Amongst the Abandoned Buildings

A week had passed since Avira had met the newest coven member. Or at least the newest person he had to share space with. Personal space.

Coilean didn’t seem to want to leave his mind, and more to the point, as much as his brain was trying to deny him and shove him away, it was clinging to him to. Perhaps for the first time, Avira had a taste of something possible, something that could be his. He just didn’t know whether he wanted it, or how to hold onto it.

Catania, while a beautiful city, was jam packed with people during the holidays and Avira DID NOT LIKE IT. He was bad enough around other vampires in small numbers. Humans en masse? Please.

However the outskirts of the town were good to train in, empty buildings and abandoned factories making good facilities to train himself in. He could always get better at what he did. And if he didn’t work at it, he could always get worse.

Avira sighed, dropping to the ground. The day was foggy and gray, but he had worked up a sweat. He had forsaken his shirt some hours ago and now his pale skin glistened with sweat, long hair pulled back in a plait.

Coilean sighed heavily as he stormed from one of the abandoned buildings at the edge of Catania. Clutched in his hand was a silver stiletto dagger, the blade stained red with blood.

He had been training for well over twelve hours straight. And in the heat of training his knife-play, his wolf had decided to make an appearance. And thus his shirt and jeans were completely shredded.

Thin ribbons of jeans hung from his hips and legs and the zipper hung open. It had bust from his transformation. The shirt was a lost cause, but his red converse were pretty intact, thank god. Le loved his converse.

Small cuts littered his arms where he had nicked his skin with the tip of the blade in the more recent hours of is training after he had gotten tired.

His red hair, pulled back into a bun at the nape of his neck with a leather thong, was plastered to his face with sweat.

The reason he had been training for so long was because his mind was plagued with thoughts of a white-haired man. He couldn't stop thinking of Avira and worrying that he had screwed up their relationship.

He hadn't gone searching for the younger man in the last week because he didn't want to be met with harsh words or cold stares.

Avira wiped the sweat from his brow with a small sigh. He hadn’t spoken to Coilean and he had the horrible horrible feeling that he had completely messed up everything.

For someone so good at hiding his emotions, he was surprisingly bad at hiding his feelings. They had twisted around his gut and now all he could do was feel dismal and hateful, wishing he could have said something more kind than he had. But all that had come out was dangerous words.

Avira didn’t like getting close to people, but Coilean had made that impossible in little under four hours. How was that even possible?

The vampire sighed, then stiffened. He could smell blood on the air, then wolf, and he ducked back into the shadows of an abandoned building. Mustn’t be seen or heard…

Perhaps they were not here to harm, but Avira knew all too well that sometimes a price was enough to betray everything. He swallowed. It wouldn’t be the first time something…. Non-human had come after him for a human price.

Okay, training over, didn't have to think about form and stances.

Guess what (read:who) popped into his mind.

He wheeled and punched a wall with strength that cracked the brick building he had attacked. That, of course, left abrasions on his hand that bled and stained his pale skin red.

"Fucking hell, Lean!" he cursed at himself in a scream, releasing some of the pent up anger. Anger at himself for pushing the man and causing him to snap like that. He slumped against the wall, pressing his forehead to the cold brick and punched it again, further injuring his hand.

"Amadán! Amadán, amadán, amadán!"

Avira jumped when there was a loud cracking sound of shattering brick. He blinked, then heard a voice yelling.

Oh wait.

He knew that voice. It had been stuck in his head the past week. All week.

It was Coilean.

Peeking out from the shadows, Avira tentatively followed his ears and nose, tracing through the abandoned buildings until he found what he was looking for. Coilean looked….very upset. Avira felt a pang of guilt and pain. This was his fault, wasn’t it…?

Avira didn’t say a word, but he stood there, wondering what to do. He had forgotten he was shirtless and sweaty, just watching, wishing there was something to say or do to help.

He hated himself in these moments.

"You really know how to drive people away, don you, Lian?" he asked himself as he slumped down the wall to sit on the ground.

His tongue ran over his lower lip before he lifted his hand to his mouth and began bathing the wound with his tongue.

