Inkerz And Polo's Super Ultra Awesome Pokemon RP

"Who knows? You're the only one after all who knows the identity of Apollo...As for me, gang or not, I roam as freely as I please." Alexsei's handsome face lifted just a little, and Scott felt an overwhelming sense of Deja Vu shoot through him when the other man's lips curved into that devilish smirk, the kind that sent a hot thrill shooting right through his body. He had to look away, suddenly flustered.
"Don't you remember?" Alexsei teased, "I'm a ghost. We are as you English call us, Invisible."
At this, Scott felt a laugh burst from between his pursed lips, and the hard lines of his face bent for a moment, but didn't quite break. "Fair point." He chuckled, shooting the other man an appreciative smirk, "All right, then. I see no reason you can't haunt my crew for a few days."

***

They waited for nightfall before putting the plan into action, and once the light had died, Scott forced open the trapdoor from which they'd entered, and helped himself and Alexsei out into the alleyway. The night was loud, with sirens wailing and cars revving furiously by on the road beyond. Rats scuttled through the alleyway, and somewhere not far away, a woman was screaming. Scott had grown immune to such sounds. He barely heard them any more.
Stalking along under cover of shadows, he instinctively shaded his face as he passed under the streetlamp beside the payphone, then ducked into the booth, pulling Alexsei with him. It was cramped with the two of them squeezed into the tiny space, and the discomfort every time his skin brushed the other man's was torturous, but he said nothing. It was better than being caught. "Hand me some coins." he whispered, and as Alexsei obliged, he inserted them neatly into the slot in the payphone, where they fell with a musical clatter. He lifted the handset to his ear. It rang, and rang, and rang.
"Come on, pick up!" He spat, drumming his fingers irritably against the side of the metal box. His impatience had grown hugely in the past five years.
"Hello?" The line crackled into life at last with a cautious female voice, and in his relief, Scott exclaimed, "Scarlet!" A huge sigh broke from his lips, like she'd just pulled him out of a burning fire.
"Hawk?! What happened, are you alright? I've been worried sick! Shit, sit tight, I'll-"
"Scar," Scott interrupted her, his tone turning serious again, "We're just outside Safehouse Z. I'm at the payphone, but we're not safe here. There are Team Rocket Grunts everywhere, and we're in no condition to fight them off. I'm not even armed, and there are too many. I need you to get here fast, and get away even faster, you got that?"
"Yes. No, wait." He could hear the suspicious frown in her voice, "Who's 'we'? You're not still with Apollo, are you?"
"I'll explain when you get here." He snapped irritably, "Just hurry, will you? I think someone's coming this way." Scott looked up, peering with narrowed eyes into the gloom. A shadow was moving somewhere outside the phone box. Scarlet babbled on in his ear.
"Hawk? Hawk, I swear, if you don't explain all this to me right-"
"Ssht!" The moving shadow had stopped. Scott pressed his lips together, then tapped Alexsei on the shoulder, pointing towards it.
"Scar, I have to go. Come get us."
"Wait! Must I bring anything? Food? Bandages? Hawk-"
He hung up the phone, and turned instead to Alexsei, mouthing silently, "Did you see that?" He looked into the gloom again. Then, with a resounding 'BANG', something hit the side of the phonebooth, and his world exploded into a million razor shards of glass. He leaped instinctively for Alexsei, tackling him to the ground under the meagre shelter of the tiny payphone as glass rained down upon them, and another bang rang out from nearby.
Shit! They've found us!

(Going to jump right into the heat of the moment^^)

"Did you see that?"
Following Scott's gaze out over the darkened streets, The Russian nodded. It took him only a second to pick up on the movement outside the booth. He could sense it like predator to blood, His lips curling into a threatening snarl as he silently acknowledged, "We're not alone"

A chill of anticipation creep through his body- like the roots of a parasitic plant. He could feel the anxiety of the unknown pulsing through his veins, sinking into the very core of his blood cells.
The sounds overhead grew louder now. The shadows and shapes of nightmarish beings gradually began to show themselves, stalking out from under the darkness like ghosts or demons.
It proved to be rather difficult to tell which were humans and which were not...in the end it didn't even matter. They were probably all the same, all pieces and cogs in a massive killing-machine controlled by Giovanni.

The bang of a gunshot suddenly vibrated through the air, The Russian barely registered it.
A force had caught him hard in the chest, shoving him harshly to the ground. A rain of glass soon followed, it showered down upon them like tiny knives. "F*ck.", he groaned softly, his arms and hands taking the damage as he shielded his face.
Dazed, he tried to shake off his confusion. He could feel a great weight pressing down on his chest. Staring up, his eyes locked onto Scott’s; a gleam of golden brown lay burning there in the darkness...Had his old friend just saved him?
Gritting his teeth, he stifled a smirk. "Just like old times, right?"
On instinct Alexsei made a grab for Scott's collar. "No time for lying around, Lets Go!"
Shoving his friend roughly to his feet, The Russian then hastily got to his own. He chased after Scott as they sprinted down the road with every ounce of speed they could muster.
Team Rocket members were now hot on their heels, flocking towards them like vultures to a carcass. Mechanical beasts ran at their sides just as closely, snapping and pulling strenuously against chains and harnesses. If Alexsei hadn't already known that they had once been pokemon, he would have thought them to be monsters; breed and spawned straight of out the depths of Hell.

Rounding a corner, the pair soon staggered to a clumsily halt. They needed to think, they had been caught off guard, they needed to catch their bearings. Where the hell were they anyway?!
Staring at his unfamiliar surroundings, Alexsei growled questionably, "So where is this accomplice of yours? I hope they know how to find us. We are going to get lost at this rate"
The Russian opened his mouth to continue the argument, but frowned instead. Narrowing those ever alert eyes, something suddenly caught his attention. Fear gnawed at his heart strings. A metallic gleam in the distance flickered dimly under the lamplight.
Grabbing Scott firmly by the wrist, he tugged him forward out of harm’s way.
The Russian heard the gunshot, but didn't feel the pain. Ushering his friend into a sprint, they soon stepped out into the open road.
On cue, the screeching sound of tires against asphalt echoed threatenly beneath the frame of an old ford escort. The car pulled up beside them, the back door flying open wildly as a female voice called out in hysterics, " Move your Asses and Get in the Car! Hurry Up!"
The pair didn't need to be told twice, and quickly slid into backseats of the car.
The moment the door slammed closed, their driver tramped down hard on the petrol gauge. The engine of the car roared to life in an instant as they made their getaway.
It took them a few minutes to exit Team Rocket's territory, but once they did it, was easy driving all the way home. The T.R didn't have much power outside of the central part of the city. The outskirts belonged to the gangs after all.

ALexsei mulled heavy over the fact that he would soon be in the mist of other Valcon members. It was factor he dreaded slightly.
Keeping to himself, the Russian chose to stare silently out of the window. He was briefly aware of the woman 'Scarlet' talking. Her attention entirely on Scott as she scolded him, demanding to know every detail of his Team Rocket experience.
Stubbornly choosing to ignore her rather annoying voice, and the entire the conversation for that matter, Alexsei ran his fingertips over his damp jersey.
The adrenaline in his system had worn off, revealing at last the wound he had chosen to ignore. It bled heavily now, paining slightly where the bullet had pierced cleanly through his flesh.

((He's sulking a bit XD))

Scott’s breath came in short bursts as he sprinted on alone Alexsei, eyes swinging wildly in either direction as their pursuers began closing in, flanking them on both sides. His lips parted, about to breath his partner’s name in his despair, but then a resounding metal click snapped through the air, and the next thing he knew Alexsei had grabbed his arm, and he was being pulled. For the first time in years, somebody was showing him the way! For the first time in years, he didn’t have to lead; didn’t have to pretend he had it all together while his heart was breaking inside.

Scott stumbled in his relief and bolted after Alexsei, sticking fast to his side as though not a minute had passed since the old days. For one bizarre moment, he found himself enjoying this wild flight for his life, drunk on the feeling of nostalgia that overwhelmed him. He remembered a time just like this one, when he and Alexsei had run from Giovanni’s hospital. It was shortly after that that Alexsei had first confessed his love... Scott would never forget how he looked that night; his face contorted with anguish, yet ever so handsome even in his confusion. The golden halo that the cheap motel light beamed around his spiky blue hair...

"Move your Asses and Get in the Car! Hurry Up!" A voice shouted suddenly, jolting Scott out of his daze and back to reality. He cursed, nearly tripping over a crack in the sidewalk, but Alexsei had his arm, and the strong Russain pulled him up as he always did, throwing him into the car. Scott scrambled over to make room for Alexsei, then the door slammed shut, and the Escort zoomed off with a loud squeal of rubber.
“What the Hell happened to you, Hawk?!” Scarlet demanded from the driver’s seat, swinging around a corner and shooting him a furious glance through the rear view mirror. He met hard green eyes and instantly looked away, shrugging his shoulders in a noncommittal gesture. She was a pretty girl, older than him - he assumed 27, though he’d never thought to ask - with dark, fiery red hair and a pair of narrow eyebrows that always sat low on her brow, forming an intelligent frown on her elegant face. She had a long neck and a sharp chin, and her cheekbones jutted out proudly. There were shadows under them now. Scott wondered if she had worried.
“I’m fine, Scar.” He murmured at last, taking pity on the girl, “I’ll tell you about it later, okay? For now, let’s just get somewhere safe. Far away... Please.” She frowned at him a moment longer, then nodded, turning back to the road. Alexsei was quiet. With a frown of his own, Scott turned to glance at his accomplice, and started violently when he saw the damp, crimson rose blooming midway down the ripped jersey sleeve. “Alex-” He caught himself at the last minute, making a sound like a strangled cat as he swallowed the rest of the name, then grabbed Alexsei’s arm and repeated furiously, “Alex,” this was to be Alexsei’s new alias for the time being, it seemed, “what the f*ck is this? You’re hurt!” He couldn’t quite hide the quaver from his eyes, and inwardly cursed himself when he saw Scarlet’s narrowed eyes shoot back to the mirror. She knew him well, and he’d shown less concern when she had nearly lost her leg to a mine in the past.
“When did this happen?” Scott demanded, roughly ripping back Alexsei’s sleeve to expose the wound, “It was when you pulled me out of the way just now, wasn’t it? You f*cking asshole! How could you think-” He stopped as he tore the sleeve away, cursing as blood gurgled, thick and black, from the gaping hole in the muscle. “Shit, it’s bleeding like mad. Scar, do we have a first aid kit here?”
“Under the seat.” She replied quickly, “There’s a towel, too. Stop the bleeding.”
“I know what to do! You should have said something earlier.” He added, turning his accusing eyes to Alexsei. “Hold still, okay?”

