[Noah St Cloud]

[nospaces]

[break][break][break]

[attr="class","NoahLpostlyric"]Looking at you from the end of a leash[break]
It’s a little better, it’s a little better[break]

[break]

[attr="class","NoahLpostingbox"][break]

(cw: references to blood + the act of giving stitches but not hugely in-depth, dark themes)[break][break]

The garage doors had barely begun to close when Noah leapt from his car, dashing straight for the rubber shower sheets under his shelves of cleaning products.[break][break]

Arguably he was wasting time, but if he were being honest he’d rather not get blood on his couch and, well, if she did die, it would be much easier to wrap her up and minimise mess if she were already laying on a ‘tarp’.[break][break]

He fumbled to unlock the door to the rest of his house, swearing under his breath until at last he was able to fling it open. From there he ran straight to his lounge, uncaring that evidence from the forest clung to his shoes, and he covered the couch with the shower curtain before retrieving his first aid kit from the kitchen and depositing it beside the intended ‘operating table’. With the space prepped to the best of his ability, he raced back to the car and wrenched the passenger door open.[break][break]

He froze, gripping the frame. She looked awful. The grey sweater he’d given her was so saturated it almost appeared black. Had he been too slow? A couple of times on the journey he thought he’d lost her. Maybe they hadn’t been moments of paranoia; maybe she truly was gone.[break][break]

The slight rise and fall of her chest indicated otherwise. A shaky (relieved and disbelieving) laugh slipped out of him.[break][break]

“Come on, tiger,” he breathed, springing into action once more. He leant over to unclick her seatbelt before sliding her out and lifting her up as he had in the forest. “We’re so close. Don’t die on me now.”[break][break]

Once she was on the couch, he washed his hands and carefully sterilised her wound. Nerves and excitement fluttered in his gut as he reached for a needle and thread. He'd practiced, since Dane. He’d even bought some suture practice kits – those silicone ones med students were supposed to use but were usually substituted with bananas or other fruit. He'd sewn both real and fake flesh back together and he knew he ought to be calm, but the stakes were higher this time. He very much needed this to go well. [break][break]

Occasionally his patient twitched, her brow puckered as she whimpered or groaned. The relish he would have derived from her pain was tainted by knowing she wasn’t fully conscious to experience it, and overshadowed by the potential that she could still die. So he murmured assurances to her while he worked, hoping that – even if it was subconsciously – she would latch onto them and find the willpower to keep living.[break][break]

Her gift slipped out of his possession and back into hers halfway through, yet thankfully no thorny vines came his way. When he was done, he sat back to study his work. The stitches were pretty good. Far more professional than the ones he’d given Dane, but still not quite to the standard of Esha’s experienced hands. Noah was proud of himself all the same and allowed himself a small grin, a private moment to feel smug.[break][break]

In the hour that followed, he alternated between sitting rigidly on the couch opposite and pacing around the room. The girl kept breathing. Kept living. But it seemed she was out for the count.[break][break]

He couldn’t sit there and watch her forever. The rubber sheet had done its job, but the hallway and his car needed cleaning, and he didn’t feel confident leaving her where she was while he was preoccupied with those tasks. If she woke and decided to escape out of a window, who knew how long it would take for him to notice? With this at the forefront of his mind, he took off her shoes and carefully picked her up again.[break][break]

Obviously he couldn’t have her sleeping in his room. And the guest room he might have shepherded others into if they absolutely had to stay with him was too close to the stairs for his liking and couldn’t be locked from the outside, leaving the room next to his own as the only real option. He brought her to it and tucked her into the bed, and while he cringed upon laying her in the nice fresh sheets (she was unclean – blood and sweat and dirt could do that to a person), he couldn’t exactly bathe her. He would have to suck it up and add laundry to his list of chores.[break][break]

He decided not to bind her to the bed either. It felt like a risk, however he recognised he would need to convince her to keep quiet about the whole ordeal at some point. Chaining her up didn’t seem like the best way to earn trust. Then again, hunting her down in the woods and cutting her open probably wasn’t a great one either.[break][break]

He sighed after he'd locked her in, running a hand through his hair. He’d keep his ears pricked for any noise that might indicate she was awake, but in the meantime, he had a car and a home to clean.[break][break]

---

[break][break]

OOC: woop woop part 2! I have a dev thread about his home here if you’d like a reference for the layout/colour scheme etc at any point c: Sorry this is a little long and rambly again!


[break][break]

[attr="class","NoahLPostTag"]Tag: Seth Perry

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[Seth Perry]

Isn't it strange that a gift could be an enemy?
Isn't it weird that a privilege could feel like a chore?

---

Seth opened her eyes, her vision was blurred and she was feeling like her limbs were too heavy. It took considerable effort to lift her hand to rub her eyes, attempting to clear her eyes. It didn’t help much, the room was still unfocused, but it was a slight improvement. She looked at her fingers, covered in dirt and now dried blood. She was absolutely filthy, and every part of her body hurt. Her side was the worst of it, and moving was agony.

The bed she was laying in felt comfortable against her sore muscles. She wanted to melt into the mattress, stay there and just forget about everything. Instead, she forced herself to sit up. She had no idea where he had brought her. It didn’t seem like a hotel, but she couldn’t be certain. The window showed a darkened sky, and she wasn’t sure if it was close to nightfall or if there was a storm rolling in. The room had long shadows over already dark walls. It felt rustic, unfinished. Was that intentional?

A groan escaped her lips with the effort of sitting up. That hurt. A lot. She looked down at the wound in her side - now stitched up. The last thing she could distinctly remember was the man, she was sure he’d said his name was Noah as she was fading out, carrying her through the forest. There were bits of blurry memory after that filtering through. A hazy face - his, standing over her, the sharp pain of a needle piercing the already tender flesh, eyes fluttering open then closing almost immediately. She remembered he’d been talking, but couldn’t remember anything that he’d said at all.

