Who: Elaine Mallory ssadabsiannataz & Riddick riddickr What: Dreams When: Late Night, 10/22/15 Where: Elaine's home Rating: R Warnings: mentions of blood, dreams, oh and it's Riddick, he's his own rating. Status: Closed/Completed GDoc
~*~
Elaine was tired. She’d dropped off some things for work, and then dropped off a few things at the Guild, and now she was walking home. Elaine avoided driving at all costs, she hated being confined in a car. Her time overseas had done nothing good for her. Too many hazards. She unlocked the wards around her house as she walked past their points and shuffled inside. She was greeted by the two cats, whom she picked up, hugged then set down on their cat tree. Elaine was in a bit of a funk lately, so she wasn’t as cheerful as she usually was.
She fed her cats then took a tupperware dish out of the cupboard, packed it with some food, then stepped back outside. She set it on a stump with a bottle of water, just outside the range of the slug-wards, and headed back inside. She drew the curtains and collapsed into bed. She was just too tired to care tonight. Which is why she forgot to put the wards back up.
She slept fitfully, tossing and turning as the night wore on. Even the comfort of her cats couldn’t help her sleep better and they retreated to another place to sleep, leaving Elaine to toss and turn on her own. Somewhere around two a.m. the nightmares came. The tossing got rougher, tangling herself in the sheet as she twisted and turned in the bed. A crash as she rolled right out of the bed, taking the little table with her and sending a lamp flying.
Once she hit the floor she whimpered in her sleep, unable to wake up, lost in the memory. It was one she’d prefer to not be lost in, but she had no real choice about it. It shifted into another dream, this time a Dream. She screamed as the fire in her dreams washed over her, the heat making her skin warm. the Dream more real than she wanted it to be, the wounds of running naked through the woods and falling over roots appearing on her skin as if by magic. The dream influencing reality.
Her face scraped up, her knees skinned, hands bleeding from the rough trees.
***
Night was Riddick's time. He could slide his glasses off, put them into his pocket for another time when he had to appear civilized. Sometimes the moon was too full for darkness to take hold as he liked it; those were the nights when his goggles went on to replace the sunglasses which let him pass for a human even though he was not one. Riddick could hardly think as the sound of Elaine flailing in her bed scraped against him almost like a physical wound.
He would have ignored her if it weren't for the smell of blood floating on the air from her direction.
Sliding his goggles up, Riddick squinted as he made his way toward the tree trunk -ignoring the food she'd set out for him as if he were a faithful dog- to see if he could tell whether any magic surrounded her location. The house appeared unguarded. Strange. Elaine was usually smart enough to keep her wards up. Riddick guarded her home, but she still didn't fully trust him. That much he knew and he respected her for it.
Only fools gave their trust easily.
Nothing happened as he walked up to the porch, letting himself in by simply twisting the lock until it gave. He was stronger now. The strength came from somewhere else, somewhere animalistic, the same jungle where he'd gotten his eyeshine maybe though his Dreams had not shown him as much. Riddick absently petted the cats who greeted him before climbing the stairs. He moved quiet for a man his size. That wasn't entirely new. It was only different by enough to make him aware of it.
Riddick moved into the bedroom to find Elaine on the floor, tangled in her bedding, looking as if something invisible was attacking her. He sank into a crouch to pull her to him by the sheet wrapped around her body. She weighed virtually nothing as he adjusted his grip on her, making soothing sounds as if she were a wounded animal. He could understand the feeling even if magic weren't a part of his life.
Plenty of wounds had come and gone for him over the course of his life.
"Hey, witchy woman, wake up now. Wake up. It's all over. Nothing to hurt you. Wake up."
~*~
Elaine thought of him as something more like a strange guardian, who probably got hungry wandering around out there. She didn’t mean the food as anything but a thank you for doing what he did. She might not trust him entirely, she really didn’t, but she had given him a measure of trust for not killing her in her sleep.
She considered that a rather fortunate turn of life.
Elaine was however usually smart enough to set everything up again but she’d just been so drained she hadn’t remembered, nor did she really have the energy to spare. Not even the cats seemed to mind his entrance. They were intelligent things that knew their human was unsettled in some fashion. It took her a few moments to be shaken from the grasp of the dream, and the first thing she uttered was a whimper. She could still feel the flames on her skin, the smell of earth clung to her, and every scrape, cut, bruise and wound was visible on her, bleeding through her sleepwear, and staining the sheet.
