((The following is a scene played out between Ashira and myself, edited and posted with permission.))

The moon had started its descent in the sky when Ashira rolled over wide-awake at an hour when most were asleep. She pushed the covers down, stretching in the luxuriously large bed before she pulled herself up and out of it. Fingers dropped to curl around the edge of the t-shirt she slept in to pull it over her head. Neatly, she folded the garment and placed it to rest on the foot of the bed before she bent to rummage through the messenger bag she had been carrying earlier.

A white button down was slid around her shoulders as nimble fingers rose to expertly button it up before she slid on an insanely short plaid skirt. Rising, she pulled two stockings out of the bag, and perching a petite foot on the bed, she slid the dark stocking up the creamy skin of a pale leg, followed by the other. Near complete, she finally reached down and slid a matching plaid tie about her neck before the messenger bag was once more slung over a shoulder. Twin high heels of black were dangling from her fingers as she cautiously pulled open the door to tiptoe down the hall.

The building was quiet everywhere else. As Ashira moved closer and closer to the living area, in which the hearth waited, she'd be able to hear voices. One was Varil's, the second that of a man. He sounded older, his voice hinting at the wheezes of old age. Varil stood in an opening where the hearth should have been, the man before him wearing a heavy black cloak. Coin was handed over to the elf by a withered hand in a large bag that jingled noisily. A few more words were exchanged, followed by a scroll of parchment. He took both of these, tying the bag around his belt before unrolling the parchment to look it over quickly.

The voices reached her ears as her footsteps paused, her back sliding along the wall silently as she slowed near the living area. Curiously, she slid her head around the doorway to peek into the room, her eyes falling on the hearth, which was now tilted, into the room. Varil stood in the shadows behind it, along with someone else. She shifted again, sliding a bit more into the room as she peered at the old man before quickly sliding herself back into the hallway.

The man glanced toward the door to the room suddenly, veiled eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Is there someone here...?" He asked Varil cautiously, leaning toward him. "A friend is in a guest room, but she's asleep." Varil replied, nodding toward the opening in the hearth. "I'll take care of this." He said, gesturing with the parchment. "Rest well. I'll contact you when it's done." The man bowed his head to Varil before stepping back into the hearth, which soon tilted again to close.

Ashira silently cursed in her head, flattening herself against the wall an inhaling sharply. She could make a dash for the front door, but she doubted she'd get that far. Stocking feet crept back down the hallway the way she came, the door to her room pushed open as she slipped inside quietly, fingers dropping to the knob as she turned to close it.

As the hearth closed, Varil turned and swept out of the room, pausing outside her door. Fingers caught the knob and pushed to open the door while he poked his head in. "You're supposed to be sleeping." He observed musingly. Pale grey eyes widened, lips forming an "oh" of surprise as the door swung inward toward her. "I...um....just woke up." She slid the heels behind her back, attempting to hide most of herself behind the door. "I thought I heard something."

He stepped into the room, peeking around the door. "Just woke up, hmm?" Varil asked suspiciously. She nodded again, keeping the shoes behind her, despite the outrageously inappropriate outfit, let alone the fact she was fully dressed at near 2am.

"The rain's stopped and I have to get my last errand done before morning."

"Your last errand requires you to dress like that?" He asked, motioning at her choice of attire.

"I have to deliver a message." Ashira replied, as always.

And why does your message delivery require you to dress like this" I've delivered a few messages with you before, and you were never dressed as such." He observed, arms crossing over his chest.

"A very precise message." She shot back, those pale eyes swirling dangerously between blue, grey and green. She straightened, still shorter than him, her lips pursing in slight annoyance despite the fact she still had one hand behind her back hiding the shoes. "A very well paying message."

"Last I saw, your messages were delivered generally with envelopes. You went, delivered, and left." He shrugged. "Not sure how that would require you to dress up as you have."

: "Same thing. Go, deliver and leave." She muttered, slipping past him to enter the hallway again, this time not so quietly as she started back down her path toward the front door.

"So many secrets." He mused, turning to follow her toward the door.