The rest of the drive back was spent with Scott holding Alexsei still, raging at him for allowing himself to be hurt, while gently nursing the wound with bandages and disinfectant swabs. Every time they went over a bump, or every time he felt that strong arm flinch, his quivery lips breathed a little apology almost without his consent, and the softness of his fingers betrayed the worry that he hid in his anger. He didn’t notice Scarlet’s narrowed, hawklike eyes watching him all the while.

When they arrived back, Scar ushered them quickly into Scott’s ‘office’ in the safehouse, then left to pacify the crew positioned there, making sure that none of them would interfere with what Scott had labeled his ‘private business’. In the office, there was light, quiet, and - most importantly - an unmoving floor. “I’ll have to stitch you up.” Scott told Alexsei with a frown, gently pressing the lips of his wound together, “It’s too deep to leave, and you’ve lost a lot of blood-” His voice quavered, so he stopped speaking quickly, turning away to hide his feelings. It was absurd that he was acting this way! What was he, an emotional woman?
“You just stay still.” He grumbled, plunging an injection needle into a bottle of clear liquid, then tapping it and shooting some into the sky. He poked it sharply into Alexsei;s skin, and injected the anaesthetic. “I’m crap at this,” He warned, although he knew damn well he was better than anyone else on his crew, even the med school kid, “so if you move around you’ll end up with another big ugly scar to match that monstrosity on your face.”

Grumbling to himself, he threaded the needle, then poked it into the Russian’s cold, white flesh, and began carefully sewing his skin together, drawing the two sides of the wound into a single, neat line. He didn’t look at Alexsei. He was terrified of what those icy blue eyes would hold.

When the Escort had reached the end of its journey, it purred to a quiet halt.
Curious, ALexsei stole a quick peek outside the car window. He narrowed his eyes observantly as he took in the eerie sight of mist slowly swirling in over the roads. He could taste salt in that ghostly vapour.
We are in Harbour's edge then...close to the ocean.
Grimacing at that thought, The Russian felt a trickle of discomfort creep over his scarred shoulders. He knew all too well that the coast belonged solely to the Valcon. They ruled harbour's Edge through an infamous no mercy, no tolerance policy. He'd need to be on his guard around here.

With a metallic click, the car door slowly swung open.
Scott shifted out first, then paused and waited for Alexsei to follow. The Russian did so, his face an unreadable canvas as he did his best in hiding the pain in his side. The wound was pretty deep, but not nearly the worst he had suffered. It bleed more than what it was worth.
He felt an arm sling supportively around his side, and glancing up uncertainly towards Scott, he swallowed his pride and stubbornly accepted his friend's help. He didn't like this display of weakness, but he also knew better than to argue with Scott, especially in the face of another Valcon member. He had been all too aware of those emerald eyes upon him, and as a result had taken a rather nasty dislike to this new 'Scarlet' character. He didn't trust her.

Once they had entered the main Valcon warehouse, Alexsei felt Scott pick up the pace a bit. Questioning gazes and remarks flew through the air, but for the most part the Vacon members remained cautious in their approach. They knew their leader when they saw him, they knew what he would do if provoked.
Scarlet seemed to move into a role of authority at this point, snatching up their attention with clever words and sharp commands.
The gap gave Scott and Alexsei enough time to move up into the office.

Inside and alone at last, Alexsei gazed about the small room with mild interest.
It was a cold place; industrial in feel, with tiled floors and thickly plastered brick walls. A long wooden desk stretched out along the back of the room, it's warped patterns clear beneath a sharp florescent light.
The Russian felt himself slide into one of the old armchairs nearby. He could hear Scott lock the door in the background, but paid not real heed to it. He had a feeling that his old friend wouldn't just give him up, No, they had too much history for that.
When Scott had returned to his side, Alexsei stared at him long and questionably. A syringe dangled from his friend's fingertips, leaving his own features creased with superstition.
"I'll have to stitch you up", Scott explained simply. ALexsei didn't look impressed. Firm in getting his own way, he grumbled, "It's not that bad. Your first aid will be enough." Folding his arms stubbornly over his chest, he stared squarely at Scott. He was not going to get an injection without a fight.
Realizing this, Indignant worry seemed to strike the Valcon leader's hard features like a cold slap. Before the Russian could even begin to resist, the younger man had grabbed the corner of that blood stained jersey and ripped it up over his head.
A string of fowl mouthed curses soon followed of course, but getting over the initial shock having his shirt torn off, ALexsei began to cool down a notch. He could sense the concern in his friend and in turn tried to be slightly better behaved.
“It’s too deep to leave, and you’ve lost a lot of blood-”, Scott mumbled.
"You'll lose a lot of blood if you don't give me back my shirt.", the Russian grumbled. Numb to ALexsei's half-assed threats, Scott sighed, tapped the syringe and pressed the needle into his side. “You just stay still... I’m crap at this, so if you move around you’ll end up with another big ugly scar to match that monstrosity on your face. ”
Rolling his eyes at that remark, the Russian smirked with clear pride in his scars, "Fine Whatever, Like I have a choice here anyway"
Obedient despite all his complaints, the Russian did as he was told. He sat in silence, watching Scott all the while as the man worked patiently on stitching closed the wound.
It was uncomfortable at first to have those cold hands brush against his skin, but after a few minutes he grew used to it... finding it almost relaxing.

Dozing off completely, the Russian awoke with a slight start.
Scott had finished his work, and stood a small distance away, examining him with a thoughtful eye. Just as like an artist would a canvas.
Alexsei frowned in response, and turning his head away irritably, he tried hard to hide the subtle blush now burning into his cheeks.
"If you must know, I was resting my eyes... not sleeping"
Shoving aside some of his shyness, he suddenly stood up and stalked over to where his jersey lay crumpled on the floor. His fingers closed around it. It was still damp with blood.
When he looked up again, an unspoken awkwardness seemed to follow.
His ultramarine eyes traced over the white flesh of his nude torso, the muscles chiselled into his chest stood out against bone. He hadn't noticed his own scars before, but now in the eyes of another, he felt self-conscious. Most were his trophies, tiny nicks and cuts from battles here and there. The same, However could not be said for the ones branched out viciously along his shoulders and spine. They were hideous and deep, acquired five years ago in that single accident that had changed everything in both his life and Scott's.

Scowling at the expression staring back at him through Scott's eyes, Alexsei quickly pulled the jersey back on. "Don't look so worried... You'll make me worried."
A small degree of warmth seemed to touch his features, and rubbing at the stitches in his side, he scratched his head and mumbled awkwardly, "I guess I should thank you...y'know, for treating me "
He wanted to say more, but before he could get the chance to, a rude knock at the office door silenced him.
Was it 'Her' again? He sure as hell hoped not.

Alexsei nearly dozed off while Scott was stitching him up, and Scott couldn't help but find it a little endearing. Only Alexsei could be that oblivious to a needle threading through his flesh, that was for sure. He finished up quickly and quietly, then shifted back, and let his eyes briefly scan the man's battered body. His frown creased deeper with every inch of skin he saw. It was the first time he'd really noticed the new scars from the accident. They were... Hideous. Alexsei looked as if he'd been dropped back-first onto a grill. A huge, thick 'X' spanned across his shoulders, slashed by another thick line that dipped into the flesh. The skin was raw, pink and pearly, like something half-formed. Scott shuddered at the thought of the pain, and shifted away.

The movement woke Alexsei, and he came to with a defensive grumble, then started examining his stitches as Scott watched cautiously from a distance. Alexsei shot him a glare, then quickly yanked on his jersey with a mumble of, "Don't look so worried... You'll make me worried."
"I'm not worried." Scott lied defensively in retort, folding his arms across his chest, "I'm just wondering how I'm going to get your blood off my couch. You should be more careful."
His tone was lightly scolding, but his eyes spoke of a deeper hurt. He was worried. To see Alexsei - his Alexsei - in that state, was utterly horrified.
He opened his mouth, taking a breath, but as he was about to ask Alexsei about the accident - did the scars still hurt? Didn't they bother him? - there came a knock at the door, and he was jerked out of his trance, back into the role of Hawk. With a little start, his features hardened again, and he strode purposefully toward the door.
"What?" He demanded, hand posed on the handle.
"Hawk," Scarlet's voice called, "You've been in there too long. The guys are asking questions."
"Tell them to shut up!" Scott replied, frowning angrily, "I'm busy."
"Yeah, well, don't blame me if they come barging in on your 'business', 'cause they sure as hell won't listen to me any more. Good luck-"
"Wait." Scott sighed, cutting her off and opening the door, "Okay, okay, I'll talk to them." He glanced briefly at Alexsei over his shoulder, and his gaze softened a little as he added, "Wait for me, okay? I'll be right back."

