[ToxicShadow]

[A roleplay with myself. Anthro form. Probably an eventual mild gore warning.]


Regalis Strages and Regalis Nitidus Vox

Heh heh. It was quite an easy task for the two to sneak out together. Niti's father had gone off to war, leaving all of his vehicles in the charge of everyone else- not that Strages wasn't already very skilled at stealing the keys. He'd done this many a times before. Like that one time...Oh no, this wasn't about that. This was about his and Niti's fun. After all, his dear friend seemed to be feeling a little....odd lately. Was she upset that her father left? That her brother often ran away? Or that her other brother had left her behind to escape the gloom? Either way, Strages held heart enough to try and help her. He wanted her to feel better, oh did he ever.

As per usual, the male was dressed in darker colors - like black and darker red. The clothes didn't matter so much though. Clothes were clothes to this prince, nothing too special. Yet he'd never get caught dead in any bright colors. Heck no. As for the female he was with, something about her read decently expensive fashion. She hardly had any other choice. Her father, while it may have sounded odd, made sure all of his kids had the finest, even if they didn't want it.
What was unusual was that she was in a dress, for once in those very rare times. It cut off a few inches above the knees, fitting around her frame quite nicely. Of course, she retained more of herself by wearing a pair of jean shorts hidden under it.

The two looked surprisingly nice today, for the most part. The male's hair was unusually tame today and he hadn't had any blood stain his hands in a while, not even that of his current partner. She was a little more girlie then usual, since they were out and about instead of hanging out in the forest. Her hair was pulled back into a clip in the back, falling down and looking very attractive, if that was what you liked in a look. Okay, she pulled it off rather someone liked it or not!

Considering that everyone didn't know any better, as the two walked down the streets of the city by the sea, they looked much like a couple out on a date. They weren't even holding hands or anything of the sort. They just flat out looked like they'd make a great couple.

[ToxicShadow]

Nitidus' pink eyes danced around, taking in the whole scene about them. She watched as merchants shouted out from their stands, fishermen were pulling in their haul from the sea, children ran about playing. Everything appeared to be at peace here.
Finally, her eyes landed on Strages. They'd been friends for most of their lives; something no one could really understand. How could she befriend someone who took pleasure in inflicted pain on others, even to the point of killing them? How could she let him do that all to her too? While she worked to hide most them from everyone else, several scares were scattered across her body. Every last one of them were inflicted by the young man beside her. Every slice into her flesh was just another sign of their understanding.

Strages, too, took in the scene. His eyes, however, were crystal blue. A great shade. He wasn't so much interested in the area, but was more so interested in Niti. How was she fairing now?
He turned to look back at her, the expression he held was a curious one. And when she failed to say anything at all, he cleared his throat. "So...What exactly is up with you lately?" He inquired, not sure what else to say at this point. None of this was planned.

[ToxicShadow]

The female's ears both flicked slightly upon his inquiry. She pulled her eyes away from Strages and they went, simply, to the path ahead of them. It was a few moments before she spoke up. "What do you mean?" So...was she avoiding the question? That was something that her friend here would have to figure out. Not to mention why.

"You seem different as of late." He stated back. His voice seemed rather dull, but she knew much better then to believe that. He wasn't happy that she was keeping things from him and he really did want to know. They knew each other well, they could read each other without a single mistake. The same thing went to the usual third Lucain of their party, Incruente. That was Strages' blood brother as well as the other best friend to the two here.

"There is just a lot going on now, that's all." She finally let out, her three tails all swaying about like the hunter of a prey. There was no use hiding or trying to avoid his questions when he was like this. Especially when they were alone. He'd be able to bother her for who knows how long. "You already know everything. My family is being torn apart, for one." That was just one thing? What else could there be?

[ToxicShadow]

"One..." The male repeated in a near growl of a voice, giving her a somewhat suspicious look. It wasn't a threat, just something natural about him. His voice was hardly one common, so it seemed. Not too many in this world had an intoxicating addiction to blood and the occasional kill. Some could blame Strages' fathering blood, but that had nothing to do with it. So his father had been a serial killer. Point being? It was stupid to think something like that could be passed down. All he got where the genes that made his body structure and some looks. Oh no, the likeness for blood was something that had grown on him. He was once an innocent too.

