Understanding ( Asher )

[Talon Green]

It had been about a week, maybe a bit more, and honestly Talon was somewhat of a wreck. Sure, on the outside he appeared his usual self, dressed in his custom jeans and white button up shirt. But inside he was at a loss. Why? Well the answer was simple really....

Asher....

The night they had shared had been...well nothing short of amazing, possibly the best night of his life. They had so much fun together, had amazing sex, and he had slept with her in his arms the entire night.

When they woke the next morning, she had been worried about her car, so he had driven her back to the club where they had met the evening before.....letting her out and giving her one final kiss before his cell had gone off and his dad had started yelling at him from the other end. He had been late for a family "business" meeting and was in the midst of getting his ass chewed out.

So, it had been a few more hurried kisses and a brief explanation and he had gone....It had not been until he hung up with his dad and thrown the phone into the empty passenger seat that it occurred to him he had not gotten her number.

Needless to say forehead had connected with steering wheel at that point.

Now, here he was, alone...and no matter what he had tried he had been unable to find her. So, he had decided that getting drunk was his best option at this point.

Some kid was having a party tonight, the fliers having been passed out all over school, and Talon figured he could at least get wasted. He didn't have any interest in finding some girl to hook up with, but he sure as hell wanted to get plowed and forget his worries.

Pulling up to the party, he let out a heavy sigh and climbed out of the car, stuffing his keys into his pocket as he made his way toward the door. As he entered, he found the guy with the drinks and quickly took one from him...wanting to just feel numb right about now.....anything but what he felt......

Finding a spot against the wall, he leaned there on one shoulder, letting emerald hues scan the room as he he sipped his beer. Pretty sure that nothing of interest would come of this night, but hey, it was still early right? Heh

[Asher LeBeau]

It had been a long week. Asher had completely berated herself for even letting herself think of falling for the boy and here she was, miserable and forcing herself to focus on her studies, surprising her teachers with the papers she was churning out and turning in. These were papers that belonged in graduate school, not high school, and they were debating some of the most critical philosophers of history with well thought out and documented arguments.

It hadn’t helped. Even in the midst of the madness she’d set upon herself, she still thought about him, the abruptness in which he’d dropped her off had been the clincher. He didn’t ask for her number, didn’t do much of anything but the kisses…

Oh god, his kisses. It was pretty much a drug and she knew that she was hopelessly addicted, but of course, things never turned out. Which was why she’d decided not to get involved with anyone anymore until him. And he’d changed everything, Talon Green had shaken the unshakable Asher LeBeau.

She shoved a hand through her hair and headed out to the party, arriving with the midst of a rather large group, her diminutive frame easily getting lost from sight before she grabbed a drink and moved in to mingle, immediately attracting one of the most sought after guys. She put on an easy smile, dressed to perfection as always and listened while he talked, spewing various pick up lines and such, sliding his hand around her waist in somewhat of a friendly gesture.

It wasn’t friendly and she knew it, he was trying to flirt, but right now all she felt was a simple wave of revulsion when he touched her. She knew that everyone knew she was pretty much a cheap little slut, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t be picky. It had already been a few hours at the party and her buzz was going. She wasn’t drunk, not by a long shot, but the boy in front of her was killing it quickly.

Asher sighed, rolling her eyes and giving that easy smile, that mask that everyone knew before easily stepping out of the touch, her back to the wall as she sipped at her drink, watching as he left before another boy took his place, hoping to score with the girl. It was another night, she thought, and another pointless party. Truthfully she didn’t want to hook up with anyone. Talon had pretty much tamed her but for now, it showed to her that he didn’t want her so maybe the best way to get over someone was to get underneath them?

Reaching a hand up, she brushed her hair out of her face, smiling a bit as he leaned on the wall next to her, talking about something that she was hardly paying attention to before she fixed him with that fake smile, knowing it was like shooting fish in a barrel. It was easy, she mused, too easy to get whoever she wanted here.

[Talon Green]

Yeah, there he stood, a few girls came up, giggling and flirting and putting their hands on his chest as they tried to play coy with him, but every time he just shrugged them off, growling silently to himself for being so stupid as to not get her number....God he missed her, he wanted her.

