Jayson was about to say something but instead decided to keep his mouth shut. "Alright…" He said as the guy left. He looks down at Ember's scythe and picked it up curiously. He had never held one of these before, it was cool to say the least, but a bit heavy. He walks downstairs to see if he can spot Ember- to where ever she might have gone. "Cool, this is fine. Everything is fine- or is going to be fine." He gulps. "I'll just explain and everything will be okay." He pauses and begins to freak out. "That or she'll want to rip me apart and then throw me into the gates of hell faster then I can count"
Of course it didn't take long before Ember noticed her scythe was missing, as it was something she'd always carried around. "darn you teddy and your sticky fingers" she cursed and had made her way back to the the hotel.
After she spotted Jayson, holding her scythe of things, she shouted at him Angerly. "Darn you too, Jayson. Gimme my scythe." She had narrowed her eyes at him, "Or so help me I will drag you to the crawlers and leave you there for all of eternity."
As soon as Ember had spotted him and he had spotted her, he backed up. "Woah woah woah wait a second I need to talk to you! I swear that what you saw back there was nothing more than a misunderstanding! She just showed up in my room while I was sleeping! It's not my fault I-" He stopped and blushed, embarrassed. "It's not my fault I sleep without clothes on….I'm not used to it. It gets all hot and suffocating under the covers." He looks at her angry face and smiles nervously. "But really, do you think I would go and mess up this thing we have? I mean I've been trying to get you to like me since we met! It would be totally useless on my part if I went and slept with someone else when I want to a-a…." He laughs and looks away. He was going to say "ask her out officially" but somehow it didn't sound right at the moment. Maybe he would keep it for later when they got to know each other better. If she didn't throw him to the crawlers first. It also scared him that since this was the first time he was really interested in someone, he would screw up and she would turn him down. Now that would be the story of his life right there.
Ember rolled her eyes, "oh yes, its totally not your fault. scythe, now." she extended her left hand, her glare deepening. "And don't even try to give an excuse. Men are all the same if they can't get what they want they go to someone else-" and then she realized something and continued speaking as if talking to herself, "you know what. I don't even care. Why would I? You have no reason to care, Ember." She shook her head at herself. Noticing that she probably sounded stupid talking to herself like that.
Jayson cut short on his explaining. He was going to keep explaining in hopes that she would understand but it was clear that she was still angry. Maybe a bit more than that.
"And don't even try to give an excuse. Men are all the same if they can't get what they want they go to someone else-" she said and Jayson froze. "No, see, it's not like that! I would never!" He stops and has a really hurt expression his face. Maybe if he were still alive he would have been like the others and done exactly what she said, but thing was that now he was dead and in reality he never felt more free from all the women that wanted to hook up with him just because of his looks. He never really fell in love truely and was the type of guy that wasted his time screwing around with chicks, never settling on anyone. But now his chest hurt. It was almost laughable. He had only met her moments ago but had already started developing feelings for her. Was it the right thing to do? Should he keep what he was feeling or give up on it? He spaced out a bit as he though and just stood there as she kept on rambling about how she wasn't supposed to care. Then it's as if he snapped back to reality when she finished. "Look, I'm sorry alright? It really is a misunderstanding but I'm not gonna say anything more to change your mind. It's fine, I get it. I messed up…again." He closes his eyes and winces as if it hurt him to say that. He held out the scythe for her to take it, looking down at the floor trying to avoid eye contact. He was scared of seeing her angry face again. The face of someone who was truely disgusted with him and although he was used to getting that look, it felt different coming from Ember. Hell, the look made him feel disgusted with himself. The longer his train of thoughts wandered the more he blamed himself for somthing he didn't do and was starting to believe he had done it. He felt guilty but he didn't know why.
Ember frowned slightly, noticing how upset, and angry she sounded. How stupid could she be? No matter how much she told herself that she shouldn't have feelings for a human, she did. She couldn't deny that fact that there was a small love plant growing in her chest. Beging to be set free, to gain access to her heart. The one she'd closed off so long ago. "Look Jayson, I'm sorry I shouldn't assume things." She mumbled and took her scythe, holding onto it as if it where the only thing holding her up at the moment. "If you say you didn't do anything," she bit her lip as if it was hard for her to say the next bit, "then I believe you. I shouldn't have gotten so worked up over nothing, I'm sorry."