"It's not a secret." She sighed, pausing in the entryway to bend down and slide her heels on. "Not like clandestine meetings in fireplaces." She murmured to herself out of irritation before rising again to face him. "I have to go."

He paused, reaching out to catch her wrist then. "How much of that did you see and hear?"

She arched a brow as his fingers wrapped tightly around her wrist. She tugged, but his grip didn't loosen. "I don't know. You have to take care of something." Long lashes rose as she stared at him. "Why?" "Do not tell anyone." He cursed himself silently, shaking his head. "If he saw you..." He glanced out at the window before pulling her away from the door.

"What in the..." She nearly tumbled into his arms as she was pulled roughly away from the doorway. "I have to go!" She yelped, attempting to pull herself out of his grasp to stand.

"No." He turned, eyes narrowing. "You should have stayed in bed." Head shaking at her, Varil turned again to finish pulling her away. "You have no idea what you just saw, do you?"

"No." She agreed, the grip on her wrist like a vice as he pulled her into the hallway. "What' I'm sorry I got up?" She planted her feet, pulling on her arm. "I have a life too. I have to go out. I'll be back in less than an hour."

"He's an assassin." He hissed, leaning toward her as his voice dropped, almost as though they were being listened to. "And he's very particular about who sees him and who doesn't."

"So what the hell were you going to take care of?" She hissed back, despite the color draining from her face. "I wasn't seen."

"But you were heard." He shook his head, releasing her. "Be incredibly careful, he's dangerous. If he knows you saw him, he'll be angry. He's not the understanding type."

She nodded, absently rubbing her wrist as she straightened. "You didn't answer the question."

"I have a message to deliver." He replied vaguely, giving her just as much as she gave him.

She stared at him for a moment, the color returning to her face slowly. "Fine." She moved back toward the door. "I'll be careful."

"Come back after you're done." He said, following her toward the door again.

"If I don't get lost." She stepped out, turning down the street, the clicking of those heels falling quietly on the pavement before she disappeared around a corner.

Varil poked his head out the door to eye her retreating form, lips pursing into a thin line of worry before he retreated. Locking the door behind him, he turned to move quickly through his studio to gather a few things before heading out.

((The following is a scene played out between Anyxyl and myself, edited and posted with permission.))

He crouched on the edge of a roof, violet eyes keenly watching Ashira as she entered the building. When she stepped out and started toward his home again, Varil turned to slip ahead of her. He was nimble, his movements accentuated by the grace of his elven blood but amplified by another, less obvious and conventional means, that had him at the front door of his studio while she was about halfway there.

The heels clicked down the street as she approached the apartment, pale fingers uncurling from around her satchel to rap lightly on the door. The sun would be up in a few hours and she was tempted to head back to her own apartment to get a few hours of sleep, but curiosity got the better of her as she dropped her hand back to her side to wait.

The door opened as her knuckles met it, Varil stepping aside to let her in. "Come in." He said, bowing to her. "Did all go well?" She arched a brow at the bow, stepping up out of the street to slip past him into the apartment. "Yes." She replied somewhat hesitantly, her shoes slid off by the door, her bag slid over a shoulder to join them.

He closed the door behind her, the lock clicking into place while he motioned down the hall. "Care for a drink?" He asked, starting for the kitchen.

"If you're having one." Somewhat caught off guard, she followed him silently, wondering where the previous annoyance and anger had gone.

"Just tea." He explained, glancing over his shoulder at her. "Took some time to get that message. Was it far?"

"Not too far. On the outskirts." She answered. "And did you take care of whatever it is you needed to?" She retorted, somewhat annoyed but at the same time curious.

"No. It's still early. That won't be happening until sometime later in the afternoon." He replied, turning into the kitchen where a pot of tea waited.

"Oh?" She leaned a hip on the doorframe, arms crossing loosely. "That's convenient."

"How do you figure?" He asked, pouring a cup of tea before handing it over to her.

"Afternoons are usually slow." She reached out curling her fingers around the mug. "At least you don't have to go out at all hours of the night and day."

