We are the Hunted (Invite only)

[Ma Sai The Caged Tiger]

Tobin whirled around as soon as he felt the man let go, pressing himself back against the door and eying him warily. His breathing was erratic and loud in the otherwise quiet room, giving a clear sign of his fright. This man was pushing his buttons on purpose, but the buttons he pushed didnt make sense. "Why? What did I do to you to deserve such a thing?" His voice was shaky, and he winced at the sound. No way he could hide the fact that he was scared from the other male.

Watching him take a seat on the bed he relaxed minutely. That put distance between them and his breathing slowed and quieted. He was still watching the man like a hawk, ready to bolt to the hallway in a moment's notice. He couldnt help being slightly aroused by the taller brunet's actions, he had touched places that were extremely erotic to Tobin. Nothing had prepared him for that, the man had simply gotten a lucky guess and Tobin wasnt going to let it happen again. If that kind of situation arose again he was screwed.  

[Sorrow_Mirth_and_Sin]

"Why not?" Tithe countered, his hands clenching into fists as he mentally fought off another personas attack for control. "I can think of only a handful of reasons not ravage someone and none of them apply to you, so what makes you think you should be so very undeserving of such a thing?"

He smirked, eyeing the smaller man a way that left no doubt of just what was crossing his mind and then shook his head to clear it. "Next time, shut up and listen. I have no interest in making a weapon out of you but any idiot can see you need to know how avoid getting slaughtered. You'll have no shortage of opportunities to wind up as someone's ******** toy, meal, or promotion ticket and if you don't learn, you won't be doing a damn thing about it."  

[Ma Sai The Caged Tiger]

"You can't just take something like that from someone!" He felt a shudder travel through his frame at the way Tithe continued to stare at him, suddenly wanting nothing more than to cover up completely. His next words though stirred a flicker of anger from the boy and he glared. "I'm not going to listen to someone that treats me like a piece of meat. I'm a person, and so are you, even after what they did. Stop acting like such a damned animal when you profess your wanting to help."  

[Sorrow_Mirth_and_Sin]

"I am exactly what they made of me," Tithe snapped, his humor dying. "And if you don't like how I treat you then learn to do something about it! Because if you won't listen, something else will do the exact same thing and they will not hesitate to take everything they can from you. They will not back off again and again."  

[Ma Sai The Caged Tiger]

"What then? Tell me what you want me to know? I'm aflutter with curiousity on how you propose I learn to save my own neck." The fire in his spirit was back, he was tired of trying to be polite to him, and tired of being thrown from emotion to emotion. It was wearing him thin and damned if he wasn't going to rise to the man's bait. "Come on then teacher, class is in session."  

[Sorrow_Mirth_and_Sin]

Tithe stood, walking across the room, grabbing Tobin by the neck and lifting, setting him aside and out of the path of the door like it was nothing. "First of all, don't get cocky," he said almost condescendingly, as if he were dealing with a child. He opened the door, walking out into the hall. "Go eat something before you keel over and try to keep the eggs in a pan this time. I have no interest in cooking breakfast with my face."

He went to the kitchen table, gripping it with both hands as if he needed the support, gritting his teeth against the pain behind his eyes. "Impatient Icarus?" He muttered, laughing under his breath. He smirked at Tobin, rolling his neck. "Homework. Eat, rest up, get your s**t. And start paying more attention. Everything he says, everything he does and not just him. Everyone you see. Sooner or later, it will become second nature to you and what you learn could easily save your worthless life someday."

He tensed and then he was gone. Icarus sat down hard, groaning as his hands moved to cover his face. "One of these days, I'm going to find a way to kick his a** without kicking mine," he grumbled. His face colored flush to the ears over what his counterpart had done, both horrified and embarrassed, but mostly angered.  

[Ma Sai The Caged Tiger]

Tobin had thought he was really in for it when the man’s hand encircled his throat. Like he had pushed too far with his false sense of bravado. But the other male’s words were more than enough to anger him once again. He felt like he was being talked down to, and he was sure that was exactly what the man wanted. Rubbing his throat he watched Tithe stalk to the kitchen table and hold onto it. After a moment he switched to a chair and still Tobin stayed where he was. No more taunts and snappy words came from the man and he cocked his head unsurely. “Tithe…?” He heard the man mumble to himself but couldn't quite catch his words, but he didnt really want to close the distance and find out.  

