.:: Of Mice & Men [P/I] ::.

What was she doing?

The girl's red hair was pushed out of her eyes, as her mouth tightened in stress. Her movements were slow, but careful. Her eyes roamed, making sure to mark the targets, the radio in her ear telling her some easy instructions. Keep to the shadows, use her acrobatics training to keep moving quietly. Get ready to fight if caught. Things like that - things she knew, she was trained for and most of all, what she was made to do. Things she didn't want to use, but had to now because she was in too deep not to. She was really screwed in other words, and she just kept getting worse because going back would be a disaster and so was going forward. Like a mouse trapped in a labyrinth.

Why the fuck was she doing this? She didn't know why. She didn't even know how - how she got past the security, how she got here, on the roof, and how she got to be near. She remembers her owner telling her she had a 'job' - that always meant something illegal or dangerous. She hated him so goddamn much to the point she wanted to rip his face off. He was the only one she hated so - others didn't even register to her. Most of the time. But she had a plan to get out from under his thumb - to be free. She could only assume that things went screwy with her plan somewhere - or peach shaped honestly. Whatever it was, it was annoying.

So she was here, trying to infiltrate one of the most guarded places in the underground of New York. Fantastic. Whatever she was running on, it was pure luck, because nobody should have gotten this far. Dropping from the roof to the window sill with a quiet thump, in her pocket she hit the button to make the camera loop for a few moments. Only so she could sidle past it. And there! A balcony - thank you Lady Luck for sending that her way. It meant she could get inside, steal whatever it was the fucker wanted, and get out. Her steps were measured, cautious, and finally, she gripped the sides of the balcony.

Without a sound she hoisted herself on it's side, landing on the edge... only to come face to face with someone she really, really didn't want to see right now. The girl's blue eyes widened, the only feature of hers visible through the marine mask and clothing. Her fingers gripped tighter, and with a slide she was on the balcony. Maybe... he hadn't seen her? The chances of that were absolutely fucking zero, as the girl wasn't sure how to react. Wait, why would she react? She was invading HIS mansion on - that fat pig. He figured if she could get past the security on a imagined job, she could do the job he wanted her to do. Well triple damn.

A quick movement had her swinging off the ski mask, revealing dark skin, bright blue eyes, and dark red hair. ''Fuck that stupid ass pig-man!'' she suddenly burst out, slamming the mask to the ground. Her gaze switched up, and she bit her lip. What could she do from now? Would he believe her if she told him? Would he attack her before she had the chance? Whatever it was, she was ready. And she would submit if she could without harming herself. But her eyes had caught the various injuries and she really didn't want to push him. Maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't attack first like she heard he would do. Perhaps today, she had a chance. A chance that no one ever had.

She was praying for it.

She could feel it.

It coiled in her stomach. It breathed down her spine, dancing along the flesh of her arms and body, teasing, tantalizing. It was like staring down a full furnace - blazing hot, but so beautiful at the same time. The girl with the blue eyes watched.

Her own anger was like the ocean. Her blue eyes showed simply a fraction of the storm - a placid, pretty calm before the furious storm that would rend life and limb if given half a chance. It was there, within her, but not that strong - not yet. Unrefined, her 'owner' had called her. A raw gemstone, a simple lake compared to what she could unleash.

The roaring waves in her ears were not deafening, but certainly they were trembling within her. He finally spoke to her. The only sign she reacted - he called her a bitch - was a narrowing of her eyes, a fraction of stormy sea churning over, but then placid calm again. And then slowly, he came to her. Step by step, she could see the pain, the injuries. The part of her that wanted to thank him for the freedom she'd never have before ached, wanted to reach and help. Part of her warmth. But the other part - the part that 'he' trained - held back. Not yet.

This man wouldn't want to appear weak and didn't want her help. Not until he asked. Not that he would ask.

And then he was a mere five feet. Staring at her - a piece of meat, she'd been called, with enough fat to please any man - and she bore it. He could. He wasn't using her. Not like the pig.

A stormy sea for a moment more.

He spoke again and she knew. He wanted to know. She'd tell him. But not yet. Not just yet. Her blue eyes focused on him again, as they had been wandering, taking in his posture his pain. She was sure he noticed it - why would he not? He was her superior and she knew it. The girl just waited another moment, even as he finished speaking. Slowly, she simply reached to her front, and pulled her collar down a bit. There now she wasn't suffocating.

The smoke in her face didn't bother her - the girl used blowtorches in shop class. She'd seen, and felt worse.