"That's because I don't have a regular means of employment." He turned to eye her after pouring his own cup, leaning to sit on the edge of the nearby table. "Neither do you, it seems."

She smirked, raising the tea to her lips for a short sip. "Regular" Not so much. Depends on how many people need messages delivered, which some days is no one."

"Not exactly what I meant." He replied, the cup pressing up against his lips for a sip. "What message requires you to be indoors for hours, dressed up and all?"

She sighed, shaking her head. "Seriously?" She grumbled. "I'm not the one meeting people in my fireplace. Shouldn't I be asking you about your business investments?"

"I'll tell you when you tell me."

Eyes narrowing, she set the mug down on the table on which he was perched. Spinning on a heel she stalked down the hallway to roughly yank open her bag, grabbing a single item before she re-entered the kitchen. The thick book slammed onto the table before she curled her fingers about her hips. "Happy?" She arched a single brow, lips pursing in annoyance.

(continuation..)

He led her down into a large and open chamber, walls lined with weapons, armors, and so on; much more than the practice room up stairs. There was a table to the left with vials and retorts, bubbling with oddly smelling substances, dummies set up in the corners with knives sticking from them from his last practice session, and a section of the room exclusively designed with summoning circles and other-similar markings.

"Not exactly?" She quietly squeaked, as she followed him deeper underground, silently cursing herself for not wearing shoes. It was damn cold. She drew her arms around herself as the ended in the room, her eyes quickly scanning the surroundings. "So.....?"

She glanced at the one side with the weapons and the other with the strange markings. "Yo told me you had a thing for weapons....and I'm presuming that's for the magic?" She pointed a single finger before curling her arms again.

He walked across the room to the wall opposite them, fingers brushing against the stone. There was another grating sound as a piece of the wall slid to the side, revealing a door wrought with designs of blades and effigies of death. "I'm an assassin."

She watched in silence, her arms curling tighter around herself as she took a few steps back toward the stairs. "A what?" She muttered, fingers reaching behind her to feel the wall.

"I am paid." He explained, turning to lean against the door. "To eliminate problem people within the realm."

"Eliminate?" She reached out another hand, a stocking foot finding the lowest stair. "So that's why you were meeting....who was it' What if you decide ..." She kept talking, words tumbling from her lips. "So what?s to stop you from eliminating me?"

"I don't go kill random people at my pleasure. Or my employers wish." He replied, shaking his head. "I choose my contracts and I stick toward the corrupt and wicked more than the innocent and unfortunate."

She stopped in her attempted escape, still wary. "So that makes it better" Because you think they're evil, it's easier to kill someone?" She shook her head, reaching up to pinch the bridge of her nose. "This is incredible."

"I kill criminals who are tried and found not-guilty because of all the lawmen they have in their pockets. I silence the leaders of dangerous cults and corrupt politicians. I eliminate kings and tyrants who take advantage of their people."

She stared at him for a moment before she turned, marching back up the steps toward the fireplace. "Eliminate. There's your favorite word again." She swore, reaching down to rub at her foot as she stubbed a toe on one of the hard steps. Muttering obscenities that normally she would've blushed at, she slipped back through the fireplace into the living room. "And here you are, following me and questioning me, but you're the one who goes around eliminating people. Unbelievable."

He followed her back up quickly, slipping out after her. "Ashira. I followed you because I feared for your safety." Varil explained, his head shaking. "The man you saw is much colder than I, those who serve him far more ruthless. They kill without care as to who is or isn't deserving. You may be a target."

"Oh' A target' Why because I was here with another assassin?" She threw her hands up in exasperation before they fell onto her hips.

"Because you saw him." He snapped suddenly. "He does not like to be seen. He's a very secretive man."

"Maybe you shouldn't be conducting business when there are other people in the house." She yelled back.

"Maybe those people should warn me when they plan on getting up and leaving at two in the morning." He countered. "And I can't cancel an appointment at such a short notice. It's not as simple as that."

"Cancel an appointment.." She snorted, shaking her head again. "So what now" Does he know who I am?"

