|
Finley had run for a while. Thankfully they had run wildly enough that tracking them is fairly easily--skidded footprints here, knocked over trashcans there. Eventually Calamity ends up tracking zhem to an abandoned building, where the door has been... ripped off it's hinges, pretty much. Inside... it's very, very dark.
Rapid heartbeats approach the building, and there's the sound of someone running. Staggering to a halt, and then a small form is silhouetted in the doorway. "Fin -" Calamity's voice rasps out, their breaths loud and wheezing.
Calamity's voice is only met with silence, at first. Then, from the deepest shadows of the room in the corner... "Please... go away..." zhe mutters, voice soft, ragged and strained.
"...No." They take a few tentative steps into the building. "Can I...open my lighter? 'S that too much fire?" Their voice is quiet, rough.
"No--please, no," Finley gasps out, somewhere between a growl and a sob.
After a second or two, a bit of light flickers on from Finley's phone. They set it aside on the ground. They're tucked up into the corner of the room, legs pulled tightly to their chest. Zher eyes reflect the light of the phone like an animal's, and zher fangs are still very much visible against their Prettyed lips.
"...Fin..." Calamity's voice cracks, and they stumble over to zhem. The blue light of the phone reflects the tears starting to build in their eyes. "I -" They pause, like they don't know what to say.
"Don't get too close--Calamity, please don't," zhe whimpers, head hanging to try to hide the hungry scowl behind their long bangs and knees, hugging them closer. "I don't want to hurt you..."
"'M fine, seriously..." They finish the sentence with a cough and a grimace., and take another few steps. "Worn out, but...whatever. You...you did fuckin amazing shit, back there."
Finley doesn't immediately reply. Zher head buries into zher knees, starting to rock back and forth a bit.
"...I was so worried," zhe mumble-whimpers out softly. "I'm so glad you're okay..."
Calamity doesn't speak until they're standing over the Kindred. "Can...I hug you?"
"You shouldn't. Your... heartbeat... I can hear it..." Zhe murmurs softly, sounding almost delirious with hunger.
"I spent who the fuck knows how long in a cage and I can't even hug my best friend?" There's a little bit of venom to Calamity's voice, but they mostly sound...sad. And exhausted.
"Missed you so fucking much, I...figured there's no way you were gonna be able to find me..."
Zhe whinces at the trace of venom, hugging zher legs tighter. "I... I couldn've done it without the Mages... They did... all the work. I just... was able to tag along. I... I just wanted to make sure you got out..."
"No but you - you made us all invisible. We never would'a been able to do what we did without that." Calamity puts a hand on zher knee.
Zhe's quiet for a few seconds, before zher hand shifts to rest over top their's, lightly. Zher skin is cold--colder than Calamity has likely ever felt zher skin be before. "I... guess you're right... M'...glad you didn't get hurt..."
At the touch, Calamity turns to wrap Fin in a tight hug. "'Re you okay?" They whisper, their breathing suddenly a little shaky.
"I'll be fine," zher voice pitches, turning more strained as Calamity hugs zhem. "I just... need blood... an' I'll be... fine..." Zher head turns slowly towards Calamity's shoulder before zhe whimpers and shoves Calamity away.
Calamity falls over at the shove, and looks at Finley, clearly surprised and a little hurt. And then a rush of fire erupts around their feet, spreading outward. "Fuck - what the fuck -" Calamity stares at their hands in horror, then at the fire. "Fin I didn't - I didn't mean to - I -" They wave their hands, trying to do something, anything to put it out.
But the fire just dances around them.
As the flame flares forward and licks over Finley's feet and legs, zher clothes scorch but their skin it... it just fucking ashes away when the flames lick over it.
Finley lets out a scream of pain and terror that sounds like a creature more than a person. Zher eyes are wide, fangs sharp and protruding. Zhe scrambles up to zher feet, a caged animal in blind fear--and ducks to the side to run around Calamity, sticking to the edges of the room, to try to get to the door and dart out of it.
"Fin!" It's a broken sob, but Calamity don't try to stop zhem. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry I - I dunno what's happening..." They're crying properly, wheezing and sniffling as they try to breathe.
Finley doesn't seem to hear them. Or even comprehend that they are speaking. Zhe just runs out of the house and into the night, away from the fire that is probably catching on the floorboard of the abandoned house...
...Zher phone is still on the floor, though.