Slowly, she just lifted her hands, and shook her head. ''I'm not here on choice.'' she said, spitting out the word choice hard. Another flicker. ''I'm here because the fat pig wanted me to come in and steal something. Apparently, that was a ruse because he wants to do the job that he oh so kindly raised me for, and kill you.'' she said. Well nobody said she wasn't blunt. Some of her words held barely repressed hatred, as she shook her head hard. She was trying to hold it in, but her gaze looked back up at him - and seeing him hurt like that, something broke.

''That fat ass pig! Not only does he convince my parents to give me away - the hopes I get a better life - but then he sells me off like property, so that I retain my value! He takes away my childhood, my whole life, for what? Hunting you or your brother down just because you're in his way. What the fuck is that worth?'' she said, her tone still quiet - she was aware there were people still around - but holding a large amount of... of something.

Hate. Emotion. Anger. Despair.

Whatever it was, it was strong. ''And then you beat the shit out of him.'' she continued. At that point, her voice sounded light, even happy. ''You beat the ever living shit out of him. I stole what I could and then I left. I was free. Because of you.'' she said. A smile - the first - stretched her lips. A fond look. ''I was able to be free. I promised then - right in here'' she said, her hand smacking hard into her chest, over her heart. ''That I wouldn't let that fucker get you. He may have taken my life, my family, my childhood, my virginity - he may have bought me, he may own me, but he does not have my loyalty. That's yours.'' she said.

''He found me in the end. Brought me back. Sent me to your school. And now he wants to trick me. I wish you'dve killed him then - but if you had, then you wouldn't be here speaking with me, now would you?'' she said. Her eyes were bright in whatever light caught in them.

The rushing sounds of crashing waves lulled to a gentle tide.

What would he think?

She couldn't tell. She couldn't tell if he believed her, if he thought she was lying, if he was insulting her.

The sea was relentless however.

He had leaned away to relax his body, to soothe the pain. She wouldn't begrudge him that, and even if he wouldn't believe it, she would never believe him weak. Because to her, he had a strength she could never achieve - even if her 'owner' was to die. She was bound to her training, to the fact that even if she was 'free' she'd owe that debt to her liberator. He was born free, he had the choices she could never make. And that, that was the strenght she sought. The strength to change the world by existing.

All she could do, was be the shadow to some such light.

He spoke. He answer. Her head rose, and she nodded - when she escaped, she had made sure to know more about her captor so that she could stay one step ahead. Survival. She knew how to do that - that's the one useful thing the pig taught her. She knew secrets about the man - but she had kept them. Kept them because nobody else was worthy of her fractured trust. Her gaze was unwaveringly on him, never moving. She was on every word - because she couldn't lie. She would never lie.

Her eyes were too honest for that. If there was anything she was holding onto, it was that. The honesty. The truth. That capability of not lying. It was blood sweat and tears to keep, but she did. In some part of her, the part that worked when she was out of his immediate surroundings.

It was all that she could salvage.

''No.''

The word surprised her. The girl jumped a little, startled at her own voice. For a moment, she seemed to be gathering the ideas, and then, it happened.

Her eyes became the storm.

''No. I escaped - I tried. He found me. Dragged me. Escaping him is something I will never do until I die - even if he were to die. I may be denied my freedom, but I will be damned if I will be denied my loyalty!'' she said, her voice suddenly hiking.

''You saved me. That I will never deny. I did not choose to go back to him - I was dragged there, and forced to do his will. But today - I finally have a chance. To repay you for that sliver of freedom I got to taste.'' she said. And then, something - a darkness. The shadows of the depths. The shadows of the life she's led.

She still can't admit it. She wants revenge.

Her gaze unfocused for a moment and came back. ''Don't tell me to go.'' she said.

It was quiet. Like the murmur of wind.

''Let me stay here.''

Was it weakness? To admit something, to be selfish for once? Was it a weakness, to want something - to want it so desperately that you'd tear the world apart? She had once wanted freedom like that. The only reason she even stood near the pig was because that way, she knew he'd not do something else to harm. He'd concentrate on her, to get her to do it. His pet project. To her it wasn't protecting him, but rather serving him. Keeping his enemies busy.

Her mind buzzed with too many thoughts and feelings, and all she could muster were those words, with eyes showing the storm at sea, her feelings clearly marked in them, no matter how messy it was.

''It doesn't matter!'' she almost shouted. It was just by virtue of her own self-awareness that she kept her voice down.

