Sharp humor [Mature. Private, Jhonen]

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Lorne would walk with his hands stuffed into his pockets. Annoyingly he had to wear a shirt in public, and his pants clung to his form tightly. Thankfully, he was able to hide the tails for now, and he kept his head low to avoid too much eye contact with others around him. He would continue down his way, a hum coming from him as he casually looked up at the store signs. A few managers beckoned him forward, to come in and have a hair cut. Ew. Barbers.

Lorne turned his head away in a huff, slumping his shoulders a little as his longer white hair flicked behind him. Signs passed overhead, and his sensitive nose picked up the faint scent of food as the smells would waft slowly towards him, bending in the winds. He grumbled to himself as his stomach growled. He’d need to get something to eat later. However, that wasn’t the most pressing thing which was on his mind.

A slightly damaged sign with the picture of an anvil and hammer swung above a particular alley way. With a smirk, Lorne gave a shrug. What’s the worst that would happen if he went down there? He was in dire need of a very specifically made knife, as his already had been broken. It served him a long time, around a hundred years. Countless lives were claimed by the unique steel and silver mix, and Lorne needed a replacement as it had been damaged on too many times.

Unsalvageable.

Destroyed and broken.

Lorne put his hand up against the door, swinging it open and stepped into the place where he hoped skilled craftsman lay.

His fingers moved faster, pacing with his heart. Jhonen's soul went into whatever he sang, and by Christ this was no exception.

"Each morning I get up I die a little, can barely staaaand on my feeeeet..."

"Take a look at your self in the mirror, and crryyy"

"Lord, what you're doing to me, I have spent all my years in believing you... But I just can't get no relief, Loooord! Somebody.."

Somebody..

"Please, can Aaanny booody find meeee.... Somebody to love...."

Jho kept playing, singing his heart out through the five minute song. Instead of playing the solo in what was meant to be guitar, he took it to c sharp, playing the keys with ease while people in the background sang with him. The ending of the song was coming up, and the blush from the three empty glasses on the piano was strong on his face. It was easy to drink and sing for him, he'd done it for centuries.

The last few notes were coming up, and Jhonen slowed them down to a light pace- meant for a mesmerizing effect. The words were kind, jostled. The conclusion was soon, and Jho took his time reaching it- hitting the last note before turning to Lorne with half-lidded eyes.

"Find mee... Somebody toooo... Looooooooooveee....."

Standing up slowly, he then bowed, crimson hair falling before his face in a curtain just for himself. Grabbing his forth drink, he slowly strode to his seat once more, a grin plastered on his face.

"And that, Lorne, was for you. Christ almighty you make me feel like I have snakes in my stomach- I've never felt that before. It's fascinating. Utterly and completely."

Rather than seat himself across from Lorne, he planted himself at the Kitsune's right side. Perching his right cheek in the cup of his hand. Lorne's eyes were a beautiful shade of amethyst, mesmerizing in the shades it delved into near the light and dark ends. Fascinating. Utterly and completely. That phrase kept popping into mind when he looked at the male, and Jhonen couldn't get enough.

Lorne's heart was more than entranced in the song, his mind somewhat worried about the amount of drinks which he seemed to just down every chance he could in the song. What concerned him to a greater extent was that Sally kept giving him more drinks. Couldn't she tell he didn't need anymore? And didn't alcohol have adverse influences on other creatures? Thoughts would try and prod into Lorne's heart as he watched with curiosity, Jhonens hands gliding effortlessly across the keys as he played. Even though they didn't have the required instruments for the next few parts, Jhonen struck an easy compromise, which served as a replacement which was almost as good as the original.

The master pianist would keep playing, the keys striking their notes perfectly, his voice matching the parts which he had to sing. A perfect tone.

Lorne slowly exhaled, breathing a sigh of wonder as he silently listened to the piece. When the final note was sung, and Jhonen bowed on stage and staggered back to his seat, Lorne joined in with the roar of applause which Jhonen received on his way back. He felt his cheeks blush from Jhonens comments, "Ya did a fantastic job, it was the best piece of music which I have heard in many years. It was perfect Jho, absolutely stunning."

However, Jhonen didn't sit back down opposite him, instead choosing to sit next to Lorne. Lorne felt his cheeks flush a deeper shade of red, and he wanted to kick himself. No one bested him in self-confidence nor a flirtatious manner!

Aside from an incredibly drunk Jhonen. That seemed to do the trick against Lorne perfectly.

The kitsune would shift his arm and hand and would slide it around Jhonen's waist. He slightly pulled against him, to bring him a little closer and hold him in a half embrace. For safety of course, the seat wasn't totally secure. However, Lorne couldn't help himself as he marvelled at Jhonen's scent, something which he had never smelt in the past. It was an obscure mix, something which he would most likely try to figure out a bit later. However, for now, he accepted it, ordering his partn-erm date another few drinks via the little machine that Jhonen had been using earlier.

