Neither Friend Nor Foe

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina sighed as she made her way down past all of her old favorite haunts. She held no fears for being out alone at night anymore as she was incredibly well trained. She wasn't stupid and she wasn't about to go out looking for a fight to start either, but she also knew her own body and it's limits. The AMA was of little concern to her, as it was her employer that the organization was after. The only time she bothered to care about them was when she was being paid to... which was a good chunk out of most of her days, but still.

    Selina paused as she heard something that sounded like blows being exchanged. Ever since she'd found Nico crumpled on the concrete... Selina cursed herself silently for bothering to check it out, but if it was a friend who'd ad a run-in with violent locals or- Or a fully grown man who looked rather worse for wear. Selina sighed, almost turning and walking away immediately. His problems were not hers. She wasn't some charitable soul who gave a damn about anybody outside of her own small circle of friends and family.

    As far as she was concerned, he could get the shit beaten out of him, and she wouldn't be the slightest bit concerned or feel the smallest tinge of guilt. She would call the cops, but he was as likely to get shot by a cop as he was to be helped by them, so she didn't bother. Perhaps an ambulance would be more useful? No, she seriously did not give a damn about him... so why was she glancing back over her shoulder and stopping when she heard what sounded like a particularly nasty hit? 

Gabriel King

[Gabriel King]

Sometimes Gabe needed to fight. But sometimes he needed to lose. And he had a strict honor code as to when either option was appropriate. He wasn't a bad fighter. Strictly speaking, transforming into a large leopard and tearing out the throat's of his enemies made him a rather great fighter, but one against six in human form was a little more difficult. And he couldn't allow himself to transform; it would be cheating, and he had his code. So this was a loss. Though that wasn't to say he wouldn't go down trying.

His attention was distracted for a brief second by another appearance, and Gabe had to stop a groan. One against seven was unnecessary; rude, really. But as quickly as the presence appeared she disappeared, and Gabriel's distraction was rewarded with a particularly hard blow to his stomach. He dropped to the ground with a grunt, and would have cursed if he could. Giving up ground was a sign of defeat, and even if he'd logically known he couldn't have won, his pride bit him.

Sensing his defeat, the group aimed their last kicks before wandering off, probably to the bar he'd originally driven them from, he noted with disdain. Once he'd caught his breath Gabe finally managed to sit up, clicking his tongue in annoyance. He turned around slowly, still on the ground to investigate the presence that had so dramatically distracted him. "You looking for a good hit too?"

Selina Taylor

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina almost winced at his question, guilt flooding her for a brief instance... but why should she feel anything at all? He was a complete stranger, and for all she knew, he'd been asking for it. She wasn't a goddamn vigilante or street fighter or whatever else. However, her typically harsh expression was softer than normal when she shook her head, "No," she replied simply. She wasn't about to apologize for not helping though.

    Selina remained where she was however, some small amount of empathy that she thought she'd crushed years ago flickering to life within her. She slowly knelt down next to him, making her movements as non-threatening as possible. She had picked up some medical tips from Spencer over the years, at least enough to be able to roughly assess whether or not a person needed immediate medical attention, though this man seemed fine for the moment. "Those guys bearing a grudge?" she asked, her tone apathetic but... she was still here.  
 
    She studied him for a brief instant, her apathy temporarily outweighed by curiosity, "You look like you'll survive," she offered wryly. Besides, as hard as those guys were hitting, none of them were trained, that much she could tell from first glance. If they had been... she might not have left Gabe to fend for himself. 

[Gabriel King]

He accepted the good news with a weary two-finger salute. He'd done very little actual fighting that evening, but even the prospect of raising his fists again was an unattractive one.

His eyes began flicking rapidly from her face to his surroundings, calculating a viable escape route as she knelt. He wouldn't have guessed her to be the first-aid giving type, and her sudden presence made him nervous. "Against mutants maybe, not me. Probably because I decided to take on six of them at once. My bad." Though he probably should have been thoroughly chastised by the ordeal, anything other than bemusement was beyond him.

