Beyril's Apartment (Join With Permission | Mature (of course))

"A long time ago," he said, and forced a laugh before offering a crooked smile her way. "But, such is passed and I know where I stand."

"Was?" Her voice cracked, broken and whispered. Slowly, her eyes trailed back up to meet his, and there was a light, though somehow still powerful tension in her chest that carried through her gaze. No other words escaped her, but her body was trembling, her legs giving out where she crouch and causing her to sit on his lap. A sharp inhalation followed as glass struck through her pants --- surprisingly enough, skinny jeans --- but she didn't react to it otherwise.

Beyril nodded, hugging her legs to her chest, "I guess in some ways it's best that I've never been in love before. Especially given my, er... History."

Akira didn't change his face or expression, pulling her onto his lap and gingerly removing the glass from her leg, "Careful, you're going to hurt yourself." he muttered, protective as always, still unsure where he was in the grand scheme of things, but that all took a back burner to the glass in her leg and the red welling to the surface.

He shrugged; Savannah revealed her sexcapades to him, in great detail, but the secrets of others she never expressed. "We all have our demons and our skeletons --- don't let them hold you back." With that, he rolled down his window, pulling a cigerette out and holding it for her to see. "May I?"

She batted his hands away, not caring for her phsyical injuries. Instead, she stretched out her legs, wrapping them loosely around him, her hands returning to cup his cheeks, directing his gaze to her own. "Stop it." She said, though the usual fire and commanding tone were lost as she stared back at him. "Just... stop it." Her breathing and heart excelerated suddenly, her lips parting for a brief moment before a soft curse escaped her and she pulled herself forward, meeting his lips in a tender, passionate and yet delicately innocent intimacy completely unlike her. There was nothing sexual about their contact or how she kissed him, pouring her heart out and revealing the fear and pain as she had before, now somehow tenfold what it was then. Her body was trembling, crippled tears trailing down her face as she held him fast, refusing to let him pull away despite how weak she also both seemed and was. There was fire there, a dull flaming on fading embers, but it wasn't her usual spark, no pressure or insistance, nothing physically or demanding. No, for once, it was pleading, begging for things she could not voice, could not formulate into words, a desperate desire for acceptance, for care and safety, a sort of security no one else had or could offer her. She was in control and yet spiralling out of it, whirling towards a desperate, entreating fall that she knew nothing about, had fled from all her life... and she was giving him the choice, the power to determine where she would land, right here and now.

Beyril smiled faintly, "Only if you give me one, too."

There was a stiffness, an attempt at restraint in Akira's shoulders that fell the instant her lips brushed his. God, he hated himself at times like this where she could just kiss him and suddenly he didn't care how heartbroken he was. His arms cupped her back and the back of her head as his lips melded with hers, pulling her in, begging and pleading for the pain to go away, but somehow just a kiss, no matter how passionate, wasn't quite enough. It calmed him for now, but to truly make up for the pain in his chest that lingered through every breath, something serious would need to change.

Tony nodded, grabbing a second and handing it to her before gesturing to the old car's lighter. "As you wish, kid."

The tears continued to fall as she mellded to him, clay in his hands as she sat there, broken and desperate, waiting for a hit, a slap --- anything, knowing that it was nothing more than she deserved. A choked sob shuttered through her, and she broke the kiss off sooner than she'd expected to collapse against him, crying against his chest. She was crying, sobbing and absolutely begging him with no restraint for forgiveness, her heart sinking and shattering at the pit of her stomach.

Beyril nodded in thanks, lighting the cigarette and inhaling, holding the smoke in for a minute before exhaling it through her nose, trying to still her trembling hands, "I know you don't know me that well, but..." she cleared her throat, flicking the ashes out the window, "I was raped. I don't know why I'm telling you, honestly. Maybe I'm just saying it to give it a word at this point..."

He leaned his head against hers, breath running down the bridge of her nose, "This doesn't fix things, you know." he explained between ragged breaths, "I'm still hurt. I'm still angry. I'm willing to see how this plays out, to give you a chance, for god knows what reason... But I can't forgive you. Not yet."

He stiffened as he exhaled, looking over at her, his eyes searching. "When?" The word was a cracked whisper, but tender and sympathizing.

She nodded, the tears not stilling as she stayed put, continuing to tremble in his arms. "I c...couldn't e- expect... you to." Savannah choked out a laugh at that, forcing humor in her own pitiful sound. "I'm sorry." She whispered finally, loud and clear enough to be truly heard. She turned her head to look up at him, looking like a child about to be punished, or perhaps even a convict before the executioner. "T... tell me what to do a... and I'll do it." Her teeth found the inside of the cheek as she watched him. "I have... a lot to make up for."

"About a year ago." she brought the cigarette up to her lips, "I'm sorry, I'm probably making you really uncomfortable."

Akira shook his head, pushing his hand, the gauze blood-soaked, through his hair, "I don't know. God, I don't know what would honestly make up for this..." he sighed, "I don't even know what we're fixing exactly."

He shook his head, offering his free hand to her, squeezing her shoulder gently. "Don't apologize. If you need to talk then feel free to talk."