(I'm sorry I got really carried away with this one)
Jayson still avoided eye contact with Ember after she apologized and took her scythe. He didn't know if it was true. She seemed really mad just a few moments ago and maybe she was just apologizing to make him feel better, but then he abruptly looks at her with a sort of wide eyes when she says that she genuinely believed him. Huh? Was this real? I mean he was dead right? So would this technically count as trust? Someone actually believed him for the first time. A small smile crept up to his lips, he seemed relieved that the misunderstanding was over, but quickly stopped himself from smiling. He knew better than to get his hopes up. All he wanted right now was a hug and some reassurance that everything was going to be okay. That he was going to be okay. His expression darkened some as he thought of what he and Lazda talked about, his mess of a mind didn't let him talk even though he wanted to thank Ember for believing in him.
-In the hotel room after Jayson had freaked out to find Lazda sitting on his bed-
"Yeah, you know that feeling? When you see someone and even though you haven't spent much time together they're just…everything" Jayson has a warm smile on his face and a bright sparkle in his eyes as he talks. "No, I don't know. I tend to not like getting attached to the souls. I'm neutral in that aspect. It's my job and I respect it. Though if you're talking about a reaper well…not really I guess? It's just not my thing." Lazda said crossing her arms as she looked at Jayson's blissful face. "Though you surely seem to feel it. Who's the gal?" She smirked, ready for the big scoop. "Ember…" Lazda immediately froze. "No way," She said smiling widely. "You're kidding!" She slaps Jayson on the shoulder playfully, making him suddenly flinch. "Man you are playing with fire!" She gives out a chuckle. Jayson seemed confused. "What do you mean?" He said turning to look at her. "Oh and beautifully ignorant too~" She laughs even more. "It's just that Ember isn't that type of person. She's very…." Lazda tries to find the right word. "Complicated. Not very open on relationships like you are. You're gonna have to work for it. Her trust I mean" A few seconds went by in silence. "You're probably still going to hell you know." Jayson froze. A wave of fear hitting him unexpectedly. He had totally forgotten. He had been so focused with Ember that the thought hadn't even crossed his mind. He stayed quiet until Lazda spoke up again. "What did you do?" A tone of seriousness in her voice as her eyes shone a sharp turquoise blue in the light. She tilted her head down towards Jayson since he was laying down and she was simply sitting. "I killed someone." Jayson said. No remorse in his voice at all. This took Lazda aback. She thought maybe the guy had some heart to him but apparently not. "You don't mean to say-" Jayson interrupted her. "I enjoyed it. Every last bit of it. The motherfucker deserved it." His expression was dark as he spoke. Like he was a completely different person and honestly, Jayson gave off the type of aura that sent chills down her spine. Lazda had met cold-hearted killers before but this one surely took the cake.
(I.am.shook. my gosh.
Also don't worry about getting carried away. I like reading long responses. ^^)
Ember had seen him look up and in turn let her eyes find his. Though it was his expression change that really scared her. Never in all her years of being a reaper had she seen someone go from almost joy, to this. "Jayson?" She asked in confusion. Wanting to know what had made his face darken so much in just seconds. "Is everything okay? Is it something I said?"
(Omg mines so short I'm sorry I just don't know how to respond. I'm shocked, and your writing leaves me breathlesssssss.)
(Ahhhhh thanks man I've never had anyone compliment my writing skills before lol and it's alright my dude there's not much to go off of anyways~)
Jayson looks at her with the same hurt expression from before, but this time it was different. This time it's almost as if he felt bad for something. "It's nothing…its just that I haven't been able to shake the feeling that I'm going to hell, y'know?" He tries to force a smile. "But don't worry…its not you…I'm the problem." He said as if hinting at something only he knew.
"So you started a gang war, and got yourself killed, so what? I'm sure that's not gonna push you over to hell." Ember offered a reassuring smile, "besides like i said before you can make up for things now. Even in death there's always a second chance." She frowned slightly, taking a moment to think. "That is all you did right? Just a gang war?"
Jayson looks off to the side when she tries to reassure him. He didn't know what to tell her. Then when she asks the question he stiffens and slowly looks at her. "mm y-yeah. It's just that since I started a war between two gangs wouldn't that be umm bad? Like, people got killed in the fight and doesn't that mean that their deaths are on me now?" He tried to swerve the conversation, trying to get answers from a different angle. He didn't want to tell her. What would she think of him if she told her that he had killed someone intentionally? Not only that but that he had enjoyed it. The guy deserved it and even now after having been killed his mind still hadn't changed its opinion. He was afraid that he might turn into someone horrible if he admitted his faults to Ember because surely she would reject him, wouldn't she?
"Well I mean, you didn't kill them yourself. So you should be," Ember scrunched up her face slightly, "okay? at least I'm pretty sure you'll be. Its not like you stabbed anyone right?" She offered a small laugh. Though to be truly honest, she didn't know.she herself had never started any wars when she was alive, and according to the angels if she hadn't died the way she did she'd have gone to heaven. But wheres the fun in that?
