InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Dammit, Janet, I love you!"

April Hollins (off_pointe) wrote in darkdividerpg,
@ 2015-04-01 18:53:00

Entry tags:

character: april hollins, character: eli lasko, character: max lasko, character: mikhail petrov, character: raj lodi, date: 03.14.15, type: group scene

I will break you down.
Who: April and Mikhail
What: Mikhail puts his plan in motion.
When: Saturday night
Where: The alley behind the Chicago Theater, then elsewhere
Rating: R (kidnapping, language probably)

April's gig in Into the Woods had been her dream come true- even if she was understudying for one of the evil stepsisters. Hell, especially since she was understudying, considering one came down with some version of the plague that had hit the city since winter, and she had the chance to shine in the actual spotlight tonight. It'd been a key performance of her career; the first that could lead to many actual roles, and she. Had. Nailed it.

So what if it was a minor role, and people would be calling her by the name of the girl she replaced during the whole cast party afterward. April was fine with correcting them, and would with a smile on her face.

The curtain had just gone down on the final act. April, still in bodice, corset, and the full-makeup of a woman who'd just been attacked by a flock of birds, milled out the back bay door with a handful of the other cast and chorus members to grab some fresh air. Backstage could reach the upper 90's in temperature, especially in the 'lower' dressing rooms, so even on the coldest nights, it was fairly well known tradition to have a smoke-break in costume in the brick alley behind.

Interestingly enough, the alley itself had a bad reputation. It'd been where Jeffery Dahmer picked up a number of his victims from the nearby bus station. It had also been the death-site of more than three hundred turn-of-the-century theatergoers... mostly children.. who had fled from an upper story fire escape that wasn't finished in the great fire that destroyed the original theater. The whole place had a haunted reputation that she liked to tease Eli about, and it never strayed far from topic in the suspicious theater crowd. One of them offered April a smoke as she meandered in the cool breeze. She declined, fanning herself with her crow-shredded fan, and lingered around until her cheeks weren't so red under the grease paints.

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off_pointe
2015-04-02 06:30 am UTC (link)

The Too late! she barked back at him was muffled well enough by the gag, though the meaning certainly wasn't lost in her tone- but what he said about Eli added a sharp look (and grunt) of confusion to her glare.

She didn't have time to articulate any of it. April's breathing hardened as he made his way around to her side, forcing the decision on whether or not she was going to make a lunge for it.

She didn't think fast enough. Only when the door moved behind her did she actually try to move, triggered by another flare of irrational panic. He caught her easily- but she did not go quietly.

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romvanator
2015-04-02 06:42 am UTC (link)

Mikhail had expected her to try to make a break for it. She was spirited and strong. He could understand why Elias was attracted to her. It just made him more certain the other hunter would waste no time in tracking them down. Finishing it.

Hoisting April over one of his shoulders he was careful her head and legs as he shut the doors and walked quietly towards the house he'd chosen. She was struggling hard enough he had to steady her with both hands so she didn't squirm from his gentled grip trying to get away. He didn't want to hold her any firmer than he was, or he'd leave ugly, painful bruises. He'd left the door unlocked but booby trapped, to keep innocent homeless bystanders out. He knew how to avoid the trap and did so easily, without even losing a beat.

He'd done his best to clean the main room of the boarded up house so it was somewhat comfortable for his captive. He'd removed the decaying furniture to other parts, and put out a pallet with blankets. He'd purposely chosen a house with a fireplace in the living room. There was wood for a fire, so she could be warm while they waited for her rescuer. Settling April down on the pallet, he wrapped the blanket there around her shoulders. Then Mikhail moved to start a fire. "I have some food and water if you're hungry," he told her. "I'll untie your hands and ungag you, but only if you promise not to scream."

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off_pointe
2015-04-02 07:01 am UTC (link)

Despite his efforts, there would still be bruises- mostly because April bruised worse than a peach, plus she was doing more squirming than was rational. It stopped only when he plopped her down (upright) on the pallet bed with a pained grunt, crushing the boned bustle skirt and jamming her ribs with the corset seams that burst through their bindings.

Then there was the blanket... and the good-host feel to his offer of refreshments and untied limbs...

