Unbreakable Ties (Ookami & Sumi)

[Raika]

*||Character List||*
~Trent (Ookami) 6'2" Age: 24~
~Chloe (Sumi) 5'4" Age 17~

~Jared (Ookami) 6'0" Age: 24~
~Chris (Ookami) 5'6" Age: 17~

~Elissa 5'3" Age: 36~
~Avery 5'7" Age: 58~
~Charlotte ?? Age: ??~
​

Cerulean blue eyes glanced down the street, filled with nothing but boredom, the 6’2” man with flaming red hair wore a black billowing trenchcoat that did little to keep the cold chilly air of the city off his well toned body. Normally he wouldn’t have minded the cold so much, but everything seemed to be going wrong ever since he received a phonecall last night from his ex-father. A bumbling tyrannical fool of a man who’d practically kicked him out of home and forced Trent to fend for himself long before he should have had to, if it weren’t for his friends he probably would have died in some stingy alleyway from hunger or something. Of course, Trent hadn’t bothered to hear the man out, all he’d done was grumble a quick string of unpleasantries before hanging up, hoping that even a man like his father would get the hint and not bother calling him again.

Stepping in a puddle of murky rainwater, he cussed quietly as he felt the cold seep into his shoes and soak into the lower parts of his jeans. He probably should have called a cab or something, but the realestate agent wasn’t too far away from his apartment, and he really didn’t want to sit around waiting for a lazy cab driver to get his ass into gear on a day like this, especially since it was getting pretty late already, and there’d be little point of calling a cab if his point of destination closed it’s doors for the business day.

The sooner he arrived, the sooner he’d be able to tell his start looking for a new room. His current apartment wasn’t inadequate, but after a string of successful photo shoots, Trent had decided he’d leave his tiny one bedroom apartment for something bigger and better. Lack of insulation made it impossible to keep warm during the winter, and the thin walls between each apartment meant he could hear the couple next door going at it like animals on a nearly daily basis. It hadn’t been so bad when he was going out with Miranda, but they’d broken up a month ago, and the dirty moans he heard each night before going to sleep wasn’t helping him in the slightest. He’d even considered stooping so low as to go hire a prostitute, but he wouldn’t let himself fall that low….. not yet.

Walking past the automatic sliding doors, he sighed happily to himself as the cold air was suddenly replaced by the warm comfortable heated room of the realestate agency. He’d come just before closing to avoid other customers, but unfortunately it seemed like there was a girl already standing at the counter, arguing with the only clerk who looked tired and annoyed.

“For the hundredth time, I’m not lending anything to an underage brat, it’s not only illegal, but unethical. If you want to borrow a room then let me at least contact your parents and get their consent first” he snapped, slamming his fist on the wooden counter, the action surprising Trent. It wasn’t his business either way, and seeing as there were no other customers, he walked over and placed himself on a cushioned seat. Rolling his eyes at the pair and wondering how much longer they’d be.

Glancing around the room, he failed to find anything of interest and ended up settling his attention on the back of the girl. Or more precisely, her exposed thighs. His eyes lewdly travelling over her backside before he quickly shook his head scowling, not believing he was sexually frustrated enough to start feeling up a highschool girl in his mind. Letting out another sigh, this one weary and tired, he rubbed his eyes, trying to focus on something other than her bodily curves, his vision blurring for a second as he was hit be a sense of nostalgia, though Trent was pretty sure he’d never seen the girl before, there was just something about her that seemed familiar.

An image of his 7 year old sister flashed through his mind, her right blue eyes staring up at him with an innocent childish smile. It had been ten years since he’d left his sister behind with that tyrannical bastard of a father, and he hadn’t heard from her since. He’d tried to get in contact with her a few times, but had always been intercepted and turned away, and somewhere along the years, he’d given up. Figuring that his sister might not even remember she once had a brother. And even if she did, their retarded father probably would have made up some ridiculous rubbish about him being dead or something. Either way, the odds of his sister being here were slim to none. One in a billion. There was just no damn way.

 

[Sumi]

If it weren't for the night spent out in the cold, maybe she wouldn't be this desperate. However, she couldn't cope with that man anymore, always ruining everything, yelling and punishing her for the all the minor things he could find, as if he wanted to drive her away. To make things worst, all his anger and the atmosphere at home affected her to the point where she couldn't even focus on studying for school. Moreover, it was at times like this that she had to realize she had no friends. After all, how could she hang out with friends or invite them over, when her old man was going nuts with every absurd thing? In the end, she just had to snap one time or another. And when she suddenly found herself in the situation in which she had to dodge a flying vase, that was the last drop of it. Without a second thought, she packed her things and left in a rush, having one hell of a goodbye to hear from her father. Just curses. She had no idea if he would actually come after her, but neither did she want to find out. In fact, she would be relieved if he wouldn't try to contact her again.

Still, things were bound to get complicated. With no friends to help her out, Chloe was suddenly forced by the circumstances to stoop so low as to sleep outside, on a bench, in the park. That, if she could sleep at all. With the thought that all kinds of weirdos could reside in that area, it was pretty hard to sleep properly. It was rather a round of quick naps with frequent look outs for perverted old men or beggars. Besides, she also had to be careful as to not have her bags stolen. All in all, the night was hell on earth for the dark haired girl, yet, that only made the sight of the sun something to cherish. As soon as the sky lightened, she was already up on her feet, ready to find some place to live. Well, she had some dark circles under her eyes from the lack of rest and she really wasn't in her best shape. Nevertheless, she was motivated to do something. Not that she had any other choice.

Now, there she was, hair uncombed, looking tired, wearing the same uniform she wore the other day and actually doing something she never thought she would do. Begging. Well, not the same begging for money, but begging for some mercy. “For the hundredth time, I’m not lending anything to an underage brat, it’s not only illegal, but unethical. If you want to borrow a room then let me at least contact your parents and get their consent first” These words echoed in her mind for some reason, flinching only when the man at the counter slammed his fist to make himself clear.

She frowned, but only because she was so helpless. If only she was older and had more money, she would not be in this situation. However, she was doomed to being stuck with her father at this rate. Until she would be of age, she would have to rely on her bastard of a father. That thought alone made her cringe. Still, she could not give up so easily. Not now. If she would return now, she was sure her father would treat her even worse. She could only imagine, and if she had to be honest, she was horrified.

