[1v1]I Want To Tear Out All Your Tenderness(Bells&Mort) FIN!

[AyeAvast]

A moment of pride swelled within the witch, glad someone else knew what she had made rather than just assumed it was some sort of FEAR, grateful for his priase. But the pride fell hard when Mort grimaced and Belladonna looked at his stomach.
"Oh Hecate, I'm so sorry about that!" She took another step forward, both hands reaching up as if to touch the spot, as though that would help, but she stopped just before she reached him. Worried eyes looked up to his and then at the benches. The witch bit her lip, very much sorry for the pain she'd caused him. "I can try to heal it, if you'd like..." It was a small offer, but still something. And even a small heal would be better than nothing. And even if she couldn't heal him, she could at least stitch him up. "And if the heal doesn't work, I'll do the stitching this time..."

As for the idea of resting, Belladonna was more than on board for that. As for the stretching that would undoubtedly hurt, she winced a bit but was offered something more valuable than relief: Answers. She drew a breath and nodded, one hand out to the boil in case he needed it, if he wanted it.
"I'll try it then." Her reply was sure, determined.
The right arm remained closed to her body, but she bit her lip again and looked back up at him for a moment, "I might need some help though... If you don't mind..." The right arm had taken to shaking a bit more than she cared for and while the head twitch had died down a little, it was still there, still a tick that she wanted gone.
She'd help him hobble to the benches if need be, she'd do anything she could. Just let us be ok, please Hecate. Don't take him from me...  

[medigel]

Mort waved her concerns away and shook his head. "S'fine. Looks worse than actually is; undead lot're good at enduring stuff." It certainly wasn't the worst injury he'd ever been inflicted with, and given the lack of organs it was almost inconsequential to him in terms of damage. "I-In fact, prolly good penance to let heal on its own. Will knit itself with time."

He hesitated at her offered hand, but when he glanced at the tremors she still had he quickly looked away and took it, unable to fully acknowledge what he had caused. The zomboil's shield still held strong at least, so he didn't need extra help walking - it was just slow going, as the adrenaline-like current from battle had since left him. When they reached the bench Mort eased her onto it before plopping down himself with a loud sigh, every wound pounding in rhythm like there was a heartbeat to regulate them.

"Heh . . . N-Never could outright win fight against a ghoul," he said as his hand left his stomach and touched a different cut by his neck. "Not even if ghoul is Hunter. T-Terrible luck . . ." He gave Bells a sidelong glance. "Mrr . . . ask your questions but, ah, remember can only give so much on certain things."  

[AyeAvast]

"Are you sure? I don't mind, I'm an excellent stitch..." The poor witch was nearly desperate for anything that could help her boilfriend. There was much that needed mending, and if the physical was the first, it would be one less thing to fix.
In any event, the witch allowed herself to be lead to the benches, glad for his touch. Though he had taken one hand, Belladonna moved her still shaking arm to his arm, just for the feel of him. Unfortunately, she hadn't lasted long on being the prize and was instead content to chase for a little longer.
Careful of her movements, Belladonna lowered onto the bench as gently as she could before she offered him her twitching arm. With uncertain eyes, she looked up at him with the words plainly written on her face "What do?".
"That has apparently been the only way I can win fights." Belladonna laughed softly, a little sadly. "I fought your friend Alexander once... We ended with me in the lead because he too wanted to be a gentleman."
Granted, this time the witch wasn't in the lead, but she also wasn't almost dead like that Hunter fight she'd participated in.

Question time. But careful question time, because certain question triggered certain reactions. So she couldn't ask why, at least not to certain things. But what things? Where did the Mark begin and Mort end? Belladonna pursed her lips as she thought over her options, angry that there was no override for those that could be trusted with this information. But the witch knew even that was a liability as the Hunters could get information from anyone, they just needed the right leverage.
Finally the witch huffed a sigh and looked at their feet.
"Are you really mad at me, or was your fierceness a... Side effect?"
Hopefully that wouldn't trigger an unfortunate response, but even if it did, Belladonna had a bunch more questions to ask still that didn't have anything to do with his mission.  