Above her gag, April was staring at him more like a language she couldn't read, more than an actual threat to her body and soul- though that was still there, too. Anger and utter confusion. This was not like any kidnapping she'd seen on TV.

Save for the cholorophorm.

Still breathing hard, the stare-off continued on April's end as she tried to figure what the hell was going on, and what the smartest move on her part would be. It didn't take long to realize it was best for her if she had her hands free- if he was actually telling the truth, that is. After what felt like forever, she finally nodded that 'promise'.

Though she hadn't decided if she would keep it yet. She was winging this.

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romvanator
2015-04-02 07:09 am UTC (link)

She was an unfortunate bystander. Mikhail regretted any time he had to upset or even harm one. But he was tired of waiting for the Laskos to come out of hiding and confront him. This was the only way he could think of, make Elias Lasko angry enough at him to come to him.

When she nodded, he ungagged her first. Waiting to see if she'd scream. She didn't, so he moved to untie her hands. Mikhail stayed where he was, waiting for inevitable, but futile attack. April was strong, she'd fight back. He expected no less.

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off_pointe
2015-04-02 07:22 am UTC (link)

April definitely did not feel like an unfortunate bystander, nor did she intend on allowing herself to be victimized- Mikhail was right; she was strong. But she was also definitlely not stupid, and thankfully the healthy dose of confusion thanks to his odd and unexpected...niceness... had suppressed a lot of her fear-instinct to just flail and run.

Though she was definitely still frightened, now, even with bruised ribs and chaffed ribs, she was thinking. She didn't scream when he moved the gag off her chin, or move (besides rubbing her sore wrists) when he untied her. She stayed still as a fawn in tall grass until he came back into her field of vision.

"This...was a really bad idea, y'know," she finally broke the silence, her voice thick with all the emotions she was trying to suppress.

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romvanator
2015-04-02 07:28 am UTC (link)

"Yes, it is," he agreed. "But I'm tired of playing cat and mouse with Elias. He knows I've been looking for him. Now he will find me and we can be done with our business." Mikhail looked at her. "I would let you go, but I'm not certain they've found where we are yet. When he gets here, then you should go. At least out to his car, where it's safer." Mikhail sat down on the floor in front of her. It wouldn't be long, he was certain. The Laskos had been at the play.

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off_pointe
2015-04-02 07:36 am UTC (link)

Well. At least they agreed on something.

"I saw you. You were at their bar," she told him bluntly. "There are easier ways of getting someone's attention-"

But he went on, and with a context and hollow tone that put a chill in April's bones that had nothing to do with how cold it was that night. She stared at him, her eyes hard under pinched down copper brows. Silence fell again as her gears turned over the phrase 'where it's safer', trying to make sense of it. Of any of it.

"What-" She almost said 'the hell', but censored herself before her fear and anger grabbed hold again. She pressed her lips hard and started over. "Why Eli? What did he do to you? He doesn't even know you..."

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romvanator
2015-04-02 07:44 am UTC (link)

"I had his attention," Mikhail pointed out. "He was hiding from me. Staying where he knew I couldn't confront him without witnesses. I was done waiting for him to stop hiding from me."

Mikhail shook his head. "Nothing," he said. "I've had visions about him, that's why I came here. At first, I wasn't sure why, but now I know. He'll finish it." He was confident of that.

He got up long enough to retrieve something from a large bag nearby, with an old, battered violin case covered in travel stickers next to it. Opening the bag didn't reveal much, but he pulled out a bottle of water and a small bag of Sun Chips. "Here," he said, offering them to her.

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off_pointe
2015-04-02 07:51 am UTC (link)

Everything Eli had told her about this guy was going through her head, now. That he was supposedly insane, as well as dangerous. April was already convinced of both, but how much of the former... that was her main concern at the moment. She didn't think he'd suddenly snap her neck for no reason, but then again... He seemed to be focused on her boyfriend for the same amount of reason. So treading lightly was pretty much her only option.

She hesitated, but accepted the bag and bottle, watching him as she set the former aside and cracked the water open. Her throat was scratchy and tasted like medicine from the rag he'd smothered her with.

"Thanks..." she added, then took a few sips. Still watching him close.

"What is he supposed to be finishing, exactly?"

