Seth glances up from his rapt observation, looking over at Kisa with an amused smirk. “What? You waited a thousand years for revenge and now you can’t handle a simple long game?” The glare that she fixes him with answers that question and he laughs, shaking his head. “You haven’t changed a bit.”
“Your plan is a bad one,” she replies, tipping her head to the side in response. “You sitting here is just going to get us ‘made,’ as you call it, and we’re going to have to start all over again.”
The bank sitting across the street from the house where they were staying has had a steady stream of people coming in and out of it all day and Seth has also been there all day, taking in every detail that Richie may need to make an adequate plan. Kisa has also been criticizing his technique for the same amount of time, opting not to go to sleep while the sun was up and watching Seth’s every move.
“I’m sorry, who’s the professional bank robber here, me or you?” He raises his eyebrows in response to her silence. “Who is the one asking for a favor, me or you?” At that, she actually looks away, turning her attention back to the mug of warm blood in her hands. “Thank you. Just let me do my job.”
“I’m sorry. But we just can’t risk …”
“I know what’s at risk.” Fate of the world, fate of the culebras, another big bad to destroy – he doesn’t know when this particular madness became his life, but it is now, and he’s doing the best he can with his limited human existence. “Just trust me.”
“You do realize that those are the three most ridiculous words you’ve said all afternoon.”
He huffs, before turning to face her more, tipping his head to the side. “Eventually you’re going to have to trust someone, Kisa.”
Kisa glances back at him curiously. “And what makes you say that?”
Seth swallows, before closing the curtains and making his way closer, resting his elbows on the back of the couch where she’s sitting. “Unless you decide to intentionally walk out into the sun, you’re going to be living a good long while. You can’t expect to do that alone and stay sane.”
“And what makes you think I need to trust someone in order to not be alone?”
“Because it’d be pretty shitty of you if you just expected other people to give and gave nothing back in return.”
She purses her lips again. “And why do you think I should trust you?”
“Honestly, I don’t have a good answer to that one. But you’re the one who keeps coming to us for help. There must be something you like about us.”
There’s an expression that tries to escape her steely exterior that might almost be a smile, but she reins it in, tipping her head to the side when she hears something moving. “Richard’s awake. We’re going to have to move soon.”
Seth huffs, before pulling back with a nod. “Yeah. Whatever you say.”
- - - - - -
By the time the sun’s getting ready to rise, they’ve escaped the bank with minimal casualties, and the steel safety deposit box is resting in Kisa’s hands. Richie’s gone off to do whatever it is that Richie does, leaving the two of them alone in the motel room they commandeered. Seth watches her play with the edges of it, almost as though she’s tempted to open in, and he just watches her curiously over the top of his beer.
“So. What is this weapon of mass destruction?”
“It’s not a weapon,” she says quietly. “At least, not in it’s intention.”
One eyebrow raises as he goes to make his way closer. When he’s close enough she sighs, before flipping the top open to reveal a gold plated necklace, with metalwork that winds around a brilliant blue jewel.
“It’s a protection amulet. Spelled to protect the wearer from anything that might do them harm.”
Seth frowns, confused. “You’re right. I’m not sure how that’s a weapon.”
“For a culebra, that includes the sun.”
It takes a moment for her words to sink in, along with the message that she’s been giving since the moment she asked for their help. It’s too powerful if it falls into the wrong hands. If one of the more powerful or sadistic culebras got their hands on it, that means a lot of people could get hurt. But in Kisa’s hands …
“It needs to be destroyed.” Her words are sure, almost as though she can read his mind. “It’s too risky for even the most worthy of us to have it.”
“Even you, the one culebra people love as much as they fear?”
“It isn’t about love or fear. It’s about fairness.”
“You never wanted to be this, Kisa.”
“That doesn’t matter.”
Maybe in her mind, she’s killed and harmed enough innocents in her pursuits of revenge that she didn’t deserve it, but for the moment, Seth doesn’t care. He reaches into the box, taking the necklace in one hand before taking Kisa’s hand with the other.
“What are you doing?”
She doesn’t fight him, letting him pull her to the door, and he quickly drapes the necklace over her head before she can tell him no. She starts to protest, but he’s already quickly shoving her out the door into the sun. He watches her face as the sun caresses over her skin, feeling the heat of it, but not bursting into flame. Something in her face shatters, a small piece of that façade crumbling as she closes her eyes and tilts her face back into it, soaking up the early morning warmth. Seth just lingers at the door and watches her from the doorframe, letting her have the moment for as long as she’s willing to.
Eventually, her eyes do open, and her fingers come down to close around the necklace. Then, she turns back to Seth, and makes her way back into the motel room.
“You shouldn’t tempt me like that.”
“You’re welcome.”
She’s glaring at him again, but it doesn’t have the heat it normally does. Instead, she watches his face for a moment, before leaning in and kissing him soundly. He’s not expecting it, but melts into it all the same, one hand wandering to her waist lightly to keep her close. When she does break the kiss, she picks up his hand, taking the necklace and placing that in his hand.
“Make sure that goes somewhere no one else can find it.”
Seth swallows and nods. “I will.” She saunters away from him, heading back into the motel room, and his eyes follow her as he closes the door. “So are we going to talk about that –”
“Talk about what?” She asks, raising an eyebrow just outside the edge of the bathroom, but he can pick up something along the lines of amusement in her features. He raises an eyebrow in return, and he smirks. “Maybe I’m working on my trust issues,” she teases, before the bathroom door closes behind her.
