One thing always leads to another...

It had been a while since Grimm was last in Central. Things were different, but that should be expected. After all, nothing stays the same for long. Life is constantly changing, rapidly evolving and becoming more modernized.

As the young man walks casually down the streets, passing by a couple of little market stands here and there, he catches hold of a small jewelery stand. A simple elderly woman worked there, standing guard, watching all her precious belongings. Just by judging her appearance, he knew she had something up her sleeve. This woman defiantly wasn't one you wanted to try and steal from, or else she'd probably pull out a weird spell and curse you! Grimm chuckles faintly at the scene he's playing over and over in his mind.

"My dear, would you like anything?" Her voice broke the silence, eerie and cold. The lady stood there gazing up into his general direction, hoping to catch his eyes.

"Ah, I'm actually just passing through. You have some beautiful jewels here, enough to make a pirate go mad." His voice was firm yet inviting as he responded sarcastically back to the elder.

Speaking of pirates, Grimm recently joined a crew of pirates here in central. They were pretty interesting, and it was time for a new journey in life. Plus, they allowed him to walk around without an undershirt, and believe it, he's a real catch.

"Before I go ma'am, would you mind giving me directions?" He hated asking for directions, but he didn't know his way around central and he had to find the location Captain Sal gave him to meet up with the rest of his crew. Grimm shoves his hand down into his pocket, and quickly shuffles it around to find the piece of paper with the local address written down. "Ha, only if I can find it first..."

Celesto was standing behind a rather plain, off-white curtain as he fitted an ornate eye patch over his blind left eye. His left arm also seemed to have an obvious defect since the silver metal of automail glinted in the sunshine leaking through. Despite the phantom touches of pain, his lips were quirked into a slight smile, scrutinizing the dusty mirror expertly. Cele slipped his lanky form out from the hanging cloth and bounded to the old woman with an even larger smile. He waited a moment for her to finish speaking with the weird-cheeked-man and then motioned to his eye enthusiastically. "Look, look! You were right, granny! It's a perfect fit~" Wait...cheek man? The blond double-taked the extremely tall man and then met the jewelery owner's eyes in silent question so as to not be outwardly rude to her other (more important) customers.

"He wants directions," she said, eying her frequent buyer with hidden implications.

"Ah," Cele replied with a smile that could easily be compared to the sunny weather that was radiating down around them. A single sky blue eye focused on the caress of jagged white across the stranger's jaw line. He pulled back with a difficult expression etched into his features. He had just felt it--just tasted the blank echoes of another realm leaking from this man's skin. He was dripping The World and screaming The Gate. Cele's heart skipped a beat and he had to sharply take in a breath or threaten the loss of consciousness.

Granny eyed the caster alchemist suspiciously, "Are you alright? ...since your accident..." she trailed off when she saw Celesto smiling again.

"I can help you get there," he chimed with only a hint of the darkness he had just gotten a whiff of. Hanging his bare automail arm on the other's shoulder for balance, he leaned over the display to see the piece of paper with the address. Wait a second... "Granny, put the cost on my tab. I'll see ya next week~ Follow me~~" He gripped the cheek man's wrist and dragged him away from the jewelery stand and to a secluded area of the Central market place.

"I am known as Celesto S. Krow," he grinned sheepishly, "and this address is actually for North City." Play dumb for now, he told himself darkly. Just in case this man wasn't actually the new recruit he heard about for their pirate crew. Just to be safe... And to keep Karis safe, he told himself. Euphie would know right away whether or not he was, but she was keeping an eye on his twin in North City while he fixed himself up... "Don't worry~ I can still take you there, since I'm headed that way myself. You wouldn't mind a night on a train, would ya?"

That was the first time I met Celesto, and believe me from there it was quite an adventure.


I stood still as I saw a pretty attractive man walk forward from a long, draping, white curtain. Behind his gleaming smile I could see pain leaking through the cracks in his exterior. When my eyes met his, I instantly made a connection like never before. Could it be? I thought to myself. No, it had to be wrong. Could this man really have done what I had done? Human transmutation. I felt a small ache in my jaw, cringing from the thought of that dreaded night. I slowly raised my hand up to message my jawline while I listened to the small elderly woman speak to the handsome individual.