He could still feel those kisses, feel her fingers on his flesh....He knew the scent of her hair and the way she laughed...Hell he couldnt even sleep half the time because he kept thinking of her, laying next to him, her warm body pressed against his chest.......

FUCK!

Just then, as he finished his beer and threw the cup wherever it chose to land, he heard a guy walk by, his words catching Talon's attention because of the name he spoke. Asher?

Was he hearing right?

Shaking his head he closed his eyes and let his head fall hard back against the wall. Geeze he was losing it. A hand coming up to comb through his hair as he let out another heavy breath. It was only then, when his eyes opened and his vision shifted that he saw her.....

God she looked...so......amazing....He could already feel his heartbeat starting to pick up. Great now he could just go to her, explain and hopefully get her to forgive him. Right? Right.

Or so he thought....because just about the time he had pushed away from the wall, some guy was there, leaning against the wall, his body positioned so close to Asher that it brought out that ugly little green headed monster in Talon.

He knew what they guy was up to and he was in no mood to deal with that shit. Pushing his way through the crowd, he reached the pair, hand shooting out to grab the guy by the shoulder as he roughly jerked him around.

The guy didn't even get the chance to ask what the fuck was up before Talon's fist connected directly with his face, blood spraying from the guys now broken nose all over the white shirt that Talon wore and his fist......Clearly a very angry guy....something very uncommon for him. But like hell he was gonna let some guy make moves on his girl......

Okay so technically he had never asked her to be his...but she was none the less in his mind.....She was all he could think about, all he wanted, and so therefore.......she was his.......The thought that she may have liked that guy never once crossing his mind.

Those emerald hues shot to her, just as his foot slammed into the guys ribs as he fell to the floor.....Honestly, he would just keep beating the shit out of the guy unless he had a reason to stop...All his anger at himself and at the guy pouring out into his actions now.

[Asher LeBeau]

It grew quiet for a moment before someone called out ‘FIGHT!’ and instantly a crowd surrounded the three of them. Asher was startled but his sudden appearance and the violence he possessed before shaking her head and reality rushing back with a sudden clarity. Everything was loud, in fast motion and she was in the direct center of it for the moment. Violet eyes were wide, shocked at Talon’s actions before she shook herself out of it, moving forward.

“Talon! Talon!” she called, moving forward and grabbing hold of his arm, positioning herself between him and the nameless guy, trying to get his attention, ignoring the blood. “You have to stop,” she murmured, looking up at him directly.

Her boots gave her six inches of height and she found herself very close to him, looking at him. The look he had given her when he slammed his foot into the guy almost made her flinch away, but she held her ground. Asher didn’t fight, she got beat. She was a lover, not at all a fighter but she sure as hell was stubborn and a hellcat when the situation arose.

She didn’t know what was up with him, suddenly he was there beating the shit out of some guy that was hitting on her. It was something that she didn’t know how to react to for a moment before she moved, putting herself in the danger zone. The guy was on the floor, having no clue what hit him and she didn’t care. Talon may well have been drunk, but she wasn’t.

[Talon Green]

He would have kept going, hell he could have...He wanted to beat the guy until he was unable to move...but he heard his name from those lips of hers and felt her hand on his arm......That same jolt that she always sent through his body when she touched him once more took hold and instead of pushing her out of the way to continue his beating of this nameless guy, he would back away, instantly seeming to calm down as he looked at her and then actually lowered his eyes slightly.

He was not one to usually fight, he could if he had to, but he just chose not to because every time he hit somebody it made his entire body hurt so bad he could hardly stand it.

Yet he bit back the pain, not having consumed enough alcohol to numb out his condition, and just sorta sulked back...his breathing heavy as he drew in a deep breath and bit down onto his bottom lip.

He was trying to think of what to say, of what to do...the crowd having gone about trying to pull the guy up off the floor and get him some towels for his face.....and of course the rest had gone back to the party now that the fight was over.....Typical teenagers...heh.....

"C..Can we go outside and talk?"

His hands still shaking from all the adrenaline that was pumping through his system and the pain he was currently in he would motion for the door, eyes casting an almost sheepish glance at her.