Calamity takes just a second to grab Finley's phone before they sprint in the same direction. "Fin wait - wait I'm sorry, I didn't mean - I don't wanna hurt you! I don't!"
Though Calamity calls out to zhem, Finley still doesn't seem to hear it. Zhe's running oddly, zher legs burnt, but the power of frenzy is making them run fast still--darting in and around buildings, trying to get anywhere so long as its away.
"Fin wait - stop please, you got away you don't have'ta keep runnin' -" Calamity's still wheezing out breaths, but they reach out to try to catch zher sleeve.
"Please -" Calamity stumbles to a stop when they fail to catch Finley's sleeve. "You're safe. 'M not gonna hurt you, I'm - I'm sorry." They're gasping and sniffling, and shaking where they stand.
Finley keeps running, dancing away from them, until zher foot catches on something and zhe goes... stumbling down, hitting the ground hard. Zhe turns, rolling onto zher back and roars up at Calamity, flashing fang, wild-eyed.
But then zhe quiets, staring up at Calamity. It's... slow. But there seems to be some intelligence entering back into zher gaze. Not just the wild animal.
Calamity squeaks out a yelp, stumbling backwards as they put their hands up to try to protect themself from Finley's rage. There's a few long seconds of silence, and they slowly bring their arms down. Tears have made tracks down their dirty cheeks and they quickly wipe their nose on their sweatshirt sleeve, smearing more grime across their face, and take a tentative step forward.
"...Fin?"
Zhe blinks slowly, looking dazed as the frenzy fades. Then zhe lets out a whimper of fear, crawling backwards away from them. "P-please... leave me alone..."
"Wanna help. Don't - you don't gotta be scared of me, I just...wanna help." They swing their right arm, almost holding their wrist out to zhem before they reconsider.
The offered out hand makes zhem flinch, crawling back further. "Leave... me... ALONE!" Finley screams out this time, zher resolve snapping. "DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND!? I COULD KILL YOU!"
Calamity whimpers in fear, and sinks to the ground. "...You need help and I can help."
No tears fall, but Finley lets out a broken sob, rolling onto zher side and curling up into a tight ball. "If you... want to help me... call someone... I need to hunt. I need... but I don't... I don't wanna kill anyone..."
"Can - you can stop, can't you? An' take just a little bit?" Calamity reaches out a tentative hand to rest on zher shoulder. "'Nuff to feel better, but not to kill me?"
The touch makes zhem flinch away in fear, curling up tighter. "...If I loose control, will you use your fire to make me run away again?"
"...I'll try." Their voice is very quiet. "I didn't - in that building, it wasn't on purpose."
Zher head lifts a little to look up at them, eyes dark and desperate. Then zhe's pushing up to zher knees and crawling towards Calamity, grabbing for their arm.
Calamity takes a breath, swallows, and wraps their arms around Finley, instead. Taking the comfort they so desperately need right now, danger be damned. They're trembling, their heart racing, and they cling to the Kindred like they'll fall apart if they pull away.
Finley wraps zher arms around them in return, their grip almost crushing. There's no hesitation, their hunger too great--the fangs sink deeply into Calamity's neck. It's not gentle--but thankfully not brutal enough to counteract the Kiss. They feel nothing but bliss as Finley... drinks deep...
There's a quiet whine, and Calamity shudders in Finley's arms, tears starting to stream down their cheeks again. Their wheezing breaths get shallow, and they start to sag against the Kindred as they drink. Heart fluttering, they squeeze Finley tighter, holding on for dear life as the pleasure overwhelms their fear and worry.
Finley doesn't heal any of the wounds, but once the hunger is gone it's... easier to think. Easier to focus on Calamity's heartbeat as it slows and flutters. Zhe whimpers, then pulls back with a gasp, quickly licking over the bite wound to close it before Calamity can loose anymore blood.
Then Finley just... crumples against them, trembling and clinging desperately.
Calamity whimpers when Finley stops feeding, and digs their fingers into zher back to keep zhem from pulling away. Weak as they are, it doesn't do much. And then they can't stop the tears from falling, and they drop their head onto the Kindred's shoulder as heaving sobs shake their body.
There's still not tears that fall, zher body not alive enough for things like that--but if they were Blushed, there's no doubt Finley would be sobbing. Pain mingling with relief. Zhe clings back to Calamity and presses zher face into their neck in return, letting them cry while zhe lets out their own whimpers and trembling shudders. Finding comfort with each other while they both break down.
