a broken love

this is a pair of my characters, Zen and Kain, from a book I am working on. these are just some scenes from their relationship, I want some thoughts and suggestions ^^

LOVE:

He growls deep in his chest, pressing her hard against the wall. “say it”

“I won’t lie to you” she hisses back in cold fury, eyes blazing, attempting to push him off.

“you’re lying to yourself” he snaps back with just as much anger, grabbing her hands, pinning them by her head.

“let go”

he presses closer, and lust flares in her eyes, mixing with blazing fury there. He leans in closer, and she whips her head to the side, her breath catching in her throat. He hesitates before kissing down her throat, his teeth grazing her skin, eliciting a soft whimper.

“say it” he whispers against the smooth skin of her shoulder.

“I hate you” she hisses, but gasps when he licks the shell of her ear almost punishingly.

“you know that’s not true”

She writhes against him with sudden fervor. “get away from me”

He nips her jawline, trailing soft open-mouthed kisses up the side of her face.

“either let go” she snarls, and her voice breaks. “or just kiss me”

“tell me” his hands tighten on hers, desire and anger cracking his tone.

She moans when he kisses the side of her mouth, pressing closer, squeezing her eyes shut. He senses her breaking point, and lets go of one of her hands to tangle it in her crimson hair, roughly tilting her head back so their eyes would meet if hers weren’t closed.

“open your eyes” he dares; he’s crossing a line by telling her to do things, by pushing her limits, by not accepting her word for once.

Her eyes slowly open, and flaring amber meets tortured blue. A soft broken sound escapes her parted lips.

“I love you” she cries, and their lips meet, fierce and desperate and rough. “I love you” she repeats against his mouth.

“you’re mine” he breathes back, drowning in the ecstasy of hearing her say those three words. “I love you so goddamn much. I’m yours, and you’re mine, and you can’t leave me again”



MINE:

“what am I to you?” Kain’s voice is quiet, disturbing the darkness. Zen glances back at him, startled.

“you’re awake” she says, pulling on a sweater.

“you avoided my question” he leans back against the pillows of his bed and sighs, expectant. “what do you think of me as? boyfriend? Friend? Lover?”

Zen half turned, looking him straight in the eyes. “I think of you as mine”

A slow, sensual smile curves his lips, and Zen flushes and turns away, hurrying out the door, with a last parting glare that screams 'never mention this again'.

SLEEP:

Kain felt tortured. 

He remembered blood, soaking through everything, through her blank amber eyes and once beautiful red hair, her pale skin, her screaming lips.

He remembered looking down at his hands, soaked in her blood.

He remembered her screaming.

He jerked away with a gasp, chest heaving and eyes wide.

His head throbbed and his heart hammered. He needed to see her. He needed to feel her, her presence.

Haunted by bloody nightmares, he snuck into Zen’s room and found her up reading; sitting on the left side of the bed, sheets rumpled and until her waist, as she was sitting up with her knees folded in front of her and the book resting against them. Her hair was down and messy, splayed across the pillow she leaned against. Her amber eyes blinked twice, staring at him. Evident surprise flickered across her features.

“Kain” she said. “what- you’re supposed to be in bed. And not sneaking into my room”

Their gaze met; he drank in her sleepy, soft appearance, and relaxed. She was there, alive. She looked momentarily confused. She debated with herself, and sighed. She shifted and patted the now empty spot on the bed.

He stalked across the room and eased himself on, slid under the covers, lying flat on her back, looking at her.

“don’t get too comfy” she warned. “I’m kicking you out in five minutes” 

“mmnn” he played with her hair.

She continued reading, a soft smile tracing her lips. He wondered if it was because of the book. Eventually she grew engrossed in reading, barely noticing when he traced patterns on her hand. Kain relished every emotion she showed; he fought a smile at some of them. He closed his eyes and drank in her scent, on the brink of sleep. 

She shut her book, leaned away to put it on the nightstand. He felt her gaze on him, and she sighed heavily. Sheets rustled as she turned off the light and slid down and curled up on her side, back to him, to sleep.

He waited a few minutes, until her breath was soft and even. Carefully, he wrapped an arm around her waist, slowly pulling her closer until her back was against his chest. 

They fit like puzzle pieces; she was soft and warm and the only thing he’d ever needed. He inhaled the smell of strawberry shampoo in her hair, soft and ever so slightly damp. He felt complete; she was there, and all was right with the world.

* * *

Zen woke after the best sleep she’d had in a long time. She felt warm and safe, and blinked to adjust to the soft sunlight peeking out from the heavy curtains. She frowned. Something felt odd.

It took her a moment; but when she realized, she instantly wriggled around to glare at Kain, who’s face was filled with amusement. He was lying next to her, close enough to set her heart beating wildly, head propped up on one hand and the other hand toying with her hair.

“Morning, princess”

She wanted to kill him.

“you were supposed to go back last night” she hissed. 

“your bed was too comfortable.” He replied lazily. 

“don’t you dare come here again” she narrowed her eyes.

He smirked. “we’ll see”

He lay down again, wrapping both arms around her waist and pulling her even closer; this time she was facing him, and he buried his face in the crook of her neck, his breath tickling. 

She rolled her eyes, glancing down at the dark blue hair. Giving in, she ran a hand through his messy blue hair, wondering if he was going to cut it soon; it was pretty long.

At this moment the door opened and Victorique flew in

“ne, ne~ Zen onee-chan! Guess what-“

she stopped short, openly gawking at the couple on the bed. 

