Nobody's Home [Marat/Closed]

[Haley]

It was dark. The sky was full of clouds shrouding the stars and stifling the moon. The threat of freezing rain hung thick in the air; Haley could practically taste it. The Nimbus’s small dainty fingers dug into the fabric of her enlarged black hoodie as she drew it closer to her body. She wasn’t necessarily cold – Haley had a strong immunity to the cold – rather it was by habit, sprung from the bout of emotion that was currently riddling her system.

Haley was a natural loner. She had grown up tormented in her youth, teased and ridiculed for her outlook on life. The little nymphet had responded in kind by beating in the faces of her bullies, only to further ostracize herself from her peers. Her adopted parent’s hadn’t been of much help. Constantly pushing her to be the best she could be, shoving a military life on her even despite her protests, Haley had quickly grown distant from them. Her only friends had been her two dogs back on Earth, both of which had passed away during her bout in the Air Force. She had beaten herself up over and over again for failing to be there for them when it was their time to go.

Now it felt as if she had not a friend in the world save for Akuji. It had never occurred to Haley that her off-putting demeanor was the cause of her solitary lifestyle. In her opinion she actually did put effort into meeting new people, it’s just none of them seemed to suit her tastes in friends. Alanor was full of self-serving arrogant bastards with superiority complexes, the exact type of people Haley hated. While the little Nimbus may have seemed arrogant in her own right, it was a front, a mask developed over years of dealing with criticism and taunting. Haley now knew nothing more than a desire to be the best so that she could show everyone just how much better she was than them. Then they would respect her.

Akuji, ever present by Haley’s side, brushed up against her bare leg in an attempt to sooth her. He had watched her these past few nights, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Haley had recently confined herself to her room to read and write in her many journals, leaving only to exercise. She was troubled, that much was certain, but even she didn’t know what she was troubled about. Haley, feeling the brush, dropped one hand down to scratch the dog between the ears, a faint smile creasing her lips. She honestly didn’t know what she would do without Akuji. He meant the world to her.

The wind picked up, pushing her hood back off of her head. Haley reached up to secure it, pulling it down to shadow her face as she continued to walk. She was on her way back to her living quarters when she, lost in contemplation, practically ran into the front of someone. Managing to salvage her balance enough to stumble back, Haley jerked her head up to view Marat’s face. She rose an eyebrow, ”Oh. You again.” Her voice lacked the biting tone that usually accompanied it.

[Marat]

He looks at her quizzically; in his time spent with Haley he had known her to be quite volatile. The sudden apathy she now displayed toward him is an odd occurrence, he thinks to himself, briefly considering the thought that it might be a sign she doesn’t dislike him. He notices the dog at her side, catching the creature that is usually as ferocious as its bonded in a moment of sensitivity. Marat smiles at the sight of the dog brushing against Haley with the demeanor of a domesticated pet. But the nimbus quickly wipes away his look of contentment; he knows anything might cause Haley to revert to her more aggressive behavior.

”Indeed,” He says in a straightforward tone before continuing on. Looking Haley up and down with a cheeky grin that is likely to annoy her and all but personifies Marat he adds, ”And I wouldn’t have picked any other woman to run in to.” He steps forward, closing the gap between them that she had created when she stepped back. He strokes his chin thoughtfully, a glimmer in his eyes as he looks at her. Clearing his voice he tilts his head, ”Any more visits to the library?”

Marat remembers their last encounter well and remembers the subject matter even more so. The topic of queen Annette’s life and the goblin blades of old are things not soon to slip his mind. Moreover, Haley’s interest in the past also remains a thing for interest for the nimbus.

[Haley]

Haley straightened as Marat moved in closer to her, her chest expanding outwards and her shoulders pulling back in an attempt to give her more height. He towered over her, that was for sure, but Haley had instinctively taken his movement as a challenge and thus responded as she naturally would have. His look and comment were disregarded, though a slight spark in her eyes suggested that he was indeed testing her patience. Even Akuji bristled, his lips drawing back into a half-snarl though no sound came forth from his throat.

”No.” Haley snapped, agitation crossing her visage. It wasn’t so much Marat as it was the question that had gotten her fired up. In reality, Haley had been dying to make another visit to the library. After the previous trip and the following Imbolc disaster, Haley had been struck by the desire to know every little thing there was to know about Alanor. She knew it would be a daunting task – there had to be thousands upon thousands of years of history written upon the scrolls residing there, many of which were in languages she could not read. Still, Haley was not known to give up easily.