[medigel]

Mort took a glance at the stomach wound. "Err . . . your friend's lance went right through me," he reported with some surprise as he hadn't felt the pain localizing - ow. There we go. Stupid undead slow to respond nervous system. He covered it up with a shift of his coat and tried to mask a grimace. "Tore flesh right off. Easier to let knit itself while shield's replenished really, but ah . . . thanks for offer."

So that's how she met Alex! Though his zombro never mentioned a fight being thrown in the mix of their first meeting. Huh . . . "He can be like that, yeah." He could also be something of a d**k too, though it sounded like Bells had gotten off easy on that front. Then again, given what Yin went through, Mort didn't blame the guy for being growly nowadays.

"Was hardly gentleman today," Mort pointed out with a wry look. "Really, Bells, sometimes think are too nice for own good . . . But no, m'not mad at you. What I-I talking about back there, with Gene? Back then a little mad, yeah. Whole business was my fault though, so . . . Sorry." A sneaker scuffed the floor awkwardly.  

[AyeAvast]

A small chuckle drifted from the witch, her eyes still cast down so she didn't see how bad the wound was, or the fact that he was trying to cover it up from her. Which was better, because otherwise she would have pushed for him to let her heal him, in however a small way she could.
"Let's just say... Death can be a bit protective." Belladonna finally added with a small kick of her feet meant to be cute. Instead it hurt. She had fallen quite a bit and her knees were all scuffed up, her pants torn in various places and each hole revealed a scratch or worse, a shock of bright pink blood.
"He was kind about the battle... But awfully sensitive about things." Here the witch turned to Mort, her eyebrows furrowed in petulant concern. "I think he thought I was being racist. Which is totally ridiculous! I tried to explain myself, but I do not think I did a very good job. I highly doubt he thinks favorably of me..." Since there was little the witch could do about that, she instead let the subject go and didn't mention being bitten (on the neck) or what the momentary transfer of his saliva had done to her.

"I'm not too nice... I said awful things..." She began, but stopped quite abruptly when he mentioned Gene. For a while, they had been friends, but they hadn't spoken recently, so the witch couldn't be sure. And the way he spoke of her... "You don't... Yanno... Like her or anything? More than as a friend?" Here the witch drew her twitching arm around her a little more, her cheeks bright red as she looked at the floor. He'd seemed so resentful toward Belladonna, as though it were her fault. "Because you were really upset about that and I... If... if its my fault, you should have told me. But how was I supposed to know?" Oh dear, it seemed she'd become nervous enough to start chattering away. The witch took a moment's breath before she considered going on, trying to work it all out in her head. "I've never seen you so harsh... Or so rough..." As for the roughness, on any other terms she would have enjoyed it. As it were, she needed to be stopped or she'd keep rambling.  

[medigel]

Racist? If he wasn't in pain at the time he would have laughed a bit at the thought. "Don't worry over it," he told her. "Know you're not, n' that's what matters." As for Death, well, he had no contrary comment to make about its work.

And then, the questions. Ho Jack. Mort didn't speak for a moment as he collected himself and pondered how to word his answer so that it wouldn't be misconstrued. Vying for a little bit more time, he reached out for her twitching arm and gently pried it from her body, eyes trained for spasms as he slowly inched it to stretch flat and straight. "As a friend," he replied midway through the effort. "She wanted more, n' for a while thought so too but . . . then I-I acted stupid. Big surprise." His gaze intensified as he scoffed at himself. "We fought. N' with all the crazy things happening - Hunters, Insanity nightmares, Horsemen - it just . . . I dunno. When you came to room that first time, with the gift basket? It was . . nice." He didn't know how else to put it.

"But then felt guilty; Gene did nice things too, even went out on a s-sorta date. Felt like was cheating on someone even though wasn't actual ghoulfriend. So . . . sorta prompted going home for so long." Mort paused again, then slowly let her arm go to see how long Bells could hold it there without a spasm. "N, well . . . you know how that went. Day after came back, asked Gene to meet in gym - figured could tell her about you n' let her hit me couple've times. Only instead've that, find out you two already know each other n' she knew about us - n' not only that, had to fight you both when thought could just make peace with her." Metal and fleshy fingers alike interlocked in his lap as he leaned a little forward, a somber expression on his face. "Ever since then, haven't talked with her. Barely spoke when group was sneaking into Arel's office, n' even then was a-awkward. I, uh, got this coffee machine from her while back, she said was broken and could be used for parts. N' I did take a few wires for Thor. Decided to fix up a few weeks back, even threw in clock, n' delivered it to her door with note saying wanted to catch up sometime. Haven't heard from since.