"That your expert opinion?" He asked, drawing his knee to his chest with a wince. Gabe's smile was self-deprecating as his minds-eye played over the events of the tousle. The worst thing was, he wasn't sure if he could have won even if he wasn't holding back. Yet despite the obvious beating he was taking, his new companion hadn't felt the need to step in, and he doubted it was because she was averse to violence. Just as a wry guess. "Is this your charitable spirit shining through?"

@tag

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina laughed when he mentioned taking on six of them at once, "And why were you so interested in the getting the shit beat out of you?" she asked in amusement. "You happen to be a masochist? Or have delusions of grandeur? Even we mutants have limits." she really shouldn't be taking this so lightly, but at the same time... he seemed to be. Why did she actually want to help him? Probably because he seemed half-way decent. She doubted those guys were knight in shining armor out to defend some maidens virtue... the image almost made her laugh, but she didn't.

    Selina smirked at his question and nodded, "It is. I could also call an ambulance here if you think you'll need it," she offered, somewhat seriously. "Just in case my expertise isn't convincing you." She couldn't help it. "Charitable? Hardly," she replied easily before glancing away. Shit. She only had to protect the people she was paid to protect... so why was she feeling guilt now? Nico's face flashed through her mind's eye and she almost felt nauseous. She'd had the chance to prevent this from going as far as it had... and she'd done nothing this time as well. Self-hatred like she hadn't known in years threatened to momentarily overtake her before she swallowed it down. Apologies would do nothing for him now.

    "I... tend to assume the worst about men, so I don't often go out of my way to help them," she admitted haltingly. She then looked up at him, meeting his gaze, "I don't expect forgiveness, but for what it's worth... I made a mistake in not helping you sooner. I can't exactly make up for it, but I can buy you a drink, or take you to the hospital."

[Gabriel King]

The answer seemed so obvious that Gabriel was left speechless for a moment. Finally he shrugged, smirking mirthlessly. "If I can help, why shouldn't I? Better me than someone else." The noise the six had been stirring up would have led to trouble sooner or later, he'd just chosen to intercept their mutant-hating hides sooner, before someone else could have gotten involved. It was because the logic seemed so natural to him that he was taking the situation so lightly. It was nothing out of the ordinary.

At the barest mention of an ambulance his lips curled back from his teeth in the beginnings of a snarl. "I can survive without the white coats poking at me with sticks, thanks," he replied dryly. He felt close to apologetic when the girl herself seemed so sincere. He couldn't understand exactly why she felt the need to apologize though, considering she had thrown no punches herself, and was even offering her help. Though the night hadn't been one for making sense.

"Fair enough." He could accept that easily enough, considering he was still in his twenties and already considered a murderer. There wasn't much innocence to defend. "You don't need forgiveness. For all you knew I deserved it," Gabriel replied confidently, allowing a real smile onto his face. He pushed himself to his feet, pressing a hand against his ribs as they protested. In his professional opinion, nothing felt broken. "My....abilities aren't really compatible with alcohol," he offered regretfully. "But how does an apology ice-cream sound?"

@tag

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina glanced at him in mild disbelief, say what now? "Ahh, so a masochist with delusions of grandeur... we call those martyrs," she offered wryly. Selina was never one for extending a helping hand without reason, as she was far too selfish to put herself in harms way for a stranger. She had her own issues to take care of without worrying about more than she had to. It was self-preservation at its simplest. Besides those men weren't likely to suddenly gain a conscience just because this man let them beat him up... though perhaps he protected someone else who might not have been able to handle it? She'd allow herself to be an optimist for the night.

    Selina was slightly surprised at his reaction to the mere mention of medical help, but she nodded and acquiesced easily enough. She could understand a distaste for doctors. "No hospital then," she agreed. She slowly looked him over, trying to assess whether or not he needed further helps, and half noticed that underneath the blood and grime... he was incredibly attractive, "You can just come over to my place later, and I can help you with dressing those injuries," she offered with a teasing smirk. Her offer was partially serious, as she would do what she could, but her intentions certainly weren't pure or innocent. 