Unfortunately she had yet to actually make her way there. After the Festival of Imbolc, Haley had taken to sulking in her room. She didn’t quite know why – Haley wasn’t the type to sulk. Though a part of her knew it had to deal with Queen Annette, Haley was unsure as to how she felt about that encounter anymore. She didn’t know if she was angry, embarrassed, sad, or regretful. This insecurity on her part was unnerving, which was part of the reason why she was now wandering the Seelie court.

Haley wrinkled her nose as a drop of rain landed on it. She cast her eyes upwards towards the darkened sky, almost glaring at the eclipse-governed moon. Though she couldn’t see it through the clouds, Haley knew it was there and its mystery haunted her. Ever since the attack on Imbolc Haley had steadily grown to hate anything that may be linked to the Shades. Anything that caused injury to her Akuji was to be destroyed. She would hunt them down and murder them. Every last one if she had to.

Inhaling deeply, Haley returned her eyes to Marat, studying his face calmly. A few more drops of rain pelted her hood-clad head and Haley rolled her eyes. She sidestepped him, heading directly towards the dormitory area. Akuji trotted after her, sending Marat a glare but no longer harboring his previous snarl. Haley had only taken a few steps before she paused and shot a somewhat impatient look back at Marat, ”Coming?” She didn’t wait for an answer before she started off again, unwilling to be caught in the rain.

[Marat]

The way Haley reacts to his question and the way her body language immediately becomes defensive leaves Marat to believe her departure from the situation will leave him standing alone. Thus he remains still as she begins to walk away, his hands in his pockets as a few more rain drops fall onto his board shoulders, his white cotton shirt clinging to his form only slightly. He allows the same grin to linger on his face and he shuffles in place, leaning against a tree and watching her walk away. Much to his surprise she turns back to him asking him if he was going to accompany her.

Shooting her a surprised look he pushes himself away from the tree and takes up a path behind her. Haley is somewhat of an enigma to him now, as he is unsure of her feelings towards him and her motives for wishing that he’ll follow. Perhaps she needs someone to talk to, as he remembers witnessing her encounter with Annette at the festival. Or maybe she wishes to obtain an oath of silence in regards to what they had learned in the library. Either way, Marat follows, curious with what she wants of him.

They move into the dormitories, a narrow hall of walls covered in vines and moss. The hall is lit with a mysterious magic light, one that does not combat the darkness of the eclipse outside but offers them some sight while in doors. Marat, still behind her asks, ”Where are we going?” The answer does not matter as he’ll follow her no matter what, but still some idea as to where they are headed will comfort the faerie.

Despite the fact he does not believe Haley wishes him ill he must prepare himself in case she wishes to do him harm. He does not forget the weight of the sword at his side.

[Haley]

Haley would have thought their destination was obvious. They were near the freaking dormitories, were they not? Instead of dignifying his idiotic question with an answer Haley decided to leave him wallowing in his own ignorance. She continued at a relatively quick pace, not particularly caring whether or not he could keep up but knowing that it should be no problem for his long legs. Akuji trotted alongside of her, his ears perking up as they drew closer to Haley's living quarters. This was very unusual behavior for his mistress - in all of her time spent in Alanor she had never once invited another faerie to her personal area.

It didn't take long to reach their destination. Haley shook her wrist briefly, allowing the bracelet with her key to tumble down, her fingers squeezing together so that she could pull it off with ease. She proceeded to unlock the door and push it open, allowing Akuji to pass inside before she did. Though she never once looked to Marat, the wide open door acted as her unspoken invitation.

Though her current rank allowed her the ability to claim quite a large living space for herself, Haley had opted for a relatively small dormitory. The main room had doors branching off of it - one leading to the bathroom, the other to her bedroom - both of which were left wide open. There was very little furniture; a mere desk and chair in a corner of the main area, alongside one gigantic bookcase stocked to the brim with books. Her bedroom was also just as bare, holding only a large dresser for her clothing and an accompanying trunk to house her shoes. Upon arriving in Alanor, Haley had promptly traded in the pre-furnished bed in favor of her self-brought Japanese futon mattress. The black and gray clothed item was shoved into a corner of her bedroom, unmade and speckled with various shades of dog hair. It was obvious that Akuji shared it with her at night.

Haley paused momentarily just inside the door to kick off her shoes onto the black mat nestled there. A brief look shot towards Marat indicated that he should follow her lead, but instead of watching for him to mimic her, Haley made her way directly over to the desk. She promptly pulled out the chair, twirled it around and nestled it back down. She gestured towards it casually, "Sit." It was more of a command than an offering, though no foul look accompanied it. Instead, only Akuji, who by now had slunk to curl up in the space underneath the desk, sent Marat a sneer full of teeth.

