Re: There is nothing worse that things I've alredy seen (Xanthos)

[Xanthos Gamp]

Xanthos did not relax his stance as he watched the man leave till he vanished through the door. Just then he sat back down and immediately the tenseness seemed to melt out of the room as the other people turned back to their conversations. He let his gaze rest on the girl next to him for a few seconds before speaking again. "If you want me to get rid of him you just need to say so. We can end this here and now, Alaska." he told her casually. Xanthos would not have a problem to go after the man and snap his neck and two of his regulars would be only too happy to help out if he needed them. His gaze rested on the two half giants for a split second before turning back to Alaska. "Or should I call you Elis as well?" Xanthos did not really care what her real name was, Alaska ... Elis, it did not matter to him, but he would like to know whom he was addressing.

[Alaska Gamp]

Alaska frowned. "Forget Elis. I hate that name. I didn't change it to be called that. I'm Alaska, just like I introduced myself, before that bastard came in and made the game a lot more easier to you," she replied, pointing out the facts. She was sure Xanthos would never get that close, in fact no one ever was that close as Xanthos was now, and that began to be dangerous. Alaska wasn't so sure about winning this one anymore and it made her feel slightly uneasy. "If you feel like it, he is waiting upstairs for me. He sucks at fight by the way," she said only, not really carring about Taylor. It would actually be ten times easier without him. And she kinda figured Gamps were exactly the family doing this type of job. "I just don't really have how to pay for such service," she added,, curious what would he want in return.

[Xanthos Gamp]

Having already assumed something like that, Xanthos only nodded slowly, feeling oddly relieved that he did not have to call her Elis which just sounded...plain. "I prefer Alaska anyway, it fits you better." he told her, taking a sip from his drink. Then, at her next words, Xanthos got up and shot her a dark smirk, bowing slightly. "It would be a pleasure to do so. Would you like to watch?" he asked her, not really caring either way. The man would end up dead in a matter of a few moments anyway, as Xanthos usually did not play with his victims except if they had drawn his wreath upon them.

He would think about all the implications of Taylor's words once he was finished with the guy, but he had given him quite a few pointers. "I do not require money for this, but if I could ask one think in return it would be for you to answer one question truthfully for me." If she should say no, Xanthos would just have to figure it out on his own, but why not ask for a shortcut if it presented itself in such a nice way.

[Alaska Gamp]

She smiled as he said Alaska fit her better. She was quite proud of the name and what it meant to her so hearing it fit her, she was happy. As he offered her to watch, she took a few seconds to think about it. She was tough girl, yes. But no killer to watch her relative die. On the other hand, she hated Taylor. More than anyone. Seeing him dead might bring some peace into her sleep after a very long time. "Okay," she nodded finally, getting off her chair. As he wanted her to answer one question, she hesitated though. Could she do it? Risk he would ask too directly for her to avoid? Getting him even closer? It was dangerous game to play and Alaska knew it. "Fine. One question. After he is dead," she sighed finally, hoping it won't be something extremely important.

[Xanthos Gamp]

"You should smile like that more often, it makes you look even more beautiful." Xanthos commented bluntly. He usually did not compliment girls if they did not really impress him, but the smile she just had on her lips for once seemed completely honest and very charming.

It also pleased him to see her agree to watch the demise of Taylor. That way he would be able to see if she actually was as tough as she pretended to be or if it was all for show. Offering her a small smile, Xanthos lead her from the room, motioning for his two regulars to follow them. They ascended the stairs, not in the least hurried or nervous about what was to come, seeing as it would not be the first murder the three of them committed.

Xanthos pushed through the door and immediately spotted his victim waiting, so he motioned for the two men by his side to cut off any way he could use to flee. "Taylor!" he called over to the man and slowly approached him. "Our business is not concluded yet." Xanthos' voice was calm and not in the least bit threatening. He did not need to threaten anyone, but he could promise. Death.

[Alaska Gamp]

Alaska felt as if she was slightly blushing. What the hell was she doing? Was she some stupid little girl or someting? Angry with herself for such a pathetic reaction, she followed Xanthos and his men upstairs. Her feeling this family is some sort of mafia or whatever got even stronger, which didn't help much, considering what kind of deal she made with one of them. But he seemed nice towards her at least, which was good. Was it?