    Selina chuckled when he mentioned deserving it, "Perhaps, but still... I'm afraid my cynicism has cost you," she admitted, a slightly sad smile on her face before it disappeared as if it had never been, watchful concern entering her eyes as he got up. She stood up as well after he seemed to be alright and grinned at the mention of food, "Ice cream?... That actually sounds really good," she admitted with a low laugh. "You got a place in mind?" she asked.

[Gabriel King]

He wouldn't typically define himself as a martyr. He certainly wasn't willing to die for strangers, and typically his self-preservation instincts were well aligned with Selina's own. There was something about an unwinnable fight that drew him in though, and made him want to try. "Then at least I'll go down the way all good martyrs should; repressed and in flames," he replied with a laugh.

Unlike Zoey, this girl that had swooped to his rescue didn't produce a magical medical kit from her clothes. He was surprised to realize he'd actually been expecting it. At least she seemed happy enough to forego the hospital trip. His night had been shitty enough without having a panic attack. Actually, compared to that the new turn on his evening was seeming particularly desirable. "I thought only kids liked to play 'Doctor' with each other," he purred in reply, head tilting in obvious interest.

Her apparent regret in not helping sooner was at odds with what he'd already constructed of her image. "So why didn't you help? Because I was a man?" It seemed fair to assume that if she knew she was going to regret it this much, she may have hesitated in walking away. "Hang around a little longer, you'll see I have many good ideas. Can't imagine many places are open right now." It was an after-thought to what had been a great idea. "Why aren't twenty-four hour ice-cream shops a thing?" He chewed on his lip thoughtfully for a moment. "Fast food sundae it is. Mcdonalds alright with you, or have you got somewhere better?"

@tag

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina laughed with him, before a playful smirk crossed her features, "Well, hopefully not too repressed," she offered in a slightly heated tone. If he'd taken the martyr bit seriously she probably would've run the other way for fear of being handed a pamphlet and hearing about some reason why she should be the same. Luckily, he seemed to have some sense of humor, and perhaps some common sense as well. 

    Selina's grin widened, almost predatorily so, at his interested response, "Hmm, I think you'll find the adult version far more interesting," her tone warm and sensual as her eyes flickered over his form, "I know I do." Selina could never really be accused of being shy, as when she saw what she wanted, she went after it. She definitely wanted him. 

    Selina then nodded easily at his guess, "That, and because none of those men were trained, at least half were drunk off their ass, and you weren't in danger of being killed... except for by accident," she assessed easily. "If those men had intended to do more than get out their testosteronal aggression, I wouldn't have left... well, I might've, but I would've at least called the police or something," she added with an honest shrug.

    She certainly wasn't going to go into why her sudden sense of regret was so potent. Nico had been one of her closest friends for over the past three years, but recently, she hadn't heard a word. The fact that she'd found him in an even worse state than Gabe due to the same type of violence from those who hated mutants, added on top of her recent worry and fear that something could have happened again and that this time he hadn't survived had her on edge to say the least.

    She blinked away her depressing thoughts and focused on Gabriel once more, "They damn well should be," she agreed with a slightly forced laugh, but it was a laugh nonetheless. She wasn't one to get emotional around strangers. "McDonald's it is, and trust me, if I knew of someplace else, I would've mentioned it," she offered with a wry grin.

[Gabriel King]

A little surprised by the teasing, Gabriel grinned and shot her a wink. He was clearly interested in Selina's proposal, which was so unlike him that he was struck with surprise. Perhaps it had just been that kind of night. He didn't even know this girl's name and he was considering a less-than-romantic tryst with her. Well, life was there for the living.

Gabe licked his lips hungrily, tilting his head in a natural, predatory fashion. "I think any kind of playing with you would be interesting," he replied casually, sneaking the stranger another teasing glance. "But before I'm accused of being something rather unsavory, which I assure you I typically am in all scenarios but this one, may I ask your name, Temptress?"

Gabriel noticed when she obviously dismissed his question, but didn't push the issue. There were some things you simply didn't discuss with strangers.
He adopted a thoughtful pout, the false gravity of the situation actually making him give the notion considerable attention. "Perhaps that's what I'll do after college," he decided, snapping his fingers with finality. A twenty-four hour ice-cream shop sounded fun, if a little crazy. A lot like this girl was shaping up to be.

