let it burn [riley/muffs]

[Kato Maximus Leonitus]

[bg=ffcc66][atrb=border,0,table][atrb=width,410,table] Where were you when our hearts were bleeding Where were you when it all crashed down breath

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It had been just like every other morning. He’d sat bolt upright in bed, hand reaching out as though he could grab onto a hand that wasn’t there to begin with or as though he was trying to reach out and grab the flames that danced just in front of him and pull them away like a shroud. He sucked in deep breaths of fresh air, still tasting that acid smoke born of the flames that lapped at his childhood home and consumed it before he could even react or try and save those that he cared for most. He scrubbed large, scarred hands over his stubble covered jaw, trying to wipe away the remnants of the nightmare. He could still smell it, the smell of burning flesh and wood, it burned his nostrils and he rose from the bed swiftly, stripping it of the sweat soaked sheets and tossed them into the dirty laundry basket resting by the door. Once more, he would have to wash them to get rid of the smell of fear and sweat and it shamed him to think that after all these years, he was still trying to come to terms with the pain that haunted him.

I turned from the bed, shaking my head and trying to understand why these nightmares only seemed to get worse rather than better over time. My therapist had said they would get better, but it seemed that he was wrong, again. I stripped out of my boxers before flipping the shower on with a casual hand and leaned back against the vanity, head back and just breathing, eyes shut to block out the florescent light of the bathroom. The warm fog from the shower spread, coating the mirror and making it impossible for someone to see their reflection and I shoved off of the skin and turned towards the shower once more, pulling the glass door open and stepping into the steaming shower, which felt good against my tense muscles. The water streamed down my back, running into the grooves created by the muscles and I tilted my head back and allowed it to drench my dark hair, plastering it to my neck, forehead and the sides of my head. I groaned it was like a soul cleansing experience, washing away the after taste of a nightmare. The water sloshed over my shoulders as I leaned back slightly, raising my hands over my head and pressing them into the ceiling.

Grabbing my body wash, I ran it over every last inch of me, cleaning away the nightmare with a long drawn in breath, only releasing it as I went to get more soap. I shifted my stance, taking a step back to lather shampoo into my hair and washing it out quickly and efficiently. The suds ran down over me and I wished my memories could follow the flow of those suds. Leaning forward, I shut the water off and stood there, dripping wet for a moment and then reached out of the shower to grab a towel. I dried my body before stepping out and vigorously scrubbing my hair dry. Still drying my hair, I walked back out to my bedroom and over to my dresser, pulling out jeans and a black t-shirt which I pulled on, for going underwear today. I needed to do laundry as it was no need to add another pair to the pile that was already waiting for me. Shaking my head, I pulled on socks and my boots before grabbing my keys off the table and heading out.

As I drove, I took in the world around me, the people passing by and waving to one another in greeting and I missed it, but knew it was something I could never have again, there was too much risk. I swallowed slowly, realizing I was doing exactly what I wasn’t supposed to be doing. I was meeting up with this kid I’d met at the lake and that was just stupid on his part and foolish on mine to have agreed to this meeting. Shit, I was liable to either kick his ass or crave friendship from him and that was a danger in and of itself. Still, I couldn’t turn back now and that was why, when I reached the lake, I ended up sitting at the edge of the water, boots and socks next to me and trying to sort through my thoughts which never led anywhere good. The nightmare lingered and I wondered if it was a side effect of my meeting today. Probably, I was a bit off in the head and anything could trigger those unwanted dreams that lingered and swayed just in front of my eyes. Damn the need to sleep.

The slow lap of water, it was soothing and yet aggravating at the same time. I wanted to throw something into the water and make it ripple and quiver, splashing towards the sky before raining down on itself and interrupting the gentle push and pull of the tide, but I didn’t. I sat with my hands resting on the ground and my knees bent, leaning back slightly and just staring out over the water with dark eyes. I let out a slow breath and shut my eyes for a moment, only to have them snap open. I didn’t like it when the sun was so bright, slowing behind my closed eyelids. I saw things I didn’t want to see and seeing those things made my heart constrict and ache and grow painfully tight. I reached up a hand, dusting it off on my jeans before I ran long fingers though my hair, pushing it off my forehead and out of my eyes. No matter how bright the sun, I didn’t wear sunglasses and I sure didn’t shade my eyes against the blaze even as it warmed my already slightly tanned skin. No matter how beautiful the day, I just couldn’t take joy from it and I couldn’t just leave, I had to wait for that kid. What was his name again anyways?

Never thought that you'd deceive me
Where are you now

• complete: yes • muse: good • comments: none • word count: 1018

KATO MAXIMUS LEONITUS

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[Mackenzie Riley Dayne]

A movement on the very edge of his peripheral vision made him turn his head to the left just in time to realize it was his father and not some psycho. As the hands closed on his body protector and tugged him forcibly from saddle, the blonde gave a grunt and tensed stiffly. "I know you miss this but you're meant to be with the family," Was the reason his father gave him as he simply tucked him under his arm much like one would to a suitcase. It was an automatic response for the young adult to instantly go all but limp in the grasp around him. He didn't like hitting the ground. He didn't like being dropped and as much as he trusted his father to not drop him, he wasn't willing to bet that one of his obnoxious relatives wouldn't ambush them the moment they were in the backyard. The only tension in his otherwise limp body was caused by him drawing his splinted wrist into his sternum and cradling it there against the risk of fall. "You were also meant to look nice for them. I know you don't mind smelling like horse and sweat but the family does," His father told him and the only reply Riley had was to give a hearty eye roll and snort. It was true that he didn't care about smelling like the thoroughbreds that he so loved. He didn't care that the second he took his helmet off his hair would start to dry and stiffen in unkempt tufts. His relatives could stuff it for all he cared.

After what felt like an eternity, the blonde was placed on his feet gently by his father who then stood and looked down on him. "I'm not being pleasant," He announced snottily while giving a hard glare up at his dad through the dark shades of his sunglasses. It didn't take a genius to figure out that his dad wasn't able to see the expression that he was receiving but the jockey trusted in the older mans ability to gauge the kind of spiteful look he was being given. "And I'm not changing," The blonde told him while turning towards the gate that led into the backyard and the irritating patrons. Removing his helmet, he draped it on a fence post by the strap while carefully carding his fingers through his hair. So maybe he wasn't helping his helmet hair in the slightest but he wasn't trying to be presentable. He had nothing to prove to the people who mingled beyond the gate. Not a single thing. He gave a huff through his nose in the same instant that he threw open the wooden gate so that it thudded loudly against the railings behind it. The noise was enough to draw an extended silence out of his chattering family members and for a split second he regretted having brought their attention onto him. Riley visibly drew himself up further into his naturally straight posture as if to ward off any sort of verbal attacks that he knew were bound to start.

"Vest," Came the friendly reminder to his left and he didn't need to turn his head to know that his Uncle Vinnie had been the one to speak. In three practiced motions, the small adult unzipped the body protector and dropped it off his shoulders backwards before bringing it around so he could toss it off to the side with little care for where it landed. The hand on his shoulder made him turn his head to his uncle and he had to resist the urge to scowl when he saw the clearly displeased expression the almost as short man wore on his face. "You're supposed to go sit with your aunt and uncle, Mac." Everything was made clear in that simple sentence. He didn't reply to his uncle and instead shot a glare at his dad before stalking across the yard and dropping heavily onto the bench of the picnic table beside his aunt. He preferred the woman over the man she was married to and to her children. At the thought of the brats, he gave a look around while letting himself be pulled against his aunt in a one armed hug. For the briefest of moments he had hope that her heathens had been left at home but his hopes were crushed in mere seconds when all three of his cousins dropped onto the bench with him. "One of you move. Now," He barked at them in an irritated voice which earned him a look from his uncle. It was easy to tell that the man was new to the family and still hadn't quite adjusted to the fact that relatives weren't exempt from Riley's gruff ways. No sooner did one cousin move away from his left side did the remaining two scoot themselves back up against him. Without needing to, he picked up his spoon in his dominant hand and feigned a look of pure innocence as he drove his left elbow into his cousins own arm. He was reward almost instantly with a sharp, pained gasp and a wounded glare. "Now move down unless you want that the entire meal," Was his advice as he tried to conceal a smirk. Sometimes it was hard being left handed at a table with his right handed family who insisted on bunching up on him. He wished they were all as smart as his father and Uncle Vinnie. He also wished that they visited less often.

