"You can't keep running away, Cal!"
I clenched my teeth as I dropped my head into my hands. "You sound like a house wife. Get off my ass! How was I supposed to know 'you loved me'?" Now, I was getting very agitated. Where this started out as playful banter, it had turned into a double edged blade, cutting deep into both of us, searing us open for all the world to see.
"I love you. Not 'loved'. As in, present tense." Goodfellow's voice was solemn, as he delivered the news to me, arms crossed and curls covering the lying, cheating eyes of a puck. His stance told me all I needed to know. He was ticked. Hell, he was beyond ticked, he was star-craving mad. This was all some kind of sick joke, he was playing, right? How the hell could PAN love me? Pan of all people….
Swallowing more bile, I leaned my head onto the back of the couch, letting the fan waft semi- cool air over my sweaty face. Droning on, Robin went as I tuned him out and listened to my inner thoughts. Not that they were of any damn help. Leaning up, I chugged a good half of the bottle, to get his fears out of my mind. The alcohol tasted bitter and burned like holy hell on the way down, plus it settled heavily in my stomach, but it seemed to distract me from the unpleasant conversation I was having.
I slumped deeper into the couch as my heart pounded, hearing the ruffling of clothes and the squeak of shoes. My senses told me that the puck had moved closer to my location. My head spun again with indecision as I tried to quell my stomach. Something about Robin, just wasn't sitting right with me. Even though I'd enlisted his help, not hours ago, it didn't feel like a good idea now.
"Look, I…" I was cut off in my sentence by my phone ringing. Flipping it open, I saw Promise's number and clicked the green button.
"Cal," her voice was soft like honey and held a note of something… "I have a client for you." A smile was twining in her voice and it made me nervous, expelling a breath, a buried my head in my hand and rubbed the back of my aching neck. Not to mention, I could still feel Robin's angry stare on my back, and… well, among other places.
Shuddering, I mumbled, "Put Nik on." She didn't ask how I knew he was there. Nik and I had a GPS for each other; always knowing where the other was at all times was our specialty. There was a whisper of sheets and a soft sigh, from Promise. God, was everyone's hormonal balance off today?
"All right. What the hell is this client about?" I drawled, flopping myself back onto the couch as I sighed, listening to the silence on the other end. I didn't dare look at Goodfellow, all too wrapped up in the "conversation" I was having with Nik.
"Put me on speaker," his calm voice came over the phone and I shrugged, setting the phone on the coffee table, and pressing the speaker button, sinking back into the cushion. Once he knew he was on speaker, by the rustle of the table, he spoke, "A Naiad. She's interested in our services. She wants to rid the lake she lives in of a Kelpie, who is polluting her water, by drowning humans in it."
He let that sink in for a moment.
"Now, Cal-"
"Hold on there, Cyrano. A Naiad? What the hell is a Naiad?"
"Yes," there wasn't a moment's hesitation in his voice as he went on. "You know what a Naiad is. Unless you didn't read what I assigned for you to read." There was a sharp note in his voice and I knew without a doubt, he be here, he'd thwack the back of my head.
I stopped and thought, instead of running my mouth any much longer. Nik listened as I thought, knowing that I was trying to gather what information on the subject I could. "Ah, like Undines, right? But they're more partial to freshwater springs? Kids sacrificed their hair as a coming-of-age thing, right?"
"Precisely." His sounded faintly proud of me as he'd listened to my discovery.
Robin snorted and shook his head as his disposition relaxed just a bit. He flopped himself down on the other end of the couch, leaning forward on his knees, much like I. I glanced over at him for a second, and in his eyes I could see that we were going to talk later. Fucking great. Another thing to add to my ever growing list to do. Right after I beat some ass and fap off.
"And we're not talking about the nice kind of Naiad, are we?" I frowned deeply and looked at the phone, hoping that it was so simple, that I could just blast them away with my Desert Eagle. But was it ever that simple? No, they wouldn't come to us for a simple job. Hell, no.
"No, Cal. She's our client. What we are actually hunting down is a Kelpie, who is luring unholy humans into her freshwater and tainting the water. It is causing her to die." Fuck. Ok. I let a breath out of my nose, a loud one and hung my head the slightest. Never fucking easy, eh? No.
Robin's hand sneaked out to pat me on the back. My own flung out and smacked his down, before I realized what I was doing. His eyes glimmered with surprise then that green melted into something more… sadistic.
Shit.
Jumping up from the couch, I started pacing. "The overgrow magical unicorn. All right." I joked with a half grin on my face that I didn't really feel. My heart pounded in my ears and I was still feeling faint, but I pushed past that, focused on how many holes I'd put into the wall out of homicidal anger.