He was too caught up in his own thoughts to notice Avira standing a short distance away.

"Which means, of course, Aodh's right - he'd get a kick out of that." He didn't want to admit that Aodh was right. When Aodh was right, Coilean got no peace for his brother constantly telling him that he was fucking right.

Coilean craved constant company. And when Avira had left so suddenly, he didnt want to be left alone. He needed to grow out of constantly needing someone around. Or, like Aodh, get a pet. A cat, maybe. He liked cats.

As if his mere thought of cats was enough, Caterva suddenly appeared by Coilean. Avira blinked. He had brought his companions along, not wanting to leave them alone again, but he was surprised. Caterva never approached anyone.

The one eyed black cat paused beside the werewolf and gave him a calculating stare. Then he stepped forward and bumped his head against his side, demanding attention.

When he had it, the black cat meowed.

A moment later, and Ignis, standing beside Avira, also meowed, drawing attention to the awkward young male standing there.

Avira blushed bright pink when Coilean’s eyes fell on him. He was suddenly very aware of his starch white skin and thin frame, also his missing shirt.

“Uhm…hello.” he mumbled awkwardly.

He jumped when something touched him and his head snapped down to gaze at the one eyed cat. His brows furrowed for a moment before he laughed. He thought of a cat and then one appeared. Fate, maybe?

His head turned again when he heard another meow.

His eyes widened and a blush swept across his skin when his eyes landed on, not a cat, but Avira. Shit, how much of his rambling had he heard?

"Uh...hey," he muttered, running a hand through his damp hair and trying to tug the ribbons of his jeans to cover some of his thighs.

His eyes trailed over Avira, taking in the man. Shirtless, covered in sweat and wearing his hair in a braid. His head cocked to the side. A braid...like the one he had worn his hair in last time they had talked. Had he done that consciously or subconsciously?

"Don't...Don't we look a mess?" he chuckled, giving up on trying to cover his skin and straighten out his hair. It'd be a lost cause until he got hold of a brush and a wardrobe.

Avira glanced down at himself, pants dirtied and worn at the knees (they were training pants, not ones he usually wore), hair a bit bedraggled, skin smeared with dirt. He blushed as well.

“I…yes. We do.” he agreed with a sigh.

Knowing there was no point in just standing there any longer, he stepped out of the shadows, walking across the ground to Coilean’s side. He slipped down the wall to sit beside him, drawing his knees up to his chest.

Caterva sat between them, tail around his paws. He deemed himself moderator of this meeting, it seemed. Ignis was content to circle around the werewolf though, sniffing him with interest. So this was who her master had come home smelling of. Interesting….

He winced when he finally felt the pain that radiated from his hand and lifted it to his mouth again, swiping his tongue over the scratches, leaving generous amounts of saliva in its wake.

He gave a half-smile around his tongue when Avira approached. Well, at least he wasn't glaring and refusing to be anywhere near the werewolf. That was good.

His eyes flickered between the cats, taking in the very stern-looking cat sat between them and the curious cat circling him and sniffing him.

He lifted his free hand to offer it to Ignis to smell.

"Are these your cats?" His voice was low and rough and husky with exhaustion. Twelve hours without a rest had done him in. He needed a good hearty mean and a nice long shower.

Avira flushed. Coilean’s voice was rough again, low and husky… He liked it. Clearing his throat, and, hopefully his head at the same time, he glanced at Coilean again.

Ignis was rubbing against his hand, purring happily. She liked this guy, even if he DID smell like dog.

“Ah….yes.” he murmured. “That one is Ignis, and…this one is Caterva. He uhm…doesn’t usually much like people.”

Which made it very surprising that the cat had approached Coilean.

Avira fidgeted, looking down at his knees shyly. This was awkward. He felt so stupid right now, why was he here, why had he acted the way he had? Stupid Caterva, drawing attention to him on purpose. Sometimes he wondered if these cats knew him a little too well.

He smiled when the cat rubbed against his hand. Well now, usually cats looked for the first chance to maul his arm when he offered it. He scratched behind one ear gently. "Aren't you cute?"