The meal had just been served and, for the most part, Riley felt that things were going well. The only person at the table to talk to him was his aunt and even she had only asked him the basic questions. She had always fed his ego with compliments on his riding. He could only assume that his father had showed her a video or had told her about his improvements. After all, he was certain that she hadn't been out at the track earlier when he had been exercising one of the facilities horses. It was as he went to bring another spoonful of potatoes to his mouth that all heck broke loose. "Dad!" The young adult all but shrieked as he pushed himself up from the table roughly. He gave little attention to the fact that he knee'd his cousin in the rib cage. He also ignored the way that his aunt was suddenly apologising with every word she had in her vocabulary. "Uncle Vinnie!" He shouted as he took two steps back, shot his now nervous looking uncle a hard glare and then turned to find the men in question already at his back. "I'm not dealing with him making snide little homophobic comments. I'm leaving, now." His voice came out controlled despite the fact that his emotions were anything but. It was his Uncle Vinnie who came forward to take him by the shoulders and actually make him walk away from the scene. Riley knew that his dad would make sure the offender was given a stern talking to and most likely asked to leave but he couldn't help turning and adding his two sense. "And I want him gone by the time I get back," The gate slamming behind him effectively cut out the low hum of the party that he happily left behind. The party was shut out even further as he hauled himself up into the cab of the truck and it rolled away from the scene. The entire ride was spent in silence aside from the blonde speaking up to tell the ex-jockey where exactly it was he wanted to go.

The truck finally rolled up to a stop at the lake and Riley dropped out of the truck with learned grace. He started towards the back of the man he had been set to meet when his uncles voice made him turn to acknowledge him. "Mac, call me when you're ready to come home and don't hurt yourself," The nod he had started to give quickly turned into an eye roll and he threw up a hand in a parting wave to the driver. As soon as the vehicle disappeared around the bend in the road, he returned to his short trek to the waters edge and the person sitting alongside it. Without a word in greeting, he deposited his weight heavily onto the ground a few feet from the ferrier in the shade. A slew of very ungentleman like curses were exhaled as he set to work on pulling his old jockey boots off by the heel and flipping them off to his side. In hindsight, he should've changed before he left for the lake but he had been much too angry to even consider the fact that riding boots and breeches weren't exactly the best things to wear in the great outdoors. He gave little to no thought towards the comfort level of the man who sat on the bank in the sun. Instead, he thought only of himself as he pulled his legs out of the breeches and rolled them up to lay them on top of his boots. As if he wasn't exposed enough, he pulled his arms out of the long sleeves of his spandex under shirt and pushed it up until it was loose around his neck and sagging against his narrow shoulders. Only once he was stretched comfortably against the cool grass did he finally turn his attention onto Leon. "Yo," Riley greeted him simply while scratching his chin with a short fingernail. He could feel the grit of dirt under the nail and knew only too well that his typically pale face was tanned from the track dirt. He didn't care though because he wasn't trying to impress anyone. He didn't need to impress anyone.

tagged - Kato/Elise~
comments - none
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[Kato Maximus Leonitus]

[bg=ffcc66][atrb=border,0,table][atrb=width,410,table] Where were you when our hearts were bleeding Where were you when it all crashed down breath

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My hands brushed over the sand under me, curling around it and letting it slide though my fingers when I lifted it up. There was an almost bored look to my features, something that most wouldn’t realize was just me going off and dreaming. I didn’t seem like the daydreaming sort, but after my night, all I wanted to do was get lost in my mind and find a happier place where things didn’t eat away at me, chipping off bits and pieces of my sanity. I’d once been told that I was going to go insane if I kept letting the past eat at me, by my therapist none the less and I’d just shrugged him off. Now, though, I was starting to believe him. How much of this could one person take? I knew eventually, I would suffer the consequences of letting it get this bad. Maybe I should have listened to them and allowed them to prescribe me the medication that would have allowed me to sleep and kept the dreams at bay, but no, I was much too stubborn and more often than not, believed that one person’s will was enough to guide them from the path of destruction.

I was on that path now, falling head over heels down it and I knew that unless I did something about it and that something did no appeal to me in the least. I raked a hand though my hair and grumbled to myself, hating that I was like this, hating that I go so wrapped up in my own mind that I wanted to nothing more, but drown myself in the pristine water before me. That was the cowards way out though and I wasn’t a coward, never had been. I was a cut-throat, ruthless and powerful or at least I had been once upon a time. I could still be that person when I wanted to be; I could still snarl and take someone out with a heartless slash of my hand on the side of their head. I knew I was a big guy and I used it to my advantage for a very long time, now though, I didn’t do such things, I was a big guy, I would always be there was no changing that. Letting out a sigh, I flopped backwards, looking up at the clear blue eyes, eyes narrowed against the glare of light.

The wheels of a vehicle churning against the ground and I tilted my head to the side ever so slightly, but saw nothing and thus, shrugged it off. Who knew what it was, maybe just someone pulling over for a moment to check something and pulled away or that’s what I told myself anyways. I laid there a moment longer, just looking up at the cloudless blue sky, catching the rays of the sun as they showered down on the shimmering surface of the lake and once more, I wanted to break that still water once more, make it feel as broken apart as I did in this moment. This was no way to meet with someone and I almost thought about leaving and just not saying anything. I was a fool, doing things that I typically didn’t do. If I was meeting someone, I wouldn’t normally have met them at the lake, I would have met them at their home, but at the same time, I didn’t know what I was meeting him for or maybe I did and I just couldn’t remember what it was. I needed to start paying better attention. I was going to make a fool of myself.

Hearing the rustle of fabric, I twisted my head around once more and sat up quickly, going on the offensive. Dark eyes scanned about until I stopped him and felt my face heat. What in the name of… What was that boy doing? And then it hit me, oh it was hot, he was wearing breeches. At least that was the excuse I gave as he came towards me and plopped down with a rather interesting greeting. I raised an eyebrow in deep confusion for a moment and then shook it away, “Hello.” I answered him back, eyes averted as I stared out over the water that still continued to lap lightly at the water. I reached up a hand and rubbed the back of my neck before I looked back at him with a rather guilty look on my face, “I hate to say this, but I seem to have forgotten your name. Mind reminding me of it?” I smiled cheekily, that guilty look still lingering in my eyes, but that roguish smile took the edge off of the look, making me look as though I didn’t really care about his reaction, or at least I hoped so.

Never thought that you'd deceive me
Where are you now

• complete: yes • muse: good • comments: none • word count: 806

KATO MAXIMUS LEONITUS

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[Mackenzie Riley Dayne]

Dealing with people was a tedious affair. It took sophistication and well groomed manners. Both of which he believed he had. It also took patience and tolerance. Neither of which he knew he had. The crucial time in his life when he should have learned how to interact with children his own age had long passed. In all reality, Riley had never stood a chance at learning how to get along with people. His father had kept him home for his education and had hired private tutors. The only people he had learned to associate with were cool and dignified. Dare he say, almost regal. Instead of learning how to carry on a pointless conversation with another, he had learned how to get straight to the point and to what he wanted. He'd learned that almost anything could be attained through hard work or asking daddy. Oh, he had learned some responsibility but it had been for himself and his animals. It hadn't taught him to take responsibility for his own actions though. At the mere age of nine he had, in his own opinion, perfected the art of throwing another person under the bus if it meant he was going to get away with little to no punishment for his wrong doings. Of course his father had corrected him for things that were extremely out of line and had the possibility to mold the young child into a criminal when he was younger but the minor, easily forgiven things were let to slide. It was only once the young man had started to help his dad and uncle to train young thoroughbreds that he had realised his father had 'trained' him the same way. Behaviors like biting and pulling were left to slide so long as the beloved animals exhibited a willingness to learn to stand quietly for grooming, vetting and the ferrier. Head tossing, bucking and being all together stubborn were forgiven as long as they ran and listened to their riders when the time came. Riley had realised his father left the small things go in hopes that bigger problems that would result in expulsions or jail time would be all together avoided. And it had worked, even if it had turned the blonde into a mouthy, arrogant brat.

A pleased sigh was given as he nestled his bare back into the cool grass below. The sun had never been a favourite thing of his. Its rays turned him redder than a lobster with ease and made him much too stiff to comfortably fold himself into a the correct posture for anything but hunter under saddle. Sunburn had ruined his plans one too many times for him to willingly sit out in the sun like his tanned companion. A low groan rumbled in the back of his throat with the effort to roll himself off his back and onto his stomach so that he could actually see the dark haired man in the right angle. As much as he loved staring at people upside down, he really didn't want to. Not to mention he wasn't entirely sure he was ready to show off his flat, toned stomach anymore than he already had. The self centered boy hadn't even stopped to consider the fact that, just maybe, the man hadn't even looked at him; much less notice his physique. It was habit for him to think in different terms concerning his body though. He was used to being uncomfortable in his own skin when it came to the muscling he unhappily possessed. Most men his age were proud to flash a set of abs. Most men twice his age were even happier to be able to flash the same feature. Heck, his dad even went as far as to joke that he wished had been shorter just to become a jockey so he could've had the body that developed from all the work. Jockeying was a sport after all and, as with any sport, there was a lot of time, conditioning, hard work and sweat put into it. A lot of sweat, actually. Grimacing, Riley pulled his fingers through his stiff hair in an attempt to convince it that laying down was a good option. His attempts were futile though and only made the blonde mop more of a mess.

