[SOLO] Back to Hell (Pretty Boy)

[Kinu]

The stair climb up to the apartments had gone by in a haze, the only thing he really remembered was the sound of his claws clicking against the bottle as he ascended and made it to the hallway that would eventually end at his door. "Sorry, Peebs. I really am. But this is just...a lot." Those words made him feel hollow but yeah, maybe Micky was right, it had been a lot. Maybe it was too much to think they ever had a real shot at reconnecting, he felt stupid for thinking that somehow it could just be easy. He'd left Micky downstairs, firm in his resolve not to watch him walk out the door a second time. He couldn't take round two of that s**t, the first time cut deep enough and the wound had never healed right. He made it to his door finally. Standing right outside it he couldn't quite bring himself to go in, wondering if he was making a mistake again. Was he supposed to chase after him? He hadn't the first time and now they were, well, here.

His fingers on the neck of the bottle squeezed and he raised an arm, rubbing the side of his neck as he tilted his head back to regard the ceiling with half-lidded, mismatched eyes. A single soft word escaping his lips in a sigh. "********." No. He didn't need to chase him. It didn't feel right. He'd just let him go. If that's what Micky wanted then he had to just... let him go. 'I guess I just missed you or thought I did.' His grip on the bottle tightened more until he heard a familiar 'crack', gritting his teeth he eased up and sighed. Goddamn hearing that had stung. He rested his head against the door for a second, feeling as if all the strength in his limbs had just gone suddenly. Numb. Just like he'd felt numb for years after he and Micky had split. But something else as well. Pain. His chest felt tight, hot. An overwhelming weight of sadness pressing down, crushing him. ******** this sucked. Why hadn't he just left it alone? He should have just given him a quick 'what's up' and then gotten the ******** out of there. Just left it all in the past. That's where they belonged anyway. He and Micky. The past.

His free hand finally found the doorknob and he opened it slowly, pushing it far enough to let himself in before he shut and locked it behind him. He didn't want anyone just walking in. Some of his band mates had a habit of doing exactly that. Normally it wasn't an issue but tonight wasn't that kinda night, he needed to be alone. He hit the bed face first before rolling onto his back, ripping the cork out of the bottle with his teeth and spitting it across the floor unceremoniously. He'd definitely cracked the glass neck of the bottle but it was still fine to drink out of so he tipped it up and took a few deep pulls, resting it on his chest, his head melting into the mattress.

Pretty Boy's eyes searched the ceiling for a time, staring through it, not really seeing it at all. He hated feeling like this. The idea that he should have just left well enough alone replaying like a mantra in his mind. Tonight was a night to celebrate. He should have just found the band and rounded them up, gone out for a wild night around Hemlock and continued on with his ******** unlife. But no. He saw Micky and it was like everything else suddenly had the volume turned down, like he went deaf except for a single tone. A tone that was impossible to ignore. He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and raised the bottle again, taking another deep swig. He wanted it to numb the ache in his chest faster but it seemed to be taking its sweet time working its magic.

Pretty Boy ran his claws through his long multi-colored hair, his gaze shifting to the window as his attention was drawn to the sound of rain beginning to build on the other side of the glass. It was soothing, the white noise, easing the anxiety he felt growing as the complete silence was broken. He hated the silence. Always had. The brightly colored Clanless male closed his eyes to listen, letting the events of the evening play over in his mind one last time before he shoved them away. He didn't want to do this again. Maybe he needed to let Micky go. It wasn't like he himself was innocent in all this. He certainly had his share of the blame to carry for what happened. But the thought of letting Micky go forever just made him feel worse somehow, which probably meant it was the right thing to do. Or maybe it wasn't. How the ******** was he supposed to know?

Nothing felt right. He just felt... empty. At least that was something he could sink into, a familiar feeling that wasn't comforting but didn't make him feel so vulnerable and wounded at least. He felt like he used to. Before Micky, before The Graverobbers and The Sin Bin. He also suddenly felt tired and his eyelids began to fall, weighted by impending sleep. Pretty Boy managed to take one final swig before nestling the bottle at his side, his grip loose around the broken neck before he passed out. Unfortunately, his sleep wasn't dreamless and the one dream beginning to unfold would bring no relief. The lights of Hell began to fade in, illuminating a familiar crossing he'd never forget no matter how deeply he buried it.

 

[Kinu]

"PB... wake up. They took him. They took LS." Came a frightened but familiar voice. Lover Boy? Pretty Boy opened his eyes but he wasn't in his room. He was... ********. He was in Hell. The angry gray sky above growled with rolling thunder, the buildings on either side lit by small fires here and there as well as old, repurposed neon lights and magic. Hell was a long stretch of alley in Hemlock that used to be called Helliwen's Crossing before someone vandalized it, erasing everything but the word Hell and enchanting it so it glowed like fire. The trick was that no matter where you went in the crossing somehow the sign remained visible. LB was crouched over PB, a hand on his chest as he'd been shaking him to wake him up.

