Timestamp: 37 Tessera (Autumn), 81379 Character:http://shadowlack.com/persona.php?id=710Matt</a> Day: 5 Am in the morning Matt stumbled up the dark staircase leading to his dorm, his breathing was ragged and sharp while his feet worked the difficult steps. His hands were clutching his side tightly, managing to cup the majority of the bleeding and saving the floor from the red, viscose substance. The piece of steel that had snapped of was still half stuck out of his rib cage and it pained his lungs with every breath, the only thing keeping him even alive was his rapid regeneration. His feet finally found the level, smooth varnished floor of the corridor. He staggered along through the darkness, being oh so thankful that his room was one of the early ones as he mercifully reached his door with a gasp. He let one of has hands drop from his sides letting a few droplets of blood splash to the floor, he groaned at the rush of blood seeping at his wound as he fumbled for his key card. He would come out earlier to clean this all up yet now he needed his moonlight kit. It had been a rough night, the moon had been out and his curse had been full blown, he had spent the night in the woods somewhere being chased by some hunter and had come out of it all standing over his corpse. Yet the hunter had given a taste of steel that he wasnÂ’t going to forget in a long time. His chain of thought however was broken by the familiar clicking of the door mechanism. he stumbled into the dorm trying to be as quiet as possible, Jade was still fast asleep and he needed all the time he could get to patch himself together again. He sat down on the bath side, his cheat heaving up and down as he contemplated getting the sword point out of his chest.
Jade stirred lightly in her sleep, numerous dreams circuiting her brain as she slept. An especially bothersome scene reencountered itself many times over and she eventually just awoke altogether. Beads of sweat cascaded down her forehead as she clumsily clambered to the bathroom. She would have normally just splashed some icy cool liquid upon her face, but a nice refreshing drink would probably work better. Sidetracking, she shuffled her feet against the floor and gradually came to the kitchen with only minimal difficulty. After all, navigating around a pitch black apartment was not her forte. If she wanted to do that, she would have became an explorer and tried to drive a boat in the darkest peak of night. Eventually, her unsteady footing and bad sense of direction led her around the couch 3 times before finally reaching the kitchen. Her fingers slid up and down the refrigerator door before finally grabbing hold of the handle. She squinted her eyes as she opened the door, her eyelids opening and closing quite a few times before adjusting to the light. A can of Cola slowly started to take shape and she grabbed at it before the letters completely turned their original color. Letting the door close by itself, she snapped open the can and let the fizzy liquid trickle down her throat. She sighed contently, nothing better then caffeine at five in the morning. The number rang in her mind like being slapped upside the head with a wet fish. <span style='color:green'>“What the hell?"</span> Her voice came out all groggy, barely legible. What in god’s name was she doing up at this time?! Groaning, she left the can on the counter and went and plopped down on the couch. Her head rested without complaint against the armrest, moving only a little to grab a pillow and shove it in between her and the couch.
Matt almost frozen in mid breath, his heart skipping two beats as he head the familiar footsteps of the love of his life wandering around. He was unbelievably glad that he hadnÂ’t got around to turning the bathroom light on and his vision was good enough for that. He listened very carefully to the sound of her moving and smiled at her voice, however he was fearful that she had discovered him but his heart rate returned to normally when the spongy sound of the couch being sat on. He sat relaxed again on the bath side while his hands firmly gripped down on the metal extruding from him, he winced slightly as the tender flesh was disturbed making blood leak again. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his chest complained vigorously under the strain yet he was suddenly very distracted. He pulled full strength on the sword point stuck into his chest, it moved outwards in a jagged motion tearing at the skin and muscle. His eyes watered with the pain and he grinded his teeth together trying not to scream out. His mouth gawped open though as the sword ripped free from a mixture of dried blood and flesh repairing itself around it, yet all the while it scraped against the bone of his ribs sending a a shock of pain and sound through his body. He yelped outwards as the sword came out with a jangle of steel against floor tile and a yell form him as his hand came over to cover his mouth, stopping all sound coming out while he bit onto his finger trying to bear the pain.