(Imma start doing switches between the villain and Ember. Just so you know the evil plot that's accumulating. ^^)
A smile curled on his lips as he watched the reapers in the towns. Seeing how almost all of them ran from his crawlers. But though few that stayed to fight. Those where the ones he wanted. He wanted them to bring him souls, the ones that where damed (that how you spell it?) To hell no matter what. Yes, that's what he wanted, but not only the souls. He wanted the reapers, and nothing would stop him for getting what he wanted.
(Ooooo nice! And alrighty dude and kinda, you forgot the n at the end of "damed")
Jayson laughed along with her but more on the nervous side. "Y-yeah, right, no, I-" he stopped and smiled. He didn't know what he was doing anymore. Lying like this. "The truth is…" come on say it, she won't hurt you if you just say it. Hell, she might even be able to help you. He ran a hand through his hair and takes a shaky breath. "Truth is I…." He felt like he wanted to cry but then let's out a startled laugh. "I killed my pet. That still doesn't make me a bad person right?" He backed away some, afraid that Ember might feel the fear in his heart.
(Oh lol sorry. I don't really spell cuss words that often, or ever cuss. I'm what my friends would call innocent.)
Ember waited for him to spit out the words. Wondering what could be so bad that he would take such a long time trying to get the words out. "Killed your pet? What the actual heck Jayson. How old where you?" Ember raised an eye brow, confusion and a slight horror coming to her face. Yes, she was a reaper, but some how death still freaked her out. How? Not even Ember could figure that out. "And what kind of pet? Like a fish? Or?" Of course she knew what counted as going to hell, but as she'd asked, the age kinda mattered.
(Ah, that's fine lol, though if you ask me that's kinda adorable lol sorry if that sounded weird)
Jayson laughed nervously. "y-yeah, I kinda forgot to feed my fish for a while and it just…" He makes a sort of dead face with his tongue hanging out slightly. "Died" he looks at Ember with his left eye from that same position then laughs. "I'm messin' with ya, I was a kid. I buried it though. That counts as something good, yeah?" Truth was, he had been curious as a little kid and had dissected it. With his 'father' encouraging him to do it, he did. Sometimes Jayson wondered if that was the reason he had turned so fucked up as a teenager and even now. He was no different and it scared him.
(Oh no its totally chill. My friends call me adorable all the time because of my "innocents".
Also I might be gone for awhile, and quite possibly won't be back till after march, or sometime during. A lots been going on irl and I'm kinda stressed about it all. If I do come back before march I'll be off and on like I am now. But the times between might be a lot longer. Super sorry!)
(No no no no you don't gotta apologize, I get stuff like that, it's important that you get your stuff sorted out first, besides, I'm chill with that since I'm not always on sometimes. It's nice to take a break for a while! I hope you feel better though!)
(I've temporarily been raised from my grave.)
Ember took in his nervous account, and how he seemed almost as if he was holding something. Though she decided to blame it on the fact that she did return a kiss. Something that began to plage her mind.
Ember shook her head, and laughed at the face Jayson had made. "Yes yes," she started, still laughing slightly, "it counts as something good. Besides I don't think hell is a right away for killing a gold fish." she rolled her eyes before her expression turned solemn. "Look um, about earlier. Before the whole over reacting. The um, the kiss." Ember found her eyes darting to the ground and her face warming. "I didn't mean- or I don't want to lead you on or anything. Its just," she couldn't find the words. Because she did want to kiss him. She did want to get to know him. And she couldn't tell if it was the fact that no one had made her laugh in so long. Or if it was that he had tried to kiss her first.
__
He watched the two. Yes, the soul had killed before, But did the reaper know? He could see that she hated death. Perhaps it was just that she died, then again. Everyone here was dead. Evenyone in this town had died, either by another's hand or just age. All except him, at least he thought he was alive. After all, he did drag himself from the human world here. Just so his plan would work. Did that make him dead? Or just crazy enough to die with out actually dying?
(Nice~ You're back~)
Jayson had tried to keep it together in front of Ember but he felt like he would implode because of how terribly nervous he was, but all that seemed to wash away as Ember brought up the topic of well…when he tried to make a move on her. Shit, man. This is it, it's over. His eyes widened a bit in surprise. "You didn't want to lead me on because…you didn't want to hurt me? Is that it?" He asked, knowing that it probably wasn't. "Hey….it's fine, don't worry about it…I rushed too much at the wrong time and I understand why you would feel like that. It was really horrible of me" He laughed a bit as he rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably.
