Never Break the Chain (oxo | mature | closed)

In the back of his mind, Gwi was thanking every deity possible for whatever happened back there. Normally he found the idea of religion and spiritualism to be useless in his realm of being, but it helps sometimes. Now he's gotta figure out what to do with this person. He would give her money, yet whatever he had in his wallet is now in the hands of that goon back there. Really, he could just go home and leave her there, but then there's that Eli prick or whoever to worry about. Damn it. Mister Ursu failed him when it came to teaching apathy.

His face relaxed back into its natural stone-like state. He slid his hand into his pocket. In the corner of his eye, he looked over at her. Gwi didn't really want to say anything about himself. While his name isn't official (who even knows if his existence is), he doesn't want to give it out. She might know what he really is. If he says one thing, he might get killed in a second. Can he trust her?

Gwynplaine looked over at her, "I am someone who won't hurt you, but will kill others." For money, of course. He shrugged. "I don't know. You seemed like you needed help and I happened to be there."

(Will do my best to reply soon- sorry for the wait)

(It's all good, reply whenever it's convenient for you. Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate it. :) )

Kay's eyes follow the man who had saved her. Probably saved her life, if she was honest. She had to get under ground, which meant changing her fashionable clothes to less fashionable clothes. She loves the fancy clothes that came with money, but she also didn't mind the less fashionable clothes that were much cheaper. She was confidant that she could pull off those clothes just as well as she was pulling of her current designer outfit.

She watches the man for a long moment and then her head tilts to the side, "Do you know of anywhere I can go to stay out of sight and out if mind?"

She just needed some temporary arrangements. Then, she could take down her brother and have her fathers company and lead it to where it could go instead of down like she knew Eli would take it.

She places her hands on her hips, "So, you're a mercenary? Or assassin?"

(I am sorry, usually I can get at least one reply to everything that's needed a day, but lately I've been slacking. So I think its me coming down wit the classic writers block. So I may take slower to make replies than I normally do, but I will try my best)

(Hey, it's alright. You don't have to respond once a day. If your replies are slower, it's totally cool with me. Don't worry about it, again thanks for letting me know)

Gwynplaine titled his head. There aren't many places to go unless this "Eli" guy isn't good at finding people. "I don't wanna sound like a creep or anything, but you can stay with me…or just for the night and I can help you find another place."

His shoulders became stiff while his eyes were looking all over the place. Aside from regular people out and about enjoying the night, he didn't see anyone out in the ordinary. Gwi wanted to be safe though. He's never really admitted to anyone out in public about what he does. As a matter of fact, he doesn't even remember if he ever told anyone that he's an assassin. Everyone he interacted with just knew.

"Assassin…hitman…mercenary…" He muttered before giving a shrug, "I'm just someone with a sharp eye." Although, now with Ursu dead and Stocia having a bounty on his head, he wondered if he was still an assassin. He could go to the other groups and work for them, but he didn't want to do that. No, he wanted to take down Stocia and everyone in the ring.

Kay sighs, looking down at the ground. Eli was a dimwit, but kinda smart. He would hire someone to do his dirty work, the lazy ass. She stared at the dirt between the old slabs of concrete on the path they were walking, thinking. Eli would hire someone who was good at finding people who didn't want to be found. Kay would need to be prepared, and have a way to keep herself protected.

She turns to the man and places a hand on her hip, "Okay, I have a job offer for you then."

She could hire this man, to pretend to be this 'Brian' person, help her find stuff about her father and brother and take down Eli. She could pay him enough to have his loyalty, and maybe she could do something for him. She would have to convince him the main income would come after the job, when she had the money to pay him. She hoped, if he took the job, he would be able to wait.

While walking, he gently swung the plastic bag. He continued on for a few more steps before stopping and looking at her. His brows raised at what she said. "A job offer?" He repeated. This girl whom he saved from an alleyway just minutes ago is now offering him a job after confirming he's an assassin. And does she even know that he is a disgraced one at best?

The only job Gwi wants to take on is putting a bullet in Julius Stocia's head along with everyone else that runs his group. All of the time and effort he'd have to put into the plan to make it work is basically a job in itself. Besides, all of the clients that Mister Ursu did business with were vetted before he would get the jobs. He wasn't sure if he should take on whatever this woman wants him to do.

Gwi took note of the way she had her hand on her hip. His eyes flickered back to hers. Either this will lead him to his own death or the death of others, that's the way it's always been. "Alright, I'll do it," He nodded. "Let's talk about it at my place. Just one more block."