Now, quite warm, Haley unzipped her hoodie and tossed it onto her desk, revealing her relatively casual attire - a black tank top and matching shorts, her usual bed-time clothing. She proceeded to push the hoodie aside to make room and propped herself up on the corner of the desk before she leveled her gaze on him. The light in the nearby oil lamp - which she had left burning during her absence - reflected lightly across her now bare, and quite pale, skin. Her eyes were contemplative, almost as if she were mulling over where to go from here. Finally, after what seemed to be eons, Haley spoke, "How old are you?"

[Marat]

Though the thought crosses his mind that Haley is leading him to her chambers he does not believe it. She does not seem the type to allow any, especially one she does not truly know, into her quarters for any reason let alone any trivial matter Marat had come up with as to why she wanted to speak with him. As she keeps walking, not answering his question, he comes to the conclusion that they are heading towards her home. He smiles to himself, a tinge of satisfaction finding him as he know believes he had endeared himself to Haley in some small way. Also, he’s slightly amused by the fact that Haley declines to answer his question as he assumes it has something to do with her not wanting to admit she does not mind his company.

He enters her home and somehow it immediately reminds him of Haley. The room is very plain with an odd decorum, slightly unkempt but still orderly in an odd way. For the way Haley commands him to sit she might as well have pushed him down into the chair, but he sits nonetheless without fighting her in any way, though he shoots a mocking look at her mantel in response to the creature growling at him.

He looks back at her and almost finds himself startled by the closeness of her to him and the way she asks her question in a way that seems so…conversational. She is not acting like the woman he had met on his way to the library. Nevertheless, he decides to go with it and smiles one of those almost obnoxious grins, ”Old. I was born at the turn of the fourth century.” Normally he would ask her age, but he doesn’t really care and he only imagines she’ll be annoyed if she believes she is being interrogated. He prefers to remain cavalier and relaxed in body language but quiet in his words when it comes to dealing with this spitfire nimbus.

[Haley]

Haley wasn’t good with small talk, that much was certain. In fact, her lack of expertise was readily apparent when she failed to offer up another question or even a following comment regarding his answer. Instead she simply stared at him, her unblinking eyes studying his. This indeed seemed very out of character for Haley, but in reality, what Marat was seeing now was just one of her many sides. Haley was a chameleon of sorts – a woman of many faces. Though such a practice was commonly frowned upon, Haley never did it out of actual conscious thought. Her adaptations were done subconsciously, her body and personality responding to the situation at hand. At one point Haley had tried to diagnose her personality problem and had eventually settled on the explanation her ninth grade health teacher had offered her: Humans develop three distinct layers of personality. The deepest is the most intimate, shown only to oneself. The middle layer is reserved for family and intimate friends, and the outer shell is just that; a mask present to everyone else.

While Haley had been a bit skeptical of the advice at the time, she had gradually learned to accept it for what it was. Still, even to this day she struggled with her own internal emotional identity. Haley had many faces, but which one was truly hers? Unbeknownst to Marat, he was witnessing the face closest to Haley’s true self. Quiet, calm and reserved, she was the polar opposite of the flare she displayed out in public. Still, there was a distinct bout of distrust lingering in her eyes as she stared at Marat, contemplating her next move.

She had brought him here with a purpose in mind. Haley had spent the past few days mulling over her position in the court. It was entirely too low for her tastes, but there was little room for advancement in the court of a woman who favored either Sidhe flesh or flashy Nimbus. Haley was a small faerie, hard to notice in the long run and not all that spectacular. Though there was a fire there, a prowess that practically seethed all the qualities of a natural born leader, to many Faerie eyes her Nimbus skin was the tent that kept her at bay. Haley wanted to change that and to do so she would have to conduct an experiment that she wasn’t all too proud of.

Tilting her head slightly, Haley hummed under her breath. Her constant, unblinking stare was broken as she suddenly slid from the edge of the desk and stepped closer towards him. In one smooth move she swooped down in on him, sliding her legs on either side of his own and dropping her rear gently down onto his lap so that she sat, facing him. Haley placed her hands on either side of the back of the wooden chair and bent her elbows so that she leaned into towards him until her face was literally a fraction of an inch from his, her hair brushing against his skin and her eyes locked in on his. There was purpose in her movement, a distinct bout of feral intent that radiated from her frame. ”You’ll do.” She would have left it at that, but upon realizing that her sharp directional change from small talk to this might be confusing for the dolt before her, Haley offered just a tad more for explanation. ”Sleep with me.” She quipped, almost casually, her voice soft and calm.