Seth stares at the empty space left behind for a moment, before shaking his head. “Trust issues, my ass.”
kisa/seth | from dusk till dawn | 1,223
Seth glances up from his rapt observation, looking over at Kisa with an amused smirk. “What? You waited a thousand years for revenge and now you can’t handle a simple long game?” The glare that she fixes him with answers that question and he laughs, shaking his head. “You haven’t changed a bit.”
“Your plan is a bad one,” she replies, tipping her head to the side in response. “You sitting here is just going to get us ‘made,’ as you call it, and we’re going to have to start all over again.”
The bank sitting across the street from the house where they were staying has had a steady stream of people coming in and out of it all day and Seth has also been there all day, taking in every detail that Richie may need to make an adequate plan. Kisa has also been criticizing his technique for the same amount of time, opting not to go to sleep while the sun was up and watching Seth’s every move.
“I’m sorry, who’s the professional bank robber here, me or you?” He raises his eyebrows in response to her silence. “Who is the one asking for a favor, me or you?” At that, she actually looks away, turning her attention back to the mug of warm blood in her hands. “Thank you. Just let me do my job.”
“I’m sorry. But we just can’t risk …”
“I know what’s at risk.” Fate of the world, fate of the culebras, another big bad to destroy – he doesn’t know when this particular madness became his life, but it is now, and he’s doing the best he can with his limited human existence. “Just trust me.”
“You do realize that those are the three most ridiculous words you’ve said all afternoon.”
He huffs, before turning to face her more, tipping his head to the side. “Eventually you’re going to have to trust someone, Kisa.”
Kisa glances back at him curiously. “And what makes you say that?”
Seth swallows, before closing the curtains and making his way closer, resting his elbows on the back of the couch where she’s sitting. “Unless you decide to intentionally walk out into the sun, you’re going to be living a good long while. You can’t expect to do that alone and stay sane.”
“And what makes you think I need to trust someone in order to not be alone?”
“Because it’d be pretty shitty of you if you just expected other people to give and gave nothing back in return.”
She purses her lips again. “And why do you think I should trust you?”
“Honestly, I don’t have a good answer to that one. But you’re the one who keeps coming to us for help. There must be something you like about us.”
There’s an expression that tries to escape her steely exterior that might almost be a smile, but she reins it in, tipping her head to the side when she hears something moving. “Richard’s awake. We’re going to have to move soon.”
Seth huffs, before pulling back with a nod. “Yeah. Whatever you say.”
By the time the sun’s getting ready to rise, they’ve escaped the bank with minimal casualties, and the steel safety deposit box is resting in Kisa’s hands. Richie’s gone off to do whatever it is that Richie does, leaving the two of them alone in the motel room they commandeered. Seth watches her play with the edges of it, almost as though she’s tempted to open in, and he just watches her curiously over the top of his beer.
“So. What is this weapon of mass destruction?”
“It’s not a weapon,” she says quietly. “At least, not in it’s intention.”
One eyebrow raises as he goes to make his way closer. When he’s close enough she sighs, before flipping the top open to reveal a gold plated necklace, with metalwork that winds around a brilliant blue jewel.
“It’s a protection amulet. Spelled to protect the wearer from anything that might do them harm.”
Seth frowns, confused. “You’re right. I’m not sure how that’s a weapon.”
“For a culebra, that includes the sun.”
It takes a moment for her words to sink in, along with the message that she’s been giving since the moment she asked for their help. It’s too powerful if it falls into the wrong hands. If one of the more powerful or sadistic culebras got their hands on it, that means a lot of people could get hurt. But in Kisa’s hands …
“It needs to be destroyed.” Her words are sure, almost as though she can read his mind. “It’s too risky for even the most worthy of us to have it.”
“Even you, the one culebra people love as much as they fear?”
“It isn’t about love or fear. It’s about fairness.”
“You never wanted to be this, Kisa.”
“That doesn’t matter.”
Maybe in her mind, she’s killed and harmed enough innocents in her pursuits of revenge that she didn’t deserve it, but for the moment, Seth doesn’t care. He reaches into the box, taking the necklace in one hand before taking Kisa’s hand with the other.
“What are you doing?”
She doesn’t fight him, letting him pull her to the door, and he quickly drapes the necklace over her head before she can tell him no. She starts to protest, but he’s already quickly shoving her out the door into the sun. He watches her face as the sun caresses over her skin, feeling the heat of it, but not bursting into flame. Something in her face shatters, a small piece of that façade crumbling as she closes her eyes and tilts her face back into it, soaking up the early morning warmth. Seth just lingers at the door and watches her from the doorframe, letting her have the moment for as long as she’s willing to.
Eventually, her eyes do open, and her fingers come down to close around the necklace. Then, she turns back to Seth, and makes her way back into the motel room.
“You shouldn’t tempt me like that.”
“You’re welcome.”
She’s glaring at him again, but it doesn’t have the heat it normally does. Instead, she watches his face for a moment, before leaning in and kissing him soundly. He’s not expecting it, but melts into it all the same, one hand wandering to her waist lightly to keep her close. When she does break the kiss, she picks up his hand, taking the necklace and placing that in his hand.
“Make sure that goes somewhere no one else can find it.”
Seth swallows and nods. “I will.” She saunters away from him, heading back into the motel room, and his eyes follow her as he closes the door. “So are we going to talk about that –”
“Talk about what?” She asks, raising an eyebrow just outside the edge of the bathroom, but he can pick up something along the lines of amusement in her features. He raises an eyebrow in return, and he smirks. “Maybe I’m working on my trust issues,” she teases, before the bathroom door closes behind her.
Seth stares at the empty space left behind for a moment, before shaking his head. “Trust issues, my ass.”