"Doubtful. I don't even know that he saw you for sure. But if he did, there's a chance my home is being watched for you. It will take time, but I believe I can clear this up."

"And what am I supposed to do until then?"

"Be incredibly careful."

"Fine." She blinked slowly, looking across the room at him for a moment. "I will be. Is that it?"

"College kids with crazy hours." She replied, shrugging a single shoulder in response.

"Because even if I told you, you'd still be asking the same questions. Why at 2 am' Why in this?" She sighed, pushing off the table to rise, flickering a glance at him before she turned down the hallway, quietly making her way back to where she had dropped her bag on the way in.

"I'd be asking a bit less. So why the lies?"

"I thought you'd ask a bit less seeing as how you followed me." She paused, the strap dangling from her fingers as she chewed on a lower lip, the color of her eyes seeming to swirl and change in mere seconds. With a incoherent mutter, she lifted the bag up off the floor and carried it back into the room, dumping it unceremoniously onto the couch.

Her hands dropped down to the bag, one hand sliding the cover open while the other delved into the contents. "I deliver messages. Sometimes very specific messages that pay extremely well." She explained, why' She wasn't even sure. It just seemed reciprocal after what she had just learned. A box was plucked from the bag, large enough for a piece of jewlery. Nimble fingers moved to flip open the lid, a bejeweled necklace glittering in the light of the room.

"This was the message I was paid to deliver. This, to the owner, was priceless, but apparently she or he must have ticked someone off enough they wanted to send a certain kind of message."

"You were supposed to deliver a necklace?" He asked, crossing the room to perch on the edge of the table across from her while he inspected the necklace. "Or was your message to take it?"

"Take it." She replied quietly, quickly shutting the box and dropping it back into her bag.

"So you're a thief." He leaned forward, elbow propped on his leg.

"At times." She nodded, still keeping her eyes down as she closed the bag.

"Full of secrets, you and I." He laughed then.

"Apparently." She replied quietly, smiling ever so slightly. "Except mine doesn't involve elimination."

He shrugged at her then. "No. It doesn't. It's how I started out, though."

She raised her gaze to look at him. "Oh, so now you're saying my next step is killing people?" She laughed . "I don't think so."

"No. I'm just pointing something out. Something about my younger years."

"That you stole" Is this supposed to make me feel better in some strange way?"

"Nope." He laughed again.

Despite the mixed emotions of the moment she smiled, shifting to lean a hip against the back of the couch as her hands came to rest on the top of it. "So what exactly are you getting at?"

"Absolutely nothing." He shrugged. "Just came to my mind."

The sun peeked through the curtains, bright rays falling across the bed and causing Ashira to blink rapidly. With a slight groan, she rolled over, pulling the covers up around herself in attempt to block out the daylight. With a start, she sat up, peering at the bed next to her. Empty.

She lifted the covers next to peer down at herself, blushing a deep scarlet at her lack of clothing before falling back down and throwing the covers over her head. Definitely not a dream.

With a peek over the rim of the blankets, she quickly slipped out, bare feet padding rapidly across the bedroom floor as she nearly ran into the bathroom. Her clothes were pulled from the tub, now completely dry, and laid on the floor as she started the shower, nearly drowning herself in the steam of the hot water. She scrubbed herself until she was pink, the water shut off as she stepped out to towel dry and dress.

She draped her used towel over the tub, moving back out into the bedroom to make the bed. Satisfied, she tugged her hoodie over her shoulders, stepping into the ballet flats she had abandoned the day before. Her other belongings were shoved haphazardly into the satchel near the door before she hesitantly pulled it open, sticking her head around into the hallway. The smell of breakfast caused her stomach to rumble in protest. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the hallway and made her way to the kitchen. Her hands were shoved deep into the pockets of her jeans as she leaned a shoulder on the doorframe.

"Morning."

Varil stood in the kitchen over the stove with a few pans in front of him, one sizzling and popping with strips of bacon, the second with chopped hasbrowns, and the last with an egg hovering over it, gripped carefully between his fingers. He'd heard her when she went to shower and tossed a quick glance over his shoulder at her as she took up her lean in the doorway. "Morning. How do you like your eggs?"

