Wide Awake (Ayden)

[Benjamin Gauge]

The night air was a deal warmer this evening. It wasn't out of the ordinary that Benjamin was out wandering around the streets of New York. Heck, it was almost a routine for him by now. The only problem in this area was that there was a lack of...elves. Call it prey exclusion that the Gangrel wouldn't feed on anything but the elven community; however, that was pretty much how things ended up as. Even smelling normal blood now somehow made Ben nauseated. He needed the vitae in his system, to feel that hard rush through his mind. Not once would he admit his addiction though. It wasn't anyone's business but his own, and the Kindred was going to keep it that way--it wasn't like Kakeru had any issues with it (not his knowledge). The binding properties of any drug-like substance also had its withdrawal period, and that was what the gunslinger was struggling with the most at the moment.

"Borrrred", the vampire groaned, kicking at the sidewalk with his scuffed up boots. Ever since Kakeru had to go and do whatever stuff he normally did, it left Ben longing for something to do. Something, anything really. The progress he made on refurbishing his vehicle was out the window. He had started from scratch again here, since his last vehicle was all the way back in Canterbury...halfway across the world. It was when he proceeded down this particular street that his annoyance with the lack of things to do came to an abrupt end. It turned out to be Ayden's area. Last he had heard the doctor had moved into a hotel room. He wondered what the male had been up to. Walking up to the hotel area though he quickly recalled that there were two stories to it and several rooms. "Which one...is his?" he muttered aloud.

[Ayden Varden]

Ayden hadn't been able to sleep lately because of the nightmares, and now Fyrann had to go out, it left him alone and figgity. The doctor had run out for supplies from his lab. He was carrying a messenger bag of supplies, along with a few bags of groceries. He was thankful that the hotel he had moved into had a kitchen it was obviously for extended stays. He lets out a sigh and tries to keep hold of his bag while pulling out the key card from his pocket, he had to go pick up his son tomorrow, and his paranoia lately made it impossible for him to move back into the apartment that Ayden and Fyrann had shared.

The purple haired doctor was distracted, he heard the voice in his mind, 'Did you think I couldn't find you here as well Ayden.' The doctor drops one of the bags, thankfully nothing broke, not that he would have noticed anyway. He was staring up at his room trying to figure out if the woman standing in the window was really there. He blinks a few times and the image is gone. He picks up his bag and starts to go through it making sure that nothing broke, really it was just a reason to move. He didn't want to stand still even if it was just his hands running through a bag. He notices that nothing is broken and finally he looks around, at first he almost didn't see the gangrel. He starts to move toward the man.

Ayden stops, he was still a few feet behind Ben, it took him a moment to decide what to do. He was happy to see Ben, another mortal who wasn't the woman who taunted him day and night. Ayden rubs his eyes and shakes off the sleepiness. "Hey Ben, what are you doing here?" The doctor asks in his normal happy voice, though he looked obviously tired. It was probably a good thing that elves couldn't grow facial hair because there is a good chance that the doctor would have forgotten to shave with all of the stress. Fyrann was better which was great, but Ayden only seemed to be getting worse as time went on. He smiles at Ben and offers to lead him to the room that the doctor was staying in, 'Aw Ayden you are bringing him to me, that is so nice.' He shakes off the feeling again.

[Benjamin Gauge]

"Hey Ben, what are you doing here?"

The familiar voice caught his attention instantly, distracting him from his continually search for the medic's hotel room. "Oh uh, hey Ayden. I was just moseying around...thought I'd come by to check on you. Is...Fyrann home?". That last part was hesitant, like he was hoping he wasn't intruding on the potential plans that Ayden had for the evening. Nevertheless, the vampire trailed slowly after the the elven male in case the prophet of Yoya was indeed around. Gauge's brilliantly blue eyes inspected the grocery bag that the doctor was carrying though it wasn't as interesting as the tiredness on the physician's face. He didn't say anything just yet about it but his eyes did narrow in suspicion. There was a difference to the air around them, something Ben couldn't exactly define. It was making him uneasy. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on edge like picking up a minute electrical charge, but even in his discomfort he hid it fairly well. The soldier was going to keep his wits about himself more than he usually did.