I couldn't resist overhearing that he had been in some sort of accident, but was it really? I mean, the pieces were beginning to line up in my head and I couldn't help but assume he had done what I did. Before I could think anymore, I felt the cold exterior of metal on my shoulder, it was heavier than expected.

"...and this address is actually for the North City" The blonde explained to me, but I was barely noticing. His eye was like a tide pool, it sucked me into the midst and wouldn't let go. "Don't worry~ I can still take you there, since I'm headed that way myself. You wouldn't mind a night on a train, would ya?"

How could I resist such a request? After all, clearly I didn't know where in the hell I was going, and maybe, just maybe I could get to know more of this gentleman.

"I, um, I would be honored to go with you..." I stuttered and looked away quickly out of embarrassment. There comes the stutter, great just great. I'm the freak. I released a quick sigh before looking back at the blonde. "The company would be nice for such a long night ahead..." My eyes broke from his and I stared at my feet. They were dirty from all the dust on the ground, but no worries a man is made to get dirty every once in a while, right? "Thank you" I nodded to the 'granny' and smiled a childish grin for some unexplained reason.

I...didn't know what to make of his response at first, so I let a heavy silence fall over us while I stared over him with childish curiosity. I wanted to know more about him. I'd met many intriguing people over the years, but none had been missing a piece of their jaw. It was funny, a lot of people found the golden tones of my hair intriguing themselves and would spark up a conversation about that or, of course, the eye patch. I'm a modern day pirate, I would joke. And I always smiled. I was smiling now with the goofy lopsided grin that sidestepped all the other questions they would ask about me. Hiya, my name is Cele--or Celes. That's it, let it go. You won't get any further into my psyche than that. I don't let anyone passed the barrier besides Karis who already knows it's all a ruse. Before...it was no one. But I still believe I should have died. Even though my presence makes Karis glow, I shouldn't be here among the living world. ...Because I have become a man of no purpose. I have accomplished everything that needed to be done in this life. So why...why was I still here?

I shed the silence and let go of the man's wrist gingerly. He was surprisingly polite for such a mangled-looking piece of society. And it was vaguely comforting. I liked him already. He was worth the attention I was showering him with. And this was me. Despite the barriers, this was a mask I could no longer take off. The facade had become the true me. Yes, there was pain and I was sure that he could detect the vapor coming off it because of the way he had been looking at me. Now, however, he had a newfound fascination with his dusty shoes. I looked at my own and frowned, wincing inwardly as the faulty barriers I tried to set back in place after Karis' resurrection cracked in a sickening cacophony. My white boots were covered in a sheen of brown dust, seeping into the designer cracks that not even the wind would be able to quickly remove. Such a bother~ I whined in my thoughts.

I looked back up with my hooded blue eye at the same time the other man did and then I felt myself smiling again. "My pleasure~" I didn't know his name, which proved difficult for giving him a fun nickname. It was okay...I wasn't like others; I wouldn't pry until...later when he was stuck with me on the train whether he liked it or not. Because by now, I was convinced that he was supposed to be the new member of Sal's crew. How else could he have gotten the address to Karis' cafe? The signs were all there. "Let's get going now~~" I shot one last glance at his makeshift, exoskeleton jaw and concluded it would make a good coat rack. And then I stormed off in the lead towards the train station.


What? It was only a ten minute walk. But it was so damn hot. I felt the sweat piecing my stark bangs together in wavy rows over my eye and eye patch. The scarlet jewels that hung down from the black satin continuously brushed the surface of my cheek and it was beginning to get a little annoying. I had half-decided to yank them out when a loud announcement boomed over the loud speakers of Central Station. I sighed, watching my companion to ensure he and all his tallness didn't get swept away in the river of busy business men and school children. They were so cute. I smiled and ruffled a boy's hair who had collided with my leg. He smiled back and then continued running off to wherever he was headed. "Lesee...Gate 3A," I said lightly to myself, stopping at a machine and recharging my silver and green suica card with a 1,000 cenz. I looked inquiringly at cheek man and grinned. "You know what you're doing, hm??"