Yeah, he was pretty much a scolded puppy dog right about now. Figuring she might have been into that guy and now she was gonna tell him she never wanted to see him again....But god he just could not help it....the thought of that guy laying his hands on her....Grrr....It just enraged him to no end.

[Asher LeBeau]

To say she was startled by his tone was an understatement. She bit her lower lip, almost flinching for a moment when she thought he would hit her before nodding, dropping her hand and taking a half step back from him, gesturing that he lead the way out. The rest of the room ignored them, except for a few shaking their heads, everyone going back to the party and getting drunk. She focused on him, violet eyes taking in every detail of his physique with a critical look.

“You’re not hurt, are you?” she inquired delicately, almost as if she were afraid he’d turn on her.

The petite Hawaiian worried her lower lip in her teeth, chewing on it and almost biting down to the point that she could taste blood before following him outside, out back and away from the party goers. Whatever he wanted to talk about was probably not something meant for inquiring ears. It was a little dark out back, everyone else still inside, so she chose a spot that was secluded from the party but still close enough that it provided a soft murmur in the background.

She smoothed the dress in a manner that was not very….confident before sitting, ignoring the cold on her back since it was open, revealing her tattoos to the world, and turned to face him, waiting for his next move, something about her seeming extremely fragile.

[Talon Green]

He nodded, leading the way out of the house and back to the spot that was secluded enough to give them a bit of privacy...As she asked her question he would not answer, unable to really do so as he was trying hard to keep from letting his own pain overcome him.

Yet he was not so out of it not to notice the tone of her voice or the way she was acting. He knew that look, the way she was acting...it was the way his mother got because his dad .........

The realization doing two things. One, it made him angry to think that anyone had hurt her, and two it made him ashamed that she thought he may do the same to her.

As she sat down he would finally let out a little groan as he shook his head.

"Please...d...dont be scared of me. I would never hurt you...I would do anything for you, to protect you....Never could I even think of raising my hand to you....I watched my Father do it for too many years to my mother and I."

He struggled with his words as he collapsed onto the ground beside her, his hand stopping him from fully falling back and keeping him in a seated position.

"I am sorry I lost it in there. Just....seeing him....with you....I just got so angry.....All I could think of was him touching you and I lost it."

His hand fisted up in the grass as he bit back the pain and tried to calm his breathing. His eyes looking to her as he longed so desperately to touch her. Yet he had blood on his hands and shirt, and she was still a bit timid toward him......The thought killed him inside but he could do nothing but try and make it better.....

[Asher LeBeau]

It startled her, the way he was acting. She could tell he was truly upset by her actions, her tone before she chewed her lip, watching him quietly, listening. She shifted slightly from her position, crossing one ankle behind the other and said nothing, just hanging her head for a moment, letting her hair cover her face and expression. Violet eyes flashed with a very pained expression before she lifted her head again, hiding that look and the pain as she pushed her hair behind her ear.

The next moment, she was on her knees beside him, able to read the look very well. Reaching out gently, she cupped his face and stroked his cheeks with the pads of her thumbs, looking at him and seeing the remorse, the pain, everything. A heartbeat later, she found herself kissing him, not caring about the blood on his clothes or his hand or that it would get on her clothes. She kissed him with heartfelt passion.

It was a moment later before she pulled back, still cradling his face that she lay a gentle kiss on his forehead, closing her own eyes for a moment because she was inexplicably close to tears. When she finally set back, she had herself under control even though her mouth was twisted into a humorless smile.

“I’m a slut, Talon. It’s what I’ve always been,” she murmured, looking down at the ground, running her fingers through the cool grass. “Easy lay, one night stand, never look back. It’s all I’ve ever been to anyone. Expendable and forgettable,” she continued, not even looking up at him.

“Something that no one wants but for a few hours or moments.”

[Talon Green]

Her touch, it was something he had not been expecting nor did he have time to react to. Yet there it was, making the pain he felt start to slowly ebb away...Then she kissed him, his eyes falling closed as he shifted his hand to the back of her head, holding her there as he kissed her back with just as much passion as she offered him.

