prohibitions: (Default)
Cain Augustin Amadeus Scarlett ([personal profile] prohibitions) wrote2019-04-28 11:35 am

When love became an act of defiance



I hear your heart beating in your chest
The world slows 'till there's nothing left
Skyscrapers look on like great, unblinking giants
corcotta: (It's so much more than I ever was)

[personal profile] corcotta 2019-09-11 01:54 am (UTC)(link)
To be given an assassination assignment was very rare for Jonathan. Surely someone more qualified should be sent for this and yet, a client picked him out specifically, paid the price tag, gave the intructions and his superiors sent him on a field trip.

Perhaps they thought he would be best for a long standing assignment; make him earn his keep, gain their trust and make the final move. Or maybe they thought Jonathan would make a gruesome mess of it. Whether or not, he could escape the scene after the fact without raising suspicion or getting caught in the long run was another matter.

All that he was given as a warning was to keep any wayward thoughts in check, whatever that meant. Mages were unpredictable, they said. Jonathan didn't know much about possible powers the more magically inclined could possess so he simply brushed the warning off for the time being.

Lavish dinner parties like this one were far out of his comfort zone. These were people that he'd never interact with on a daily basis but rather ones who would pay his paycheck and order him to be some obedient dog without any questions. He played the part easy enough.

He wasn't adorned in some fancy suit like the array of guests, blending easily with the walls as he stood watch over the room. He gaze does linger over the impressive detail on everyone's clothes though. They were all rather stunning, really.

Jonathan does perk up when he spots Abel grab his cloak and leave the room. It was rather hard to miss the other given how lavishly dressed he was. There's a few long moments of hesitation before he chimes into the earpiece and follows slowly behind, making sure to keep some distance.

The other clearly wanted the space for whatever reason, Jonathan just needed to keep an eye out per his father's instructions should anything happen that wasn't his own hand.
corcotta: (Can I get another amen?)

[personal profile] corcotta 2019-09-19 08:27 am (UTC)(link)
The weather doesn't bother him too much, though it would get a bit uncomfortable if he's out here for an extended amount of time. Jonathan stares out at the garden with wide eyes, the closest he'd ever really been to something so impressive was the botanical gardens that he visited rarely. He's sure the gardens look lovely during the daylight in comparison.

He seems easily distracted as he makes an effort to trail after Abel, stopping on occasion himself to look at some of the flowers, which would look rather strange given the low visibility in the dark. Glancing over at the other, Abel's own behavior was rather odd itself.

Thinking nothing of it, he keeps up, only to stop at a rose bush when Abel idles in front of the maze before walking into it.

Jonathan walks over after a few long moments, standing at the entrance of the maze, once he knew the other had gone on ahead. The glow of the flame that followed him no longer visible due to the height of the hedges. It wasn't going to be difficult to follow the other, he can easily follow the lingering scent of Abel's cigarette.

He wasn't exactly fond of mazes after dark and weighs his option of just waiting at the entrance, even going as far as to pace back and forth before letting out a sigh and following the trail. There was something a little unsettling about not seeing past a certain corner, it was rather silly but Jonathan keeps his hands at his side as he keeps glancing up when a breeze hits the leaves.
corcotta: Please ask before taking (Lay me at the bottom of the river)

[personal profile] corcotta 2019-09-20 04:53 am (UTC)(link)
Jonathan tenses up at the voice behind him despite the familiar scent hitting him first. Hedge mazes plus sudden voices in the dark aren't his favorite things at all. He's slow to turn towards Abel, back towards the hedge as he stares at the other in the dim light of his floating little flame.

Mages are unpredictable. A truer sentence had never been spoken to him but that means the other caught on to his trailing attempt? If that's the case then, he really isn't that great at this. This might prove to be more difficult than he initially thought.

"I'm sure it was. I'm just following the orders given to me. To keep an eye on you and all that, I wasn't given detailed specifics." He certainly hasn't been here long enough to really determine what counted as exemplary behavior by his father's standards. Judging by the other's stance, he probably just wasted his breath answering.