She had no idea how long she’d been asleep, but she was still dog tired. She was also extremely thirsty, and her throat felt raw. Maybe from screaming or dehydration, likely a combination of both. ”Ouch..” She let out a pained whisper as she pushed herself to her feet. She was unsteady and lightheaded. She still felt cold, but she wasn’t sure if that was a result of blood loss, or if there was air conditioning making her feel chilled after so long staying outside in the summer heat.

Each step was a contest of willpower. Seth slowly made her way through the room. Plush, light colored carpet contrasted dark walls and rough woodwork furniture. She could see that she’d made the sheets a mess with blood and dirt, but she couldn’t bring herself to feel guilty.

By the time she got to the door, Seth was out of energy. She put her hand on the handle, but it was locked. Confusion crossed her face as she looked for a latch or button. She didn’t see one on this side. She tried one more time, wondering if she’d just turned it wrong, but it didn’t budge.

”Damn it.” She leaned against the wall, her strength gone. The bed was too far to make it back. She slid down to the ground, landing with a soft thump and another groan of pain.

---

Noah St Cloud
Let me know for changes or if I got room details wrong.

[Noah St Cloud]

[nospaces]

[break][break][break]

[attr="class","NoahLpostlyric"]Looking at you from the end of a leash[break]
It’s a little better, it’s a little better[break]

[break]

[attr="class","NoahLpostingbox"][break]

Thump.[break][break]

Noah froze from where he’d been rearranging the pillows on his couch (now sheet-free). The thump was soft, barely audible, but his home was too silent for it to go unnoticed; no music nor TV played in the background, no road was near enough or busy enough to make passing cars a frequent disturbance there. His gaze flicked upwards toward the source.[break][break]

Quite some time had passed since he’d locked the girl upstairs. A stolen princess in her tower. He’d cleaned everything up (removed all traces of the morning and rewarded himself with a nice warm shower and a change of clothes) and half-expected her to sleep through to the next day. Undoubtedly, he was glad she hadn’t. He would have been tense all night, sleep eluding him even more than it usually did while his ears strained to pick up any little indication that she was awake and planning a counterattack.[break][break]

He made his way into the kitchen, filled a glass with water and looked through the various pill bottles in his first aid kit. There were things he could give her that would make her drowsy. More… amenable. But he needed her silence. Her loyalty. Drug-induced compliancy was all well and good, but if he was going to release her back to civilisation, he needed to be sure she wouldn’t turn to the authorities the moment she’d sobered up.[break][break]

He picked out two aspirin pills. It was a shame he didn’t know more about her. The bluff he’d used on Tawny had worked pretty well; perhaps if the girl revealed enough about her family then he could threaten their lives and avoid the time-consuming act of building trust.[break][break]

Alas, for the time being he didn’t even know her name, let alone anything he could blackmail her with. [break][break]

With his peace offerings in hand Noah climbed upstairs and turned towards the room he’d placed her in. Was that a shadow under the door? Had she moved from the bed? Damnit – was she getting muck on his carpet?[break][break]

“Hello?” he called softly. It was a courtesy, intended to reveal his presence rather than to receive a reply, and he somewhat regretted it as he approached the door. If she somehow blasted it off its hinges and came out guns blazing, there wasn’t really anywhere he could dive for cover – unless he decided to jump over the banister and fall down the stairs.[break][break]

Thankfully he reached the door without incident. Once there he spoke again, keeping his tone soft while also injecting as much sincerity into it as possible[break][break]

“Hey there… I know this must be confusing and you’re probably scared right now, but… please believe me – you’re safe here.” The goal was to make himself seem non-threatening; whatever it took to soothe the tension between them and keep her quiet. A difficult (arguably impossible) feat, considering that a few hours ago he had her pinned to the forest floor with a knife sawing into her side. “I’m sorry for locking you in there, I’m sure that wasn’t very reassuring to discover, but it was for your own safety as much as mine. I was hoping it would stop you from panicking again and reopening your stitches.” He paused. “And of course, I was hoping it would stop you from attacking me again, too.”[break][break]

He took a breath. “I’m sorry for hurting you.” He was not. “There was a misunderstanding and I took it too far.” There was not. He did not. “I have painkillers and some water here. If I open this door, can you promise not to attack me so I can give them to you, please?”



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[attr="class","NoahLPostTag"]Tag: Seth Perry

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[googlefont=Mr Dafoe:400|Roboto:400,400i,700]

[Seth Perry]

Isn't it strange that a gift could be an enemy?
Isn't it weird that a privilege could feel like a chore?

---

From her spot propped against the wall, sitting on the plush carpet that was just so soft, she could hear movement below her. She was upstairs. She glanced around the room again, tired eyes skimming over the minimal decorations, the bed… Was this his house?

The sound of footsteps on a staircase made Seth’s heart race with panic. She was exhausted. She was sore. What if he had changed his mind and he wanted to finish her off after all? That wouldn’t make sense. She was almost certain he’d been the one to stitch her up. He’d brought her here. If he wanted her to die, he would have just left her in the forest… right? Unless he was worried about getting caught.

Nothing made sense right now. Her mind was racing, trying to fit the puzzle neatly together and figure out what was happening. She tried to push herself off from the wall, to get back up to her feet before the footsteps reached the door. It was no use. The effort made her head spin and her eyelids flutter. She gave up, and leaned her head against the wall. Whatever he wanted to do to her, it didn’t matter now.

She heard the footsteps stop, and then his voice came from the other side of the door. It was the same man from the forest, Noah. She wasn’t sure if she would ever be able to get his voice out of her head now. She didn’t answer his hello. She just did her best to scoot slightly further back from the door. The pain from movement made her let out a sharp gasp, and she stopped. It wasn’t worth it to get a few more inches of space. What difference would that make in the long run?

He started talking again, and Seth focused on what he was saying to her. He claimed she was safe, that he’d locked her in for both their safety. Her mind was reeling, trying to process that he was concerned for her stitches reopening, concerned that she’d attack him again. Did that mean… Seth looked down at her hands. Did she have her gift back? She tested, creating a small vine. It felt weak just like the rest of her, but it was there.