She blinked slowly, trying to figure out what was going on starting with why she was tangled in a sheet on the floor, followed in short order with why she was caught in Riddick’s arms on the floor in her room. Her brain slowly kicked back into gear. She didn’t cry, although she felt like she should, or make any other pained noises beyond the first whimper, though she trembled a little.
“Thank you…” she managed after a moment.
*~*
"No need for that from you. I got my own thanks to ask you for seeing as I'm not a slug."
Moonlight glinted off his silver eyes as he watched Elaine. She was no less beautiful to him bleeding. Pain was something which made a person stronger; Riddick had no doubt Elaine would prove stronger than the pain she was in from the Dream. There was nothing he could do to heal her wounds. Healing wasn't a gift Riddick had discovered in himself courtesy of his own Dreams nor was taking care of the wounds of others.
"When I wake up sometimes? My joints hurt from being torn out of socket, pushed back in, relocated. I shrug it off. I heal in---hours. No one sees me hurting. Animals are the worst when they're wounded. I know enough to stay away from others. I don't like seeing you hurt, witchy woman. Push it away. The Dreams. The memories. The pain. Push it all away from you. It's not here. What you got here? That's me. I'm here."
He wasn't much of a prize. Riddick was a convict in every lifetime. Money was something only available for his head in a box or his body in a slam. No great prize was waiting in the wings for Riddick. All he had to offer was his body and what he could do with it which seemed to be? Survive. Killing, hurting, breaking, butchering anyone or anything which stood between him and staying alive was his M.O.
What was he doing in this woman's life? Fucking it up.
"Unless you want me to go. I can go. It's probably better if I do."
~*~
Elaine relaxed a hair. She figured if he was going to hurt her he wouldn’t help her in anyway. So there was less fear and more post-Dream exhaustion. She untangled a hand to run through her hair before she sighed, blood on her knuckles. She wiped them off on her sheet and looked up at Riddick.
“I must have forgotten the wards, though, it seems it was for the best tonight.” She mused as she took a quick stock of injuries visible from where she wasn’t bound in her sheet. She shook her head a bit. “No, you are right. I am here. You are here. The Dreams are not, as real as they may be. Mind getting the med kit from the bathroom? I’d really rather not bleed all over you, the floor, and my sheets any longer than necessary.”
Elaine couldn’t heal herself but she could at least patch herself up. She lifted a hand gently and waved away his concerns. “No, you are fine. You can help clean me up and take stock of what injuries decided to come with.” she smiled. It could have been worse and she knew it.
The place wasn’t big - one and a half floors - the kitchen, living room and work area were downstairs in the big, open airy spaces, and upstairs was just the master bedroom and a comfortable, but not huge, bathroom. It was simple. The house was built with stone and thick beams of old wood she’d hunted down. Herbs hung from the ceiling on the first floor, and there were photos on the walls.
But all in all it was rather simple looking.
In the bathroom under the sink was a large med kit in a Rubbermaid sort of bin. Elaine worked with the elements, she often had to do some quick wound patching up.
***
"As you wish."
Riddick didn't let anyone boss him around as if he were their boy. Elaine amused him enough to where he was comfortable situating her against the side of her bed so she'd remain somewhat upright when he stood. He was a silent tower in the dark, only the light glinting off his eyes gave away he was anything more than a shadow. It was easy to find the kit she wanted. There was a smell to it which had him wrinkling his nose in distaste.
No one patched up his wounds with anything. They healed on their own. Part of whatever he was really, Riddick presumed.
Crouching on the floor at her side, he slid the box over to her without a word. It wasn't in him to clean and care for the wounds of others. All Riddick knew how to do was hurt. What would he do with her kit? Likely? Hurt her worse than she was already hurt. There were so many scrapes, burns, scratches on her skin he couldn't tell which were already healed and which were in more need for attention.
"Let me know if you need more than the kit."
There wasn't much he could do for her other than fetch.
~*~
Elaine leaned against the bed eyes closed for a moment. She worked on untangling herself once he moved from her side, she bundled the sheet and set it aside. Elaine wasn't shy, though she wasn't comfortable either, but she wiggled out of her t-shirt, leaving the bra she'd passed out in on.
She was in shorts at least, but, she took the time to examine every inch of skin for wounds. Once he brought her the kit she started taking a better stock of the wounds and began cleaning them.
She moved with practiced ease, carefully cleaning and mopping up, she wasn't phased by the blood, but there were more bruises than she'd care for. On her back were scars under the new cuts, she'd seen the worst of humanity and come out on top.