"There must be some other way... Can't you at least consider this one time an exception from the rule? I don't want... I can't return home. I wouldn't be here if this wasn't really important. If I go back, my father will kill me! Please-" she pleaded, but soon was cut off by another slam of his fist and his other hand pointing to the door. "Get out." were the last words of the older man, ending the conversation. At that, Chloe froze in place, trembling from both the anger and the fright. She turned around hesitantly, picking up her bags, before she looked over at the person who sat aside. For a moment, she was confused, as to whom he may be, because he looked so familiar. She practically found herself struggling to find out who it was, until the man from the counter just walked over and grabbed her arm. "You're getting on my nerves. Just get out now." he muttered out, being mostly ignored by the girl who was stubborn enough to put up a fight and make him take off his hand.

On a second glance, she suddenly recalled something which she actually thought she forgot about. The same pair of blue eyes which they shared, the facial features which were somewhat familiar, made her remember the only one person who actually treated her nicely and she always looked up to in her childhood. For years in which she hadn't seen her brother, she almost forgot that she actually had one. She knew that he probably tried to contact her, but given her father's plainly evil acts, she had figured out what really stopped him from calling her. Still, she couldn't just be sure that this was the same person. He might have changed in the meantime, hell, maybe he wasn't even in the same town anymore. What were the chances to meet him at such a time? Yet, it wouldn't hurt to make sure, right? "...Trent?" she called out, a little bit hopeful. But would he even recognize her? She wasn't the same little girl. She, too, had changed. Her long characteristic hair was now shorter too, due to an unfortunate event related, of course, to her father.

 

[Raika]

Watching as the interaction between the man and the girl went from simple arguing, to the man actually trying to drag Chloe out by the arm. Trent actually made a move to get out of his seat and storm over to the man, the mere sight of Chloe being shoved around stirring a strange protective feeling inside him that he thought he’d long forgotten. He’d done a bit of thinking by now and concluded that the odds of the girl being his sister were not reasonable. Even if she was somehow his sister, they were pretty much complete strangers now, ten years was an awfully long time and Trent had changed considerably since he was a measly 14 year old. His scrawny limbs had grown hard and firm, and his height had shot up by a considerable amount. Even his once raven black hair was now died a fiery red. Nevermind more obvious things like his jaw squaring out and his shoulder broadening.

He waited a few seconds before picking himself up off the seat, watchning the pair quietly as he’d now decided to not intervene. Once the girl was ungracefully booted out, he’d be called to the counter and have to deal with the man with a stick up his rear…. Not a pleasant thought, but the thought of spending another night in the rundown apartment room he’d been renting edged him forward. It’d been his own little oasis when he’d first moved out. A place to himself, a place without responsibilities, or a grumpy old man breathing down his neck. The mere thought of the man was enough to cause an old scar between his collarbone and chest to start stinging again. Of course, the pain was imaginary, but the number of times he’d been asked about it by his ex’s was something that had consistently gotten on his nerves.

Speaking of getting on his nerves, the girl was still resisting and the man was still blabbering about regulations and laws. Complicated stuff Trent couldn’t possibly understand with his lowly education, he’d been relatively popular back in his school days, but his friends had gradually dropped away over the years. Moving on to things like college, or gang life. A few of them had even lost their lives doing stupid things like overdosing on drugs, or sleeping in a gutter and choking on their own vomit. Most of them though, had just drifted away and never been heard from again. There was the occasional wedding, but Trent saw no need to attend some fake ceremony before a god that hadn’t done anything for him when he needed it most.

Noticing the girl and man still struggling, he clicked his tongue and tapped his foot, telling himself it wouldn’t be much longer now. He was just about to pull a few scraps of paper he’d jotted a few notes down on when the girl looked straight at him and called his name. A moment of silence settling on the room as even the man halted the process of hurling Chloe out.

He was taken off guard by the girls comments, startled when he heard the familiar ring of her sister’s voice. For a second he looked as if he’d call her back, but when his mouth opened, the only thing that came out was air. The dumb gesture quickly turning into a scowl of disapproval. “I’m not going to help you, so don’t pretend like we know each other” he sighed, shaking his head at the girl apathetically. “Name’s Joseph, not Trent” he lied using the name first name that came to mind. It might of been the name of the camera man in his last shoot, or maybe the name of the bull terrier that lived two doors down from his room? Either way he managed to say the false name with confidence. It wouldn't be the first time someone recognized him. And the last time he'd responded, he'd had stinky old housewives clambering over him for his autograph. "Do you think you could go now? Your sort of holding things up" he scowled, indicating the door with his head.

 

[Sumi]

The sudden silence and the expression on his face triggered her heart. It had to be him. Else, why would he be so surprised? Maybe it was just her mind who hoped that a miracle is possible and that maybe he really was her brother, but she waited for an answer. She was desperate to hear some good news for once. And to make things even more credible, he really reminded her of her older brother. Sure, he might have changed, but she was positive it was him, because of those eyes of his. The same pair of eyes imprinted in her memories.

And then, he crushed all her hopes. She pondered on whether she really mistook him for her brother, or he really was Trent, but he pretended to not know her. Though, the latter thought just made her feel worse. Then again, maybe he just didn't want another burden. After all, who would actually like living with his younger sister? Or maybe he simply was someone else. Honestly, she was torn apart because of her own thoughts. Her hopeful expression turned into a sour one, somewhat still unable to let go of this matter.

Nevertheless, at his words, she finally broke free from the man's grasp and rushed out on her own will. At this point, she was probably willing even to sell herself only to earn some money and find a place to stay at. She mindlessly walked on the streets, angered with everything. She wished she could just go back home and sleep in her own comfy bed, yet she couldn't even think of going back. To make things even worse, she was starting to panick. It was late and soon she would have to go through the same thing as the other night. Chloe was now on the verge of crying or just going crazy.

In the end, she sat down on the bench from the bus station, took a few deep breaths and let her elbows rest on her knees, hands clutching at her head, hiding her pathetic expression. She had to think of something. Anything that could earn her a place to stay at.