[Ayden Varden]

Ayden keeps walking but shakes his head, "No he got a call from Kakeru, and then he had to leave. I'm assuming that it has something to do with Averie." He says. He gets into the room and opens the door. He looks around quickly to make sure there was no one in the hotel room. He finishes walking in, and waves the way for Ben. He rubs his eyes and yawns. When all was said and done, the groceries all put away, Ayden sat in a chair trying to think of what to say, "How is everything Ben?" He asks. He had finally been able to take off the bandages that he wore, though there was now scaring on his arm, but really that was okay too, his elven nature would eventually leave those as faintly noticeable as the ones that covered his chest. 'Ayyyyyydeeeeeeeen.' he hears but shakes that off as well. He was trying to ignore the woman. He stretches and lets out a yawn.

[Benjamin Gauge]

The Gangrel followed shortly after being ushered in, sitting on the nearest comfortable place he could find."Hm? Oh...it's been alright. Asides from not being able to stomach much the past few nights. Dunno what that's all about". He let his thoughts wander off to the slight pain that formed in the pit of his stomach. He wasn't sure if it was caused by hunger for solid consumables or if it was an illness. But that part he left out, not wanting the doctor to inject him with some sort of painkiller."Your brother's gone to who-knows-where", and at this he frowned a little. Kakeru's sporadic travelling was upsetting; ironic then to the Cancer who wasn't so much a homebody and an explorer in his own right."So, it's just me trying to find what I can do to kill time. I also wanted to check in on you... Your gashes healed fairly nicely", he stated with a short glance over at Ayden. His blue eyes hauntingly radiated their blue coloration even when light was hardly on them.

[Ayden Varden]

Ayden looks at Ben and nods, "Yeah they healed rather well. Have you fed... or eaten regular food. Honestly it'd be easier just to give you both." He says with a nod, even if Ben objected Ayden wouldn't be able to hear him over the sound that was going on in his own head. He grabbed some pizza that was supposed to have been dinner as well as a glass, unless stopped he would cut open his hand. He fills the glass and walks over to Ben, his hand wrapped. After giving Ben the two objects he sits on the bed, it took a good five minutes for him to come back to reality, "I'm sorry I don't have much to do here... I can't go back to the apartment though." Ayden brushes his purple hair out of his face. "Is there anything I ca-" The doctor slumped forward falling off the bed.

He opened his eyes in a cage, he frantically tries to push against it, his screams loud as he begs to be released, but there is no one around to hear him. Ayden begins to panic, he hated being closed in. The woman walked over to him and kneeled down, "I didn't come to you Ayden... you came back to me... there is no one that can save you here." Ayden watches her and kicks at the door of the cage.

[Benjamin Gauge]

"I've had food but I can't seem to keep any of it", he started to explain, the smell of elven blood hit the air."...down". Ben found himself staring at the process of crimson being drained from the smaller male's hand to the glass and the Gangrel could hardly contain himself. All of his focus was pinpointed on the blood dripping down Ayden's skin, the life fluid forming into a ruby colored droplet and as if in slow motion it fell down to blend the rapidly-forming drink.

The soldier failed to notice the pizza slice that was placed in front of him, eagerly going for the still warm elven blood instead. Taking a generous swig of the substance caused his high to hit nearly instantaneously; everything felt so carefree, light,warm, and his lust piqued as he set the glass down on the coffee table and leaned back into the couch to be saturated in its full effect. The time gap hadn't seem to register with Ben, but he did take in a sharp breath of air and forced himself to pay attention to the doctor when he started to speak,"I'm sorry I don't have much to do here... I can't go back to the apartment though". The vampire quirked a playful yet smug grin,"Nothing to "do"? Well, I'm sitting...right here. There's room on this couch for two bodies...". He laughed at himself, not having felt this strong of a high in a while, thinking it was all fun and games when he watched Ayden slump over unconscious. Ben got a little more serious then and went over to check on him; however, he was only able to get out a,"Hey...Ayden?", when he himself felt suddenly lightheaded and collapsed to the floor, drawn into a sleep all his own.