“Thank you.” She murmured as she worked, she piled the cloth in a pile and sighed. She reached for the needle in the kit, and with a little effort started a small candle sized fire she held the needle in, not minding the heat, she was too tired to be afraid.
***
Man discovering Fire was supposed to be some great feat. Riddick wasn't sure what his own real people were known for discovering. He had a feeling it was a Hell of a lot better feat than Fire. He watched Elaine in fascination all the same. Flames from nowhere, her face almost placid in its calm at the sight. She was beautiful. A witchy woman conjuring? That had not been on his agenda for the night though it had been what Riddick had wanted to see since meeting Elaine.
She took care of herself as if it were old to her. From the look of her body, it was, too.
Riddick understood the concept of scars though his own body had almost none at all. He wished it did to showcase how much living he'd done. No one took a man seriously who couldn't show how many trials he'd survived. People only took Riddick seriously seeing as how he was serious. There was a feral quality to him everything picked up on from babies to animals. Riddick preferred kids and animals to people.
They understood instinct more.
"Does it burn? The fire?"
There was a sense of heat from it and it was bright enough to where he shielded his strange eyes against the flame. Riddick couldn't tell if it was an illusion or not. Elaine treated it as if it were a true fire. The smell wasn't there. His senses were scrambled because of how other her witchy fire presented itself. He hoped Elaine was willing to talk with him. For a change, Riddick was interested in the words as much as the actions.
~*~
Elaine had learned to take care of her own wounds by necessity. She hadn’t had the luxury of letting someone else do it. If she hadn’t been willing to care for her own wounds, they’d have claimed her life. Besides, sand in open wounds was incredibly painful, and she hadn’t wanted to let any more pain linger.
She could embrace the pain and move onwards. The memories were harder. She couldn’t get through those so easily. But she was tougher than she used to be. Even when she began to thread the needle. She paused to look up at him and smile a bit, shadows playing on her face from the fire. “Certainly - It’s as real as any fire. It is not my speciality, but I can do a little with it.” Harry had been the fire whiz, she was more attuned to lightning. But she could manage with a little fire.
A stern look settled on her face as she stitched one of the cuts on the back of her arm up. It was deep enough to require it but she had no desire to go to a hospital. She’d short out the machinery and possibly hurt someone. Easier this way, even if it hurt more. She set the needle and thread back into the box afterwards and leaned back, her breathing controlled.
She sent the flame to light up one of the gauzes she’d used, to show him her fire worked just like real fire. She watched it burn with an unreadable look in her eyes. She leaned forward and blew over the fire, the air crystallizing as it froze then smothered the fire out and left nothing behind. She sat back again and leaned her head on the bed.
~*~
Riddick watched her impassively. She was stronger than she looked. He wondered if her witchy friends would think he'd hurt her. They wouldn't be the first or the last to believe the worst of him. There was something in him which was wrong; other people sensed it even if they didn't understand it the way children or animals did. He thought he'd likely stick around to fight them for the right to see Elaine.
That was its own kind of surprise.
"Fire doesn't burn me too easy either. Not much hurts me. I'm not---"
He shrugged. What was he supposed to say? Human? Elaine had already seen him. She'd be one to have seen the most of his changes since arriving in the OC if she'd watched at all. Riddick wasn't too certain the fascination he felt for her was mutual. Some women tolerated men only because it was easier than telling them to fuck off. Elaine seemed to tolerate him more than she did anything else.
"Do you want me to stay? Watch over you a bit? Magic I ain't got. You're on your own there, witchy woman. What I do got are eyes can see in the dark and more than enough experience playing 'Who's the better killer?' to make sure you stay safe."
~*~
Elaine had learned to be strong. Her captors had enjoyed seeing her, and the others, crack. She'd decided to not let that happen again. She still had issues, things that set her off, that triggered panic attacks, but she tried to hide it. She'd let one person in and they'd left her. Not because if it, but it still hurt.
“Welcome to the OC" she said with a soft laugh. “Humanity is often in short supply. It is what it is.” She wasn't bothered by that. She'd seen the changes, at least somewhat, she couldn't be sure of personality ones because she really hadn't known him.
She merely chose not to ask. She didn't mind sharing things, but she'd never force someone to return that favor. She was intrigued by him. What she was hadn't sent him running. That alone aroused some curiosity.
“That would be wonderful, though I do doubt anyone will be a bother.” A half smile curled her lips. “To be honest, I do not think I shall be sleeping any more tonight.”
~*~
"That? I can vouch for personally."