Nitidus said nothing more on the matter. She was back to watching the children of the city run about. She soon joined them, running out a few steps ahead of her partner and spinning around once or twice, the male catching up to her when she was done with her small series. When she stopped, she was directly facing him. She stared up at him again and a very small smile flitted onto her face. She was actually glad to get out with someone so dear to her.
But something hit her, mentally... "Why did we sneak away without Incruente?" It made little sense that they'd leave the last of their team back home. He didn't even know that these two had left.

[ToxicShadow]

Not seeming to hold any true interest, Strages watched as his friend sudden dashed a few paces ahead, watching as she spun around. From the sudden momentum, even her hair and the edge of her dress began to dance around her frame. Mostly just her dress, seeing that her hair had been pulled back. None the less... He shook his head. Things were so confusing lately, especially from what happened not to long ago when he'd decided not to take the life of another, a male Lucain he'd just came across at some time. He surely didn't expect everything to happen like it did. Somethings were traded between him and Aaron, though this male was sure on his likeness of females. A trade it had been...
He didn't have a real answer to Niti. Why? Why had he dragged her here....? He was worried for her sake, but what else? Why hadn't he just addressed the matter back home?

When she received no reply, the female suddenly took his hand in her own more delicate one and started walking again. He didn't object to it. He was a little startled, but didn't seem to have a problem. Vaguely, he noticed how much smaller and softer her hand was compared to his. He's spoiled himself in the blood of many, including her's. Yet, here she was, unafraid. She'd taken his hand carefully in her own, in despite of the sins that drenched him. All the horrible things he had done with his two hands.

[ToxicShadow]

The pair had soon ended up in an...interesting place. Not really that but neither really took into account what the place was like, not in much detail. They were too focused on each other and other pressing matters in their own minds. They'd found themselves in a secluded area down near the beach, an abandoned dock. It was like a perfect little place for them, wasn't it? Two people who had been rejected from the world in a place rejected from the world. It all worked out nicely that way.

Niti dashed for it when she spotted a bench, Strages half dragged behind. He could keep up most easily, but wasn't trying to. And neither held a problem as she let go of his had to plop down in her place, only to grab his arm and force him to sit down with her.
"You should sit with me." She said, almost happily. Her eyes moved back and forth between him and the scenery, as usual.

Strages knew he was lucky to see this side of her. Though she was even a little different in this side. She was more...girlie.
Or that could have been him just hyper aware of such things. Since that experience not too long ago, when he held Aaron to him having been provoked by his own twisted self, even going so far as sharing his kiss, well now. It was like the back of his mind was playing comparison. Aaron was male and Nitidus was female. That's all there was to it. That was enough to make a reason. It wasn't even his conscious mind making these comparisons. His unconscious part was the one bothering with all of this.

[ToxicShadow]

Okay, so silence was the whole thing with these two Lucain. They didn't need to speak verbally to understand each other and so were enabled to be silent and still enjoy the moment and the company they had.

At some point, the female began to approach a subject that she had never got an answer about. "Stragie...What happened exactly, a few weeks ago?" She kept her voice down, but turned the full power of her interested gaze to him. She as well as Incruente had questioned him about what had happened, what was going on. Why in the world would he drag some male home that was injured and lock them and himself up in his room? He avoided the whole subject, either staying silent or even lashing out in his own ways. They even got into a little fight about it at the time. She was confused too. This, plus other things on her plate.

Strages, well, he didn't know how to answer. Why did everyone want to know? It wasn't as if it was a big deal. It had nothing to do with them. Yet he wouldn't lash out at Niti now. He couldn't bring himself to, it was wrong. He trusted her more then anyone really. She was the only one outside of the direct family, Strages, Incruente and their mother,  that knew everything. He was glad that she knew that, in some part of his heart.

[ToxicShadow]

What was strange was that Strages was smiling back to her. It threw the young women off a little. He didn't speak right away, not until he brushed the back of his fingers across her cheek with a feathery gentle touch. For the female, it nearly sent a shiver down her spine. Even after his touch had left her, she could easily trace the trail on her cheek from the small tingling she felt there.
"I nearly killed him, that is true..." He started slowly, snatching her attention back up away from his latest action. He was speaking with a softer voice now. "Blood is always intoxicating..." Though she already knew that one quite well. "But I decided...I didn't want to have my hands marked with that death. It would have been useless and such a waste of someone's life." Not his usual prey, to say the least. He hadn't any real reason to kill Aaron. "Due to his own conditions, he couldn't very well escape death You know I don't know medical, though taking another life was something I couldn't do." No, he couldn't just do that. He had to step away from things like that. He would prove that he was stronger then that addiction that he'd grown to need in order to live.