The taste of her sending him right back to that night on the beach. But then, just like that she pulled back, her touch lingering for but a moment more before she sat back and lowered her head.

He watched as her hands slid through the grass, the nervous gestures.....pain filling him at the lack of her touch, but he did not care, he was too focused on her.

As she spoke he would simply raise his brow, thinking about the things she said and letting her get it all out before he would bother to make any move.

Slowly he shifted, forcing himself onto his knees and inching the distance toward her until his hand could come out and lightly cup her chin, tilting her head upward so that she was once more looking at him....

Softly he would reach up with the other hand and stroke the back of his fingers to her cheek.

"Look at me Angel...."

He looked down, motioning to the blood that covered him....A little grin on his lips though it was more of a shy grin than anything else. When he looked up at her again he would shake his head.

"Do you think that I would do that for somebody that I only wanted a one night stand with? You are all I have been able to think about. I am so sorry I didnt ask for your number....Just my dad was on my ass and he always gets to me..."

He cut himself off before he started rambling....Wincing slightly as he moved to settle down beside her...his hand falling away only to let his lips brush briefly against her own.

"I do not care about what you have done in your past. It doesn't matter to me. I ....I wanted to ask you something...that night...on the beach...But I was too scared...too scared you would think I was a freak like everyone else and run away from me...."

He closed his eyes, his head turning as he groaned and drew in a heavy breath, forcing back the pain. It was not so much the fight that caused it but the scent of blood. Yeah..blood = pain...never a good thing.......But right now she was more important than his own stupid issues......He just wanted to make it right....just wanted to be with her.....to tell her how he felt......

[Asher LeBeau]

She shifted, startled by his touch, violet eye lifting to look at him, actually look at him before he spoke, taking in his appearance. The blood on the shirt, the pain he seemed to be in, him sitting here with her outside, how nervous he was before he spoke and as he spoke. She just wanted to hold him, to feel that everything was alright but it wasn’t at the moment.

Her lips twisted in a sort of self-deprecating smirk at his words, shaking her head for a moment, looking down at her lap, sitting in the cool grass. She listened because that was what he wanted her to do and something she was good at. It was a moment’s hesitation before she reached over and wrapped her fingers around his, just happy with the touch if he didn’t pull away. It warmed her all over and let her stay.

Shifting slightly so that one leg was tucked under her, she faced him, pulling her hair back and refusing to let go of his hand, watching him with intense eyes that showed how much she really did care for him and want to be there with him. She frowned, her lower lip jutting out slightly as she listened to his words, the later not making sense.

“A freak? You’re hardly a freak, Talon,” she said, her accent heavy around her words. Frowning, she reached out a gentle hand to cup the side of his face, turning him towards her. “You can ask me anything,” she murmured.

[Talon Green]

He felt the touch of her hand and it again started to sooth him, yet he could not help but keep his eyes down. God he hated himself, for making her feel so bad, for not getting her number, for letting it all come to this....

Then she ushered his eyes to her own once more, making him look at her, seeing that intense emotion in those captivating hues. God he just could not get enough of her. Then when she spoke he gave a half hearted little laugh before he shook his head.

"I am a freak. Just ask my Dad or my Mother...ask anyone who knows me. I have this condition....basically all my senses are out of whack....and one sense triggers another. Like...."

God it was so hard to explain, but he would do the best he could, facing her now as his hand came out to softly stroke her cheek.

"Like when I touch you, or you me......I get this jolt through my entire body and the scent of honey is all I smell. Or like when you laugh....I see these lights in the air around me...Or every time you talk, its like somebody feeling a soft brush against my skin all over my body....."

He hoped she got it.....Hell it was hard for him to fully understand. It was different from person to person....and yeah, he just hated himself because of it.

"Like blood....the smell of it makes me hurt....like my entire body is in pain and I can barely breath.....Or this one guy I met....Everytime I saw him I smelled fish..."

He dropped his head away again..his pain showing in his actions and yet the emotional pain echoing in his tone.

"My Dad always says he wished I had died at birth...nothing but a freak.....My Mother cant even look at me anymore......To think that a girl like you would ever want to go out with a guy like me.....I just....I was scared..."