"Er, g-guess what m'trying to say in longest way possible is never got closure about that affair. Still carry with to this day, but don't know what else to do about it. So when brought it up, it j-just sorta . . . flared up old thoughts."

There was another pause, followed by a mild: "How's the arm? Any tingling or loss've feeling?" And still he didn't look at her.  

[AyeAvast]

Allowing her arm to be taken, Belladonna listened patiently and felt a little better as he held it out. Then he stretched it that last little bit and the witch winced. It hurt to hold it out like that, but she gritted her teeth together and held it. It was something to concentrate on other than what he was saying, as every new word made the witch hurt a little more.
But she was good and she didn't say anything. Instead she sat there and waited and held her arm, and grit her teeth and tried very hard not to cry. Everything hurt, everything and each moment brought another spark that begged to be let go of. If she could just let her arm rest, for just a moment. Unfortunately, she only got about half way through his story before she dropped her arm with a visible wince, cradling it against her body. It gave her a good excuse to hunch over and not look at him, as well as put a little pressure over her chest, where her heart was. Why did that hurt too?
It was much harder not to say anything, but Belladonna focused on the pain and only when he had stopped and asked her a question did she blink back into focus.

Did she feel anything? Besides the pain? Perhaps, but a slow empty feeling was taking over, creeping down her hairline and across her cheeks, sliding down her neck and over her shoulders.
"I..." Was all she got out before she started on another sentence. "So you... You chose me because you ******** it up with her?" The harsh word reflected in her voice, but Belladonna couldn't stop. "And... You continued with me, even though it felt like cheating?" This sounded wrong, even to Belladonna, but she couldn't see any other way around it. "And now you carry part of her coffee machine... With you?" He'd most likely discarded her pin in that case, or at least left it behind in his dorm room. "...And you've felt so strongly about it this whole time, strong enough to harm me over it?"

Numb. That was the feeling.
Belladonna opened her mouth to say something, but her tongue only wanted to form that word, so she closed it.
What was she? Just a distraction? Something that would keep him warm and not so alone? Was that it? She didn't understand, Belladonna just didn't understand...  

[medigel]

Well . . . that stung to hear more than expected. But then, how could one brace himself against the cut of words? There was no armor, no shield, no barrier to put up, not when he left himself open and raw like that. And with the addition of salt in the wounds there came two options: be angry and lash out, or take it without complaint.

Frankly, Mort was tired of angry and tired of violence. He'd had his fill for a long while after the attack on the Lair.

So he took the witch's accusations wordlessly even as he flinched at the harsh tone, his hands lacing themselves tightly against the despair threatening to swallow him as a result. And when Belladonna finished he was still as stone, neither breathing nor blinking as he kept his gaze to his hands. On the outside he looked numb, but on the inside a fear of a different sort gnawed away. In spite of his efforts, in spite of his attempt to clarify himself, he'd only made it worse for them both. The initial answer hadn't been nearly so long, and yet the words had all tumbled out of him before he knew it.

He wondered briefly if he shouldn't have said anything at all.

Drained, Mort's eyes slid closed, and when he spoke it was slow and strained from a sandpaper throat. "Friends matter to me more than you know. Now more than ever, even. Before A-Amity, didn't have one friend. C-Couldn't make 'em, couldn't k-k-keep 'em." His voice broke towards the end, and he stopped to control himself. "P-Please understand, once a-at Amity couldn't handle losing friend. Especially because've s-something I did. N' needed everything could get for Thor, n' she g-gave a gift - I don't throw gifts away. M'not saying e-excuses what I did, 'cuz it didn't. I know that. It just . . . I had stupid ideas n' didn't know what to do when they were trashed."