There was something about this man that drove me insane. I couldn’t look away or escape from his presence. He was haunting my mind and corrupting my soul I like to say, however, it was pleasing. I felt comfortable around him, but he did keep me on my toes. Nerves constantly ran down my back the moment we started walking towards the train station. My heart was racing, pounding in my rib cage. I’m pretty sure he could hear it but was being polite and not pointing it out. There were so many times I wanted to flee, but my legs wouldn’t allow me. All I could do was be me, the freak with a bone jaw like structure sticking half way out of his face. I didn’t try and be some one else, I couldn’t, it didn’t come naturally.

During the duration of our walk, I couldn’t resist flickering a glance in his general direction. Throw everything aside, like the fancy jewelry, eye-patch, designer clothing, and other things, this man was truly a captivating man. There was something about his presences that kept my attention. There was only one other person in my life that did that, Sofia. If only Sofia could see me now, boy would she be amazed at how far I’ve come. Just thinking of her brought back a flood pull of memories during that ten-minute walk to the station. I do miss her. I miss her a whole lot. The funny thing was, I didn’t care if this man was leading me somewhere completely astray from my destination. I genuinely wanted to go with him, but I knew it could possibly lead to something I never imagined. As we walked in silence, I wanted so badly to scream out and ask so many random questions like a schoolboy. That’s something I will have to admit, I have childish crushes on strange people.

By the time we arrived to the crowded train station, I managed to work up a sweat. Beads were rolling down my jaw line and dripping off the bone. I raised my left forearm up to my face and wiped away the sweat from my brow. Nothing I would do now worked, my hair was defiantly glued to my forehead from the perspiration. However, something random and completely awesome was the fact that we were kind of on my turf now. I watched the tiny boy run in the blonde fellows leg, and chuckled slightly. I had to look away from the man, I couldn’t let him see my smile that awful smile I have. I looked around for a way on the train, something simple and free. One skill I managed to acquire was getting my way, and that involved sneaking around to do so.

"You know what you're doing, hm??" The handsome individual inquired at me.

As soon as he said that, I knew exactly what to do. My hand reached down and my fingers intertwined with his, pulling him forward as I began to run. My body just ran, I didn’t tell it too, but it did. We flew throughout the businessmen and managed to find Gate 3A just in time. It looked like the train was about to leave, and we somehow slithered our way onto the train without having to pay a dime. Without a seconds notice, I shoved the attractive man onto the train near the back, before pulling myself up close against his slim but muscular body.

“Shhh, don’t say a word until the train begins moving…” I whispered in a low tone, my lips inches away from his ear. There was a small bathroom too our right, and I quietly opened the door before sliding both of us into the tiny space. Boy, was tiny. Our bodies were pressed perfectly together in the bathroom cabin, but I knew it wouldn’t be long… I hope, right? My mind began to flutter in a thousand directions like butterflies, but I kept my eyes focused on him. I hope this wasn’t too much, but I figure we needed some adventure to start off our journey, ehh?

It was a scene out of a movie, no...it had to be real life. I could feel his clammy hand clasp mine--only sweat separating our skin. I then felt a yank where I stood planted to the fancy train station floor, finally registering the fact that he had started racing towards our train. I thought my arm would come out of its socket and I would lose that one too, but it hit me in time to run after him before that happened. I didn't know why I was running, but I did. I could have slipped out of his grip easily and hit him over the head with my staff to stop him, but I didn't. I noted that I wasn't really thinking about anything besides keeping up. He was so fast and I figured maybe it was because I was still recovering. My other arm still ached and I was at least thankful that that wasn't the one he had grabbed. Skin over metal... A bittersweet smile began to settle itself over my lips, but it didn't have time to finish forming before the train's whistle ruptured my hearing. I clapped a hand over my one ear and cowered from the high-pitched mechanical squeal. Why of all days did I forget to put in my ear plugs? This was certainly over the degree of hertz a human should take in... And if I wanted to strike someone with lightning it would prove difficult without going deaf... Boo!

Suddenly the man with the exoskeleton jaw stopped and I almost slammed into him before skidding to a halt as well. But the doors were closing! He lifted me over the gap without a thought and suddenly shoved me inside backwards. But he was right behind me--or should I say in front of me. He was so in front of me that our stomachs brushed and I stumbled backwards into one of the poles. I gripped it tightly, my hand now free, panting as if I hadn't breathed in all my life. My lungs burned for oxygen and I was just about to curl up on one of the seats next to the staring passengers when I was dragged into the on-board men's room. "Wh-what? Just what--?" I felt myself stutter in surprise and disbelief.

