GxE: awesome assassin lovin'

Esmeralda
...
...
...
...
I sat there, staring at him, mulling over.... everything.
He was back. Back from the dead. I was no longer alone. But then... but then I left him.... for his safty. And what happens? This.
"I'm sorry," I whispered again, trying hard to pretend the last five minutes never happened. That I never heard that. Why did this all have to be so complicated?

Griffin

I was about to tell her to shut up, and remind her to stop being so damn sorry all the time. Most of this stuff just happens...it's not all her fault. She doesn't have to pin everything on herself. But before I could open my mouth...pain. Lots of pain, that came from nowhere.

My body went rigid and I clamped my jaw shut, refusing to scream out. I suddenly regained control of my motions, but decided to stay there, face down on the rocky floor, my fists clenched so tightly my knuckles were white.

Esmeralda
My face crumbled as I watched him stiffen, no doubt a result of the pain stage setting in. I bit my lip, hard, moving forward to prop him back up.
...
"I'm sorry," I repeated, voice a tad pained. I couldn't say it enough. This was my fault. I truly was sorry.
My hands fumbled over him, wishing I could help, but knowing all too well I couldn't.
He should of stayed away.

Griffin

I glared at her, wanting her to stop feeling so sorry. It was my own fault. Besides...I've gotten into worse things than this. The glare was all I could really mange, though. The rest was just pain, almost as if I had been shot again. Though, the pain of the bullet felt more far away, since I was dying.

But this pain...it was as if I had been shot in the same place, yet my assailant didn't have the dignity to just let me die. I had to live through it all.

I felt the color leave my face, my cheeks going pale. Glaring. Focus. Push away all the pain, and focus on one thing. So, I focused on Esmeralda.
I have a problem with showing weakness. I could not allow myself to just start wailing like I wanted to. So I glared instead.

Esmeralda

He was glaring at me. I knew I deserved it, but still... why did it send my heart dropping?
This was my fault, and he was mad at me. I had no right to pity party over his anger though. I deserved it. Maybe if I just.... turned myself in... things would be better... for him... for everyone.
He didn't love me. He loved Marie. Marie and their kid.
He... almost kissed me though... No. He almost kissed Marie. I'm just the girl that got him shot.
"I'm sorry," I whispered again, dropping his gaze.

Griffin

"Stop being so damn sorry! S'not your fault!" I yelled, trying to keep up my glare. So what if I had gotten attacked? I did it out of my own free will. Better me than her. "No need to bl-" I started, before I was cut off, a new wave of pain slamming into me, around the heart. I doubled over, my head in my hands, letting out a hoarse yell.

If I thought the last pain was bad, this was much worse. The other one seemed like one gunshot. This seemed like a rocket launcher to the heart, trying to make me explode from the inside. It was so quick, so painful, I didn't even realize I was yelling random profanities out loud.

I felt my body break out in a harsh sweat.

This has to be over soon...please let it be over soon, damnit...

Esmeralda
I whimpered, actually whimpered as his screams came at me like a harsh slap.
I knew exactly what he was feeling right now. I knew it all too well. Putting aside all the times I found myself victim to this wretched poison, I had willing put it in system at one point.
Our 14th birthday was a big deal in the cult. From age 4 to 14 we spent countless hours training, studying, and building up our bodies for one major initiation. It was gruesome, long, and hard. They did not go easy on you. If you passed, you were considered a full fledged member. If you didn't. You died.
I had to inject myself with the max dosage of that poison my body could handle, short of death, to prove my commitment and ability to withstand pain.
Oh, I knew exactly what he was going through.
This was all my fault.

I pulled his hands away from his face, pulling him forward and into my arms, just holding him.
I stared over his head, not letting myself block out his screams. I didn't have the right to pretend they weren't there.
I wish I could hel- Oh wait. I could...
I bit my lip, mulling over the idea for a moment before shoving away the hesitation and gently entering his mind. I softly made my way through, shouldering all the pain I could, being that it wasn't my body. This should help, just a little. Just enough to give him the ability to think through the pain again; to help him not feel so... lost in pain.
My arms wrapped tight around him and I clentched my jaw, holding back my own screamed pains. Alright, I did what I could. All that was left to do was to wait it out. Wait it out and ignore the conscious I was entwined with.
...
...
...
...
He's back.

