forum two losers wind up as the world's most wanted simply by existing (o/o) (closed!)

Started October 20, 2020 by Deleted user

tune

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Paike nodded, "I'll be honest with you, I don't really know this place. I ran out of my hometown a long time ago and that's the only city I'll ever bother remembering. I trust you have the reigns tighter on this area, so I'll follow you."

He adjusted his satchel and took a gander at the ground beneath him. Things were so peaceful during the night, it sometimes made him forget he was being hunted down.

And then things would happen, like the brief flickers of light and of movement just a few blocks away, that reminded him again.

He froze, eyes locked on where he'd seen the group of people, and grit his teeth.

"Or, at least, I'm hoping you've got a grasp on this area," he added, voice dropped to a near-silent whisper. "I think I saw the Syndicate nearby. We have to go."

It was in moments like these where Lucas wished he didn't have powers. Running all the time was just so tiring. They could never catch a break because someone was always after them.

Sighing, Lucas encompassed both himself and Paike in a veil of darkness identical to the one he was wearing earlier, "Stick close. If you go to far I won't be able to cover you as well." Night was his time. It made everything easier for him then it did when the sun was up.

They could move along the rooftops for a couple blocks then jump down into the back alleys and side streets to the end of the town and out into the surrounding forests. Easy cover out there.

Paike nodded, casting a glance at Lucas then back at where he saw the movement behind him. His heart was pounding right out of his chest, so loud that he was afraid the Syndicate would hear. He wasn't powerless during the night, but his vastly different and more close-range moveset made an encounter with them particularly dangerous; he didn't stand as good of a chance as he might during the day. But Lucas, he noticed, seemed to work quite well in this environment. He didn't exactly feel comfortable putting all his trust into him like this, but telling himself that it was a little necessary given the circumstances helped him suck it up, at least.

"I hope you know what you're doing," he whispered. "If they find us, that little trick you saw earlier is about the most I've learned to do. I'm, uh.. I work better in the day."

So that was a second destination. Either make it out of the city, or make it until dawn, however long they had left until then.

The current objective? Survive.

(Sorry for disappearing! Was very sick and then went right back to work)

"You're lucky I work better during the night." Lucas mumbled before he shut up. The more they talked, the more likely chance they would get caught.

Luckily the rooftops were close enough together for them to hop from building to building. It wasn't hard, maybe because he'd been doing it for a while or maybe because it just was that easy. And the grip on his boots made it all the easier. He led them across the city for a few blocks until he could just make out the outline of the forest against the black of the night. He stopped, turning to Paike.

"I'm gonna drop the cover," He said, "Get to the ground as quick as you can."

(no worries! being sick sucks, i hope you're feeling better!)

Paike nodded, glancing back at the city that now stood mostly behind them and taking a deep breath. Stray flashlight beams nearby and the echoed static of walkies-talkies informed him of the Syndicate's presence, but the initial shock of it had died down, and now it all felt like the same routine he'd grown accustomed to. But now he'd found what he hoped would be a friend, and with that knowledge, he realized the usual subtle churn of unease in his stomach was nonexistent.

He was pulled from his thoughts as he recalled their current pressing issue, and sighed.

Time to go. Again.

As Lucas' cover faded, he took a gander at the ground beneath. Then he dropped down, carelessly sliding down the roof and dropping to the ground, breaking the force of the impact with a roll. He stood and dusted himself off, wincing as the movement in his arms strained his shoulders. His shoulders were a bit bad to begin with, but having to roll like that only made the ache worse. He pursed his lips as he fought through the sharp pang that shot through his upper back, releasing the tension in his body as the pain subsided. Curse the limitations of the human body, he thought bitterly.

Lucas was quick to follow, luckily he still had the cover of shadow to hide him a little more so he didn't have to rush as much to get to the ground. He used the pipes running along the outside of the building to help guide him to the floor, dropping down and landing softly when he could. The lights overhead were getting closer and the small male could feel his heart speed up.