"Shhh," he said. And that was all I needed. I wouldn't have normally shut up, but I was so tired... And he was so warm..and so comforting. I felt my eye slide shut as the bathroom door locked behind me and our bodies were pressed together. I couldn't compute this shudder of electricity that was powering through me... It could only be compared with the feeling of losing yourself when sucked through The Gate. Like pleasure mixed with confusion and vague inklings of pain. I couldn't breathe and I almost didn't want to. I thought of Karis and Euphie at the cafe waiting for us and a small smile erupted onto my parted lips. There was a home to go back to now, but...something was missing and had always been missing. I still did not know what it was, but somehow I felt closer to it. So close... I hardly realized that my lips were touching another set of lips. I felt breath run smooth fingers over my face and down my neck while my own traced the taller man's jawline. I didn't know who he was, but I felt like I had known him all my life.

The train began slowly moving forward and I pulled away quickly with a childish smile I felt had enveloped my whole body. I kissed him. My blue eye slitted open, holding a barbed wire smile of its own. "What's your name?" I asked in a playful voice, my eye never leaving him for a moment in the tight space we now occupied. And it smelled. But what bothered me the most...was that I still didn't even know his name.

My mind went numb the moment his lips touched mine. They were so lavish and enticing, I couldn’t resist the urge. I wanted more. It was intoxicating, filling my lungs up with venom I would not be able to fight against. His fingers were chilly, icy cold as he touched my jawline, something no one had done before. There was no pain, just excitement and nerves. My stomach fluttered, as if I were falling from a ledge. This mans body pressed up firmly against mine during that kiss and it was thrilling, I knew this would not be the end. Instantly, I had flashbacks of The Gate and my haunting past. This handsome man was guilty of my crime as well. I knew it, and I could tell by the energy that vibrantly pulsed throughout our bodies. My eyes slowly shut as I traced down the nape of his neck with my fingertips, trailing the spinal cord. I was lost in this kiss, drowning in the amount of poison breathing from his lips. I knew it would become an addiction.

As the train slowly began to move and our lips broke free, I gasped for air. I stared only for a moment into his enchanting eyes, before looking elsewhere. My face was burning red and I knew it was obvious this individual tantalized me. One of my hands held firmly against the door for support and the other fell into the washbowl, causing my body to unevenly sink. I knew if I lost my grip on the doorframe, I’d fall over. My body was frozen as I gradually locked eye contact with him again.

At first his question didn’t register with me, primarily because I could not listen. However, my mind caught up and I figured out what he asked. My name. It hit me like a ton of bricks, as if people were stoning me to death. The wind was almost knocked out of me and I went silent. Another flashback appeared, this time of those I cared for most. Each one of them died the moment I left. I was a plague, and I knew from the moment our lips touched, I threw a curse onto this man. Could he be different? I’m not positive, but unlike the others, I knew I would not be physically capable of leaving this man. Our bodies were entwined together, and nothing would cause that to jeopardized.

“D-D-Devon Grimm” I stuttered from the nervous feeling I got. Great, just great. My stuttered returned and he would judge. Wouldn’t he? I mean, who finds a stutter attractive? These were just a few things I instantly began thinking of but it didn’t matter. I had to have more, I wanted more. I wanted everything from this stranger that I barely knew anything about. I gave him my ugly crooked smile I was self conscious about and pulled him close against my body once more. I broke free from the door and wrapped that hand around his waist, yanking his body inches away from mine. I felt power, control, and lust that I hadn’t felt before. His waist was slim, but firm. My body was doing it’s own thing, and I became trapped within it’s confines. My fingertips lingered around his waistline and soon traveled up under his shirt. His back was soft like lavender as I felt his skin with my bare hand. This was exciting, invigorating, and powerful as I explored the dip in his back.

“Hello, someone in there?” There was a pounding against the door and I heard a small girls voice. She was pleading for the restroom, and by the sound of it she couldn’t wait any longer. “Please, I have to go really bad!” She moaned and raped the door once more with her fist.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head as I pulled out my hand from this mans back. Perfect timing little girl…. I released a moan and attempted to stand straight up in the tiny confound space.