A shiver went through his body, and he stopped again, chewing the inside of his cheek like a madman. His hands trembled slightly in his lap. "So I-I-I ran back home. Ran away thinking could get away. But you know what, Bells? You were there t-too. You were a-always there at back've mind, e-even when working. You were j-just's big a part've nightmares, n' it hurt just's much t-to . . ." Mort faltered again, his jaw tightening, his brow pulled over his eyes like a cowl. For a moment he sat like that until he took a deep breath in and out of his nose and continued again in a soft voice.

"Have made many choices good n' bad, n' most've come with regrets . . . But asking you out? I-I don't regret that at all. The things with Gene're my fault, my burden, my choice, n' if could go back n' fix it before it all happened then would in a heartbeat. But this?" His hands split and one of them made the smallest and vaguest of gestures as he opened his eyes halfway. "All've what we've said, n' done, n' experienced - all joy n' sorrow n' anger . . . Wouldn't change that." He risked a look at her face and what lied therein. "D-Didn't choose because've someone else. Chose because I need you, Bells. That optimism, that faith, that patience n' goodwill - I-I need it. I need you."  

[AyeAvast]

Unlike Mort, Belladonna wished she could take so many things back. So many words spoken out of anger or hurt, all her actions that were half-thought through, maybe even a few of the tears she had needlessly shed. Perhaps if she had been able to do that, it would have given her the credence to not feel so wretched about everything now.
With her own right arm drawn tightly to her chest, Belladonna listened and with each word felt a little worse. That numb feeling was gone, replaced instead with a feeling she had once grown so accustomed to that its resurgence made it all the more painful. As regret grew within her, the witch slowly dropped her arm to her lap and waited for the inevitable blow that was surely to come.
Such a horrid and unfeeling creature as herself should not be allowed to continue on with someone as sweet as Mort.
Yet surprisingly enough, she was not excluded from the story as she thought she surely would be. The nightmares he spoke of were something the witch experienced too, but her's had involved only friends and him. But what finally made her look at him fully, was when he took his breath. He didn't need it like she did, Belladonna needed those to steady herself and give herself power. What he took was for the same reason, but made more important because it wasn't necessary.

And that was it. That was all it took for Belladonna to be fully and totally broken. Everything that had happened that day, all the pain and the anger all cracked off her like porcelain pieces and the witch was left raw and new.
With a tiny little noise somewhere between a choking sob and an apology, Belladonna began to cry. All her pains were forgotten as she rose to her knees and reached forward, pulling him to her as tears ran down her face. Her arms locked around him, her right one continued to spasm as she clutched at him and buried her face into whatever part of him was closest. Fingers curled in his hair and she choked on a sob before she shook her head.
"I need you too!" Belladonna managed through her tears, which came fiercer than she expected. "And I am so sorry for the horrid things I said-- I-I was angry and hurt and-- I'm so glad you have friends now and I would never want to take that away. And everything else I just... I just want to be a part of your life and with you too. That's why I gave you my pin, so you can have a piece of me, however small..." Another fierce shake of her head as she tried to articulate her words. There had been so much he had said, how could she reply to all of it? "I'm sorry, please, I need you too." Here she pulled back despite her tears to look him the face, it didn't matter if she looked weak. There was something he needed to understand more than that. "Your kindness and strength, your insatiable need to be a hero... Please...I need that to keep me going, when I think I'm too small and weak. When I get scared of dying or leaving my room... I need your bravery and your tenderness. Please..."

It wasn't exactly clear was she was asking for precisely, other than the acceptance of her apology, but in any event the witch pressed a sloppy kiss to his mouth before she grabbed him back into the hug, holding him as close as possible.
"You just fought so hard and with such ruthlessness... I got mad. I don't want to lose you! Not to Gene, not to Medea and her cause, not to anything! I need you too."

