middaeg | spark a fight in the dark

[ His breathing’s already labored by the time he stumbles into the mouth of the dirty, wide alleyway, shoulder scraping the wall of the nearest building when he slumps heavily against it. Stitched fingers grasp at his glasses, dragging them off his face as his other hand tightens its grip on the front of his shirt – just over his heart.

It’s beating far too fast and has been for several minutes now, unable to identify the cause and uncaring beyond a healthy respect for the possible consequences of his own excitement. Kill… He wants to kill.

No. Not want.

Need.

Glasses are tucked into his pocket as his arm lifts to wipe sweat from a high brow, unfortunately too distracted to wisely watch his back. ]

[ Time is measured now only in the steady, deafening beats of his own heart. Above that he can hear little else, certainly not the voice in his head warning him to stop, and it’s with clothes splattered with blood and wielding a simple craftsman’s clawhammer dripping with the same red that he rounds the corner into a small empty plaza.

Well. Almost empty.

He’s not seeking another victim but when he spots the fae heading in his direction there’s not even a moment’s deliberation in his mind. ]

You. Where are you heading in such a big hurry, huh? [ The low voice is muffled through a bizarre mask that covers the entirety of his head, styled in a realistic depiction of a human heart. ]

[ His breathing is laborious and rough when his victim’s body hits the ground with a wet slap, stitched fingers tightening their grip on a hammer that contributes to the mess beneath him with a steady drip drip drip. It’s enough that he almost doesn’t notice the new presence at his back, shoulders hunched and head lowered… before slowly he turns, blue eyes piercing through the jagged holes cut into that red mask. ]

Who the hell are you, huh? You’re not supposed to die today… he wasn’t supposed to die today, so why do you guys get in my way?!

[ The words are inconsistent with what lies at his feet, Jongdae’s blood staining his white sneakers as his gaze fixates on Sylvia. ]

[ the scene in front of her is terrifying. a man with a horrifying mask with an equally horrifying, bloodied weapon stands before her. his eyes sure are piercing, and his gaze is searing. yet, she doesn't feel fear. no, she feels pure, unadulterated fury. rage bubbles to the surface as she looks straight at him, jongdae's body lingering in her peripheral vision -- and her expression is completely blank. ]

...His name is Jongdae.

[ her roommate. her friend. if she were fully herself and not uninhibited (and a puca), she would have been angry but her intent would've been to apprehend this guy and take him to the authorities. that is not the case tonight, and all she can feel is the need to kill. it burns almost as badly as shin's own desire, and wordlessly, without warning, her legs propel her off the ground as she makes a mad dash towards him.

his blood will be spilled. ]

[ jongdae cleared out at the first sign that something was wrong. he isn't expecting to feel the awful, painful hunger pangs so soon after the last time and he's in the absolute worst place to start looking at people as a potential food source.

eventually he runs, although he has no idea where to go to avoid people. it's quieter where he ends up so he assumes he's safe for the moment and can take a few minutes to breathe and get his head on straight. what is with him?

unfortunately, his senses are more attuned to things than he realises and the awareness that there's someone close and that he should get away again hits him too late to stop himself. why would he want to stop anyway? this is clearly what he really wants, even if he's never admitted it to himself.

his face changes, growing more monstrous as he moves to attack with an inhuman speed. if he was more coordinated he might be considerably more dangerous, but he's just a desperate, starved creature. not even a full vampire — just a sickly imitation of one — lacking even the good sense to not try and attack someone almost a whole foot taller than him. but it's fine.. he's not even that picky. he'll settle for wherever he can manage to sink his fangs in. ]

...

[You don't survive to the final round of a magical death tournament by being unable to identify when somebody is incredibly dangerous. Even if she ignored the blood spatter—which she most certainly is not—and the anatomically accurate mask, even if she gave the hammer the benefit of the doubt, there's a set to his shoulders and a slinking saunter to his stride that screams at her, that grips and shakes at the tiny, desperate little animal in the pit of her hind brain and says—

You need to r u n.

On the outside, though, she merely blinks up at him with large, doll-like eyes and a calm expression. Her wings are very still behind her, and she casually eases her weight onto her back foot.]

Errands. We're all out of little trash bags.

[And she has a puppy to walk in the morning, provided she gets the hell away from what is clearly a serial killer, at least.]

[ What rolls off of him in response to that wall of rage isn't an anger to match it. It's something else, intensely powerful and slamming against her fury in a tangle of tension between them. Mania. The sheer desire to add to the pool of red mixing with the garbage of the alleyway beneath his feet.

The heel of his shoe scrapes the mess of blood and grease and grime onto the wall of the nearest building when her stance lowers, eyes fixed unblinkingly on her... and sure enough, she darts forward. ]

Fine, you can join him! [ He kicks off the ground as he runs forward to meet her, that hammer already raised for an offensive swing at her torso. ]

[ Fingertips graze a ridged dark red mask shoved away into his pocket, hidden and kept secret, and it's like a jolt of electricity up his spine. Later he might be able to make the case that it's Jongdae who began the fight and without his influence – his attack – Shin wouldn't have been forced to act in self-defense. He could say his intentions were otherwise peaceful even if on the edge.

But in reality he makes the decision to kill the second he feels that mask, a moment before he even senses a presence behind himself.

His hand immediately drops from his chest to grab for the hammer hooked onto one of his belt loops, wrenching it free only an instant before he feels weight on his back. The nature of the attack isn't one he tries to guess – a bullet to the brain? a blade to the spine? he'd never get around to teeth to the throat, honestly – when what matters more is striking back and hopefully preventing it. Which is why the curved metal claws of that hammer are thrust back in an underhanded grip, on target to embed themselves into Jongdae's thigh unless he moves. ]

Do you have a fucking death wish?!