When he left, Scarlet was still standing in the doorway. She watched until he vanished around the next corner, then turned to face the bloody stranger in the room, and closed the door behind her with a quiet, definite click. "You've got some nerve showing your face here." She growled quietly to the doorknob. At first it wasn't clear who she was talking to, until she added in a snarl, "Alexsei." She turned. "Yes, I know who you are. That jawline, those eyes, and don't think I can't see the blue growing out in your hair. You look just like your father." She folded her arms and took a step toward him, then stopped again, leaving a safe distance between them. She knew how dangerous this man was, but he was in her kingdom now, and she would not be intimidated. "Some real f*cking nerve!" She repeated, eyes now starting to blaze, "You think you can just waltz in here after being gone five years - five motherf*cking years - and take Scott back? Well let me tell you buddy, it's not going down like that. That just won't fly with me. While you've been off playing your little 'rebel games' and basking in the worship of those sheep you call your followers, I've been fixing what you screwed up!" She jabbed a finger at him, lips pulled back angrily. "Do you even know what you did to Scott? Do you know what he was like when I found him?" She spat out a bitter laugh, "While you've been hiding in the shadows, I've been bailing him out of jail, scrubbing the piss off his shoes, and rolling him over so he doesn't drown in his own vomit overnight. I was there to hold him when he cried, it was me who shook him awake every time he had a nightmare." Her eyes narrowed savagely, "Where were you, Alexsei? Where were you when he was dying from the pain you caused him?" She shook her head vehemently, as though the anger was too much to bear, and jabbed a savage finger at the door. "Get out!" She ordered coldly, "If you have any compassion for Scott at all, you'll get out right now before you destroy him all over again. Just look at the damage you've already done! Look what you've turned him into!" Her outstretched hand began to shake, and she repeated coldly, "Go, if you want what's best for him. You owe him that much, you selfish bastard."

( Mahahaha! Done)

Briefly aware of the gradually growing ruckus coming from downstairs, Alexsei watched on silently as Scott finished off his conversation with Scarlet.
It was clear from the frustration in his voice, that he was reluctant to leave the Russian behind. Unfortunately given the current 'Riot' now forming downstairs, Scott didn't seem to have much of a choice in the matter. It was a simple case really; Either he went downstairs to console them, or they would come upstairs for answers. Personally, Alexsei didn't like the idea of either option.

It was with a heavy sigh that Scott finally made his decision, and turning back towards Alexsei, he mumbled softly,"Wait for me, okay? I'll be right back."
Unspoken words turned sour within Alexsei's mouth. The very thought of Scott leaving seemed to dawn on him like a sharp slap in the face. It was a scary thought really, was he truly that afraid to lose him? So afraid that he didn't even want him to walk a even few meters out of sight?
Clearing his throat, ALexsei tried to calm his own thoughts. He was being ridiculous.
Catching his partner’s attention with a sharp flick of those cold eyes, he nodded firmly with understanding. There was a strain of reassurance in his features, it quivered wearily the moment Scott disappeared behind the next corner.

A deafening silence soon followed, It was enough to suffocate the Russian were he stood.
The slow creak of a door echoed eerily over the tiled floor, and it was only at that moment that Alexsei finally remembered that he wasn't alone, Not yet.
Scott may have left him, but a new guest had joined him.
The bone tingling click of high-heels beckoned his attention, and glancing up from beneath platinum bangs, he saw her once more.
Her Red hair seemed to dance in fiery ringlets around an elegant neck, while a pair of ever cunning eyes glistened straight through him.
ALexsei felt his defences go up immediately; he didn't like strangers, even less so if they were woman.

"You've got some nerve showing your face here... Alexsei."
The Russian felt his own eyes narrowed at the threat in her tone. So she knew who he was.
That made her only one thing in his eyes; A threat.
The shadows of a dim light flickered overhead as the air around them grew colder. A dangerous snarl had lifted onto those ghostly pale features, carving ALexsei's lips and jawline into the very image of a wolf starved for flesh.
"Don't speak to me", he added softly, his tone as warning as the clear indifference seeping off from that tensed body.
Weither Scarlet took note of this or not, seemed to make not difference in her attitude towards him. She was insistent in speaking her mind all the same, a foolish mistake.
"Yes, I know who you are. That jawline, those eyes, and don't think I can't see the blue growing out in your hair. You look just like your father."
She was playing with fire now, dancing in it, ready to burn. The mentioning of Giovanni was a bad move; Alexsei would make her regret it
"Well aren't you just little Miss detective.", The Russian muttered, his lips curling into a bitter smirk.
Taking a steady step forward, he found himself approaching her along soundless steps. He felt like a ghost, hearing his own 'dead' name called like that. It irritated him.
With a humourless chuckled, he mocked, "So what are you going to now? Kill me?...F*ck I'd like to see you try"

Turning nearly as red as her name suggested, it clearly hadn't taken much to send Scarlet over the edge. With thoughtless vengeance, those pretty lips pursed into shape. By the time she opened her mouth, every fragment of painful blame that had built up over the past five years seemed to pour out over the Alexsei, staining him with blood and regret.
Stories of Scott writhing in pain, covered in piss and needles, All of them seemed to dance before his eyes. He struggled eventually to hear her screaming, the images only grew worse. They were so frighteningly vivid and horrific; he barely noticed her voice at all.
Trembling silently, he dug his fingernails deep into the flesh of those white knuckled fists. His gaze barely lifted from the floor, the floor now dripped and drizzled with spots of crimson. The pain had always kept him sane; it kept him safe here in reality.

ALexsei winced painfully as a haze of red began to taint his gaze. He could feel himself gradually slipping away, giving into that beastly anger that he had always been so infamous for. It only took a second longer before he finally broke.
"SHUT UP! Just Shut the FUCK Up!", He cursed madly, that deathly gaze raising at last to lock onto Scarlet. In his manic state, The Russian went directly for her, his intentions clearly set to kill.
With the speed and agility of a panther, he was at her side in a heartbeat. His fingertips reaching out for the closest thing in range.
With one swift movement, he very nearly brought down a chair over her pretty little head. Had she not ducked out of the way last minute it might have been her end.
Haggard breaths escaped the Russian's mouth as he tried to make sense of the world around himself. He was nothing less than a dumb animal, hunger to sait his anger.
He caught sight of her, a maggot near his feet.
A hand went for her throat next, and lifting her up slowly as to see her better, Alexsei felt words finally return to him.
"You think you have the right to judge me?...You don't know anything about me. Your just another stupid Bitch who trying to be mother F*cking Teresa...I know that I wasn't there for Scott. I know of my sins, the damaged i have done...You think I'm proud of that? You have no idea of the guilt I carry."

His sanity seemed to return, and carelessly dropping her to the floor. He tsked his tongue, stepped neatly over her and walked briskly towards the closest window. The shutter bent obediently in his hand as He ripped it open.
The fresh outside air brushed up against his face. It was cold with the slight chill of winter.
"If I have to look into you face for even a second longer, I'm going to smash you're skull in...You may be a woman, but gender holds very little value to me."
Without a second word, the Russian was gone. He had slipped away into the night like a phantom. The air grew colder in his absence, bringing along with it the first flakes of snow.

"Where is he?"
Scott stood in the doorway, looking over his office with a puzzled frown. The window was open despite the freezing air outside, and Scarlet was leaning against the wall, coughing and rubbing her throat.
"What, has he gone to the loo or something?" Scott looked back over his shoulder. Across the hall, the bathroom door was ajar. He turned back. "Scar?"
Scarlet looked up at him, then winced and cleared her throat. Scott's eyes narrowed. "Scar?" He repeated, voice dangerously soft now. He began slowly approaching her, "Scar, where is he? What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything!" Scarlet snapped, shoving Scott away when he pushed himself intimidatingly into her space. "What's with you, anyway? I just saved your ass, and here you're more worried about some f*cking stranger than you are about me!" Taken aback, Scott blinked in surprise, and Scarlet uttered a satisfied huff at the reaction, then offered her explanation.
"He took off as soon as you left; said he had important things to take care of or something. I tried to stop him," She touched her throat and winced again, "But he overpowered me. There was nothing I could do." Her eyes softened with sympathy. "I'm sorry, Scott."
"Don't call me that." He turned his back on her, glaring out the open window, where he could still see a set of familiar footprints in the snow down below. His throat constricted, and at his sides, his hands curled into shaking fists. He hated himself for believing that he could ever get his old life back. 
"Hawk?" Scarlet's dainty hand felt like it was burning his shoulder, and he flinched from the touch, shoving her roughly away. "Whatever." He spat "I've got important things to do, too." He could feel Scarlet's sympathetic eyes on him, and from the trembling of his back teeth, he knew that he could not hold it together if he ever met her gaze. He closed his own gaze, hunching his shoulders protectively against the waves of hurt crashing over him. He couldn't believe how fragile he still was, after all these years. It was like he'd lost Alexsei all over again...

Silently, Scarlet's warm arms folded around his chest, and he let her embrace him. Her sharp chin came to rest on his shoulder, and he slowly bowed his head. "I'm sorry." She whispered, kissing his neck. "But you'll always have me, forever. I'll always be here for you." Out of Scott's view, her green (Um... were they green...? XD ) eyes flashed dangerously. "I'll always protect you, no matter what it takes. I love you."
Scott let his chin dip a little further, and his hand came to rest lightly over Scarlet's wrists, hooked gently around his collarbone. He didn't thank her, but the touch was enough. He could feel her smile. It never took much to make Scarlet happy; she loved him so much, a single smile would be thanks enough for a decade of dedication. She was still waiting for that smile.