She bit into her cheek harder, watching him, unsure of herself, wanting to speak the words she'd withheld in the song, but knowing nothing of dating, of courtship, of love. Would it shatter the moment? Help to mend it? Tense it further? Savannah didn't know. Continuing to look up at him with a submissive weakness, her lips parted and she whispered the words she hadn't sung, a light hint of lyrical pitch in her tone, "Oh Lord, oh Lord, what have I done...?" A brief moment of hesitation, "I've fallen in love with a man on the run."

"There's not much to say." Beyril shrugged, welcoming the innocent touch, "It was around the time that the Kishin Saca showed up. I started having weird dreams, so I went to a teacher for help, and... turns out that he and I were both being.... influenced by the madness wavelength."

Akira was silent for a long while, letting the words sink in, before he reached back for his jacket and fished through the pockets.

Antonio closed his eyes and shook his head, "Continue, Bey." His words were soft as he listened, watching her carefully.

Savannah felt her heart begin to sink even further, tension leaving her muscles as weakness and defeat overwhelmed her. She looked away from him, beginning to move away from him, unsure, rejected.

Akira stood her up, his hand clasped around something, as he knelt before her, opening his hand and showing her a beautiful, antique golden and diamond ring with amber decorating the sides. "I was... saving this, but maybe now is a better time..."


Beyril sighed, "It was like I wasn't in control of my body. I would move, and I would talk, but it wasn't me. I'd scream no in my head and my body ignored me. I remember it all, but she, the other, used my body to have her fun."

Her breath hitched, her body unable to decide whether or not it could remain steady as she looked at him. "You.... you're unable to forgive me...." the words were clarifying even as her puffy eeyes began to water once more. "But you... you're willing to propose?" The very thought was baffling; had he not held her in place, there was no telling where she would go or what she would do.

Antonio took a long drag from the cigerette, tapping the the ashes outside the window. "Is she gone, now?"

Akira said nothing, resolution in his eyes as he simply nodded.

Beyril nodded, "Yeah, she disappeared when I went comatose."

She bit into the inside of her cheek hard, inhaling sharply when she broke into the skin. Her eyes remained locked on his, her eyes swirling between gold and amber, a melted, revolving dance of the colors as they locked on his slowly lightening charcoal ones. "I... I don't know what to... I..." Savannah shook a bit, shifting on her feet as she struggled to find words, to comprehend at all. "I... you want this?" It had been enough of a surprise when he'd shown up, her forced fiancee, something else when he'd fallen for her, but now... she didn't know what to think.



Tony nodded, flicking the butt out of the car and angling himself toward her. "And... the teacher?"

Akira simply nodded again, ring still held outstretched in his hand.

Beyril frowned, puffing on the cigarette, "That's where it gets complicated. He's still around. I try to avoid him, but that's all I really can do."

She continued to stare, unable to stand the expectant look in his eyes. Slowly, she knelt back down, closing his hand with her own while the other cupped the side of his face. "I..." Her words caught in her throat, and she swallowed hard to clear it. "I... I am yours." The words felt weird to her, like eating ice cream or frozen yogurt for the first time. "But I want to... to earn that." Savannah shifted a bit uneasily. "I'm not telling you 'no.' I..." A nervous smile broke across her face as she looked down for a brief moment. "I'm saying that I don't deserve it." She brought his hand up to her face, kissing each of his knuckles delicately. "Let me prove myself."

Tony nodded, "Who knows?" He reached moved his hand to rub at the top of her back, "Have you told anyone else?"

Beyril shook her head, "No, but Akira and Savannah know. I saw where he looked at the police reports."

Akira nodded, "You can at least wear the ring in the meantime. For me. So I know this isn't all a dream."

"You haven't spoken to anyone before this?" He was facing her as much as he could, now, watching her. "You haven't seen a counselor or anything?"

Savannah let out a weak laugh, holding her left hand out to him. "If that's what you want of me."

"I talked to one for a little while, but I couldn't pay for the visits." she shrugged.

Akira nodded, sliding the ring on her finger and kissing the knuckle. "There. Beautiful."

He resisted the urge to reach for his wallet, "You know that, the second those two realize it, you're going to be swimming in cash?"

She looked away from him, blushing softly. "Let's... ah, let's not stay here until it has a roof?" A nervous laugh escaped her as she gestured towards the sky. "I don't think getting soaked on top of all the injuries is a good idea." Her eyes trailed to the still wrapped injuries from the abduction.

Beyril chuckled, "That's why I didn't tell them. I don't feel comfortable taking their money."

Akira nodded, wincing as he stood, and grabbing his ruined jacket, "Go on with Tony. I'll drive the bike back to Bey's. I'm... assuming you're not going to want to stay at your dorm while it's covered in broken glass and wine..."

She shrugged, but her hand took hold of his wrist. "I want to go with you." Her smile was lopsided and nervous, a silent request for permission in her eyes.

Tony shook his head. "You'll never win that." He swiped the remainder of the cig from her, flicking it onto the pavement. "Do you need anything?"

Akira nodded, "Just tell them where you're going."

Beyril shook her head, "Nah. I've got my bases covered this week. Provided nothing pops up."

Savannah nodded, sliding her hand to his. "Let's get going... we can clean up afterwards." She smiled softly up at him, trying to push aside her own personal negativities.

He offered her a nod before grabbing his phone and proceeding to the contacts, handing it over for her to add in her information.