"She's offered to pay in gems." Promise's voice was heard, softly, but steady. She knew we were going to take the offer and that we couldn't decline it. We needed the money and we didn't run into gems too often. Besides, how hard can killing a Kelpie be?
"All right. I'm game. Nik?" I mumbled, knowing he wouldn't have told me had he not already make up his mind. Besides to him, it was training.
"As am I."
I swallowed and gritted my teeth, peaking over at Goodfellow from between my strands of hair, looking at his face, not meeting his eyes. Instead tracing his collarbone to his open shirt-
Oh my god. Fuck.
Shaking my head, I knew he caught me doing it. Grin in his voice as I looked at the floor, he leaned back into the couch, "I don't think this would be of benefit to me. You don't need my assistance. You two pre-scholars can take care of a dead water horse." He scoffed at me and crossed his legs, flashing me something I did not want to see.
"Then it's settled. Tomorrow I will return to the apartment. Robin, you have first watch." Click. I gritted my teeth, slammed my phone into my pocked and avoided his eyes, knowing he was going to prey on me now that Nik wasn't coming back to the apartment. God damn it. Is vampire ass really more important than saving mine from the clutches of a very frivolous pan?
Shaking the thought out of my head, I stalked out of the dingy room with the bad Chinese and tossed it in the trash, still not speaking, still not waiting for him to say something. Washing my hands in the beat up sink, I dried the dripping digits on my pants and opened the fridge to find nothing. Giving up on eating and or drinking, I walked back out to find the living room empty.
Sighing to myself, I moved to the couch and leaned back against it, letting the sounds of the fan and my own breathing wash over me. Meditation beads clinked on my wrist as I silently clinked past each one, retracing my mala in my mind. Strong. I was in control. Not the other way around.
XX
"Watching cartoons, Cal?" A voice. Amused. Safe, warm. Wait. Something was wrong. I'd started to doze to some mindless cartoon and his voice, along with the added weight onto the couch about gave me a heart attack. I expelled my breath and turned to him, rubbing tired eyes.
"What the hell are you doing?" I was highly irritable, having not woken up fully and my head pounded with a dull ache, which penetrated behind my eyes, behind my head. Letting out a loud aggravated sigh, my stomach gurgled at the acid working against me. The whiskey Robin made me drink earlier, made my stomach shrink and growl with anticipation at the same time.
"I'm hungry," I whined, leaning my head back against the couch, looking over at him, who was dusting something off of his pants as always. Those pants probably cost more than we earned in a year.
At my comment, his head perked up and he snorted shaking his head as he stood. "Quite a shock there, Cal." He stated sarcastically, I could hear it dripping from his voice along with a little… Jealousy? Anger? Something to that extent, making his words sharp with intent.
Instead of blurting out some stupid reply, that would get us both angrier, I wanted to face this head on. My emotions didn't let me. Robin was right. I tend to run away from situations when I can. Sucking in a breath, that steeled my morale, I wasn't even able to open my mouth, let alone get any words out when Robin started talking about himself. Good god, he did that a lot.
"Caliban. We're going to talk about this."
"No, no we're not. I'd rather remain blissfully ignorant to any secret fantasies you have about me with whips and chains." Shaking the disgust from my frame, I scooted away from him on the couch, still feeling the after effects of the large amount in my system. Slightly buzzed, thanks to the Auphe blood in me. Eyes blinded to his love and my heart closed off, I actually sat there and let him rant. I'm not sure what it was, the booze, my feelings or my life falling apart on me, but I wanted to reach out to Robin and take him up on his offer.
Before that thought when rampant and created pictures, I shut it down and grimaced to myself, just in time to hear, "Oh, Caliban. In my dreams, you are hoarse for breath…"
"What happened to Niko and your affinity for humping him?" I mumbled disturbed as my shoulders scrunched up of their own accord.
"Promise happened. I've given up on him, no… It was never really about him. It was to get closer to you," Robin mumbled honestly as he leaned back in his seat, a frown on his face, debating if what he said was actually true or just his imagination depicting his loneliness for him in some manifestation. Looking over and locking eyes with me, making me swallow the lump stuck in my throat. "It's always been about you."
"Even Ish?"
"Huh? Oh, no. We've always had sexual tension. Even if we would fuck for hours, which we have- Do you know how much f-"
"No, I don't know. Nor do I want to, just stop there Loman, before my little kid brain turns into mush."
Snorting to himself, Robin looked up at the ceiling, his hand clutching at his pants as his heart panged in his chest. Why was this so hard for him? Couldn't Cal just accept his feelings? Or at least try it before he decided it wasn't for him? Goodfellow found this utterly confusion and all too entirely new. He'd never been in a situation like this. He'd never been… In love.