"And now ya know why I find ya so entrancing, so captivating. You're handsome, and incredibly intriguing. Mind ya, I wasn't expecting such a soothing and gorgeous voice from ya, you're incredible. A master piece." Lorne spoke, a little nervously as he couldn't find the exact words which he wanted to use to describe him. The one who had decided to well and truly capture his heart.

However, in his mind, a small warning would ring in it. He was an assassin... By his own code, he wasn't meant to forge any lasting relationships... Lorne cursed the code. He would burn it in a second if it meant that he couldn't at least spend cherishable moments with Jhonen.

Jhonen's drunken act had apparently grabbed the Kitsune's heart. A hot, burning sensation started in Jho's lower stomach, spreading throughout his limbs, and a large blush not only from liquor covered his face. As soon as Lorne had pulled him into the half embrace, the Black Dog was done.

Well and true.

"That almost sounded like you were trying to seduce me. I'm just letting you know, that I am four drinks away from being plastered. I'm more than willing to do anything with you tonight, you beautiful fucking man. Christ almighty save me from the thoughts running through my mind."


A raging thought came from his other half, and it was then that he looked at the time. He'd spent an hour with Lorne, and only had two left before curfew demanded he return to the shoppe. Clear thoughts were hard to come by, as a haze had settled over the blacksmith's mind. Wants, needs, things his body hadn't felt in years flooded his senses- especially Lorne's smell. By the gods he was intoxicating, more so than this liquor could ever attain as a status. He didn't need the booze to be inebriated, the Kitsune had pushed him over the edge. Every part of his body was blazing with urges, ones he didn't understand at all. What the hell was going on?

It was then that the fire changed a bit. The full moon was out, and it beckoned to Jhonen in a way that siren-called to his other half. The Black Dog wanted to run, and these emotions were provoking it in a way that Jhonen had never felt. His skin felt like it was on fire, begging him to change and run, to relish in not only how he felt now, but how much better it would feel when every nerve was alight with sensitive suggestions. It was hard to focus on anything, the scents and sights were over stimulating him. Cwn Annwn was rearing its head in his heart, and the Lore called him out.

Not now..

Desperation to push the other side back under the tide, Jhonen pulled Lorne closer to him, pausing a moment to look into the Kitsune's eyes for a sign of permission- wanting to lose himself in the male rather than in the night. Urges were warring with each other, and he had to pull away to take a deep breath to control whatever was going on with himself. Where did this come from? Why now? How could he help himself when every switch, every trigger was out of reach? There was no way for him to come back from this, and he needed to get out of here. Quick.

Lorne raised an eyebrow at Jhonen's words, the smell of alcohol wreaking from his breath. If Lorne would have it his way, he'd do exactly what his date seemed to want to do, but at an arms length. He needed to make sure that he didn't get too close, even if that's what his heart called him out to do. There was always the off chance that someone could hire him to try and murder the ones which he held dear, and he would be forced to execute the order. Even if he never even wanted to or intended to do it, it always ended the same. Lorne never had a choice in his assassinations, and he merely would pray that they didn't hire him to slaughter Jhonen.

Although he didn't have to do absolutely anything that they said, he still had the medallion tied around his hair...

Lorne was taken by surprise when Jhonen suddenly pulled him closer, their faces mere inches apart. However, that seemed to be where Jhonen's nerves died, and he pulled himself away. What concerned Lorne more was that his breath was more intoxicated with alcohol than he had ever smelt before. And that definately wasn't a good thing.

"Another time Jho, but now, we need to get ya back home." Lorne would say, using his hand to guide Jhonen into a standing position. Ignoring the glances that the two got, he would keep his arm firmly around the master singer, beginning to guide him out from the bar and back towards his home. Or what he considered his home, which was merely the shop which Lorne first met him.

Damn, he needed to find out where his house was.

"So handsome, are ya able to remember where ya house is? If not, I'll just escort ya back to the shop." Lorne asked, his eyes darting across to take mental tabs on anyone who stared for longer than a few seconds. Thoe that did would, perhaps, have a rather unfriendly visit later on.

"I live where I work"

Jhonen's voice came out barely more than a husky growl. Trembles were going through his body, and it was hard to hold anything back when Lorne was so close to him. His gut was twisted, writhing with a battle of feelings still. Drinking never did this to Jho.

"Please... Hurry..."

The beast felt what he wanted, and amplified all of his emotions. The world was little more than a spinning vortex of virtigo, twisted with his heightened senses. So many people talking, so many smells, so many colors.. It was beginning to be too much, and the grip he had on what little stance he had as Jhonen was sliding out of reach.