The deep voice of the ferrier pulled the young adult back to the surface of his mind and far away from his own unhappiness over his muscling. A critical eye was put on the man and the easiest thing for him to pick out was the fact that he was absolutely fit. Any person in their right mind would have been at least a bit intimidated by the fact but Riley merely scoffed at the idea of fearing someone, or something, bigger than him. A lot of things made the cut, after all, and he had little time for worrying about what could hurt him. His shaded eyes followed the hand that was brought to the back of Leon's neck before being drawn to the look of guilt on his face. It found it odd but didn't try to figure out why the man would be feeling guilty in the slightest until he finally opened his mouth. Instantly, blonde eyebrows quirked up and a whuff of air was expelled sharply as he tried to keep himself from scoffing too loudly. "Well bless your heart," The southerner drawled while bringing a sarcastic smile onto his lips. He knew he could've handled it better than slyly insulting the man but he felt that it was impossible to forget his name. He was on his way to greatness and he was going to be a household name eventually. Or so he liked to think. There was a moment of long silence on his part only broken by him decisively pushing himself to his knees and picking the loose blades of grass off his once sweaty torso. "Riley," Came his reply as he didn't bother to so much as look up from his ministrations. It was only once he was certain that he had cleaned all the grass off of him did he pull his shirt back down to his waist and thrust his arms clumsily through the sleeves. "Remember it this time," The student practically ordered in a distracted voice without sparing a glance to the man he was talking to. He instead was much more focused on dragging himself by the elbows over to the edge of the bank and letting his arms hang so that just his fingertips broke the surface.

tagged - Kato/Elise~
comments - none
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[Kato Maximus Leonitus]

[bg=ffcc66][atrb=border,0,table][atrb=width,410,table] Where were you when our hearts were bleeding Where were you when it all crashed down breath

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I watched him, out of the corner of my eye as he seemed to make himself at home in the grass and I wondered for a moment if he was going to become one with it and fade into it. He seemed sort of ethereal to me, like a faerie that just flitted about and disappeared when I blinked. The boy was laid on in the sun and I pondered for a moment if I would be able to pick him up and see through his pale skin, even if he was covered in dirt and looked like he was in deep need of a shower, like I’d been when I’d woken up today. I covered my mouth, hiding the smile that bloomed there because I was sure that he wouldn’t completely understand why I was grinning like a fool. I wasn’t about to share my strange thoughts with him, it just wouldn’t be right and if anything, he’d probably find me odd beyond reason. Thus, I hide my smile behind a large hand, making sure that he couldn’t see it; I didn’t share my smile with anyone anymore anyways. I’d long ago lost the right to share my smile with others.

My smile faded once more and I looked at him sidelong, trying not to turn my full direct gaze onto him and I raised an eyebrow when I heard the groan that he released. He was an odd one, I would give him that much, but now, I wanted to get this meeting over with. I was pushing my boundaries and that was dangerous for someone like me. I didn’t need friends or enemies or anyone, I was better off alone besides, nothing good have ever come of someone making friends with me or loving me, they always ended up dead and I didn’t want to see this young man end up the same way. I mean, sure I wasn’t in England anymore, where all the bad people were, but I was still in a place where they could find me. Nowhere was safe, not until I was dead and gone and I still had many more years to go, at least I hoped I did even if they were spend alone and with a heavy heart, I hoped that I would get to see the world change over many more years of life, but accidents happened and sometimes they weren’t even really accidents.

Turning my head fully, almost as though he was a predator that was about to bite me, I watched him fix his shirt and I was quick to cast my gaze way once more. Too many years, too many years had I been good and not allowed my primal instincts to rule me, but this boy made all those well placed barriers disappear just by being and for some reason, that pissed me off and I scowled, feeling a low growl of frustration rumble in my chest and up my throat. I bite it off quickly, not wanting him to hear the sound and question why I had made it because I really had no answer if he did dare to ask me, at least not an answer I would willingly give. There were some things that no one needed to know about me and that was one of them. Cleaning my mind, I looked back at him once more, only to catch him trying to fix his already messed up hair and only making it worse by doing so. I wanted to reach out a hand and fix it for him, but I didn’t know him and he didn’t know me.

At his words, a full on belly laugh, rich and deep, rolled from me and I had to gasp as I spoke, “There isn’t a heart to bless, boy-o, it’s shriveled and black.” I kept laughing, even as I shook my head and stood up, raising my arms above my head and stretching, arching my back, head following the backwards motion and eyes shut against the warmth of the sun. I dropped my hands back down and scrubbed them over my beard, wrinkling my nose as I did so. I stood there, towering at my full height over him and looking out over the water for a moment. I slide glance his way and raised an eyebrow as he picked grass off himself only to go crawling across the ground to the water’s edge. I snorted as I laughed, shaking my head and walked towards the lake with long purposeful strides until my feet touched the water, I bent down, rolling up the legs as I listened to him tell me his name and I grinned around my side at him before standing up straight one my pant rolling was done and shifted my hands to the hem of my shirt.

“I’ll try, but I can’t make any promises, I see a lot of people with a lot of different names.” I teased him before pulling my shirt up over my head, abs flexing and muscles tensing and I drew it up over my head, revealing a sun tanned body, before tossing my shirt towards the shore. I turned to face him then, my jeans low slung and revealing a little more than they should have, what with me deciding to forgo wearing underwear, they didn’t sit right on my hips, instead they were down lower, showing more of the dark crisp hair that form my happy trail and I wondered if he would react similarly to the way I had when he’d come down here dressed as he had. I didn’t think so; he didn’t seem like the sort to be bothered much by the naked body. I took in a deep breath and ran my hands up my abdomen and chest. “So, explain to me why I’m here.” I asked, a smile curling my lips as I looked at him with slightly narrowed eyes, judging what he might say to me.

Never thought that you'd deceive me
Where are you now

• complete: yes • muse: good • comments: none • word count: 1001

KATO MAXIMUS LEONITUS

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[Mackenzie Riley Dayne]

The thick, deep laugh rumbled in his ears and it took all he had to not laugh along with the same carelessness. It was an attractive, addicting sound and he wanted to hear more of it. He didn't necessarily want to be the one to cause the laughter but he would mind being able to laugh freely along. A laugh as real as the one the ferrier had given. A laugh that brought tears to his eyes, redness to his face and a snort from his nose. Maybe one that even forced him to sit down so he wouldn't fall down and left his abs sore for minutes after. A gentle head shake was given to bring him out of his thoughts and to draw his gaze from the man. His lean body once again gave against the unyielding ground beneath him as he pillowed his head in the crook of one arm. He found himself to be pleasantly relaxed in the company of the ferrier and it brought a frown onto his lips. People, more often than not, aggravated him. A good deal of them were fakes, cheats and liars. They complimented others to their face and spread horrible rumours behind their backs. The vast majority that he came across had little to no common sense and it only stoked the smoldering fire that flickered within him. Plenty of his classmates only helped to re-enforce why he didn't try to develop his people skills. The ferrier was different though. He was seemingly quiet and steady. The few times that Riley had actually been around him had been pleasant experiences and that had been what prompted him to actually arrange a meeting instead of leaving it up to chance. Patience was not a virtue he had and he firmly believed good things did not come to those who waited.

His head snapped almost violently towards the still gawfing man when he uttered the stereotypical Irish nickname. "You're not Irish and I'm not a boy-o," He half growled in a voice filled with mock aggression. Very few nicknames bothered him anymore. After having grown up being called anything from Kenz to midge, he had simply built a strange tolerance to it. Sure, he still preferred to be called by his middle name above all else but he very rarely threw a major fit over the occasional deviation. "I doubt you're hearts anything but red and pumping," Was his matter of fact reply as he tipped his cheek into one hand to support his head. Riley wasn't a doctor, of course, but he felt that a good sign Leon's heart was anything but black and shriveled was the mere fact he was still laughing. Blue eyes followed the man-beast as he rose to his full height and gave a healthy stretch. Even with the significantly taller man looming over his prone body, the blonde felt very little discomfort. So Leon was big and beefy. So Riley was small and slim. The mouse conquered the lion, didn't he? His watch was kept on the ferrier as he stepped into the water and bent to roll the legs of his jeans. The view was rather wonderfully, in the jockeys opinion. Even when the grin was given to him, he didn't bother to look away for more than a moment to return the smile with a smirk of his own. There was no denying that Riley was shallow in his taste of men. While personality did weigh heavily into how attractive he found someone, it was second only to how physically attractive the person was. Leon scored very high marks in both fields as far as Riley was concerned.