The thought of attacking him, no matter how tempting, was replaced quickly by the fear of what could happen if she failed to get past him. In her current condition, she didn’t think she would be able to make it off the soiled carpet, much less fleeing before he could retaliate. Again. And since he’d explained that it was her fault that he took her gift before, that attacking him made it possible, it wasn’t really an option to be considered.

When he said he was sorry, that he took things too far and it was a misunderstanding, Seth stared at the door. She didn’t believe his apology. No sane person would take something that far by accident. If he hadn't shown her that he was also gifted, she would have never believed that he wasn’t a hunter. He’d looked so pleased with himself. He had seemed to enjoy hurting her. Now he was sorry? No, not possible. But it wasn’t like she was in the position to call him out for it.

”I won’t attack you.” Seth promised, voice hoarse. ”It would be stupid.” She could think of several reasons why attacking him would be the wrong choice. With how weak she was, it wasn’t likely to even work in the first place. She wasn’t sure she had the spare energy to put into using her gift, even if she could figure out how to effectively get away from him. The safest play for her, the best chance to survive, was to cooperate.

Plus, the pain she was in was excruciating, so if he was really going to give her something to help dull that even in the slightest, she welcomed it. If it was a trick, so be it.

---

Noah St Cloud
She's definitely gotten muck on his carpet. Let me know for changes.

[Noah St Cloud]

[nospaces]

[break][break][break]

[attr="class","NoahLpostlyric"]Looking at you from the end of a leash[break]
It’s a little better, it’s a little better[break]

[break]

[attr="class","NoahLpostingbox"][break]

OOC: lololol he is truly aghast [break][break]

----

[break][break]

There was a moment where he thought she might refuse him entry (or not respond at all, perhaps believing there was safety in silence and pretending to be asleep), yet soon came a small voice agreeing not to attack him and he smiled slightly, resisting the knee-jerk urge to confirm out loud that yes – it would be stupid.[break][break]

“Okay,” he said instead. “I’m going to come in now.”[break][break]

He unlocked the door and pushed it open slowly, his gaze immediately drawn down to where she was slumped on the floor, leaning against the wall for support. Yep. It was as he'd feared; there was grime on his carpet. How irritating.[break][break]

Showing distaste likely wouldn’t help in building rapport with her, so he pushed these thoughts aside and kept his features arranged into something appropriately worried and sympathetic as he eased himself down to her level. It was too soon to shorten the distance between them any more than it already had been. Like she was a wild animal or a frightened child with a loaded gun, he wouldn’t make any sudden movements or attempt to touch her.[break][break]

It was difficult not to be aware of the vulnerable position he was putting himself in by being there. He had experienced first-hand the damage her gift could cause, and he was mostly trusting his own gift to be enough of a deterrent to stop her from lashing out.[break][break]

He glanced at her midsection. Covered by her top and the huge adhesive bandage he’d secured over it, he couldn’t check on his handiwork but at least it hadn’t bled through. That had to be a good sign. He leaned forward to place the water and the pills on the floor halfway between them, then moved back again, sitting sideways in the doorway with crossed legs and his spine pressed against the frame. Then, eyes downcast to his lap, he bit his lip.[break][break]

Guilt had always been difficult to mimic. It was one of those emotions Noah barely had any genuine experiences of to use as a reference. But he knew what it looked like on others, and as an adult he’d needed to pretend at it enough times that he’d practiced in the mirror. Hopefully it would be sufficiently convincing to start chipping away at her defences.[break][break]

“Listen, everything that happened earlier…” With some hesitance, he raised his remorseful gaze back up to her. “You thought I was a hunter, right? Well… I thought you were a hunter.” He gave her the smallest, sheepish smile, then winced, averting his gaze again. “It made sense to me, y’know? I thought, why else would you attack me after I hinted about gifts? So what I did, earlier – I thought I was doling out some vigilante type justice.”[break][break]

Would she buy it? Perhaps not now, but if he kept at it – kept playing nice – maybe she’d come to accept it as the truth. Come to like him enough to part ways on friendly terms. It would be a challenge, but it was a comfort to know he could simply orchestrate her death if it didn’t work out. Certainly, he’d have to keep his eyes closed while he did it, yet if he could sedate her first he probably wouldn’t even need his sight to succeed. [break][break]

“I’m Noah,” he told her. “I’m not sure if you heard me when uh…” He swallowed, as if he were physically unable to speak of her bleeding out in his arms. “Before.”[break][break]

He met her eyes, noting for the first time that they were green – like the plants she liked to grow. She truly was a real life version of Poison Ivy. Funny. “What’s your name?”




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[attr="class","NoahLPostTag"]Tag: Seth Perry

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[googlefont=Mr Dafoe:400|Roboto:400,400i,700]

[Seth Perry]

Isn't it strange that a gift could be an enemy?
Isn't it weird that a privilege could feel like a chore?

---

Seth was anxious when the door opened. She watched up from her position on the floor, noticing his gaze roam over the dirty carpet, then lower himself to also sit on the floor. She felt oddly self conscious as he looked over her. She knew she was a mess, but his eyes lingered where he’d cut her open. Was he really sorry? His face was impossible to read.

He set the glass of water and pills he’d be holding on the carpet between them. Seth waited until he was back, sitting against the doorway, before trying to move. Stretching to reach hurt almost as badly as trying to get back up had, but she managed to grab them before sitting back up herself. She glanced at the two small round pills. Aspirin. It would help. She swallowed the pills with the water, finishing the glass before setting it back down.

“Thank you.” When she looked up at him again, he did appear remorseful. Maybe it really had been a misunderstanding that was taken too far…

Seth watched him as he spoke again. It felt like he was being sincere. But, he’d thought she was a Hunter? How? She was gifted, and they hated the gifted. They killed gifted people. Were there gifted hunters? If he thought she was one, that meant there had to be, right? Jason had never mentioned that, but maybe he didn’t know. Her mind reeled with the possibilities. Maybe she’d had it wrong this whole time. She always thought other Gifted would be safe, that they wouldn’t try to hurt her.