Yeah, he let it slip...that thing he had wanted to ask her....that thing he had held back.....Yet right now he didnt even realize he had let it out...too focused on the thought of her pushing him away and calling him a freak like everyone else did.

[Asher LeBeau]

It was a moment before she shook her head, her brain kicking in. She was an oddball, but they’d come across what he was describing before in one of her classes. Hey, a biochemistry soon to be double major had to do something to make sure she got into a good school. Now, if she could just remember the name…

“Synesthesia, right? I heard about it in one of my classes,” she murmured, looking up at him, a small smile on her face. “It doesn’t bother me, Talon. Very few things do,” she said, a soft laugh bubbling over her lips.

It was a moment’s hesitation she had before she leaned forward to kiss him completely, parting her lips to let her tongue trace over his, practically straddling him in the grass. She’d heard every little bit that he’d said at this moment she was grateful she was wearing black. Sliding a hand through his hair, Asher put everything she had into the kiss.

She wasn’t rejecting him, she was accepting him.

She kissed him until she needed a breath before she pulled back, a smile on her lips as she leaned forward to brush her lips over his ear. “And of course I’d go out with you, Talon,” she murmured before pulling back to kiss him again.

Her lips moved against his as she cupped the back of his head, kissing him and showing him that she was giving herself to him completely. She slid her tongue out and traced his lips before teasing him gently, coaxing open his lips and then turning the kiss into something fierce and heated, intent on stealing his breath away in the moment before she needed to catch hers.

When the burning in her lungs finally caught up with her, she pulled back, her voice soft but still with a sultry note. “Let’s get you cleaned up, Lani,” she said.

[Talon Green]

He was honestly shocked to hear the name of his condition come from her lips. To know that she knew about it, to know that she was okay with it....it just...did something to him that he really could not explain.

Then just like that she was kissing him, every part of his body on fire and that smell surrounding him. His hands came up, instinct driving them to wrap about her and pull her into him as he felt her tongue brush against his lips.

Then she pulled back, those words catching him off guard....Sh...She would go out with him? She said yes?

He barely even realized he had said it, and now he had his answer...But before he could even reply she was at his lips again, his hand in his hair, her body so close to his own. All over again he found that he was lost in her, in every touch, every motion she made.....She was his true addiction and he knew that...hell he embraced that.....

As she urged his lips apart, he would do so willingly, letting his tongue greet her own as that kiss turned into something much more heated. His arms tightening around her as he let out a soft pleasured sound within the back of his throat....

Just as he was sure he would never catch his breath again she backed off, that smile, those eyes...it all just had him speechless for the most part.

Then as she mentioned getting him cleaned up he gave her another sheepish grin.

"Yeah...this blood is really making me hurt right about now...."

Shifting to slide her off of him so that he could force himself to stand, his hand taking her own to help her up before he would tug her forward and press his lips against her once more, if only for a moment.

"Thank you Angel....."

He smiled, his forehead resting against her own as his hand stroked her lower back for a moment. He then turned, taking her hand once more and pulling her toward the front of the house....Not sure where the hell he was gonna get cleaned up at but figuring she could pick a good place....He was in too much pain and too happy all at the same time to really focus on anything in particular.

[Asher LeBeau]

Happy didn’t do her justice in her little cloud, keeping a firm hand wrapped around his. She intertwined their fingers together when they stood, letting him help her up before she made a complete fool of herself. And here she went, getting herself into a new relationship, but this one made her actually happy. It wasn’t like the others where everything was a lie, this one was truth and happiness.

She smiled up at him, assessing his condition and nodded, following along for a moment before she fished her keys out of somewhere and took the lead. “I’ll take you to my place…although I doubt any of my clothes will fit you,” she teased with a smile.

Ash pulled him along until they reached her car, where she had to manually unlock the doors. It was her pride, her baby. She’d built it from the frame up, learning from experience. It was a manual Camaro, fitting her in so many different ways. She waited until he was buckled in before letting go of the clutch and peeling out from the party, happy with her new boyfriend.