Just a little... Longer...

Lorne nodded, a rather concerned frown crossing his face. Did the alcohol do this to him? He said he wasn't really influenced by anything aside from that one drink, which he did have several shots of... Maybe that was too much for him. But Lorne had no idea what was or wasn't seemingly harming Jhonen. With a stiff nod, Lorne quickened the pace, a vicious snarl coming from him whenever they passed someone who rolled their eyes and muttered.

"It's alright, almost there..."

Lorne grumbled when he saw the metal pile of mush which was the excuse for the lock that Jhonen had. If Jhonen wasn't currently able to manipulate the metals and separate them so they could get in, it was simple. Lorne would just tear the lock away (or maybe the door) from its hinges. Whichever one came first. However, he didn't exactly know what would give first. Thankfully, it was the lock, and Lorne pulled the door open before helping him to a close chair, if there was one. He quickly would close the door before turning back to Jhonen.

"I'm so banning your ass. No more alcohol on my watch. Well at least, not that much." Lorne said with a shrug, before walking over to him, "Ya alright?"

Jhonen quickly thrust his hand out towards the door- two sliding panes of iron sheeting slamming together before melding into a solid barricade. He did the same for the door to the deck where he kept the vehicles, and the door to his smithing area.

"Forgive.."

As he had spent the last of his energy, Jho couldn't finish the sentence.

Before he could process what was happening the blacksmith fell onto his hands and knees, the overhead lamp within the shop that he had left on flickering as darkness crept out from the shadows it threw across the room. Spasms wracked throughout Jho's body, more and more of the ichor-like umber came over him. His moan of pain crossed over into one of relief, as his body changed beneath that cloak. The tight shirt was, sadly, no more. His bulk surpassed its grasp, as his entire being changed into that of the Black Dog.

The lightbulb burst, leaving the two in almost complete darkness; except for that of the Black Dog's amber eyes. Pupiless, they stared at Lorne. Curiosity would be the only emotion found in their depths, as the large Lore came toward him. An aplogetic look crossed its visage once, only shown by the hesitation in the movements it chose, before the beast came to lay in front of the Kitsune.

Lorne jumped as the metal doors suddenly slammed shut at the entrance. His heart started to race in his chest, and his affection for Jhonen suddenly dried like water in the scalding heat of the desert. His heart beat incredibly fast and he turned to the other door which he saw on his way in.

It slammed shut.

Lorne looked to the windows, only for them to seal him inside as well. He felt himself back away into a corner at the movement of the metals, his palms sweaty and his throat dry. What the hell was he doing?! Lorne just helped Jhonen, and he was sealing him in a room? What was the deal with that!

Just when he didn't think things could get any worse, Jhonen's struggled voice rang through the dim light as he fell onto his hands and knees. Lorne didn't bother to take a step forward, instead taking one back, further into the corner. It wasn't often that Lorne had lost his cool, unable to register any signs of danger or any signs of aggression, anything which he could normally read with ease. His mind raced faster than his heart as he desperately tried to figure out how to get out of the place.

But, mortified, he realised that the only ways in or out were the exact ones which Jhonen had sealed. He could only stare at what use to be his date as he morphed and shifted, the shirt tearing to pieces before only a few seconds had passed. Instead of a human, a great dog, illuminated by the light for a few moments before it burst, was left in the room with Lorne.

He felt his heart race in his chest as he took a step backwards from its hesitant form, only for his heel to clip the edge of a drawer. Lorne's incredibly unsteady hand would have slid to grab his dagger, but there was no way a small thing like that would even somewhat damage the great, bull-sized dog in front of him.

Lorne didn't move a single step forward or to the side as the beast approached him, before choosing to lay at his feet instead of anywhere else.

"T-t-t-that explains... the scent..." Lorne stuttered, unable to keep his voice from mirroring the same terror which he felt. It took everything for the assassin not to transform into his fox and make a run for it, knowing that it would most likely anger the creature before him.

Instead, he stood in a paralysed fear as to what that beast would do.

Of course he was terrified.

Jhonen's instincts flared to life once more, the Lore he now embodied growing excited at the smell of fear. Shaking the feeling off, he whined quietly- unsure if his ability to speak with animals would work with a Kitsune.

A low rumble started in Jho's stomach, and pain lanced through him. Gasping, he looked around. The singed smell came from him- but he wasn't touching any of the iron walls. His eyes darted to Lorne, looking him over to find no trace of the poisonous metal on him- his weapon was still sheathed. The standstill Kitsune wasn't what was harming him. Only then did it register that the only thing he had ingested that day was the alcohol that Sally had given him.

Alarm went through, instincts to defend himself and avenge the wrongdoing kicked in before he calmed himself. Slowly lifting himself, Jho tenderly walked to his shredded clothing- sniffing at the rags only to confirm his suspicion. Iron dust.