Ol-j-man

Oh look, I found you a bunch of gifs. biggrin
Seriously, I had a lot of feels about this. XD

 

[medigel]

It took an exorbitant amount of energy not to just collapse into the witch when she pulled him in, and the paradoxical elements of rising relief and burdened exhaustion did little to help his already dizzy mind. But his arms found her nevertheless, and as Bells broke down into him he cradled her and said nothing, content to just listen to her river of words, even as her sobs made the hairs on the back of his neck rise instinctually and her arm's tremors fed his concern. And when she began to calm down, Mort pressed a kiss to her brow in return before, with fumbling fingers, he fished for something out of his pocket.

"Do k-keep it around," he said, revealing Belladonna's pin. "E-Especially when . . ." But his head grew fuzzy and he was forced to trail away and start anew. "Will always stay on my person, somehow; that can promise. I-It's one've best gifts ever gotten, n' never would throw away. Heh, stupid me n-never did repay . . ."

He closed his hand and concentrated, finding it a little harder to conjure than normal. Several seconds later he opened his hand again to reveal a second pin: his own. "M'sorry it took so long," Mort apologized with a tired but warm smile. "Take it. N' take whatever need've me, mkay? Doesn't matter what happens, m'there. M'not going anywhere, remember?"

AyeAvast

GDI CASTIEL CREYS ;;
Also there'll be a pin image somewhere in there after school. Gotta edit it a bit.

 

[AyeAvast]

Now that they had broken through the walls of fear and anger, Belladonna finally felt the weariness set in. Because they had fought so hard, but also in such an unfinished manner, she felt more tired than usual. If either of them had won, if either of them had broken most of their shield they would have been able to let go. As it were, all the adrenaline that had been coursing through her veins had refused to leave now that the stakes had been raised. Of course they were met, but the witch still felt shaky.
"Especially when you're being a brave Death Knight?" The witch asked with a soft smile. Maybe they couldn't talk about it right on, but they could give it code names that meant innocent things. They could pretend it was something irreverent and silly, just to make it not so scary.
Secretly, the witch promised to get him an even better present come the holiday season. Maybe they could go on another silly trip to Christmastown and fight stupid trees and little nutcrackers together, just for something to lighten the mood. Then, she would give him something truly useful.

As for his own, the witch was immensely startled by this. Where she had freely given her own, she had not necessarily expected his pin. Belladonna waited quietly, carefully placing a hand on his wrist, as though that might help. When finally he managed a bit of a magic of his own, Belladonna marveled at the little object that meant more than she could express.
"Don't apologize... Its perfect."
It was just a small piece of metal, why was it making her heart beat so fast? Why did it help drain some of the weariness in her limbs?
"I remember." She added quietly, her eyes down and staring at the pin. After a moment she closed her fingers around it and held it tight, imbuing it with just the tiniest bit of magic. Objects were simply things until they were given power, until they were deemed special, and this was already more than special. "And the same goes for you. Whatever you need, just ask. I'll be more than willing to give, or to help you. I'll be your gleam." She added softly, before she let out a tiny laugh.

Now that it was done, now that the fight was over and they'd waded through this particular gauntlet, it all seemed so silly. But the witch was still curious. She still had just a few more questions...
"You fought... Extremely hard. Was it all just pent up emotions, or is it... Is it partially you're... Being a Death Knight?"
After his answer, the witch thought about where on her person's she could keep his pin, finally settling on the brim of her hat, which at this particular juncture, wasn't with her. For the moment she fastened it over her heart, but held up a finger as she chirped, "When I get my hat, I'll put it on the ribbon. I almost always have my hat and when its not there, I suppose I'll keep it here!"

Ol-j-man

;3; Do you watch Supernatural? I got to the second episode and gave up. XD
Its alll good. Hope its ok I replied!

 

[medigel]

When he was being a - ? Ah. A code name would be a good idea, both for the reasons Bells had thought of as well as the simple matter of not openly discussing the mark. The students of Amity had mixed opinions on it enough as it was without stirring up trouble. "Both ish, b-but mostly Death Knight," Mort affirmed with a small nod, thankful the roundabout manner of speech didn't trigger an episode. It seemed as long as they kept it general and not try to pinpoint specifics, like the fragment, they would be alright. "It . . . does something insidious on inside. Can't explain proper, but i-it's under control." For now.