Taylor didn't expect her to come out so soon. And he definitely did not expect her to have escort. "Having protectors now? And I thought you couldn't get an lower, Elis," he teased Alaska with a smirk, but she wasn't stupid, she could see how scared he was, seeing Xanthos with two other, not exactly small guys by his side. "Look, why don't you just leave me and her together for a bit? We have private bussiness to do, none of your concern I believe. Or do you fuck her or something? Because nobody ever cared for our little Elizabeth unless they fucked her. Her mother was the one and only exception probably. And I doubt even her," he started his big talk. Mainly to make Alaska look terrible, so she was left alone. It worked so far. And Alaska was getting angrier and angrier. "Shut the fuck up you stupid asshole!" she shouted angrily, ready to jump on him herself.

[Xanthos Gamp]

As he slowly walked up to the man Xanthos' resolve to finish him off only strengthened when he had to listen to the man's absolutely annoying comments. His brainless smirk made his fingers itch to wipe it off his face and he stopped only inches in front of the man. He might be quite some years younger than him, but Xanthos was still almost of the same height.
He watched dispassionately as Taylor went on about no one caring for Alaska, barely raising an eyebrow at him. Xanthos honestly couldn't care less who cared for the girl and who didn't. He liked her and so would protect her, especially from creeps like this guy.
Finally though, he had enough of the tirade and his dagger snapped out of his sleeve, lashing across the man's throat. Blood began pouring out of the wound; a lot of blood, but he would still have a few minutes till he bled out completely. "You should learn when to keep your mouth shut..." Xanthos commented, his voice calm and almost casual, as he stared down at the man.

[Alaska Gamp]

Alaska calmed the moment she watched Xanthos to cut Taylor's throat. It was more of a shock that actually "calmed her down", but she didn't let anyone to see. At least not that much. She wasn't a person to see death everyday. And also, it brought up memories of her dying mother. But she only swallowed hard and stood there silently, cold as a stone, not letting anything out. She made a deal with a killer. She let him kill her cousin. And as a bonus actually promised him to help him win that deal. Alaska was getting insane. She was sure of it. As she watched life leaving Taylor, she however felt a big relief. He was gone. He was not going to force her to do anything. She was free. And lost. Lost little girl without legal guardian. Or at least with guardian she had no clue who it was.

[Xanthos Gamp]

While he watched the life pour out of the man at his feet, Xanthos's face displayed an expression of cold indifference, not caring one bit about the blood that was slowly pooling around his feet painting the dark leather reddish. After a few minutes, he could see the light leave Taylor's eyes and they became unseeing as he entered Death's awaiting arms.
Giving a dismissive nod to his men, Xanthos turned and stepped back towards Alaska who seemed oddly still and somewhat out of place.

"I take it that you do not watch people die on a daily basis?" he asked her, his voice more gentle than usual. He did not blame her at all; even if Taylor had been an ass, the man was part of her family. "But trust me, sometimes it is better to have no family than the wrong kind..." he muttered and motioned for her to follow him back inside. "I think another stiff drink is in order and you might need it to answer my question." Xanthos smirked slightly over his shoulder.

[Alaska Gamp]

Alaska came back on Earth with his words. "No, I don't. But I supposed you are right. Even if your family seems to be pretty much okay," she replied still more distantly, than she would like. She hated being weak. And at the moment, she felt weak. As he mentioned the question he still had, Alaska felt sick. She just hoped it won't send her down completely. She started to feel that there was no chance she would win this deal. But at least she hoped she won't lose in just one day. Taylor really ruined what he could. "Well, if you are paying, because I don't have money anymore," she replied truthfully. She was glad for the little she stole again. And that alredy was spent on whiskey in the Crypt. But she followed him anyway. After all, she promised something. And she kept her promises as much as she could keep them.