"True. You've only met one of me though," He told him with another smirk. The urge to wink had been a strong one but quickly squelched upon realising that it would have done little good behind the dark lenses of the sunglasses. A sigh was heaved as he picked himself off the ground and tottled back to where his boots lay on the ground. It was only once he was sure he knew exactly where they were at did he draw the sunglasses off his face and squint harshly against the assault. As was typical, the world around him was whited out while his sensitive eyes took time to adjust to the harsh light put off by the sun. He played it off like it was nothing more than a minor discomfort as he dropped the sunglasses into his boot for safe keeping. His vision returned in time to catch the piece of clothing hit the bank and it took him mere seconds to figure out just what it meant. The sight he was met with was truly a beautiful one. While he didn't care for his own abs, he had a fondness for them on others. While he couldn't grow more than a short, barely visible happy trail, he particularly enjoyed the dark wisps that accented Leon's tanned stomach. His eyes were drawn further downward by the sag of the low fitted jeans and it took all of his will power to drag his gaze back to the mans face. The young adult knew only too well that the plentiful muscling was probably a result of his career but he couldn't help but wonder if there was perhaps some outside conditioning that went on.

A strong need to touch the man ankle deep in water over came him quite suddenly and before he even thought about it he was taking steps towards him. His shirt sleeves were pushed up to the elbows and tucked in on themselves to tack them out of his way. "Well," He hummed to the older man as he took his first few steps into the cool water. His approach was halted though when he realised with annoyance that he had forgotten the splint he had lived in for the past four weeks. With a lot more restraint than he felt he was capable of, he undid the Velcro tabs and carefully pulled the contraption from its place on his wrist before carelessly lofting it back towards the shore. The only reassurance that it hadn't landed in the water was a soft thump and Riley felt it was good enough for him. "For one, you don't bother me beyond belief," He told him in a light voice while continuing his approach. His pace was neither slow nor rushed but it was clearly restrained and slightly inconvenienced by the water that lapped just above his ankles. It was only once he was close enough to reach out to the ferrier did he finally lift his face so that he was staring him in the eye. In that moment, Riley realised that it was the first time he had actually taken a good look at him without the filter of UV protection between them and it did nothing to change his opinion. "For two, I really like this," He admitted in a low voice while bringing his middle finger up to drag it from Leon's sternum to the top of his naval. His movements were slow and careful as he moved around his companion until he was standing just off his hip. "And it's a swimming sort of day," Was the last reason he gave as he tilted his head back so that he could actually see his face. Oh, that was going to get annoying in no time. "Get down here on my level. Would ya?" He questioned and ordered in the same breath before bending at the waist in order to cup some of the lake water onto his face to rid of the gritty track dirt. He'd worry about his hair once he was done taking in the master piece before him.

tagged - Kato/Elise~
comments - none
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[Kato Maximus Leonitus]

[bg=ffcc66][atrb=border,0,table][atrb=width,410,table] Where were you when our hearts were bleeding Where were you when it all crashed down breath

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It felt good to laugh. I hadn’t laughed like that in so long and it was like a cathartic release. It was what I needed after so long or was it? Was I just setting myself up for disaster? I would only make this boy’s life hard; I would only give him pain and grief. That was all I was good for after all; I was only good for breaking hearts and causing pain. These hands of mine had ruined lives, taken souls and thrown them away. I would never be able to tell anyone that, they wouldn’t understand. They could tell me it wasn’t my fault all they wanted, but truth be told, it was my entire fault and that was never going to change. I would forever carry the blood of my family on my hands; they would forever be stained crimson. Still, even with those morbid thoughts, my laughter didn’t die and I was…What was I? Happy, that was the best way to describe the emotion that clawed its way forward from the back of my mind to the front of it in an almost desperate way and I clung to it like it was a life line, I wanted to know what happiness was once more.

“No, I’m not Irish, but I’m close enough.” I said and winked at him playfully, still laughing and fighting to settle down as my stomach muscles began to ache. His aggression or rather mockery of it, didn’t scare me. I wasn’t scared of much anymore since there was nothing left in me to fear for. I didn’t have anything, but my horses and well, I was attached, but losing them wouldn’t rip the rest of my soul from me and that was all that mattered really. I watched my family home burn to the ground, there wasn’t much left for me to worry about since my whole life had been in that house when it had gone up in flames. “Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong.” I told him in a soft voice, much softer than I was used to talking, even when I was cooing to horses as I went to work on their feet. As I stood in the water and grinned at him, I felt my heart thump a little bit harder at the smirk he returned and wondered what it meant. It would be stupid for me to get attached because I was sure I would be leaving here soon.

I threw a glance over my shoulder at him and scoffed. “Who says? How many Riley’s do you think I’ve met?” I asked, tapping the side of my nose before pointing at him with a sly, little grin on my face. I watched as he moved to his boots and removed those sunglasses of his. I tilted my head to the side; brow furrowed as I waited for him to turn back towards me and almost had to catch my breath as I looked at him with a rather charmed smile on my face, “My, my. What pretty eyes you have.” I commented, that charmed smile never leaving my face as I watched him as he watched me. I wondered for a moment, what he saw when he was looking at me. Did he see the invisible scars that had ruined me or did he just see a beautiful body and handsome face? I assumed that he didn’t see the invisible scars because no one ever did. I was ruined and no one would ever know it because I kept it so under wraps. I didn’t want the world to know what a danger they had walking around their streets.

A need to take a step back for every step he took forward almost overwhelmed me, but I held my ground, knowing full well that backing up would not save me. So instead, I watched him with caution in my eyes, almost like a nervous horse who was giving someone the chance to prove to it that they weren’t going to cause it injury. I listened to the hum of his words, still keeping my eyes locked on him as he moved about, watching the motion of his hand as the flipped a splint onto the beach and watched it fall before locking my eyes back on him once more, “Oh? Are you sure about that or are you just saying that to be nice?” My voice felt tight even to me, tight with caution and maybe even an edge of fear. My breathing was coming slightly faster as I continued to keep an eye on him. Who knew what I would do it he touched me, I hadn’t been touched by anyone, beyond handshakes in many years and I was scared that I would lose it if he dared to touch me.

Then he did exactly what I had feared and I froze up, eyes blowing wide for a moment before narrowing on him. “You may like this,” I said, gesturing with a hand, “But you know nothing about me.” I finished before grabbing the hand that had touched me and very carefully, so as not to abuse my strength, brought that middle finger to my mouth and lightly bit the pad of it before releasing his hand once more. I turned my head to watch him when he stood just to the side of me and raised an eyebrow at him. “Oh is it? Well, I didn’t bring anything to go swimming in, not even underwear.” I chuckled, knowing that I was revealing more to him that I should have and knowing it might come back to bite me in the arse. At his demand, I stood taller, straight backed and legged. “Why don’t you make me get down on your level?” I challenged, dark eyes glittered before I turned to face him, “Or maybe I should just bring you up to my level.” I looked down at him as he splashed water on his face and felt my heart race a little bit faster at this stroke of insanity I seemed to be having.

Never thought that you'd deceive me
Where are you now

• complete: yes • muse: good • comments: none • word count: 1021

KATO MAXIMUS LEONITUS

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[Mackenzie Riley Dayne]

The desire to touch and feel had always been a prominent one in his life. It had been one of his quirks as a child well before he had learned there was a good chance for a future in which he was legally blind by the time he was middle aged. He had been told the stories of how he had squealed with glee as a child at the mere touch of a thoroughbred muzzle enough times for him to be able to recite them by heart in one breath. His fondness for soft things had only continued through his childhood and had soon been paired with a need for warmth. Each year he had grown to expect a new fleece blanket for his birthday to replace the frayed one he had only received the previous year. It had only been once he started dating that he realised his need to touch extended well past fleece blankets, silky muzzles and overstuffed armchairs. There had been times in the past when he wanted nothing more to lay alongside his boyfriend at the time and just run his fingers across every inch of bare skin he could. Very few times had he been allowed to indulge in such an act though. Each time the boy would try to turn it into something more sexual than it had been meant to be and it had forced Riley to retreat back in on himself instead of simply explaining why his need to memorize through touch was so important to him. He didn't bother to tell people he had retinitis pigmentosa. He didn't bother to tell people there was always a bit of nagging fear that one day he would wake up and be unable to see the things he cherished clearly. He just didn't bother because they had never seemed to really understand.

The blonde could only hum in appreciation when Leon swept a hand to indicate his bare abdomen. It didn't bother, nor matter, to him that he knew next to nothing about the other man. After all, part of the fun in finding someone he could tolerate was getting to figure out just what made them tolerable. He was just about to open his mouth to share just how he felt about the whole topic of not knowing the man when a much larger hand closed over his own. A very slight amount of resistance was put up before he allowed the hand to be pulled away from his body. He naturally pushed himself onto his toes in response to it being brought above head level but the posture was very short lived. The light bite made his stomach twist rather violently and his heels dropped to ground himself more firmly in anticipation for something more drastic. Further bites did not follow though and Riley had to swallow his disappointed with a silent grumble. It was not strange thing for him to crave the touch of another when it was administered in a gentle manner. After all, balance was required in some part of his life and it seemed that his balance had been given by making him not only a toucher but also a touchee. And touchy. Bruises were easily brought to the surface of his creamy skin and lasted much longer than he cared for. Harsh textures were rarely, if ever, tolerated. Despite how sensitive he seemingly was, it was next to impossible to actually tickle him. He gave a slow blink up at Leon while tucking his hand back against his side. For all the talk of not knowing about him, he seemed more than happy to add to his attractiveness. Riley was determined now.