When the older male looked into his brothers eyes he saw in them all he needed to know. It was serious, LB looked terrified. He rarely looked anything but pissed off or apathetic so the fact that he was afraid spoke to the severity of whatever had happened. That was enough for PB to be wide awake in an instant. He sat up quickly, his gaze falling to the petite form of their little sister huddled under LB's other arm. She had her head pressed against LB's side but as soon as Pretty Boy was upright she crawled into his lap and buried her face in his chest. PB wrapped an arm around her and gestured for LB to move out of the street. The pastel colored male curled up against his side and PB wrapped his other arm around the male, pulling him close. Lover Boy's body was shaking but his expression changed, now distant, steeled over as he shoved whatever fear he'd been showing down deep. Swallowing it just like every other emotion. "Who took him?" PB's voice was low, uneasy. He didnt know why he was asking, he already knew the answer.

Pretty Boy rested his nose against his little sisters head while she shivered, trying to comfort her. LB squeezed his brother's arm, he could feel the pastel vampire's body shaking angrily. "Redeemer's guys." His reply was quiet but clear, there was no chance he heard him wrong even if he wished he had. ********. Of course. "They picked him up at some club a couple of hours ago. I told him not to go there tonight. There was already word out that they would collect if he showed up. You know how LS is though..." Yeah, PB knew how their older brother was. The ******** idiot. He was shocked it wasn't both twins since they usually partied together. "He didn't pick up both of them? Where's the other idiot?" LB shrugged roughly, obviously annoyed. "Nah, just LS. And who knows. Probably partying somewhere else." PB closed his eyes for a second, trying to figure out what to do. They couldn't let Redeemer keep their brother, he was probably in bad shape already and if they didn't get him back now they might never get him back. Not functional anyway. The longer he stayed with Redeemer the less chance he'd ever mentally recover from whatever they intended on doing to him. Broken bones you could fix, but a broken mind wasn't so easy. Their shattered little family had lost enough. They didn't need to lose more. As ******** selfish as the twins were they were still blood when it came down to it, though sometimes he wondered if that only matter to him and the two in his arms.

The twins didn't seem to share quite the same view when it came to what was important and what wasn't. They were self-centered, egotistical, thrill seekers who only gave a s**t about what they could get out of life and where the next party would be. They'd always been reckless but getting involved with Redeemer had been the biggest mistake they'd ever made. Until tonight. "Take Wild Child to Edge's shop. Tell him I'm cashing in on that favor he owes me and to get the back room ready in case LS is in bad shape when we arrive." LB looked up at his brother and nodded, not asking anymore questions before he tried to pull Wild Child away from Pretty Boy's arms. The petite vampire kicked her brother in the chest and clung to the older male, sobbing into his brightly colored fur. Lover Boy rolled his eyes but didn't seem mad, just mildly defeated, rubbing his sore chest absently with his claws and looking off down the alley. "You know she's going to fight me the whole damn way." LB's exasperated voice growled, running his fingers through his hair to stave off his temper. It was hard for him to blame her. She wasn't stupid. She knew just as well as Lover Boy that this was bad.

PB chuckled, grabbing Wild Child under her arms and hoisting her up as he stood. "Come on WC, I've gotta go get LS. Go with Lover Boy. You know he'll take care of you." The female looked up at PB, frowning miserably. Her voice was quiet at the start but steadily rose as she pleaded, hoping desperately that he would change his mind. "I don't want you to go. You're going to get hurt. Please don't go, PB. Please.." Her lower lip quivered before she burst into tears again, streaks of red flowing down her cheeks. "Hey, hey... I'll be ok. I'll come back. But you need to go to Edge's where it's safe and help LB get things ready." He hugged her close, petting her hair affectionately. "We gotta be tough for just a little while longer. We're almost out of this shithole, I promise." She nodded, the look on her face anything but relieved while her arms wrapped tightly around PB's neck one more time. As he started to wonder if she would ever let him go again she begrudgingly wiped away her tears with the back of her fist and slid out of his arms.

LB was already up and waiting for her and she took his outstretched hand, tucking into his side before they headed off. "Make sure you guys stay put. Don't leave the shop no matter what. I'll be back with LS as soon as I can." PB warned, tying back his long hair with a rogue hairband he'd stolen from WC at some point. LB nodded, leading them both away. "Come on... let's go. We need to help get s**t ready." He tried to sound convincing, to make her feel like they had been given an important task. He wasn't very good at it. Wild Child looked back only once, her face a mask of worry and misery. Pretty Boy smiled, as comforting an expression as he could muster given the sinking feeling in his gut as he watched them both vanish up the alley. He closed his eyes, steeling himself for what was coming next. Those two would be safe with Edge at least. The Freak wasn't the fuzziest individual but he would happily mess someone up if they pushed him. The most important thing was that PB trusted him. That he could trust him with what mattered.