It was a weird thought, but one that didn’t bother her as she drove, taking a few turns and racing out into the traffic, in perfect control of the car. One hand on the gear shift, both feet working and one on the wheel before she made it to her apartment building in record time. She didn’t live in the most classy or rich part of town, but it was somewhere in the middle that allowed for very nice apartments and not at all nosy tenants.

“Here. It’s probably not anything you’re used to, but for me it’s home,” she said with an impish laugh. “Well, home away from home. I’m still an island native,” she grinned, a quirk of the mouth as she waited for him to get out before locking her car and heading back into the building, taking the lead.

She reached the elevator and inserted her key, turning it to wait for the contraption to start moving, she turned to survey him, beaming up at him for a moment as she elevator dinged. Lacing her fingers with his, she tugged him along with her, grateful that it was empty. Hitting the button for her floor, she barely waited until the doors were closed before turning and pinning him against the elevator wall, kissing him again, running her hands through his hair.

It was but a moment when it dinged for her floor, and she parted from him, pulling him to the only apartment door on that floor and opening the door, revealing a comfortable, but rather neat apartment that she called home. She shrugged, almost a bit embarrassed it seemed to have someone over before she took the lead again, heading into the bathroom.

“You’re welcome to use whatever’s here to clean yourself up. Like I said, I don’t know if I have anything that will fit you, but you can rifle through my clothes later,” she said before stepping back to go change herself.

Once in her room, she stripped out of the dress, instead putting on comfy pants and a beater, pulling her hair back into a low ponytail at the nape of her neck, heading into the kitchen and rummaging through to pull up an apple. Hopping on the counter, she swung her legs, munching on the delicious fruit as she waited for him to come out.

[Talon Green]

He honestly was just sorta out of it.....seriously. She had made him just about the happiest he had ever been and as he was led to her car he could only nod in agreement to going back to her place.

Once he was settled into the car, he would lean back, his hand running over his chest as he tried to sooth down some of the pain he was feeling. Fuck that smell...got him every time....But inside the idea of beating that guy down for almost touching his.......well...his girlfriend made him rather happy. Yeah, he was a jealous boyfriend, heh..who would have known.....

Either way, the remark about the clothes got a little laugh out of him....Shaking his head as his hand slid over to rest against her thigh while she drove, simply closing his eyes as he tried to relax.

Then they were there, and though she tried to explain away the place and the area, he could only really think it was perfect. He hated living where he did, and god knew he dreaded the day he had to show her, but he would leave that for another time. For now, he was too intent on getting inside, away from everything and everyone and just being with her. Alone......

As they went inside, stepping into the elevator, he was surprised to find her once more pinning him against a wall with her lips to his own. Naturally his arm snaked around her tiny waist, pulling her to him as he returned that kiss once more.

Upon hearing the ding he grinned as she let him go, his hand coming out to give her pert little rear end a soft smack as she hurried out of the elevator. Pain or not he was still too tempted to touch her...hell he could have been dying and still reached out to get one last touch.

As he entered the apartment, he looked about. He liked it....a lot...He was never one for the finer things like some of his family, he had always just wanted to be normal....but then, that had never been something he was good at now was it? Following her to the bathroom he would listen as she spoke and then grasp her wrist as she turned to leave, his hand coming to the side of her face as he leaned down and kissed her one last time before letting her go to do what she wished.

Inside the bathroom he turned on the sink, quickly stripping off the shirt and the muscle shirt he wore and throwing them into the small trash bin there. No need to even bother trying to clean them. As he washed his hands, he watched the blood start to swirl down the drain as it mixed with the water, his mind starting to clear up some. The realization setting in and making a smile form on his lips.

She had really said yes.......

Washing his face and wetting his hair he would use a small rag to clean away any blood that had managed to get through his shirt onto his chest. It was only when he was done that he looked down to make sure the jeans were okay.

Yup...all good.

So, with that he exited the bathroom, no shirt, just jeans, those muscles clearly showing as he went about finding her, a smile spreading on his lips as he neared her and moved to settle himself before her, parting her thighs so that he could rest his hands on her hips.

"That is much better. Now I can actually think straight. So tell me Angel...what is it you plan to do with me now that you have me here?"

He would have been happy to just chill and watch a movie, but it was her place and it was her choice.....just so long as he was close to her, he was happy.