[ToxicShadow]

Her expression was soft as she listened, understanding it from his point of view as much as she could. She could see quite a few things from his point of view, considering. She admired this male always and now, more then ever, she wanted to support him.
"Then...my blood means nothing." She whispered, her eyes trailing to places on her body where his inflicted scars ran. If what he said was true, then he'd never dig his claws into her again.

What she didn't know was that he left out a great many of details, details that he deemed unimportant for her ears. Some things about what happened, he couldn't allow himself to tell her. That would be impossible, and stupid. More then ever now.
They were alone and he was caught with things inside of him. Loving wasn't something he believed himself able to do, but he knew well how much he cared for his friend here. No on else was like her, no one else was in and understood. Sure, from recent times, he had someone who said they didn't care about the details he hated, even if they were horrible; just cared for him. But this...it was something else, wasn't it? It felt that way. He shared everything with this princess.
"No...It was never your blood that was truly important to me, it was you. Don't think that I drop you when I drop blood too." And a smirked played onto his face. "It's a loosing battle that I'm fighting anyway. Time is needed." He assured.

[ToxicShadow]

Without thinking, Nitidus has leaning up against Strages. If she was a cat, there was a pretty dang good chance that she'd be purring. Too bad she wasn't, though that was a pretty good thing. It was more secret that way. "Then I...I'll do whatever I can..." To help him.
As far as she was concerned, she thought just as highly of Strages as he did her. She trusted him with everything. He understood her, made the effort to. He could cut her to shreds, let her blood wash out of her, even kill her, and she'd have faith in him every second. After death, she still would not be angry with him. She'd give her very life away for him, if it was so fit. Yet she knew better then to say this to him. It'd hurt him. He didn't want her dead, she knew. She could tell and he'd said so many times.

Loving him wasn't about the blood you gave away to him, in reality, it was about the blood that you kept from him. When he decided that he didn't want to be a blood thirsty monster, when he said he was willing to fight against it, he needed support there. He didn't need his addictive 'drug' handed to him, he needed it hoarded away.

He didn't think badly of Niti at all. She was dear to him. As she leaned against him, he more then welcomed her. Without a loss of blood to run her body colder or adrenaline naturally coursing through her veins from the natural fear a body was programmed to feel, she was warm. It was comfortable having her there, sitting against him.
His two tails, though they could not sway back and forth, curled at the tips. Here...here he was at peace.
"Thank you...."

[ToxicShadow]

Looking up at him, the female allowed a gentle smile to appear on her lips. She didn't respond to him verbally at all, but the response of 'you're welcome' was as clear as day.
She sighed softly, happy that she had Strages, that she had Incruente too. Her family...she did love them, but it was different...confusing. She wasn't like the rest of them. When she met the two brothers, she was automatically fascinated by them. Back then, well, they were a little different then what they were today; somehow, though, they were also the same. Through all the changes she knew, she vowed, that she'd be with them. No matter what happened, the three would be together, they'd be there for each other. They had to be.
She was so caught up her thoughts that she forgot to say anything at all.

"Everything...is different as of late." Strages spoke up eventually, slowly. It was true- a lot of things had happened recently in matters of change; things had been altered. Not only for himself, though he'd mostly already spoken of his own, so things had changed for Nitidus as well. She was the rebellious one in her family, she truly was. Something they both held, though, was a connection with that of their blood. He was aware that her just younger brother had all but left the family and her father, like Aaron who had written him though that thought wasn't in his mind now, went to partake in the battles of war. On different sides, apparently.
"It'll be fine." He assured after the pause. Yes, things would be fine, no matter what.

[ToxicShadow]

The male and female stayed together like this for a good while. Who knows how long. It could have very well been hours, discussing random things. And saying absolutely nothing at all during a good portion of it. They had a lot of things to think over, especially Strages. His love life, his family life, his work. It all mangled together in a horrible mess. This time with Nitidus, it was a nice break, peaceful. Yet it made things more confusing.

After a time, the female yawned. "I think it's getting late." She said reluctantly. She didn't exactly want to leave, since she knew that her friend would probably go off for a long time once again. Still... He needed no more prompting. The male slid from his seat on the bench, pulling the female to her feet. He'd escort her home, and he'd head off to the theater to speak with Karkaine, as he often did.