Kay watches him and then nods, "Yeah, an offer."

Kay smiles slightly, sliding her hands into the pockets of her jean jacket and walks beside the man, silent for long moments. She didn't want anyone killed, but maybe he could still do what she wanted? She didn't want someones death on her conscious, even by proxy. She just wanted her fathers company and to find out who Eli hired to kill her father. Her sweet, loving father.

She closes her eyes, feeling the wave of grief and disrepair trying to wash over her. She takes deep breaths, trying to build that emotional dam back up before it broke completely. She could feel the tears forming. God dammit, I won't cry. She takes a deep breath opening her eyes again and staring at the ground again.

"Y-Yeah, I'll follow you." She murmurs, still not looking up as she follows the man.

A gut feeling had hit him. He figured it had appeared when he heard the woman take a couple deep breaths. Part of him wanted to ask if something was wrong, but the question was as stupid as the answer was obvious. Not to mention they were still out, making themselves clear targets. Nevertheless, he found her in an alleyway then saved her from this Eli and the dog he hired to catch her.

Gwi did his best to walk as quickly as possible. Almost every other step, he looked over to make sure that the woman (or his client) was still there. By the time he reached the five story brown brick apartment building, he stopped checking. The place he rented out was on the second floor and not in Julius Stocia's territory so it was safe enough for the time being. He led the woman up the stairs to a black door with the numbers "209" painted in gold.

He waited for the lady to go in before closing the door behind him. The place was kind of empty. There was a kitchen space to the left. Then if you walk a couple steps then turn left there's the bathroom and across from that door is the bedroom. Aside from the blue sofa, a coffee table with a mini projector sitting on top, a red cat bed in one corner and a black bass guitar bag in another, there was nothing. No photos on the walls, rugs, plants…nothing.

"So what will it be, Boss? Business first or dinner?" Gwi went into the kitchen area, setting the plastic bag on the counter. He turned around then placed his left hand on his hip. Then he asked, "Or both?"

Kay watches the ground, using it to keep her anchored. Still taking deep breaths, she counted the steps. counting was a tool she'd had for a while now, using it to focus her attention on something other. After a while, she looks back at the man, noting as he stopped looking behind himself and looking at her. She knew they they'd crossed an invisible line between 'danger' and 'safety' for this man.

She takes note of the number on the door, walking inside and looking around, "I'm going to guess this is more of a place to sleep rather than an actual home for yourself?" She asks, tilting her head.

She leans again a wall, watching the man walk to the kitchen and smiles slightly, huffing a soft laugh under her breath, "Boss? Call me Kay, please. And food, if you dont mind."

He made his way over towards the couch. With one hand, he removed the beanie and sat it on top of a cushion. Then he shrugged off the leather jacket and let it lay on the edge of the cushion. Gwi bit the inside of his cheek. His eyes squinted. "Home is wherever I'm sleeping for the night," He admitted before strolling over towards the kitchen. Home is an odd word. It's one of those ones that has different contexts.

Despite not knowing what to make, he began to pull things out from the fridge. It wasn't stocked with food yet it had the basics to make some dishes. Although, once he sat down the carton of eggs, he stopped then looked over at Kay…Kay…Gwi finally knew her name. He stood there, blinking, for a while then went back to preparing one of his favorite dishes: ramen with vegetables and egg. "Okay, Boss," He replied. "I'm Gwynplaine… or Gwi if it's too much."

(Omg- I completely forgot about this. I promise I;lol get a reply up tonight.)

(Lol, you're all good. Take your time)

She watches him prepare the food, leaning against the counter slightly. “I guess that makes sense. That might become my life for a while. Wherever I can lay my head at night.” Her gaze falls to the floor, and she stares at it.

She hadn’t actually thought about what her life would become after running away. She knew things would be harder, but not so hard and desperate. But then, she was running away from her psychopathic and murderous brother. She sighs softly, closing her eyes for a moment.

“And yet you still call me boss?” She grins, clearly teasing and then looks back up at him, “Would you prefer I call you Gwi or Gwynplaine?”

Gwi carried on with making dinner. He filled up a pot with water then sat it over the stove on medium heat. "Take the bed. Just washed the sheets this morning so you should be fine." After opening the packs of ramen, he sat aside the little flavoring packets. He would've said something else to Kay, but he had forgot.