Lorne jumped slightly when the beast would quietly whine, and he bit his lip, trying to force himself to calm down. That was the man who he took out for a date. That was the same man who perfectly forged his weapons. That was the same man who stood up so boldly in front of everyone and gave an amazing song. Who played with such grace and sureness that Lorne was almost jealous.

Lorne tried his best to calm his racing pulse, thankful that he was slowly able to move once again. However, what didn't help was the sudden gasp of pain from the wolf. Its eyes turned, looking to him almost in accusation, but Lorne would hold his hands for the wolf to see. He hadn't taken out the weapon, he hadn't touched him with it.

Lorne's nose quickly picked up the singed smell, and his nose wrinkled naturally at the scent. He hesitantly followed as the wolf gingerly would walk over to the shredded shirt. Lorne frowned. The signs were there, the wolf's ginger pace, the smell of burning, the wince... But what for? What was wrong? Lornes hand gently ran through the dog's fur, "Hey, Jho?" He asked, praying that he would be able to understand him, "What's the matter?"

Lorne tried to keep his voice calm and collected, trying to keep it at a tone where it hopefully would sooth the dogs agitation, unknowing what had caused his sudden change of behaviour. Lorne's hands would, if it didn't hurt Jhonen, keep running across the fur to try and calm him, to show that he was there. Sure, he was a little freaked, but he wouldn't abandon him. He may have been scared, confused, almost terrified and concerned for him, but there was no way that Lorne would abandon Jhonen. Absolutely no way.

Not after that amazing show he pulled.

Well. A change of heart wasn't exactly what Jho had expected, but it made his own clench in an unknown emotion.

Laying down slowly, Jhonen was careful to not touch any of the remaining rags. The iron dust was clinging to it, so he was thankful that he hadn't inhaled the poison, but alcohol dried fast. It was a miracle it wasn't already dry. Without knowing how to communicate it, the Black Dog was very blatant when moving his eyes to Lorne, then back to the torn clothing.

Sally. Poison. Fae.

Not really bothering to fluently speak, the best he gave was a basic understanding of what had caused this annoying amount of drama. Since he wasn't sure that Lorne could understand him anywa-

A grunt of pain came from the great beast, as he dropped. His strength was waning, mainly from the sheer amount of alcohol he'd consumed to get to this point. She knew that he'd transform, especially with it being a full moon. The metal had to have been with the salt, that was the only way that it could've been hidden from the metal worker. What else had she done, though? Was anything planned for Lorne? The biggest question: Why?

Lorne was puzzled for a few moments, but the eyes were all he needed to read. Keeping a hand in contact with Jhonen so he didn't feel isolated or alone, Lorne used his other hand to pick up one of the rags. It was damp with persperation and... Lorne took his hand off Jhonen and sniffed it. Alcohol. Aware that he wouldn't be able to touch him anymore, Lorne quickly stripped his own shirt away from him, gathered up the wet rags and shoved them into the shirt. He quickly buttoned it up, tying the sleeves together to ensure that Jho wouldn't come into contact with them anymore.

His heart skipped a beat as he glanced up at Jhonen, who had grunted in a small amount of pain. Lorne felt stupid, like an idiot. Why couldn't he understand! He didn't understand the connection and he felt so damn stupid. Look at him, a master of assassins, the murdered of hundreds, and here he was, bloody unable to read a damn dog and understand what it was saying.

DAMN IT ALL!

Lorne almost wanted to tear his hair out, the smell of burning becoming a little worse every passing second. He cursed himself repeatedly under his breath, and shook his head. His mind forced himself to go back to the basics. What was Jhonen? He knew him as a smithy, a handsome man, but... a single sentence that Jhonen had said was nagging at him, something that Lorne had passed by easily and shrugged it off as nothing...

Metals, Jhonen was a metal worker. Fae.

The word pounced on him like a cat on chasing string. Instantly, archives almost opened up about the Fae, books and their history handing out information to him like he needed, as he had hunted them before. Metals. Steel. Resilience... No, they weren't among that list, but metals... That's what Lorne used to kill them. He either slipped dust into their drinks or ended them with his blade. The metals were basically toxic to them.

His heart skipped a beat and he turned to Jhonen, "Ya somehow ingested metal, obviously, but surely ya have something to counteract it, ya literally live among metals! Where is it?" Lorne asked urgently, turning from Jhonen to search through shelvings, careful not to even touch Jhonen as he had come into contact with the metallic substance.

Excited that he seemed to get it without true communication, Jhonen had to stop and think about what would help him. The amount he had ingested was dangerous, but if he could get it to a low enough metal...