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	romvanator 2015-04-02 07:55 am UTC (link)
	Mikhail didn't answer her question. "I watched the show," he told her. "You were very good. It's been awhile since I'd seen a play." He was abysmally bad at small talk, but since he had imposed on April the way he had, he might as well attempt to be tolerable company. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

off_pointe
2015-04-02 08:09 am UTC (link)

April's teeth briefly bore down on her bottom lip, keeping her small flare of frustration down as much as possible. She hated being ignored, especially when she asked direct questions. Add to it the level of fucked-up this situation was proving to be, and moving past it was not easy.

"It sounds like you should get out more," she finally commented, somehow managing to keep her tongue in cheek more cheeky than irritated snark. She decided pegging him harder for information wasn't going to help. Like needling her brother about his drinking problem, it would only backfire.

"I don't suppose you could've waited 'til I got out of this corset before kidnapping me." As if being knocked out and hogtied was a lesser inconvenience.

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	romvanator 2015-04-02 08:16 am UTC (link)
	That was probably the understatement of the century. He didn't mean to ignore April's question, but he didn't know how to answer it without frightening her more. He winced as she mentioned the corset. "Sorry," he murmured. "I didn't think about it. I would imagine it's not very comfortable. They never talk about them being comfortable in the books I've read." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

off_pointe
2015-04-02 08:24 am UTC (link)

"Just slightly less comfortable than being shoved in the back of a car," she murmured back, at least trying to put a little deadpan humor in her voice. She wasn't sure if she pulled it off, so April moved on quickly. Setting the water down, she shrugged out of the blanket and tried her best to reach the ties and straps that held the thing tight against her body, but they were anchored hard- meant to stay on a dancer as she moved.

Now it was stabbing her in the ribs every time she breathed. The way she looked at him in her difficulty made sure to tell him who she blamed for it.

"Try dancing in it," she gritted through her teeth with the effort, then gave up. "The spines are jabbing me. I can't get out of it by myself... Least you can do is help me."

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romvanator
2015-04-02 08:32 am UTC (link)

Mikhail sighed. He understood that had been unpleasant as well. Really, he wished there had been another way. But things had gotten confusing and muddled and he just wanted them to make sense again. Wanted to be done with his miserable existence.

"I wouldn't do it as well as you," he told her. Mikhail balked for a second, then moved to kneel behind her. Figuring out how to unlace it wasn't that hard. He loosened the stays a bit. "Is that better or do you want it completely untied?"

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off_pointe
2015-04-02 08:47 am UTC (link)

April's jaw tightened a bit, stiff as she steeled enough to tolerate being touched by him- a problematic necessity to her plan to talk him into some kind of normalcy. She breathed it out by the time he was actually doing it. Like that costumer with the bad breath she told herself, and carried on.

"It's designed to stay on, regardless of what I do," she informed him. "It's not just tied, it's buttoned and strapped- someone has to put me in it, as well as get me out."

If the situation wasn't terrifying and bordering on sick, it'd be awkward as all hell. April was trying to focus on the latter. While wincing through his fumbling attempts at arguing with her costume.

"Has anyone told you you're the most considerate kidnapper they've ever met?" April's tone was dry as sherry, but intentionally so. "Eli told me about you... how you're supposed to be some big, horrifying legend. Yet you've said 'please', 'sorry', and even got my favorite flavor chips. Honestly, I think you missed your true calling."

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romvanator
2015-04-02 08:54 am UTC (link)

"This is ridiculous," he muttered. "I should just cut it loose. No wonder women stopped wearing these things." He let out a frustrated sound and yanked the strap hard enough to snap it. "Sorry."

He actually got the joke that time. "I've never actually kidnapped anyone before," he said as he continued to try to get the corset loose without touching her too much, hurting her, or just ripping it open. Although the latter was getting tempting. "Well, there was a vampire, but we were trying to find the rest of the nest. And we were going to kill it anyway."

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off_pointe
2015-04-02 09:00 am UTC (link)

Vampires. Lovely. The 'kill it anyway' part wasn't that much better.

"If you cut it loose, my wardrobe manager will kill me- kidnapped or not," she told him right before the strap snapped back onto her skin and stung like hell. April sucked in air to keep herself still (and from swearing), and only breathed again when it faded. A few more tugs and she deflated. "Okay, just rip the damn thing off."