Presently, her dainty hands shifted, and Scott felt her shift him around until they were facing one another. Soft fingers brushed his cheek, while her other hand snaked around the back of his head, fingers twisting in his thick hair. "I'm so glad you're okay..." She whispered, the familiar scent of her perfume wafting over him as she leaned in closer. "I was so worried about you. And I missed you... So, so much." Her lips brushed his, but he turned his head aside. Her love was not like Alexsei's. There was no passion, no adventure, and none of the fiery, all-consuming devotion that had once fuelled his whole world. Scarlet's affection was cheaply won, and easily kept. He could treat her however he wanted and she'd stick by him, he knew that. There was a scar on her cheek to remind him of it, from the last time he'd lost his temper. Her lips reached for his again, pecking his lower lip, then softly trying to pry his lips apart. When he still did not respond, the tip of her tongue slipped between his lips, and at last he allowed her to coax his mouth open, bowing his head to kiss her back. Perhaps his relationship with Scarlet didn't have that passion and chemistry that he missed so much, but it was safe, reliable and familiar. She was always there; a warm presence to accept and dissolve his feelings. And so he piled them on her now, burying his hurt in a series of fierce, vicious kisses.

***

It had been a week since Scott's run-in with Alexsei following their Team Rocket capture, and by now it felt almost unreal to Scott, like it might all have been a dream. The only thing that told him how real it had been was the frayed bandage trailing off his left forearm. The brunt of the pain had hit him late, and by the time Scarlet had found him he had already smashed his third bottle of vodka and taken the glass to his skin, screaming through tears that it was all too much, that he didn't want to take it any more. His eyes lifted at the memory, and he sighed wearily, staring through his office window at the full moon floating in and out of the clouds. The papers on his desk rustled with the breeze, but he didn't get up to close the window. He had been in a despondent state for days, just letting Scarlet wait on him on hand and foot while she lied to his crew, telling them that he was injured, that the Team Rocket imprisonment had made him ill. He was grateful for it. These days, he didn't much care how Scarlet saw him, but if anyone else ever saw him in the utterly pathetic state that he was in when the grief hit hardest, he wasn't sure he'd ever forgive himself. He was ashamed to the depths of his soul, but depression had a funny way of numbing a man to his shame, and robbing him of his pride. He wondered what Alexsei would think, if he could see what he had become. At the thought of him, Scott's throat tightened. He closed his eyes, shook his head, then grabbed the letter he was busy reading and crumpled it up ferociously, lobbing it at the wall before turning to the next one. Screw the bank and their stupid debt collection forms! He'd pay them back once Giovanni was dead, until then they could just be f*cking patient!

(This is way overdue hehe XD)

Noise- Tonight the world lacked it.
The sky rose up like a dark veil, creeping over the old harbour with all the grace of crying widow. The clouds mimicked her soulful tears, turning them cold as they hit the ground. The rusting corrosion of ships and iron, lay buried beneath beautiful sheets of ice and snow
This was the world as Alexsei saw it, This was his reality.

A bitter smirk twitched faintly upon those handsome lips, and mumbling more to himself that to anyone else, he growled,“A perfect World?...What a joke. As If you could call rot and decay perfect”
Turning his back stubbornly on the world before him, The Russian rolled his shoulders and suddenly took flight.

[i]Nothing else matters...Nothing else else can feed my passion, Nothing else can numb out my pain...there is only him.[i]
Leaping across the rooftops in a blur of white fur, ALexsei felt his footsteps quicken with each and every passing second.
He couldn't take it any more. He felt as though he would go mad, utterly insane if he didn't see Scott.

In the distance, a dim glimmer of light flickered out behind a sharade of fluttering curtains.
The light was the first thing to catch the Russian’s eye, the second being the familiar ding he had left in the window-frame the day he had tried to tear it open.

Slowing down to a halt, ALexsei peered out cautiously towards the opened window. It was suspicious, almost trap like in nature. His thoughts immediately travelled back towards the red-haired woman he had taken such a loathing to; Scarlet. What if she were on the other side of those curtains? Waiting there with her fangs poised? Ready to strike at him like some kind of spider.
He smirked with odd excitement at that thought, he could feel his shoulder blades ripple with anxiety. He needed a more rationalized approach, His desire to see Scott clearly seemed to clouding his better judgement. It was always like this, when it came to Scott, no risk was dangerous enough to scare him off.

With a deep breath, The Russian cast a quick glance down at the deathly fall waiting him below.
He didn't have time for fear, he had lost far too much time already.
With a final lunge of faith, he crossed the deep crevice separating himself from the Valcon warehouse.

Landing safely upon the window sill, Alexsei paused a moment to catch his bearings.
He was deathly aware of the presence staring back at him from within the room. It was a presence he had sorely missed.

Allowing his hood to fall back, he casually stepped inside the room, his furred coat trailing in behind him as it would with royalty.

“I have something to say to you.”
There was a frightening seriousness about him as he gestured a hand accusingly towards Scott.

“ You and your f*cking gang are a bloody pain to track-down.”
The tension in the air hung thickly between the two as they glared heatedly towards each other for a moment. Emotions were still clearly on edge.

A Devious smirk suddenly creased Alexsei’s lips, and winking dangerously towards Scott, he growled, “I want you...And I don’t think I can hold myself back any more.”
The resistance had long since fled him, and striding boldly towards Scott. He took the boy in his embrace, cradled his head and kissed him with all the fierce passion that had been building up inside his stone-cold heart.

With a loud, clattering bang, Scott heard something strike his window pane, and he leaped to his feet instantly in fright, eyes widening as a shadow fell across the room. What the...? His heart skipped a beat. The figure was climbing down now, silhouetted by the light, and although Scott would know the frame of those broad shoulders anywhere, he remained on the defensive. It didn't make sense... Why would Alexsei come back? And just how the f*ck had he gotten up to that window?

The other man stepped into the room as if he'd just risen from the throne, and Scott folded his arms angrily across his chest, raising an expectant eyebrow. "And what do you want?" He sneered derisively, as though his ex-boyfriends flew in through the window every day, and this was a perfectly expected and nevertheless unpleasant inconvenience.
“I have something to say to you.” Alexsei answered seriously.
"Then say it, would you? I'm busy."
“You and your f*cking gang are a bloody pain to track-down.”
Scott snorted loudly, then scoffed as he replied, "Yeah? And just why are you trying to track us down, hm? Humiliating me once wasn't enough? Come back for a second helping?" His lips pulled back into a disgusted snarl. "F*ck you!" He spat, turning away. You f*cking hurt me! How could you leave, when we'd only just found each other? Who would do that to somebody they love?
He clenched, burying his pain beneath a furious scowl. He could not give Alexsei the satisfaction of knowing just how hurt he was. Somewhere along the line, he seemed to have forgotten that this man was not his enemy. Just about everybody seemed to be, these days.

Presently, a hand grabbed his shoulder, and spun him around. Scott's eyes met Alexsei's, and the other man flashed him a wink, his lips curving into a deadly smirk. This man clearly had no interest in buying his angry act. “I want you..." He purred instead, closing the gap between them, "And I don’t think I can hold myself back any more.”
"F-" He started to reply, but Alexsei grabbed him by the back of the head, and then they were kissing. Saliva swirled into his mouth, rushing hotly over his tongue just as the passion rose up in him, and suddenly he could not hold himself back, either. The anger manifested itself into a burning passion, and in an instant he had his fingers entwined in Alexsei's hair, his other arm around his back, yanking him closer, and kissing him harder. "I'll... teach you... to leave me." He gasped between kisses, his voice still thick with angry betrayal. He freed his arm from around Alexsei's back, grabbed the bottom of his own shirt, and broke the kiss to yank it over his head. His powerful muscles rippled beneath the skin as they flexed, and he tossed the shirt to the ground behind him, then slammed Alexsei back into the wall with the force of another kiss. He grabbed him by the wrists and pinned them above his head, taking over control. When he broke the kiss, he threw off Alexsei's coat, and ripped his shirt open at the front. A dark little smirk crossed his lips at the sight of those familiar muscles, and with a whorishness most unlike his old shy self, he tucked his head and trailed his tongue slowly, tempting, up his boyfriend's chest. Why shouldn't he tease him? Why shouldn't he know what is was like for somebody else to have such complete power over you?
His tongue reached the other man's neck, and he kissed it once, twice, before raking his fingers through Alexsei's hair and growling darkly, "Now... Lose the pants."

((...    Sorry Scott, but I just can't take you seriously when you try to be serious and sexy at the same time. XD He can't pull it off, Dude. He just can't.    ))

“I’ll... teach you...to leave me.”
With a rough slam, Scott pressed himself heavily against Alexsei; Their lips meeting passionately as he forced the Russian backwards against the wall.
In mere seconds Alexsei had been rendered absolutely helpless beneath that kiss; his hands bound teasingly above his head.

“So...Is this you’re idea of punishment then?”, he mused softly.
Despite the clear tease in his own voice, The Russian still felt himself tense beneath each and every touch and caress. It was clear that he was uncomfortable, vulnerable even against the cruel, but pleasurable advances of another human being.

When Scott’s fingertips began to fumble his shirt, he shied away beneath the touch; It was strange to him. He could feel the pull of his instincts driving him into a state of feeble resistance. Scott’s physical strength had definitely grown over the years, and despite the definitely fight Alexsei put up, he simply couldn't find the will to break loose.
I hate this feeling, this lack of control...I can’t resist him. I can’t move.