A thought from earlier struck him. He had had to buy a fresh bag of charcoal earlier to fund the fires, and decided that stock was a good idea. The only issue, however, is that it was in a bin underneath the service desk. And that bin wasn't exactly made for this form to get into, as he didn't want to vomit when he boredly wandered.

Slowly, Jhonen drug himself to the front of the room again- shouldering aside the chair and shelvings that were in his way before looking down at the lockbox. It was like a half sphere, the bin upside down like a bucket lock. However, the way to open it was a small shovel shaft, that had to be pulled up like a garage door.

Cursing himself, Jho looked towards Lorne desperately- would he be able to get into the coal chute? This was literally Jhonen's only chance, and even though he'd have to be careful about where he decided to... vomit, he could deal with the metals during the day, when he wasn't bade by his Lore.

C'mon you big lug.. Please...

Whining, Jho decided to scratch at the bin. Maybe that'd be enough of a hint?

Lorne heard the dogs paws scratch across the ground and he turned his head, squinting as he watched it wander forward. Although, its wanderings were quite forced, as if it really didn't want to be moving. But Lorne could hardly blame him, iron in the stomach wouldn't exactly be very nice. Especially when it burnt away at him every single second.

When Jhonen whimpered and scratched at a container under the desk, he knelt down next to the great dog. "Just take a step back, I don't want to accidentally touch ya and hurt ya..." Lorne said, holding up a hand which had come into contact with some of the dust. Hopefully he understood what he meant, and took a few steps back. Lorne's fingers worked the stupid door open. Admittedly, it took him a few tries and a few minutes to do so... However, the door slid up easily to reveal the coal inside the container. With a smile, Lorne shook his head.

"That's a clever idea..." Lorne mumbled, before searching for a shovel to be able to take out the coal. The last thing he wanted to do was make it worse for Jhonen. He was in enough pain already.

Lorne quickly found one which was small enough to fit into the shaft, and he pressed the mouth into it. He mounded the coal up onto the shovel, before carefully pouring it into an empty and clean clear plastic container. Lorne put a few spadefuls onto it, before pushing the rather full 2L bucket to Jhonen. If the wolf needed more, Lorne would keep putting more of the coal into it.

Before the dog was able to eat it, Lorne searched around the shop for a container. Annoyingly, it was metal, but it would serve its purpose. He found a few dirty rags and placed them over the rims of the container, before carefully sliding it to Jho. "If ya doing what I think ya are, it'll be much easier to clean if ya do it in there." He explained, searching for another cloth to clean his hands up on. If he managed to do that, he would go over to the dog and gently pat him, his hands running circles on his shoulder and neck. Thankfully, the iron would clear so he wouldn't burn him.

If Jhonen did indeed need to be sick, Lorne wouldn't budge, affectionately stroking the poor dogs hide, and making sure Jhonen knew he was there for him.

Gratefulness blossomed in the Black Dog's chest, before the bitter truth set in. Before him was a very, very awful task. One that would be the only answer to his condition at this point in time. Taking a deep breath, the Lore barreled in on the coal, crunching down on as much as he could. It took a while, half the bin in fact, before his body woke up enough to understand what was wrong.

Whimpering an apology, Jhonen retched into the bucket that Lorne had kindly prepared for him, the rags making it easier on the mutt as he removed the contents of his stomach. The burning sensation flared to a new strength as it came back up, giving him a parting kiss of agony before he emptied himself entirely. When the disgusting work was done, Jho laid his head on his paws. His eyes were half closed in pain. Vomiting the poison was almost as painful as downing it, and there was no guarantee that he had gotten enough of the metal out of him for him to be able to function properly.

Lorne's patting and gentle rubs was soothing him, and were probably what helped him clear his stomach contents. Jhonen was more than certain that he would've died, then and there, if it weren't for the help of what was supposed to be his date tonight. Christ almighty knew that this had to have been a terrible night, and it didn't help that Jhonen had just trapped Lorne in with him until daybreak. If he hadn't, though..

Shaking the thoughts from his head, Jho turned over onto his side, giving his chest and stomach a bit of a break from his body weight. The Kitsune's wellwishes were beginning to put him to sleep, though... Deciding that it wouldn't hurt much, the Black Dog closed his eyes for a moments rest. Even if it was only to lull the now dull ache away.

He was thankful for his rather strong stomach, and was able to keep the pats up to Jhonen as the poor soul did a rather gruelling task. Even though the kitsune was honestly mortified, in some ways, he was somewhat glad that Jhonen locked him in here. After the initial fear, if Lorne didn't help Jho, well, Lorne knew the outcome, a certain death.

When the dog had finished his task, Lorne shifted the metal container away from him with his foot. The smell of vomit wasn't exactly something that helped with the whole 'not feeling so good' business. Lorne had to learn that the hard way multiple times in the past. Seemingly exhausted, Jhonen half collapsed onto his side, huffing from what he had done.