The train was moving now and so were the man's hands as they explored curves of my body I didn't know I had. I was finding it harder and harder to balance with the movement, but I didn't have to. I leaned against him, his back crushing against the other wall and pressing our bodies tightly together. I found I still couldn't catch my breath, seeing from my only eye as his other hand dug into the sink. Heat gathered on the surface of my skin, bursting from inside as if I had accidentally activated my flame alchemy. I felt myself flush and the blood rise just below the surface of my pale cheeks. The air was thick with our sweat, and I dropped my coat at some point as his hands ghosted over my back. Instead of touching my body, I found myself thinking that he was touching my soul--if there was a soul left of me. And I knew right then and there that this man would be able to see through me. All my walls, shields, barriers, and facades wouldn't be enough to stunt his suspicion. I saw it in his eyes... those straight blue eyes so unlike my own. They pierced the sky hidden inside mine and I vaguely recognized one of my hands untangling itself from his hair. It reached for my eye patch and stripped it away to fall somewhere near my coat at my dusty feet. That's right, I can't see you out of this eye, I tried to say with my sweaty stare. My hand touched my own skin now, feeling the burning of my face while concealing the orb that only saw darkness. I made a space between my fingers, cracking light that never reached me. Would he notice? I smiled a fake smile and buried my face into his chest as if it would save me. Save...me?

I gasped when I heard his voice, thinking I would never hear sound again that wasn't our breathing or the turning of the train wheels. Wheels...spinning...spinning like gears. Gears... I heard the man's name and lost all strength in my limbs, a searing pain gouging out my left eye that was still there watching him and his exoskeleton chin. I should have hung my coat on it for kicks and made him laugh. Should have...regret... Would this man make me feel regret yet again? I shuddered inwardly, biting back the pain and acting as if nothing was happening. But this meant...that I wasn't having a daymare again. This meant...that Devon was real. I could cry, but the purpose for which I couldn't understand. This man...his electricity grounded me. I felt it leaking off his form and curling into mine, making my lightning twist inside of me and lick at my metal finger tips trapped underneath me. I clutched my hand into a fist, trying to will the transmutation circles to stop forming before they could actually be seen. It wouldn't be fun for Devon Grimm to learn what effect he was having on me. It was a game to him right? It couldn't be anything more than that. And yet...I felt myself being okay with that. It didn't matter as long as he was close. I wanted to make him smile that crooked grin--I wanted to hear his laugh or see him angry. But why? I couldn't grasp it--as if my thoughts were leaving me and drowning in the gears that wouldn't stop gripping me with hands of blind darkness. Go away! I wanted to scream, but I didn't need to. His eyes were holding me here. Just his locked gaze and that self-derailing stutter that made me smile something real despite the hidden agony locked behind the missing eye patch.

I jumped slightly at the sound of someone knocking: human bone meeting the cold metal... It was echoing in my head, hypersensitive ears soaking in the unwelcome vibrations. A feminine voice followed with it, asking if there was someone in there. Well of course, why else would it be locked? "This is the men's room!" I felt myself murmur through the door in a fictitious slur of benevolence. "The girl's is down the other side of the carriage, you know~" Silence followed with the shuttle of feet... It seemed she had realized her cruel mistake and left without another word. That girl had to be embarrassed--well, ...at least she wasn't aware of the fact that there were two men inside rather than one. And besides, we couldn't exactly leave our hiding place just yet; the ticket collector would catch us and have us kicked off at the next stop... I couldn't allow that to happen.

A bright smile twisted itself over my lips and I threw both my arms (including the hunk of metal) over the broad shoulders of the man I had just met on coincident. I pretended the girl had never been there, I pretended there had been no interruptions, and I was good at pretending. "Waiii~ your slur is so cute, Devo-rin~" I chirped, taking note that one of his arms was still wrapped protectively around my waist. We were touching still...and it wasn't over. Not just yet... My heart was still pounding in my throat while all my instincts continued to tell me to run--run like I always had from the things I wanted. I had turned my blind eye to everything except Karis. Now Karis was alive...able to live his life again because of me just like he had died because of me. Something told me...that Devo's human transmutation hadn't gone as well as my second try. It made me want to laugh--laugh bitterly at all the pain The World dished onto people already suffering enough to attempt such a thing in the first place... And I was standing right here, still in front of him with a goofy grin plastered to my face. And here I was standing right here, thinking that I could actually be happy--that I deserved happiness at all for what I've done. I stepped on the dead. I gave up my life. So...what was I now?

