Fraser ducked out the side door, sparking up a cigarette. He took a few long puffs, his back leaning against the dirty wall. It was a few moments before he noticed Alex. “..Shit, man. You okay? You’re Danny’s buddy, right?” Smoke curled out of his nostrils as he spoke.
Alex took a long moment before he managed to focus on Fraser. He took a deep breath, and nodded slowly. "Yeah." He said softly, his golden eyes swirling with black. He could feel the mark burning as it grew. Burning as his lifespan shorted again, burning as his life force was used up.
“..Thought so. You need a smoke? You drink too much?” Fraser didn’t pay much attention to Alex’s eyes, more focused on whether or not Alex was about to pass out or not.
Alex shook his head. "I don't…smoke. And I hardly drank anything." He kept the heels of his hands pressed to the forehead, shifting so that his neck scraped the brick and he felt the sting, because pain kept him grounded, kept him in control and kept him from hurting other people. It was why his forearms bore the neat rows of cuts, because physical pain kept the thing inside at bay.
Fraser nudged Alex off of the wall, noticing the scraping. “Don’t do that. Shit’ll get infected. Wall’s disgusting.” He looked him over. “You wanna tell me what’s wrong?”
Alex grimaced a little. "Fine. I'm fine." He said automatically, shaking his head at the same time as the black in his eyes warred with the gold.
“Look at me?” Fraser’s cigarette hung in the side of his mouth, still smoldering. He took a drag or two, watching Alex with narrowed eyes.
Alex looked at Fraser for a moment before his eyes slid away again, and he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, taking a deep breath and trying to stay in control. He knew he only had minutes, if that.
Fraser frowned, plucking the cigarette from his mouth and holding it in his fingers. “The fuck’s with your eyes, dude?” He shifted his leg, trying to feel out if his knife was still in his boot- just in case.
(Feel like I should note that Fraser’s dressed incredibly punk? He’s got on those super intimidating boots that could definitely snap a bone if he stomped hard enough lmao)
(ahhh shit I thought I replied already!! I'm so sorry!)
(Ooh alright haha)
Alex shuddered. "I have…issues…" he replied softly, his hands still pressed to his forehead, the mark burning into his skin.
(it’s alright b, you’re good! it happens to the best of us!)
“…Damn straight.” Fraser mumbled, mostly to himself. “Uh- look, man. I don’t fucking know you. I’m gonna go grab Danny, and you can talk to him instead.” Fraser tapped the ashes off of his cigarette, taking the last few drags before dropping it onto the pavement and grinding it out with his shoe. “That fine?”
( :) )
Alex nodded a little bit. "Uhm…alright." he replied, squeezing his eyes shut again for a moment, controlling his breathing. He didn't want to hurt anyone. Didn't want to hurt Danny, or Fraser, or Ayla, but if he lost control…he didn't know what would happen. His thin body trembled.
Fraser patted Alex in the head, walking back inside. Danny came out a few minutes later, spinning a snapped gift card between his fingers. “Yo? Fraser said somethin’s up?”
Alex blinked at him, his eyes almost completely back now. He let out a soft whine, nodding his head. He didn't dare open his mouth. If he started to talk, he wasn't sure what would come out. If it would be his words, or something else's.
“Talk about it, then.” Danny tapped underneath his own eye, head slightly cocked. “Then tell me what the fuck’s going on here, man.”
Alex swallowed hard, the black retreating for a moment, though not disappearing. "I-I have a curse." he whispered, voice ragged.
Danny rubbed his temples. “Fuck. Damn, yeah, that explains it. You good, though? You look like you’re hurting- plus Fraser told me to make sure that scrape on your head or whatever isn’t bleeding.”
He shook his head a little bit. "Pain helps keep me grounded." he replied quietly. "And in control…" he looked up at Danny, shaking. "I don't want to hurt anybody, Danny." his voice cracked slightly.
Danny frowned, thinking. “Hey, man. It’ll be okay. Just- uh- sit down, let me check out your head. Seriously, dude, this wall’s fucking disgusting. I think I saw someone vomit and piss on it at the same time once.” He laughed slightly, trying to break the mood. “I get not wanting to hurt people. Can’t say you won’t, because I dunno, but I get it.”
He shook his head a little. "Danny, you don't get it!" his voice cracked again. "I'm not…I'm going to lose control, and I won't be able to…" the darkness swirled again, leaving only the faintest sliver of gold, his voice trembling.
Danny backed up, his hand instinctively flitting to his shoe, where he kept his own knife (it was something he’d picked up from Fraser). He eyed Alex with uncertainty, small needles of fear pricking his mind.
Alex backed up until his back hit the wall, shaking and trembling and trying desperately to stay in control. "I don't want to hurt anyone." he whispered brokenly, blinking hard. He dug his nails into his arm, focusing on the pain.
“Can you just chill the fuck out?” Danny snapped, gnashing his jagged teeth slightly. “Because I’m trying to help the best I fucking can, but you’re acting batshit right now.”
Alex flinched. "No, Danny, I fucking can't!" he snapped back. "Because if I do I'll lose control and then I won't be able to stop anything." he dug his nails in so hard that he broke the skin.
“Jesus fucking Christ. Then I can’t do jack shit for you, Alex.” Danny watched Alex’s skin split under his nails, now quite unsure of what to do. “You got any ideas?”
He shook his head a little bit. "Just…just don't let me hurt anyone." he whispered. There were only small slivers of rapidly vanishing gold. "A-and…if I pass out afterwards, can you take me back to my apartment, please? The address is right on the home screen of my phone."
“..Alright. Can you sit down?” Danny asked tentatively, still fully aware of the knife tucked into his shoe.
Alex nodded, sitting down with his back pressed to the wall and his nails digging into his arms. The black swirled again, clouding over and finally killing the gold, his eyes pitch black. His face twisted slightly with pain, then became unnaturally still.
The stillness in Alex made Danny’s hair stand on end. He snatched the butterfly knife from his shoe, leaving it closed for now. He took a small step backwards, head cocked.
Alex looked up at him. "Ah. And who would you be?" His voice was the same pitch, but somehow different. Darker. Older.