 

[Raika]

Glad that Chloe was finally out of his sight and off to wherever it was street waif’s like her went, Trent stormed over to the counter, throwing himself in one of the seats by the counter and crossing his arms, a pissed off look on his lips as he tapped his finger impatiently,. Waiting for the clerk to return to his position. It couldn’t possibly have been his sister could it? He didn’t feel too bad for putting some silly girl in her place, but the possibility that the girl had been someone he should have cared for kept creeping into his mind, and several times he had to ask the clerk to repeat what he’d just said as his mind simply couldn’t focus.

It nearly took an entire hour before the clerk decided enough was enough and offered to organize an appointment for the following day. “We’re willing to accommodate you at any time sir, we pride ourselves on friendliness and competitive prices….. for legitimate customers” he smirked, looking at the door, undoubtedly referring to the girl who’d sprinted out an hour ago.

Trent opened his mouth to accept the appointment to be first thing in the morning but but the words that came out were completely different to those he’d intended to say. “No thanks, I’ll take my business elsewhere, place looks like shit, smells like shit and most importantly the service here is shit” he spat, knocking the chair he’d been sitting over and shoving his hands in the pockets of his trenchcoat. Storming out of the building and giving the man the finger he quickly made his way down the street, still not entirely sure why he was suddenly so pissed off at the man, who he insulted shouldn’t have affected Trent in the slightest, but somehow, some reason, the small remark about Chloe had stung him more personally than if the man had insulted him directly.

He hadn’t really gotten far when he noticed Chloe sitting alone at the stop. Sighing with relief before shaking his head, trying to convince himself that he hadn’t actually been looking for the girl, and that this was all just chance. A chance his mind told him to ignore, but his body ignored. His hand quickly travelling over his front and undoing the buttons before slipping it off casually. Perhaps too casually as the motion caught the attention of a random passer by that blushed madly at him. Maybe stripping like a performer in the middle of the street wasn’t such a bright idea?

Either way, no harm was done, and before he knew what he was doing he’d thrown the coat over Chloe’s head. His surprise attack succeeding thanks to her brooding and covering her face. His large hand immediately following up and resting on her head through the fabric of the coat. He shivered a bit as the cold lashed his body, but it wasn’t unbearable, unpleasant. But not unbearable. “Take it, you probably need it more than I do” he said with unusual kindness, gently running his hand over Chloe’s head. “You called me Trent… who’s he? Your boyfriend or something?” he mocked quickly withdrawing his hand before slumping down beside Chloe, the metal seat stinging his skin as they made contact. “Unless you plan to sleep out tonight I suggest you go home, I’ll walk you” he muttered reluctantly, realizing that his mouth was once again blabbering things without consulting his brain.

 

[Sumi]

Chloe was startled when she suddenly felt something covering her head. For a moment she almost imagined someone was trying to kidnap her. One would be amazed at her wild and extreme imagination. Then again, she was bound to think of the worst at times like these. Hell, she almost expected being caught by her father and being dragged to that hell hole. However, as soon as she felt the warmth of a hand through the cloth which covered her head, she calmed down. She was about to look and see the one who did this, but then she realized the coat was the same as the one the red head had.

She couldn't really look at him, so instead, she looked at her own feet which were already as cold as ice at this point. She wasn't sure whether to be thankful or just ignore him because of how he talked with her earlier. Thus, she simply kept her mouth shut and just listened on his blabbering. While he tried to mock her, she couldn't really find this matter amusing. Not in this circumstances. After he stopped talking, she shifted a little and softened her expression. Maybe she was a little too harsh with him because of her own problems.

Letting the coat fall on her shoulders, she raised her head and glanced at him for a moment before she looked down again. "My older brother. However, he might not even be in the same town considering what happened in the past." she answered and frowned slightly as she was about to explain her reason for leaving. "I can't go home. Not unless I want to have the lamp thrown at me next. I don't want to see my father for a good while. Or rather... I don't want to cope with him anymore." she explained and then looked over at him. "Um... maybe you should take back your coat. Thank you for your kindness. You look like you need it more than me. Besides, I'm already used to the cold by now." she mumbled out.

 

[Raika]

He’d tried to lighten the mood a bit… or rather, get some sort of reaction out of Chloe, but it seemed to be pointless. The girl was intent on ignoring him and brooding in her own little misery. Trent wasn’t even sure why he was here dealing with this little brat, freezing his own ass off in the process. Sighing and making a move to get up and walk off, he didn’t know if Chloe had been waiting for him to go quiet, or if she was trying to hold him back, but when she did speak, his entire body tensed, his knuckles turning white as he dug his fingers into the metal backrest of the seat. What Chloe was describing sounded all too familiar. His own father had been much the same, though back then the old bastard would have waited until Chloe was asleep or away. Sometimes he’d even lock Chloe away so that she wouldn’t be able to see the things her father was doing to her brother.

Gritting his teeth and tensing his muscles, an aura of outright fury suddenly pierced the ice cold air, the air around Trent seeming to thaw just a bit. Trent looked like he was ready to go on a killing spree, a murderous rampage that held no purpose or concern for others. And it almost looked as if Chloe would be his first victim as his hand shot out, shoving the coat she was trying to return to the concrete beneath them and grabbing her by the wrist.

“Come with me” he grunted, roughly jerking her hand as he stood up. Immediately looking guilty when he realized he’d caused her a bit of discomfort. “You’ve got two choices, you sleep out here tonight and die, or you follow me to my place, take your pick, but make it quick…. Before I change my mind” he added staring at her with his cerulean eyes.

 

[Sumi]

Chloe was somewhat worried as he suddenly seemed to get angry, the whole aura around him changing in an instant. Now, she wasn't sure if he was mad at her or himself for some unknown reasons, but it sort of made her want to back out. She was already accustomed to angry people, like her father for example, but that only made her more aware of possibly harming people. Needless to say that now she was already regretting that she talked. Thus, when he suddenly shoved away the coat from her hand and roughly grabbed her wrist, she was startled.