Griffin

I felt myself being held, but payed no attention, too enveloped in all the pain.
I think I kept yelling and shaking for a while, but soon enough, it stopped. Gradually left me until I was just a trembling, pale, sweaty mess.

I felt a small tug on my mind, and gently pushed it away once I gathered my senses.
...
...
I then stayed silent and actually put my arms around Esmeralda, taking in a shuddery breath and staring at the cave wall.

Esmeralda

He pushed me away. I didn't fight it, just slipped back into my own mind, my arms going lax around him.
...
...
The fire had gone out, the black,cold night surrounding us. I would of gone to fetch more wood, but I didn't have it in me to leave him like this.
"I'm sorry," I repeated, still against him, his sweat soaking my shirt. I smelled like him now...
"Are you okay?"

Griffin

"Stop." I said, my voice directly in her ear. "Stop it with being sorry."

Yeah, it was another cold night. I had just finished yelling my lungs out and hallucinating babies. This day was terrible, but right now...everything seemed better. Just being with Esmeralda did that. I hated it, yet loved it at the same time.

I stood up, wiping my sweaty hands on my cl-.....
.......
............
Nevermind. I was shirtless. So I wiped my hands on my pants instead, frowning down at the bulging bullet wound on my chest.

"...where is my shirt?"

Esmeralda
I cleared my throat, waving my hand at his dagger wound then several small others as I sat back and away. "I figured you'd need a cloak more than a shirt... It's cold..." And I don't have a cloak either...
I didn't finish the rest of my sentence, suddenly realizing I had assumed he's be fine with sharing body heat tonight.
Why the hell did I assume that?
He wasn't mine. The cloak was his own and for him to stay warm with. He was not obligated to share it or anything of that sorts.
I nudged his cloak over to him, scooting back against the wall, falling silent.
...
My thoughts raced, but I had no clue what to say.

Griffin

I nodded and looked at myself, my chest scarred and bruised and also with a few new cuts. It's weird. I was used to a regular pain of getting beaten and cut, yet the effects of those drugs were on a whole new level.

I sat back down and picked up my cloak, then looked back up at her. She didn't have one. ...she'd be cold.
So, without a word, I scooted over and sat next to her, slipping the cloak over both of us.

True, it would have been easier to just get more firewood. But then I wouldn't have an excuse to get close to her like this. I suppose it seems odd, considering I am an assassin.
...
...
...
...
But snuggles are nice...

Esmeralda
I blinked, not protesting as he brought me into the cloak. Actually... I was pleasantly surprised.
I laid my hands against his chest and shivered at the contrasting warmth. Alright, maybe that fire has been out longer than I thought...
I tentatively raised my eyes to his level, my hair falling back and allowing me to fully see and studying his face.
...
He looked just as worn down and tired as me. Maybe even more. But much, much paler than I, which worried me.
I bit my lip, eyes scanning his face, saying nothing.

Griffin

I shivered as her hands were set on my bare chest, but the shiver wasn't a result from the cold.
She can do that. One touch, and it sends an odd spark through my whole being. I stared down at her, my previously pained face going back to its usual state of calm.
She looked pale, and felt cold and rigid against me, so I lightly put an arm around her.

I had been too caught up in the drugs to really study her, but she seemed almost half frozen.
"Are you okay?" I asked, a soft whisper, letting my warm breath heat up her cheeks.

Esmeralda
"Fine."
Alright, so maybe that was a lie. I was a mess. Falling apart. Barley there, mostly gone from a mental stand point. Not to mention I was frozen, starving, exuasted, and just plain feeling defeated. But unlike him, I didn't just get poisoned and I didn't die last week. So I had no fricken right to complain.
I leaned closer to him, full out shivering as my body slowly gained back it's warmth.
He was here now though. He wasn't gone. And just for this moment, I was going to be selfish and not ask him to leave. After all, it was a cold night... we needed each other to survive it. Right?
"What happened?" I murmured, relaxing more then I would of liked under his touch.

Griffin

Lies.

Here is what you come to learn after being with a female for a while. "Fine" really means, "I feel like crap but I'm going to act strong so you don't get worried." Of course, her saying "fine" only made me worry even more, but I refused to show it.

I decided not to pry any further, but was still mulling over whether or not I should be concerned.

