The Prince and the Assassin (closed o/o)

Still absolutely ravenous, Pollux followed the trail a bit further and meandered off the path into the woods, unknowingly towards Rykah's shelter. He had somewhat lost his stealth in his sort of rampaging state, and had trouble finding more animals to feed off of.
Without thinking, he walked towards the shelter he saw ahead. Still weak, still burning in the heat of the sun, he found himself forging ahead.
His fangs were bared, his eyes glazed over, and squirrel blood dripped down the corners of his mouth still as he came closer.

Pollux scoured the area for anything else living. He distinctly caught a whiff of Rykah's blood pumping deliciously underneath his skin.
He crept ahead, but he was shaking, trembling. He was still there, but his mind had seemingly taken a backseat, and he had trouble controlling his body.
Pollux started towards Rykah, but he desperately tried to fight the urges. He was shaking and burned and weak, already dragging into the shelter.

Pollux grabbed Rykah by the shoulder. He tilted the other's head, exposing his neck. He was breathing raggedly, in pain from his burns, weak from hunger, and trying to fight his horrible instincts.
He hesitated for a second as he started to put his mouth over Rykah's neck, and his grip went weak. He still panted heavily as he fought the urge to sink his teeth into the exposed vein, which pulsed with blood.

It was probably best that Rykah didn't put up a fight. He didn't scurry away like most prey, so it didn't set off Pollux's instinct to bite down any more. As the energy from the squirrel blood finally started to set in, the fog over his mind started to lift.
"Oh… oh no…" he murmured, lowering his face into Rykah's neck, almost for comfort.

"I'm so sorry…" Pollux whispered.
His chest still heaved hard with each breath. He thought he was under control. Maybe. He couldn't be sure.
"Don't move too suddenly. I don't know if I'm back to myself or not. I don't want to hurt you."

Still hungry and tired, Pollux scooted back away from Rykah. He sat on the ground about six feet away.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
He rubbed at one of the burns on his face, hissing a bit in pain.

"Yeah, I'm alright," Pollux sighed, "I just haven't been eating enough. I'm just glad I didn't actually bite you. That would've been awkward…"
He gave a half-smile.
"I should… I should probably head out, huh? I don't want to risk staying around any longer and going back like that."

Pollux started trying to stand up, but his knees felt weak.
Yet, not missing a beat, he said, "So this is why you didn't want me to drop you off at home?"

"I was never completely without a roof over my head, but… I grew up extremely poor myself, so I can empathize," Pollux replied, "It's hard to get back on your feet in a system that keeps you down."
He glanced over to Rykah.
"Let me help you."

"I didn't get to living decently on my own," Pollux admitted, "And I wouldn't call it pity, exactly. I don't really have pity for anyone. Never have."
He crossed his arms.
"I hate to break it to you, but you're probably going to be stuck like this for a while if you don't swallow that pride of yours and accept some amount of help. That's just the reality of it. Especially with your injuries."

"So this is what you want?" Pollux asked, "I mean, I get you don't trust me in particular, but you act like you don't care whether you even have a place to stay or not."
He wasn't aggressive in his asking, just genuinely curious, as he eyed Rykah, then scanned the area, and all of Rykah's things.

"Humans can be cruel," Pollux agreed, "But I think cruelty is… often systemic, if you get me. It's all about pushing down others for your own gain. Yet, the more natural order of things is that we help each other to lift everyone higher. I think people are less mean and more selfish."
He shrugged a bit. He never really understood the point of unnecessary cruelty towards others, but trampling the weak, that sort of thing? He could see where they were coming from.
"You're awfully slow to accept kindness, huh? Scared of ulterior motives?"

"Too many, I take it?" Pollux muttered, "Withdrawing from everyone forever won't solve your misery, buddy. You can guard yourself and still form bonds and relationships."

Pollux shook his head.
"Call it what you want. It sucks nonetheless. I've had people sleep with me, only to try driving a stake through my heart, and that's not even the beginning. I know betrayal, I know the ugly side of human nature too. So maybe you don't have to deal with people all the time, but you don't want to even try giving yourself a decent living, in the name of staying away?"

"I mean, I guess I can't force you to do anything, but the offer stands. If you need anything, I'm here."
He leaned his head back.
"So, do you work?"