A smirk turned his lips as the ferrier pivoted to face him and the wonderful view was replaced with an even more wonderful one. When he admitted to having gone commando for the day, Riley couldn't bite back the laugh that leapt from his throat. "I would've never guessed," He assured him sarcastically while tilting his head to the left ever so slightly. His eyes strayed south once more to linger on the scandalous droop of his waistband and he had to reign in his desire to reach out and touch once again. He wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to risk more biting. He was almost sure that he couldn't handle anymore biting if it ventured further than the pads of his finger. "Believe it or not, jeans can be swam in," He offered with false helpfulness. Riley knew he wasn't in any real position to say what was able to be swam in and what was no. He had, after all, ditched the heat retaining breeches within minutes of getting to the lake and hadn't even put an ounce of thought into putting them back on. He had no ill feelings towards the condition of his toned thighs. Out of the many parts of his body, they were one of the things that he was willing to show off. He was proud to show he had worked to build up something other than his core to be able to hold himself in the stirrups without use of his knees or hands. If he had to think about it, he was willing to even say he was just as proud of his calves. He managed to somehow drag his blue eyes off of Leon's body and turned his focus downwards to the slowly flowing water. Another palm-full of water was collected and he carefully washed away the grim on his forearms, paying special care to not wrench the sore wrist too sharply when it came time to use it. The young adult could almost hear the way his doctor would scold him and tell him it was never going to heal if he refused to keep the splint on it.

He paused in his grooming to shoot a dirty look at the man when he straightened his posture even further. It was so like the tall to ignore his simple request and instead mock him. It was almost like they didn't realise how uncomfortable some of the angles he had to crane his neck at were. He gave a heavy snort through his nose accompanied by a head shake before he stilled so that he could run a moistened hand through blonde tufts. "Just remember you were the one who told me to," He muttered under his breath in a garbled voice. Riley was well aware of the fact that he had little chance of actually over powering Leon. He didn't let it stop him though. He took the short steps to the other man where he promptly planted his own feet on top of the much bigger ones. He still wasn't entirely sure how he was going to go about getting the taller man on his level but he figured a work in progress was better than no progress. "Don't you even dare," Was his snarled threat as he visibly tensed at the prospect of being picked up. He didn't like being picked up against his will. He didn't like being forced to give up control over his own movement and body. He didn't like the fact that the ground was so much harder than his body and he really didn't like that gravity was unforgiving in thrusting him onto the unyielding ground. A scowl was still in place on his face as he stopped leering up at the man and instead looked down to make sure he wasn't grabbing anything aside from his intended target. The target in question was a single curl of hair amount of mass that formed the dark path and, once he had grasped it, he gave a flick of his wrist. He knew pulling hair was childish especially since he had no proof that it would even phase the man-beast. "Now, come down here," No sooner had the words left his mouth did he hook his fingers into the jean belt loops while heaving his entire one hundred and six pound frame backwards. So maybe the plan wasn't all that well thought out considering he was in line to be crushed but he had placed his odds at slim to none for success. It was a ridiculous plan through and through. He could only hope he hadn't lost his knack at predicting the odds.

tagged - Kato/Elise~
comments - none
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[Kato Maximus Leonitus]

[bg=ffcc66][atrb=border,0,table][atrb=width,410,table] Where were you when our hearts were bleeding Where were you when it all crashed down breath

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Touch was foreign to me. I didn’t understand it anymore like I once had, but I liked it none the less, even if it made every muscle in my body tense up almost painfully as I tried not to get too worked up over being touched, but he made me want to be touched. His hand was warm, his finger blazing a trail across my already sun warmed skin. His touch made me unbearably cold and ruthlessly hot all at the same time and I wanted more of that feeling, I could tell I was already falling into old addictions and that was what had gotten me into trouble before. Gold flaked eyes blazed as I look down at him, dark head tilted towards him ever so slightly so that roaming eyes could lock on him like he was a target and I was the arrow. I tried to keep my feelings locked behind a mask, but it was hard, my eyes always showed things that they shouldn’t have, but there was no stopping that, not after so long of being alone, with no one, but my own company and his touch kindled a fire in my deprived, blackened soul.

He was the light that all fallen angels craved, but I wanted to ignore him, I really did. Flames danced through my mind, flames that had consumed all that I loved, all that I cared for and devoured them in a matter of moments, making it seem like they had never walked this Earth, not even for a moment. I have nothing, but ashes and the bitter taste of hate to remind me that they had once lived and breathed like this boy did. I didn’t want to be the one to take away this life as well. I drew in a slow deep breath and felt that hot and cold feeling fade as quickly as it had come. Good, because I didn’t need it blazing under the surface, tempting me to destruction because that was all this was. A bomb waiting to go off and ruin everything I had so carefully built. I need to stay anonymous and I wouldn’t be able to do that with him around me all the time. Still, I couldn’t just walk out of the water and leave him standing there after what I had just done. What I had just done was not something that anyone could see as not sexual because it sure was.

A brow arched at his words and I snorted, shaking my head from side to side, “Haha. Very funny, boy-o.” I said, grinning like a wolf, showing straight white teeth and everything as I looked down at him. I watched his eyes and looked down, my brows raising higher before I looked at him once more, thinking of a sarcastic thing to say about how I wasn’t an object, but a person and instead decided to hold it back. There was no need for that, besides, I was enjoying the ogling, it made me feel like I was master of my universe, even if I wasn’t. “Easy for you to say, you don’t have any pants on and jeans weight you down. I don’t even want to imagine how heavy they’d feel soaked through, no matter how big I am.” I stated matter of factly, shaking my head almost scoldingly at him as I smoothed my hands over my abdomen and upper thighs, putting on a bit of a show, though it was more of nervous habit than anything as I watched him with sun dusted midnight eyes. I drew in yet another breath, releasing it slowly.

I really did take a step back from him at his words, narrowing my eyes almost aggressively at him. What did he have planned? I wasn’t sure I liked this and thus, I was on the defensive, at least for the moment anyways. “Be careful. You don’t know what I could do to you if you cross this line.” I warned sharply, feeling my nerves fry at the edges as I stood ready for anything because that was all I could do, stand at the ready and keep a wary eye on him at all costs. He stepped up onto my feet and I froze, literally none of my muscles wanted to move as I leaned lightly backwards and away from him, not even paying attention to the words he spoke only to growl at him when he pulled on one of the dark hairs leaving a trail down my abdomen. Now that wasn’t very nice, at all and I wondered just how I could get him back, when one of my hands curled around the back of his head, cradling his nape, long fingers weaving through the hair there and pulling lightly with a narrowed eyed look locked on his face.

Then the fool hardy body went and did something really stupid, something I wasn’t expecting, flinging himself backwards and taking me with him. My free hand shot out to catch us, while the one that had been at the nape of his neck shot lower, around his waist. I hovered over him a moment before rolling onto my back, bringing him a top me and pulling him up so he was face to face with me. “Are you an idiot or just have a death wish? I could have crushed you!” I snapped out, but then all thoughts fled me and without thinking this new and only thought through, the arm around his waist remained there, but the other one came up and grabbed the back of his head, almost violently once more and I leaned up, pressing my mouth to his. I leaned back, thumping my head back into the water and leaning it back, exposing my throat and looking up at him that way, though my lashes and breathing hard. “Fool. You are the biggest fool I’ve ever met, couldn’t leave well alone. Well, you got you’re wish. You have me on your level, now what are you going to do about it, hm?” I asked, voice rough and husky as I gazed at him, wanting nothing more than to kiss him again.

Never thought that you'd deceive me
Where are you now

• complete: yes • muse: good • comments: none • word count: 1036

KATO MAXIMUS LEONITUS

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[Mackenzie Riley Dayne]

For the past few years, his life had revolved around horses. What little social life he had managed to have before the age of sixteen had quickly been lost to the much more important jockey apprenticeship. He'd let go of a boyfriend simply because it hadn't fit into his fast paced lifestyle. School, riding and training had left him little time to live in the pocket of another person and besides, he hadn't been particularly fond of the way he had been nagged constantly to rethink his career choice. Riley knew almost too well just how dangerous being a jockey, or even an exercise rider, was. Heck, there was even some level of danger to just riding at the school for his classes. There were times when he would lay up at night thinking back onto the time he had spent arguing with his dad about being allowed on as an exercise rider. His father had been more than happy to put a much younger Riley on the back of a rather large thoroughbred without so much as a second thought towards it. Granted, that thoroughbred had been bought from a different facility that had bred the breed to excel at jumping classes. He knew that his dad had only been worried about his safety but the almost aggression denial to his request had been, in his opinion, completely uncalled for. It wasn't like he had listened to being told no though and had instead just went behind his fathers back. He'd somehow managed to convince his uncle to start him into the basics and before too long he had worn his father down. He never bothered to tell the man just why he had been so comfortable on the back of a prancing racer.