Narrowing his eyes stubbornly, the Russian felt his breath come in shortened gasps.
The man had him nude at the torso now, his tongue slipping hungrily over his muscles.   Turning his head aside, The Russian tried hard to hide the deep blush standing out against his snow-pale cheeks.
“St-stop...”, he moaned softly.
When Scott didn't, Alexsei felt his eyes slip closed; He was in heaven, he was in hell.
Lips suckled lovingly at the flesh of his neck, once, twice before releasing him.

Now lose the pants...
Scott’s words were poisonous, darkly exciting as they crept along the goosebumps of the Russian’s neck.
Gritting his teeth, He growled back, “If you want them off...you’ll have to take them off”
He struggled to sober up, the dizziness of euphoria still coursed thickly through his veins.

Shoving Scott backwards, he suddenly faltered; clearly needing a moment to collect himself.
His breathing became heavy, sluggish with exhaustion. It was clear that he was struggling to resist Scott, his desire in absolute conflict with his ever rationalizing mind. It was painful to hold back all the yearning, all the desire, but he couldn’t let it go yet. He didn't trust himself to give in to those feelings, not with how things were between them. Perhaps a part of him was afraid; afraid of what was to come, afraid that it would mean nothing.

He stared hard into Scott’s eyes, before mumbling the words that had been so long overdue.
“I’m sorry...for everything, Scott”
Grabbing the man’s hand in his own, he pulled him closer again. His arms roping around Scott’s naked waist as they kissed and struggled against their feelings.
They swayed; stumbling clumsily through the room, knocking over books, and anything loose that they came between them.
Alexsei could feel Scott’s body grinding against his own. And ripping off his shirt, he tossed it over his shoulder and pinned Scott down onto the couch below.
The tables had turned now, and Alexsei felt the dominance seep once more through his powerful body. He would do absolutely anything for this man, no cost was too pricey.
His cold fingertips traced curiously over the man’s chest, all the way down to his belt buckle.
“Behave now, it’s my turn to play”
With an affectionate smirk, he nibbled at Scott’s lips, before making his way down to the man’s pants.
He undid the buckle, then the zip, eyes glinting with tease. What he did next actually shocked him a bit, he had always known that Scott had tasted pretty good. XD

((HAHA!!!   Oh, Alexsei. XD Geez, Down, boy! Who even taught him that?    ))

“If you want them off..." Came Alexsei's breathless, stammered response, "You’ll have to take them off.” Scott smirked cruelly, taking vindictive pleasure from the anxiety he could see in Alexsei's face, and reached boldly for his belt. Before his fingers could undo the buckle, however, a nervous hand had shoved him back, out of his position of domination. Scott's expression darkened. If Alexsei thought he could back out now, he had another thing coming... Jaw clenched, Scott started to take a threatening step forward, back into the space to which he'd been denied entrance. But when Alexsei's eyes lifted to meet his, he was stopped in his tracks.

There was something so earnest, so sincere in that gaze that his angry passion faltered, and he found himself oddly taken aback, his heart touched in a way that he become unwelcome over the years, but not unfamiliar. "What?" He demanded cautiously, folding his arms in an irritable fashion and trying to ignore the rapid beating of his heart.
“I’m sorry... for everything, Scott.”
"Huh?" His arms fell to his sides, and his narrowed eyes widened innocently, blinking in surprise. It was the last thing he had expected, but hearing it had knocked him off guard completely. He hadn't realised, until that moment, just how much he had needed to hear those words. Something stirred inside him as he looked at the man before him and, for perhaps the first time, saw the same man that he had once loved and lost. Slowly, he swallowed and nodded his head, and all of a sudden what had started off as some kind of aggressive power struggle had turned into something else entirely. It was Alexsei who made the next move; and when that rough hand closed around his, Scott let himself be pulled obediently into the kiss, closing his eyes now, and responding with cautious, tentative affection. He didn't want to let himself feel vulnerable, and for the first time, he registered his own fear. He did not want to be hurt again. But Alexsei's kisses tasted sweet and intoxicating, and he was so swept up in the moment that he realised he could not hold back any longer.

Things were getting heated. Papers were knocked off desks, and Scott was pretty sure he heard his lamp smash, but nothing was enough to stop the growing passion. He pressed himself closer, and then suddenly he was falling, knocked back onto the couch by Alexsei. He lost his breath for a moment, letting himself lie back, helpless, while the other man loomed over him, a dangerous smirk crossing his handsome face.
“Behave now," He purred, "it’s my turn to play.”
"Wha- Oh, God."
Scott tensed, stunned. "Alexsei- N-" The breath left his lungs, and despite his shock he yielded to the overpowering sensations, letting himself slip into a senseless state of ecstasy. It had never felt like this before.

***

Things grew foggy from there ((Yeah. CENSORED, Scott. You whore.    )) as the night wore on, but one thing was certain for Scott. This was entirely unlike any of his previous experiences. The one night stands had slipped by in senseless, mechanical pleasure that had left him feeling loathing and filthy, but relieved, which was, in the end, all that he'd wanted before. He had not realised that a feeling as pure as the one that surrounded him now, as he lay on the couch with Alexsei's naked body cradled in his arms, could come from an act that had always felt so distinctly impure in the past. He did not feel empty and violated; he felt loved, appreciated, and for the first time in a long time, he realised that there was some beauty in the world. How could he not, looking down at the handsome profile of the man in his arms. There was a tiny frown on his face, and with a gentleness he'd forgotten he possessed, Scott touched his lips to the man's temple, chasing it off with a taste of sweetness. He closed his eyes, and tightened his arm gently around Alexsei's chest, hugging him close. This was how life should always have been, he thought. With the man he loved right here in his arms, surrounded by his love, and safe from all the evil in the world. Safe. Where nothing could ever take him away again.

"You okay?" He whispered gently, his eyes tracing concernedly over Alexsei's slightly sunken cheek. He looked as if he'd been sick. Then again, Scott supposed he could say the same for himself. They had been through a lot lately. His brow furrowed at the thought, and if it were possible, he pulled Alexsei even nearer, holding protectively on to him. He had noticed at times, a fleeting nervousness in his boyfriend's actions, and a sweet sensitivity that was always quickly chased off by roughness. He knew the signs, and feeling the tension in Alexsei's body now as uncertainty flickered over his face, Scott was overcome with a desire to care for and protect this man, to nurture and love him like he had once before, and forget about all that had come between them. At least for tonight, maybe, he could forget. And he would be there for Alexsei like he should be. Because tonight, he feared, was no ordinary night. He pressed his lips to his boyfriend's neck, rubbing a hand gently down his arm, then murmured softly, "It was your first time, right?" His hand reached Alexsei's and closed around it, squeezing his sweaty palm reassuringly. "I'm relieved..." He began delicately, carefully plucking his words like threads from a tapestry, "That I could make sure it was with somebody who loves you. You deserve that."
He breathed out slowly, and closed his eyes for a moment. He had admitted it, at last. He loved Alexsei, despite all that had happened. He always would, no matter how he tried to fight it. "Do you remember what I said before, about us not getting back what we had? Well... I think we can, maybe. I want to believe that." He snuggled closer, and pressed his lips lightly to his boyfriend's jaw. "So... Remember this feeling, and let's never lose this. Never lose each other." He squeezed his eyes tighter shut. "I could not survive losing you again."

(Let there be cuteness!!! )

“You okay?”
Feeling a soft kiss trace along the skin of his temple, Alexsei closed his eyes and smiled, “Yeah, I don’t think I've ever been happier
The Russian meant those words wholeheartedly, and despite the slight insecurity he had felt earlier, he let Scott’s tender embrace reassure him; the warmth in itself seemed to chase away the last of his fears.

Still Sensitive to the boy’s touch, a soft shivered prickled over his skin. He could feel Scott’s breath, his lips warm against the back of his neck.
“It was your first time, right?”
A cord of uncertainty had been struck, and opening his eyes, Alexsei slowly turned his head to stared up anxiously at his boyfriend. With his secret exposed, he felt a little like a squirtle turned on its back, he felt helpless, even slightly ashamed.
Blushing crimson, he felt his features crease into surly frown. He tried to deny it, “It’s not like that....I just...I mean I never...”, he faltered.
There was no lying to this man, Scott’s eyes saw through him as easily as if he were made of glass. A hand tightened gently around his own, and before he could conjure up another story, his boyfriend took the chance to speak.
"I'm relieved...That I could make sure it was with somebody who loves you. You deserve that."
For a moment ALexsei seemed lost for words, his heart tangled and captivated in the absolute beauty of Scott’s love. He could feel it beating now, he could hear it pounding against the bones in his chest.
"Do you remember what I said before, about us not getting back what we had? Well... I think we can, maybe. I want to believe that."
The Russian felt Scott pull him closer, their embrace a seal of their unspoken promise to one another. With a firm nod, Alexsei felt devotion slip into his words, lacing them with assurance, “I Believe it too” he admitted.
A kiss from Scott sent a thrill trickling down his spine, and clasping the boy’s jaw fondly between his fingers, he yearned for him and kissed him back.
"So... Remember this feeling, and let's never lose this. Never lose each other...I could not survive losing you again."
Scott’s eyes had slipped closed now and leaning his forehead softly against his lover’s, Alexsei quietly began to soothed his boyfriend, “You wont, You have me now and always... I am yours alone, Scott.”
His fingertips traced delicately along the contores of the boy’s neck and collar bone. A feeling of enchantment seemed to slip over his face, dusting away the harshness that had once been etched so cruelly into place.
“You’re the only person I’ve ever allowed this close, the only one I could ever trust.” His words were his own dark confession, one confirming his own sexual innocence, as well as the lonely longing he had felt while pineing away after Scott.