He gives a little wave at the concern with a light-hearted smile, "I'll be fine. A little cold never hurt anyone," he does regret not bringing a coat to this event, though he likely would have overheated inside.
corcotta: (Been waiting for somebody else to carry)

[personal profile] corcotta 2019-09-29 04:43 am (UTC)(link)
The more Abel speaks, the slow twitch of a brow furrow crosses his features in confusion, careful not to let it really be known from him. The other's choice of words almost make it sound like he knew his true intentions but surely that wasn't possible, right?

A hedge maze would be a perfect location, the perfect time, like he said, it was easy to make the hit and disappear with no one really noticing and being long gone by the time they realize something was amiss. He can't help but feel alarmed by the possibility of his cover being blown so quickly. It just reinforces his self-doubt that he really wasn't cut out for assassination roles. Hearing the other laugh about it though, that throws him for a loop.

Jonathan almost wants to reach out for Abel's wrist to stop him as he crosses in front of him but he's frozen in place. Until the other tells him to follow or risk being lost to wonder the maze, which wouldn't really be possible when he can backtrack but he doesn't test his luck with that.

Turning heel to closely follow behind Abel as he leads them further in like it was the most routine thing to do, his thoughts an obvious jumbled mess now.
corcotta: (That I gave everything that I had)

[personal profile] corcotta 2019-10-15 10:42 am (UTC)(link)
Somehow, he finds some reassurance in Cain's words as he follows him deeper into the maze. Jonathan hangs back for a moment before Cain illuminated the area as if taking in the sight before he made his way over to one of the ponds in Cain's line of sight and plopped himself on the ground. This was just a mess.

"I was really left in the dark with that one. On both sides, really. Its my fault for not asking about the possible powers for mages but I guess, its sort of limitless with your lot." He lets out a huff as he stared up at the night sky, "You know everything by now, so there's no real use in repeating any of it but this sort of thing is usually not in my job description." He turns his head towards Cain's direction, a pause.

"If you don't mind me asking though, what benefit does someone have in talking out someone like you from the board?" He asks. High society dealings and feuds were out of his area of expertise. He wasn't raised in such a class and he only listened to their conversations and observed their interactions when he was working. It was an entirely different world than what he was used to on a day to day basis.
corcotta: (To be better than I could have ever been)

[personal profile] corcotta 2019-10-18 11:09 am (UTC)(link)
He perks up at the new wave of information, propping himself onto his elbows as he tilted his head back a bit, brows furrowed. It was almost like the winning the magical lottery, so to speak. When Cain mentions his mother and her reputation, it sparks a thought. "If your mother is such a celebrated seer, surely she must've seen this and its outcome?"

Jonathan is still clueless on such matters, noting that after this assignment, whatever its conclusion, he should spend time researching on anything he can find. He wasn't one to question assignments and the rare occasions that they held a target; keeping his line of work strictly on a need to know basis. It limited the risks if he was ever caught and questioned, though there was a certain level of procedure to follow if it ever came to that.

As Cain speaks again, he listens. It seemed like a never ending chess game by the sound of it. Purebloods hitting blows to each other that could either weaken their stance or strengthen it and with Remington family, it could be a rather effective blow if successful. A family's legacy seemed to be very important to these sort of people.

And it all rested on whether he followed through on orders.

Jonathan sits up fully, "If you were forced to marry, your father would force that sort of thing with little regard to you, right?" Arranged marriages and forcing a kid from such a union all for the sake of potential didn't sit well with him. If anything it made him feel for Cain's situation.
corcotta: (Default)

[personal profile] corcotta 2019-11-26 11:04 am (UTC)(link)
Perhaps it was his naive way of thinking, that somehow Abel would change his fate had he known what was coming to him but then he realizes it would just be some endless loop until someone actually completed the job and ended his life for whatever personal gain could be had.

"What makes you say that?" There's a curious tilt of his head, almost like he wanted to prove Abel wrong. He knows the consequences of not completing an assignment; a lecture by the world's most unpleasant boss and whatever punishment he can possibly cook up for the fun of it. But there was the matter of Abel's ability to read his thoughts as well as ones he didn't know about and there was no way to hide from the other his choice of killing him tonight or not.