Once he spoke, she looked up at him and frowned in a confused way. He was angry a moment ago and now he was telling her to come with him. The next couple of words, however, surprised her even more. On one hand, it was wrong to go and stay at a stranger's place, especially because he was a guy, but on the other hand, it sounded so much better than returning to her father. She quickly nodded before he would change his mind. "I'll go with you! Um. Just let me take my bags first." she answered clearly, without a second thought.

The brunette quickly grabbed her bags in one hand, given that she didn't carry many things around with her, and then just hurried back to his side. For some reason the fact that he kind of resembled her brother made her feel safer for some reason. Maybe it was just this, maybe it was because she needed someone who was older and more experienced. Despite her dislike for her father, she was already used to having someone to take care of her expenses and more importantly, she was used to being around male figures. All of her life revolved around males, because she didn't have a mother. Maybe this was another reason why she never managed to get friendly with girls of her age.

 

[Raika]

Trent eyed the girl suspiciously as she said she needed to get her bags. It was an obvious request that should have surprised no one, but Trent couldn’t shake the feeling that Chloe would disappear in a puff of smoke if he dared to take both his eyes off her. And there was something awfully nostalgic about holding a girl’s hand the way he was doing now. He’d held hands with his girlfriend plenty of times, even let her drag him around at the mall a few times. But Chloe felt different, a bit of warmth focusing where her skin met his.

“I guess that’s fine” he stated reluctantly, releasing his hand as he was worried she’d noticed and draw conclusion. Chloe however seemed clueless to the thoughts in Trent’s head, and as she scampered back. Lukas offered her his hand. Staring at her expectantly as if it made perfect sense for Chloe to offer him her hand when they were going somewhere. “I’m asking for your hand, not your virginity” he scoffed, rolling his eyes when she didn’t immediately offer it. “It’s just a safety precaution, last thing I want is for you to get lost and find you on the news tomorrow morning.”

“So I look like your brother do I? Trent was it?” he remarked as he started walking, feigning curiosity. “I’ve never had a sibling so I wouldn’t know anything about brothers and sisters, but I’m assuming he meant something special to you” he asked casually, not really caring if she shared anything with him or not.

 

[Sumi]

Chloe was surely surprised when he offered his hand. For a moment there, she was clueless as to why he would insist on this. Was he afraid that she would run? But why would he care if she ran away anyway? At his words, she scowled as if she was insulted. He was really getting on her nerves since he actually considered she was like a kid, getting lost and all that. Nevertheless, she took his hand reluctantly and averted her eyes at the warmth of his hand which somehow made its way up to her cheeks, because she could feel her face suddenly warmer. Then again, a fever wouldn't be something unnatural given that a night ago she had slept outside in the cold.

At his questions, she glanced back at him from the corners of her eyes as she walked with him. She was still somewhat annoyed with him, but let it slide in the end. "Well, actually, you don't look much like my brother. In fact, I'm not even sure how he would look exactly after all the years we've been apart. He wasn't very tall anyway, and he looked pretty skinny. Also, he didn't have red hair. He had the same hair color as me." she explained, suddenly smiling a little as she recalled the few times she would spend her time with her brother. "We would have actually looked like twins if he wasn't much older than me. The only thing similar between you and him would probably be the eyes. That's why I actually mistook you for him in the first place..." she added, her smile seeming to fade once again.

"I never had a mother, and my father was always cold and mostly angry with everyone... especially with my brother. That's why I actually looked up to him and we've been pretty close until he had to leave the house. After that, father began developing a drinking habit and things had gone worse." she mumbled and suddenly realized she was maybe a little bit too talkative. "Sorry, I probably look funny blabbering all these things about me." she apologized.

 

[Raika]

Trent wasn’t going to take no for an answer. He noted her scowl and her displeasure at being spoken down to, but it was all justified in Trent’s eyes. Chloe was a girl without a home and without a choice. He probably wouldn’t have left her outside by herself if she’d refused to take his hand, but he couldn’t guarantee he’d be too nice about it. He was still a bit sore from his last break up, and being rejected by a petty highschool girl wouldn’t do any good to his state of mind.

Walking quietly and leading Chloe down the street, he listened without saying a word. Somewhat amused by her ramblings, but being careful not to react too honestly to her revelations. None of it really surprised him, in fact part of him seemed to have expected everything she said. All expect the part about his eyes. A frown on his lips as he suddenly halted, releasing Chloe’s hand and taking a step infront of her. They’d stopped in a rather dull alleyway. The lights over on the main street flickering on as the last rays of sunlight began fading alarmingly quickly. Not that it could be seen or anything due to the thick blanket of clouds.

Staring her in the eye, he reached out a hand, his eyes dead serious and almost daring her to move. His hand fell on her shoulder first. Squeezing it gently before trailing up along her neck, pausing at her jawbone before sliding around and hooking a finger and thumb against her chin. Lifting her head up ever so slightly so that their lips were less than an inch apart. His warmth breath trickling over her lips and cheek. “Eyes huh, must have been a handsome devil if he could be mistaken as your twin.” He smirked, leaning in closer, their lips threatening to touch as he stared directly into her eyes. “I’m definitely not your brother then, same color, but mine aren’t as pretty as yours… mine are clouded and murky, tainted even, wish I could steal the sparkling clarity of your eyes” he chuckled under his breath. Placing a hand against the wall, and boxing Chloe within his range of reach.

“What would you do if I told you my name actually isn’t Joseph? That I do have a little sister, and that my mother died when I was young as well?” he smirked confidently, his lips actually brushing against hers as he spoke.

 

[Sumi]

Chloe was confused once again as he suddenly let go of her hand and stepped in front of her, seeming suddenly frightening, in the weak light coming from the main street, his form towering over her. How could she not be somewhat worried about her wellbeing when he would stare at her with those serious eyes? And how could she not try to step back only to have her back hit a wall, as she noticed his hand reaching out for her. She shivered as his hand squeezed her shoulder first and then traveled up to her neck and stopped to grab her chin. She didn't dare to ask what was wrong or why he was suddenly acting like this.