It was only when he felt the larger mass of the ferrier actually give to his attempt at pulling him off balance did he realise that he was a complete idiot. He was going to get himself crushed into a pancake that scared a certain likeness to his once dimensional self and that was the end of it. Period. What he hadn't been expecting was Leon actually trying to prevent it from happening. Still, his natural reaction was to throw his arms out behind him to try and break his fall. The only problem with that was the fact that his cracked wrist crumpled under him with a jolt of pain that made him clutch it to his chest. It occurred to him much later than it should have that, despite the fact he had neither hand on the ground, he hadn't been submerged fully into the shallow water. He instantly racked his brain for the cause of the gravity defiance. It was only once he took a short inventory to make sure he still had all his body parts did he take notice that he was in the possession of one extra arm and it was in the wrong place. Realisation dawned upon him slowly as he was suddenly very aware of just how close the muscular body of his companion was and just how nice it was to be supported by one warm, brawny limb. He may not have liked to be picked up but he certainly did like to be held. Especially when the person who was doing the holding was kicking off enough heat to be an effective heater. As he rest in the make shift, sort of hammock of Leon's arm, the only thing he could do was stare up into his dark eyes and wonder. What could he possibly be thinking behind those nebula like iris's? What could he possibly be hiding deep below the surface?

He did little to fit against the movement as the older man flipped to his back and then brought situated him on top. Why would be fight it when it was an agreeable position? He wasn't crushed and they were on the same level. Riley was more than happy to count them both as wins in his books. When Leon snapped at him, he didn't even have the decency to blanch in mock guilt. He instead held his gaze with a level one of his own and went as far as blinking only once so as to not break the contact. What he had intended to be a harsh chiding of his own was quickly cut short by the sudden movement of a hand that quickly lost in the corner of his eye. A sharp hiss was given in response to the hand that clamped down much too firmly on the back of his head and he couldn't control the way his entire body went rigid or the hand that shot behind his head to grab the offending wrist. Just as he was about to jerk his head forward to try and dislodge the grip on him, he was stopped by a pair of lips. Riley couldn't stop the surprised yelp that was muffled into an embarrassing squeak. Nor could he stop his right hand from weakly closing on a fistful of dark hair. Another thing he hadn't expected was a kiss but he chalked it up as yet another win. "I'm trying to yell at you. Lips to yourself," He barked at the man below him once his mouth was free to scold. He could only glare down as he was called a fool a few more times. He wasn't the one flat on his back with his throat exposed so he couldn't see how he was the only one worthy of being called a fool. "I always get what I want," The young adult purred in a rather satisfied tone as he gave a remarkably sassy wink. Blue eyes zoned in on the smooth, tanned skin of the older mans and, as if encouraged by the throaty dare, he took the liberty to trail the tip of his tongue from adams apple to jaw. "Whatever I feel like," Was his reply before he gave the strong jawline a firm bite to punctuate his words. Most definitely a win if he ever had one.

tagged - Kato/Elise~
comments - none
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[Kato Maximus Leonitus]

[bg=ffcc66][atrb=border,0,table][atrb=width,410,table] Where were you when our hearts were bleeding Where were you when it all crashed down breath

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This was all like a game of chance. I was falling into deep waters here and I could either swim it out and make it out alive or fall into the depths and lose myself forever. Losing myself sounded pretty good right now though. He wasn’t like most people I’d been with when I was young and had been with people. He was all lean muscle and bone, clearly not the type that someone like myself would naturally be interested in, but something drew me to his almost feminine frame. I wasn’t usually into blonds either, but hey, people change over time and with that thought, I realized I’d slipped off the deep end and was losing the armor I’d placed around myself. I was screwed, royally and I didn’t give a damn, at least not right now. I would probably care later, much later, when I was alone with my thoughts. I knew then and only then, I would be cursing myself from here to whatever far away world I could think of. For now though, I was happy to bask in this glory or whatever it was, because you couldn’t really call it glory, not when I was soaking wet.

I caught him and my breathing rushed in and out of my lungs. I would have felt horrible; he would have been seriously injured if I had landed on him, even if we were in the water, the water wasn’t deep enough for me not to cause damage if I ended up on top of him and I felt my heart jump in my throat, even as I knew he was safe because I’d been quick enough, I’d caught us. I wanted to run my hands over him and make sure he was okay, but I restrained myself, knowing that would be pushing the limits of my control. Riley seemed to be really good at that. He seemed like an expert at making my blood run hot and heavy and I wasn’t sure if I liked it or hated it. I couldn’t shake the power he seemed to have over me and that was crazy. This was nothing, but physical attraction and I didn’t need that or did I? Maybe some greater power in the world was trying to tell me that something unemotionally attached was just what I need to get my life back in order, even if I’d had many years to do that.

We rolled and I was looking up at him as he had been doing a moment ago and tried to clear my head of all my worries. I was scolding him after all, even if I could tell that he wanted to scold me right back, but I just couldn’t let him. He was the one who decided to yank us over. It didn’t even seem like this boy cared that he could have been crushed by me and I was a much heavier person, he’d only managed to pull me over because he caught me off guard and that didn’t happen often. However, thoughts fled for a moment when our lips met, it was wonderful to kiss him, and it was heaven and hell all at once, like the heavy beat of angel wings and the heat of damning flames. It ended all too soon and I was being told to keep my lips to myself and I laughed softly, even as I continued to scold him and thought he was ten shades of foolish right now. I wanted to shake him; I wanted to kiss him some more. I didn’t know what I wanted from him right this minute.

“Well, I’m scolding you right now. Listen to your elders.” I glared up at him, shaking my head from side to side in the water and regretting it. There would be sand in my hair when I got up out of this water, maybe I would just go for a swim and deal with the wet jeans, and after all, I did have sweatpants in my car. Right now though, I was focused on what Riley was doing because I was being ten shades of foolish myself and I was just begging to get into all sorts of trouble with him and all sorts of trouble wasn’t usually what someone my age should be up to. “Do you now? What if I just tossed you in the water and walked away? Then you wouldn’t be getting what you wanted.” I challenged, figuring that I might actually be wrong, but taking a chance none the less. I was a daring one when I wanted be and this guy was half my size and almost a hundred pounds under what I weighed. Once more, I found myself staring up at vivid, pale blue eyes and feeling like I was drowning in a clear pool of warm water.

The feel of his tongue as it trailed up my neck had be holding back a groan, a mighty throaty one at that and his words bit into me and I drew in a deep breath and shut my eyes as I felt the edges of my control flying away with the breeze. “Oh really now? And what if I don’t want you to do whatever you want?” I asked him, voice deep and husky, warm with sexual tension and then Riley bit me and I lost it, once more, I flipped us over, pressing him into the shallow water before my hands pulled down the collar of his shirt and my teeth latched onto his collarbone, biting down with enough force to leave a mark and possible cause pain before I left go and pressed a kiss on the exposed, abuse skin, before moving my lips up to his neck where I gave several spots the same treatment. “Two can play at that game and I’ve been at it longer than you have.” I whispered into his ear before sealing my lips over his once more, hands on either side of his head and this time, I didn’t pull away.

Never thought that you'd deceive me
Where are you now

• complete: yes • muse: good • comments: none • word count: 1013

KATO MAXIMUS LEONITUS

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[Mackenzie Riley Dayne]

Everything I wanted I was lucky enough to have received. New toy? All I had to do was ask daddy dearest and he was more than happy to comply. New tack? A text sent to him to tell him I was using the debit card he had given me and it was as good as mine. New car? I had just pointed and smiled to get it. I didn't even drive it aside to take it home from the dealer but still my father spent the money on it just because I had shown interest. Very rarely, if ever, had I been denied what I craved. Money was never an issue and I doubted it would ever be one. The facility carried in enough to cover its own expenses and anything else that might have to be paid for was covered by the old money that had collected dust and interested for many more years than I could remember. Growing up, I had never stopped to consider that the money might not one day be there if I kept asking for this and for that. Even now that I was an adult with the ability to support myself I didn't bother to worry about the fact that I was quite possibility draining the account dry. It wasn't my problem to worry about when or if the money would disappear and leave my family to sustain itself on the funds brought in from the thoroughbreds.