Robin stood in the middle of the room and issued a grin to me, that I found deadly. My heart thumped into my throat as the sinful treat seemed to almost melt into my eyes, pulling me in by his forest green ones. Grumbling lightly, I slipped from the couch and flipped over the side, landing on my feet, behind the couch, poised. Ready.
"How about we make a bet-"
"Oh god," I mumbled, dropping my head into my hands, already feeling the demon side of him come out. The most tainted side. The car dealer side. I shuddered to myself and readied my knife. Falling into his easy going personality, he turned back to me and continued to talk, much to my dismay.
"We wager our bodies. If I win, I get yours. If you win, you get mine." He drawled, a deep satisfied grin on his face, almost as if he could taste on his tongue, what I tasted like. Oh good god, Cal, what were you thinking? Shuddering to myself, I shook my head.
"I don't want that wasted meat suit of yours. Got a better prize?"
"I'll leave you be, for however long you want me to."
"Just like that?"
"As simple as that."
"All right," I grinned and cracked my neck, leaning down deeper into the back of the couch as I breathed hot hair out of my mouth. Before I could even flick open the knife lodged in my hand, he was on me. Letting out a grunt, I used his own weight to fling him off of me. Right into the wall with a loud thud. Grinning to myself, I scrambled to my feet. A better defense is an offense.
His own grin matched mine as we circled each other, stepping over obstacles in our path. My heart thudded in my throat. I was used to fighting… But with Robin? Honestly, the fact scared me.
Leaping into the air, I used the couch as a leverage to kick my feet off of, pushing me farther into the air with enough momentum to tackle Robin. I threw a punch as he landed on his back. My knuckles connected with his cheek, but just grazed slightly, thanks to his fast reactions. Before he could gear himself to get up, I threw another punch, landing right against his nose. I watched as the blood gushed free.
For precious seconds, I watched the copper liquid slip from his angled nose, his groans are curses so far in the back of my head. The trail of red ended down by his lip before he took advantage of my weakness, the smell nauseating.
Robin got his hands around the base of my neck and laced the fingers before I figured out what he was planning. Though my actions and protest did little to stop it. He brought up his leg and used that as leverage to flip me off of him, crashing into the coffee table. Staggering to his feet, he wiped at his dripping nose, cursing about the suit that I just ruined. Not that I gave a shit.
"Fuck," I hissed as pain exploded in my back, lacing down my limbs and into my head. Eyes aching and muscles contracting, I pushed myself to my feet, never admitting defeat. Hell no. I was gonna get up and face the pain like a man- "Oh fuck." I cursed, closing my eyes as I wobbled.
"Give up yet?" Sadistic and egotistical. God damn it, Robin. You make me wanna punch your face in more. Spitting out a chunk of blood and when felt like bile away from me, I watched as my world dimmed and got brighter, before I rushed at him.
His curls bounced as he ducked around my fist, grasping my back with his hands and thrusting his knee straight into my stomach. It took seconds to hit as I slumped down to the floor, being released from his hands. Then it hit. "Oh…. God… I'm gonna die…" I wheezed, coughing up whatever was left to cough up. My world spinning and my stomach in my throat, I tried to get my barring. My eyes ached and the world grew dim as I closed them, still listening as I tried to fight off whatever was trying to attack my system. Nausea.
"I take that as a forfeit…." Robin's face was suddenly in my vision as his hands cupped under my arms, helping me back to my feet as I panted with pain still lacing down my spine. My bones were heavy, brain unable to fire the signals correctly. So for the time being, I had to lean against Robin, who found it quite enjoyable. Grinning to himself, he wrapped his arms around my waist as I still tried to clear my vision of the fog.
The world finally set into place as Robin set himself down on the couch with me in his lap. I panted and leaned by head back, to gather the last bit of air I could, ignoring whatever was poking against my thigh and his fingers that danced up my spine. Repressing shivers, I turned my head to face him, "Those were dirty fucking tactics."
"I want you, I'm gonna use everything I can to get you. Even if that resorts to hurting you," he mumbled his green eyes holding something that made the breath in my throat catch, the flush on my face from the fight increase as the bead of sweat continue down my neck. He pulled my shirt up, against my protest, running his fingers along the blackened bruise that was already forming.
"W-what the hell are you… doing?" I gasped and pushed away from him quickly as he started to move his lips to my stomach. I slipped right off of his lap before either of us could grab into the other. Landing down on the not-so-soft floor, I rubbed my butt and pouted, trying to distract myself.