And then the next question she asked, how was I supposed to find an answer for that, eh? Tell her I cut a man's fingers off to get information about her? I couldn't do that. It hurt to learn about Mason. I figured bringing his name up around her would not be the best option.

"Not much." I said, being as vague as I could, my body still lightly trembling against her from a bad combination of poison and cold.

Esmeralda
I scoffed, hands drifting to his dagger wound, lightly assessing it. I couldn't see. He was under the cloak with me and it was dark, but I could feel well enough.
"This hardly seems like nothing," I whispered, my voice pinched with tenseness and worry. "...It was them. Wasn't it?"
Them being my people. He could deny it all he wanted. I know that poison. And you will only find it one place- with my clan.
I dropped my hand away, wrapping it around him, trying to stop his own shivers.

Griffin

I watched her carefully, my arm tensing as she reached toward it, but then relaxing at her touch. I heard her voice and analyzed a bit of worry mixed into it, causing me to raise an eyebrow.
"...maybe." was my simple reply to her question, my eyes locked on hers.
Though, I felt as if I had to say something else. We had been through a lot...

"Princess. Do not blame yourself. I decided to walk up to them of my own free will." I added. This was true, except I thought it was her and not intruders. Yet...I'm glad it was them. Glad that I could have stopped them before they could harm her again.

Esmeralda
I tensed, not liking that he just... walked up to clearly dangerous stranger. What if he died.... again?
"You fool," I grumbled, tightening my arms around him, resting my head on his chest.
"Don't do that again." That was more of a demand than a request. I didn't want him hurt. Not because of me.
...
"How many? ...What happened? Are they dead?" I pulled away, looking him over. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Griffin

I blinked, looking down at her. Of course I would do it again. In a heartbeat. I...cared about her. I just wasn't sure in what way yet. I could not allow others to try to chase her like those men did. Like her...fiancee did.
So I decided to answer, using my regular vagueness and trying to calm her down by rubbing her back.

"Three. A fight. Definitely dead. I'm fine."

I felt my mouth twitch up in smirk at her barrage of questions, a few locks of my light blonde hair falling over my eyes, hiding the small spark of amusement.

Esmeralda

I frowned. "Three? Sounds like a small recon group. Any powers? Weapons? Catch a name?"
Now it was info time. It obviously my people, but I had to figure out how close they were to finding me, and how determined.
Depending on his answer, we might have to move... now. He'd need to run in one direction, and me the other.
I didn't want to die now. I mean... I wasn't so alone anymore.
Which means I can't get caught.

Griffin

I could tell she was getting even more tense, and knew that maybe telling her was the wrong thing to do.
"Esmeralda. Relax."
I frowned, watching her closely. She looked tired, and hungry. I squirmed a bit and pulled some beef jerky out of my pants pocket, then unwrapped it and shoved it in her mouth, tossing the wrapper away.

"You have to eat. Then, I want you to go to sleep. I will stay up and keep watch, got it?" I ordered. I am not going to take no for an answer. If she doesn't die from those guys, she'll die from starvation and lack of sleep instead.

Oh, and you might be wondering why I keep beef jerky conveniently in my pocket. It's a survival thing. Not to mention a handy snack.

Esmeralda
I blinked, suddenly finding something salty in my mouth. I crinkled my nose, wiggling my hand up and pulling it out, eyes narrowing at him.
"Ha, no. You're funny. You were poisoned. You need your rest. I'll stay up. And if anything, you need food. I hear dying takes a lot out of ya."
I shoved it into his mouth, my lips setting into a stubborn pout.

Griffin

Every time. She always acts so damn stubborn.

I frowned and pulled the beef jerky out of my mouth, then snapped it into two pieces. I didn't feel like arguing with her tonight. I...had no energy left for it.

"Fine. We both eat it, and we'll take turns staying up to watch. You first. Go to sleep, and I'll wake you up in four hours." I said, my voice taking a stern tone.

"Sweet dreams, Princess." I added, shoving the larger half of beef jerky into her mouth and the smaller half into my own.

Esmeralda

I narrowed my eyes, thoroughly annoyed. "Fine," I managed through the strange tasting food. "But you let me sleep in and I'll kill you myself."
I was playing. Kinda.
I grumbled a bit, chewing hard on the salty thing in my mouth. It wouldn't break down!
"What is this, anyway?"