The city of Velaris.
What once was a nation is no more. All that remains from the multiple waves of apocalyptic events through the years is a much smaller and miserable memory of what used to be. Now held hostage by a greedy, corrupt, illegal, tyrannical, and traitorous government who live in what is known as the inner city of Velaris. Walls tower around the area and guards are kept in rotation. Within the inner city, there are resources that only the wealthy have access to. The rich are free to live life as though nothing had changed, they are protected and cared for.
Those who are outside of the walls aren't so lucky. Debris and chaos are all that thrive beyond the walls to the inner city and whatever remains of the streets and decaying buildings belong to gangs, prostitutes, suicide, murderers, the starved, diseased, and thieves.
It is kill or be killed.
We want our city back.
This Role-Play is private for MintToothPaste and Nefarious only. Lurkers are advised that this thread will contain graphic and adult content. You've been warned.
Perseus, just for a moment, remembered a time in his life when he wasn’t troubled by his emotions. When he lacked them. He had a plan back then. When it was just him and the Vultures he was still a good leader. Now? He wasn’t so sure.
Voices echoed all around Percy and he was trying his hardest to keep his head on straight. He had already had one outburst on Quill for his inability to stay awake during his night shift. The reason they were all awake now. If it wasn’t for Kody’s relationship to the Ghosts, they’d surely all be dead by now. It was something that Percy was going to take some time to forgive.
Standing all around the main floor of the warehouse, many faces scattered his home that he didn’t recognize and as many already knew, he wasn’t necessarily a welcoming person so to speak. Especially not with the welcoming they were given.
Shooting a glance towards Cora who stood by the furnace, he could tell she was beginning to feel the heat of living out in the Slums. It wasn’t something that was easily accepted. Some days made you remember that more than others.
“Stop throwing around the blame,” Percy snapped. “If it’s going to be anyone’s fault then it’s mine. I’m supposed to protect you all and obviously I made a bad call. It won’t happen again,” he finished and the crews voices slowly faded to silence.
Suddenly a presence behind Perseus caught his attention and he glanced over his shoulder at Beatrice who was sauntering over towards him. She appeared to be in her late thirties but something told him she was older. With a thin lipped smile, she stopped at his side.
”Stressful for a young man your age trying to run a gang, isn’t it?” She tilted her head, obviously referring to the stress that sat on his shoulders.
”The Slums are stressful, not my job.” Percy remained hostile. He could care less about her connection to Kody, she was still a stranger to him.
Beatrice clicked her tongue and put her hands up nonchalantly. “Are you always so broody?” She hummed.
Percy huffed irritably at her words and then their conversation shifted as she asked for more clarification on what went down with the Empty Eyes. After some in depth explanations and the more jumbled and hushed voices of others making conversation on current matters, she got the information she wanted and Percy realized that she might actually have some redeemable qualities aside from being the only one able to sneak up on him in his sleep.
Once Beatrice left his side, he watched as she made it towards Cora. He felt the need to go with her. Be beside Cora. It felt strange. Even after sleeping with her, after wanting to strangle her on multiple occasions, he couldn’t get himself to come to terms with what his feelings were for her. She told him that she loved him. What did he do? Nothing. He hadn’t even spoken to her about their predicament, no explanation. He was broken inside and he didn’t know how to find his words when it came to her.
Releasing a sigh, Percy walked over towards a the furniture, finding a spot across from the meathead of a man that had his girl in a neck hold with a knife. He still wanted to drop kick him to Mars.
Forcing himself to avert his gloomy glare away from the man, he watched the flames of the furnace intently when suddenly Beatrice was talking about his mother. His blood ran cold. Hearing about her was so surreal.
Furrowing his brows at the woman, Percy listened as she spoke of their families and suddenly the odds of him finding Cora outside his door that day became that much more insane to him. The odds of their mother’s being best friends at some point in time was beyond Percy. Not only that but hearing about them wasn’t something he was used to. He was sure his mother died as just another person on the inside walls.