She remained quiet, thinking about both encounters with Noah. The first one, she assumed he was a hunter immediately when he’d made a comment about her gift. But there was nothing else that indicated he had any ill-will towards her. In the woods, though, she was sure he was a hunter, that he’d tracked her down to kill her. But if he thought she was the hunter, it made sense. Sort of. She still wasn’t sure how he found her, or why he’d waited a year. But did it really matter?

When he told her his name again, she gave a small nod. “I remember that parr.” She confirmed. She leaned her head back against the wall. “My name is Seth.” She answered him, not seeing the harm. It was just her nickname, anyway.

“Hunters killed four people I care about. Well, at least two… the other two disappeared, but I’m pretty sure they’re both dead.” She decided to give him an explanation, the reason why she was so quick to think he was attacking her. “I was attacked in a different city, not long before I ran into you the first time…”

She hoped he would understand why she had been so scared of him originally. Not that it would really make much difference now. But maybe, now that he’d gotten his own revenge, they could find some truce. If he wasn’t a hunter and she wasn’t, what was the point of being enemies?

---

Noah St Cloud
Lemme know for changes.

[Noah St Cloud]

[nospaces]

[break][break][break]

[attr="class","NoahLpostlyric"]Looking at you from the end of a leash[break]
It’s a little better, it’s a little better[break]

[break]

[attr="class","NoahLpostingbox"][break]


Even if he hadn’t already known she was wounded (and hadn't been the cause), Noah would have noticed she was hurting by the way she moved. It was instinctual, like a predator picking out the weakest of the herd with just one look, and it made something within him purr with satisfaction. Justice. He’d been hurt just as much. Now she knew how it felt.[break][break]

She took the advil and drank until the glass was empty, thanking him when she was done and setting the glass back down between them. It was amusing that his elusive assailant – Seth, her name was – had manners. That she would thank him so soon after he’d put a knife to her body. He rewarded her with a slightly bigger smile, one that reached his eyes. “Hi, Seth.”[break][break]

The smile fell into a grim line, however, as she explained why she had attacked him. Hunters had killed her loved ones. Had attacked her shortly before their first meeting. By telling him, it felt a little like the tables had turned. Like she was now trying to earn his trust, which was perfect. Or perhaps something to be sceptical of. Was it a trick? Was convincing him she believed his lies intended to leave him open to attack again? [break][break]

Expression weary, he ran a hand through his hair. Holding captive (or rather, playing host to) someone he’d wronged was new territory for him. Quite confusing. His mind was too suspicious for it, expecting deception because that was what he would do in her position.[break][break]

“I’m sorry,” he told her again, a little more genuinely this time. It truly was a shame that there were two less (possibly four less) gifted in the world for him to borrow powers from. “For what it’s worth, I hope the missing two are just hiding rather than…” He trailed off, deciding it may be better not to speak of them as being dead as well. If she got upset and started crying he wasn’t sure how he was supposed to comfort her if it was still too soon to move any closer.[break][break]

Although, perhaps some emotional vulnerability would make her easier to mould in the long run… [break][break]

He shook his head at himself and continued to speak gently. “We can talk about that later, if you want. But for now, how do you feel? Are you hungry? Could I interest you in a shower?” Brows drawn together in concern, his gaze flicked to her midsection again. He licked his lips. “Or maybe a shallow bath would be easier? To avoid getting your bandage wet?”[break][break]

----

[break][break]

OOC: bleh sorry this is a mess, I just needed to post x3


[break][break]

[attr="class","NoahLPostTag"]Tag: Seth Perry

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[Seth Perry]

Isn't it strange that a gift could be an enemy?
Isn't it weird that a privilege could feel like a chore?

---

It was strange, sitting on the floor with the man that had sought her out to enact revenge on her only a matter of hours ago. Noah’s explanation and sincerity had disarmed her, and she was still processing just how big the misunderstanding between them had been. She had been certain that he was a Hunter. Had he been just as certain about her?

When she told him about the Sturm family, even though she kept things vague, it felt strange. She wasn’t in the habit of talking about them, and it still felt so recent in her mind. How had it been a year since Jason went missing? How had it been three years since Jenna and their parents' murder and disappearance? It felt like an eternity but it also felt like it all happened just yesterday.

When Noah expressed a hope that they were just missing, Seth gave a small nod. ”I do too. But a year and three years.. It’s too long to have much hope left.” Seth stared down at the soiled spot on the carpet. She hated thinking about the fact that they were probably both dead. At least when she still had Jason, she didn’t feel as lost as she had been feeling lately. She hadn't been alone. But now, she was. It wasn’t like she could tell her parents, she didn’t want to put them in danger.

Seth was grateful when Noah broke the silence. She honestly hurt too much to know if she was hungry at all, and wasn’t sure eating was a good idea. But getting herself clean was extremely appealing. She was covered in dirt and dried blood. She felt disgusting. She gave a small nod when he mentioned the shower, then gave consideration to his point about getting the bandage over her wound wet. Would that make it worse? She supposed it would.

”I do want a shower. But I don’t know if I can get up from the floor..” She didn’t want to ask him for help, but no matter what happened next she was going to need to get off of the floor at some point. She kept her gaze on the shades of brown that had been rubbed into the carpet. ”Why didn’t you just leave me out there to die?” Her voice was quiet as she questioned him. She wanted to believe him, that it was all a misunderstanding. She wanted to make sense of his attack on her, only to turn around and save her life, instead of leaving her to bleed out on the forest floor.

---

Noah St Cloud
This is cobbled together. Let me know for changes or if you need more to work with.