Wrapping his arms around the boy’s neck, he buried his face into that strong chest, taking in the sweet spicy scent that danced along that sticky skin.
“You’ve suffered because of me...”, he murmured , his hands slipping down over Scott’s wounded wrists. He had noticed the scars before, but the cuts he could tell were still fresh nothing older than a day or two.
Regret seemed to tense his shoulders, and pulling back a moment, he raised those wounded wrists carefully into the light, inspecting them with hawk-like judgement.
They were deep, jagged and roughly inflicted. It sickened Alexsei to think that Scott had put himself through such pain and torment.
Narrowing his eyes, The Russian sighed and gently brought the wounds his his lips, “No more of this”, he added quietly, “There is no need.”

Scott felt Alexsei turn in his arms, and then a warm forehead pressed gently to his. The faint sheen of sweat stuck their skin together, and he breathed in deeply, drinking in the familiar, comforting scent of the love that he had thought, for so long, that he'd lost. Alexsei's words were a whisper in the dark.
“You wont," He promised quietly, "You have me now and always... I am yours alone, Scott.”
He swallowed thickly, struggling somewhere in between the person he once was, and the one he had become. He wanted to believe it, but the walls he had built to protect himself allowed hardly any truth through their cracks. It took all he had to open his eyes, and look searchingly into Alexsei's. The devotion he saw there could not lie. Slowly, so slowly, he inclined his head, and nodded. "Okay." He whispered, and that was enough. With that one word, he was ready to start putting the past behind him.

Alexsei's fingers reached for his neck, and his touch was so soft that Scott shivered as it crept to his collar, his gaze dropping away momentarily with what might have been shyness. Nobody else in the world could affect him like this... As if reading his thoughts, Alexsei opened his mouth, and said one of those things that made Scott fall in love with him all over again, for the hundredth time, and harder than ever before.
“You’re the only person I’ve ever allowed this close," He confessed, and though his voice did not waver, Scott sensed his insecurity. "...The only one I could ever trust.”
"I know," He whispered, and cupped Alexsei's cheek gently in his hand, searching his face for one precious moment. "And there's not a single responsibility I'd take more seriously than that."

A pair of strong arms wrapped around his neck, and Scott closed his eyes as he returned the embrace, sliding his own hands softly around the small of Alexsei's back. He still marveled at the feeling of the soft skin, ridged from scars, and yet ever so beautiful for all that Alexsei had endured, and all that he had survived. He was still lost in his thoughts as Alexsei's hands slid down his arms, and only when they reached his wrists did he stiffen, already tense from the shame even before Alexsei has spoken. He expected scolding, accusation, or some lecture about how pathetic he was. As if he hadn't told himself the same at least a thousand times... But bless his heart, Alexsei said nothing of the sort, and his unpredictability was as wonderfully refreshing as ever before. “You’ve suffered because of me...” He said, and Scott's surprise lodged his own voice in his throat. "N-no..." He choked, although it was true. But... He had not suffered because of Alexsei. He had suffered over him, yes, but it was not his fault. Scott understood that now. If only he had the words to explain it... He sighed, and slowly closed his hands, his wrists stinging as his attention became fixated upon them. 
“No more of this" Alexsei told him, bringing the jagged scabs briefly to his mouth. His lips were soft against the cuts. "There is no need.
Scott's throat constricted with the emotion that struck him. Not trusting his voice, a nod was all he could muster. He had bottled up so much for so long... At times it felt like there was no other way, or like he just couldn't go on... But things would not be like that any more.
"I know." He whispered, bowing his head in shame as he nodded. "I know..." It took a deep, shaky breath to steady him, and he wrapped a hand warmly around one of Alexsei's, clinging tightly on to it, as though afraid to let him slip away. "Alexsei, I..." He clutched the hand a little tighter, "I haven't coped well without you. I haven't coped at all, actually. I couldn't call what I did 'coping', it was all just 'getting by', and I'm not proud of how I managed that." He swallowed again, willing himself to be brave, but his voice dropped to a shaky whisper anyway as he added, "I don't like who I've turned into. I don't like who I am without you, and-" He closed his eyes, hunching his shoulders and shrinking into Alexsei's embrace like a frightened child. "I'm scared that... That I'll never come back from this. Already, there are things I've done that can't be undone." He clenched his fists, and the scars stood out on his skin, gleaming pearly white. The marks would last forever... But the scars that didn't show; those would last even longer.

(These two <3)

With his fingers wound warmly around Scott’s hand, Alexsei traced a thumb carefully over those lacerated wrists. He couldn’t find the words to speak, grief had stolen them from him. In turn He chose his silence, His bangs shadowing his thoughts, as he listened to the trembling waver of his boyfriend’s voice.
...There was pain there, deep festering pain...
Gritting his teeth, The Russian slowly gazed up; his eyes reflecting the hollowed out soul that now sat before him. A shiver crept down his spine.
Scott’s heart and mind had been utterly dismantled, crumbling at the edges as he had tried to tread it all together again, on a word called‘Coping.’
”It was all just 'getting by'...”, He confessed softly, his features tensing with strain as he slid his eyes closed, “I'm not proud of how I managed that...I don’t like who I've turned into. I don’t like who I am without you.”
That fragile voice had become a whisper against the Russian’s ear, tinkling like glass and threatening to break. Sympathy; an emotion Alexsei barely knew, seemed to claim the him next. He raised a palm to Scott’s face, his fingers sliding tenderly over that sunken cheek. He could feel the bones jutting out against the skin, the handsome curvature of that tensed jaw.
“Shhh...It’s okay”, he murmured faintly, his free hand gently cradling the back of his boyfriend’s neck. He leaned in closer now, his lips mere inches from Scott’s.
“We all carry sin. Survival never comes at a cheap cost...You did well to make it this far when the world around you has already fallen to pieces”[/i]
Like a frightened child, Scott shrunk into Alexsei’s strong embrace."I'm scared that... That I'll never come back from this. Already, there are things I've done that can't be undone."
Narrowing his eyes with concern, the Russian mulled heavy over those words, watching all the while as his lover rested gently against his chest.
“We live in the present, Scott...” A small pause echoed the seriousness of his tone, and breathing in deeply, Alexsei pressed,“We live, we breath, we are who we are all in this moment now.”Running his fingers fondly through the boy’s tangled hair, he playfully nuzzled his neck, “We've both changed over the years...but despite it all, here we are together. Broken, beaten hearts and all.”


(This post was SUUUUUUUUCKED T_T Sorry Dude)

Scott pressed his lips together, and held tighter to Alexsei as the other man hushed and comforted him. He felt like a scared little child with Alexsei's arms around him, but he did not fight it. When all was said and done, he was just the scared little boy he'd been before. He just... He hadn't been allowed to be that person in quite some time. It was a relief, at last, to be allowed to feel his feelings. So he did. Fiercely, intensely, he felt all that he had not allowed himself to feel before. And when Alexsei's voice reached through the dark veil that shielded him from the world, it spoke directly to his heart, and the words nestled snugly there, never to leave his thoughts.
“We live in the present, Scott...” He whispered, “We live, we breath, we are who we are all in this moment now. We've both changed over the years... but despite it all, here we are together. Broken, beaten hearts and all.
He pressed his eyes shut, his throat squeezing tight as Alexsei's fingers ran through his hair, and his lips brushed his neck. Affection swooped through him, and for a moment he felt so light, he feared he might just float away. His heart ached and ached for the time he'd missed with this man in his arms, but as he hugged him closer still, he knew - without a shadow of a doubt - that at last, everything would be okay. Because Alexsei still loved him. And he still loved him back. Nothing, he swore, nothing would ever drive them apart again.
"I like the sound of that." He breathed, his lips brushing Alexsei's as they parted. His one hand slid absently over the elegant ridges of the other man's spine, fingers gliding gently over the ragged pattern scarring his soft skin. "A new present. A new start..." His eyes slid briefly, absently over the gorgeous body before him, taking in every shadowy crevice, every powerful muscle sliding beneath the radiant, sweat-glistening skin. This man was beautiful. Not pretty like a flower or a butterfly's wings, but deeply, grotesquely beautiful in all of his scarred glory, like a canvas plastered in angry, shapeless brushstrokes. The very sight of him was the picture of his story, and to Scott, that broken body was so much more than muscles and flesh. He felt it, not in the warmth under his fingertips, but somewhere deep below his skin, coursing through him, filling his heart fit to burst. Alexsei was the evidence that all he'd given up on in the world did still exist. That there was still love, still hope... And that if a person fought hard enough for long enough, just maybe, there was such a thing as victory.

His eyes lifted back to Alexsei's gaze, and held it for a long moment. He just watched him, gently stroking his back, and allowed himself, at long last, to believe that this was real. That it was really happening. Slowly, his jaw loosened, and the corner of his mouth began to curl upward. Then, suddenly, he uttered a bark of laughter. Appalled, he slapped a hand over his mouth in horror, then chucked again and removed it, showing his grin. "I'm sorry," He laughed, shaking his head and pushing back his hair as his face began to grow warm, "I just... I can't believe we just did that. Or I can't believe it took us this long. I haven't decided which yet." He snickered again, then leaned forward and slapped a noisy smooch onto Alexsei's forehead. "Thank you, Alley Cat. For coming back. For waiting, for believing, for finding me... For everything."

Tensing a moment, Alexsei felt the scars across his shoulders tighten on instinct. His gaze flickered briefly with anxiety, and raising an eyebrow, he watched after his boyfriend with subtle uncertainty.
He could feel the man’s fingertips brushing against his spine, tracing their way carefully across the ragged crevices and ripples of his skin. His first instinct would've normally been to pull away, the sensation of touch usually triggered pain. However when the pain never came, the Russian felt his muscles relax. He began to savour that touch, bending gratefully to it’s will with all the suppleness of a cat. His eyes sliding closed as he faded into a daze of simple peace.