[Xanthos Gamp]

It was not hard to miss how unsettled the girl was after all that had transpired in the last few minutes and Xanthos instinctively reached out to place his arm around her shoulder, lending her some silent support. "My family is. We are not rich, but we are very close which I think is all that counts..." he told her calmly. Xanthos was not someone to mollycoddle an upset girl, but he also was not an arse who would simply ignore it.
As they walked back into the Crypt, he kept his gaze on her the whole time, watching her reactions closely, as if he could read her thoughts that way. He ordered two more glasses of whisky and handed one to her. "You do not have to worry about money, as long as you're here. That's one of the advantages you have when you know someone who ones a pub." Xanthos winked at her, trying to lighten her mood up a bit again. It really was no fun to win their little game when she was so upset. Somehow, it bothered him to see her like that.

[Alaska Gamp]

Alaska felt a bit better as he place one of his arms around her shoulder. Which slightly disturbed her. This boy had strange effect on her. He was obviously older, than she was and quite attractive. But around him, she felt different, than around other boys. They usually wanted really just to fuck her. And if she liked them, she had no problem with it. Maybe she wasn't a whore, but she still liked sex. There was nothing wrong about it. But liking this boy, hell that was wrong and she knew it. But she couldn't really fight it.

"Well, now you definitely cheered my day!" she said, smile suddenly crossed her lips. If nothing this was a good thing to know. Specialy when he will most likely win the deal sooner or later. And if he will want her after that, she promised to be his, so she would have to hang around here much more often. "So, the question of yours, tell me," she said, half excited, half disturbed to hear what he wanted to ask. She rather took a large sip from her glass, before he could speak. She was sooo going to lose.

[Xanthos Gamp]

After they reclaimed their seats by the bar in the Crypt, Xanthos sipped on his drink for a few moments, his thoughtful gaze on the girl beside him. He answered her smile with on of his own; not a smirk this time, but a true smile. Somehow cheering her up made him feel good as well, which was a new experience for him, as this was how he usually felt only around his family. When she had offered the deal earlier this evening and said that she would be his if he could get behind her wall, Xanthos had only excepted because he enjoyed a good challenge, but now he thought that maybe he would actually keep her.

In his mind, Xanthos went through all he had learned about Alaska and slowly started to speak, more to put some order into his mind than anything else. "Let me recollect what I already know about you, alright? Your name is Elis Nana Greengrass, Elis might be for Elisa or Elizabeth..." he shrugged, that part really was of no importance as she did not want to carry that name any longer. "You came here from Alaska, but after I got rid of Taylor, you have no living relatives anymore. At least that's what he said, but I presume that he was just referring to your mother's side of the family, as I know several members of the Greengass line and they are very much alive." Xanthos looked up at her to see if she would confirm his suspicion.

[Alaska Gamp]

"Elizabeth," Alaska admited imidiately. Taylor called her that anyway, so Xanthos would remember eventualy no matter what. "But yes. All you say is truth. Taylor wouldn't make that up. As for the relatived of Greengrasses, you know more, than I do actually," she admited truthfully. Of course she could lie. But Alaska kept her deals once she made them. She took it seriously. After all, she wouldn't make them otherwise. What would be the point? She looked at Xanthos, thinking about what he will do once he wins. Maybe she even wanted him to win. Or at least she would if she could be sure he won't just use her and leaver her. And with life experience Alaska had, she never trust people would stay with her. Even her mother left. And the only person who stayed was Taylor. Because he wanted to use her.

[Xanthos Gamp]

Xanthos had to bite his lip to stop himself from smiling when she told him her real name. Elizabeth really did not suit her at all; it might be good for a very polite and demure girl, but Alaska did not match this description in the least. "I still stand by my opinion. Alaska suits you much better." he told her, smiling slightly. Xanthos shrugged at her next words, he did not know much about the Greengrass family, just that two of them went to Hogwarts at the moment. Both girls as far as he knew.