Her cheeks turned crimson red as he brought his face close to hers, feeling his breath on her warm lips. Indeed, she was used to male company, but not this type of company. And as he mentioned her brother and the pair of eyes she talked about, she frowned confused. It was only when he drew dangerously closer that she started thinking he was probably not the best person she could meet. She would have considered running if only he didn't corner her. Her best bet was to hit him, but she feared it would only anger him and probably lash out at her.

His last words made Chloe's eyes open wide in shock. Even if at some point she had expected this, his way of acting shocked her greatly. This time, she scowled at him, disgusted and angered. "I would have told you that you're the worst." she answered, before turning her head to avoid his lips touching hers. "It would have probably been better if you didn't reveal this. This way I would not feel bad about having a brother as cruel and lewd as you." she complained, obviously referring to the earlier events. "Just when did you end up like this?" she inquired, trying to push him away from her.

 

[Raika]

Trent didn’t make a move to correct Chloe’s refusal as she turned around, a blank emotionless look in his eyes as he just continued to stare at the girl with cold blue eyes that reflected Chloe disgust, he just seemed to stand there, listening, making no move to get closer, he could probably do whatever he wanted to Chloe in the alley as it was getting rather the late and due to the horrid weather even the main street was practically deserted.

“Cruel and lewd?” he repeated after her, finally pulling his face away and placing one hand over his face, his lips turning upwards and daring a soft snigger before gradually increasing in volume. His hand travelling to mouth as he burst out laughing. Taking a few steps back while swaying, his voice rang out loud and clear throughout the alleyway. “I’m not your brother you silly girl” he laughed wiping a tear from his eye as he slowly started to recover from his insane laughing. “I was just messing around with you, I can‘t believe you still think I’m your brother” he smirked running his fingers through his hair as he casually shoved his hands in his pocket. “I’ve never had a sister, can swear on it if it’d change your delusional mind. As for my mother she passed away three years ago, but technically I still consider myself young even now.” He chuckled keeping his distance now since he knew Chloe wouldn’t want him anywhere near her. If Trent really was the same Trent Chloe was thinking of then what he’d just said should have been an outright lie, but Trent’s words held an air of confidence and authenticity.

“I will admit though that my name is actually Trent, not Joseph, but besides that I’m not lying, wouldn’t be much point in lying about something now since the joke’s over” he shrugged leaning on the opposite wall. “Though if you’re really that desperate, I could pretend to be your beloved brother?” he teased, smirking with confidence.

 

[Sumi]

Chloe obviously frowned again as he suddenly backed out only to laugh at her. If he thought it was funny, she only thought of it as an ugly joke. Nevertheless, she was somewhat embarrassed now, seeing how serious she was while he was only teasing her. Her cheeks remained red all the while as she looked anywhere but at him. "That was not funny even in the slightest bit. That was a sick joke." she finally muttered out, cold blue eyes averting back at him. Chloe cherished her older brother and if it wasn't for the ideas and lies fed by ber father she wouldn't have forgotten about him in time. Thus, it was no wonder she was that serious about him.

"You're right. You're not my brother. After all, my brother wouldn't be such an ignorant , selfish and lewd. Also. He would not dye his hair such a weird color, that's for sure." she pointed out. Now it was her turn to mock him. If he wanted to play it like that, she too, could do the same. Still, the fact that he had the same name as her brother was too much of a coincidence. She wasn't even sure what to believe anymore. Was he lying, or was he really not her brother?

"Give me a break." she mumbled and rolled ber eyes as he suggested he could still act as her brother, before she crossed her arms to keep herself warm. It was vetting colder and now that she was much calmer the cold seemed more intense. "Are we moving already or would you rather carry a frozen schoolgirl?" she mumbled.

 

[Raika]

Still smirking at Chloe, Trent just shrugged his shoulders at her response. “I never said anything about actually being your brother, I just asked what you’d say IF I said I was. Don’t blame me for your quick assumptions.” He didn’t actually seem to mind the cold stare Chloe was giving him, on the contrary he seemed to rather enjoy it, his smile didn’t even falter as she went on to insult him. A quizzical look I his eyes as he tipped his head to the side thoughtfully.

“Ignorant, selfish and lewd? I wouldn’t be calling anyone ignorant seeing as how your following a complete stranger to his home, there’s no telling what I’m truly planning is there? For all you know I could tie you up and be the sick pervert you seem to think of me as. As for selfish…. Well, you do realize I’m not obligated to offer you a place to stay for the night?” he smirked at her even more, letting the words sink in before continuing. “Lewd…. Well, I won’t deny that one, but it’s not my fault that you’re my type of girl” he stated casually, turning around as he began walking again. Not really bothering to check if Chloe was following.

“Yes Princess, right this way” he laughed, not at all turned off by how rude and frisky Chloe was being. He actually found her jabs at him to be rather cute, “Oh, I nearly forgot, you can stay at my place for as long as you want but I will be taking payment” he stated, continuing is stroll at a consistent pace. “Don’t worry, it won’t be anything you can’t afford, I’ll let you know the details when we get there.”

In truth, the apartments weren’t that far away, all they needed to do was exit through the other side of the alley and then take a left, walk down a few blocks before climbing several flights of stairs.

 

[Sumi]

Chloe clicked her tongue at his words. Well, he was mostly right, but the way he kept that smug smile on his lips annoyed her to no end. He simply looked as if he held the upper hand, and that surely didn't make her feel any better. As he admitted that she was his type, the brunette just shrugged it off, motioning to lead the way. "So, basically, you're telling me you prefer schoolgirls. Do you even understand what you're saying?" she spoke with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, it should better be something affordable. At least until I get a job." she mumbled in regards to the payment. Now, she had to think things over. Continue school, or get a job? She doubted she could go with both. And what if her father would search for her at school? She shivered at the thought.

"Are we there yet?" she inquired, feeling another gust of wind which brought her more shivers.

((Short post before I leave the house. owo; ))

 

[Raika]

Sensing her impatience Trent began leading the way, listening to her continued attempts to twist his words into something illegal and wrong. “Haha, schoolgirls huh? Never thought of it like that” he laughed clearly not offended by her remark in the slightest. “I admit that skirt is pretty sexy, wouldn’t have allowed something that short when I was in school. What I meant though is that you’re the perfect height for me to do this” and with that he stretched out his hand and ruffled her short hair up. Quickly pulling his hand back away before she could bat it away herself.