[Noah St Cloud]

[nospaces]

[break][break][break]

[attr="class","NoahLpostlyric"]Looking at you from the end of a leash[break]
It’s a little better, it’s a little better[break]

[break]

[attr="class","NoahLpostingbox"][break]


With a nod, Seth admitted she would like a shower but wasn’t sure if she could stand. Noah frowned, eyeing her legs. Maybe he ought to put her back in bed, give her something simple to eat and let her rest until she had enough energy for it. Or maybe he ought to help her wash herself. Not in a weird way – he’d approach the task gently yet methodically and with no ulterior motive, like one might bathe a dog…[break][break]

Might be difficult to explain himself to any onlookers, though, and that was if she'd even let him in the first place.[break][break]

Her quiet voice pulled him from his considerations, asking why he hadn’t left her to die. He rounded his eyes. Feigned appalment. “What kind of monster would I be if I did that?” One without a not-girlfriend to think about, probably.[break][break]

He bit his lip, looking down at the patch of carpet her own gaze had lowered to. “I… did want to hurt you,” he confessed. And he would take pleasure in every grimace and groan on her road to recovery – but she didn’t need to know that. “But that was when I thought you were hurting others. Killing you was never the goal. It was more… wanting you to understand what it was like, to be hunted.” [break][break]

He slowly pushed himself to his feet, still cautious that sudden movements might cause her to lash out. “We’ll get you washed up, okay? Just wait here a sec’ while I get a few things ready.” He didn't bother to shut the door behind him, let alone lock her in again. Hopefully she was being honest about her inability to get up and wouldn’t bolt for the stairs the instant his back was turned.[break][break]

In his closet, Noah pulled open a drawer where a couple of sundresses (one white with a blue floral pattern, the other a solid yellow) and a button-up pyjama shirt and matching shorts were neatly folded up, labels still attached. Seth looked to be a similar size to Tawny. The clothes would probably fit her, and he couldn’t imagine Tawny would be upset about their loss since she didn’t even know they existed; he’d bought them on a whim while in a particularly hyperactive mood, easily taken in by the sales associate who told him exactly what he wanted to hear. And then he woke up the next morning. Really thought about it. And he realised the girl they were intended for was far more likely to withdraw at the sight of them, smile strained and eyes shifty as she made some half-joking comment about him trying to dress her and control what she wore. [break][break]

He’d avoided her for a few days after that (not that she would have noticed – she hadn’t reached out to him either), wallowing in shame and anger and disappointment at himself. At her. He'd laid on his back, staring at the ceiling, wondering what it was about him that made her decide he wasn’t enough. Wasn’t worthy.[break][break]

Rolling his eyes with a small scoff (he could be so dramatic sometimes), he picked up the clothes. He then retrieved some spare towels from the third bedroom (not the ones that were unofficially Tawny’s) before making his way into the main bathroom. He hung up the towels on the heating rack, placed the clothes on the counter, and raided his cupboards for various bottles of body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. Lots of woodsy scented items, as that was his preference, but he’d also started to stock up on some sweeter scents like ‘strawberries and cream’ and ‘cinnamon buns’ in case his guests wanted something more typically feminine and gourmand. He lined them up on the shelf in the shower bath – which used to be a walk-in shower, until a very pleasant dream involving a candlelit bubble bath and slippery skin had left him almost frothing at the mouth to get a tub installed. [break][break]

He returned to Seth’s room with a grin, giving her a thumbs up before clasping his hands together. “Okay! All sorted. I’m going to pick you up now, alright?” He stopped himself short, recognising the lingering wariness on her features, and dialled back his enthusiasm as he knelt down beside her. “You do want to get clean, don’t you?” He would very much like to clean his carpet and bedsheets while she was out of the way, too. “It’ll only take a second. I’ll be careful.” After waiting a beat for permission, he edged forward to scoop her up.[break][break]

“Arms around my neck – that’s it. There you go, baby,” he cooed as he stood. “I got you.” He made it halfway down the hallway before realising what he'd done. He blinked down at her, amused, and chuckled. “Huh. Yeah, okay, it feels a lot weirder talking to you like that when you’re awake. Sorry, I’ll go ahead and stop that now.”[break][break]

Once in the bathroom he slowly lowered her feet to the ground, keeping an arm around her back for support as he tried to make her stand.[break][break]

He hesitated. “Do you…?” Do you need help? The question was on the tip of his tongue but he decided not to finish it. It sounded too creepy, too much like a line rather than the genuine offer it was supposed to be. Easing his arm away from her, he took a step back. “Maybe you shouldn’t lock the door. I promise I’m not planning on coming in, but if you feel like you’re going to faint, or if you’re struggling to get in or out of the bath or whatever, just shout and I’ll… find a way to help without looking.” He gestured vaguely to the room around them. “Feel free to use… anything you want.”



[break][break]

[attr="class","NoahLPostTag"]Tag: Seth Perry

[newclass=.NoahLpostingbox]background-color:#fff;color:#8d9295;text-align: justify; width:450px;padding:25px 45px 45px 45px;font: 400 13px Roboto;[/newclass]
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[newclass=.NoahLpostingbox a]font: 400 13px Roboto !important;[/newclass]

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[googlefont=Mr Dafoe:400|Roboto:400,400i,700]

[Seth Perry]

Isn't it strange that a gift could be an enemy?
Isn't it weird that a privilege could feel like a chore?

---

What defined a monster? Back in the woods, Seth had thought of him as a monster when he’d told her that he wasn’t a hunter. Now she wasn’t sure what she thought about him. He seemed like he regretted their misunderstanding, but now he was explaining that he meant to hurt her, to show her what he’d felt like. To make her understand what it was like to be hunted… She knew what it was like, but he hadn't had any way of knowing that.

He’d been trying to teach her a lesson. She didn’t think it made him a monster. Even though it had been a brutal lesson, if she had been a hunter, it would have been understandable. Just like if he’d been hunting her, it would have made sense for her to protect herself. “I guess.. that makes sense.” She looked up, watching as he stood. Was he mad at her for asking such a direct question? No, he didn’t look mad.

He explained he was going to get things ready for her to wash up. Seth watched him walk away. He didn’t lock her inside the room this time, instead leaving the door open as she could hear him moving around. He’d claimed to have locked her in before for both of their safety. It was all adding up. From what she could figure out, he’d been telling her the truth.

It didn’t take long before he was back in the doorway, smiling. As he got closer to her, Seth could feel a sense of apprehension rising inside her. Even with his actions explained, it was hard to shake the image of the last time he’d been close to her while she was on the ground. But this was different. He was explaining, telling her he was going to pick her up. There were no surprises this time. But he must have seen an anxious expression on her face, because he slowed down. He was deliberate, double checking that she wanted to clean up and assuring her he’d be careful. She responded with a nod and a quiet ”Yes”.