Oh well, it didn't matter. They still had business to talk about before he'd go on to take care of anything. Even though he had been in the business for a while now, he wasn't sure where to go from here. His handler was dead. Anyone that he could give even just five percent of his trust had turned their backs on him. The man sighed as he started cutting vegetables into smaller pieces.

He shrugged. Technically he had no name. No birth certificate, no name. Ursu started calling him Gwynplaine and it just worked out for them. Rarely did he ever get into any sort of contact with a client. Even then, they'd call him something along the lines of "Ursu's boy" or whatever. Honestly, he didn't care. "Whatever works for you," Gwi said, "You're the boss, Kay, call me whatever you want. Doesn't have to be Gwynplaine or Gwi, it can be anything. Or, it can be Gwynplaine or Gwi…if that's what you'd like."

Kay smiles slightly, “You sure? I don’t mind sleeping on the couch or something. It’s your bed. I’m not here to take over your space.” She pulls on her hair slightly, watches at the man made food. She referred to him as ‘the man’ because she still didn’t know what to call him.

Kay doesn’t mention anything about her job for him, preferring to have him bring up the subject when he was comfortable with it. She didn’t want to push boundaries, and she’d let him set his own. She just stands there quiet and waiting.

“I’ll call you whatever you want me to call you. If you want me to call you Gwi, then I will. Or, if you prefer Gwynplaine, then I’ll call you that instead.”

"Yes, I am sure. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here talking to you right now," He said, "I've slept on floors, grass, concrete, couches, beds…It's fine. Don't worry about me, worry about yourself, Boss." Gwi really didn't care. He wasn't sure if he ever worried about anything or anyone. He wasn't sure if he had a capacity to care about anyone or anything, including himself. Although, he was sure that he was worried about Kay. After all, Gwi did bring her into his "home."

He opened up the flavoring packets and watched as the powder fell into the pot. The empty packets made a crinkle sound as he sat them down. The pan cackled on the stove. It sizzles when he cracked two eggs, letting them fall onto the warming pan. He lowered the heat for the noodles.

Gwi bit the inside of his cheek. He turned around to face Kay. "Look, you can call me 'Honey' or 'Baby' and I wouldn't care. If you like it, great," He assured, "You like Gwynplaine, call me that. If Gwi is quicker and more efficient, do that. You are the one giving me a job, paying me. I go with whatever flow you set. I want to be called by whatever you want me to be called by. I'll always be Gwynplaine no matter what. Got it?"

She looks confused for a moment, “Um. . . Okay. . . Thanks, I guess. . .” She looks at the floor, kicking at it with her booted foot.

“I’ve spent a whole life in luxury, I don’t want to take your bed. I can spend a few nights on the floor or something.” She watches him make the food, starting to feel hungry. The last thing she had eaten was breakfast earlier that morning. She takes a deep breath through her nose, relaxing at the smell. It smelled good once the flavoring packets where added. The spices making the food seem all more appealing.

She bites her lip, “Look, I just wanna call you what you wanna be called. Like I would prefer you call me Kay instead of boss. Makes me feel old. Anyways, I guess I’ll call you Gwynplaine, if that’s what you want.”

"Yes but…as someone who normally kills people of your status for a living, just take it. Sheets are cleaned and everything's comfy." Gwi just pulled out a fork and began to stir the noodles. He liked to stir clockwise twice then reverse three times. How he came up with such a method was beyond him.

Fighting with the boss/client is never a good thing. Even Gwi knew that despite his limited experience. It's just a name and technically he doesn't have one. "Gwynplaine works well, Kay," He nodded. Leaning forward, he turned off the stove. Then he reached up to grab two bowls out of one of the cabinets. As he began placing the noodles in the bowls, he added, "I like the sound of it."

When he was finished with that, each bowl was given a sunny side up egg. He pulled out two pairs of chopsticks. "I would cut some vegetables but I don't have any in the fridge. Sorry about that Bo-…Kay." Gwi stepped forward, handing Kay a bowl and a pair of chopsticks. He took his own bowl and sat down on the car end of the sofa.

Kay sighs, “It’s your bed. I’m not sleeping on it.” She turns slightly, looking at Gwynplain. She didn’t need pampering, and she wasn’t going to take this man’s bed. She wasn’t here to take over his life, she was just here until she found her own place to stay or until he kicked her out on her ass.

“Okay.” She states, “Gwyplain it is. Nice to meet you.”