 

[Kinu]

PB didn't look humored, in fact he looked strangely apathetic. "Where's The Mistress?" He was to the point, obviously not in the mood for a witty back and forth. Domina looked taken aback, cocking a brow at the clanless vampire and scoffing, a sharp exhale through her nose marking her distaste as she narrowed her eyes. "And why the ******** do you think I would bother her without a set appointment? Because you asked? Come on Pretty Boy, you know it doesn't work like that." PB slammed his fist down on the counter and bared his sharp canines aggressively at the Meanki, a completely out of character move for the usually even tempered vampire. "Domina, I'm not ******** around. I'm not here for a ******** session. I'm not here to play games. I need to see her now. It's serious." The Meanki raised a brow but seemed to reconsider. Drumming her sharp, beautifully manicured claws on the counter as if to emphasize exactly how inconvenienced she was. The female licked her lips and rolled her eyes finally, heaving a sigh. "Dramatic aren't we. Fine, fine... I'll go see if she's available. Don't get your hopes up. You know how busy she is. And if I get in trouble you owe me." PB closed his eyes and shoved a shoulder against the wall while he waited, crossing his arms over his chest. "Put it on my tab." He spat sarcastically. However his face softened a moment as he opened his eyes again to look across the counter at her. "And Domina... thank you." He breathed the words, trying to stay calm, to reign his temper in. He didn't like losing control of his emotions, it just made things worse.

Without another word she vanished into the back. It was about half an hour later when Domina returned, a little unsettled but otherwise fine. "You can go up." She seemed subdued somehow, her attention definitely elsewhere. PB pushed off the wall, heading the way she'd gone. "I appreciate it, Domina." She shrugged, puffing her bangs out of her face in an offhand manner. "Don't worry about it." And picked up a magazine, leaning on the counter to scan the contents idly as she dismissed PB's existence. It was obvious she wasn't even seeing the object in her hands but the colorful male knew better than to ask if she was ok. PB vanished through the back and climbed the stairs to the penthouse, his mind racing as he tried to prepare himself for the encounter. He avoided places like this if he could help it but he specifically avoided this place in particular. More bad memories.

The brightly colored male reached the final floor and stepped onto a green and black runner that slithered down the hall towards the only door like a serpent. The sconces on the wall were twisted wrought iron wrapped around green stained glass which bathed everything in a sickly emerald glow. It was eerie here, the atmosphere eliciting a fear in the pit of your stomach the moment you stepped foot out of the stairs, the feeling of being watched palpable. It didn't help that the walls were polished obsidian and both reflected and absorbed the light. A duality that felt like it shouldn't exist yet somehow still did within the confines of this ominous space.

As he approached the sound of a scream broke the haunting silence and he froze, the fur along his spine standing upright. ******** he hated this place. It took him a few moments before he could get his legs to move forward again but he finally managed, reaching the door and lifting a hand to rap on it with the backs of his knuckles. Before he could actually strike the surface the door opened and a petite, pure white Draekit moved into view. Her icy blue eyes didn't lift to meet PB as she opened the door wider and stepped aside, waiting for him to enter. A female voice drifted powerfully across the room. It wasn't quite raspy but it was certainly rougher, naturally commanding, with a quality that sounded like a growl mixed with a purr. The Clanless male felt his blood run cold, that voice scared the s**t out of him for so many reasons.

"Hello Pretty Boy. Been a while. Tell me... what's so urgent it can't wait?"

The door shut abruptly once he'd stepped inside. The flames in the sconces dancing lazily, casting their writhing shadows across the walls and the floor. That eerie silence claiming the hallway once more, as if it had never been disturbed to begin with.

 

[Kinu]

He left the room as fast as he could once he'd gotten the information he needed. As it shut behind him the male shakily let out the breath he'd been holding. He felt his body shudder as he stepped aside and rested his back and head against the wall, trying to calm his nerves, to get a grip on himself. He needed to get his head straight again. His teeth gritted and a sharp inhale of pain echoed in the otherwise empty hallway the second he pressed his shoulder against the unyielding surface behind him, reaching up he dislodged a sharp metal claw from his flesh and held it out, eyeing it emptily. 'Ah, ah, ah.. dont touch that.' The Mistress's voice echoed in his head. 'You can keep it. Not that I expect you'll need reminding of your debt, but a little visual never hurts. Who knows, maybe it will come in handy where you're going... or maybe not.'