“Thought so, for a girl that smells like she crawled out of some sewer your hair feels awfully silky, would have been better if it was long and flowing, but I guess your current look portrays your spunkiness better”

He didn’t say anything about her payment initially, not really wanting to touch on that anymore than he already had. He didn’t intend to have Chloe pay him in cash, cash wasn’t something he had plenty of, but it was something he had enough of, and the only extra expense having Chloe around would incur would be the grocery bills.

Figuring she’s start mouthing off at him again he raised his hand infront of her face in a clear stop sign. “But that aside, you’ve got a cute face and I love the fact you’re not moping around or whining in self-pity…. Anyway here we are” he announced, swiftly changing the topic to cut off Chloe’s response. “Third floor, third room to the right, might not look like much, and frankly it isn’t. But it’s better than sleeping outside”

The building itself was a dreary grey building, three stories of plain grey concrete, a few of the windows were smashed, and only a few rooms on the first floor were painted in a stained whiteish paint that was peeling off making it look uglier than the other rooms. The second and third floors were connected by a steel flight of stairs that ran up the side of the building, and an external hallway that doubled as a communal balcony for the rooms. Though parts of the fencing had rusted and snapped off, giving it a dangerous look that would lead normal people to question if people actually lived in places like this. If Chloe had expected something proper she was definitely going to be crestfallen. As Trent had said, it was better and safer than outside…. But not by much.

Ignoring any remarks Chloe had to make about the place Trent quickly made his way up the stairs, casually skipping over a few steps which had either fallen off or looked like they would in the near future.

 

[Sumi]

His remark about schoolgirls made her give him a skeptical look. As if. She was sure that even if he wasn’t her age, he was probably just the same as any guy in her high school. She only rolled her eyes at his so called compliment about the skirt and was somewhat taken aback when he suddenly ruffled her hair, causing her to scowl back at him. She quickly moved her hand to fix her hairstyle and blushed at the mention of her smell, obviously embarrassed. “Do I smell that bad?” she inquired, ashamed with the prospect that she could be smelling to that extent. Nevertheless, his comment about her hair being short irritated her a little. “It’s not like I wanted my hair to be this short. I used to have long hair until a couple of months ago.” she mumbled, not really motivated to continue the story.

The farther compliments caused her to want to talk again, only to be cut off as he changed the topic. At the sight of the building, she was speechless on the other hand. While her family wasn’t a rich one and while her family wasn’t something she could even call a family anymore, the house she lived in was much proper looking than the place in front of her eyes. At least that much, she could be proud of. Aside from that, he was right. It was definitely better than sleeping outside on a cold weather like this. Besides, she was sure she would end up pretty badly if she kept standing out in the cold any longer.

Thus, despite the clearly disappointment on her face, she didn’t say a word, unable to complain about something which she actually had to be grateful. After all, this much kindness she would not find so easily, at every corner of the street these days. Then again, she still pondered on what would really benefit him if he let her live in his apartment. Why would a stranger accept something like this, given that he, himself, said that he would not ask for a big payment? It didn’t make sense. This thought alone made things seem suspicious. Maybe he was secretly one of those guys who do have a fetish for schoolgirls? She glanced at him from the corners of her eyes and then shook her head to herself. It couldn’t be. Sure, he had one weird and bold hair color, but aside from that, he looked like a pretty much normal guy. Maybe even quite handsome if she had to give him a second glance.

Her own thoughts caused her to slightly blush, mentally scolding herself for reaching such a conclusion. And when she realized it, she was already much much slower than him. Thus, she picked up her pace and tried to follow him properly, mimicking his every step, because as she noticed, there were some stairs amiss and some were about to fall. “Hey, would you please take smaller steps? I can’t keep up with you and these bags too.” she protested, somewhat tired. Not only had she not eaten anything all day, but the fact that her legs were shorter and the bags were an additional weight to carry, made it difficult for her to walk up the stairs at his pace.

 

[Raika]

Trent continued to quickly climb the stairs, not really taking into consideration that Chloe would be a fair bit slower than him. After years of living alone and working on everything at his own pace, he’d forgotten to adjust himself to the needs of others. And althought Trent had considered offering to take the girl’s bags at several stages, he’d given up each time, telling himself that Chloe wouldn’t be willing to hand over what little possession she had over to him, furthermore their interaction hadn’t been favorable, and she was constantly frowning or scowling at him. Even if there was an inner gentleman buried inside him he couldn’t really offer to do something he was certain would be rejected.

Turning around and looking down at her as they reached the second floor, looking down at her with a smirk as she seemed to be quite fatigued. Not really a surprise considering how she probably hadn’t slept well last night. Trent didn’t offer help though, he could have easily gone back down and grabbed her bags off her, but instead he just stood there, waiting for Chloe to catch up, her request had been for him to slow down, and he couldn’t get any slower than remaining stationary. “What have you got in there anyway? Your teddy bear?” he smirked, an image of one specific stuffed animal flashing through his mind. He doubted Chloe still had the teddy he’d given her on her seventh birthday just before Trent had left the house> It had been ten long years and she’d probably have moved on a long time ago, now that he thought about it, there was no way his father.... or rather hers would let her keep something he’d given her. He could nearly even imagine the old bastard torching what little of his belonging he’d left behind and cackling like a madman.

Seeing Chloe finally catch up and take a step onto the second floor, Trent smiled smugly, reaching out towards her and grabbing her by the back. Steadying her as she was swaying dangerously. “You really need to work out more” he joked, looking down at the stairs, he could vaguely remember how the steep steps had been for him when he’d first moved here. But over the years he’d grown used to it, and had forgotten how much of a tiresome task climbing these stairs were.

“Lets see if you’ve gotten any heavier” she mumbled, leaning down and snaking another hand just beneath Chloe’s backside before lifting her up into the air and into his arms in a bridal fashion. “Hmph, probably need to eat properly too, you barely weigh anything at all” he stated, shuffling his arms a bit to get a better hold of her body. “Focus on not dropping those bags, you can yell at me all you want but struggle too much and I won’t take responsibily when you fall down a flight of stairs” he threatened lightly. Taking a step towards the second flight of stairs up to the third floor.