[ There’s a new weight to his shuffle, sporting injuries indeterminate thanks to a generous splattering of blood coating his clothing from an unknown number of sources. He’s not tired but his bloodlust is slowly beginning to wane… too slowly if the way his heart rate picks up upon seeing a pleasant, flower-laden Enkidu is any indication. Ten more minutes… it’s likely all he needed.

Ten more minutes and perhaps he would’ve been calm. ]

So why are you out here asking for it?! [ His final thought erupts from him as he solidifies his grip on his claw hammer, wandering gait redirected towards Enkidu with new purpose. ]

One by one you guys keep lining up… What do you want, huh?

[ she looks at the hammer, watching his swing carefully. he's going for the torso, and sylvia lunges out of the way. she ducks beneath the manner before rising back up with a kick, aiming for his stomach.

she's a puca -- her legs are strong. it's what she'll be relying on for most of this fight, given that she's got her gauntlets in her bag with no time to reach for them.

hopefully she won't be joining jongdae anytime soon. ]

[Enkidu is carrying a small box with saplings and the sun is finally starting to set. They still haven't bonded and Gil is still gone.

When they hear a voice nearby they move to stand still, gazing at the person who approaches them.]

Asking for what? I cannot remember I have asked you a question.

[The words from his mouth confuses them a little.]

Worry not, I do not want anything.

[ well.. jongdae could never say he didn't deserve it. as a matter of fact, he doesn't move, the desire for blood winning out over anything else. that makes the feeling of his fangs just grazing his target so much more frustrating as his grip gives out, certainly not oblivious to the moment when the metal claws find his leg.

when he hits the ground again, a fresh stab of pain makes him stumble against the wall and he presses his hand against the wound, coming away bloody. there's a moment or two when he sees it and comes back to himself, what's left of his humanity aware that the blood is his own. what is he doing? what is happening right now?!

it's only for an instant as shin gets only a low growl in answer to his question — jongdae's lingering humanity doesn't count for much in the face of things like lunar eclipses and rogue magic. he clearly has no concern for the danger, even now when he no longer has the element of surprise, lunging again with his fangs bared. not much at this point would deter him from trying to satisfy his needs.. ]

[ Memories of complaining at Noi for her choices in buying the same items come back to him in a way that might be sobering if not for the fact that those recollections are also drenched in blood and violence. How often does he send her out for trash bags? How often does she choose the wrong brand, resulting in a fucking mess when they tear and the remnants of those he's attacked come spilling out? He almost laughs, holding it back to instead size her up. ]

You needed them this late? Sounds like you only have your own poor planning to blame for whatever happens to you...

Should I be merciful and let you make your peace first? Hurry up, I can't wait long. [ Fingers squeeze at that hammer as he continues his slow approach, only slowing once he's effectively upon her and has blocked the easiest exit with the six and a half foot hurdle that is his own body. ]

[ He may have speed of his own but the force he puts behind that swing combined with her impressive reaction time has him unable to get away from the retaliation in time, taking the full impact of that foot right to his abdomen. Muscles tense to welcome that hit and absorb what he can, shoes actually sliding on gravel when he's pushed back after a refusal to allow any give.

It's like kicking a steel drum. ]

Hoh... So you've got some fight in you. Then bring it on! I'll rip you to shreds! [ It's as if he doesn't feel any pain from the impact at all, seemingly unwinded as he again lunges forward with a feint to the right and then a wild low spin kick from the left. ]

If you didn't want anything then maybe you shouldn't have crossed paths with me. Now it's too late for both of us. [ He goes still suddenly after a ragged inhale, chin lifting with the ornate designs of that grotesque mask hiding all features save for unblinking blue eyes. ]

You hear that? [ It's faint but audible: a steady thump-thump that drums in the space between them. A heartbeat. ]

Wrong place... wrong time! [ He darts forward suddenly, sneakers thundering against cobblestone as he rushes at him with that hammer raised for a fast downward swing at his shoulder. ]

[The look on Enkidu's face is completely neutral while they listen to his words. They also blink a couple of times.]

Ah.

[Finally they shake their head.]

You are speaking nonsense. Perhaps it is better...

[They stop speaking when they hear something that sounds like a heartbeat. This human...or well...creature...seems rather serious. Right before the other starts to rush at them they put their plants down, realizing they have nothing on them that could possibly counter a hammer.

So they take a couple of steps back, frowning deeply now. Normally this would've been easy for them. They were made for battle. Yet, they are not made to be a witch. Right before the hammer hits their shoulder they manage to turn away just enough to avoid the blow by a few inches.]

[ what he says should frighten her, but she's too honed in on tearing him to shreds that the fight in him doesn't quite register just yet. everything is amplified -- she's extremely aware of what's happening, including the low spin kick. she jumps over it just on time and goes for a side kick. it's a little higher than the last one. she grits her teeth. ]

Why?! Why Jongdae?!

Pets go through them quick.

[Her eyes are dark to begin with—the overall nature of Fae eyes means that there's very little white to give her away as her gaze darts around, cataloguing routes and possible roadblocks. And that would normally be an advantage, except the two of them very clearly know that she's going to try and run, because only an idiot wouldn't see where this is headed. He's barely skirting the edge of being euphemistic as is.]

I'm not really the 'make your peace' type. I've always been the type... how to put it?

[A gentle shrug. And then—]

...the type that clings to life no matter what.

[She turns tail and bolts.]

spark a fight in the dark

closed to Jongdae

closed to Hakuno

closed to Sylvia

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closed to Enkidu

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is he wearing his mask?

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it's mask time, BABY

awww yeaaa

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