Crossed Paths in the Underworld (TAG)

[Tayla Smith]

“That’s neat. I used to be able to do something similar with light, before my powers were broken.”

She stared at the outstretched hand for a moment, trying to figure out why he was offering the wrong hand, when it clicked that she was offering the broken arm. She switched hands and started to reach for his again, but suddenly stopped and stiffened when he said she was “interesting.”

With a thought her mask came back up and she pulled her hand back. “‘Interesting,’ huh? ‘Help me,’ huh?”

She sighed and turned away. “Yeah, yeah I’ve heard that all before. ‘That’s interesting, miss. I’d be happy to help you.’ Yeah, help me to the psych ward you think I escaped from. I guess it’s too much to ask for someone like my roommate who just believes it.”

She looked over her shoulder. “Thanks for humoring me, at least. I suppose that’s more than I deserve. I’m going to get this arm taken care of. I’ll try to stay out of your way in the future.”

Hades Black

[Hades Black]

Hades blinked, confused that he didn't get a handshake, but soon realized why. "Wait, that's not what I meant! You're interesting in the same sense that my nephew created a sentient slime when he was 5. You're interesting in the same sense as my life is. Tenebra, my life is insane on a good day! I ain't gonna drag you to a mental hospital unless I'm checking myself in. You came from another time and are trying to lessen the impact of the new Hitler. Neo-Hitler you said? Or New? Doesn't matter. I come from a family who can and will kill people should those people hurt what's ours. I'm just like them."

Hades sighs and fiddled with his necklace. "You are interesting as a person, not as a subject of science or as a soon-to-be patient of a mental facility. Even then, I don't have the legal credentials to send people to psych wards. At least to my knowledge. I may be a therapist when unmasked but I won't fuck you over. I have no reason to fuck you over. I just want to help you. I've listened to way too many stories about people like you and I refuse to become the people who get in the way."

He grins at her "Also, it's refreshing to find someone who's willing to hit a blind guy. I like that"

[Tayla Smith]

Tayla was still a bit irritated that her plans for the night, that she had spent so much time on, had been shanghaied and changed. It was mostly due to that frustration of having to start over with this lead that she snapped at Daeva.

"REALLY? Reaaaaally? Because you know what I just might be crazy! You don't know me! You don't know what I've done, what's been done to me! My parents are dead because of me! Then I ran away from the entire world! I was fucking tortured for two years, and then I ran away from that entire world! And honestly? I'm not even sure I didn't just imagine it all! I'm a fucking nutcase and for fucks sake if you wanna be hit again I can certainly oblige!" She swung her wounded arm in his direction feebly. Her heart wasn't in it. She was tired. She was frustrated. She was dwelling on the past. Hell, she'd been called crazy for her story so much that she was starting to wonder if everyone was right and she was certifiably insane.

"Just... just leave me alone."

She didn't mean it. She didn't want to be alone. But she felt like "alone" was what she was supposed to be when she was like this. "I've had a bad night.Shit got screwy. You don't want to get dragged into my mess."

Hades Black

[Hades Black]

Hades catches her hand and holds it gently before pulling her into a hug. He held her loosely, yet firm, so that should she want to leave, she can. "You are not alone. Not anymore. I am here to keep you sane, all you need to do is ask." He spoke with her tucked under his chin and rubbed circles on her back with his free hand.

"What happened to you is horrendous and I don't wish that on my worst enemy and trust me, there's plenty who deserves to get their ass beat for making my life hell. You are not a nutcase. You are someone who's been through a lot and needs support, not judgment. I don't know what happened exactly for you to need to run or how your parents died, but trust me when I say that you are not imagining it. Your memories, your emotions to those things? They were real. You are real. I'm here for you. But first, I think you need a good scream. It's a good way to let out big and heavy emotions, but only if you're ready and only if you want to" His voice was calm and he recognized that he sort of stepped into his work mindset, but he hoped that this doesn't end up with him on his knees and holding his bits.

[Tayla Smith]

It honestly took Tayla entirely by surprise when this man she had just met, who had just torn the windpipe out of another person, suddenly pulled her into a hug. There was a part of her that desperately wanted to fight. She could raise her knee sharply and smash his balls right then and there.

But, even though all the feeling, every tactile sensation she had was artificial, digitally simulated and sent to her brain, it was still incredibly soothing. Nobody’d done this for her since the last time she’d had a nightmare when her mother was still alive.

She started to cry and sob quietly. “S-stop. Stop it.” She gasped out between sobs.

More words that she didn’t mean, and that were clear that she didn’t mean. False bravado, a facade that was quickly crumbling. “I-I’m fine. I don’t n-need help. I’m FINE.”

