Virtue and Vice [TakodaVega, Dies Irae, Mr_Sir, Shu]

[TakodaVega]

The restless nights were the first sign of the incoming need that Cage had been keeping suppressed for far too long.

She made her way across the grounds as stealthily as she could. Not even the hot springs had been able to relax her to the point of slumber. Sighing she dried her hair with the towel she had brought. The Terrace had been quiet, though she was well aware of the fact it was well past five in the morning at that given point. Thankfully today should go by uneventful unless her mood decided to take a turn for the worse. Her feline tail whipped behind her as she made her way back into the main entrance way.

Most of Eden had stayed the same since she remembered. Granted rooms had been refurnished and most of the secret passages and since collapsed and other places had been..well, locked out from guests, but mostly it was the same. She doubted any of the guests would want to see the old torture chamber beneath the arena, which was largely unused save for those who wished to spar to help them relax. Yet, even sparring for Cage would not shake this restless energy from her veins, and this hadn't been the first night this week she had gotten out of her bed in the middle of the night to go walking.

Whether or not Nettle knew that she had been up and about lately she had no idea, he was pretty tight lipped about things unless she prodded him to give her a straight answer. Even as dawn started to creep into the skylights in the dining room and bar area, and she realized eventually she would have to tell him to keep away from her. At least for a little while. She hissed softly at the idea, considering he had been her source of warmth when he hadn't been out the idea of sleeping alone in a cold bed when for over a week you wanted anything that would touch you would be sheer agony for the White Rose of Eden.

But what could she do? It had been years since the last time this had really happened since she had drinking her suppressants to stop this from happening. However the specific herb she had needed she had been out of now for well over a month. Apparently her body had been storing up the severity of her heat cycles for too much time. Vaulting over the stone bartop she disappeared into the kitchen to brew some coffee, which was probably the last thing she needed considering her energy.

Light had started to filter more through the natural lights above as she walked back out into the main area. The steaming mug of coffee in her hands as she last herself into her thoughts. The amurjin had an interview later that morning for some normal help, her feline tail swished behind her. Pinstripe black pants covered those legs resting on her hips while a forest green button up  top finished the outfit. Currently Cage was barefoot but there were heels in one corner of the bar. Cage, however, already felt too warm on some levels. Not all the buttons to her shirt were done. Considering how possessive Nettle could be she was fairly certain that displaying the tops of her lovely breasts would not get the okay. Granted when she danced it was work, it was okay, did he like it? Probably not but he tolerated it. For now.

[Dies Irae]

Times were growing to be harder, the closeness to Rose was beginning to become dangerous, considering what he really was, he knew she had no idea or even a slight thought as to the reality of his true identity, his last cycle had been a few weeks ago, though it always seemed like it was only a few days away when he was around her, he would keep her in the dark about his true self, that was the best thing for her, thought that decision made talking to her more difficult, anything could be a question on it, why he always disappeared on certain nights, why he had attributes of wolves at times.

Working jobs helped ease the thoughts of Rose finding out, though recent times made his line of work more scarce, bounty hunters were becoming less needed, contract killers weren't hired often due to the client more often than not getting arrested, though Nettle was never seen, barely even existing besides when he was with Rose, one of the few people he contacted, Though he felt her becoming distant, he didn't know why, he hadn't changed, not in the slightest, perhaps that was the cause, he could never understand her completely, all he could do was watch over her, like he'd always done.

The job he had currently was common, the client a unstable housewife wishing her cheating husband to be erased, killing seemed so barbaric, erasing more to his taste, he was a shadow, he was elegant in his work, his work was what he did best, thought times were starting to look down on it, he wished he could go back, to be free to do his job as he pleased. Though that was long ago, now he had to adapt, he would for her sake, even if what she did troubled him, he knew how she would react if he said anything, pushing the thought out of his mind as he approached the target, Walking the street, Mistress on his arm, disgraceful men lived in this place, this type of job was becoming to common.

The daggers he had kept, his long time weapons for the job did it quickly, he wasn't seen, wasn't heard but the man, he would no longer be cheating, erased from the world by his hand. After the job was done he'd ventured back to his hotel room, preparing his things to head back to Rose, running a hand through the short hair, before changing into the casual black pants and grey long sleeved shirt, the only thing besides the daggers that he had kept was the swan hanging from the chain around his neck, just jewelery to the normal people but to those who knew, a mark of something much more dangerous.

He'd checked out in a hurry, the bag over his shoulders, walking back to were Rose was, by time he'd returned it was grazing half past seven in the morning, dropping the bag containing his tools of the trade on the bartop before moving into the kitchen, another sleepless night, he'd rest later on, when the sun wasn't so bright as it was becoming now, pouring a cup of coffee, returning the the bartop with it and damp cloth in hand, setting the cup next to the bag he set on cleaning the weaponry before the blood of that man dried, rubbing his eyes slowly as he sipped the liquid, wondering wether Rose had slept that night and where she was.

[TakodaVega]

Cage looked up from her mug noticing Nettle's presence. He always seemed to entrapped in his work to notice her when she didn't sleep, simply cause she was quiet. Her feet were silent across the stone floors as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, her voice in his ear, "You should pay more attention, lover." She purred softly in his ear, before pulling away and taking a seat beside him at the bar, her back to the bartop itself as she crossed one leg over the other and sipped her coffee.