A small laugh eventually roused him back to reality, and frowning slightly, Alexsei quirked an eyebrow innocently, clearly questioning the situation.
A cheeky grin had creased Scott’s lips, and trying to hide behind a well placed hand, Scott shook his head and chuckled a soft apology, “I’m sorry, I just...I can’t believe we just did that. Or I can’t believe it took us this long. I haven’t decided which.”
Awkward, ALexsei felt a deep blush rush along his cheeks as the mere thought of what they had done that night. He quickly opened his mouth to babbled back a defensive reply, but before he could do so, Scott pressed his lips tenderly against his forehead.
"Thank you, Alley Cat...For coming back. For waiting, for believing, for finding me... For everything."
The Russian’s features softened. There was no need to be ashamed any more. A subtle smile had began to tilt the comers of his mouth, and giving in to it at last, he shook his head and murmured, ”Y’know what they say about cats don’t you? One way or another, They almost always find their way back home” A devious glint seemed to strike his eye, and playfully nudging Scott over onto his back, he loomed over the boy seductively. Taking a chance, he stole a slightly deeper kiss from his boyfriend’s lips, whispering to him through breathless pauses,“My home... is wherever you are...guess you’ll have a hard time... getting rid of me. “

Scott felt the furrows on Alexsei's forehead dissipate under the touch of his lips, and a moment later, he found himself looking down on half-hidden smile, which grew darker as he mirrored it. ”Y’know what they say about cats don’t you?" Alexsei asked with a little shake of his head, "One way or another, They almost always find their way back home.”
"Oh-ho!" Scott grinned crookedly from the side of his mouth, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he teased, "Somebody's finally playing along with the metaphor, is he?" He mimicked a cat noise, then broke into laughter again when Alexsei tackled him and shoved him over onto his back. Folding his arms across his chest, he raised and eyebrow and looked expectantly up at his boyfriend. As always, Alexsei rose magnificently to the challenge, and Scott barely had a chance to catch his breath before he was being swept off his feet again, his sense stolen by a kiss so intimate that it started him ticking over all over again. His hand lifted of it's own accord, and he felt the soft touch of Alexsei's hair as his fingers cupped loosely around the back of his head. He moaned softly under his breath, and, propping himself on his bother elbow, pulled himself closer to return the kiss in full force. Between kisses, Alexsei's husky voice breathed raggedly into his ear, “My home... is wherever you are... guess you’ll have a hard time... getting rid of me."
"I'd better." He snarled in response, his teeth tightening on Alexsei's lower lip as though to prove his point; just enough to pinch, but not quite enough to hurt. "If you disappear on me again, there'll be a penalty involved. Now c'mon," He clapped a hand against his boyfriend's cheek, and pushed him back to allow himself space to sit up. "That's enough for now, big guy. Here you go." He hooked Alexsei's boxers off the floor with his toe, then crumpled them up and lobbed them at the handsome face beside him. He flashed a wink, then climbed back into his own underwear and stretched his back, groaning slightly as he crunched his neck from side to side. "God, I'm stiff." He muttered, "Being cooped up in that cell sure did a number on my back." He glanced at Alexsei, eyes narrowing slightly in concern as they darted over the pearly strips of skin scarring his back. "How are you doing?"

Without waiting for a response, he shifted over, draping his arms loosely around Alexsei's shoulders, and pressing his lips to the back of his neck. He closed his eyes for a moment, just breathing in the familiar minty scent of him. Then he ran his hands lightly back over the man's shoulders, and rested them there for a moment, quiet and thoughtful. "It still hurts...?" He murmured, turning the statement into a subtle question. He'd felt Alexsei tense when he'd touched his back earlier, but he'd decided not to think on it just then. He'd relaxed afterwards though, so..." Scott rubbed his hands tentatively over Alexsei's shoulders and a little down his back, his thumbs poised over the stiff knots he felt in the muscle. "May I?" He whispered, leaning forward so his cheek brushed Alexsei's hair, and he could just catch the corner of his eye. "I'll be gentle."
I want to ease your pain. Even if this is all I can do, I... I want to do something.

(Long Overdue hahaha XD)

"I'd better. If you disappear on me again, there’ll be a penalty involved.
The delicate pinch of Scott’s teeth seemed to accentuate his point, and nibbling playfully on Alexsei’s lip, he added teasingly, “Now c’mon, that’s enough for now, big guy. Here you go.
With a casual flick of his hand, Scott tossed Alexsei’s boxers overhead. They fluttered through the air momentarily, before floating down and landing unceremoniously on top of the unsuspecting Russian. He looked slightly ridiculous in his new hat.
Frowning sulkily, he quirked an eyebrow and shook his head, the boxers fell free.
Taking a hold of his shorts, he slipped them on, then sat back down, casting a sideways glance curiously towards Scott.

His boyfriend stood before the fire place now, his gorgeous body clothed in dim warm shadows. A strange captivation seem to hold ALexsei’s attention, and smiling secretly to himself, he slyly turned his gaze towards the faintly flickering flames. They glittered red, red like precious rubies.

”God, I’m stiff. Being cooped up in that cell sure did a number on my back”
Leaning back on his spine, Scott groaned and stretched his muscles, There was a faint pop as the bones slid back into place. Alexsei knew all to well how Scott felt, Team Rocket hadn't exactly gone out of their way to accommodate them.
“And here they go about calling themselves a first class organization...Peh, I've spent better nights down in the sewers.”, he grumbled

Scott’s features seemed to wrinkle with slight concern, and for a moment Alexsei thought that it may have been something he said.
"How are you doing?", the boy asked quietly.
The question had caught the Russian by surprise, but casually rolling his shoulders, he put on a smile and reassured, “You don’t have to be worried about me, I'm tougher than I look.”
Scott seemed to nod wordlessly in response, before shifting in beside him on the couch. His arms threading loosely over the Russian’s shoulders, A fair kiss pressed sweetly to the nape of his neck.
“It still hurts..?”, He whispered softly. The words were barley a question, but echoed the concern burrowed beneath those delicately poised fingers. Scott seemed hesitant to touch the wound.
Shaking his head, Alexsei stared off quietly towards the fire,“No...It’s nothing” he murmured. His features unreadable beneath his lie.
Scott’s cheek brushed soothingly against his hair, and catching the curiosity ablaze in those enchanting eyes, Alexsei tilted his head thoughtfully, “What's wrong?”
"May I? I’ll be gentle” Scott’s hands traced cautiously over the mutilated skin. There was a slight tension in Alexsei, the years of being dotted on at the hospital made him reluctant to most forms of physical contact... However he trusted Scott, he trusted this man like no other, He knew that he wouldn't hurt him.
With a quiet nod, The Russian smiled sideways and closed his eyes.

Blissful relief seemed to wash over Alexsei’s muscles as Scott worked his fingertips into the flesh of his back. They boy was potter to clay, his hands working artfully over the damaged skin, massaging away the pain till it dulled down to a degree more bearable. There had been places slightly more tender than others, but to every flinch or subtle wince, Scott had quickly slackened the pressure.The sensation of relaxation soon came over Alexsei, like something strange and exotic, The Russian feared that he might doze off at any minute. A tiny purr left his lips.

A sound suddenly entered the room, starting out with a gradual hum before blaring out into a monotonous ring. It was a cell phone.
Opening his eyes, ALexsei stared towards the device now vibrating violently against the desk. He felt like he knew who to expect on the other side of the line.
“You better get that before your girlfriend tears you a new one”
A dirty smirk stretched along his lips, and despite turning the comment into a joke, it was clear that he was jealous, perhaps even a little sulky.
I trust that bitch as far as her skirt stretches...Pity, it barely covers her ass.

Alexsei's nod was all that Scott needed, and for the next few minutes he found himself blissfully preoccupied with his task. He had missed this terribly; just caring for Alexsei like this. Without his boyfriend to look after, Scott had barely known what to do with himself for the past five years. To take up his role again now, at long last, was more of a relief than he could even begin to explain. He worked his thumbs tenderly and delicately through every knot in Alexsei's muscles, taking care with the sensitive areas, until he had finally moulded the other man's shoulders into a relaxed position, leaving his head hanging loosely on his neck. The tiny soft hairs prickled his fingers as he worked them up Alexsei's spine to the base of his neck, gently pinching the muscles on either side, and enjoying the soft, satisfied sounds issuing from the other man's lips. It honestly was like petting a cat. Scott smiled secretly at the observation, then started when a sudden ring from across the room stabbed into his bubble of thought.

Groaning, he flopped his forehead heavily against the back of Alexsei's head, hands still resting on his shoulders, and grumbled incoherently to himself under his breath.
“You better get that before your girlfriend tears you a new one” The other man teased with a dark kind of humour. Scott wrinkled his nose at the smirk he received, and used Alexsei's shoulder as a brace when he stood up. "Ha ha, very funny." He groaned sarcastically, rolling his eyes. Then again, Alexsei was right. For a moment he stood there indecisively, rubbing his jaw in an uncertain fashion, then he shrugged sheepishly, and hurried to his phone with a blush heating his cheeks. It had just occurred to him that he was, in fact, engaged in two relationships just then. Well, kind of. Either way, it was complicated.