If they got caught…

He was quick to move again, motioning for Paike to stick close so he could cover them again. The back alleys were small, cramped and dirty beyond belief but they had a lower chance of getting caught back here. Higher chance of escape. The trees got closer and Lucas' walk sped up.

Paike's gaze lingered on Lucas's descent for a few seconds before he turned his attention to the scene around him, squinting as his eyes adjusted to the dark. He was, admittedly, a bit nervous being so shrouded in the shadows; after all, if he could hide in them, so could a more unwelcome party, hence why he preferred the open environment of rooftops. He fidgeted with his satchel to try and distract himself.

The soft sound of Lucas's shoes hitting the ground startled him. He clutched a hand with his chest and held his breath, nodding quickly as Lucas motioned for him to stay close.

Between Lucas's hastening pace and his difficulty making out his cramped surroundings, his nerves were starting to get the better of him. He ridiculed the irrational prioritizing of his worries, arguing with himself that the Syndicate was something much more worth fearing than the dark, of all things — but while so absorbed in his thoughts, he neglected properly observing his surroundings. He stumbled over a heap of garbage, letting out a panicked cry and scrambling away on his back, breath quickened and eyes wide.

A faint "Someone's out there!" could be heard a short distance away. Paike shakily returned to his feet, cupping a hand over his mouth and glancing at Lucas, patting him urgently on the back of his shoulder in a nonverbal let's get out of here please oh my god as a number of footsteps could be heard approaching where the Syndicate thought the sound had come from.

Lucas cursed silently. Everything was going so well. There wasn't anytime to dwell on what happened, to waste anytime telling Paike off for making such a stupid mistake when their lives were at stake. If he jumped with the both of them now Lucas knew he wouldn't be able to run very far when they got to the forest. He had to wait, just a little further and he could get them both out of here with no problems. Well, minimal problems. He'd definitely need some painkillers and a rest when they got far enough away.

He grabbed Paike's hand, practically dragging him down the back alley and swerving around other bins and boxes so they could get out, get close enough that he could jump them to safety.

The end of the street drew closer, the sound of the Syndicate, too, felt like it was too close. They were right behind them, searching and if they got over they were done for. For good.

When Lucas knew he could jump, he gaze the others hand a squeeze in a silent, hold on tight, before suddenly they were shrouded in darkness. A constricting feeling as they warped from one shadow to the next, then the next until they were placed in the shadow of a large tree.

Paike kept his hand over his mouth, attempting to keep up with Lucas as best he could and constantly casting glances behind the two. He was such an idiot, such an absolute fool that he almost felt like laughing. The dark can't hurt you, he chastised himself. You've got someone with you who, for crying out loud, can manipulate the shadows, and you're freaking out? Priorities, Paike; your life isn't the only one in danger anymore.

He felt Lucas squeeze his hand and he tightened his grip in return, gritting his teeth and squeezing his eyes shut as they were enveloped in darkness and transported elsewhere. Part of him thought it was really cool, part of him was absolutely mortified, but he didn't spend too much time dwelling on it. A quick glance at his surroundings told him that Lucas had found a hiding spot, so he closed his eyes again and kept still a hand on his mouth, not wanting to risk giving away their position again. It wasn't like he could do anything helpful shrouded in darkness, anyhow, so the most he could do was just refrain from doing anything hindering.

Where he had tripped, the Syndicate was all over. It was a group of what looked like seven, their representative number, geared up for a hunt. They examined the scene, making note of the disturbed trash bags and shining flashlights all over the surrounding area. One pulled over a more higher-ranking looking officer and pointed to something on the ground, to which the other pulled out some cotton swabs and dabbed one on the specified location. The red swab was stored in a plastic bag, and the officer was approached by another member who shook their head. The officer looked disgruntled, waving a hand and signaling the party to move on with the search, taking a left and moving away from where the two runaways were hiding.

As the adrenaline began to wear off, Paike felt an acute sting on his knee. He winced, opening his eyes and taking his hand away from his mouth, delicately touching where it hurt to find that blood was spotting where he had scraped his knee in the fall. He hadn't seen them gather the evidence.

Paike's gaze turned towards Lucas, unable to tell if the coast was clear.

