i'll be with you still

you are the angel that I couldn't kill

The fae woman's retort came quickly as the sound of amusement that fell from her lips. Cheat days were rare for the hunter. For some reason he had not expected those words to come from a ballerina he had thought to be incredibly disciplined, although people rarely took things to the extent he did. Adrien could not hide that look of surprise that found his features, nor the rumble of laughter escaped him. The mirth glittered in the depths of his inky purple eyes. "Exactly my point. A bad influence." He held no venom or any kind of true point as he attempted to perhaps incite her. She did have a point.

The woman seemed nearly taken in absolute bliss over the delicate, flakey morsel. In fact, it seemed it was nothing but her and that croissant. He could not help but steal a glimpse of her savouring it before taking a bite of his own. It was messy. The powdered sugar practically snowed on his dark clothing. But it was good, he could not deny that. How sensitive his tastebuds were to the rich, buttery goodness of it all the same. No matter how being a hunter offered him strength beyond any mortal he treated his body like it was his temple. Feeding himself with the nutrition to feed it, to sustain the demand upon it to be ready. He honed his body to be as much as a weapon as the shadows he wielded. One night.. He seemed to be saying that a lot lately. Breaking all his rules. It was a slippery slope.

Adrien's watchful gaze looked out over the cityscape he had memorized below. However, he did not forget the woman's words from earlier. Did he really have a right to ask if she hadn't been willing to share. How certain the hunter was that this city would make short work of the innocents that inhabited it. He couldn't help himself from asking as he heard her story, the woman almost looked sheepish in telling him. Adrien was certain that the blonde fae might have been one of those people that trouble seemed to favour. It certainly liked to prey upon the innocent. Adrien's brows furrowed, acidic pollen? Did he hear that right? That was a new one. The story sounded almost sounded fabricated and yet he had seen far stranger in Sacrosanct, where absolutely nothing could be ruled out. Yet for someone that had been a victim to the dangers of the city, she didn't seem to be bothered. Not in the least. He had seen people crumble after far less than that.

How many people had he 'saved' only for them to meet their ruin some other way? What good did he truly do when it felt like no matter what he did, no matter how much evil he vanquished, or people.. he 'saved' still ended up the same. He had come to terms with his parent's death. It was how he became what he was today and yet had he truly made an ounce of difference. Some days, he couldn't help but wonder... if he didn't slowly erode by the creatures he hunted. Yet it was his personal vendetta against the undead that fueled him. A dark emotion, both putrid as it was consuming coiled within him as if it only wanted to eat whatever was left of the man he had been, could have been. "I am glad... you were unharmed." It was all he could say. His hand reached to swipe away at some crumbs he was sure were still there. He probably still had some on his face.

It was that question if the city was normally this exciting that drew his attention back toward the dainty ballerina at his side that seemed to glow to him even though it had little to do with her powers, or maybe it did. His response, however jaded as it was, was entirely honest. Why lie to the woman who was likely to figure it out all on her own, if she hadn't already? He could not help but feel that protective feeling of her tug within him. He blamed it on the fact that it was some built-in hunter thing. Something inexplicable as if he wanted to prevent the city from claiming her at the very least. Like he could make a difference. After all, Alistair was still a victim, his sister was lost to whatever shit she kept from him, the fae beside him... well that seemed self-explanatory. He ran a hand through his brown locks, his gaze shifted from her to the pretty cityscape before him. Like those tall buildings, he would still stand. He could not help that feeling within him that wished he had been there. The shadows responded to him, as they curled around him which almost looked like a play on the light.

Yet he could not seem to help himself with that mention of being on speed dial to the fae. An attempt of a joke, even if it carried a seriousness to it. Maybe he was going crazy? Judging by his life and its most recent events, it was certainly in question. Yet that comment seemed to brighten her pretty features all the same. Some part of him took pleasure in being the one to put that smile there. He finally finished the last of his croissant, his espresso long gone. He didn't know what it was but he felt wide awake. It was about that time where he would comb the city, follow leads, hunting his targets. It left him feeling restless, aware of her. Maybe that was it? The strange shift of him. The shift that made him become a man who made jests? The woman feigned surprise of his reply and he could hardly help the way his lips curved into an easy grin.

She exclaimed, such fortune she possessed and it was enough to make him shake his head. Now she was taking it a little far. Yet he continued with that moment. "How convenient is that?" He found himself saying before her final question caused his inky purple eyes shifted to glance at the woman who popped the last piece into her mouth that he seemed to be aware of. The hunter might have let his gaze linger there for longer than he should have. "To have this hunter on speed dial means you call me at any time, of course." He offered the painfully obvious.

"It sounds like you could use one, considering your track record. Call it.... hunter's intuition." Before she could shoot him any kind of look he drew, skillfully to his feet, standing like a looming shadow over her. She seemed too small, too breakable in that moment, especially in comparison to himself. His shadows seemed to shift around him in a manner that reflected his current mood as he reached out then, offering her a hand to help her up. " Or maybe you might find you need another reminder." A reminder that even though this city might as well be a cesspool, there was something special about it. One that even the hunter could not ignore.

"Will you let me take you home, Audi?" He questioned, his gaze studied her with a look that was all too intent. He knew he would ensure her safety home even if she should reject his offer... but she didn't need to know that. There were some things better left unsaid, like the fact that he kept thinking of that date she had with her bathtub. God he was hopeless.

Adrien Westward