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Cross lifted his hand off the top of the blender, the mixed smoothie finished. He poured the drink for himself. It occurred to him that he did not have to actually be awake at the moment but lazing about did not appeal to him. A little ironic considering his male lion genetic makeup. He gulped down the health drink, mentally and physically preparing himself for his morning run. 

A knock sounded on the door. He placed the emptied cup down and headed over to the door. He was not expecting anyone.

He readied his gun in his hand before opening the door. Despite the weapon being in his hand, his expression was calm and smiling as he opened the door. “Hello?” 

theprotectivelionman:

“I don’t know.” Sawyer lowered her voice to a smooth, deep tone. She stepped ahead, turned to face Cross, and leaned in so that she was but two inches from his face. She knew better than to think it would affect Cross, nor did she care for it to. “Howwillyou make it up to me?”

Her eyes flitted to his legs as she continued walking, backwards this time. He was limping just slightly, not at all noticeable to the untrained eye.

She let out a squealy laugh and moved back to walking beside Cross. She felt not the slightest bit of concern, partially because she knew Cross could take care of himself, but mostly because she simply didn’t care enough. She was never even concerned about Dice, all things considered. “By the way, I found some discarded blood in test tubes last week. From the asylum, I figure. What do you say about that?”

Cross was collected toward her mock flirtatious behavior. If she were not her, and he was not himself, there may have been an attraction. He shifted his sunglasses down, raising a brow as he peered down at her. “I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

The asylum talk had him go somewhat stony. The rumours he has heard about concerning what may be occurring in that building ranged heavily, none good. “Depends,” he held open the door for her as they came to the entrance to his apartment building. “Where precisely did you find these vials?” Then of course he would have to decide just how much he would care. Chances are more than he would like.

theprotectivelionman:

Sawyer grinned right back, as toothily as she could. She knew what he was doing, but she had also heard him above her enough times to know the general area in which he used to work. But power switched too often over there for her to remember what gang was currently in charged. “You didn’t send anyone down my way, you know. Not even to get rid of the bodies. I’m terribly and personally offended.”

She noted the architecture slowly becoming less derelict. Newer, cleaner. It was too late for anyone to be out on the streets, but too early for the party-goers to be heading home.  A poor drunk bastard made his way to his bike, seemingly convinced he could drive it. Sawyer’s attention drifted to the rings and watch he was clearly wearing and she stared as the two hybrids walked. After a while, she turned back to Cross, giving him a proper once over, looking for any bruises or new pieces of shiny he was covering up. Not that she’d take them, not from him, but she wanted to know if they were there anyway.

Cross smirked playfully at her complaint. If there was someone who knew how to deal with bodies, it was her. Not to mention killing. He recalled times in the past where they had collaborated together. More often when she was a successful and they were stationed back at the lab. “Deepest apologies, how can I make it up to you?”

He noticed Sawyer’s wandering gaze, despite being normally confident about himself, feeling a little self conscious. Mildly wary of the fact that he did have a healing wound in his lower abdomen. Grazed by a gunshot wound. Majority of people would not take note, unless they were half humans who were engineered to take note, or they knew him. And Sawyer knew him. Cross perked at the sight of his apartment building and nodded his head to direct her in the proper direction. More reflexively than necessarily. She’s been to his home before.

theprotectivelionman:

He wasn’t responding. Again. Sawyer gave up, quickly bored of the prodding. Cross was never entertaining long enough. She’d stick with pestering the hyena boy—what was his name again? Never mind. She was glad that the lion was more or less allowing her to visit.

His tail caught her attention. A thought passed her mind. Would she risk her neck and touch it? Give it a yank or a good stroke? She hadn’t dared since they were children, and was hospitalized for a week. Sawyer decided against it and swung her own, naked tail in circles as they walked. “What was your job, then, anyway? I haven’t left the sewers or Forest in months save to eat.”

He would be more surprised that she was not aware of what was going on with the city as much, except for the fact that she was a reject. And her “deformities” could not be well hidden. Cross could hide his tail if he wanted, but he was a successful, and because of that there was considerably less prejudice and more power in his hold. It also didn’t hurt that people he worked for tended to like him. Hence why they were headed toward his flat which was at the outskirts of the uptown area.