She blushed slightly, her thoughts wandering elsewhere for the briefest of moments before she refocused, her stomach growling again. "Doesn't matter. I just like breakfast in general." She replied with a smile. "I'm never awake for it."

"Have a seat, then." He said, motioning to the small table nearby while he cracked the egg and a few others over the edge of the pan.

She nodded, pushing off the wall to cross the kitchen, slipping into one of the chairs and curling her fingers around one of the tea-mugs already steaming on the table. She looked up at the stove, shaking her head with a grin. "You weren't kidding about knowing how to cook breakfast."

"I enjoy cooking. It's very rewarding." He glanced over at her, laughing quietly. "Sleep well?" Hopefully without fears of assassins. He turned again, grabbing a fork to start scooping up strips of bacon, depositing them on a nearby plate.

She blushed deeply at his question of sleep, the mug raised quickly to her lips in attempt to hide the flush on her face. She nodded silently, lowering the mug to the table. "Mmhmm."

"Good." A hand abandoned his task for a moment, lifting to open a cabinet overhead. He withdrew a pair of empty plates, setting them in a stack nearby.

She reached out, grabbing the pans off the stove to clean them, smiling slightly to herself. "Do you always have to paint people's faces?" She asked absently, scrubbing at the pan before putting it next to the sink to dry.

"Could paint you from the back." He offered, standing to pick his plate up and headed for the sink.

She cracked up laughing, a loud melodious tone bubbling from her lips, her hands falling into the sink. Shaking her head, she reached back into the sink to finish the last pan, still chuckling quietly before she reached out for his plate.

He quirked a brow at her as he took a lean against the counter, leaning to deposit his plate in the sink. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing." She grinned, scrubbing at the plate and placing it with the others before she turned off the water and dried her hands.

"No who's lying?" He snorted, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Am not." She responded, the inside of her cheek taken hostage by her teeth to keep from laughing again. Instead she leaned a hip on the counter, watching him in return.

"And she does it again." He said, smirking. "Care to share?"

"Nope." She winked, sliding past him to head back down the hall and grab her bag. Sliding it over her shoulder, she rounded the corner back to the kitchen, tripping over her feet as she stumbled backwards to stop herself from colliding with him. He had started to follow her out of the room. "Mm-hmm. Right. So what were you laughing for?"

A brow shot up in question before she smiled, dimples appearing on each cheek. "I was just laughing. Is that not allowed?"

"Of course it's allowed." He snorted, eyeing her suspiciously. "But I like to know what caused it."

"You." She responded matter-of-factly. "Are you escorting me home or am I on my own in the big, bad Marketplace?" She teased, dropping her hands into her pockets again and rocking back on her heels.

"I'll be escorting you while I try and come up with a way to get you to stay for another few days." He said, motioning her down the hall.

She laughed, turning to walk down the hall toward the door. "I can't just hole myself up in here. All my stuff is at home."

"I imagine that's easy to remedy." He countered, pausing by the door to tug his boots on.

She arched a brow, crossing her arms loosely as she watched him. "So you think."

"Oh' You think it wouldn't be?" He quirked a brow at her while unlocking the door.

"Nope." She slid past him, brushing lightly against him as she squeezed between him and the door. "I happen to like my closet of an apartment."

He laughed and stepped out after her, closing and locking the door. "Regardless. I think you'd be safer here for a while."

"Oh?" She walked backwards, facing him for a moment. "I'd probably be just as safe if you stayed at my place too, you know." She paused, sliding to walk next to him, her eyes drifting to the surrounding buildings.

"Is that so?" He asked while he started off toward her home. "I disagree."

Ashira rolled over in her sleep, grumbling something inaudible at the sudden lack of warmth as she pulled a pillow toward her. She drifted back to sleep, arms entwined around the pillow, but only for a few moments before a loud howl woke her from her sleep. She rubbed at her eyes, glancing at the empty bed next to her.