Listening to my elders had never been something I had done. Sure, I listened to my dad and my Uncle Vinnie but that was because I actually loved and respected them. It wasn't because they held the fact that they were older or apparently wiser over my head. Over the years at Rosedale a fair number of teachers had gained some of my respect. A few of them, I knew, would never gain that respect because they didn't deserve it. They barely deserved a teaching degree much less my, or any students attention. I scoffed harshly at him while giving the fistful of hair a light tug to remind him that he'd most likely lose a hunk of hair if he tried to throw me off. "Yes, I do," I reassured him as if to challenge him back. This was something I liked about him. Most people back down from me as soon as I stood up and made it painfully clear that I wasn't going to let them push me around just because of my size. The fact that the ferrier was devilishly handsome with clean cut lines and loose curls just happened to make him all the better. It had been his looks that had originally drawn me to him and it would be his looks that would be my undoing. I was sure of this.

I exhaled in one long, heavy breath against the bite I had given his bearded jaw. Oh, that beard. It brought out that strong jaw of his and added contrast to his warm skin. He was picture perfect and I wanted to spend hours laying in the warm sun just memorizing him. I wanted to be able to touch freely and not have him interrupt me with petty questions. "Then you wouldn't be here," I managed to tell him before I found myself on my back. I couldn't swallow the full throated yelp that was drawn from me as he clamped down onto my collarbone with much more gusto than I felt necessary. It was part of my body, not the last bit of chicken on the bone. As he routed his way up my once pale neck, I didn't try to silence the little whimpers I made. Even though the weak noises I made were unbelievably embarrassing, I was more embarrassed by the heat I could feel on my face. I didn't blush. It wasn't something that I could do, or so I liked to tell myself. The heat on my face finally reached the rest of my starved body and I simply refused to actually listen to him talking. His lips were, after all, much better for things aside from talking. Much too eagerly I pushed myself up onto my elbows until I could meet the pouty lips that had been bound for me. I wanted to lay my calloused hands across every inch of his wet skin but the little spark of common sense that survived was happy to tell me keeping my head out of the swallow water was a much better idea.

It became obvious to me that I had seemingly forgotten how to kiss in the short few years since the last real one I had received. I reluctantly jerked my head backwards until it hit the sandy lake bed and I even went as far as to turn my head to the side. I didn't even stop to consider the fact that I had put Leon in my blind spot. I couldn't tell where he was going or what he was planning to do. I was stupidly setting myself up to become overwhelmed with him again. I didn't care though. I didn't think I would ever care, really. With each heavy rise and fall of my thin chest, the surface of the water rippled and lapped against the submerged half of my face. It was in that moment that I decided I wanted out of the water and I wasn't about to talk it over. I inhaled deeply to prepare myself for the assault on my companion before finally turning my attention back onto him. Little time was wasted as I lunged clumsily for his mouth and pushed my fingers into his sooty curls. I, once again, felt I had little hopes of actually moving the mammoth of a man an inch in the direction of the shore. Unlike before I didn't have the ability to throw my weight around and keep him from catching himself. Instead, all I could do was hope he caught the drift that I was sick of laying in the water that easily leeched the warmth his touch flooded me with. I was forced to bridge my slim body up against him as I tried to bring my bare feet underneath me. The entire time I kept the pressure on his mouth and finally remembered to breath through my nose.

tagged - Kato/Elise~
comments - eerrr, my first person pov is REALLY rusty...heh. sorry <_<
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[Kato Maximus Leonitus]

[bg=ffcc66][atrb=border,0,table][atrb=width,410,table] Where were you when our hearts were bleeding Where were you when it all crashed down breath

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Life had never been easy for me, not with the hoard of siblings I had had, but I had always known love, no matter what I had done they had never revoked it from me. Now though? I was sure they wanted nothing, but horrible things to befall me. I could just imagine what they would say to me right now if they could. I could just feel the hate that would roll off of all of them and the resentment that I was still here and they were all gone. I felt the guilt day in and day out, sometimes falling into that dark depression as though it was the only thing I could do and I wondered if I would be better off if I did just allow someone in, someone who could help hold me up when all else seemed like it was falling apart, piece by piece, but I couldn’t ask that of someone, not after I didn’t even tell them my real name and suddenly, my guilt was clawing at my throat. I was lying to this boy who seemed to want nothing more than to claim me in whatever way he could. He didn’t know me at all.

Mentally shaking myself, I shoved all those cumbersome thoughts away and tried to focus once more on what was going on around me. I could always tell him the truth later. Yes, that’s what I could do and that’s what I kept telling myself over and over again as I looked up at him with shining eyes and a wicked grin. His harsh scoff and pull on my hair had me letting out a deeply repressed groan. Well shit, he was learning things about me that no had learned about in a long time and I felt almost like there was dust in my gears as I looked up at him trying to keep my breathing from giving me away. “Yes you do what?” I whispered, smirking all the while and trying not to let on that he had caused me to lose my train of thought. It wouldn’t do for him to laugh at me if he came to that realization, maybe I could find a way to distract him from my momentary lapse in thoughts. However, I wasn’t sure what I could do, after all, I hadn’t really been romantically involved with anyone in many, many years.

I would never admit it out loud, but I liked it when he bit me, I hadn’t felt that sharp sting of teeth on my skin in a long time. I didn’t say anything in response to what he said, just smirked and when we were flipped over, I was all too happy to return the nipping favor ten times over. The sounds he made were delicious and I wanted to eat them up, keep them only for myself and I grinned like a wolf as I worked my way up his neck, tasting and teasing the skin that pressed against my lips. As I traveled upwards, it seemed like the world faded away to just the two of us and my heart beat out a rough, harsh rhythm that left me nearly breathless. I didn’t care that I was starving for air even as his lips met mine; I just cared about the feeling of them on mine and the warm taste of him. Everything else was shoved away as an arm went around him to hold him to me for a moment, before I had to drop it back down and support myself with it.

When he jerked his head away from me, I let out a growl, possessive and wanting, but it felt so strange hearing it, so many years had gone by since I’d last made a sound like that and I liked it, even though I knew deep down that I shouldn’t have and I was more than positive that Riley would either ignore it or react to it in a way that I wasn’t expect him to because he seemed like one of those people who did such things. When his head turned to the side, I took this opportunity, to press my lips to the side of his jaw, just under his ear and bit lightly, running my tongue over the skin there, tasting sweat and something that was just purely him. I lifted my head after a moment and watched him, unsure of what I should or shouldn’t be doing right now. Then he was lunging at me and I was grinning against his mouth as my hands came up under him and going against what he had told me earlier, I picked him up, hands on his thighs and stood from the water, moving towards the shore with long, even strides.

I paused on the beach, keeping a firm hold on him as I pulled my head away, tilting it backwards and breathing deeply, trying to restore it to a normal pace rather than this fast and shallow rush. My eyes closed as I stared up at the sky, fingers flexing lightly around the near naked legs. Chuckling, I dropped my head back down to look at him, both of us dripping water that sank into the Earth below us and disappeared as the warmth of the sun began to leach back into me after the ice cold splash in the water.
“What do you want from me?” I asked, dark golden flaked eyes flashing nearly dangerously as I looked at him and felt that deep rooted craving for another’s body blazing up in my belly and spreading slowly throughout my body. I hadn’t felt this way in years and it was fulfilling to know that even though I hadn’t felt it in ages, it still lived in side me, just waiting to burn brightly at the right moment in time, just waiting to make me feel like I was alive once more and not just the husk of a man.

Never thought that you'd deceive me
Where are you now

• complete: yes • muse: good • comments: none • word count: 1003

KATO MAXIMUS LEONITUS

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[Mackenzie Riley Dayne]

I still couldn't quite believe just what was happening. Less than thirty minutes ago I was reminding Leon just what my name was and now we were more than willingly tangled up in the water. Swimming was overrated anyways. Besides, I had a perfectly clean, not muddy pool at home that I was more than entitled to swim in until I was a prune. It was in that moment that I remembered the harsh bite that would surely be vivid purple against my pale skin and I could only hope that it, along with the assortment I was sure to have on my neck, would soften in colour until it appeared like I had simply missed catching something thrown at me or I had walked into the corner of a door. It was common knowledge in my house hold that I had an on going feud with each and every door that I came across and it didn't matter where they lead to. If it had hinges and it swung, I was going to walk into it at some point and I was going to call it everything but its proper term. I would never admit to just how many times I had lost nor would I ever admit to having actually lost against an object that had no sense of winning. It was degrading and it would put a black mark on the rough, dangerous image I had worked hard for in my life.

The animalistic growl made me start to pick my head up out of the water so that I could bring him into view but I was quickly stilled by the breath, hot and moist, on my ear. I tensed expectantly only to slump bonelessly back into the water when his lips touched against my heated skin. My thin fingers clenched reflexively against his stomach, short nails dragging across sun kissed abs on their way to my palms. It hadn't even crossed my mind that he might decide to go rooting for another spot to slobber all over and that by turning away from him, I had all but invited him to discover the sensitive spot just at the top of my jaw. I realised in that moment that this whole thing that we had going on was a learning experience for the both of us. We didn't know each other and we sure as heck didn't know what spots made the other weak. Although I had a pretty good idea of just how fond the ferrier was of having his hair pulled when I gave another tug backwards on the handfuls of curls I had and he grinned into my mouth. Irritation along with a certain amount smugness flooded me and I had to keep myself from biting the grin right off his lips. There were better things he could be doing with them and smiling wasn't one of them.