Jade fell into a light slumber, devoid of dreams and analyzing. Her arm slipped off the couch, her knuckles smacked against the floor. The pain surged through her body and she emitted a small groan. Caught in mid grumble, an unfamiliar yelping nose pierced through the air. She jerked to a sitting position, her ears still ringing. Immediately she thought some idiot in the other dorms was having a joke played on them, but the yelp was much closer to home. Matt. She jumped form the couch, her long blue pajama bottoms making her stumble. The first place she looked at was the bedroom, why would he be anywhere else? She patted down the bed, having forgotten to turn on the lights. Where is he..? <span style='color:green'>“Matt?"</span> She had just come from the kitchen, so the only place left was the bathroom. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open quickly. Fingers frantically searched the wall for the light switch. It turned on without a noise, and this time the flash didn’t blind her. Her gaze went first to the metal rod on the tiled floor and then to the blood pouring out of his side. Making a small cry, she rushed to his side and put her hands on the wound. <span style='color:green'>“What did you do?"</span> It might hurt as she couldn’t quite keep a steady hand, seeing the guy who she was in love with and in pain wasn’t a pleasant sight. Everything was moving at a snail’s pace, almost in reverse. A few seconds passed before she grabbed a towel and got down on her knees to tend to the puncture. <span style='color:green'>“I think we should go see some one about this.."</span> It didn’t even faze her as to what happened or what he had done. All that mattered was that he was okay and getting help.
Matt tried not to groan out loud as his vital life blood was spilling out, he nearly feel backwards into the bath but his hands grabbed the sides with a sudden snap of reflexes. That did mean however that more blood was flowing yet is was stopping now, his healing rate trying to sort out the problems of the gaping hole in his side. His head turned in slow motion to see jade standing in the doorway his eyes glued wide in shock that she had found him, his heart was skipping beats, he was to dazed to even squint in the harsh light. He blinked as she ran to his side and helped him, he winced slightly as the towel put pressure on his wound yet was grateful for her help and he smiled at her ignoring the pain. "DonÂ’t worry, I just need the medical box that I keep in the bathroom cabinet" he said with a mixed gasp, he needed to help the wound heal even though it was faster the most, this one was deeper than most. He tired to get up to reach it yet it started He tried to look like he was coping, fixing a fake neutral smile and trying to to remain composed. He winced again at the stabbing, burning pain around the exposed flesh, he sighed with the knowledge that he was going to have a scar.
Jade moved his hands out of the way, still keeping an even amount of pressure on the wound. She was so lost that she her emotions weren’t quite working yet. Normally she’d have been a wreck seeing him like this, but she knew she was the only one that could help at that point. She kept looking into his eyes, becoming a little out of it before hearing ‘medical box… cabinet’. Nodding slowly, she made the towel wrap around his waist and made a knot in it so that there was force continuously applied. It took her awhile before she tore herself away from the bloody sight and went to the medicine cabinet. She knocked a few bottles of whatever was in there out before she reached the first aid box. She opened it up and showed it to Matt, not sure what he wanted to put on the flesh. Laying the case gently on his lap, she kneeled in front of him again, her hands slowly sliding back to the blood soaked spot on the towel. <span style='color:green'>“What did you do?"</span> She couldn’t quite get her head around that one yet, if some one had done that to her Matt... They would regret ever meeting up with Jade. She bit her lip, her eyes falling to the floor as she thought of how much she would make that person rue the day… Taking a deep breath she looked into Matt’s eyes, both hers were revealed from all the events.
Matt sighed with relief as he took the box from her carefully, he sat it down next to him and laid the items out. He always made sure he had ample medical supplies and some herbs that he found helped and one very special herb. He took the towel off some what sorry to undo her work, he began to talk while he picked up a thread a needle and very painstakingly began to close the wound with the surgical thread. "Well I was in the woods when i was attacked by a man, thatÂ’s the more lethal end of his sword in the floor. DonÂ’t worry though I got him back" He said with a very sad tone mixed with the occasional wince from the needle, he was used to this low level of pain as the needle pierced the leather like skin. With the wound closed it would heal much faster, his enhanced healing sometimes needed extra help, it was the only advantage of his curse in his opinion. He knew though more questions would follow his answers, he was almost in a dream likes tae knowing how she would act about his curse. Most people freaked out some what to find out that once a month he turned crazy and killed people for food. He hated that side of him so much, once ha had taken a knife and stabbed himself, trying to cut out the evil. He sighed in the memory of those tough times.