Lucas kept the two of them covered while they could still see the syndicate. One wrong move again and it was done for. He knew that Paike hadn't tripped on purpose, but he could tell the other had been on the run for a while and small mistakes like that could cost them their lives. It was one of the reasons why sometimes he liked being alone. It was easier to not get caught. Gosh it's gonna be hard to adjust.

The trees provided enough cover that Lucas pulled their cover away. He sighed, slightly exhausted, and leaned against a tree nearby. Even without him making cover they didn't need it here. The syndicate was gone now anyway, thank God, so there weren't as many things to worry about.

Lucas turned to Paike, removed the hood from his head and his face mask, "How's your knee?" he asked quietly, nodding to the other. He could see well enough, and saw Paike touch his knee. It probably wasn't a life threatening injury, but the less hurt they were the better.

Paike brushed the blood from his hand, smudging it onto his shorts, before shuffling through his satchel to retrieve a few small band-aids. "It's just a scratch," he replied dismissively. "It'll heal on its own, no problem."

He sat down, back resting on the base of a tree, cleaning the scrape with water from his bottle and applying the band-aids. A smile crossed his face as he tended to his wound, but the guilt in his eyes told a different story.

"Guess I deserved it, huh?" he chuckled. "Listen, I… that probably didn't make for too good a first impression, tripping up like that. Nearly got us killed. I promise I'm not usually that incompetent, I just…"

When he finished, he stuffed the band-aid wrappers back in his bag, leaning against the tree and letting a soft sigh escape him, grateful for a moment's respite. He took a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking again.

"You're used to the dark, so you probably wouldn't understand. I'm, like, the opposite of you, in a sense. I need the light, else I'm not much more than a regular person. I work so much better during the day — but during the night, all I've got going for me is the moon, and I haven't really figured out everything I can do with the moon yet," he continued, breaking off into a bit of laughter. Laughing eased his nerves. "But, basically, as long as I can see, I can do stuff. And, well, I can't see in the dark. You see the dilemma?"

His features softened slightly as he listened. He understood, only for him it was the exact opposite, "No I, I understand." He said, crossing his arms over his chest, "My powers don't work as well in the day. Too much light, not enough shadow. It's harder to stay hidden and protected when you can't use the one thing that's keeping you safe from the rest of the world."

He glanced back to the city, to the occasional light from someone's window or street lamp before he looked back to Paike, "You didn't meant to trip, you're not an idiot. At least I hope you're not an idiot. I know we only just met but…" He shrugged, "You've gotta trust me. As I'll have to trust you during the day."

Trust was a very delicate thing. They'd only just met and nearly got caught within five minutes of them meeting and now they had to trust each other with their lives. It was a crazy and ridiculous concept but one that Lucas knew he had to accept if they were to stay together.

Paike nodded attentively as he listened to Lucas, the humor returning to his smile.

Trust. He had a complicated relationship with that.

But Lucas had a point. If they wanted to make it out there, they had to trust each other — compensate for each other's weaknesses. However Paike felt about that, he had to realize that if he was going to go this far to find Lucas in the first place, he had to get used to the teamwork part. Things were going to change, and he had to change with it.

Change. That was something he understood.

He stood, casting a passing glance at the quiet scenery around them before his gaze returned to Lucas.

"Well, then I ought to start now. Looks like we're off the Syndicate's trail for the time being, you have a place you want to hit?"

Lucas shrugged, raising his arms a little with it before they slapped down at his sides again, "Not really, no. Got no family to visit andddd everywhere we go they'll be someone looking for us."

He scratched at the back of his neck. He'd never really thought about what he was going to do when he actually go out of the city. His plan was to just wander and home he made it somewhere safe to stay for the night and not a cold, damp alleyway that smelt of garbage.

Lucas sighed, "I never really thought I'd get this far." A morbid thought but the truth, "You got anywhere you want to go?"

Paike shook his head. He, too, was a bit surprised they managed to evade the Syndicate as closely as they did, and now that he gave it some thought, he was a bit stumped on what to do next.