His eyes turned to Caterva but he didn't offer a hand like he had Ignis. "I've a feeling that if I offer you my hand, you'll maul it just because you can." He had met lots of animals like that. Animals that were proud and felt insulted when you treated them like ordinary animals. He was like that. How many times had someone treated him like a common pet dog and he had tried to tear their arm off when they went to stroke him? Too many times to count.

"They're both beautiful." And he meant that sincerely. Caterva's missing ye gave him character and Ignis was very affectionate with him.

Caterva gave Coilean a pensive look. It meant he was impressed, or as impressed as he could be. At the very least this wolf seemed to understand a little about him.

As a reward, Caterva bumped his head against Coilean’s elbow, purring once, then sitting straight again.

Avira offered Coilean a small smile.

“Thank you.” he murmured. “They are….my greatest companions.”

Ignis purred, her white tail flicking happily at the praise. Caterva held himself a little higher as well, haughty cat that he was. However his one eyes peeked open and glared at Avira until the vampire flushed. He glanced down at his knees again.

“I, uhm, ah…..I’m….sorry about…how I left.” he mumbled softly.

Then, steeling himself, he turned his head and leaning in, pecking Coilean’s lightly on the cheek in apology.

He grinned at Caterva. If anything, they had an understanding. And that was better than annoying itchy cat scratches littering his arm.

He smiled, watching as both cats reacted to Avira's comment. "They're very close to you." He couldn't say he understood that bond. He didn't have a very good bond with his master. Aleksandr grated him the wrong way. And he had never had a pet that stuck by him through thick and thin.

His lips twitched in amusement at the interaction between the one-eyed cat and the vampire. It seemed Caterva wasn't just a companion. He acted very much like the stern mother. It was almost comical.

He opened his mouth to respond, turning his head so they could talk face-to-face instead of Coilean staring at Caterva.

Which resulted in their lips meeting instead of the simple kiss on the cheek Avira had planned for.

Avira blushed.

Well…That hadn’t been what he’d meant to do. Oops.

It was a happy accident though and he let his eyes flutter half shut, enjoying the warm lips pressed against his own. He could get used to this, he decided. So long as his past didn’t come calling.

Caterva, apparently pacified, moved out from between them and walked to Ignis, curling their tails together. They sat in companionable cat silence, ignoring their master and Coilean.

His hand came up to cup the back of his neck as his lips moved slowly against Avira's.

Happy accident. That was the perfect way to describe this. Not planned but entirely welcome.

But while his attention had been away from licking the blood from his hand - the one currently curved around Avira's neck - it had bled more. Streaks of blood ran over his hand and down Avira's back, rolling slowly over pale skin.

All too soon for his liking he pulled away, pressing his forehead against the vampires. "I should be the one apologising, leannán."

Avira could feel blood, could smell it, as it bled from Coilean’s hand. He bit his inner cheek, suppressing his natural urges and instead continuing to gently kiss the werewolf. The natural urge was to bite down at the smell of blood, but that wouldn’t do here.

When they pulled apart, Avira smiled lightly at him.

“No…I’m sorry I….get overwhelmed.” he murmured. “I’m terrible with emotions and sometimes I just…can’t handle everything.”

Pulling back just a little, he gently took Coilean’s hand. Raising the bloodied knuckles to his lips, he let his tongue flick out, licking away the crimson liquid. A shiver traveled down his spine. What a strange taste werewolf blood had.

"Which makes it my fault for pushing you." And that was the end of it. He'd say no more on the subject and he'd listen to no more on the subject.

He watched in fascination as the vampire cradled his hand and let his tongue flick along his bloodied knuckles.

His eyes slid shut at the warm, wet sensation of the tongue against his skin. His mind turned to other places he'd like to feel that tongue. And he pushed the thought away violently.

"I wouldn't take too much," he murmured, eyes still shut as he relaxed further against the wall. "Blood poisoning isn't pleasant; take it from me." A few mouthfuls wouldn't do anything, but if he ingested a lot, he'd definitely feel the effects.