Seth winced when he picked up, from both the stinging pain in her side and the recent memory of being in the same position. She followed his instruction, bracing herself with arms around his neck. He was talking to her with a familiarity that was a bit off putting, and he seemed to realize it as well, promising to stop it since it was weird. The only person who’d ever referred to her as ‘baby’ was Jason. She let out a small laugh after he apologized. ”Yeah, it is a little weird.” She agreed.

When he placed her on her feet, Seth felt like gravity was working harder than normal. She took in a deep breath and steadied herself. She was determined to stay on her feet this time. She knew that she had a low stamina and the day’s traumatic turn of events didn’t lend well to keep her functioning at her best, but she was going to push through.

He started a question, but paused, instead suggesting she leave the door unlocked, in case something happened or she needed assistance of any kind. It was a fair point. She stayed on her feet as he let go of her.

”That is probably a good idea.” She glanced around the bathroom, noticing how many products he had placed on the counter, including clothes that were clearly either a sister or girlfriends clothes. She wondered how often he played host, to have things so well stocked. ”I’ll let you know if I need any assistance.” She promised, hoping that she wouldn’t need any help. It would be even more awkward than this whole situation already was.

Once she was alone in the bathroom, Seth slowly and carefully moved to stand in front of the mirror. She looked pale, even for her. She was dirty from the soil in the forest, and there was dried blood on her clothes and skin. Her lips were chapped and her eyes were puffy. In short, she looked like hell. She pulled her eyes away from her reflection, and looked at the various products on the counter. She selected products that were sage scented, and moved them to the edge of the tub.

Seth turned the water on to let it warm up. She was still deciding if she was going to go the safer route and take a bath, keeping the water level shallow to keep her wound dry, or if she was going to just shower anyway. The thought of sitting in the tub then having to get back up seemed excruciating, and she did not want to ask for help in or out of the bath.

Seth carefully and slowly removed her soiled clothing. She looked at the bandage over the laceration on her stomach. She thought she could be as careful with it taking a shower as she could be taking a bath, so she flipped the water to route through the shower head. Stepping into the tub was a feat of endurance, and she was out of breath when she made it. But once she was standing underneath the hot running water, it was worth it.

It might have been the longest shower she ever took by the time Seth was finished getting cleaned up. She wasn’t quite successful with keeping the bandage completely dry, but it wasn’t sopping wet either, just a little damp, so she figured it was alright. She exited the shower and thoroughly dried off, before picking the soft pjs to change into. They fit her pretty comfortably. Seth had to admit that she felt a bit better after the shower. Her muscles weren’t as sore as they had been. It still hurt to move too much, and she felt insanely tired, but any improvement was welcomed.

”Noah?’ She called out when she stepped into the hall. She felt too awkward to walk around his house without direction.

---

Noah St Cloud
This got a little long. Let me know for changes.

[Noah St Cloud]

[nospaces]

[break][break][break]

[attr="class","NoahLpostlyric"]Looking at you from the end of a leash[break]
It’s a little better, it’s a little better[break]

[break]

[attr="class","NoahLpostingbox"][break]


After she agreed to keep the door unlocked, Noah left her to get washed up and set about cleaning the room she’d stayed in. Removing the bedsheets and putting them in the washing machine, taking the glass away, cleaning the carpet, putting fresh sheets on the bed… All the while, he wondered how long he should keep her, and what he should do if she asked to leave immediately.[break][break]

It was certainly too soon for that; she couldn’t be trusted not to run to the police and, honestly, he wanted to see her whimper and grit her teeth. To see her step tentatively around his house and wince whenever her stitches pulled, her eyes wet with withheld tears. And he wanted to see how well her stitches healed. Wanted to check on his work at each stage of the process, to see how well it knit her back together – an experience he missed out on with Dane’s injury.[break][break]

Keeping her by force was possible, albeit tedious, and created more opportunity for ‘bad’ memories that he’d need to keep hidden. Seth said no one would miss her, and her confession of losing her loved ones to hunters seemed to support that claim, but would someone else come looking to rescue her? Was there a person she was supposed to call? A roommate? A lover? Someone who usually knew where she was?[break][break]

He hadn’t found a phone on her possession once he’d sewn her up and belatedly remembered to pat her down for one. It wasn’t in his car either. He found it unlikely someone her age wouldn’t have one at all, so he could only assume she might have dropped it in the woods somewhere, a breadcrumb for someone to track her down via. Or maybe she’d been camping and there was a tent in the forest, a base close to where he’d found her that she had innocently left it in. She had been travelling awfully light if she had indeed been hiking.[break][break]

It didn’t matter for the time being. The important thing was, her phone wasn’t in his home, and thus it wouldn’t be leading anyone directly to them.[break][break]

If she didn’t resist – if she agreed to stay with him for a while – great! No force necessary. Just sweet talk and kind gestures, good old-fashioned love bombing to earn her trust. Yet he wouldn’t be able to leave her alone in his house at any point. There wasn’t anything hugely incriminating – no real evidence – that she could take to authorities and get him put away, but it would give her time to plot, to lay traps, to find his weapons and wield them as her own when he returned home. So that meant getting his food delivered, no outdoor exercise, no going out at night to drink and party, no Blackstorm missions, no Tawny…[break][break]

His head fell back as he groaned, eyes pinched shut at the realisation. It was almost as if his choices had consequences.[break][break]

Nevertheless, he was almost done with tidying Seth’s room by the time he heard the shower turn off, and he was completely finished by the time she called out for him.[break][break]

“Here,” he called back. He stepped out into the hallway, his gaze immediately finding her at the other end of it, fresh-faced and dirt-free. She’d chosen the pyjamas. They looked just as cute as he’d imagined they'd be and he smiled fondly at the sight. “Hey, you look a lot comfier. I bet you feel it, too.” [break][break]