It was clear the person she was trying to convince was herself.

She realized then that she’d returned the hug and clutched Daeva tightly.

Hades Black

[Hades Black]

He starts to rock them both, feeling her hold his shirt tight and knowing that he will not let go until she does. "I'll stop when you want to stop and let me go. Until then, I'm not letting go" He murmured, continuing to hold her close and moving one hand up and down her back, fingers gently scratching her in the movement, much as he had done with his brothers and nephews.

He let her talk, let her try to prove to herself that she's strong and doesn't need this, but he knew that she needed this. He will do what he always did best, be an older brother and support someone in need. "I'm here. You're not alone anymore. Not if I can help it." He mumbled into her hair. Even though he doesn't know her, he felt that they're a bit closer than before. He felt protective of the woman in his arms, much like how he felt with his family and friends. He knew then that he'd do almost anything for her, just so that she won't feel alone anymore.

[Tayla Smith]

Why. Why was she breaking down like this? Was it some power he had? Was it the frustration of having her plans fucked with? Was it just the fact that it had been a long week and it was all just coming to a head now?

Or maybe it was just the fact that he seemed like he genuinely wanted to help and genuinely believed her.

She took a deep shuddering breath, but didn't pull away yet. "Why. I'm a stranger. We're standing over the corpse of a rapist. Why do you give a shit?"

She let go and turned away, commanding her mask down so she could wipe at her eyes while she tried to recover some sense of decorum and her "devil may care" attitude. Felicity was right, that waterproof mascara stuff was great.

"So what's your angle? You said you're a therapist, you just looking for another client or what? Because I don't have the money to pay for that sort of thing, if that's what you're after."

Hades Black

[Hades Black]

Hades shrugged at her question and hummed. "I just care about people, not because it's my job or anything. I just...care. You were hurting and I just...tried to help?" he offered the best he could give her, as he was honest, but he sucked at words sometimes.

In partial truth, he also saw himself and his two brothers in her. Even if he may be legally blind, he could hear her anger and hurt. Hear the frustration of not having it together and the small lick of fear and resignation that everything is going to go to shit and having next to no control over it. He heard it like how he heard himself when he was on the streets as a pre-teen, listening to his big brother gasp and struggle to breathe when he got horribly sick. Hearing his baby brother beg for no more when they got taken in that...group. Knowing that he couldn't help either and hoping that it'll get better. He saw himself in her and it scared him.

"I may be a therapist, but my 'angle' isn't just looking for clients. Although if you actively need or want one, I can be yours off the books. You can pay me in snacks and tea when we meet up if you actually want that. I just want to help you in any way I can." He shrugged again. "...could you move me away from the body, please? I don't actually remember where it's at and I really don't want to bust my lip because I tripped over a piece of trash." Hades asked, now a bit sheepish. "Dagon and Daemon would never let it down if that happened."

[Tayla Smith]

Tayla scoffed. “Nobody just cares. It’s all for something. To feel better about themselves, to look good for someone else, a tax write off. A lot of times it’s a tax write off. Not that I don’t believe you, you may think that you JUST care, but nobody really does when they dig deep down.”

The cynicism was clear in her voice, but there wasn’t any hostility.

“Here. I’ll throw the garbage out. Normally I’d be against dropping trash in the bay but I’m pretty sure this’ll get fished out soon.”

She dragged the body to the side of the pier and kicked it off the edge. “How do you do all this without any sight? I was temporarily blinded for just a few minutes and was terrified.”

She sighed, watching the body sink beneath the water and stain it red. It would bloat and come back to the surface by morning, when the cops would find it.

“I guess ‘tea and crumpets’ as a price for therapy isn’t one I can refuse. I can figure out your angle then. My name is Tayla. Tayla Smith.”

Hades Black

[Hades Black]

He wrinkled his nose at the scoff and scratched his cheek. "I mean... I do see me in you and that scares the shit out of me, but I mostly wanna help because I care about you. Also, again. It's not often I meet someone who's willing to hit the blind guy." He smiled at her. "I find it funny, to be honest."

"...I usually get about with help from my brothers and tend to hear and smell my victim when I hunt them. But when I'm not in the suit, I have a walking stick or Cerberus. He's my sightseeing dog." He shrugged. "Honestly, I get by and kinda...sense my way around. I can use shadows to help, but it's harder at night."

Hades laughed at the 'tea and crumpets' thing and just smiled at her. "It's nice to meet you, Tayla, I'm Hades Black. Do you happen to have a brother by any chance? I know Smith is a common last name, but I know a Smith. As for figuring out my 'angle', you can suss me out during our sessions every Friday at 9 pm at the library. Just don't bring anything with citrus or nuts, I'm allergic to them."