"Oh yeah, um I don't want to hurt you." Ember tried to find other explanations, but what Jayson had said was the only excuse that seemed right. What was she supposed to say? 'no sorry your wrong, its just because being touched freaks me out, and it scares me how I was slightly okay with being kissed by you. And there's no way in Gods name would we could be together because all good things must come to an end, and as you said, your are going to hell.' She almost laughed aloud at her own thoughts, at how it was so blunt but so true. "Right, okay sorry I just had to clarify that-" a thought popped into her head, "why did you kiss me?" She asked, her face crunching together in confusion. "Because if your looking for one last fling before you're either trapped in hell for all of eternity or going to heaven, where you want be able to do such things-" she was rambling at this point, something she often foynd herself doing when she couldn't find a cool and collective way to say what was on her mind.
(I honestly thought I was gonna be gone a lot longer. Sorry.)
(Oh you're fine man, don't sweat it dude lol)
Jayson seemed surprised at her sudden outburst of the whole kiss situation, he didn't think that she'd care so much about it. "Umm well, for one, I'm surprised that you would still have that on your mind" He laughed softly. "I thought you would have forgotten that by now but umm I just think you're a really good person and I like you," He said putting it bluntly but even saying it like that made him feel flustered so he looked away, blushing a bit. "Just…that out of everyone I've met so far I find you interesting in a unique way…." He struggles to convey his feelings into words, it was near impossible for him. "You're just….you" He put simply as he smiled shyly at her. His eyes widen when she says something about him just wanting to get with her out of interest. "N-no! It's not like that! I wouldn't- Not to you…I" He stops himself. "I just want to be with someone decent before I eventually meet my final destination…" He said softly. Jayson in all his life never had anyone to care for him. He was always reckless and cocky. He wasn't "special" to anyone and he knew that when he died no one would mourn him. Jayson had come from a mafia. It shaped the way he grew up and how he saw things. Being the adopted child of the mafia leader meant seeing some pretty brutal things and going through some brutal things. All his life he had resented his so called "father" and everyone around him because they didn't treat him like a person. They treated him like a tool to get what they wanted. He tried to convince himself that he didn't care but truth was that it affected him a lot. It affected him to just be another thing to be toyed with. It made him feel worthless.
"Decent?" Ember asked, her eye brows raising and her face turning slightly pink. "What makes you think I'm decent? Jayson, you've known me for less then a week." a teasing grin rose to her lips. But no matter how much she was in the mood to tease him, now wasn't the time. Especially after what happened last time. "Its just," again she found herself looking for the right words, only a question rising. "Would you-" Ember shook her head, the rest of the question staying stuck on her lips, 'would you kiss me again?' she wanted to finish, but couldn't. Perhaps it was her fear of his answer, or a fear of her past. After all, ones past is what shapes them. And she had a question she had to ask herself first, would she let him kiss her again? Or would she freak out the way she had when he'd put his arms around her? "Never mind." Ember mumbled after realising how long she's stayed quiet. "I need a shower. Crawler blood isn't that fun to wash out of your hair. Its already dry and washing it out will already be a pain." She shook her head, pulling at a strand of hair. The blood not that obvious, as it was nothing but splatters really. A shower being her excuse to drop the topic and hide with out the need of storming off.
Jayson laughed warmly. "You're right! How dare I? You're far better than decent" He nodded, correcting himself. He smiled at her tease. Jayson waited for her to finish her sentence but it never came. He stared at her with gentle eyes as she stayed silent, his eyes showed sympathy, something a killer didn't have and yet here he was. His heart sunk a bit when she dismissed what she was about to say. He gives her a small smile. "It's alright…we all change our minds." He said with a double meaning behind his words, perhaps something he regretted doing. He nods when she says she was going to take a quick shower. He holds his hands up defensively. "Hey, hey, who am I to judge a girl's duty?" He laughed a bit. "Go on and take a shower. I'll wait for you here" There was something sad and depressing about his aura like he wasn't the same upbeat Jayson that Ember had met for the very first time. Like he was finally opening up his heart to another person for the first time instead of putting his cheerful personality out there. It was as if he felt that it was okay not to pretend around Ember.
(Ack sorry I've been dead for so long. I promise I'm not letting this die. Also sorry this is gonna be kinda short.)
"Whatever, just don't find a away to die. Or get in any trouble." Embers eyes darted over to a man she'd seen watching them, "and don't talk to any weird souls. They might be turning into crawlers and want to eat you." She winked jokingly before skipping off to find a shower with in the hotel.