Well… he was a bit hungry, and he'd skipped breakfast today. He shuffled through his satchel, counting how much money he'd scavenged throughout the day.

"Maybe we could grab a bite to eat?" he suggested casually. "I pro'lly got enough to pay for the both of us, assuming you wanna get something legally. If not," he added, glancing up at Lucas with a cheeky grin, "I'm down for some good ol' fashioned thievery."

He put the money back in his pocket and adjusted, rolling his shoulders and shifting around a bit. "Of course, of course, only if you're up for it. Considering what happened just short of a few seconds ago, I get it if your stomach isn't in the mood, or if you just wanna call it a day."

The small male rubbed at the back of his neck. If they sat and ate in at one of those 24 hour diner places the chances of them getting caught were high. Lucas knew that now his face was plastered all over the paper people would be looking for him, keeping watch, trying to be careful.

But the thought didn't stop his stomach from grumbling, loudly. He wrapped an arm around his stomach with a small, sheepish smile.

"Food seems like a great option."

He hadn't had a proper meal for days. He'd resorted to saving the little money he did have, just in case he needed it for a life and death situation.

"We could go to one of those cheap diner places? Or anywhere else you wanna go. I mean… we could steal, but I dunno where we would steal from."

Paike shrugged, mulling over his options, his foot beginning to tap a steady rhythm.

"Well, if I'm just picking up a snack, I usually hit a grocery store or a supermarket," he explained. "Bigger crowd, easier to take something and go as long as you mind the cameras. But I've been out on the run for, hmm.. three, four years, now? The excitement about me has died down a bit."

He folded his arms across his chest, clicking his tongue on the roof of his mouth as he sized up his companion.

"But you?" he continued with a raise of an eyebrow. "With you in the paper, you're fresh, which means people will be looking, so… hmm, yeah, you're right. Might wanna keep off the cameras. Maybe a diner is the best option. I'd suggest fast food, but I think something healthier would be better given the circumstances."

He poked through his satchel and pulled out a pair of sunglasses, putting them on before taking his hair out of a bun and letting it fall to his shoulders. Wasn't the most intricate disguise, but it covered what it needed to.

"You know of any diners in the area?"

Lucas scratched at the back of his neck, "Uh there's one in the next town over. It's maybe an hours walk from here? There's a track through the forest we can follow, done it before and perfectly safe. It's healthier than a fast food place but not great."

He shrugged. There wasn't anywhere else they could go that was cheap, open twenty four hours and somewhat healthy.

"There's also a small cabin on the way, I have spare clothes that won't make me look so… suspicious."

The all black worked when he was on the run, trying to hide. But Lucas knew the second he stepped into a public place looking like this they would be done for immediately. He even had makeup to hide his scars.

Paike grinned, humored by the thought, "Oooh, yeah, might not wanna look like you're gonna rob the place. They'll remember that quicker than they would you being something right out of a comic. People get feisty over business."

He nodded as Lucas continued, seemingly reassured by the mention of a cabin. He didn't think Lucas was lying when he said the path was safe; he just liked having the safety net of a place to go in the event things went south, even if they couldn't stay for long. Maybe it could even be a place to hit the hay for the night, depending on how secluded it was.

"Well! That's that, then," he decided, rubbing his hands together excitedly. Now that he'd acknowledged his hunger, it was becoming more prominent, and he felt the familiar yet uneasy churn of emptiness in his stomach. "If everything's five by five, we've got an hour of walking ahead of us. I'll follow you."

Lucas nodded. He returned Paike's grin with a small smile of his own before he started down the path, "If we speed walk we could make it in forty five."

When things had been calm, normal, he used to walk these trails. Had done since he was a kid. Lucas had always enjoyed them and had often spent hours in the cabin, reading, relaxing, getting away from it all. It was also the place he'd ran to the night he found out about his powers. Probably the only place where he felt safe.

"So… how long have you been on the run for?" He asked, wanting to get to know his companion a little better.

Paike slid his hands into his pockets, his gaze dropping to the ground as he mulled over the question.