What in the world"

She sat up slowly, her eyes adjusting to the dim room as she drew the pillow toward her like a shield. "No no no.." she muttered, her eyes darting around the bedroom. Not again. she thought. I'm not having this again.

She pushed aside the blankets, her bare feet finding the floor. The coldness of the wood jolted her awake as she crossed to the wardrobe, reaching in to "borrow" a dagger. As quiet as possible she tip-toed down the hall, the sounds of bodies falling and grappling reaching her ears as she peeked a head around to the guest room.

Her bed lay in tatters, feathers fluttering from wounded pillows, the sheets lying in shreds and hanging limply off the side of the bed. She grimaced, her eyes falling onto the man that Varil was holding prisoner.

"Xamar." The assassin all but screamed, head falling back in defeat. "Xamar sent me, yes."

Ashira's eyebrows rose as she inhaled sharply, clutching the dagger in her fingers so tightly her knuckles were drained of all color. Who the hell was Xamar" Why the hell did he send someone to kill her?

She pushed away from the wall, bare legs carrying her quickly through the doorway and into the room. Her eyes were narrowed dangerously as she stalked toward the two men in silence before she dropped down and slammed the knife into the man's throat.

Wet, sticky blood spurted toward her fingers, dripping down her wrist as she stood there for a long moment in silence, simply staring at the hilt protruding from his bleeding neck.

Without a word, she took a few steps back and slid down the wall with a shudder. She drew her legs up to her chest, encircling them with her arms before her head fell onto her knees.

(RP between Lux and Ashira. Posted with permission)

Varil escorted Ashira home, the walk in silence. Every now and then he would gently place a hand on her arm to guide her around a corner, his eyes piercing the darkness for any sign of a moving shadow. She dug a hand into her pocket, fishing out the key. "Thanks for walking me home." She said, quietly, as she slid the key to unlock the door and push it open.

"You're welcome. ...just, be careful." Kean responded before she stepped inside, gave him a small smile and closed the door behind her.

Her fingers slipped out to lock it before she shrugged off her cloak in the small entryway. Sliding her flats off she padded into the bedroom, noting the lumps under the comforter outlining Lux's form. She slid onto the bed, allowing the quiet tears to finally fall as she snuggled next to her roommate.

Ash had to do better then that, no matter how languid and lazy Lux was, she was always in tune with her surroundings and the moods of her friend. If misery could have a scent, Ashira would be painted with it. Voice soft, thick with the rumbled growl. It was harder to mask what she was in such hours. "What's wrong?" A move toward the woman if only to offer that ever present warmth. Lux after all was near a natural inferno.

Ashira sniffled, shaking her head as she reached a hand up to wipe her face, her voice near whispers. "It's happening again." She buried her head in a pillow, thick waves tumbling as if to hide her.

"What is happening again?" that thick rumble of words was slowly prowling into a soft growl. Pushing up slowly to her elbows, Lux had a feeling but she didn't wish to make assumptions. She reached out to brush the waves of hair from Ashira's face.

"Venice." She whispered with a tumble of tears as she peered up at Lux. "Someone's trying to kill me." She wasn't making much sense, but she knew Lux would get the point. She sniffed again, wiping at her tears as she pushed to sit up, her back against the headboard and a pillow curled in her arms.

Lux's back went rigid then with a grit of teeth. Near steel rather then supple curves was the Grimalkin at the moment. "That's not going to happen again, Ash. Not over my dead body." Breathing out a sigh her fingertips roamed through the waves of hair in soothing caresses.

"I killed him." Ashira nearly moaned, shaking her head as she lowered her face into the pillow. Her shoulders rose and fell with the deep breaths before she lifted her head to peer at Lux again. "He came into Kean's house and tried to kill me..but I wasn't sleeping in the bed. There were...feathers and torn sheets everywhere." She shuddered. "Kean heard him and got him to say who hired him and I just.....killed him." The tears rolled down her cheeks again. "But the man who hired him is still out there!"