It was obvious she'd seen him, how could that reaper not have? He smiled to himself before stuffing his hands in his pockets. Could he tell overs he was a reaper and they'd believe him? Well now was his chance to test it. He stalked over to Jayson, giving off a predator like grin. "Hello there, your reaper off to do other work?"
(Lmaooo you're all good my dude and that's alright, mine are probably gonna start getting shorter as well if my brain starts running out of creativity lol)
Jayson's eyes widened, horrified at what Ember said about the crawlers. He really didn't like those nightmarish creatures. "R-right…no weird souls" After Ember had left he didn't really know what to do. Jayson was a social butterfly and the absence of Ember made him bored. He was tempted to go exploring but figured that he'd get lost and Ember would have to go find him and how lame would that be? A guy with no sense of direction. He scoffed at himself, then noticed a guy aproach him. Jayson narrowed his eyes and backed away. "I was strictly forbidden not to talk to weird souls. And you look like a weird soul." Jayson said, a bit of his nervousness and childish nature spilling through. But soon, after a while, the boredom got the better of him. "…b-but yes. She went to take a shower." He stated, avoiding eye contact. In reality, he didn't know what counted as a 'weird soul', the guy looked perfectly fine to him.
(Ack sorry I'm trying to keep things interesting.)
"No my boy, I'm not a soul. I'm a reaper." He smiled a big toothy grin. The way his words worked seeming to make him older then he really was. Perhaps a trick for this roll of being a reaper. "Say, have you two run into any crawlers quiet yet? Awful things really. They say Crawlers are trying to crawl their way into the human world. Excuse my puns." He added a laugh just for show, it almost sounding forced.
(lmaooo you're fine lol)
Jayson just stared at him suspiciously when he said he was a reaper. "hmm so you got a scythe? Like Ember?" He questioned. Once the topic of the crawlers was mentioned again, he laughed nervously. "Y-yeah, they're terrible…" Jayson froze at his pun and nearly died laughing. He loved puns and someone who could make a pun was already a good person in his book. "Nice one~" He finger gunned at the guy, not noticing how fake the guy's laugh sounded. "Hey! I haven't gotten your name, I'd like to hear it~" He smiled, already warming up to the guy. It was nice to have company and Ember hadn't said anything about talking to a reaper so he thought it might have been okay. A reaper wasn't going to harm him, Jayson was a soul and reaper didn't harm souls, he hoped.
"My names Zero." His smile only grew, as he liked how trusting this soul seemed. Perhaps keeping him as a friemd might be wise. Or even making him into a crawler, yes. That seemed like a good idea, but who was he to make up his mind at such an early time. "What might yours be?"
The water pounded on Embers back, the quiet letting memories flood back. But that's not what she wanted to think about, instead she'd rather figure out her emotions and what she'd felt.
Sadly her mind wouldn't let that happen. The water, warm as it was, made her remember. Bright lights, cold water, held down. Is that where her fear came from? Being used as a lab rat. Being forced to suffer. Ember had found her self crying, but what could she do against the past? She shut off the water, and quickly wrapped herself in a towel so she could dry off. "Stop thinking, stop thinking," She mumbled to herself over and over again.
Jayson liked the name. "Zero…hmm, it's a really cool name. Mine's just normal and boring…its Jayson" he sighed, disappointed that he didn't have a cool name like Zero's.
Mean while Lazda was fighting off some crawlers that had chased her down. She knew that she couldn't fight them off for long. If she got done over here then that was too bad but she wasn't going to go down without a fight. Her scythe was meant to sever the thread of life from a living being when they were ready to depart from the living world, but in this case she used it to slash and tear off limbs from the Crawlers. She hated getting her scythe dirty, it was the only thing she had that she valued. Suddenly, she sensed one sneak up from behind her, she turned just in time to make a swift deep cut in the creature but let her guard down to the others she had originally been dealing with.
"Well jayson, its nice to meet you. Say," he looked at his watch, one he'd stolen from a reaper a few days back, "its been a while. Where did your reaper go again? Shall we check on her?"
Teddy saw the stranger talking to Jayson, and this stranger deffently was not a reaper as he seemed to claim. After all, the reaper would wasn't that bif and all the reapers seemed to know each other. When he heard what the stranger said, teddy jogged up to them and called "Jayson!". "Making friends already I see?" He said still eyeing the stranger.
Ember had gotten things of her mind, though her eyes didn't lie that she'd cried. She pulled on a black sweat shirt and jeans, deciding against the standard reaper wear. "Somethings off." Ember mumbled to herself, as she got that feeling of dread that one often gets when something bad is happening. But then again, the only thing that came to mind was Jayson. All the things that could have gone wrong running through her head.