Riddick tapped his temple, his eyes shining bright in the dim bedroom. The eyes had been the first thing to change for him. He would put his goggles back on soon enough. It was worth the slight pain of semi-darkness to be able to see Elaine better. Pain was an old reliable as far as Riddick was concerned; the payout was rarely as good as it seemed to be for the night with this witchy woman.
"Nothing human looking out of these eyes."
Elaine wasn't afraid which made her even more precious to him. Riddick wondered if he should worry over his feelings for the woman. She didn't know him any more than he truly knew her. They were two strange ships passing in an even stranger night. His entire fascination with her had begun with her smell, hardly the basis for the world's most lasting friendship or what-the-fuck-ever. Cocking his head to the side, he asked, "Want to stay awake with me then? We don't have to talk. Or we can. I'm not much on words. I can try. If it helps."
~*~
Elaine settled in the darkness, the moonlight streaming in the windows in patches. The momentary cover of darkness made her feel more comfortable. She was wounded, tired but not sleepy, and sitting in her house with a man who could kill her without blinking. But she didn’t feel too scared or worried. There were worse people in the world than this man. Even if he wasn’t good, he wasn’t the same stock that she’d grown up around.
She made sure, however, not to look directly into his eyes. She didn’t think that would spare him from one more side effect of her witchy powers. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to let any soul know who she was deep down in the depths of her soul. And she wasn’t sure if she was ready to get that in return. It was something she’d learned in her dreams that stayed with her fresh, vivid forever.
She wasn’t sure she wanted to add that to her nightmares.
“Predator.” she said after a second, a little grin dancing on her lips. “But there’s humanity there. It might not be a major factor in your life, but it’s there.” she lifted her head a bit to look at him through her lashes. A smile replaced the grin smoothly.
“I would not mind.” she shifted a bit and pushed herself to her feet. She winced as everything shifted and stretched. She brushed the hair off her shoulder and threw the bloody sheet into the pile of things to wash later when she was more mindful. She paused to run her fingers between the ears of each cat before she padded to the bathroom to put the medkit away. She left him alone in the room and it didn’t phase her. She slipped back out and smiled.
“Does firelight bother you?” She asked kindly.
~*~
No one could fault Riddick if he appreciated the view as Elaine traipsed around making her space hers again. She had been hurt. Wounded creatures often liked to retreat back to familiar grounds to feel safe again. Riddick had done it himself from time to time. He wasn't invulnerable which was likely the only human thing left in him. Would that go away, too? Every day seemed to bring its own new change, when would he wake up and be entirely something other?
Riddick didn't know. He did know he could slide his goggles on without worrying it would bother her. Elaine accepted things in a way he couldn't entirely understand. She was hesitant, skittish about aspects of life Riddick didn't mind yet could accept he'd let himself into her home when she was vulnerable, asleep, trapped in the throes of a nightmare. Her paradoxes made her as fascinating as her powers.
"All light bothers me. I'm just used to it. Make yourself comfortable, witchy woman. I like watching you move."
He gave her a true predator's grin as he watched her as if she were his prey.
It felt that way sometimes, too. Riddick could picture stalking her through the course of her life. He'd be the shadow people thought they saw following her. Death wandering in her wake. That was not a particularly romantic thought, but Riddick had never claimed to be a romantic. His life had no room for softer things---which was likely why he coveted them as much as he did.
Covet.
That was the feeling he had around Elaine.
That was his sin where she was concerned.
~*~
Elaine moved with ease, the space was hers and she was reclaiming it as hers. The dreams had given her pause, and shaken the foundations of her world, but she set about setting things straight once more. It involved carving a little room out for him to fit in her space. She didn’t mind the addition, though, he was an interesting one and it was more than enough to keep her curious.
“Of course.” she replied as she moved to the downstairs living room where a fireplace was. She set up a simple stack of wood and whispered again, the fire flaring to life then settling into a pale light. She tempered the spell so it wasn’t blindingly burning, it just gave off a soft glow to give her light. She knew where everything in her home was, but she liked a little light in the darkness.
With a little smirk she tilted her head upwards to regard him. “What is so enjoyable about watching me move?” she couldn’t resist, her curiosity was piqued every time he opened his mouth around her. And she knew it was going to get her into trouble some day.
But not today.
Many things in life sent her skittering to her safe zones, many things had her wary and uncomfortable, but he hadn’t bothered her with his intrusion. He had dragged her out of a nightmare and back to reality. His actions hadn’t triggered any terror so she merely accepted it and moved on.