He rolled his shoulder, considering his previous job and clientele. “Eh, basic protective mob work.” There were enough gangs in the city that he could be vague and give her plenty of answers to what kind of work his last job held. He grinned with his sharp teeth at her, “Got to knock a few heads around. Got some to piss their pants, too.” Literally. Not the first time. Tends to happen when someone has the roar of a lion.

theprotectivelionman:

“Oh, boo-hoo. You were fired.” Sawyer was sure he hadn’t been. Cross was too good of a guard to actually get himself fired. Still, she prodded him further in an ugly little song. “Fired, fired, Crossy got fired.” With each word, she jabbed a finger into his side, but her intentions were still clear. Annoyance, not violence.

Her eyes flicked down to his groceries. Did he really think she was so needy that she’d steal food from him? She had just eaten after all, not that he’d know. Her bones did stick out horribly. “I’m bored, and I’m too lazy to go get my violin. It’s all the way with Dice!” Of course, it wasn’t. Even he wasn’t trusted with the instrument. She began walking in the direction of Cross’s apartment, hoping he’d permit her inside. She was fond of lounging on his furniture. It smelled nice.

Cross went stony at her pokes. She was one where it became better to ignore her jibes if one wanted her to cease. He opted to follow her to the direction of his apartment. Wouldn’t be the first time she was in there, and it was not as if she would break anything of his. Or to be more precise, there was nothing in there that he would care too much if she did.

“Yeah, yeah,” probably not. Unless the guy had changed much since the last time they had interacted. Which was a possibility. Not too probable. He pocketed his gun inside his jacket and reached into a bag, snapping off a can of beer from the six pack he held. His tail flicked, “so you came to be entertained by me. Got it.”

theprotectivelionman:

The gun aimed at her head did nothing to deter the rat. She flicked her tail back and forth, more characteristic for a curios cat than a twitchy rat. Still, her voice squeaked and cracked at all the appropriate times. “It’s been ages, darling, what took you so long getting fired?”

Sawyer took a quick glance around, noting every human who twitched when they made eye-contact. She flashed a twisted grin and put a hand on Cross’s shoulder. “I did ever so miss you, darling. It’s been no fun without you.”  Despite her mocking tone, she did miss the man. He was such fun to fight with. And she did love fighting.

Despite knowing how her words were purposefully used to get a rise out of him, he allowed himself to fall into the rhythm of their banters. He wasn’t going to bother asking how she was aware of his current non-employed state. He didn’t make a secret of it, and information isn’t hard for her to acquire. “For your information, I was not fired.” The threat in question was killed, by Cross. Not that he would talk about that detail. Classified.

The lion permitted her touch, knowing her intent was not to harm. At least not at the moment. “I’m sure you did,” he peered down at her through his sunglasses, lowering the gun somewhat. “Is there something you wanted?” His grip tightened on his groceries. He wouldn’t put it past her to steal from him. Particularly his beer. “Or are you here to enjoy my company?”

theprotectivelionman:

Cross adjusted his hold on the bags under his arm. Man in a suit, sunglasses on, nice and dressed, walking down the sidewalk with groceries. He had not realized how long he had been away from his apartment until he had stepped inside and he smelled the soured milk. One…

Cross stiffened when he felt the hand grip around his ankle, and before he heard the familiar teasing meow of an ex teammate, he had his gun whipped out and pointed. When recognition came over him, he still had his gun pointed, but was not on edge. Perhaps just a touch annoyed.

“Ah, sewer rat,” he wrenched his foot out of her grip. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” Cross felt mildly bad for the few civilians who witnessed the transaction and scurried off, worried about the potential fight to break loose. Not that they would. He wouldn’t want to risk his beer.

spottedlaughter:

theprotectivelionman:

Woah, that makes total sense now that you say that! Seriously you probably don’t want to meet one anyways.

And aggressive is the perfect description. If I had gotten some of the lip they’ve given me from a guy, well … -chuckles darkly=

They might actually be more normal to me than normal people are. I am a hyena as well.

I think I was suppose to be like, that. That was the intention at least. I’m a reject for a few reasons.

Oh, huh. Well aggressive hyena is overrated anyways.

chorusbites:

theprotectivelionman:

Thank you, Miss. I do try.

A viper, eh? That’s cool, haven’t seen many mutations that affect the tongue. Usually just skin, or tails. -own tail twitches-

Haha, yeah, well I’m an anomaly, I suppose, then. I don’t know. I like it. …And you have a tail? I actually haven’t encountered too many with tails. Intriguing. 

Yeah, funny how it tends to fascinate people. Anomalies and tails.