[Ayden Varden]

Ayden was stuck and couldn't move he was paralyzed in fear. The teen looks at the woman who was standing outside the cage. She reaches in and pulls the elven boy out by his long purple hair, causing him to yell out in pain. Quickly she moved Ayden into a new room. Should Ben open his eyes he'd be able to see the boy pulled into said room. Once in the room she chains the boy up by his arms, she cuts off his shirt and begins to pull the teens shorts but his screams for help stops her. The woman glares at the boy and injects something into his neck. No longer is the elf able to fight her, his head slumps forward, "You came to me Ayden, you want this and soon I'll have you, your boyfriend, and Kakeru's lover." Ayden hardly able to lift his head smirks, one very similar to the one that his twin wears almost constantly. "I figured that was what this is about. You can't get him to give you his child, so you'll make me, then you'll try to take everything he loves only... You underestimate Ben and Fy. You risk yourself if you try to touch them." She hits Ayden across his face.

[Benjamin Gauge]

A cold sweat overcame the kindred as he awoke in a confused drowsiness. He saw Ayden being dragged by his hair into another room. Somehow an emotion like fear struck him, but he didn't know why. Gauge was hardly afraid of anything most would be. A chill snaked down his back as he stood up and bull charged the door. Unfortunately he was a few seconds too slow, letting the woman slip out of sight with his friend. Ben cursed to himself and reached the doorway. "Hit him...one more time, ya bint" the soldier growled in a challenge half stumbling into the bedroom. His brain was still trying to see straight--things here looked a little fuzzy and had he concentrated hard enough he felt like the room was moving on its own accord.

[Ayden Varden]

The woman looks at him confused by his presence, "Who the hell are you?" Ayden looks at Ben with his brilliant green eyes, "H-how did you get here Ben?" The elf asks his hands still tied up above his head. The woman digs her nails into his shoulder. The elf cries out and looks at her, "No need to be mean!" He says, groaning. She looks at him, "Ben... Kakeru's lover?" She asks looking at Ben and smiling.

[Benjamin Gauge]

The soldier was taken aback by the question Ayden had posed,"How did I...? I was always here...", he took a look that returned to the couch he had been sitting at,"over there when she...". Then the floor started to change around his feet, flickering to a different color and material-- black marble, for a few seconds before altering back again. Ben noticed the obvious disturbance and looked at the woman as she dug her nails into the doctor's shoulder. It was apparently the last straw. For when she inquired about his relationship to Kakeru, he walked up to her, grew two inch claws and grabbed her by the throat. He pulled her down quickly to let her stomach meet his knee cap but didn't let release his iron grip around her throat (that was most likely bleeding some by now). The skilled former Corps member wasn't trying to squeeze oxygen from her as much as he was restraining her."My name is Benjamin". It was a harsh correction to the crazed lady that sounded from his tone, an overall detached facade overcoming his demeanor.

[Ayden Varden]

Ayden noticed the disturbance as well, the woman was rather shocked when he grabbed her, when he finished she coughed and glared at him, "Okay Benjamin, are you not who I said you are." She vanishes and appears behind Ayden. She put Ayden between them. "Why are you here Benjamin?"

[Benjamin Gauge]

The man muttered something under his breath about the woman as she slipped easily from his chokehold. "What's my relationship with him to you?" he retorted coldly, ready to strike at her again if he needed to. His piercing eyes glanced from Ayden back to her, trying to figure out what she was doing, though in the meantime he'd respond to her question,"Hell if I know how I wound up here".

[Ayden Varden]

The woman looks at him and shrugs, "It depends on if I end up using the doctor against you or not." She pushes on the elf. She comes up behind Ayden her hands moving on the teens chest and waist, the doctor wasn't as muscled as his brother but it was obvious he took care of his body. "A lot of these scars are his reminders of me." She says brushing her finger down one of them. Then she moves the boys head to get a better view of his neck, "This will always be my favorite."

[Benjamin Gauge]

Ben couldn't help but pace despite the potentially serious situation. "I don't know who you are, and frankly, I don't care. You're not better than some idiotic ex girlfriend anyhow". The soldier was keeping a sharp eye on where she was putting her hands. Unless she struck out at him there wasn't a clean way he could separate her from Ayden.