~*~ Riddick trailed behind her as she wandered through her home. He enjoyed the simple act of watching her. Elaine couldn't know what it meant to him to be trusted at her back. No one had ever wanted him following them. People feared creatures like Riddick with good reason, but this woman -Witch?- accepted him as he came without pause. She accepted him and her acceptance was like a drug racing through his veins.
No drugs had ever done anything for him. Elaine was enough to make his skin feel alive with energy as if she were striking him silently with her presence as much as with her power.
"You called me a predator. You? You're feral, too. Something wild and lethal barely caged in flesh. You try to lie with your smiles to hide it. When you move? It's obvious."
He could smell the ozone coming off her skin in conjunction with the copper tang of her blood. If he'd thought he could get away with it, Riddick would have taken a taste for himself. Elaine was too raw for him to push at the moment. Some lines even he wouldn't cross. A woman deserved her space after the kind of Dream Elaine had experienced. Riddick knew he hated his own enough to wake up almost sick from them.
She was strong.
"Captivating."
Riddick smiled as he made himself comfortable with his back to the fire to spare his eyes even the slight light.
~*~
Part of her ability to relax with him behind her was born of the fact she could tell where he was. He’d creeped her out the first few meetings, after all someone watching your every movement was a little off putting to start, but his presence had grown on her. He appeared to mean no harm to her, and there was plenty for her to worry about, so his mannerisms and decisions settled into the middle pile - she paid attention but she wasn’t actively worrying about it.
Elaine’s lips lifted in a half-smile as she listened to him. She lowered her eyes, trying not to smile too much. “Some beginnings do not leave room for the weak to survive.” she said after a moment, mulling his words over. She would be the last to say she was feral, wild, lethal. But trust another to see it. Especially if he was similar natured. She let a smidge of her history drop, he didn’t know her, she didn’t know him.
But it felt right to let him in a little bit.
If he had tried, he’d have been on the receiving end of a lightning burst. She had no desire to be tested right now. She was too high strung and wound up after that Dream to keep the temper at bay. She was, however, usually half-starved for attention, he might have gotten away with it. She had reclaimed physical connections before, then gotten burned and she’d left them behind. Deep down though, she craved it still.
She paused to watch him settle down, fire casting shadows on her skin, she hadn’t bothered to throw a new shirt on, her skin was too raw feeling, her lips pursed for a second. “I do not think I have ever been called captivating.”
~*~
"Mine didn't."
Riddick knew all there was to know about harsh beginnings. His own had been unbelievable to most. He had no love for the life he'd lived in this experience or the life he was learning very well was also his own. The Dreams were painful yet they were accurate. Riddick would allow what he could to pass where Elaine was concerned out of consideration for her. He wasn't quite ready to let her behind the doors enough to see what lurked underneath his own darkness.
Comfortable with the fire at his back, he watched her. Peace could come to a man in the strangest of ways sometimes. Riddick took the peace he got watching Elaine Mallory at face value. It was a gift given to him by a woman who seemed to have little to give. She had been eaten up by life and used yet she'd survived to come out the other side stronger, harder, more vital. That was worth appreciating any time of the day or night.
"Yeah. I got a feeling you never been called a lot of things which describe you. Can't say I'm too worried over it. I like to make my own mind up about things. People. Witchy women."
He was comfortable sitting in silence watching her until long after the sun came up.
"Thanks. For not turning me into an invertebrate. It helps."
Riddick didn't mention what it helped. He didn't think she'd be the type to need it spelled out for her.
~*~
Elaine was content to settle into a companionable silence. There was little need to talk and break the moment. She was not up for further conversation on her past, she'd graced him with a hint of it and now let that settle.
His words made her smile though, she didn't expand on the thought, but it was there. She silently wondered what other words he'd use to describe her, but she wasn't going to all either.
She let the fire dwindle as the sun rose. She'd decided she'd try to get some rest again then. She was worried about screwing up any of the work she had to do if she didn't try to get some sleep.
“I wonder if you'd keep your keen eyesight if I had.” She said with a teasing, playful smile.
~*~
Riddick chuckled, "Always. The eyes are what give me away. Windows to the soul and all."
He made himself comfortable to watch Elaine drift away to sleep. It was a testament to how he felt for her Riddick was almost tired himself. Sleeping around strangers wasn't something he did. Every predator had an enemy waiting to pick it off to prove it wasn't the highest rung of the food chain ladder. Riddick knew better.
Or he'd thought he did.
Things were always a little different when a witch was involved.