"I see work has kept you busy, again," those silver eyes were focused on the tall man beside her. She was starting to put pieces together, granted she never would downright ask if her theory was true. Accusing one of such things without him telling her honestly would put a wrench in their slightly complicated relationship as it was. Then again they both had secrets. Cage perhaps more than Nettle did, and the fact the one secret which was imperative to know if he was going to deal with her soon should be brought to the surface she would rather be left in the dark where it stayed.

The little dark secret had two reasons to be hidden. One, because of her emotional state in concerns to the secret in question, and two because it dealt with their former boss. She reached for her coffee at that thought and brought it back to her lips. Four-Leaf Clover had been a good man, perhaps a bit mildly corrupted when it came to his games of chance, but when it had come down to it he had been a good leader. Cage, however, never forgot the little...wager he had made against her all those years ago. A wager she had lost of her own volition. Granted her hormones hadn't helped in that matter. Just like they didn't now.

The thought didn't help with her mood as she glanced back at Nettle. "So when are you going to tell me when you're actually going out for a hunt versus sneaking out of the Terrace like a thief in the night to find you here cleaning your weapons the next day?" Her feline tail flicked beside her. Something was really bothering her, had been for awhile now, and though she had been trying to keep to herself about it, that little part of her could only do so for so long. Then she would snap, problem was her current victim of said 'temper' happened to be able to snap her like a twig. Or kill her, or any sort of numerous sorts of unpleasantries.

Or he could take advantage of the temper, her current outfit (at least the fact that not all those buttons were in place!), and make sure she understood exactly where her place was. She mentally smacked herself at that run away thought. Now was not the time for such things. Especially when in a few hours she'd have an interview to do.

[Dies Irae]

Nettle paid no notice to Rose's behavior, he'd gotten used to her trying to get his attention a long time ago, his mind focused on the blood starting to dry on his daggers, "If i recall, last time i awoke you when you were sleeping i earned a few scratch marks and a slammed door behind me" he muttered setting the first of the two daggers on the bar, turning to face her once her comments became about his work, "Indeed, though it is becoming little interest, not like then" he said quietly, a voice to loud echoed to much in the Terrace, he didn't need the headache from that today.

Nettle had ignored her hinted aggression with her question about the work, he learned to avoid creating conflict with her, though his calm attitude had been stretched on more than one occasion, though thankfully she had been able to only feel angry at him when he was far from another cycle, looking back up to her once she spoke again, anger, distrust laced into her voice, it was more so noticeable than normal, setting the half cleaned dagger on the bar taking a sip of his coffee "You know fullwell the lack of work i find in my profession this era, sneaking out of here with you, is closest to what i used to have to do when you once did this work to" he muttered, setting the mug on the bar and standing. "I thought i had told you to not show yourself" he said reaching a out replacing the undone buttons.

"Don't question my methods Rose, not when they keep us within reasonable living conditions" he said looking down at her, he had done so much, yet they managed to argue over just about everything, running a hand through his hair he thought on whether or not this was how all couples acted, then again Rose of all people should know his limited capabilities to be with other people, it wasn't as though he had become as skilled in stealth as he was for his own enjoyment. Though Rose would never know why he did have the skillset he did, being around people was not the most wise decision for someone of his kind, much less becoming an item with someone.

Nettle left the bar rubbing Rose's head softly, making his way to the bedroom, he hadn't planned to retire as soon as that, but Rose was beginning to test his patience, leaving the payment from his latest job and many of his tools of the trade on the bar as he left, the damp and bloodied dagger dripping the former lifeforce of that poor man onto the bar, falling onto the bed sighing he wondered why Rose was acting so angrily towards him, it wasn't as if his jobs weren't a regular occurrence, unless she was beginning to piece together his more primal identity. He shook the thought, she wouldn't know, he hadn't been careless during a cycle, he never was careless with something that important.

[Shu]

She had woken up early...she had an early morning interview for a job today.  She was a bit nervous as she woke, but became slowly less nervous as time went on.  She looked at herself in the mirror, "The worst that could happen is I don't get the job right?"

After her shower she brushed her long dark hair back into a tight bun held up by a single black hair chopstick.  Her clothes she had laid out the night before, a simple black spaghettii strap top and a black pin skirt.  Her jacket and purse she had left in the entryway so she couldn't forget them.

She applied her makeup and kept it simple. Just a dark gray eyeshadow, mascara and a little eye liner over her top eyelid.

Stud earrings were in her double pierced ears, as well as in the two cartilage piercings on her right ear.  She decided to wear a small garnet necklace.  The stone seemed dark against her ivory skin.

Breakfast was a couple of scrambled eggs, a roll and a cup of coffee that most people would have said was too sweet.

She glanced at the clock as she washed her dishes, "It's almost time for me to head out."  She shook her head, "I'm talking to myself again...I need to get a cat or something."

Slipping on her black high heels she did one last mental check to make sure she had everything.  Satisfied she had not forgotten anything, her resume was already at the place she was to interview, she decided to leave.  With her purse over her right shoulder and her black 'business jacket' over her arm she locked the door, leaving a light scent of vanilla and lavender behind.