He was sort of regretting not doing this earlier since she looked so tired, not only that, but she was literally freezing, her chilled skin making him question if the body he was carrying was that of a living girl. Hesitating a bit, he weighed up the risk of her protesting against the act of holding her closer to him, and after a few steps the latter won out. His hand curling around her body a bit more and holding her tightly, trying to warm her body up again with his own.

 

[Sumi]

Chloe was of course irritated by his teddy bear joke, though, she couldn't really protest about it, because that really was the truth. And if he was to find out, it would be pretty humiliating for her, but at least she would not lie about it. Thus, she figured she would just shut up about it and hide for the time being. Leaving that aside, she looked up as she finally caught up with him and noticed his usual smug smile. 'Usual' because by now she was used to it. On the other hand, she was thankful as he steadied her because she was too tired already, panting almost. "I don't like sports." she mumbled in return to his 'work out' comment. Even at school, she would usually sit aside and do everything in order to avoid having to play with the others. First, because she really was bad at sports, and second, because she would not be able to work with a team, when she barely had friends at all.

Her thoughts were disrupted when he suddenly lifted her up in his arms. She would not be embarrassed if she didn't wear a skirt. But she did wear one, and it was definitely awkward to be in that kind of position. What really caught her attention was his mumbling, though. Something which was pretty misleading. Heavier? How would he know if she was heavier if he barely met her some hours ago? At that, she glanced at him, pondering on whether she was over thinking things again. Still, she didn't say a thing about it. Not after the jokes he did and how he kept repeating that he wasn't her brother. Nevertheless, she didn't have time to think of it anymore as she felt herself closer to his body. It did make her feel warmer, but hell, she couldn't stop her blushing. She was actually about to say something, but she closed her mouth as he threatened he would drop her if she was to struggle.

"No wonder you probably don't have a girlfriend. You're always saying mean things." she spoke in the end, and shook her head with a sigh. "First you tell me to scram, then you joke about being my brother, tell me that I smell and now you're telling me that you'll let me fall if I struggle." she mumbled

 

[Raika]

Trent had figured as much when Chloe said she wasn’t into sports. Her slender waist, thin arms, and soft legs were more than enough to indicate that she certainly wasn’t one to go jogging in her free time. The Chloe he’d know had always been a bit of an introvert as well, always playing by herself, her only friends being the silent dolls and stuffed animals around her. Trent had been picked on for the exact same reason when he was back in school, his peers often joking about a rumor that his father was an ex-criminal. He didn’t know where the rumor had gotten out, but for the first few years of his schooling he’d get asked if the scrape on his knee or the bruise on his cheek were made by his father. Most of the time the answer would have been yes, but admitting that infront of everyone felt like he was relying on others.... others that he was certain wouldn’t do much more than gossip and make his life worse. Fortunately for him though, such a status worked in his favor when he entered highschool, his endurance and determination winning him the respect of a small group of peers.

Called back to the present by the sound of Chloe’s words. His lips twitching as a surge of irritation swept through him. He considered snapping back at her, perhaps threatening her with something else. But the slight tinge of red on her cheeks made him reconsider, the sight making him smirk instead, though deep down he was glad to see her face warming up. “You might be right, I had a girlfriend until not too long ago, but she left saying I was too rough and cruel” he scoffed, his grip tightening on Chloe ever so slightly.

“How about you? You’re about to be dragged into the home of the mean man, shouldn’t you be depending on your sweet boyfriend or something?” he jabbed, a bit nervous as he wasn’t entirely sure if Chloe had a boyfriend or not. What little he knew of her indicated otherwise, but he hadn’t been joking when he’d thought of her as attractive, and even if she was anti-social, Trent was certain that she had a few admirers at school. “Don’t know how it is with you girls and your crazy gossip and social status but I’m sure your boyfriend wouldn’t judge you for running away from your ass of a father, actually he’d probably have a bigger problem with you being carried around by a handsome devil such as myself” he joked, climbing the last of the stairs and slowly making his way to his room. “Hold on, need to get my keys” he muttered, pushing her body up a bit before reaching into his pocket, fumbling around for the keys.

 

[Sumi]

Chloe didn't know for sure that he had no girlfriend, so when he admitted he really didn't have one anymore, she was somehow surprised. After all, he was pretty handsome and that would sure attract a lot of potential girlfriends. On another note, she was suddenly recalling seeing him before, but she couldn't remember where. Maybe simply on her way to buy groceries, or...? She shook away the thought. Maybe it was just her imagination. Nevertheless, the fact that he admitted why his girlfriend left him, somewhat amused her. She could easily imagine just what mean comments would he tell to his girlfriend. If he had treated his ex the same way he treated her, she surely understood why he was single now. Even so, his sudden grip tightening on her was confusing. She didn't know what to make of it, so, she figured she should at least apologize for her words. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up something which bothers you." she mumbled.

She was again surprised at his sudden question about her having a boyfriend or not. While she wasn't really the ugliest in her class, Chloe was aware that she would never have a chance to make a boyfriend because she was usually the quiet one who barely talked with a classmate unless it was some group homework involved. She never thought her situation at home would have lead to this, but with time, she began to put a distance between her and the little friends that she had in the past.

In the end, she chuckled at his attempt to flaunt his looks once again. This one loved to brag about how handsome he was. But, she wasn't one to argue. "The amount of modesty residing in you amazes me." she said sarcastically. "As for your question, I don't have a boyfriend or even a friend I can depend on. I wasn't allowed to go out with my friends, so I ended up being left out of the group, more or less." she answered, avoiding any disappointing expression which could give her away. "Either way, I wouldn't have depended on my boyfriend. It would feel weird to live with someone's family. That, and I'd be a bother." she added. As he arrived in front of a door, she found herself blushing again at how awkward this was, carrying her like a bride into his house. Just the mere thought made her embarrassed. "You can put me down now, you know." she added as a matter of fact.