Pulling a face, he scrubbed his palms roughly over his cheeks, then grabbed his phone and hit green, lifting it to his ear. "Hello?"
"What have you been doing?"
"What?" He frowned at the suspicious tone in Scarlet's voice. "What do you mean what have I- I've been catching up on paperw-"
"Don't you lie to me, Scott. Your voice is always higher when you're guilty about something. I can tell."
"What the-" He broke off instantly when he heard his own high pitched voice, flushing crimson, and cleared his throat contritely. When he continued, it was in a far deeper register.
"Whatever. You're delusional. What do you want, Scar?"
A pissy little huff issued from the other end of the line, and there was a long moment of tense silence before she said curtly, "Team Alpha just got word of a Team Rocket Pokemon heist in Ilex Forest."
"Shit." Scott growled, rubbing a hand wearily over his face and messing up his already couch-rumpled hair. "There's a whole wild Ursaring pack there, not to mention the bugs. I even saw a Pigeot fly out of the trees around there not long ago."
"Mmhm." Scarlet agreed, "There have been rumours of something bigger too, roaring and stamping around. Some think a Snorlax. Anyway, the Vulcan are waiting on your orders. You need to come up with a plan to stop this."
"Grrrr..." Scott groaned exhaustedly, rolling his head back on his shoulders, "Why's it always me?"
"Because you, my dear," Scarlet spat, "Even booze-addled, dickheaded and unstable as you are, are their leader. Now I suggest you stop wallowing in self pity and start acting like it."
"Geez, Scar!" Scott shot back, insulted, "What the hell was that-"
The line went dead.
"...For?"
He lowered the phone with a huff, then glared at it for a long moment before shoving it into his pocket, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like 'bitch'. With a dramatic sigh, he turned back to Alexsei, and offered an apologetic frown. "Listen, something's come up..." He mumbled, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly, "Sorry, Alexsei, but can you... You know..." He glanced toward the window, then back at his boyfriend, looking quite displeased by the prospect. "I've got to handle this now." He murmured, "But if you'd come back, and soon, I- I'd appreciate that." He ran his tongue over his lips, then offered an uncertain smile, slightly uncomfortable - now that his walls were up again - to admit that he wanted to see this man again. It amazed him just how insecure he had become. He'd not even realized until now exactly how confident he had been before.

“Listen, somthing’s come up...Sorry Alexsei. I've got to handle this now. ”

The displeasure of those words seemed to creep damply across the room, settling into the deep creases of Russian’s features. He clearly didn't want their time to end, not yet anyway.
With a casual roll of his shoulders, he sighed and tried to brush off his obvious disappointment, “I figured as much...After all, when duty calls there's not much else you can do but oblige to it, right? ”
There was a small pause as Scott mulled momentarily over those words. Alexsei’s tone had come off slightly more sarcastic than what he had intended for. And narrowing his eyes defensively, The Russian stared after Scott with a minor degree of panic digging into his gut.
Did I upset him? I didn't mean to...God, I hope he’s not angry. I-
"But if you'd come back, and soon, I- I'd appreciate that."
Scott’s smile wavered uncertainty, but his eyes clung fast to the earnestly in his words. He wasn't angry with the Russian, he truly wanted to see ALexsei again.
“I guess I’ll see you soon then.”
Perhaps they were both just a little nervous, things had seemed so easy when they had their barriers down. The gap in their relationship hadn't been this obvious.

Brushing the back of his hand against his jawline, Alexsei felt his own lips slip into a soft smile. So he was looking forward to their next meeting to then? He didn't seem capable of hiding the excitement, well not in front of Scott anyway.
Getting to his feet, The Russian raised his arms above his head, stretching out awkwardly.“Er Thanks... For the massage I mean, It really did help” He stared towards Scott for a moment, suddenly feeling shy and out of place. Clearing his throat in that way that tough guys always do, he began busying himself with the rumpled clothing now scattered carelessly across the floor. Once he had managed to find both his pants and his jacket he slipped into them. Their comfort seemed to take the naked edge off of his shyness. He hadn't realized how exposed he had felt without them hugging his body.
The cool chill of the air crept in through the open window. The icy grip of reality.
A final glance towards Scott seemed to hold Alexsei in place. A part of him seemed so hesitant to leave. He wondered what would happen if he couldn't return. If everything would be forgotten like the visions in a painted dream.

Narrowing his eyes, he shut out his stupid thoughts and stubbornly turned on his heel.
Things between us are fine...This isn't a dream. I will see him again
He made to leave, his legs taking him obediently towards the window. Each step forward seemed vibrate through his legs into his chest, painfully reminding him of what he was about to leave behind.
Before he could even fight it, Alexsei found himself back in Scott’s arms. He wasn't even sure about how he had crossed the room, he was only aware of his boyfriend’s sweet lips pressed against his own. He had stolen one last savage kiss. One to seal to the memory.
“Goodbye”, he whispered.

*************************

The outside air was colder than what he could remember, but pressing on fiercly, he picked up the pace and crossed his way through Harbour’s edge undetected. It was surprisingly actually, their were almost always patrols hanging around the area, AT least two to Four of them at a time. What was going on?
A glimmer of red suddenly caught Alexsei’s attention, and glancing down at his watch, his eyes traced curiously over the beacon blinking up at him.
Lifting his wrist, he stared hard at the black screen. It beeped once, then twice. The signal growing stronger with every step.
“So this is where you've been hiding, Mouse?”
A smirk curved his features, I’m taking you back with me... While the Valcon are away and their defences low.

(Hope that was okay. You’re welcome to skip straight into the forest battle. I just kinda wanted Mouse back, might create some nice tension between Scott and Alexsei later on^^)

Scott was still thinking about that last kiss, still not able to keep his fingers off his own lips, even a day later, when Scarlet was babbling in his ear about final adjustments to the Ilex Forest plans. They were speeding down an abandoned sidestreet in their armoured van, with the rest of Scott's best team piled in the back, and when they saw the high, barbed wire fence that separated Ilex Forest from the city, Scott only accelerated harder. Scarlet's shout of 'Now' finally pulled his mind away from Alexsei and back to the present, just in time to see one of his men lean out the window and shoot something at the fence. It hit, and with an ear-splitting crackle and flying sparks of electricity, a strand of the fence snapped, and the circuit was broken. There wasn't even time to take a breath before their van careened through it, hurting through the long strands of wire. They wrapped around it, and the vehicle squealed and steamed as it began spinning out. Scott cursed, desperately trying to straighten the wheels, but it was no use. The wire was all tangled up in the tyres. Finally, they slammed into a tree, and came to a jarring halt. Bruised and muttering, the Vulcans clambered out, nursing their cuts and scrapes, and looked around the forest. Scott squinted up at the sky, and glimpsed a shadow passing by overhead. A wild Fearow, maybe?

"Everybody keep quiet." He hissed, and the Vulcans immediately fell sheepishly silent. They were all so excited to see the outside world again... When last had any of them seen any nature? "We're spreading out." Scott told them, "Everybody split into pairs. Look for the Pokemon, and catch them in these." He grabbed a huge sack out of the back, and dumped it on the ground. Pokeballs spilled out. "If Team Rocket can have a Pokemon army... Why the Hell shouldn't we?"
He folded his arms and watched, his expression dark, while his men gathered the Pokeballs excitedly, and began splitting into groups of two. Scarlet came to stand beside him.
"You go with Jake." He told her, nodding toward the last member of their team, who was standing alone, and looking rather sorry for himself.
"What?" Scar glared at him, "But-"
"But nothing!" Scott snapped, "I'm working alone and that's that. Don't argue."
"Hawk, I swear to God-"
"You want to be part of my team?" He snarled, grabbing her roughly by the collar. Scar started, clawing at his fingers, "What are you doing? Of course I do! Sco-- Hawk, let go of me!"
"Well then," He dropped her, "You'll do as you're told. Now go."
Scar shot him a wounded look, but she obeyed, and Scott watched as his team spread out and vanished into the forest. He nodded his satisfaction, then crouched down and began gathering up the last Pokeballs for himself.

The Forest had gone almost entirely silent upon the arrival of the Valcons. Their entrance had left quite a ‘smashing’ impression on the natural scenery. The warped body of their Van bent snugly around the old trunk of an unsuspecting pine tree.

Once every Valcon member had managed to crawl out of that mangled tin can, they were systematically assigned to group by their leader, Hawk. A sharp bark of instructions followed, slipping sharply through those handsome lips. Like ants, Valcon grunts scrambled hastily over one another, desperate to please and obey.
From the depths of the shadows, Apollo and the rest of Fallen watched the situation from above. The trees blended in with their camouflaged bodies, hiding them easily through an ageless old military tactic.
Wordlessly Apollo lifted a hand and signed towards each soldier in his unit, sending them off after the various Valcon parties. They were to track and observe their enemy, aiding the valcon in capture of Pokemon. He warned them however against revealing themselves physically, they were to work strictly from the shadows, their identities an undetectable presence.

After nearly every being had fled the scene, Apollo curled his lips into a smirk and dropped gracefully from the trees. Alone at last...lets play a game then
The crunching of the leaves beneath his boots gave away his presence momentarily.
The first hint of paranoia is to hint at something that could or could not be there.
Lurking like a phantom in the dark, he tested Scott’s senses. He danced between phases of ghostly silence and obvious noise. His teasing seemed to go on for a good fifteen minutes straight, invoking what seemed to be irritation, then possible frustration. When he had finished his overall assessment of Scott’s skills, he gave himself up.
Stepping out from behind the gnarled trunk of a willow tree, Alexsei pulled back a thick hood of fur. His jaw was still hidden behind it’s usually black respirator, but the vibrant blue colour of his spike hair gave away his identity almost instantly.
“You nearly found me back there, you’re sharper than I remember...been training again I presume?”An amused chuckled muffled from behind his mouth piece, “I might recommend on improving on your driving instead...I certainly ain't jumping in any vehicle with you behind the wheel.”
Despite the Russian’s teasing, there was a clear note of affection to his voice. His eyes softened as he gazed upon those harden features of Scotts.