When he was sure that the wolf was resting, Lorne would dispose of the contents of the container, and he would also clean it out. The last surprise that Jhonen would want is a lump of-erm... Yea. Lorne shivered, the things which he cleared still warm from being in Jho's stomach. The assassin shivered, cleaning out the rags as well before hanging them over the edge of the sink for them to dry. After he had finished his work, he scooted a little closer to the large wolf, his hands going back to patting the poor soul.

Lorne would force himself to stay up until daybreak, but as the night had become rather cold, he decided to somewhat not hide his appearance he used while he hunted or was at home. Generally, people didn't approve of a nine-tailed man walking around who had ears of a fox. He would wrap two tails around himself, the soft fur enough to keep him warm, and the others would form a layer around the wolf.

Little did he know, his tails would be incredibly helpful in the morning...

As if on an unspoken cue, the shadows that wrapped around the Lore known as Cwn Anwnn burst away, shattering into crystalline reflections of light. What was left, however, was the form of a man who was too tan to be that pale, curled up on his side beneath a swath of lush white fur.

This always woke Jhonen up, and didn't fail to do so this time. Blinking, he let his eyes wander. Though he wasn't unused to waking up in the shop like this, he didn't typically wake up under a blanket. Besides that, what happened last night? Normally drinking didn't give him this bad a headache, and Christ was it a ringer.

Sitting up slowly, Jho put the palms of his hands to his eyes in an attempt to rub away the migraine. When it receded to a dull ache, he opened them once more...

...To find out that it wasn't a blanket that had kept him decent in the presence of a surprising bit of company. Rather, it was a cloud of white fur belonging to no one other than Lorne himself. As mornings were slow for the blacksmith, it took a moment for him to clear the perplexing data to understand that he was now.. Naked.
Alone.
With Lorne.
Under Lorne's tails.

Yet another minute passed by before his brain had worked up the decency to be embarrassed by these facts. Stammering, Jho thrust his hand towards some of the scrap metal in the corner, working them into a flexible material that temporarily pass for a 'towel'. Making himself decent, he stammered an apology before staggering into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Thinking that it was decent to do, the blacksmith then removed the barriers from the shop. The only bit of clothing he had was a pair of sweat pants, which he quickly donned before washing his face clear of sweat and what smelled like bile. Taking a moment to steel himself, Jhonen left the bathroom.

"I..."

Lorne was, at first, startled by the bright light which came from underneath the layer of fine furred tails, allowing Jhonen to be covered instead of completely revealed. However, the assassin, despite his incredibly flirtatious manner, did have boundaries and did respect privacy. He would turn his head away as he saw the bronze tanned shoulder, trying his hardest not to blush a little from what he had seen.

A slight jingle of metal made him aware of the sudden metallic pieces coming together and close to him, to which he would recoil his tails back to himself and away from Jhonen. Suddenly, he was staggering out an apology and making his way to the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him.

Lorne blinked, not exactly expecting such a response. With a sigh, he would push himself to his feet, flicking his tails in agitation. He didn't mean for Jhonen to feel exposed, it was the exact feeling which Lorne was trying his best to ensure that Jho didn't feel. Lorne sighed, making his way towards one of the now not so bared doors. If Jhonen decided to tell him to leave, Lorne would do so without a hesitation. Or maybe he was still sick. He turned back to the door, his heart rising in his chest. Was he alright?

But it was just at that moment the embarrassed man came back into the room, unable to even form a sentence. However, Lorne let out a rather pent up sigh, not knowing he had been holding his breath. He closed the distance between the two of them, uncaring of Jhonen's handsome and shirtless form, his arms suddenly wrapping around him.

"I'm so glad ya are better from last night... Ya were poisoned..." Lorne shook his head, surprised to find himself fighting back tears.

Damn, where did they come from? He barely knew the guy and already he was somewhat attached?

Flustered, Jhonen had to adjust himself in the hug. He'd never had to do that before, and the embarrassment was hidden as he buried his face against Lorne's neck. Memories of last night flooded through his mind, and he had to take a deep breath to assuage Cwn's panic. The Kitsune had released a very pent up sigh, which meant that feelings were involved on both ends. Was that good or bad?

"Poison. Right."

Memories of Sally's silent smile came to him, striking a chord in his body that dug up an ugly face- the true visage of the Sidhe. Even though she looked beautiful at first glance, as soon as the Fae would lead you to her den... Ragged flesh and the stench of long-dead meat would over power any urge you honestly had. It was hard even now, in Lorne's arms, to hold back the bile that rose from the mere thought of what could have happened if Cwn hadn't chosen that moment to fight out the instincts.

