draped it over Loki's head. "Stay dry," he said simply. He guided Loki to the bike and supported him while he got on the back seat. He sat down in front of Loki and started the engine. Loki wrapped his arms tightly around Israel's waist and leaned heavily against him. "Okay, I'm ready."
Israel flinched at his touch, but didn't pull away. He looked over his shoulder at Loki, the rain dripping down his face and hair. A single green streak fell over his eye, clashing against its deep blue. "There's an inn near here. You can crash there." He revved the bike and pulled out onto the road.
Loki tightened his grip, winding his fingers through the fabric of Israel's shirt. Rain pelted his face as they sped down the street, and he hid his face against Israel's neck to shield himself. His hair lashed out behind him like dark flames. Israel's long petite fingers squeezed the handlebars tensely. A red light hindered their progress for a moment.
Loki raised his head, dark russet eyes reflecting the lights from the buildings that choked the streets of the city. Israel was staring straight ahead; Loki found himself noticing things. The tilt of his chin, the way his hair blew in the slight breeze, the gleam of the raindrops as they ran down his cheek.
Israel glanced over at Loki again, catching his eye as he stared. "What are you looking at, vampire?" he demanded tautly.
"Uh, it's…n-nothing," Loki amended softly. Israel furrowed his brow and turned back around as the light flashed green. He sped off and took a sharp turn into an adjacent street. They pulled into the parking lot of a small motel, where Israel killed the engine by the door.
"Get inside. I'll park the bike," Israel stated decisively.
Loki nodded and slid off the back. He took an experimental step towards the entrance, and had to throw his arms out to catch himself as he stumbled against the wall. He steadied himself and cast a glance over his shoulder, grinning reassuringly in Israel's direction, and shuffled inside.
Israel shook his head and found a parking spot near the entrance. He grabbed his jacket and ran inside, still getting drenched by the downpour. He rushed through the doors and basked in the warmth of the inn. Leaning over, he shook the excess water from his tresses, coming back up to be in the direct eye contact of the intoxicated vampire. Israel brushed the damp strands from his wide eyes, some still framing his face.
Loki was reclined on one of the lobby couches. He looked up at Israel through thick, dark lashes. "You better have parked well." He smirked. "No scratches on my baby."
Israel smiled, but weakly. "I have one of my own. Don't worry about it." He walked to the front desk and tossed a wad of cash onto the counter. "This should be enough for the night. We'll be gone by tomorrow." The clerk ran a finger through the money and grinned. "I'll take that as a yes…" He got the key and went back to Loki. He laid a hand on his arm. "Come on. Let's get you to the room." Hesitating for only a moment, he began walking in the direction of the room.
"Of course." Loki stood and began staggering down the hall after Israel. He began humming a tune, putting a swagger in his steps that made his movements seem jerky and sudden, like a wind-up toy.
Israel watched Loki's whimsical antics with an air of slight amusement. He opened a door at the end of the hall and let Loki in first. "You are a strange one, vampire," he mused as he sat down on a small sofa.
"I have a name," Loki goaded with a slight smirk. "Or do you not remember it?" He staggered through the door and sprawled onto the bed, watching Israel intently.
"It's Loki. I remember," he retorted. "Do you have the capacity to recall mine?" he asked, his eyes flashing roguishly.
"Israel," he stated with a sort of hushed reverence. His eyes were half lidded and fluttered slightly as he spoke.
Israel blushed lightly. He pulled his damp hair over his cheeks to hide it. "That's right. Very good…Loki. You're not quite as smashed as I thought you were." Israel stood and strode into the bathroom. Loki shifted on the bed to try and keep him in his sights. Israel came back with a white towel swathed around his head, and another gripped in his small fist. "Here."
"I'm…sorry." He reached out and took the towel from Israel, running it over his hair. "Thank you." He tossed the towel aside and grabbed Israel's shirt with his free hand. In one quick movement he pulled Israel on top of him and pressed his lips to Israel's. He pulled back and smiled a bit sheepishly.
"I really am very sorry." He closed his eyes and let himself drift off to sleep.
Israel touched his lips in shock. He stared down at Loki in disbelief. Oh…oh my god, he thought. He slid out of the bed and backed against a wall. Slowly, he moved back towards the sofa, never taking his eyes off of Loki. He sat down and pulled a blanket down on top of him. Why would he…? He sat there trying to reason with himself, thoughts flying through his head. Slowly, though, the thoughts began to fade, as Israel drifted off to sleep in the hotel room.