"Hm.. well, I've been out and about since I was fifteen," he replied, "and I'm nineteen now. So that's… four years, give or take? Not too long when I say it out loud, but it's felt like forever."

Four years. Hard to believe that he'd been on his own like this for four years. It feels like it was just yesterday that—

He shook his head vehemently to himself. That was a whole other can of worms, and he'd thrown away the can opener a long time ago. This was his life now, and it was for the best that the past stayed in the past.

But still. He took his hands out of his pockets and rubbed his wrists. It always felt like just yesterday.

He shuffled through his satchel until he found his water bottle, deciding that it'd be enough to keep his hands busy. He took a swig from it and grinned.

"How about you?" he asked. "What'd you do to get you landed in the papers?"

@Carrots hi! everything alright? it's been a bit 0:

(hiya, sorry for disappearing! shit got crazy irl and i haven't had the time/mental capacity to come on)

Lucas bit his lip, scratching at the back of his neck with a small sigh, "Ah well…" He mumbled, "I ran into my.. parents, at the grocery store," He shrugged, "They tried to quote 'take me back' which, obviously didn't happen."

It was the only logical explanation he could think of. The entire time he'd kept his mask over his face but to his parents? It was obvious it was him, they had raised him after all.

"I'd had a low profile till I saw them, pretty sure they sent my details into the papers after that incident."

Lucas knew his parents had been looking for him since he ran away. He'd come back to the home every so often to see if maybe, just maybe, they had changed. Every time he was disappointed.

(no problem! take your time, i hope you're doing okay!)

Paike raised an eyebrow, but his eyes had a more sympathetic glint to them.

Parents. They kind of sucked. At least, his sure did, and it didn't sound like Lucas had come from anywhere better.

"You don't have to spill if you don't want to, but I imagine if you ran away in the first place then things weren't too peachy," he replied, his now somber tone a stark contrast to the humor that was usually in his voice. "Which… well, I'm sorry about that. Whatever mess you were in, I'm glad you're out of it now."

As he walked, he caught sight of a pinecone and kicked it ahead of him, doing so again each time he'd walk up to it. Wasn't often he got to stroll like this, and he found himself enjoying it, regardless of the circumstances. He could still do without the overwhelming darkness and the ominous feeling he'd get gazing into the void of flora that surrounded them, but he wasn't by himself, at least. Juxtaposing it with how he thought Lucas might feel, however, it amused him — as most things did.

"Funny how life works. Someone out there is living a completely normal life with a normal family and all the normal stuff. And here we are, 'bout as much of an antithesis to that as you can get."

He snickered. "I guess at least we're interesting. Sometimes I wonder if that's all I've got going for me, though."

(Thanks! you as well :) just a very busy time of year)

"Sometimes I'd rather be boring than interesting," Lucas shrugged a shoulder, "It gets quite lonely out here all on your own. At least you can go out in the day and be protected by your powers, you probably meet more people than I have since my time on the road."

He'd never felt safe enough to venture out during the day, only when it was extremely necessary. Food, water, supplies that he couldn't get at night. Staying hidden in the shadows was all well and good when you can control them, but after a while it felt more like a burden than anything else.

They were complete opposites, Lucas and Paike. Maybe it was fate that had made them that way. their powers complimented each other in a way that when they were together, they could both maybe have a chance at a normal life, even if it only was for a moment.

"Anyway, I'm sure your powers aren't the only thing that makes you interesting," He continued, "I'm sure you have lots of things going for you."

(thanks!)

Paike picked up the pinecone he'd been punting around and began examining its finer details, picking it apart curiously.

"Huh. You've got a point. I've never really thought to take advantage of the chance to get a dose of social interaction," he admitted. "I always thought it too risky; anyone could rat me out for a quick buck if I gave them the information. You can't trust anyone, not when the world's after you."

And it had served him well, but he kept that part to himself. The day was his domain, and while he didn't take pleasure toying around with people, a good dose of intimidation had gotten him a long way. The Syndicate had practically established a nasty reputation for him; all he had to do was live up to the label and more often than not, he got his way.