"That banshee put iron powder in my margarita salt."

Griding his teeth, Jhonen hugged Lorne tighter- not willing to let go of what he found comfort in. Metal dust was still inside him- he could sense it now that he wasn't dealing with the Lore.

"Lorne.."

Lorne used his tails to coil behind Jhonen, intertwining with each other to be able to hold him firmly in the embrace. Lorne had to partially smirk at the sudden and seemingly uncomfortable shift with Jhonen, and he felt his head press against his shoulder to hide himself. He sighed when Jhonen correctly identified the poison as the metal powder, and he cursed himself.

"Damn, I'm sorry that bitch got so close to ya. But why the hell would she do that? It's not like either of us have really done anything to her, well, maybe ya have, but I haven't.

Mind ya, I don't think that girl realises just who she decided that she wanted to mess with. Either one of us could tear her apart, and I mean it. She's a lass and unless she had at least a few dozen guards around her all day long, there's no way that she could get away from my blade or your swords."

Lorne growled, his tails tightening around Jhonen to show his extreme displeasure with her, "That fool is a banshee, right? Sally?"

Without a warning, Lorne would uncoil the tails and take a step away from Jhonen, breaking the embrace suddenly. His form would turn, his hand raising to the doorknob as his tails and ears seemed to vanish. "Anything I need to know before I go hand her ass to her?" Lorne asked, a snarl quite evident on his face.

This was one side of him that he almost never showed to people. He merely hoped that he wouldn't scare away Jhonen...

The empty feeling Jhonen had when Lorne stepped away was immediately replaced with a surge of anger.

"The only thing that'll kill a banshee is iron and gold. Your blade is steel-silver."

Casting his arm aside, Jhonen went into his armory.

"I've actually made something for this day. If you want to know why she's suddenly decided to..."

Taking a deep breath, Jhonen paused for a moment- hand on one of the shirts in his rack drawer. Grabbing one of his newer shirts, he put it on so as to stall for thought. Should he drop his relationship past? Why he was so awkward? Deciding that it would more than likely lead towards a better outcome, Jho swallowed his pride for once.

"She was my girlfrend, fifty years back. First one in a century. Everything was going well, but.. She had lied to me about her past. I was honest about my Lore, and just who I was. She was a Fae. As stated, a banshee in specification."

Walking into the room, Jhonen took a golden dagger from the wall. He had carved this the night after she had shown her true form. Sallehn's name was carved in it, Gaelic in form. The only thing that had stopped that blade from being slid between her ribs was her apology. Jho believed heavily in second chances, as he himself was the result of one. Dion and Bri save their child's soul. He was going to have to do what he needed to do long ago.

"I'll prepare my powders. I'm not standing for this."

Getting two silk drawstring bags, Jho removed two needles from his wall- one of iron and one of gold. Dispersing them each into a fine dust, he concentrated solely on placing them in the bag- careful not to get too much iron on himself. He wasn't sure he could survive another bout of poisoning, even if it was only by second contact. After prepping, he grabbed his hoodie and a pair of black jeans, excusing himself into his side room to change out of the sweats.

Lorne remained silent in the room as Jhonen had left to go into the armoury. The assassin worked best alone, and he glanced at his blade. Surely it would be enough... And Jhonen was in no condition to fight. He was laying on the floor wrenching his stomach just a few hours ago... There was no way that he'd be able to help. Lorne hand silently turned the handle.

Sometimes, it was best to do things alone.

He sighed, shaking his head. Jhonen needed rest, and Lorne was confident that he could take on the banshee. He'd done it once before - sure, it almost cost him his life and his beloved orb, but it was possible for him to do it again. Maybe. Well, he hoped that it was possible.

Lorne's hand twisted a little more, the faint click of the lock opening as Jhonen continued to talk. "Sorry Jho Jho." Lorne mumbled, before leaving through the door. He would pick up an object, jamming it into the hinges to prevent or slow him down from leaving. Lorne had to do it without him, even if he was prepared. It was too dangerous for a little and still injured dog to go through with his own plan.

Cracking his neck, Lorne felt his form shift, condensing into a tiny foot tall fox, his white wispy tails flowing behind him. He smirked, before making his way to the bar, his eyes burning with hatred towards Sally. There was no reason for her to have done what she did, and the assassin would try and make her pay with her life. He fastened the blade to his side, surprised that it was almost as long as his entire body. With a shrug, he made his way to the bar.

He snuck through a back exit, his form obscured and hidden to security cameras. He would glide through the halls, a simple blur that would occasionally hide behind objects as people drew near. Lorne's nose would pick the scent up, sniffing cautiously as he followed the scent of the familiar waitress from last night.

Sally.