"I would hope so," he enthused, stuffing his hands into his jean pockets. "Maccas is great for 1am snack runs. But an 11 o'clock pick-me-up after a bar fight? Isn't that an event that just screams 'quality'?" Chuckling he meandered out of the small street, lifting his nose to the wind. Technically he knew the general direction of the nearest fast-food stop, but he'd grown accustomed to trusting his keen nose, and not even the stink of a bar could hide the salty scent of Mcdonald's chips.

@tag

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina smirked at his response, a familiar warmth in her lower abdomen flaring, “Come back to my place, and you can play with me all you like,” she replied easily, her tone low and sultry. Selina let out a soft huff of amusement at the moniker of Temptress though, “My name’s Selina, and yours?” she asked in turn. He was definitely turning out to be interesting and she was happy she hadn’t left… even if she wished she’d stayed in the first place. But what was past was past, and there wasn’t much she could do regarding it, better to focus on the present… which wasn’t difficult. He was very easy on the eyes.

    Selina then smiled, “Well, let me know how that goes… I might even drop by now and again and offer a helping hand,” she offered with a lazy grin. Sex in an ice cream shop… stranger things had happened. Besides, eating out could be such fun with the right partner.

    Selina chuckled as she followed him and watched in curiosity as he seemed to be sniffing for something… she figured it must be a part of his mutation. “Maccas?” she asked, never having heard the term before. Since English was her second language to begin with and she’d grown up in Chile, she wasn’t overly familiar with anything outside of the American English she'd learned here in Kalispell and the British English she'd been taught growing up. Kalispell wasn’t exactly the most diverse place in the world, though it was quickly improving now that Bellefonte had been exposed.

[Gabriel King]

Gabriel knew that this flirting led to good things, very good things, and were to be replied with savvy, sensual comments. Unfortunately at Selina's words all his mind was capable of was a rendition of 'Barbie Girl'. The flaws of a feline's mind, apparently. "Sounds.....exciting," he managed around a wide grin.

With something he actually deemed important to focus on, Gabriel turned to her question. Dipping his head, he flicked two fingers to his forehead then down in a small bow. "Gabriel. A pleasure, Selina."

An after-hours ice-cream shop could definitely prove to be a lucrative business, though he was slightly worried he'd only draw in drunks and weird people. Not that he had any right to complain about either, considering business was business, and he didn't actually have a shop to begin with. "Perhaps I'll try making my own flavors. You can be my taste tester," he offered evilly. He wasn't the cook in the family. Actually, he'd once burned his kitchen down trying to do as much, and that had been when he was seven. Maybe he'd blow up a block this time.

"You know...Macdonalds," he clarified, gesturing with his hands. He often forgot that only Australian's enjoyed shortening their words in such a manner. "Old habits coming through, sorry. Tonight if I at all mention 'cracking a fat', you have permission to hit me. Preferably with something iron." He added with a laugh.

@tag

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina grinned at his name. “I certainly hope so,” she offered with a smirk. Pleasure was definitely in her plans, one way or another. Selina almost laughed at how quickly their encounter had turned… sex was quite the amazing distraction. Then, she’d always known that. It was partially why she was so familiar with it. Some part of her wanted him to hate her for leaving… at least a little, but she ignored it.

    “Looking forward to it,” she returned at his offer. “Twenty four hour access as well… I’ll make sure to come as often as I can,” she teased playfully. Selina breathed in the cold air with a half-smile, this night had ended up being far different from anything she could have really expected and she didn’t mind in the slightest.

    Selina nodded at his explanation, before glancing at him in brief confusion. She had no idea what ‘cracking a fat’ was but… “Depending on what that means, I might be perfectly ok with it,” she offered wryly. “But old habits? Mind if I ask where you’re from?” she wondered idly. She’d met many people during her stint at Kalispell, but the accent and phrases he used were different from most she’d met. She wasn’t a native herself, that was for damn sure, and sometimes she still felt like a fish out of water, but she’d adapted to Kalispell’s peculiarities quickly enough.