<span style='color:green'>"Why did he attack you? He.. He.. Should get into trouble if he attacked you without being provoked or something."</span> Wait, Matt couldn't have provoked him.. It just.. Wasn't Matt. Jade looked at him curiously, more questions popping into her mind. Hey, why was he in the woods in the first place? She brought a hand to scratch the back of her head, she wasn't sure where this was going to lead. Gradually she picked herself off of her knees and went to sit on the side of the tub next to him. Her hands moved slightly, trying to figure out what she was supposed to do. <span style='color:green'>"Erm. Did you want me to help you with something?"</span> She winced every time he pierced the needle through his fur, yet he didn't seem to be as bothered as her. Has he done this before? She was assaulted with so many questions but she didn't want to seem like she was prying. It would be kind of nice to know though. She took the towel from him, folding it up even though it was covered in blood. She would wash it later, but not until she was satisfied he was good enough to leave her sight.
Matt looked at her and tried to give her a comforting smile, he tried to make all her questions go away but he could see her mind working out the things in his story. He hid a faint smile though when she asked about him getting into trouble, he was fairly sure she didnÂ’t relies he had killed the man, he was a hunter of his kind and he wanted to live, dispute the pain he caused. He hummed sadly while the last of the needle work was done, he packed up the box and gave her a kiss on the forehead, his way of saying thanks without getting blood on her. He wanted to take her into his arms and let the world drift past into oblivion yet life was never simple. "Ah I donÂ’t think IÂ’ll be worrying about him anymore, it isnÂ’t really a problem. He said with a deep sigh of contempt for his actions, he was a murderer and he couldnÂ’t even control himself. "I was in the woods because it wasnÂ’t safe for me being here." He managed to mutter out his words, he was somewhat surprised by the lack of questions, it was like she didnÂ’t want to be nosy yet she had a right to know. They all did. He stoop up and reached out for her in support, he still needed to regain his strength and walking to the kitchen seemed like a really big deal, his body still being troublesome and sending him painful complaints. He winced as the thread held the wounds tender flesh rubbing together. He needed ice.
Jade closed her eyes gently at the kiss, trying to hold back all of the questions. Her hands were already covered in his blood, so she wasn't too worried if she got more blood elsewhere. She sighed lightly, nothing made sense. Opening her eyes again, she moved to kiss him on the lips gently, a hand lifting to hold the back of his head. She rested her forehead up against his before pulling back and walking towards the sink. It wasn't good if his blood was everywhere... Or so she thought. All she wanted to do was to find something to do. It felt useless just sitting there doing nothing. <span style='color:green'>"Why not?"</span> She paused; maybe it wasn't her place to ask. <span style='color:green'>"Wait, why wouldn't it be safe for you to stay here? This is basically.. our home.. What couldn't be safe about it?"</span> On saying 'our' she stuttered a little bit, was she missing something? Seeing him attempt to stand up, she rushed over to his side there for support. <span style='color:green'>"What do you want babe? I'll get it for you."</span> She moved right next to him, her hand holding on to his arm so she could try to hold him up incase he stumbled.
Matt savoured every comfort with her, he rested his head on her shoulder and nuzzles with his cheek against hers and turned his head more so they the tip of his nose touched her cheek. He didnÂ’t want to have to break this to her, he hated himself to much already and he didnÂ’t think he could live if she hated him too. He sighed at her questions though, stumbling along as his wound already began to stop bleeding and heal yet the mass of dried on blood stopped it forms showing. "Bad things could have happened if I stayed here, you wouldnÂ’t have been safe" He said as he gave her cheek a little peck. He groaned a bit at his lack of strength, he had lost a bit to much blood to be jumping around. "Lets go into the kitchen, I need some ice." He said with some effort, his words being mixed with an undertone of strain. He had hid arm around her shoulders, letting her help him with his un-cooperating body. He found it so strange to have help, normally he had to make his own way around. He liked the change though yet he feared he was going to lose it all now, he wanted to burry his secrets down where no one would ever find them but the moon just brought them back up.
Jade knew he was hiding something now, twice he had already said it wasn't safe. Twice he had failed to tell her why. She was getting slightly annoyed that he wasn't holding back on her, he could trust her with anything. She loved him and would do nothing to hurt him. Is that what he was afraid of? Being hurt? Or-Or rejected? Wait what? She faltered only a little bit when he had put some pressure on her, it wasnÂ’t that she couldnÂ’t support him it was the fact that she wanted to know what he wasnÂ’t telling her. Sighing lightly, she helped him over to the kitchen, walking slightly crooked with the extra weight. She slowly moved from his grasp as they entered the room, letting him support himself with the counter. Slipping over to the fridge she pulled out an ice pack from the freezer and held it within her fist. <span style='color:green'>"Matt, what aren't you telling me?"</span> She needed to know, not some sugar coated story but the blunt truth. There would be no way she could deal with it if she didnÂ’t know what it was.