[Marat]

Marat is surprised by Haley’s movement towards him but it is not totally uninvited. He squirms as she saddles herself on his lap, a part of him feels somewhat shocked, for this seems strangely out of character, but he is a man after all and declines to question her. So Marat actually finds himself smirking as he looks Haley in her eyes, a tingling in his stomach and arousal creeping its way into his body. His hands slowly slide from her knees to her thighs, still returning her stare with the Marat-esque expression she considers him a “dolt” for. Marat is a fun loving juvenile of a man and this is his type of fun.

Her words slip pass through her lips and at that exact moment his hands find her waist. He shrugs, a strange response considering what Haley was asking him should garner more enthusiasm, but he does not want to put her off. From what he’s seen she favors apathy. ”You don’t have to ask twice.” It is a joke and despite the nonchalance he spoke it with Marat has never been the type to do any task half-assed, no matter how it may seem he approaches it. Apathy does not carry into his love making and with forceful hands he pulls her into him.

Their bodies are close so that she may feel the muscle beneath his shirt, the frame that is stockier than most sidhes who are willowy in comparison. He pulls her even closer, his kiss fierce and long, a side of Marat she's not yet had the pleasure of experiencing.

OOC: We should probably fade to black or something then ask for a narration then pick up. What do you think?

[Haley]

CUE fading to black

OOC: cool with me. Sky?

[Skylla]

Results:

Marat: No Coming to Power
Haley: No Coming to Power, No Pregnancy

[Haley]

It had been a long time since Haley had engaged in sex. In the course of her life time - a mere twenty-six years - she had bedded two others besides Marat. Haley was anything but promiscuous, but the lure of magic and the temptation of power had been too much for the little faerie to bear. Although the shame of her sudden change in standards radiated throughout her mind, Haley pushed it aside for the sake of her experiment. She was, of course, disappointed with the results.

Marat had been wonderful; far better than her two previous partners, both of which had been virgins at the time. She didn’t blame him in the slightest. Her request had been met more abruptly than expected, but the passion behind it had been anticipated. Though Marat’s relatively cocky attitude was a distinct turn-off for Haley, the fact that he could dedicate himself so fully to the task at hand earned quite a bit of respect from her. She would keep him around for a while. Who knows? Perhaps one day she would even call him a friend.

Haley wasted no time in prying herself away from him when they were done. Padding lightly across the wooden floor she began to collect her strewn clothing, tossing them carelessly into a corner to be cleansed at a later date. Her experiment’s failure weighed heavily on her mind, but Haley considered this only the first trial. There would be many more, just not now. She wasn’t particularly interested in prolonging her contact with him for longer than necessary.

She yanked open the top drawer of the dresser and pulled out a set of gray clothing nearly identical to what she had been wearing before their encounter. Collecting them in her arms, Haley turned back towards Marat, ”I’m going to bathe. You can stay or go, I don’t care.” Actually, she did care and was hopping he would chose the latter. Still, Haley seemed to hesitate, almost as if she wanted to say something more, but instead snapped her mouth shut.

[Marat]

Promiscuity is an earthly creation, a human problem. Marat’s moral code is more suited for the faerie lifestyle. Human bodies are wrought with weaknesses and limitations, but the bodies of the fae are much more durable. Without being susceptible to disease, fae can partake in practices most humans find unsavory. That is the reason King Cel finds pleasure in sadism and the reason the more explicit stories of the Roman gods involve uninhibited orgies. It is also the reason Marat’s skill in bed is so noticeable.

Though his apparent youth and arrogance betray otherwise, his sexual prowess is latent with years’ experience. Unlike Haley, Marat’s promiscuity is largely akin to that of any male’s fantasy. With a lifetime spanning more than a thousand years, Marat’s lovers are numerous and diverse. His tastes are refined and his technique practiced. Having lost track of his partners well before he lost track of his age, the nimbus’s time with Haley is an art work of skills learned traveling the entire European continent and spanning hundreds of years. He knows what he is doing and through the sounds and movements of Haley’s body, she is aware of his knowledge.

Like all good things their moment together ends and she removes herself from the bed. Marat has little recollection of how he became tangled in the sheets and in an effort to retrace his “steps” he begins to plot his course to the bed. Eventually confusion nulls his efforts as he is unable to remember if they had returned back to the chair after the wall or if the nightstand had been their next stop. Deciding he no longer cares he stands as she departs, leaving him with a warm farewell.