"It's going to happen." Was the only thing he said as he stood, wiping at his lip again with a handkerchief he found hidden in his coat pocket.
"Oh, no it's not. Oh hell no."
"Aren't you a man of reason? We played a fair game," his fingers moved swiftly in wiping off the blood and slipping out of his shirt, folding it on top of the dryer. Next was the pants….
Coughing and looking away from him, I nodded my head. "I am a man of reason, but not when the dick I'm battling with is a cheater."
"One, I'm not a dick, though I have one and you're about see just how wild it can get. Two, you never established that cheating wasn't ok." His fingers slipped down his happy trail and I had to swallow in the back of my throat, trying to get myself to look away. Trying so hard to find a rebuttal, but my mind had shut off, in favor of looking at the sex god in front of me shed his pants.
Catching my eyes, he grinned and wiggled out of the brown slacks, letting them slide down to the floor, stepping out of them and folding them, without ever even breaking eye contact. "I see you like this…"
I shook my head limply as I scrambled back onto the couch, trying to get away from him, but with no avail. He was on my like a cheetah on an antelope. Wait, how come I have to be the pussy animal? More like, the goat was on the cheetah. There we go. I'm the cheetah. My mind started to wander as to try to bring itself away from the situation, but no matter what I thought about, it always ran back to this man on top of me.
Leaning down, he sucked my bottom lip into my mouth. I started to cringe, but then realized as pleasure started to swirl in my brain, that this felt even better than when I did it with the lycan. Not that I was gonna grasp onto him and pant like some dog in heat, but I did close my eyes as his skilled tongue pushed apart my lips. Sucking in a breath, my body moved on its own, hips flying up, to meet contact with Robin's hips.
Flushing deeply as I could feel him grin as we kissed. Well- technically, he kissed me and I let him. I wasn't sure why I was letting-Oh god-
His tongue plunged into my mouth, coating mine with pleasure. He sucked down on my tongue and nibbled at the tip. Against my will, I shuddered deeply into him, panting slightly. I could feel him smiling again as he spread my legs apart so he could get in between the clothed legs. He situated himself pressing right up against me.
"Oh, I see." He mumbled against my lips with a grin.
"W-what?" I panted, slightly perturbed that he'd stopped kissing me, in the middle of my shivers.
"It looks as if you do like this." He told me, his fingers ghosting over the large lump under my pants. Taking a a shuddering breath, I moaned softly.
Flushing deeply, I grumbled something and grasped at the back of his curls, tugging him back down unable to stand it anymore. Kissing him back proved to be the best and worst mistake of my life…
XX
Two hours later, we were at our third round, because once isn't just enough for Goodfellow. Hell no.
Kissing my shoulder, he pulled me forward, my whole body slippery with sweat and my morale beaten. "Good god, you perverted little pan. I'm tired. Let me go to sleep…."
"This is the first time I'm allowed to touch you. Now that I am, I'm afraid I won't be able to stop…" Robin grinned down at me, still sending shivers down my spine as he picked up my hips.
"Robin, I don-" I was cut off with a moan as his tongue angled down my length, getting me aroused yet again. Swallowing my protest, whatever it was, I lay back against the bed, helpless to his torturing and torments. I panted and called his name, trying to get him to stop.
"Never in my years have I tasted… something so… interesting. Half human, half sinful. Intoxicating." He muttered, closing his mouth around the head, making my body jerk with a loud moan on the bed. Pleasure flushed my skin and made my brain shut off to anything except the shivers up and down my body.
"You… s-say that to… everyone!" My hips trusted up as he tongued the slit, his fingers dancing over the shaft, slicking it was my sweat and juices.
"That being true, I do say complements to every bedded person, but you are wrong," Goodfellow remarked, pulling back from me, letting me breathe. My length pounded with need now that he wasn't tending to it. Instead he slithered his way up the bed to cup my face in his hands, "You are wrong. You are the only one that's tasted… this… Sinful. This tasty."
Pushing his lips to mine, I gladly welcomed the pleasure that he'd been delivering to me, pushing our bodies closer together, his fingers trailing down and satisfying the pounding need.
XX
Looking down at the sleeping legend, I found myself frowning, bitter. My body had betrayed me, my mind… But it was Goodfellow who had really let me down…
"I never noticed, until I focused on everything you did, you said, you lit the fuse inside my head…" I spat out bitterly, pulling on the jeans that he'd discarded off of me.
Thank you for reminding me
Of why I'm sick inside
Thank you for the venom, did
You think it would paralyze?
These scars I scratch, I tear
Are there under my skin
Where you've always been
Thank you for reminding me,
To sin with a grin