As for his pin, well, Bells could keep it wherever she liked; Mort beamed regardless. "Good to hear. Now about arm . . ." He ducked his head a little and slowly unwrapped her right arm to inspect it. "Are tremors getting any less? Feel anything strange?" he prompted as he put two fingers to her wrist for pulse and began to try and stretch it again.

AyeAvast

I actually haven't yet, but it's on Netflix so eventually I want to give it a try~

 

[AyeAvast]

The witch nodded in way of reply, glad there was finally a name they could put to it. And it seemed not to be having any effect on him, so she felt a strange relief to be able to talk about it, however little. As for why it made him like, Belladonna opened her mouth to ask, but closed it again with a tiny sigh. If he couldn't even give her a name for what he now was, besides Marked, then why in the world would she think he could tell her why. Every time she considered it, it made her a little angrier. A small piece of wood was added to a dry, brittle pile. It would only take a small spark to light it aflame and Belladonna prayed to Hecate that it wouldn't happen. Otherwise something even more terrible might happen.
"Is there anything that exacerbates it? I'll try not to do it, if so..." She gave him a tilted smile, as if to encourage him that she was trying. Whatever she could do, she'd do it. But she couldn't read minds, she'd have to be told.

At the mention of her arm, she willingly let him take it while she drew her eyebrows down.
"Um, I think its spasming less... But I think an ice pack, or even something warm, would be absolutely delightful..." Another small laugh, "I would love a lie down and I rather figure so would you."
Hopefully it could go unsaid that she wanted the lie down together. After such dramatics earlier, the witch was rather unwilling to leave her boilfriend just yet. They needed some cuddles to make up for all the punching and cutting. A lot of cuddles.
To further her point, the witch leaned forward just a little and batted her eyelashes at him. Being shorter than him certainly had certain advantages...

Ol-j-man

That's where I watched it. I should probably try again, since I wasn't really paying attention. XD

 

[medigel]

"Mrrr . . ." He gave a small sigh of relief at her report and drew her hand to him, kissing the top. "Agreed. Could nap for couple've hours at least. S'for the other thing, ah . . . M'not sure exactly, but just makes angry overall. If act more broody than usual, s'prolly why." Gently he manipulated her index finger and traced a swirl pattern over his temple. "Will be signal if think it's so, mkay?"

Mort then placed her hand back in her lap, slid her to the bench and with a wince forced himself on his feet. "D'you have packs?" he asked, rubbing a particularly bothersome cut on his neck. "I-If not, have some; s'all cold though. Either way, m'ready for some rest." And even as thick-headed as he could be, even Mort heard her implications and gave a grin.

AyeAvast

 

[AyeAvast]

"At least." She added in a teasing tone, but let her hand go limp so he could gesticulate with her. Even though he still held her hand, she quickly reenacted the gesture and gave a slight nod. Hopefully he would use it when necessary, as she didn't want a repeat of today. Brooding she didn't mind, brooding could be dealt with, but anger was a much harder beast to tame.
In any event, Belladonna rose to her feet just as slowly, trying to keep her face neutral as they stood but almost unable what with her scuffed up legs and the deep ache in her muscles.
"I do. And they can be heated or cooled, whichever. Magic will be easy after all the physical exertion." Here the witch grabbed one of his arms and ducked underneath, her head raised to look up at him. Though she didn't say anything, her face clearly read that she would help him back so long as he did the same for her. Separate they were broken and bruised, but together they could hobble along just fine. "And we can go to my room, my bed is bigger anyways."

Maybe it wasn't an easy journey back to the Reapers dorms in terms of minimizing the pain both students felt, and it was at least an hour yet before they even started to feel better. But it was wondrous what a small kiss or even a simple lay of hand on hand could do, and Belladonna could finally breath easy. Nothing would ever be easy again, nothing would ever be the same, but a line had been crossed, a mountain had been conquered. There wasn't any going back from this, but there was still so much more left to go.
And the witch slept easy, nestled against the still and cool chest of her beloved, knowing that at least they'd make it together, that together they could make their own path, write their own story, and at least have one small bit of light in an otherwise pitch black world.

Ol-j-man

D'AAAWWWWWWW