"You killed him..." A faint moan, hardly of judgment but Lux sat up with a scowl. "That's my obligation here Ashira, you're not the one that's supposed to have the blood on your hands. You got....things left to live for, a promise. Me....well..." A sigh. "He should have taken better care of you. I'm going to hang him..." A dark mutter, the snarl something feral and wild in her throat.

"It's not really his fault.." She started, pausing, almost stammering. "I got up to run an errand. " She sniffled a last time, long fingers brushing away her tears. "He was having a ...meeting....and I was heard." She sighed. "And now I'm hunted." She shook her head knowing she wasn't making much sense out loud, but somehow comforted that Lux would understand. She always made sense of Ashira's ramblings.

(taken from live rp between Lux and Ashira)

"I can't help the way I feel." Ashira shook her head. "I haven't said anything." She pointed out. "But it's been so long, Lux...how long do we have to run" I'm tired of it! I know you are too, despite what you say." A turn of head away, frowning as she moved to get out of the bed. Lux began that restless pacing. "You're meant for the happy ever after, Ash. Not me. If I stop....I'll know that." Quietly, a fold of arms over her chest. Ashira tossed the pillow on the bed, staring at Lux. "You wouldn't have made ....friends.....with Alex if you didn't want to stop running, Lux." She crossed her arms loosely. "You don't make friends." That pacing stopped and a faint snarl at that. Those arms unfolding from her chest and one hand curled into a fist, a turn on her heel and that fist smashed just inches from where Ash set on the bed, striking the wall hard. The crack of bones and the scent of blood was an audible and visible thing. Those upturned pools of Persian emerald held a feral glow. "He's not my friend." A quiet snarl. "I don't....care. If it wasn't for you....I would be long gone by now." Ashira sat there stoically, barely blinking as the woman's fist slammed into the wall inches from her head. Years of dealing with Lux and her moods had made Ashira accustomed to the other woman's actions. "Don't lie to me Lux." She hissed, warningly. "You made a friend." The last word was emphasized as she crossed her arms to stare, pale eyes swirling dangerously grey. "And you can't keep blaming me. You can leave whenever you want. You know that." "If I leave....I don't have anything." A mutter, growling that raw revelation as she pulled her hand from the wall. Hardly a wince, the pain brought her some clarity. Then a sigh. "I'm not supposed to care, Ashira...not about him..not about the dandelion..not about any of them save for you. You're the only one that stuck around. The rest....it's a joke to pretend..." Ashira reached out, fingers curling tightly around the other woman's arm as she yanked her onto the bed. "It's not a joke, Lux, it's just how you are." She shook her head, reaching out to grab the other woman's hand as she slid open a drawer in the nightstand. Years of practice had the drawer stocked with rubbing alcohol and bandages, both of which Ashira quickly put to use. "You know I'll stick around, regardless of where you go...WE go." she sighed. "But now I've gone and caused a whole new set of problems..." She frowned, finishing to place the bandage around Lux's hand. "By simply caring, when I shouldn't." She sighed, slamming the drawer shut. "Damn it." "I should've run and no looked back when he said the word 'assassin'." Ashira snorted, laughing at the irony of it all. "It is alright....you know...I should have run the first time....I found someone like me." Someone that understood. Save for Ash. A look down to the bloody and broken knuckles. Knowing that give it a few hours she would heal. Barely audible she slumped down on the bed. "I'm tired of hiding what I am..." A mumble. "He makes it seem so easy." Ashira peered as Lux fell over, her nerves causing her to outright laugh. "Oh. My. God." She stated, reaching down to poke Lux. "You really DID make a friend!" She fell over next to Lux, curling an arm under her head. "So you're not going to kill Kean?" She questioned. "Not until he opens his mouth and really pisses me off." A low chuckle, rumbling a purr. Expression going sour at the mention of a friend....Lux didn't have 'friends' she had....people she left behind. A curl in against the other woman. Sighing. Ashir wrapped an arm around Lux, knowing exactly what the woman was thinking. They weren't the type to make friends; because no one ever came with them. She sighed, running a hand through Lux's thick hair. "What now?"