That same chilled mist began to emit from the hand holding the pinecone, and it began to stiffen until flecks of frost began to pierce through whatever cracks it could find. He tossed the pinecone to the side, no longer intrigued by it. Then, he cast a side glance at Lucas, looking him up and down. It hadn't occurred to him that Lucas would have a more difficult time, only being able to safely operate at night. He waved a hand dismissively, averting his gaze.

"Nah. I just… I mean, yeah, but…" as his voice trailed off, he huffed in irritation, frustrated by his inability to articulate himself. "It's… whatever. I've been playing the hand I've been dealt, is all. Haven't really had the chance to do much outside of trying not to die, but, hey, with you here, maybe that'll change. How close are we to that cabin?"

Maybe it was a bit rude of him to change the subject so abruptly, but introspection wasn't his thing, and he wasn't too keen on talking about himself until he got to know Lucas a bit better.

The abrupt change threw him for a moment, but Lucas brushed it off quick enough for it to not be noticeable.

"Just up ahead, you can see the outline in the distance if you look close enough." He pointed to where he was looking.

The cabin was small, large enough for the two of them to rest comfortably for a night. It was made of dark wood that blended easily into the surrounding darkness. Anyone at this time of night would have trouble finding the place had they not been looking for it. The exterior was plain, simple, unassuming. A hunters cabin at best. Usually the two lights out the front would be on but maybe it was better they stayed off.

"We could dump our things and then go get food?" He suggested, rather than lugging their bags around with them into a diner, causing more suspicion then they needed.

Paike blinked, searching for the cabin up ahead, squinting as he could just barely make out the silhouette of it. He'd practically missed it until Lucas pointed it out, even with his eyes finally adjusted to the dark.

Not bad.

He approached the cabin and stared at it for a moment before lifting a hand and pressing it against the wood. He drew his hand across one of the walls, wincing as he felt a prick in his hand and pulling away, now fumbling for the splinter.

"Yeah, this'll do," he replied with a grin, tossing away the little bit of wood that had wedged itself in his palm. "You mentioned you had to get changed, yeah? I'll wait out here while you do that, sort out what I want to bring and what I want to leave."

Lucas nodded, finding an old key perched in the middle of a plant pot sitting right next to the door, "Don't bring too much, just in case we have to make an escape in a hurry."

He unlocked the door, the wood opening smoothly with little to no noise. Once he was inside, Lucas turned on one of the smaller lights, enough so that he could see what he was doing, but not enough to alert anyone in the surrounding area of their presence there.

It had been quite a while since he'd been back here. He'd never wanted to risk being caught by his family if they decided to look. Luckily, he figured it had been long enough that they had forgotten about it. And Lucas knew he was probably right about it. The couches had remained untouched since he'd last been, dust coated everything in a thin layer with no sign of intruders.

He was quick to change into a simple pair of blue jeans and a sweater. Casual and easy to move in. He left all of the gear he didn't need next to the couch in the middle of the main room, only bringing with him a small knife, some money and the key to the cabin. He figured he wouldn't need anything else if they were to return.

Paike set down his satchel and dumped out its contents: his water bottle, a pocket-sized first aid kit, roughly $2.50 in change save for a dollar bill, the case for his sunglasses, a phone charger, a bottle of painkillers, and a closed butterfly knife. The items scattered themselves in front of him and he sat down on the ground to pick through them; having them all out in front of him made it easier to sort through them all. He took his knife and the money, the rest of the items returning to the satchel. He'd organize it later, neglecting to address that he thought that the last time he sorted through his belongings.

He stood and stretched out with a yawn, wincing as the effort strained his shoulders and caused an arrow of pain to shoot through his upper back. He pulled the bottle of pills out of his bag and popped a capsule into his mouth, biting down on it and swallowing it with a swig of water. The taste of medication made him cough, and he swished a mouthful of water before spitting it out and mumbling to himself in disgust. He could kill the aftertaste with some food.

When he was done, he rapped on the door lightly with his knuckles. "You good in there?" he asked, his voice quiet but with a hint of urgency, not too keen on staying out in the dark by himself for long. "You mind if I put my stuff in here when you're done?"