''Don't you see? It doesn't matter. Kill me - fine then. At least I die by your hand. I'm not looking for a hero - heroes are for fucking whimps that can't get themselves together. There's a difference between wishing to choose even a factor of my life, to just laying down and taking it! This is all I can do - all I can do is try my best to keep him away from you, because who knows what fucking plan that guy has!'' she started, but then she stopped herself.

Her hand flew up, digging her palm into her eye. Time waits for no one, time waits for no one. That's all she could repeat in her mind, a mantra to keep herself from losing her temper. The precious temper.

''I don't need trust. I don't need life. Your pity isn't a weakness - it was the only gift I ever had. But I'd rather be dead, then live my life under his thumb. Do you understand that?'' she said. Caged. Held back. Something in her was struggling, scratching at long forgotten locks. She couldn't win head to head - not even with him injured. She wouldn't do that. She just hoped that people left them alone. What to do? What to say?

Everything was muddled.

That's when her voice tore into a vicious snarl - and that's when a spark just flew.

''Do you think I was trained as a cat burglar? Considering I don't know shit about stealing, it's pretty funny I made it this fucking far. You know what he wanted me to do? He wanted me to use my sob story. To get close to you. You know what I did? I ran. For half a year. I ran, using what he gave me, making sure to undermine his power. Wanna know how?'' she said. Her smile turned dangerous - anyone with any experience with danger would understand. That was the smile of someone that had nothing to lose.

''I undermined his power by taking it over. Because in the end, his people would rather follow the girl he'd made his heir by piling the task he could not do onto her, his backup, then the man that raised them from the ground. How funny is that? I undermined him because I could understand them.'' she threw her head back and laughed.

''And I'm sitting here, having failed my sneaking on purpose, just because I wanted to give you an in to taking him down. Because I owe those few moments of happiness to you, because I'm such a loyal fucking dog.'' here, her face twisted into something.

Self-loathing. Disgust, Apathy.

Something.

''Fuckin', I don't even know what I'm sayin' anymore. I don't even know what to do anymore. I've been trapped in too long. I won't stop you if you'll kill me - nothin' matters at this point. I'm fuckin' done - all I had was that loyalty, and now I find that I shoulda been dead. Heck, I shoulda been dead at five, before he took me.'' she said.

Where was she? What was even left? She was confused muddled, and it was going to spill. It was going to spill and she didn't want to be around anyone if it did happen - and perhaps, for the first time during their whole meeting, she was slowly backing away. Something was trying to push, an echo of something long, long ago. Something that perhaps she had forgotten within the years of suppression and submission, of waiting and biding her time until it was just right. Until it was fine.

Because she wasn't dumb. She knew better.

So why did she let herself believe that in the end, her loyalty would be the one thing in her life worth it? Was he going to turn even that to shit?

Maybe she should just step off the balcony in a final mocking show.

Her eyes drifted to the edge, contemplating on the how.

To the beat of the wings of a butterfly, the world changes.

Something was pushing. Pulling. The ebb and flow of what made Moana tick. Whatever it was, this guy was pulling. Was bringing out things she thought she lost - whatever it was. She didn't know - her emotions were cycling, jumping, shifting. From anger to self-loathing to an intense thirst for vengeance, to simply exhaustion. Whatever was going on, it was jumping faster then eggs in a pan, and that was sayin' something.

''Look I'm not tryin'! I don't want to pity part - I'm tryin' to... I don't even know! All I know it's like someone scrambled my damn emotions and... and... fuck it!'' she started. But she couldn't finish. She hadn't come closer, wanting to keep his poor injured body away from her random flailing and outbursts. Like right now.

Her eyes looked at him. He said if she wanted it, take it. That she could understand.

So she'd take it.

The storm became a tidal wave, strong and pushing, as she moved forward. A hiss, and then her hands reached, pulling him to her if he let her. ''Everything I dare to take is broken, stolen or shattered. Everything I dared to hope was pushed, shoved and broken. But this is the one thing I never gave up - I never gave up the dreams that told me my loyalty laid in someone worthy. Plenty are more beautiful, more talented, more anything - I'll just scrape with what I have.'' she said, her voice low. At this point, they were probably very close - again if he let her. Enough that her breath skitted his cheek.

Should she?

Her heart was thundering.

She wanted to. She almost. With a soft shift, her lips brushed - but no pressure, before she suddenly backed away far. ''That's a promise.'' she said, flashing a grin. Warmth. Like a breath of summer wind, it was warm and it was bright. Something so strong and unique, and she felt it. For a moment, she had considered just telling the world to fuck off and jump off the balcony, letting herself die. She had no worth, nothing to live for. But this - him, this, whatever it was - was something.