She tilts her head slightly, looking at him for a long moment, watching him put the food into bowls. It smelled good, and she was starving.

“I don’t really care as long as I’m not hungry.”

For the sake of both of them, he kept quiet. If she wanted to sleep on the sofa then so be it. Not that it really mattered to Gwi or anything. He just thought that it'd make sense to give her to most comfortable thing in the apartment to sleep in. Maybe he's not as keen on his social skills as he thought he was. Guess he'll have to take the cat to the bedroom too.

Slowly he turned his head then gave Kay a nod. "Nice to meet you too, Kay." He pressed up against the back of the sofa. The bowl felt warm as it sat on his lap. "Well sit somewhere and eat," Gwi sighed, "We need to get to business as soon as possible. I don't wanna go on too long without it."

Seriously though, he had no clue who Kay was or why he decided to take a job offer from her. He wanted to know how she ended up being followed into an alleyway. Gwi had so many questions for Kay, but he also didn't want to bombard with them at the same time.

Kay picks up the second bowl, stirring it thoughtfully as she considered Gwynplain. She tilts her head to the side slightly. She pushes off the counter and walks towards the couch, sitting down. She crosses her legs, leaning back and looks up at the man, “Is that all you think about?” She asks curiously.

“Do you not want to just enjoy the food without worrying about business?” She takes a bite of the food, closing her eyes for a moment, “It’s good, thank you.”

"Yes," He said plainly, "It's my life." And nothing else. It was all he thought about, even right now as he stirred the noodles in his bowl. When he goes to sleep, he dreams of past hits. When he's awake, he's waiting for the moment someone hits him. Hit hit hit. At least the smell of the noodles were enough to keep his mind off of business for a bit. Even then, it lingered in the back of his mind.

As Gwi chewed his food, he shrugged. He didn't care. His life is the business so it didn't matter whether they talked about it now or in a few minutes. How does one even enjoy food in the first place? He nodded, "I hope you like it. I can cook other things, you know, but it's just ramen tonight."

(Takes deep breath I keep coming bac to this one to try and write a reply, but I can’t come up with anything for it. I’ll reply when I can, but it m8ght be a bit)

Kay tips her head to the side, looking the other man over. How dull must life be for someone who never stopped to, in a sense, smell the roses? Her father had always been careful to teach her the beauty of life, to appreciate the, to keep the example going going, smell of the roses. She blows out a long breath and shakes her shoulders slightly.

“Well, that must be dull. Never just, taking a moment to enjoy life.” He blows out a breath through he lips, quickly finishing the food. She didn’t know what about it, but she liked it more than she did the typical means she ate. Maybe it was the fact that it wasn’t made from spices carefully cultivated and shipped from halfway around the world. Or that the noodles were mass produced. She couldn’t place her finger on it, but the food felt. . . Good.

She sighs, “I don’t need you to kill anyone. Or, well. . . Help me prove my brother hired someone to kill my father, Ryan Volio.”

Dull. He had never thought about his life ever being anywhere near dull. The man just lived day by day. If he didn't die, then he'd go on to the next and repeat. When he wasn't planning how to take down Julius Stocia and his men down, Gwi would be watching movies with the cat. Benvolio, the cat, would often curl up with him as they watched something like Pride and Prejudice or 10 Things I Hate About You. His life is that rifle that's currently in the guitar case. His blood is the bullets that go with it.

He shrugged at Kay's comment, deciding not to say anything. The smell of the noodles gave him comfort. There wasn't any nostalgia to bring him relief. Gwi just liked the way the salty and savoriness brought him peace, even if it was for however long it'd take for him to eat.

Gazing over at Kay, he stopped chewing. His job was to kill, not to prove anything to anyone. As he placed his bowl down on his lap, he deeply inhaled. A slow exhale soon followed before he glanced over at her.

"And how would you want me to go about this?" He asked, "I am an assassin…a hitman…not a detective."

Kay sighs softly, leaning back, “Because I think you can figure out who my brother hired, and who killed my father. And if you can get the proof of that then. . . You won’t have to live in a place like this ever again. And you won’t have to worry about your next meal. Though. . . Now that I think about it, you may have to worry about your safety a bit more.” She shrugs slightly.

“Whatever you want, that I can provide, of course, you’ll get.” She leans back, “That is, if I can prove my brother ordered the kill on my father and I get the company like I was supposed to.”

She tilts her head to the side, “That can’t be too hard, now can it?”