Turning his mind back on track, he continued his analysis of her background. "Your mother is dead." Xanthos stated bluntly, not because he wanted to hurt her, but simply because he did not know how to sugar-coat this painful truth. His own parents were dead since a long time, so he could understand the loss. "And Taylor..." his lip curled into sneer when he said that name. "was the one who you had to stay with, but who obviously mistreated you, selling you off for sex." Now Xanthos' expression was actually disgusted, not with her, but with the man for trying to force anyone into such a situation. It was not a big surprise that she had run away from such a guardian. "And now you are here...to look for your father's side of the family, I guess, to see if they can offer you something better than Taylor." he concluded his deduction, looking at her closely, to see her reaction to his line of reasoning.

[Alaska Gamp]

Alaska smiled at his opinion about her name. "It means 'that which the sea breaks against'" She explained. One of the reasons why she picked the name was it's meaning. Not only the fact she loved the name and the country where she grew up. As he was stating the facts, Alaska knew he figured pretty much almost everything he could. All he was missing was how her mother died, how she got to UK and what she was doing now to survive. Which was quite a small amount of information. Nobody was ever that close togetting her as he was. And as much as Alaska was terrified, she liked it deep inside. She felt safe with Xanthos for some reason. She like him. He was different, than others. So she was only nodding slightly, waiting for the question to come.

[Xanthos Gamp]

Xanthos crooked his head slightly to the side, gazing at her for a moment before a smirk appeared on his face. "We shall see if I will break against you as well or whether I will be able to surround you with my presence." he remarked, feeling slightly amused at the comparism. So far, she had been able to prevent people from breaking through her walls, just like a stone would not be broken by a strong wave, but even the strongest stone could slowly dissolve by a constant stream of water eating away at its substance. That was exactly what he was going to do, slowly putting together the information he could pick up about her till he managed to have the complete puzzle that made Alaska Greengrass.

Seeing that she was not contradicting his assumptions, Xanthos guessed that he was quite close to the truth already. He took another sip of his drink, taking his time to think up a question which he could ask her. It had to be something that gave him an inside into the girl's mind. Finally, Xanthos looked up at her again, a calculating expression on his face. "You obviously don't know much about your father's side of the family, so I presume that you want to meet him here. Now, my question for you is what you plan to do once you find him, what do you want from him?" he let his gaze rest on her, while he waited for the answer to the question. Mr. Greengrass was very rich and as a pureblood had a lot of influence in Britain, so it would tell Xanthos a lot about Alaska when he knew what she wanted from the man, even though, he was already guessing what answer he might get. There were other questions burning on his mind as well, but first of all Xanthos needed to be sure with what kind of person he was dealing with.

[Alaska Gamp]

Alaska looked at him surprised by his statement. "Many broke themselves. Maybe it's time for someone to do the other version," she smiled shyly. Dangerous or not, he was daring her, he made her question her life in matter of hours, he made her watch death and celebrate life in the same time. Xanthos Gamp was either best thing for her or the worst. She knew that alredy. At his question, she narrowed an eyebrow. It surprised her he didn't want facts, the past, things that could break her, questions she was ready for. "I... I don't really know. I guess all I want is a home. Place to stay, bed to safely sleep in," she replied spontaneaously. "To be completely honest, I never really thought of it. My goal was to find him. What comes next? I never really thought about it much. I never expected much," she admited truthfully. She didn't know if her family accepts her, if they will give her a chance. She never thought past finding them.

[Xanthos Gamp]

After posing his question, Xanthos could not hide an amused smirk that slipped onto his face when he noticed her surprise at his choice, as she reacted just like he had planned it by asking that question. He wanted to throw her off-guard for a moment, so she would not be able to make up a convincing lie and the way she worded her answer, it seemed to be an honest one.
"I understand..." Xanthos offered her a true smile when she had finished speaking. Her reply told him more about Alaska than any question about her family could have done, as it showed him nothing about her background, but about the person she was trying to hide behind all of her walls. Xanthos chose not to comment her answer, as he had no comfort to offer her and meaningless words were not one of his strengths.