Gears scrapped against me and suddenly I was on the ground at his feet, clutching my eye and contemplating the end of existence. This pain was too great...surely The World had come to take me back. I escaped with my life somehow and I hadn't given enough. I was going to die right here in front of the prospect of happiness. And I was staring...staring at each seam and each piece of string in his white dress pants that were so captivatingly pure... But neither of us were that innocent. I opened my mouth to ask him if he really was like me when the vision of my right eye started growing dimmer. My equilibrium flipped, my knees digging into the waxed floor. And then I felt myself falling forward...

Time had stopped in my mind. Everything around was frozen after the incident with the little girl. This man was my existences at that moment and I could not break free. My insides felt like millions of butterflies were twirling around as I danced on clouds. The sensation was toxic; causing my mind to go dizzy the longer we were chest to chest. I managed to slip my thumb down into his pants as I watched his face become flesh, over heated, and sweaty. His sweat was turning me on, and I couldn’t believe it. I must not lie, I wanted to lick his face, suck on the dripping sweat from his brow and swallow the poison. I was addicted, full fledge addicted. This was so unlike me, especially with a stranger. No. He was not a stranger, he was mine. I couldn’t imagine life without my own personal drug; I had to keep injecting myself with his essences.

His words were playfully and not as annoying as I would normally have taken them. I wasn’t a huge fan of petty nicknames, but for this man I could let the exception slide. Wait! I screamed on the inside of my mind, why was I thinking about that at a time like this? I slide another finger into his pants with my thumb, grazing over the area where his tailbone was located. My hand was on it’s own course, and I did not dare to try and stop it. I wanted it. He wanted it. But then he fell to the ground. His body gave out in my grasp and I could feel his chest slipping away from my body. My eyes shot to the ground with fear as I watched him in slow motion. What was wrong? I did not know, but a defensive instinct automatically shifted into gear and surged throughout my veins. I extended my arms quickly as I hunched over and kept him from falling into my legs and onto the floor. If he was in pain, I wanted to take that pain. I wanted everything, and give him anything. His slim figure was light as I used my own muscles to slowly hold him up. My legs slowly gave in and I slid down to the floor. I pulled his head into my chest and began rocking back and forth.

“Shhh, you’ll be okay…” I whispered enchanting words into his ear and lightly stroked the nape of his neck with a couple fingers. I was trying my best not to let the knife in my heart get the best of me. I felt abandoned in that moment, like he was taken from me. It was a scary thought and all I was able to do was grip him with all my might. “Just rest for a moment…” My voice slowly trails into thin air. My chest rose in and out as I took long deep inhales and exhales of air. Sweat from my face ran down my jawbone and dripped into his hair, falling down his face. I used the hand that was wrapped around his chest to slide down near his belly button and begin to unbutton the shirts. If he was overheated, he needed to cool off. Naturally that would require less clothing, so I thought. Button by button I snapped off with ease until I had finished the task. His chest was exposed and my body grew excited. I stared down his firm lines and I was lusting… again. I pulled my lips closer to his ear and began nibbling with my teeth. The drops of sweat on his ear was fatal and it was killing my on the inside. It was a bit salty but sweet, and I knew I was hooked. Even if it was sweat.

I continued to nibble on his ear and indulge myself with his sweat, it was so tasty. My lips pressed firmly over his ear and I moaned slowly to myself as I slowly released my grip on his ear, and broke free to breath. I licked my lips and rolled my head to the right. There, I noticed a couple of things on the ground, one being his eye patched. It hit me like a ton of weights, why hadn't I noticed this before? This man lost something with his left eye, most likely his vision. I kept his head pressed against the base of my neck and my chest, around my collar bone as I stared at the eye patch. It was haunting, but I had to learn more.

"Wh-why do you hav-have an ey-eye patch?" I slowly questioned, hoping this man had been slightly awoken from my lips on his ear.