I almost couldn't believe what was happening until it was much too late for me to respond with more than a growled complaint into the mouth on mine. I had specifically warned him to not even so much as even think about picking me up and he had ignored me. If it wasn't for the fact that I was out of the cool water and into the warm air, I would've thrown a fit. I told myself that he had done as I requested, after all, and maybe it wouldn't hurt to let him get all the lifting out of his system. Not to mention I had a much better opportunity to get at him now that I didn't have to worry about accidentally inhaling a lungful of water. My knees clamped down firmly on his slim hips and I levered myself up further along him until I managed to get my head above his. I wasn't about to lie to myself and think that there would be more chances for me to be taller than him. I was lucky to have even been able to actually pull him down to me earlier and I would most certainly not be able to pull the stunt twice. Not because I was concerned about the fact I had almost been crushed but because Leon would be expecting it and would most likely be much more of a challenge.

Skillfully, I buried the little voice that told me there may not even be a next time for me to try and unbalance him. It wasn't like we had talked before hand about just what we each expected out of this meeting. Heck, there hadn't even been a chance for us to talk about what he wanted from each other and as far as I was concerned, I hadn't even planned on kissing him much less being pressed hip to shoulder against him. Not that I had any complaints aside from the fact that he still had yet to put me back on my feet or sit himself down. If I was to be honest, I didn't know I wanted to kiss him. It hadn't been something that had crossed my mind until he was suddenly very close and very warm and very handsome. Oh sure, I'd noticed he was a looker when I had first met him in the barn but I hadn't thought on it more than that. I definitely hadn't imagined him shirtless and I definitely hadn't imagined being able to freely touch those beautiful abs of his while sucking all the heat from his warm body. I told myself that I didn't care that I still didn't know anything, socially acceptable that is, about him that I hadn't discovered on that first meeting. There was always time later on for us to sit around and swap personal facts when we'd finally gotten whatever this was out of our systems.

The retreat of his mouth was entirely unwelcome and I had to bite the inside of my lip to keep it from pushing out in a childish pout. Did I even have the right to pout over losing contact with his full, luscious lips? Did I care if I had the right? I watched as he tilted his head back and I could feel the way he was trying to calm himself in the rise and fall of his chest. It was sort of satisfying knowing I was the one who got him all hot and bothered without really even doing too much to him. Suddenly, my gaze caught on the unmarked expanse of his throat and I ducked closer to give him a sharp bite just beside the prominent bulge of his larynx before suckling away the sting. If I had to wander back into the first week of my classes sporting marks from him, it was only fair that he was subjected to the same thing. I didn't even care that it would make him look unprofessional and it might even cause him a bit of trouble with some of his high class clients. The bump of his chin against the top of my head made me draw backwards and cease nibbling invisibly across his tanned neck. I wasn't an unreasonable man, all the time, and I figured that one visible mark on him was enough for now. I could make no promises about the planes of his chest being treated by the same self-written rules.

His voice, and the question, should've set my pulse soaring and caused me to feel much too warm but instead, it only made me scowl. The way his brilliant eyes flashed made me feel nothing but more irritation. He knew he wasn't supposed to take me from the ground and yet here we were, him still supporting me by the thighs and me still letting him do such a thing. "I want you to put me down. Now," I growled at him while bringing my face within inches of his own and meeting his dark gaze. My knees, still at his hips, closed on him a bit more firmly as I brought my hands off of his shoulders and down to where his own hands laid against my chilled skin. My posture remained straight without being stiff as I leaned away from his face so that I could actually take in every little change in his expression. I wanted to see the way his eyebrows pulled and jumped if he was to be surprised at my reaction. I wanted to see his lips turn into an amused smirk because he just seemed all too entertained by my displays of aggression. He was unique. He wasn't afraid of me. It was refreshing and extremely frustrating all at the same time and I was determined to have him in every way I was allowed.

tagged - Kato/Elise~
comments - nond
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[Kato Maximus Leonitus]

[bg=ffcc66][atrb=border,0,table][atrb=width,410,table] Where were you when our hearts were bleeding Where were you when it all crashed down breath

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I worried about my mind and where it was going. I was walking into something that could easily cost me my sanity if I let it and it seemed that I was more than willing to let it. I was so deprived of human contact, I craved it like I craved oxygen right now and he was giving me exactly what I hadn’t known I wanted. At this moment in time, I wanted nothing more than to cling to this boy, let him anchor me to this new feeling of being alive again. It was so strange and wonderful and scary and perfect, but I couldn’t let such things rule me. If I did, I would be lost to this and lose myself in some small way, I was sure of it. I wanted to pull way, get up, walk to my truck and leave, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it, every time I almost did, I held him tighter, like my body didn’t want to listen to my rational mind. I couldn’t let him onto the fact that he seemed able to take away that small bit of control that I had over myself and release the real me.

Ah, this boy had no idea what he was doing to me. Pulling my hair and then, probably without realizing it, scrapping his nails against my skin, I was more than willing to take advantage of him, though I got the oddest feeling that he wouldn’t mind that, which scared me more even as my body went about not listening to me. I was hard pressed to tell my body to do anything, but what it seemed this boy was calling up out of me. It was crazy to ride this way out like it was normal, because this was far from normal for me. He was taking my cool and collected self and shoving it to the side to let the wild and crazy man I’d once been rule again. However, deep within my mind, I thought of how he was reacting to the attention I was lavishing on that one spot and smirked, feeling rather wicked in my ways. So, I’d found a trigger for him, well, he’d found one of mine so it was okay. But this was so strange and beautiful all at once, deadly and wonderful because at any moment now, one of us could do the wrong thing and ruin this all.

His growled complaint made me chuckle, but other than that, I gave no reaction. I knew he didn’t like that I’d picked him up, but what did I care? He had seemed like he wanted out of the water and well, I couldn’t very well blame him, even as I felt the drag of my now soaked pants. Maybe I would give him an eye full for getting me wet, but I wasn’t sure this was the right place for such things. Still, I liked the way he shifted up my body until his head was above mine and I had to tip my head back to keep contact with his lips and I savored the fact that for once, I didn’t have to bend over to get at someone and I held him a little more tightly, muscles flexing slightly as I kept myself in check and made sure my hands remained where they were rather than taking this chance to go exploring, but it was a hard win because all I wanted to do was touch and be touched and just allow it to consume me, this new feeling that I didn’t understand.

This was all a foolish game that I shouldn’t have been playing, but he drew me in with his voice, his looks and his charms, even if they were things that I shouldn’t have and I felt myself being drawn to him and speaking softly against his mouth. “What do I do with a boy like you?” I asked, teasingly, before melding my mouth to his once more, like it was the most natural thing in the world to be doing. He had started a fire and now, he was going to either get burned or embrace the flame that was me. That was how I saw it anyways, that or he was the flame and I was going to have to embrace him. It didn’t matter which really because now that we’d started this, I wasn’t going to let him just walk away. No, he’d snapped that shield I’d put up that allowed me to keep everyone at arm’s length and now he was going to have to pay that price one way or another, I just couldn’t really decide how I was going to make him pay for it. The answer would come to me soon enough.

I groaned at the feel of his lips on my throat after I’d tilted my head back so that I could draw in air to breathe and settle myself. He seemed to not want to let me calm down and I wanted to warn him against pushing me too far, but I just didn’t have the breath to do it, not yet anyways and thus, I just close my eyes and let him have his wicked ways with the skin that he could reach for the moment and then my chin came into contact with the top of his head and I felt him move back from the place he had formally been. My lips quirked up when I heard his answer to my question and I gripped him tighter, fingers lightly stroking across the inside of his thigh where just the tips of my fingers could reach. My head tilted to the side as though I was contemplating the answer to his demand, fingers continuing to move slowly over his smooth skin, eyes a light with trouble, which wasn’t that strange for someone like me, who was once upon a time, always up to all kinds of no good.

“I’ll let you down, if you agree to one thing.” I said the words on an almost purring note and leaned towards him, golden flaked eyes dark, caused the gold to stand out like stars in a midnight sky and a rouge’s grin lit up my features, “Be my heart break?” I said the words softly, as I lifted one of my hands from his thigh and traced it up his back, gripping the fabric of his wet shirt in my hands, twisting slightly in an attempt to keep him right where I wanted him and waited, with baited breath for him to answer me back, knowing all too well that I would probably not be getting what I wanted because this boy didn’t seem to think in the same terms as most people, he’d probably refuse me just for the fact that I hadn’t get placed him on the ground like he wanted me to, but I wanted to know the answer to that one question, I craved it like I craved touch and air, like I was starting to crave him.

Never thought that you'd deceive me
Where are you now

• complete: yes • muse: good • comments: none • word count: 1188

KATO MAXIMUS LEONITUS

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