Posture relaxed and careful not to move too fast, he strolled along to close the distance between them. “I’ve cleaned up your room a bit. I can wash your clothes as well, once the sheets are done.” He slowed to a halt in front of her, having casually placed himself between her and the stairs – not that he imagined she would make a mad dash for the exit now, since she’d gone to the trouble of announcing her exit from the bathroom, but old habits died hard. He’d been cornering skittish animals for a long time.[break][break]

“How’s your appetite? Any preference for dinner? Any allergies?” He tilted his head, regarding her thoughtfully. Another thing about strays: they tended to trust the hand that fed them. “Ideally we need to get you some protein and some veggies. I’m thinking a chicken and chorizo roast would be good. Sweet potato and courgette, peppers, some spinach…?”[break][break]

Although, thinking about it, perhaps he ought to get her back to bed. He remembered being exhausted after his own ordeal, fighting to stay awake while in a (sort of) stranger’s home. “Or if that’s too much, we can start you out with a smoothie or juice? Just another glass of water? And let you sleep it off some more? I’m just worried about your blood levels…”





[break][break]

[attr="class","NoahLPostTag"]Tag: Seth Perry

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[googlefont=Mr Dafoe:400|Roboto:400,400i,700]

[Seth Perry]

Isn't it strange that a gift could be an enemy?
Isn't it weird that a privilege could feel like a chore?

---

After she called out, Noah responded from the same room she’d woken up in. She’d hardly made it a set in that direction before he was in the hallway with her. As he moved closer, he commented that she looked more comfortable and Seth gave a small nod. He was right, she did feel more comfortable as well, now that she wasn’t caked in dirt and blood anymore. ”Yeah, thank you.. The shower helped a lot, and this is really soft.”

She watched as he paused near her, in front of the stairs. She assumed that he was staying close in case she needed help again. She tried to push away the feeling of anxiousness that was at the back of her mind from him being so close. He’d been nothing but nice since she’d woken up. He kept her from dying when he could have left her in the forest to bleed out alone. Yes, he’d sought her out to get revenge, but it had been a misunderstanding... She convinced herself that she had no reason to be afraid or to feel anxious.

He explained that he’d done some cleaning and would even wash her dirty clothes. ”Oh. Um, thank you.” She’d been on her own for the last year, and wasn’t used to anyone doing things for her anymore. There was no one taking care of her. She’d been alone and had to figure it out without Jason.

What would Jason think about the situation she’d gotten herself in now? She imagined he would have been proud of her for protecting herself originally, but today’s events… She didn’t know what he would think. What would he want her to do? It had been too long since she’d heard his voice, always steady and confident. He would have known what to do. He would have kept the whole misunderstanding from happening in the first place. If he’d been there, Seth wouldn’t have panicked and attacked Noah. She would have let Jason handle it instead, and he wouldn’t have been so jumpy. But Seth was jumpy. She was panicked and scared, especially so soon after the Hunters came for her and Jason, and Jason disappeared.

Noah began asking about food. Seth didn’t really feel hungry as much as she felt drained. The effort it took to stay vertical was more than she was used to. Moving around was more taxing than she had anticipated.

”I’m not picky at all, and no, I don’t have any allergies. But I’m not sure if I could really eat that much right now.” She confirmed that it did sound like too much. ”Just, whatever you think is best.” Seth wasn’t good at making decisions like this. If he was worried about her health, her healing, she’d do whatever he said was necessary. She was good at following someone else’s lead, and not so good at knowing what to do.

---

Noah St Cloud
Let me know for changes!

[Noah St Cloud]

[nospaces]

[break][break][break]

[attr="class","NoahLpostlyric"]Looking at you from the end of a leash[break]
It’s a little better, it’s a little better[break]

[break]

[attr="class","NoahLpostingbox"][break]

OOC: give me a nudge if you'd like any changes to this~[break][break]

---

[break][break]


The offer of food didn’t appear to entice Seth (no brightening of eyes or rumbling of stomach were prompted by his words), and she confirmed his suspicions a moment later, adding that she would do whatever he thought was best. He bit back a chuckle. The difference between the feisty (scared) girl in the woods and the polite (indecisive?) houseguest in front of him was incredibly amusing.[break][break]

“Okay. That’s okay,” he nodded. He supposed he should have expected it. A whole roast dinner would be a lot and it would take time, both to prepare it and to cook. Could he really expect her to sit at his table and wait? Or to eat so much after he’d cut her so close to her stomach? He eased a step closer, slipping his hand around her waist to hover over the small of her back. “Let’s get you back into bed, okay? Whatever you need, I’ll take care of you.”[break][break]

Allowing her to lean on him as much or as little as she liked, he guided her back down the hallway into her designated bedroom. The whole time he kept his gaze intent on her face under the guise of concern, keen to catch any grimaces.[break][break]

Once she was in bed again he smiled at her warmly. “I’ll be right back.”[break][break]

He nudged the door on his way out so it mostly hid the hallway from her view but did not shut completely. He retrieved her clothes from the bathroom, double checked them for her phone, then put them in the laundry hamper. There was still a possibility she was hiding her phone from him, maybe even having sent out an SOS message while she was alone in the bathroom, but he figured that possibility was incredibly small. He wouldn’t mention it or offer to let her call anyone unless she brought it up.[break][break]

After a quick trip downstairs, he returned to Seth with a glass of orange juice, a couple of cookies, and another glass of water. He placed them all on the nightstand closest to her. “Bit of an unusual mix, but here you go – take whatever you feel comfortable with, and let me know if you want something else.”[break][break]

He perched on the bed, angled towards her and leaning on his hand placed on the other side of her legs. Perhaps she just wanted to go back to sleep. Perhaps he ought to let her. But he was curious and had questions, and figured that after all he’d done for her, she owed him a few answers. “What were you even doing in those woods, hm? You weren’t exactly dressed for an off-trail hike.”


[break][break]

[attr="class","NoahLPostTag"]Tag: Seth Perry

[newclass=.NoahLpostingbox]background-color:#fff;color:#8d9295;text-align: justify; width:450px;padding:25px 45px 45px 45px;font: 400 13px Roboto;[/newclass]
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[newclass=.NoahLpostingbox a]font: 400 13px Roboto !important;[/newclass]

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[googlefont=Mr Dafoe:400|Roboto:400,400i,700]

[Seth Perry]

Isn't it strange that a gift could be an enemy?
Isn't it weird that a privilege could feel like a chore?