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	romvanator 2015-04-02 09:06 am UTC (link)
	Mikhail sighed. He hadn't meant to upset her with that. "Vampires are evil," he told her. "Okay, hold still. I don't want to hurt you." Concentrating, he summoned forth some of his storied dark energy. One good tug and the corset ripped easily in half in his hands. "You okay?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

off_pointe
2015-04-02 09:15 am UTC (link)

Vampirs were evil... Okay, that's good to know. She almost said 'as opposed to kidnappers', but decided to not. She probably couldn't anyway, given the sudden force by which she was freed from the very thick-fabric'd costume, fiberglass bones and all.

It left her in a low-cut leotard and garter, and for a moment out of breath and the ability to speak. April just looked up at him over her shoulder, wide-eyed in surprise, her lips working to actually crank out words.

"I. Uh, yeah. Better. Thanks." Ricardo was going to kill her if she got out of this. Priorities. "See? That. Not something bad guys usually say. Eli should know how nice you've been to me." Cholorophorm and all withstanding.

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romvanator
2015-04-02 09:19 am UTC (link)

Mikhail pulled away the corset and tossed it aside. "Let me get you a shirt," he said. She's swim in his clothes, with her narrow shoulders, but it would be warmer than what she was left in now that he'd destroyed her costume freeing her from it. He returned with a threadbare but clean flannel.

"Kidnapping you was my last resort," he told her honestly. "I was hoping just showing up at the bar and what I said to Raj would have him after me. Elias is more cautious than the Laskos are known to be." He shook his head. "Don't. I'm not nice. I'm just..I'm not nice."

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off_pointe
2015-04-02 09:27 am UTC (link)

Taking the shirt and his advice, April didn't insist that he was nice again. She actually agreed with him, internally- but there were bigger issues going on here that she was trying to be careful of. Especially when she didn't know them yet.

"You don't even know him," she reminded, pushing her arms through the flannel, then working on the buttons from the bottom up. "He's not a hunter anymore. He's left it behind. Whatever you want him to 'finish'..." April paused, rolled her lips, and started over.

"You know he has visions, too... He wishes he didn't. I've seen them. I talk him back from them, and he's terrified. That can't be fun to deal with by yourself."

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	romvanator 2015-04-02 09:33 am UTC (link)
	Mikhail shrugged. "I know," he said. "He's not like me though. He's- it's not the same thing." Maybe if he told her, she'd understand. She'd be scared of him again, but that was probably for the best. "My mother was Rom. That's why I have visions." He rolled his shoulders and shifted back. "My father is a demon." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

off_pointe
2015-04-02 01:13 pm UTC (link)

April had never stopped being scared of him, but her priorities demanded she keep her head. And it didn't hurt that she happened to be a fairly decent actress. She watched him carefully, not recognizing any particular significance with the word 'Rom', but definitely noticing the way he held himself as he spoke of what came after.

That, she understood. But his body language was still so confusing... like he was fluffing up to swell some nonexistent confidence. She recognized it from her world. Not Eli's.

It looked like stage fright.

"That..." April swallowed, remembering the demon attacks from months ago. Was this connected? "That's a new one for me. I still don't understand what it has to do with Eli."

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romvanator
2015-04-02 10:05 pm UTC (link)

He was far more afraid of the things Raj and Quill had said, had made him feel, than death. Death was something he'd been wishing for most of his life. Especially since his mentor had been killed and he was alone.

Their words reminded him of one of the sins he'd eaten from Rich that had stunned him. His mentor regretted teaching him to be a hunter. Regretted it because he cared about Mikhail and felt he never had a chance at a real life. That was the reason he kept the promise not to take his own life.

Mikhail shook his head. "I saw it in a vision," he reiterated. "When he arrives, we'll find out what it has to do with him. It'll be soon. Don't worry."

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	off_pointe 2015-04-02 10:13 pm UTC (link)
	"Don't worry?" April blurted out, unable to hide the incredulous tone in her voice. It was clear as day in her eyes. "What part of this entire fucking situation am I not supposed to worry about? I think I have a right to be goddamn worried." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)