And the effects weren't pleasant at all. He'd only just recently got over the effects of blood poisoning a day or two before they met. Blood as old as Giacinto's, in the quantities that were in his blood at the time, burned like fire through his veins. She was old and, as weak as she acted in front of others, she was powerful.

And, compared to Avira, Coilean was like Giacinto was to him. Old with powerful blood. Powerful blood that could poison him if he took any large amount.

Avira finished licking away the blood, laying a light kiss on the knuckles and then lifting his head. He still held Coilean’s hand, though he had finished doing as he pleased with it.

“I know.” Avira murmured. “A few licks won’t hurt me though.”

It wasn’t as though he had drunk werewolf blood before, but he had been taught about it. What felt like an age ago he had learned the effects and ill effects of werewolf blood, or at least what was known at the time. At the very least Avira knew that he couldn’t drink from Coilean like a human or another vampire. He hadn’t planned to anyway though.

Avira rested his head against Coilean’s shoulder, closing his eyes and relishing how warm the werewolf was. This was nice, he decided. He could get used to something like this.

"Just don't go drinking from any other werewolf until that's passed from your system. If you come down with Poisoning, I'm going to kill whatever Lycan you took blood from then throttle you for worrying me."

But the threat lost its potency when he gave the vampire a warm smile and twisted his hand in Avira's grasp to entwine their fingers.

Coilean's arm slid around the vampire's waist and pulled him closer as he pressed his cheek to the side of Avira's head.

Avira gently squeezed Coilean’s hand, not at all resisting the werewolf’s hold on him. It felt nice, being held, it had been so long since anyone had even thought to try… Avira dashed all thoughts about time or ‘how long it had been’ from his mind. No…if he thought of those things…. Then he would only bring back those demons that made him flee before.

Instead, he relished Coilean’s scent and relaxed against the older creature. His protectiveness was intriguing, and surprising.

“Worry not.” he murmured. “I am not in need of blood and besides, why would I drink from a wolf when there are humans so close by?”

Turning his head, he pressed a kiss to Coilean’s jaw, then nestled back against his shoulder.

His lips twitched into a smirk. "Good answer."

He wouldn't admit out loud that he would be insanely jealous of Avira drinking from another werewolf. Or a vampire, for that matter. Human's he could understand. He knew how vampires felt about blood bags versus humans. It was like setting a steak down in front of him instead of letting him have the fun of the chase and capture. It was unsatisfying.

He nuzzled his head closed after he received the kiss. "Don't... Try not to go near any werewolves without me or Tony around," he muttered seriously. "There aren't many werewolves as tolerant as I am when it comes to vampire." He didn't want to set down rules and ban the younger man from going near werewolves, but he was worried. Avira was young and there were a lot of stronger, older werewolves around that wouldn't have any mercy if they could corner him.

Avira blinked, then nodded, squeezing Coilean’s hand again.

“I won’t.” he murmured. “I swear… I intend to leave on a hunt in several days anyway…I’ll avoid any wolf I smell. Even the mortal kind.”

Avira had to wonder why he was so easily letting the werewolf order him around and direct him. It wasn’t at all in his personality to just take what other people threw at him. However he felt as though Coilean was being… Protective, trying to help him more than control him.

That was enough to make him relax. Though that of course brought up the question of why he felt so comfortable around Coilean at all.

Ignis rolled over and batted at his leg, as if to tell him he was over thinking again.

He pulled Avira closer and kissed his temple, tense shoulders slumping a little in relief.

"Thank you." He was incredibly relieved that Avira wouldn't go off searching for danger like that. Werewolves were a breed in their own that were dangerous to anyone and everyone. He loathed them.

He did perk up in interest, though, at the mention of a hunt. "Oh? What're ya huntin'?"

Avira gave Coilean an amused look.

“Bounty hunting. Not hunting for a meal, I’m afraid.” he said. “I still have to make a living.”

Not really. Avira didn’t actually need the money, or the credit, or anything else. But he did need the experience. Besides, bounty hunting was all he knew.

It was sad, really. Avira could have been anything in the world, but in the end, all the hand of fate had dealt him was yet another kind of hunting.