Abel already knows what he was going to do.

Jonathan moves to his feet, brushing off bits of dirt from his clothes, "I mean no disrespect but your father sounds like an ass." In his mind, if he had been his father's position and from what it sounds like, he would aim for the perfectly gifted woman to pair with Abel because the results of such a union would only boost the family name, he guesses. Anything to stay above everyone else, right?

"Is your brother just as gifted as you or did you draw the short straw for that one?" He says as he slowly makes his way towards the gazebo Abel was sitting under.
corcotta: (I ain't ever gonna repent)

[personal profile] corcotta 2019-12-21 12:06 pm (UTC)(link)
What Jonathan is getting from this conversation thus far is, Abel's mother has long come to terms with her son's fate and his father could likely care less what happens to Abel as long as he was kept on his leash. It does have him wondering if anyone has ever placed a hit on the man himself or did they want to watch the man slowly falter by kicking all the pieces from under him?

There's a small huff that leaves him. Never really putting into perspective how much of a dog eat dog world for the rich and powerful it was. He shouldn't be so surprised by it though. With the hefty price tags that come with the professionals in that division, he wouldn't expect less than perfection if he was a paying client.

It really was a shame that he got picked instead. Buyer's fault there if he's honest.

He can't imagine assassinations being the norm in someone's life though. It made it seem like a ticking time bomb of a life, like any second could be one's last. A near constant need to keep an eye over one's shoulder.

"Let me guess, your father prefers the adored son and wishes he was just as gifted as you because it would make everything so much easier for him, wouldn't it?" He doesn't know why he's even asking when he can already guess the answer. Abel's brother likely would hit every check mark a father like his would want except for one.

Jonathan takes a seat next to Abel, leaving a reasonable amount of space between them. Quiet for longer than he has been thus far, "If I did kill you tonight, would you prefer it to be as quick and painless as possible or agonizingly slow?" He asks as he stares at his own hands. He's never given anyone the option before and likely would never again. He's simply curious as to which one would be picked.
corcotta: (Then it's all I could've asked for)

[personal profile] corcotta 2019-12-24 12:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah. Jonathan doesn't comment in return on the matter, choosing to stay silent as he processed everything and filling in any blanks. He is taken aback by Abel's response to his options though.

It takes him a moment to process the comment fully. Making it sound like he would welcome death with open arms and that was certainly a first for him. He gets up from his spot, reaching for Abel's wrist. His grip tight, almost bone-breaking as he stared at him with pain in his expression.

"Killing you here would be a mercy and you know I'm not going to but I also can't leave without leaving a mark that I tried." Abel can probably feel the beginnings of claws digging through the fabric of his dress shirt and eventually into the skin. "It may only buy you a day or a week or even a month. It may not be me the second time and maybe they will give you the quickest option... maybe not."

His cover was blown so he can't imagine he'd be sent back. "I can lie on the report... that you got away." He lets out a deep sigh, it would certainly be easy to play off thanks to the minuscule amount of information from the client.

"This is going to hurt and I apologize in advance for it..." Jonathan makes a quick twisting sort of motion that breaks the bone. Before he lets go of the other's wrist, he drags his claws around, ruining a portion of Abel's shirt further and giving a set of wounds that would be deep enough to make it look like the other pulled away to escape.

"I wish you a better life, Abel Remington. If its not in this life, I do hope its in the next. You truly deserve better." There's a sad smile as he finally lets go of the other's wrist, offering him a handkerchief from inside his jacket as if it would help with the bleeding before he started to walk away from him and the gazebo.
corcotta: (Been waiting for somebody else to carry)

[personal profile] corcotta 2019-12-26 12:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Normally, when he breaks someone's bones, whether on purpose or on accident, they scream out in pain, maybe thrash around to get away from him. And yet, Abel is on the quieter side and for that reason it leaves a red flag in the back of Jonathan's mind. That there might be more to his father's leash than what he was told.