PB's gaze was empty as he stared at the ornate claw. He hated owing her any favors, they usually sucked, now he owed her big time. The clanless male made a mental note to punch his older brother in the face if he wasn't dead already. He pocketed the object and headed for the stairs, the weight of the information he'd been given growing heavier with every step. By the time he made it back to the front Domina was looking normal again and by normal that meant flirty and bitchy. "You made it out with your skin I see." PB nodded, his expression still fairly serious with the amount of bullshit he had weighing on his mind. Pleasantries just didnt make the list of things he had available energy for. "Yeah, barely. Thanks again. See you." Domina chuckled, a sultry sound. "Oh, I know we'll see you again soon. I'm sure keeping your skin didn't come cheap." She waggled her delicate fingers at him and smiled devilishly. She knew she wasn't wrong.

He'd been pointed in the direction of a place he wanted to be even less than the club he'd just left. The broken sign up top sparked and shuddered with eerie orange light. Letters spelling the words 'The Pit' fluctuated on a faulty circuit making the light inconsistent across the lettering. He flexed his fists open and closed tightly at his sides, his eyes closing while he took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He couldn't lose his temper in here, if he did there was no chance he was going to get his brother back or that he'd ever leave again. He had to keep it together, whatever it took, Lover Boy and Wild Child were waiting for him. They counted on him and it wasn't like their other older brother was going to look out for them if something happened to him. Whatever it took. He had already resolved himself and made some sort of peace with the fact that this was going to suck.

Whatever it took. The words rolled over and over again in his mind as if to convince himself that this was the right thing to do. He knocked firmly on the metal door which resulted in a panel sliding to the side to reveal a pair of dark, empty eyes. "The ******** do you want?" The voice growled, low and aggressive. Pretty Boy narrowed his gaze but otherwise remained neutral, his body language calm. "I need to see Redeemer." The words came out easier than he thought, however the name that rolled off his tongue made him want to spit after he'd said it. It tasted bitter and left a bad feeling in his gut. The Kat behind the door gave a deep, guttural laugh and started to close the slider.

"The Mistress sends her regards." He added quickly but calmly, trying not to sound desperate as he held up the metal claw to which the Kat behind the door suddenly stopped closing it, his eyes widened for a split second before they narrowed again. The slider slammed the rest of the way but the door opened to permit him entry. He looked up at the sky, just in case it was the last time he'd see it, breathing in the cold night air as deeply as possible. If there was a Deity watching out for them he needed it now more than ever. But there was only silence. Tucking the claw back in his pocket he disappeared into The Pit, the heavy metal door slamming shut behind him.

It was hours before the door opened and Pretty Boy tasted the cool night air again for a split second before he hit the stone ground and stars exploded in his head. Two extremely large males had both him and LS in their arms before they tossed the male's out into the alleyway. The Kat guarding the front door laughed and slammed it shut behind them again, leaving them alone together to recover in the dark dingy street. It was pouring. The sound of rain hitting the cement was deafening as Pretty Boy coughed up blood onto the cold ground and pushed himself up shakily, his body covered in bruises with severe lacerations marring his otherwise silken pelt. He licked his swollen lip and tried to ignore the agonizing pulse in the one eye he couldn't see out of at the moment, that and the severe agony raging across his body in general. He dragged himself over to his brother, the rough stone biting into his knees not helping to stave off the growing tunnel vision in his one good eye before he fell backward onto his a**. Pretty Boy grimaced against the shock of pain the impact caused, his jaw tensing so tightly he groaned against the strain of it. His brother was in bad shape. Real bad shape. PB wasn't much better but was at least still mobile, barely.

He reached out and weakly pulled LS into his lap, holding onto him like a life raft. His head fell forward into his brothers neck, his body shaking from shock. It had been worse. Worse than he thought. Worse than he could have imagined. Redeemers voice was on repeat in his head as the storm pelted down on them both and he dug his fingers into his brothers body, closing his eyes tight against the rain. 'What's his pathetic ******** life worth to you?' That question was weighted, he knew before he even answered. He shuddered at the memory of claws on his face after he had said the word that ultimately damned him in the end. 'Anything.' That laughter. He'd never forget the sound of it, the way it had made him want to run or cry or scream. 'You know
.. you really are a pretty boy.'

PB leaned to the side and threw up violently, still shaking but not from the cold. He needed to bury all of it so he could get his brother to safety. He could deal with what happened later... or never. It didn't really matter. They just needed to get the ******** out of here before Redeemer changed his mind and sent his guys to drag them back inside. He managed to get to his feet after a while, lifting LS onto his back. He silently cursed how tall his brother was and how much he weighed while unconscious, his feet still dragging on the ground even as PB had him so far up on his back that his head lolled over one shoulder. His whole body screamed in pain but he managed to start walking, it was slow going but at least they were moving. Soon the horrible orange light of The Pit faded into nothing. With those vicious lights smothered by the rain it became easier to pretend it wasn't real, that it had all just been a nightmare. That's all it was. A bad dream.