What should she do now? She really had no idea, her moods were like a rapidly shifting storm. She didn't even know what to say anymore. All she could do, was... was what? What was it she could do?

This was insanity.

Her hands covered her face and then dropped to her sides. She was about to bolt. There was no other choice right? Right?

But then, another spark.

She let herself be engulfed in the depths.

''I'm not in my right mind, but... I'mma promise you.'' she said. Tilting her head, it was like it took a few moments for her to gather her thoughts. ''Yeah. I'mma promise you. It'll end. I'm done. I won't do it no more.'' she said. Pushing a lock of hair behind her ear, she looked at him. ''Show me the baby steps. Then I'll catch up. And I won't stop runnin' till I'm caught up.'' she said.

Yeah. That's what she could do.

She didn't know how to take it. It was the nature of her personality.

Wide, open, boundless.

His words rolled, melted into the waves of herself. Today she had found something to hold onto, and she would hold onto it for dear life. Her eyes did look over as he stumbled - for a moment, she was so caught into her emotional storm she had forgotten he was injured. The red head knew that if she moved to aid him, he wouldn't take it. He had his pride after all. And that price wouldn't let him take aid and to appear weak - although he already did actions to show such maybe. But Moana would never think of him as weak - just human.

Because they all were.

''Moana Simisola. Call me Storm if you want.'' she said. Her eyes were bright blue when she looked over at the blonde. The blonde was pretty but there was something about her - Moana felt a shiver run down her spine. Was that being strong? She didn't know, as the girl seemed to vanish as soon as she appeared. Her steps easily fell into league with his, and she was close enough to help if something goes wrong, but far enough that he still had his pride. She knew how to work around pride, after all, her so called 'master' was such a man. She learned to navigate the moods, although it seemed that thus far, his were less violent the the others.

Oh she didn't doubt his strength - he just didn't abuse his people.

The red head girl tilted her head at this words, not catching the inneudo - flew far past her head. ''A little.'' she admited. She didn't want to seem weak either, so the girl just tried her best to not feel insecure with how her zipper had gone a bit further down. So she ignored it, and she ignored the weird feelings stirring in her. The blush was fought down, and she just waited - she honestly had no idea how to move forward, and for now, she would let him guide her. For now. He probably knew it too, as her eyes were now something they hadn't been - alive, bright and gleaming.

She was waking up, moment by moment.

She wasn't sure how to feel.

He seemed to have relaxed around her in some measure - oh she knew he was injured. And when you were injured, you weren't.. sensible in some things. Maybe he'd heal and then not want her around anymore - that was fine. The girl shifted her weight, and carefully watched him select and pour himself a glass. Tilting her head, the girl softly hid tucked her head out of the hood, and let her red bangs fall right in her face to cover the blush. ''Can I have some coconut water?'' she asked very softly. She wasn't even sure if he had any - heck most people detested the stuff. But she, she loved the taste of it.

Probably because she was reminded of the ocean when she drank.

Drink available or not, when he would point it out, she came. She was definitely worried about his injuries - but she hid it as best as she could. After all, pride was one thing that men would kill for, despite their beliefs. She bit her lip when his back was to her, holding herself back from commenting. She followed him easily, her eyes settling on the cameras. She saw a lot of things - and one thing made her blush really badly too. But what caught her attention, was movement - a flash of black near the entrance. Sometimes she wanted to thank the fat pig for his training, and other times it was a curse - this time was one of the thankful ones, as she caught the little play.

His words didn't startle her, and she had already moved out of his way so that he could leave - and her steps were already behind him before he even offered a choice. ''I'm not going to sit on my ass.'' she simply replied, her tone neutral. No way was she going to just sit back and pretend certain things didn't happen. She'll go forward, and confront everything with her eyes wide open and awake. The girl just threw a smirk - and it didn't matter if he caught it or not. She was now free to choose - and that was exhilarating, it was wonderful and it was frightening.

Thinking and choosing for herself was something she already did on a minor level - but the whole feel of everything could chance on her choices now. And that was new. Well, not brand new - those months of flight had taught her a lot - but feeling that way again... she never expected it. Even if he didn't understand her loyalty or why it came about, it wouldn't matter. She had always done something with him in mind, and even now, that was a hard habit to break. But she had the choice - that was more important then having none. She could be heard, she could be heeded, and her steps were right behind him, settling into a guard like position - unknowingly, much like the blonde she had seen.

She was used to shadowing, and she would help him from behind the scenes if needed - after all, she was sure that she was capable of it. Despite what others may say about her skills.