Doing an assassin's job was never in his blood. People always told him he cared too much and too easily. Being a natural predator by nature, he should have the drive but he could never have the detachment of emotion that he's seen people have in this specific line of work. Clenching his fists for a brief moment before relaxing his grip was a near reply to the other's words.

Jonathan hesitantly stops in his tracks as Abel tells him to wait, not expecting to be stopped after just breaking the other's wrist and wounding him for borrowed time. He slowly turns to face him and the longer Abel proposes his game, the more he finds it a little hard to believe.

How was he supposed to catch a psychic off guard enough to get close? He doesn't see how he could possibly win. Yes, it offered the benefit that the job would be done but surely the other must be joking.

"You can't be serious? You want to gamble your life on basically a game of red light green light?" He shook his head in disbelief, trying to wrap his thoughts around this. Jonathan knew if he accepted this little game that it wouldn't be easy to win.

His thoughts were too loud and he could very easily see himself getting frustrated with this after some time despite the limitless attempts. He doesn't have anything to lose by playing so why shouldn't he take it?

Jonathan stares at the ground at his feet, silent before he speaks again with a sad little huff of a defeated laugh, an almost sad smile, "If I win, you'll give me the chance to kill you despite trying to spare your life?" Lifting his head, its seems like he's searching Abel's expression for an answer that he already knows before he simply sighs, "Fine... I'll bite. Where do you want me to start from?"

There needed to be some distance between them for this to work properly, he's just not sure how much.
corcotta: (I ain't ever gonna repent)

[personal profile] corcotta 2019-12-29 01:29 pm (UTC)(link)
It seems this was meant to be a days-long affair instead of a game he originally thought was to be concluded before the party ended. His comparison of red light green light was also wrong; thinking if he got caught by the other, he'd simply be told to start again from a set point, which lined up more with his first thought than anything.

Jonathan can't help but lean a little against Abel's touch, even if the action itself surprises him. Dropping his gaze, he can see the benefits of this playing out, it wouldn't necessarily blow his cover to anyone else other than Abel which works in his favor. Technically giving him a second chance and as the other had pointed out, it would throw his contractor for a loop.

"What will be our story then?" He asks, surely, someone will question as to what attacked Abel in order for their cover to be that Jonathan saved him.

He trusts that Abel will keep his word. He has no reason to doubt that he wouldn't.

"I think you'll get more fun out of it than me..." Jonathan gives a little shake of his head with a smile all the same. He still feels bad for breaking the other's wrist even more now. "Here..." He shrugs off his suit jacket before draping it over his arm, unbuttoning the sleeve buttons on his free arm before tearing the fabric.

It would look better than Abel's half attempt to use the handkerchief and would be less of a scene for everyone to try to see. He's gentle when he rolls the shredded fabric of Abel's shirt above the wounds before tying the fabric around it. Blood already straining once pristine white. A temporary fix until they get Abel properly tended to.
Edited (Lol i forgot to pick an icon like a scrub) 2019-12-29 13:39 (UTC)
corcotta: (It's like the weight of it all)

[personal profile] corcotta 2019-12-31 11:54 am (UTC)(link)
The cover story felt pretty sound to him. If his contactor was a part of the social circle that was regularly invited to these events, which he believes they are, Abel would put a face to a thought. He, of course, has never met the person who ordered the hit so he hasn't been able to track them by scent as he might've.

It was a bit of a client protection measure for the organization in which he was employed.

He pulls his jacket back on, hiding the torn sleeve as he adjusts it and follows alongside Abel on his good side through the maze. Jonathan can guess that the other would practically weigh as much as a bag of feathers which wouldn't be too difficult to carry, "That wouldn't be a problem."

"Sorry... again for breaking your wrist. I..." He pauses, keeping his gaze down at the ground as he walks, "I honestly wasn't expecting you to wager a game. I was rather hoping you would've just let me disappear into the night never to be seen again." Had he known, he wouldn't have wished unnecessary suffering onto the other and the inconvenience it caused as a result.

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