My breath hitched in my lungs until they began to set aflame from lack of oxygen. And slowly I began to hear the blood rushing in my head to the steady beat of the man's heart. The firm yet soft touch of his chest lulled me into a place between waking consciousness and the shroud of sleep where the spinning gears were evaded. I felt my hands grab fists of his damp shirt as the fabric of my own slid over my shoulders and fell into the growing pile. Gusts of cooler air caressed my heated skin as pale hair stuck to my cheeks. I let myself breathe, sucking in air in deep pants that almost hurt. It was yearning and the wetness lathering over my ear that forced my eyes open once more. "Shhh, you’ll be okay..." gripped my mind and pleasantly dumped a bucket of ice water on my throbbing head. He was holding me there...on the bathroom floor. And the gears were gone. I blinked in bewilderment, lost in his eyes that I lifted my head slightly to see. And soon after, I felt the heaviness of my head grow and carefully pressed my lips to his neck, running my tongue along the sensitive veins that protruded. I heard him moan in my ear, the humid exhale tickling me and making me twitch away slightly. But the thought of running away was already lost into the confines of my mind, dancing with the cobwebs blown away by his breath.

My metal hand traced cool circles across his collar bone, as my other ventured to the button of his pants. I struggled with it, until finally releasing the pressure that was building beneath. I heard his voice echo across my skin and raised my head once more to follow his eyes. So he had noticed, I thought, drawing in both hands to hold his hips and heave myself upright. A careless smile slipped over my habitual lips and I let go of him, absentmindedly touching my left eye. "Because I'm a pirate, silly~" I dropped my hand and reopened that eye to stare at him with emptiness. "And so are you. That's why we're going to North City, ne?" My voice was softer than usual--as if I barely had the energy to dodge the normal questions. And it hurt like it always did, but I was still smiling until my face fell and took in those white pants again. Tentatively, I ran a finger up his leg, stopping only when it met the bone of his hip. I was entranced. And I still wanted to know...if he really had seen The Gate as well, ...but I would never ask. It was unfair. And my secrets would never be revealed. No one had to know... But I felt myself wanting him to know. I wanted someone to know everything about me. And this desire was something alien to me... My mind shoved it violently away and the smile singed into a fine line rejecting thought. But I had a feeling that this wasn't over. Two men could not fall into each other on a bathroom floor without knowing. Who was this? But I was not willing to pry. Somehow I sensed that he would take over that role well enough for the two of us... It was his game after all--a game that I started. But who would end it?

His zipper was down and my hands roaming through the newfound opening. I touched his bare thighs and waited to see if he would kiss me. Were feelings involved or was this just lust? What had lead me to kiss him to begin with? ...that missing feeling that was filling with clouds now. Clouds...that I could still fall through. It was dangerous. Everything here that we were doing was too dangerous. I knew straight away that it could break me...ruin me...and whatever was left of my heart. My eyes were alight with gleaming fervor and I waited yet to see...just what he was thinking. And my non-automail hand glided over the glaze of sweat to touch lightly what was between his legs. My eyes narrowed into blue slits and my own sweat slid down the side of my face and gathered into my moist hair. So much for air conditioning. I gripped him in my hands and parted my dry lips, never losing sight of every single movement he made.

My heart dropped when I knew he was lying to my face. It wasn’t just an eye patch but rather he had seen the gate. I was confident in my decision. It was true we were headed to the North, busy trying to locate the spot to meet the rest of the gang. I was highly bothered by his decision not to open up at that moment, but seriously, he can’t keep it locked inside him forever. No one could….could they? I stared into his eyes for a moment, lost in thought. It was like wonderland I was about to enter; nothing was going to make sense. Right now I was just falling down the rabbit hole, but soon the adventure would begin to pick up and I’d be destined to fine the answers I searched for.

Just as I felt the cooling touch oh his metal finger tracing my collarbone, I knew I was done for. I couldn’t’ resist this temptation. Honestly, I didn’t want to either. I released a faint moan into his ear, begging for more. I wanted more. All of it. All of him. When my button snapped and the pressure that was building below was released, I knew this was more than just lust. I was falling for him. The blonde fellow was tempting me, teasing me as his fingers blissfully glided around my private parts, taunting my mind sexually. It was the fist time I had ever been touched down there, and it was exciting. I couldn’t help but release another long moan into the air, nervously awaiting his reaction. He was pleasuring me completely, inside and out. For now this is what I wanted, so I thought. In reality, I wanted him. I want to know him. Why he had seen the gate and what his motives were. I took the opportunity and leaned my head in to kiss his velvet lips, fulfilling the craving I was thirsty for. I kept them there for a brief moment, soaking in as much as I possibly could. I dropped my hands to the ground digging them into floor as I was taking the warmth from his hand. Much longer from this grip on me and I would explode. Blood was flowing vibrantly throughout my entire body as my face became flush, and I knew he could feel the pumping of the blood with his human hand.