---

Awkward was the best word for Seth to describe how she was feeling. A part of her was still apprehensive and cautious, but with everything Noah had told her, his reasons made sense. They had both thought the other meant to harm them. It was reasonable. So she wanted to push aside any lingering fear. But she still tensed slightly when he got closer and put a hand on her back. She reminded herself that wasn’t a threat at this point. In fact, he was doing a lot to help her now.

"Thanks." Seth let him lead her back to the room. She tried to ignore the sharp tugging in her side every time she moved, but she was unable to stop the wince on her face with each painful step. The pain relievers he'd given her hadn't done as much as she would have hoped to dull the painful gash in her side. She wondered how long it would take to heal, and hoped it wouldn't be too long.

They entered the same room she'd been in before. He had been busy while she was in the shower. The sheets were changed, the carpet was clean again and the glass was gone. She was glad that she was clean now. Even if she hadn't cared much that she had dirtied the floor and the bed before, now that he'd gone through the trouble of cleaning up it would just feel rude. It made her think about her mom, teaching her to be polite, especially when she was a guest in someone's home.

But she wasn't really a guest, was she?

Seth let him help her back over to the bed, then slowly settled in as he went back out with the promise of returning soon. Once she was in as comfortable of position as she could get into - sitting, with her back leaning against the pillows and her legs slightly bend to keep from pulling against her stomach - she glanced around. A thought occurred to her. Her cellphone was in her pocket when Noah found her in the forest, but it wasn't there when she had gotten into the shower. If it had fallen out of her pocket in the bed, surely he would have put it on the bedside table. But it wasn't there. She hoped it hadn't been tangled up in the bedding and shoved in the washing machine that she could hear running already. That phone held the only pictures she had access to of Jason. She hadn't logged into any of her old social media accounts since they left, and she wasn't sure it would be a good idea to do so. Besides, the pictures from their travels were all only on the phone. She should have backed them up at some point. Or texted to her mom. Or just gone and printed them at a Walgreens or CVS during their travels. But she hadn't thought of any of that before now.

She worried that she lost the phone, that it fell out while she was running or during their struggle on the forest floor. The thought brought tears to her eyes. When she heard footsteps coming back up the stairs she wiped at the corners of her eyes, wicking away the moisture that threatened to spill over. Noah had brought up a couple drinks and some cookies. "Thank you."

He sat and put his hands on either side of her legs. She tried to push aside the instant anxious feeling that was rising inside her. She reasoned with herself that if he'd wanted to hurt her again, he would have already had plenty of opportunity. She wasn't sure what to expect, but when he asked her why she had been in the woods she was a little surprised. If he didn't know she'd been living out there, how did he find her?

"I've been camping there." Seth didn't see a reason to lie about it, even if he hadn't already been aware. "It's where we were heading when we were attacked, when Jason disappeared." She looked at the bedside table again, then back to Noah. "You didn't happen to find my phone, did you? I hope I didn't drop it in the forest.. It's got all my pictures of Jason on it." Pictures, and the last message that she'd ever gotten from him.

---

Noah St Cloud
Let me know for changes!

[Noah St Cloud]

[nospaces]

[break][break][break]

[attr="class","NoahLpostlyric"]Looking at you from the end of a leash[break]
It’s a little better, it’s a little better[break]

[break]

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Camping certainly explained why she’d been travelling so light, though whether she was doing so with others was yet to be determined. It would be dangerous for a woman to go alone. But then again she had her gift, and perhaps she had presumed that the chances of someone stumbling across her in such vast land would be close to none.[break][break]

She mentioned a person by name for the first time – Jason – and something about the way she spoke it made Noah tentatively assume Jason wasn’t a brother or relative. Besides, earlier she’d said she’d ‘lost people that she cared about’. Family weren’t specified and someone who felt strongly about family would make the distinction. Would heavily emphasise if he were a brother or a cousin and perhaps get choked up about it.[break][break]

She asked for her phone. Unless it was a very clever double bluff, it proved she didn’t have it on her.[break][break]

Noah’s mouth downturned, his gaze sympathetic as he gave a small shake of his head. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see a phone anywhere.” He’d been planning on claiming he’d lost his as well – a convenient little excuse so she couldn’t ask to borrow it – but he was feeling more confident she truly didn’t have anyone to call, since her main concern was photos rather than informing someone where she was.[break][break]

“I’ll double check my car and the rest of the house, but if it’s not here I’ll go back to the woods and look for it once you’re feeling a little better.” He swallowed, averting his stare to the carpet. “I… wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving you so soon after what I did.” He took out his phone. “If I could have your number, it’d make finding it a lot easier.”[break][break]

His gaze flicked back up to watch her while his thumb hovered over the dial pad, waiting.[break][break]

It occurred to him, then, that she’d mentioned being attacked in two instances. Once not long before she encountered Noah, and now she was saying she’d lost Jason in an attack as well. Unless these attacks were one and the same, was she so unlucky that running into hunters was a regular occurrence in her life? Did she have a target on her back that he wasn’t aware of? It was hard to imagine her in a database with the likes of Ray Donovan, but hunters didn’t tend to be picky. Gifted meant dangerous, and that was that.[break][break]

And she’d said ‘we were heading there’. Not in a way that suggested a fun little excursion into the forest, a weekend surrounded by nature and friends… In a normal situation where someone went missing, their loved ones would stay at home and wait for them – put up flyers, collaborate with police. Why was Seth not doing that? Was she on the run?[break][break]

That would certainly have made her paranoia intense enough to lash out at him.[break][break]

He frowned. “When you say you’re camping there… You don’t mean living there, right? As in, you haven’t been hiding in the woods for the whole past year, since before we met, right?” The crease in his brow deepened. “Alone?”



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[attr="class","NoahLPostTag"]Tag: Seth Perry

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