“hey, kid” Kain said lazily. “you should never barge in like that” he smirked, eyes sparking. “you never know what we could be doing”

“oh” the little girl said, going red, eyes huge, stumbling back. “I’ll, um, leave-“

“no- Victorique- he’s joking-“ Zen sat up.

“um, carry on?” the girl fled, shutting the door behind her. 

Zen wanted to die.

Kain lay back down and yawned.

“you idiot” Zen wailed, springing out of bed and racing towards the door. “your joke is going to be taken seriously!”

She ran down the hall, frantically calling for Victorique. 

Kain yawned, rolled over, and decided to sleep for ten more minutes.

After that first night, he came again. 

She glanced up at him, eyebrows raised, and he returned her look with a sheepish one.

“come” she said softly, shifting on the bed. Relief shone in his eyes as he padded over, sliding into bed next to her.

There were no questions. She went back to her book, ignoring his warm eyes on her face, drowning herself in the story. When she finished, she glanced down at him; he was asleep, expression soft and peaceful like it never was when he was awake. Carefully, like only she could do, she traced the outline of his face, down his nose and stopping at his lips. He was facing her, one arm draped across her lap. She stealthily placed her book on the nightstand and slid down into bed, facing him; relaxing like she rarely did, his arms around her. Unconsciously, he tightened his hold, drawing her closer. Smiling lightly, she closer her eyes and snuggled into his warmth.

When she woke he was gone; he seemed to prefer avoiding the strange scenario of waking up together. 

That night she didn’t stay up; she slept. 

She awoke but didn’t move when she heard the door creak open. He almost silently padded across the carpet, hesitated, and then slid into bed. More hesitation, and then both strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her back up against his strong chest, his face in her hair. He let out a heavy, shuddering sigh, and went silent. 

She smiled in the dark. 

RELUCTANT LOVE

Kain flung himself down in frustration, scowling into the distance.

That idiot. He fumed, the crimson- haired girl’s stubborn face still on his mind. Going and doing everything by herself, and telling me what to do while she’s at it.

He hurled a pillow across a room, gritting his teeth.

“don’t tell me to come and help you clean up the wreckage when you mess up” Kain snarled between clenched teeth.

He regretted the day he’d set eyes on her, standing there in that alleyway. Fiery and captivating. Her absence left him feeling slightly hollow. But he told himself to forget and move on. He would become the person she told him to be. But then she appeared a year later, in all her red-headed glory, and he was captivated once more.

And then her stubbornness! Her rashness! Her inability to tell the difference between acting according to reason and acting according to however she felt. She threw herself headlong into any danger, blatantly putting the job of keeping her safe on anyone nearby. If she cared for herself half as much as she cared for that damn cat, she’d be much better off.

But No, she had to become the bane of his existence and not care about her own well being. She cared for just about everyone else; she took everyone’s loads onto her own slender shoulders, protecting them in her own subtle way. She cared for everyone but herself.

It was infuriating.

Horrible.

She’d walk through hell and back to save someone, but along the way she wouldn’t care if demons ate her alive , so long as her goal was accomplished.

Why was she so strong he couldn’t even think of reasons for her to be careful?

Why did everyone assume she was so strong, though he knew she was fragile inside?

Why did she brush off anyone’s concern?

When they worried, why did she kick their asses without so much as batting an eyelash?

And why did she have to look so damned sexy while doing it?

Screw that last part.

On second thought, it was true. He thought she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. As much as he told himself to leave her for her own good, he was irresistibly drawn to her. He was an addicted man who couldn’t stop the drugs. From the moment he saw her he belonged to her. It was useless to try and convince himself otherwise. She was infuriating but irresistible.

Damn.

Damn pretty redheads and their gorgeous amber eyes.

FIRST ENCOUNTERS 

The boy sat at the mouth of the alleyway, shivering. The small overhang he crouched under did not help much against the pouring rain and the lashing wind. He pulled the small raincoat around him tighter. He wondered where he would find refuge for the night. If the police saw him, they would definitely investigate; he had to avoid that at all costs.
He wondered what day it was. He knew it was at the end of November somewhere. Next would be December, and then a new year, and he would be eight next year some time. He did not know his birthday, and hence just changed his age with the year; in a sense, he had made his birthday January 1^st.

He shivered again, and his stomach growled. He winced as the wind blew the rain in a different direction; right into his face.

He flinched and closed his eyes, turning away from the onslaught. The cold seeped into his limbs, slowly turning them numb.

Suddenly the rain stopped.

No, it did not stop, it was still raining.

So why was it not beating against him, soaking him?

He glanced up to see a small girl his own age standing there, head slightly tilted. She was carrying an umbrella that seemed too large for her; it looked like the large umbrella adults used. The umbrella held the rain away; even when he crouched, the rain barely touched him. She had rather short crimson hair; the only bright thing among the gray of rain.

“you’re getting wet” she told him.

He blinked, unsure of how to respond.

“Where’s your mommy?” she asked, and the question made him feel sour.

“I don’t have one” he muttered, looking away again. He felt bitter, bracing himself for the sympathy.

He was stunned when she laughed brilliantly instead, and the rain seemed to lesson.

“really?” she smiled, sweetly. “I don’t have one either” She held out her hand to him, head slightly tilted. “come with me, then. I know where you can go”

He stared into her brilliant amber eyes and drowned in their depths. Her warmth- her light- seemed to reach out to him, from the shadows.

He obligingly took her hand, and then the crimson haired girl pulled him out of the shadows and into her light.

 

Author's Note

what do you think?