Sally's hand glided across the bar, wiping away the wet spots left from the partygoers that couldn't hold a drink straight. A small smile was still on the Sidhe's lips, as memories of a drunken Jhonen MacAnndra staggering out of the bar. She'd played the fool for what he was, since he'd decided to spurn her. Sure, she'd apologized. But rather than truly mean it, she had waited for the moment when he wasn't watching his drinks, and relaxed enough for her to just give him a tiny push into a realm of something he couldn't handle.

Satisfied with how the bar looked, Sallehn tossed the wet rag into the bucket of cleaner and removed her leather gloves. No need for them now that the deed was done, and she could push the boundaries of her bar further than what they were now. Granted, she'd have to hire a couple more Ogres that were smart enough to hide their Lores, but that was that.

Something, however, was off.

A white blur darted behind one of her stackings, just at the corner of her vision. Millennia of paranoia kicked in, and she quickly walked towards the opposite side of the room. Never putting her back to the intruder, she pretended to check the bar tablet on Spot's table.

Lorne would stalk her, unaware that he had been seen as a quick blur. His eyes narrowed, boring holes into the back of her skull. He growled to himself, needing to get closer to be able to burn her wrist, targeting her. Silently, he moved across the grounds, using tables and chairs to cover himself, weaving in and out when he was sure that no one else was looking.

Lorne kept himself hidden to the best of his abilities, and he hunched low to the ground, his orb fastened to the medallion which hung from his neck. When he was almost certain that she would hold still for a few moments, he would summon an illusion of himself to run to past her right. But his true form would raise his head, the medallion glowing as a tiny spec of energy would manifest itself from Lorne, before arcing across to mark her. As soon as he had used this ability, Lorne would leave his current hiding place, seeking a new around five feet to his right to use as cover.

Little did he know, he was in a lot more danger than he would have liked to admit.

He wasn't dealing with a novice.

The hologram worked.

Thinking that he was safe, the little fox popped his head out of the corner- giving away his exact location with a nice burst of energy.

Aha.

He gave away who he was with this, and Sallehn reached down to snatch the orb away from the animal.

"So you're the one who stole Spot from his solitude..."

Knowing that she had won the fight already, Sally relaxed. Her illusion drop, showing the Kistune her Lore. Rotten flesh drooped where her cheeks once were, showing sinew and jagged teeth rather than the pretty visage the man had complimented before. Her hair dried up like a spring, strings dotting her almost bare skull in what patches of skin remained. Sunken eyes mocked the beast before him.

"I guess your being here means he died. Tell me, what is he to you? Why do you wish for vengeance? I would think that someone who could progress to the Never Never would be smart enough to stow this somewhere safer than around his neck..."

Lorne, quite instantly, would return to a larger version of his fox form, towering over her with a rather menacing growl. The presentation of his sacred medallion swayed him slightly, but he did his best not to keep the impact of having it stolen show on his face.

The kitsune would stare down at the female, undisturbed by the change that she had made. His fangs grinded together as he glared, wishing death threats down against this thing. He didn't even care that she had the medallion (okay, maybe he cared a hell of a lot, but still, he wouldn't let that be known). Lorne's jaw snapped, threatening to take a chunk of her shoulder away. But that's all Lorne could do to her. False threats.

Lorne treasured the amulet more than anything else in the world - Jhonen coming a close second. It was his prized treasure, something literally linked with him. And whoever held that stone... Lorne would do anything to get it back.

Lorne defiantly glared at her, his heart racing as his eyes flicked between her own and the medallion. His precious orb still housed safely inside. Lorne felt his heart being torn apart, one half wishing to tear this thing apart while the other begged for Lorne to be merciful, to spare her and do what she requested to try and get that orb back.

His connection with that orb was incredibly powerful, the pull drawing him closer and closer into submission to her, but he fought it back. Lorne couldn't bend down to her! Not that bastard who almost killed Jho! But his orb...

Lorne couldn't do it. He depended on that orb. He caved.

"He's an acquaintance, if ya must know." Lorne snarled through his teeth, the words slurred from being in his fox form. However, guilt pulled at him as he knew he had lied to her, and that wouldn't do! How would he ever get the orb back if he lied? The torment in his soul was evident through the flickering of his eyes, unable to keep steady and firm. "Someone who I fancied." He forced himself to admit.

Damn her!

"Ya poisoned him, your damn iron powder caused him more hell than anything else ever could! Why? Why do that to him!" Lorne growled, "I simply forgot in my anger what ya stupid fae's can do. A simple lack of judgement in a mind clouded with anger."

Shut up Lorne!

"Mind ya, I was able to ensure he lived."

Damn it Lorne, keep your trap shut!

"I think ya gonna have to go around that another way." He growled.

YOU IDIOT! Don't tell her that! She has your orb idiot! But the words had already left his lips, the things he had stated, irreverable.