After Beatrice was finished, Percy chewed his lip for a moment before glanced towards his crew. Looking over them all, he sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. She was right. None of them were safe anymore and it was his fault. He was becoming selfish, between the drugs and Cora, he had stopped being the boss that his father would have been proud of. He was tearing down his legacy.
Standing up, Percy cleared his throat and finally spoke.
”Pack your things,” He began. His entire crew turned and stared at him. Some looked concerned while others looked shocked. “We should have been on the road already and I take full responsibility. Beatrice is right, we aren’t safe here anymore.”
“You can’t be serious. . .“ Assyria frowned.
”This has been home of the Vultures for years, we can’t just leave!” Rachel added.
”Where are we supposed to go anyways?” Quill arched an eyebrow, obviously unamused by the idea.
Before Percy could part his lips, Beatrice was speaking.
”You can stay at our compound.” She insisted and glanced to Percy as if for permission of some sort. Percy stared at her for a moment before rubbing the back of his neck.
”I don’t think thats—“ he started.
”Nonsense, it’s not far and it won’t be likely of them to assume you’re hiding at another gangs compound, you’re the Vultures, you have more enemies then I’ve had intercourse in my life time.” Beatrice waved him off.
Kody smirked and nodded. “She’s right. Their compound is our best shot right now,”
Glancing over everyone, Percy licked his lips before shrugging and gesturing for them to get moving. “We don’t have all night.” He muttered and they all began bustling around the room to grab things, some heading to their rooms.
Turning on his heel, Percy looked over towards Cora. No matter how much he hated to admit it, whenever he looked at her, it was like the air was being swept up from his lungs for a moment. She quite literally took his breath away.
Beatrice audibly inhaled beside him.
”I haven’t seen anyone look at a girl like that since your father met your mother,” she murmured and Percy felt his features soften for a brief moment. Moving towards Cora, he reached out and pulled her behind him.
He brought her down towards her bedroom. Once the two were inside, he closed the door and stood behind her for a moment before stepping closer. His eyes caught her gaze for a moment in her mirror and he slowly reached out, brushing a curled strand of her auburn hair back behind her shoulder, exposing her neck.
His breath hit the crook of her neck and his eyes trailed down her shoulder, his fingertips brushing against her back and along her shoulder blade.
”I’m a bad man,” he murmured against her skin. His brows furrowed for a moment and he swallowed. Talking about his feelings was hard, but he knew he needed to try for her.
“You told me earlier, you loved me.“ his hands found her hips for a moment, tugging her back against him before he let go and grabbed her shoulders instead. Turning her around to face him and then his hands held her face. “You do something to me, Cora.” he breathed. “You get inside of my head and I can’t think straight. It makes me furious, but I don’t—“ he paused. “I don’t think I want it to stop.” He stared at her hard now. Never had he ever said such a thing or anything even within the vicinity, but now was as good of a time as any. He wasn’t sure if he waited any longer that he would have said anything. How didn’t someone who didn’t know what love was to begin with know if he was in love?
Was it the feeling she gave him? The constant frustration. One minute he wanted to hate her and the next he felt like something inside of him burned for her. She was both the one who poured the gasoline on him and the one starting the fire.
”I’ve never been in love before,” he admitted. “But I know can’t ignore the war that’s going on inside of me. I can’t ignore the way you drive me insane, Cora, I know that I have lived this life before I met you, but I don’t think that I can go another moment without you.” He stopped, taking a moment to survey her face. His own voice felt foreign To him. Part of him wanted to bolt. To leave her room and pretend it never happened.
Then another part of him wanted to kiss her until his name was the only thing she would taste again. This anger he felt was new. It was the type of anger that screamed he would protect her at all costs. Perseus knew that from this day forward things were going to be different. Wether he liked it or not. He was in love with Cora Laine.