Matt hanged his head in shame when the reached the kitchen and she uttered those words. He didnÂ’t have the mental capacity to make up a decent lie and every time he looked into her magical eyes he knew the truth would blurt out. He felt crushed inside once she knew it would all be over and the dreams they had shared would come crashing down in a blaze of disaster. His held himself up as she stood their with the ice while his tail curled around and up the desk for extra support. The flame was small and insignificant. He didnÂ’t want it all to end, he was convinced he loved her with all his heart. He hadnÂ’t experienced love before so he couldnÂ’t be sure yet to him it all felt so right. The plans he had thought up the experiences they would share, they were all wasted now and it hurt more than any wound. He took a deep in hale then exhaled fast, he wouldnÂ’t be able tpo look at her and say it, he wasnÂ’t strong enough to see the moment he lost her. "IÂ’m a weredrgaon, when the moon is up i try to and sometimes successfully eat people." The words flowed out while his eyes look plainly a her feet. He hated his life now, it had given him the bets thing in his life now it stole it away.
Jade had noticed earlier on that his tail flame had gone down, that was one of the key things that helped her realize something was up. She stood there looking at him, not blinking or moving a muscle. She needed to know. She inhaled deeply as well, not knowing the how bad this secret really was. <span style='color:green'>"A weredragon.. ? That's it?</span> She shut her mouth immediately, she was thinking out loud. <span style='color:green'>"I mean, it's a big deal you couldn't of told me earlier.. But-but.. What was so bad with telling me?"</span> She was at a bit of a loss, what he had been hiding from her wasn't as bad as she had expected. Yet at the same time she was disappointed he couldn't of told her what he was. <span style='color:green'>"Matt.. I want you to know, no matter if you were a weredragon, an anubi or some completely different race that I would still love you."</span> She didn't falter as she spoke of her love, it was true and if that's what he needed to hear then that's what she was going to say. <span style='color:green'>"You are too important to me to have something silly like this make me lose you. Matt, you'll never lose me. Don't forget that."</span> She forgot she still had the ice and gently went to put it on his wound. She didn't care if he didn't want her to hug him, because she would do it anyways. Still keeping the pack to his scar, she gently wrapped her other arm around him to hold him in an embrace. <span style='color:green'>"I love you."</span>
Matt stood their motionless, he was in complete shook about her response. It was like she had totally blanked out the fact that he ate people, he murdered anything that moved and then he ate their remains. He hated himself for it and now this girl was telling him she loved him. He couldnÂ’t help it, he felt tears welling up in his eyes as he wrapped his arms around her and burring his face in her shoulders and cried. In a muffled voice he worded thing out. " But IÂ’m a monster, I eat people." He said with his voice full of tears, almost choking up. "I'm sorry I didnÂ’t tell you but I thought I would lose you forever, most people think IÂ’m a freak." He said in the same distraught voice. He could barely live with himself after some of the things he had done to people, he only had a few living victims left but he had seem his handy work and hated it. He still couldnÂ’t understand why she loved him yet he didnÂ’t care. The cold ice trickled water over his wound washing the blood away, all that was left was a slight, very small scar. The rest was perfectly healed.
Jade had to rethink about what he had said, she had chosen to not mention the eating and killing of people because of something that had come up in her past. She looked away for the moment, frustrated at the events of that dreadful day. Sighing lightly, she gently rubbed his back. <span style='color:green'>"Matt, I'm not 'most people'. I'm your girlfriend who you can trust and confide in. I'll always keep your secrets and I never judge you."</span> She paused after almost every second word, thinking of how to word it. It was a touchy subject, but it was best she said something. She exhaled loudly; she could understand losing control and regretting it later. She had experienced the same thing once, not necessarily eating the victim, but killing him nonetheless. She pushed down harder on the ice pack, not realizing it. She kind of felt like she was going back to a primitive state, reliving the events. She kicked him, again, and again.. He begged her to stop but she did it anyways. Her own eyes began to well up with tears. She had never openly showed her sadness to anyone, she had never shed a tear for the pain she caused. She was thick-skinned through it all; emotionless. Now she just wanted it to go back and erase it from ever happening. Her hand slowly moved to her orange orb, and then to her bangs. She pushed them so that it covered her mistake, her blemish, her flaw. It was all because of her damned eyes.