 

[Raika]

Trent’s eyes flickererd to Chloe’s face upon her apologizing, the look on his face expression was one of amusement, though his eyes sparked with an accusatory flare. “I’ll find a replacement soon enough” he grunted, still sounding a bit upset, or maybe he was just uncomfortable as his eyes wavered a bit, almost as if he were scared of looking Chloe in the eye. He was glad that Chloe didn’t pursue the issue further, not because it hurt to remember, but because there were a fair few things he didn’t want Chloe to know, not yet at least anyway.

“As for my modesty, better to be an arrogant prick than a recluse who can’t make any friends” he mocked, starting up once again with the harsh remarks, though his tone softened a moment later, his blue eyes looking more than a tad bit concerned. “You can’t stay alone forever you know” he mumbled solemnly, the words quite possibly stinging his mind more than hers. He’d acted tough infront of Chloe, but fact of the matter was that he wasn’t much better off. He had acquaintances and friends, but if something ever happened to him, he couldn’t count on them to help him. He’d be lucky to remain as a topic to joke and reminisce about at drunken parties at best.

“So you’d rather drop into some strangers house than bother your hypothetical boyfriend and his family?” he asked, quite amused. He couldn’t stop smiling ever since he’d heard she was still single, a sense of relief had washed over him the moment she’d told him, and he couldn’t supress the feeling of elation bubbling inside him.

“I could put you down.... but I don’t want to” he chuckled, finally managing to turn the key before kicking the door open with his foot. Pulling the key out with two fingers. His hand possessively wrapping around Chloe once more as he entered his apartment.

The room didn’t feel much warmer than it did outside, for starters the floor wasn’t even carpeted, infact it was still the ugly grey concrete it had been during construction, fortunately the paint indoors had survived the weather better than the outside and the creamy white texture contrasted heavily with the dreary grey.Right beside the entrance was a small basin and table space, accompanied by a small regregirator which emitted a low pitched buzzing sound. In the centre of the room was a queen sized bed, surprisingly well kept. Behind the bed was a wall that separated the bedroom from the toilet and showers. There was absolutely no privacy in the room beside the wall that obscured one’s vision unless they peeked around. The room was definitely meant for a single person, not two.

“Horrified yet?” he asked, expecting Chloe to struggle, he reaffirmed his hold on her, almost as if to say that he wouldn’t let her escape.

 

[Sumi]

Finding a replacement? How would he find a replacement if he was going to share the place with her? Unless, he didn't plan to keep her for too long. The thought kind of worried her, but she figured she would find a job or something to pay her own expenses and find her own place to live. Besides, it would not be long before she would be eighteen. Then, she would no longer have so many problems renting a place. Or at least, that's what she hoped for.

Of course his attempt to mock her worked, because she scowled at him, annoyed with his remark. She wasn't sure if she would be able to cope with so much arrogance from now on from this particular person. Then again, she couldn't really choose her benefactor according to her likes. She had to be thankful with what she found and that was that. Surprisingly, though, his next mumbled words weren't a mockery, but somewhat of an advice. Even though the words were directed at her, on a second glance, he looked as if he, himself, had problems with making friends. She didn't dare to ask more. Either because they weren't that close yet, either because she didn't want to bring up something uncomfortable again.

His expression soon changed and he was again amusing himself by mocking her. Of course she would not bother someone else's family. That, and she felt uncomfortable whenever she had to be around a family, because she, herself, never felt like having a family, aside from her brother. From the moment her mother died, everything went bad. Now as she thought about it, she figured that maybe her mother's death was the cause for her father's behavior. It didn't erase his mistakes, but maybe he had just gone crazy over the loss, she thought.

And, he was stubborn. Either that, either he just wanted to get on her nerves, as he wrapped his hands in such a way where she couldn't struggle much. Or she could, but to no avail. The moment she saw the inside, she was horrified. She couldn't comprehend how he could live in such a place. Or rather, room. It was cold, both temperature-wise and visually. The fact that the bathroom and the bedroom were 'separated' just by a wall practically left the brunette's mouth hanging open. "Honestly? Yes, I'm damn horrified. How the hell did you live in this place until now? It's just as cold as outside! At this rate, it would have been the same if I stayed on the streets. Without the beggars and such, but still." she complained, and dangled her legs in an attempt to make him let her go. "Seriously now, let me down. I have to think things over, because I don't know which is worse." she mumbled. She wasn't sure what was worse. Sleeping in the same bed and having the possibility of being seen while bathing by a stranger, or sleeping outside and hiding from the beggars and the thieves.

 

[Raika]

Trent only laughed at her response, having fully expected her reaction, he wasn’t surprised in the slightest, but was somewhat relieved that she was still considering which was worse, and not barging out the front door. She was probably too tired to run, and even if she wasn’t Trent was pretty sure he’d be able to catch up to her easily even if she did run. Regardless though, it was better for both of them if it didn’t come down to that, and after making sure that he was standing inbetween her and the exit. He slowly put her down. Before looking over her again. Despite her attempts to try and maintain a presentable look, a night out had soiled her clothes and her hair was slightly matted, she also smelled a bit, though it wasn’t really a unpleasant odor. Trent actually sort of liked it, but admitting that would be like admitting that he was a pervert.... not that he wasn’t.

”Beggars can’t be choosers” he responded simply, walking past Chloe and towards the bed. Glaring at her to suspiciously to enforce that he didn’t want her making a run for it. He quickly disappeared behind the wall, shuffling around a bit before returning holding a large white shirt which he tossed on the bed along with a clean white towel and.... a black thong. The last of the three certainly not something that could belong to Trent unless he had a crossdressing fetish.

“Whether you decide to stay or not, you might as well clean up a bit before you decide. I doubt I need to show you around” he stated smirking as he stretched his hand out and swished it across the room. “Pretty self explanatory, and before you ask, yes, there is a hot water system.”

Walking over to her he then grabbed her hand, pulling it towards him before opening her hand with his own, placing the room keys in her hand before curling her fingers back over them. A somewhat warm considerate look in his eyes that didn’t suit the image he’d portrayed of himself thus far. “I’ll be outside, take your time, but don’t take all night. Believe it or not, it is still cold outside.” he joked.

And with that he brushed past her and back towards the door, opening it before locking it from the inside. Glancing at her one last time before closing the door just in case she had any questions.