[Sorrow_Mirth_and_Sin]

Icarus shook his head. He didn't dare to look at Tobin. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly, picking up yesterday's cup of coffee. He drew a breath and exhaled, engulfing the cup and his hand in a short burst of flame. His hand was coated in scales when he stopped, protected from the flames. The contents of the cup bubbled and hissed, trills of smoke curling from his mouth mouth and nose as a comfortable heat spreading from his chest, the fire within offering a rather muffled rumble. He didn't seem to mind how hot the liquid was as he sipped at it, his eyes fixated on the fine grain of the table. It would be rather ridiculous if the heat of scalding water could burn him when raw flame couldn't.  

[Ma Sai The Caged Tiger]

The smaller brunet let out a sigh of relief as he recognized the difference in persona. "Y-yes, I'm fine but -oh!" The flame startled him, and he shrank back slightly in shock. He watched the flame recede, glancing at the boiling cup of coffee and takuing a few steps towards the table. "Icarus...are you alright as well?" The man's lack of eye contact made him curious, and as he neared the table he leaned down, trying to come into his sight.  

[Sorrow_Mirth_and_Sin]

Icarus offered a warm smile. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to startle you," he said gently. He left the question unanswered, avoiding it. He chuckled quietly, "I used to shatter dozens of these things doing that. It took awhile to learn how to refine my control."

Setting the cup down, he rubbed his thumb idly over some imaginary blip in the glass along the rim. He didn't seem to care that the mug was still very hot, burning a ring into the table. There were others like it, mostly in the same area. Icarus was very much a creature of habit, always sitting at the same space at the table, even though there was never anyone else's spot to take.  

[Ma Sai The Caged Tiger]

Not knowing what to say to the man's statement, Tobin merely nodded. The burns on the table made him wonder how many tables he had gone through as well. But he didn't forget the fact that his query wasnt given a response. Reachingout tenatively he placed a hand on Icarus' shoulder. "Hey...are you alright though?" This version of the man seemed so sweet and calm, a far cry from the brute of earlier and his concern for him was real.  

[Sorrow_Mirth_and_Sin]

Icarus had to repress the urge to jerk away like his less than sane counterpart would have. He flinched instead but it was a small reaction, nothing really worth noticing. He was closer to that counterpart than Tithe in some ways. The two of them had adapted from the poor deranged boy in different ways, Tithe in rage and violence and he in a much less destructive manner. A simple touch was not so very alien to him as it was for 0013694 but it still wasn't something he was entirely used to.

He looked up at Tobin, raising a brow quizzically. "Why wouldn't I be? Because you threw an egg in his face?" He laughed, "I was routing for you."  

[Ma Sai The Caged Tiger]

Oh well..." Tobin flushed, his face going pink at his words. "I didn't mean to throw it. I just got so angry with him." Pursing his lips his expression turned thoughtful. "Speaking of eggs, I'm really rather hungry. I don't know how well my culinary skills have kept but would you like something to eat? I promise it won't end up on your face." He pulled his hand away, leaning it instead on the warm table.  

[Sorrow_Mirth_and_Sin]

"I don't blame you," Icarus replied earnestly, "he deserved a lot worse than that. Next time take a skillet to his head. He gives me a headache anyways."

He smiled again at the boy's offer. "If you feel like making eggs for two, I'm not going to complain. Even if you burn it to a crisp, I'm pretty sure charcoal is good for me."  

[Ma Sai The Caged Tiger]

"Oh, well I couldnt possibly..." He ran a hand through his hair, turning sheepish. Violence wasnt something that came easily to him, even now he felt that he should apologize to Tithe himself about it. "I don't think they'll be that bad, but yes I will be more than happy to make some for you. How do you like them?" Searching around the kitchen he came up with a skillet and utensils, pulling eggs from teh fridge and placing them in a bowl.