With a mirthful grin he peeks around corner, catching of glimpse of where Haley disappears to. He steps out, stark naked in his pursuit of her. ”You know, being a bitch only works one of two ways: if you haven’t slept with that person yet or you don’t intend to sleep with them again.” His words are accompanied with the same cheeky grin Marat is most fond of shooting at Haley.

[Haley]

"Really now?" Haley rose an eyebrow at him and tilted her head, "It's never stopped me before." She offered him a broad, cheeky smile before she turned and headed for her desk. One hand yanked open a drawer and began to rifle through it as she spoke, "You know," her voice was decidedly monotone, "You try too hard." She was, of course, referring to the fact that he seemed to be attempting to get under her skin on purpose. Haley shot him a look, completely unphased by his blatant nakedness or his little smirk. For once, Haley was in a subdued mood. The frustration that had spawned earlier had translated into an exhaustion. Haley simply didn't feel like playing any games at the moment, and Marat was trying her patience. It wouldn't be too much longer before Marat would see her truly angry.

Taking a deep breath, Haley directed her attention to the drawer once more. From it she withdrew a small leather pouch. She worked the ties loose with her hands and slid several slender fingers in. From it she withdrew a small, round object. Akuji, whom had yet to move from his position from underneath the desk immediately seemed to perk up, his head lifting from his paws. Haley dropped down into a crouch and held her hand out, the small object offered to Akuji. At first the wild dog simply snorted at her, his eyes narrowed. She was bribing him and he knew it. After a few moments of glaring, Akuji slipped his head forward and delicately (as in nearly bit her hand off) took it from her. He swallowed it whole and then turned his head from her. Haley would have to do more to make this night up to him, but she was definitely to a good start.

Haley smiled and rubbed his head gently before she came to a standing position and glanced back towards Marat. Honestly, she had been expecting him to leave quickly. "What? Were you hoping for an encore or something?" If he was, Haley wasn't so sure she would deny him it. She also wasn't so sure she wouldn't cut him either.

[Marat]

Marat crosses his arms in front of his chest and his smile softens considerably upon hearing Haley’s tone. He leans with much more casualness than appropriate given his level of nudity, against the door frame shaking his head at Haley. ”I suppose I do.”

The smile fades on his face as Haley’s attention turns to the dog and he too watches the animal, but his focus is on Haley. Marat knows there is something troubled within the girl, behind her tough exterior there is certainly a level of insecurities that Marat has yet to uncover. Truthfully, Marat does not know if he ever wants to delve any deeper into Haley’s psyche, but he knows that if he ever chose to, he would likely find some troubling material. For now though, Marat is satisfied with quick witted conversation and the melding of skin that Haley offers him, their friendship is nothing more than that, for now.

He stands up straight, and though he has fought the urge to shoot a jest at Haley he knows he must leave before he does say something that will truly upset her. Marat’s jokes often go too far.

He turns to collect his clothing that is strewn about the room and slides on the black breeches he had been wearing. He looks back at the woman who had shared his bed only moments ago and shakes his head, ”No. Not on opening night.” His shirt drops over his form and his eyes sparkle with the same youth they had before, no longer troubled by deeper thoughts. ”But I will later, Haley.” There is a certain warmth to the way he speaks her name, ”I’ll see you.”

And he turns to leave.

[Haley]

Haley was oblivious to Marat’s little psychiatric assessment. Had she known his thoughts she would have whole-heartedly agreed with him – there were some deep, fucked up parts of her that she would love to change. Unfortunately, Haley was who Haley was – difficult to understand. It was her complex rainbow of personality flaws and characteristics that made her so damn unapproachable, though it didn’t help that most others chose to dismiss her rather than get to know her. They never saw through her outer, bitchy shell. Had any tried, they might have seen just how distinctly calm and collected Haley could be, despite the looming sense of fragility she carried with her. Marat had been the first faerie to get a glimpse this deep into the workings of Haley’s persona. Whether he would again or not remained to be seen.

She did not see him to the door. Marat was a big boy – Haley was sure he knew how to work a door handle…or, at least she hoped he did. Instead, the moment the door closed behind him, Haley sunk to the floor next to Akuji and threw her arms around the animal, burying her face into his fur. Despite the anger that still crawled beneath his skin, the wild dog shifted his head around to lick her gently on the back of the neck, the closest bit of flesh available to him. He knew just how hard this night had been on Haley. Letting another faerie so close to her had dealt a blow to the networked prism of shields Haley had cast so carefully about her frame.

The Nimbus remained in that position for only a few moments before she drew back and rubbed the dog’s head a bit roughly. A rogue smile caressed her lips, ”Thank you.” With that said, she removed herself from the floor and headed to the bath.

END