"I thought - yinz'd all just think I got picked up're somethin', I - didn't think anyone'd be able to find me -" They've calmed down just enough to try to talk between sobs, and it comes out garbled and muffled by Finley's shoulder.
"I'd... never give up lookin' for you," Finley mumbles softly. "Never ever. M-me an'... and Rena figured out you'd been... taken... And we found the Mages and they helped cause they have lots of... of magic and stuff..."
That makes Calamity dissolve into tears again for a bit. "I -" they sniffle, finally. "I think I tried to text the guys, right 'fore I went underground. Dropped my other phone, people're prob'ly real fuckin' mad I haven't answered 'em..."
"We went and talked to them," Finley confirms with a tiny nod, then nuzzles into their shoulder. "I saw the picture. It had the cemetery sign and--and I saw the burrow... we were so scared..."
"Don' even remember taking a picture - you went an' talked to 'em?" Calamity pulls back a little, frowning in concern as they look at Finley. Their face is so pale, under the dirt...
Finley nods, frowning at them. "Mm... You didn't show up to the park. We were worried, so Rena took us to your place..." A beat pause. "They're worried about you too..."
"You went to -?" Calamity shrinks into themself a little bit, unwrapping their arms from Finley. "Didn't ever wanna show you were I'm stayin', you don't need to see that..."
"...I'm sorry..." Finley whispers, but is not letting go--sorry Calamity. They remain firmly held against zhem. "It's okay. I'm not... judging you... For living there. It's okay." Zhe nuzzles into their shoulder again. "But please... please stay with me tonight. Please..." zhe begs, voice breaking. "Don't leave..."
"'M not goin' anywhere that's not with you. Can't make me." Calamity offers Fin a watery smile and they press a gentle kiss against zher cheek. "Thank you. For fuckin'...rescuing me. 'S some fantasy, knight in shining armor shit."
Finley stares at Calamity for a moment, looking sheepish suddenly at the comments. "...Couldn't'a done it without Fox... And... you were... r-really amazing. With the fire. I couldn't... watch but I know it was amazing..." Zhe stares at them for a moment, then leans in suddenly for the barest of brushes of zher lips against Calamity's, gentle and brief. "B-but you're welcome," zhe murmurs after, head dipping.
Calamity's face is turning greyish as the blood loss really sets in, but a smile flits across their face as they blink. "No you're amazing." There's a beat, where they look like they wanna do...something, but in the end they just sit back a little, swaying. "We should...I wanna go home." Their voice cracks.
Finley frowns at Calamity sways, guilt flitting over zher face. "...I took too much. I'm sorry... We'll go home," zhe promises, pushing to their feet. "I'm gonna get a Lyft, then you should call or text Rena and tell her that you're okay. She's really, really worried..."
Finley does, in fact, get a Lyft for a place nearby, then offers Calamity zher phone. And after a beat pause, turns around and crouches, as if... offering a piggy back ride?
Calamity goes to scramble to their feet and sways on the spot, holding out a hand to brace against the Kindred. "I'll text her in the car..." Their voice is faint, and they kinda sag against Finley when zhe turns around, draping their arms over zher shoulders.
Finley isn't very graceful, but thanks to Vigor they don't have much trouble carrying Calamity piggy back style. And off they go, to where they can meet the car without it being... too suspicious. Then Finley is getting Calamity in and off they go, to Finley's home. Probably going to be expensive as fuck, but Finley doesn't seem to care.
There's probably only so much suspicion that can be alleviated - between the blood loss, the bits of gore stuck to the both of them, and the reek of burning that surrounds Calamity...
Calamity relaxes into sleep on Finley's shoulder a few minutes into the ride, wheezing out slightly labored breaths. They twitch occasionally, frowning at whatever dream they're having.
Finley doesn't wake Calamity up through the long drive, just frowning worriedly at them, arms wrapping around them to hold for a while, rubbing their back. They only pull back at one point to send some texts.
Once home, Finley is going to insist Calamity eat something and drink lots of water. Then draw them a relaxing bath. There's a lot of fretful pampering, but once Calamity is fed, hydrated, and clean (Finley lets Calamity borrow some clothes), there's going to be a lot of clingy cuddling.
Calamity protests the pampering, insisting they're fine. Which at this point, they're clearly not. They nearly nod off in the bath, and once they're in clean clothes, they kinda just...stand around until Finley pulls them in a direction.
The cuddles are returned, though Calamity is out almost immediately. But they do so with an arm around Finley, holding them close.
|