"I thank you for your honest answer, Alaska." he said and raised his glass at her before tipping it back, emptying it in one go. "I think, I have interrogated you enough for one day, right?" Xanthos winked at her and chuckled softly. This evening had be most enlightening for him though he still was far from figuring out who Alaska Greengrass was, even if he now knew a lot about her background. But he was a patient person and would wait till he could find out more about the Ravenclaw. The most important answer for him though, was the last one and it told him that she was just a little lost girl, looking for a place to call home, even if she was quite a tough little girl, he thought smiling.
Getting up from his seat, Xanthos got ready to leave the pub in the capable hands of the bartender. "I might sound like a broken record to you, but would you like to stay the night in one of our apartments?" he asked her. "I can promise that my sister will not bother you." he added with a wink.

[Alaska Gamp]

Alaska smirked at his remark about interrogation her and chuckled a little when he offered her a place to sleep again. She was tempted to accept. Just like the last time. But she had to come back to her living place tonight, otherwise she would lose it. And that was something she couldn't afford. Another night at the street was just too much. And she wanted at least this summer to have peace. Of course at Hogwarts she will have her bed. And it wasn't really time to worry about next summer just yet. "Thanks for offer, but unless you want me there for the rest of the summer, I have to decline," she replied finaly, quite honestly as well. "It was nice to talk to you, though. And thanks... for help..." she said at the end with a genuine smile, getting up from her chair, ready to leave.

[Xanthos Gamp]

Xanthos sighed when he heard her answer which was so very much like the one he had received the last time he had asked that question, even though this time he could see her battling with herself whether to accept his offer or not. "Very well, though I really would not mind you hanging out here for a few more weeks while we are on vacation. After all, I still did not win our deal, did I?" he winked at her, as they walked towards the exit. "And there is no reason to thank me. He was asking for trouble and I hate troublemakers." Xanthos shrugged, not really caring about having killed Taylor. He was a weak pervert and weak people had to die, simple as that. He leaned against the door, letting some fresh air into the smoky room and looked at Alaska. "I hope, I will see you around again in the near future. I enjoyed our conversation immensely." Xanthos bowed slightly to her.

[Alaska Gamp]

As she heard him speak, it made her smile for herself again. "Well, I cannot make it that easy for you now, can I? It's me after all, the big prize it's all about. And you know, I quite like myself. So if I am to give myself to you, I am not to make it easy," she replied to him teasingly, but meaning every word. "But maybe next summer I won't have any other choice but to stand here on the front door and beg you to take me in. Mind me saying, it would be pretty lame. But desperate situations sometimes call for desperate solutions," she said, more alcohol than anything talking out of her. Of course mainly because there was part of her, that wanted to stay. And in his room if she had that choice. "We will see, when wind will take me this way again. But either way, pleasure was mine, mister Gamp," she smiled, standing on her tiptoes, she kissed him lightly on his lips, just to say goodbye.

[Xanthos Gamp]

Xanthos shook his head, his smirk widening at her words, though staying away from him would not help her to protect her secrets from him, he would just try to figure them out more because of it. "I can understand that. Just be aware that I always take good care of what is mine and you will be just that, no matter how hard you try to make it for me." he said, only half of her teasing mirrored in his voice, as he was quite serious about these things. Xanthos inclined his head slightly, accepting her decision to leave for now. He was nothing but a patient person and waiting for a year or two would not change his goal to make her his.
"You shall find me waiting here, Miss Greengrass. Patience is a virtue I posses in almost endless amounts." Xanthos winked at her, though the seriousness was easily showing in his dark brown eyes. When she kissed him, he put his hand behind her head to pull her closer, so he could deepen the kiss more a moment, filling it with a promise of what was waiting for her should she return. Then he stepped back again, a soft smile on his lips. "Fare thee well, Alaska and may the wind blow you to my doorstep again in the future."

[Alaska Gamp]

He was nice and charming. He seemed to really care for her. Yet his words made her shiver again. She knew there was some seriousness in them and it made her feel uneasy. Alaska was used to be free. Today, out of her own stupidity, she basicaly promised herself to a person, who was definitely not a good guy at all. But it was too late to change that. She leaned into the kiss more as he made her to, enjoying it. His lips tasted differently, than lips of others. And she liked it. A lot. As she was leaving with a smile, she gently touched her lips with her fingers, remembering his lips at hers.

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