“I, I, I know you’re lying to me.” I stated foolishly before he was finished holding onto me. Would this be a mistake? I don’t know, but for now it was a risk I had to take. “Tell me honestly why you have the patch. D-did you see th-the-” Here it goes I thought nervously as I released another long moan into the air. “See the Gate of Truth?” Any minute longer and I would be completely soaked and so would his hand…

"I'm not ly--" I was cut off and clamped my mouth shut, breathing quickly through my nose. The rattling of the train tracks below stifled the sound of the air as it filled my lungs and then was expelled like everything else in this world. I readied myself...for anything. But I was stuck wondering that if the time came, would I lie again? Could I dodge this question like I dodged the last? Aren never asked. This was something that was vivid in my mind as I gripped him and all of him with my human hand that ran up and down along it in rhythm with the man's gasps. She never prodded or questioned anything I did so it was easy to hide.

"D-did you see th-the-the Gate of Truth?"

His voice... the nervousness... the fleeting moment we were now sharing... I suddenly felt as if I were before a crowd of many people with many eyes that bore down on my corrupt soul. My heart chugged furiously against my chest--a tattoo on the surface for all to see. It displayed my emotion, my desire, and most of all: that which no one should ever have to see. I clasped my metal hand into a fist and let it fall onto his shoulder in desperation, but also in adherence. My veins became a race horse, slamming against the surface of my ethereal pale skin, its hooves growing heavier and all the more sick of running. I shut my eyes, letting him lose their hue for a while before re-meeting them. I let go, stood up, and thrust my hand in the sink with soap until I was satisfied. Without turning around, I decided to answer. "Twice."

And then I turned--I turned eyes that even I couldn't call human onto him. My pupils, I knew, were slit beyond description, sinking into the sea of pale blue and getting lost within the whirling depths of a tortured spirit. I let both hands come to my sides and smiled at him. I didn't want to know what I looked like right now. I could only guess that he was terrified--that he was regretting ever asking me such a dark question. However, now we both knew how right our presumptions were. Now...we knew. And now we knew...why we both we pirates. My smile shifted then, transforming into a ghost that seethed with raindrops and was lost before anything could even attempt to save it. I bent to the ground, having reached my previous place directly in front of him, and retrieved both my eye patch and my coat. Swinging the white fabric around my back, I holed my arms through the sleeves and tosses the eye patch into a hidden pocket. Bending down, I let two fingers touch his chin and lift it up. "But I'm still here," I felt myself whisper, noticing how broken the words sounded. It was as if I myself were to break at any moment. And if someone had told me that, I would believe them. "And I--" it was my turn to stutter like a babbling fool, overcome with too much emotion and too much pain, "I succeeded." My voice had all but vanished when I took my fingers away, and I could no longer try to blink away the storm brewing.

I succeeded in something I shouldn't have.

I went to stand again, but the ground jolted to a halt and I felt my knees give in to balance. I fell face forward into Devon Grimm, the man I had only just met. My face buried itself into his shoulder and I breathed in, it seemed for the first time since that day. This air... was bliss. "We are now stopping at North City Station. North City Station. Please remove all carry-on items from the upward bins and make your way to the doors. Please, watch your step." I jerked my head out of him and was immediately on my unsteady feet. It was time to gather myself. This was something no one could handle, not even Aren. I knew. I knew how much I had ruined her life. I also knew that the rest of the pirate crew knew nothing, nothing at all. I would have liked to keep it that way, but... Devorin had--he had... I wasn't quite sure exactly what he had done to me. Except that now he knew and now he was ruined by knowing--knowing even a tendril of my secret.

I shot him a grin and confirmed he was decent before careening out of the bathroom door with all the grace of a deranged idiot. I shot him back a excited grin and leaped off the train. We hadn't paid a cent, but I paid a mask.

"Onward to the Jolly Roger~~" I made a display of pointing off in a random direction to match my enthusiasm. The truth was...I really didn't want to go.

[EXIT THREAD > The Crew's Meet]