Slowly MattÂ’s sobbing slowed, his breathing returning to a normal pace while he confided in in Jade. He had been close to suicide once yet now he felt like he had found a rock to lean on, someone who truly understood him. He knew this was a selfish view but he didnÂ’t care right now. He hugs her tightly, letting his arms wrap around her body. He lifted her up gently and moved them down the sofa, he didnÂ’t have the strength to keep standing and the ice pack was starting to make his skin go numb. As he sat down with her, his hand gently brushed away the ice pack in her hand he began to notice her own tears brewing up. He looked at her with a confused face, his features screwing up in contortions. "Awwww donÂ’t cry Jade, I'm sorry if this is too much to know. IÂ’m sorry for everything" He said with a shaky voice, he didnÂ’t know if he was making her cry. He rested his forehead against hers and gave her a little kiss. His hand trying to gently dap away the tears brimming around her eyes. He loved her so much his heart bled everyday for her, every second of every day she was on his mind. Now the knowledge that he was making her unhappy ripped him up in side, he gazed into her beautiful eyes while he hoped this wouldnÂ’t be the last time they shared moments like these together.
Jade flinched slightly as he picked her up, he shouldn't be doing that just yet. Then again he seemed to be getting his strength back rather fast. She debated whether or not she should tell him that it wasn't his fault she was crying. At the same time though, she didn't want to tell him she had killed some one, and it wasn't because of a full moon. She took another deep breath. <span style='color:green'>"Matt it's not your fault, I'm just.. I'm just.. Thinking about things." </span>She didn't know what else to tell him. She couldn't bear the thought of telling him she killed a man with her bare hands. <span style='color:green'>"I-I think we should just get some rest. It's late. And you need it with what happened."</span> She thought about what she had said earlier, she sounded so stupid. Obviously the man that hurt him isn't alive anymore, so in a way they were both murderers.. She shuddered lightly, no they weren't. She had killed Dominic in self defense. Not able to look Matt quite in the eye, she picked herself up off of him and moved towards the bedroom. <span style='color:green'>"Come on babe, come to bed."</span> She looked at him one final time before crawling beneath the covers and facing the opposite way he would be sleeping. The bed seemed cold and rigid, not at all comforting or giving her the warmth she had wanted. Maybe the bed was like her in a sense, rigid and unable to express herself..
Matt was on the edge of tears again, he didnÂ’t fail to notice how she couldnÂ’t quite look at him. It was already starting, it had happened before like this. Some one had started saying it was ok yet they never quite looked at him the same way, then after a while they broke of all contact with him. He knew this would be their last night together, he didnÂ’t no if he could face her every day with that look on her face. He followed her to bed without a word and moulded his body behind hers, he laid his arms around her soft belly and sighed with his head laying just behind hers and reviling in her hair. He didnÂ’t want to spoil the night by crying, he would rather lock him self up from emotion then show it so openly. He knew that if you kept things locked inside, the bad things, then you could never fully appreciate the good. Yet he found it impossible hard to let it all out, he never really could. He tried to forget the night earlier events and just inhaled deeply the sweet sent of her hair, the feel of her body. He felt his eyes welling up again.
Jade put one of her hands on his and stroked it lightly. She loved him, but now it was her turn to keep secrets. Another tear strolled down her cheek as she gently closed her eyelids. <span style='color:green'>"Tomorrow.."</span> She whispered lightly to herself. Tomorrow she would tell him. With that thought in mind, she drifted into an uneasy sleep. ~~~ Jade broke out of her reverie 4 hours later, awoken by nightmares of his reactions and rejections. She had a cold sweat and gently moved off the bed to tread over to her dresser as quietly as she could. She grabbed a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt and threw them on while he slept. Glancing at him quickly, she walked out of the room and into the bathroom. She freshened up a little bit before going into the kitchen. The first thing she did was grab a frying pan and some eggs. Putting some butter on the teflon coated pan, she watched it sizzle. Waiting about a minute, she cracked open the shell and poured the egg onto the heated surface. While it cooked she went and threw some bread into the toaster, but she had to quickly jumped back when her eggs started to crackle. She flipped the rapidly cooking egg with her spatula and then simply watched them cook.
