How to Save a Life

[Luxanna Viera]

She didn't know what chain of events had lead her here this evening, though, at this point, she wasn't even sure it mattered. She was sitting in one of those small alleyways outside one of the clubs, holding a small paper box in her hand. She could feel that the cold and damp weather had gotten into the box and soaked it. That wasn't the worst part, though. The worst of it all was the small shrieks she could barely hear coming from inside the box - the noise was almost dulled through the blasting music coming up and down the street.

She had already opened the box; it contained two kittens, clearly abandoned. Barely a few days old, if she had to guess. Right in that moment, the brunette felt both utterly hopeless and enraged; who could possibly leave something so fragile and dependent out on their own? 

She held the box tightly to her chest, refusing to move. She knew that she had to, of course. She had to get the poor things to the animal shelter or to someone who knew what they were doing. But right in this moment, she just wanted to sink into that bottomless hole of hopelessness.

She knew the feeling all too well. She saw so much of her past self in these small kittens, having barely started the journey of life and already having such a rough start. "It's okay," she whispered through clenched teeth. "It's all going to be okay."

[Cole Ballard]

The club district, on any given day, was such an easy place to find Cole. Recent events had taught him just how to drown out any and all given sorrows or despair with the bottom of a bottle or two. Who liked to feel sorry for themselves? Not a lot of people. Actually, probably no one. Only a few drinks in and he was already leaving one place for another, but the departure wasn't one of his own accord. Getting kicked out of a place wasn't exactly a stretch to normal behaviour, either.

Rather than letting a wave of slurs or swears hit the cool, cool air, he just laughed. There was a kind of exhilaration in the adrenaline that came with pissing someone off that much.

With an unlit cigarette pressed between his lips, a dropped laugh from the base of his throat was right around the time where he wandered past an alleyway. A bare glance down the thing - for no real reason in particular - and there he saw a girl, sitting on her own. In any instance, that wasn't exactly a good sight. It might have been an easy thought to leave her there on her own, but knowing himself, he was taking steps in that direction without much hesitation.

"Oi," He called out with a small tilt of his chin upwards, "What you doing? You okay?"

[Luxanna Viera]

There was a voice, and unfamiliar one which caused the brunette to hug the box tighter to her body, as if fearing that whoever the voice belonged to, would snatch the life in her hands away.

Still, the brunette turned her head over her shoulder, green eyes looking at the unfamiliar face standing before her. "I'm fine," she croaked, though her voice indicated anything but. She then rose so that she could turn towards the boy, the box firmly placed between her hands and her stomach.

"I found them here. All alone," she explained, because somehow she felt that she had to. Otherwise the boy might think she was crazy, or worse, call the cops. She looked down into the box, watching the small animals as they dragged themselves around. 

They hadn't even learned to walk yet. From what she could see, they'd barely started opening their eyes too. "Someone..." she continued, her voice breaking off. She couldn't even say it. Who could possibly be this cruel?

[Cole Ballard]

Immediately, Cole wanted to laugh, because whoeever she was she didn't sound fine. He caught a bare glimpse of bright green eyes that seemed to work to take him in; he could be anyone, so that was fair. Especially in a place like this, at a time like this. But she didn't seem anxious about that as she dragged herself to her feet, clutching a box to her chest like anyone might try to steal it. Like it could be so precious.

Them, she said, like they were talking about physical life. Stepping up towards her instinctively, he leaned over a fraction to catch sight of what she was talking about. Very suddenly, the entire situation made a lot more sense. And she seemed devastated.

"It's alright," He tried, shrugging his shoulders with another blatant stare at her expression, "Just take them home. They're not so hard to raise."

[Luxanna Viera]

The moment the boy stepped closer, Luxanna could feel her grasp around the cardboard box tighten. It was instinct, if nothing else. She didn't honestly, nor truly believe the guy would take the box away from her. After all, she still believed in the best in people, even given the circumstances.

And he made it sound so easy. And she didn't know a single thing about raising kittens. "But..." she began as she looked down at the box, watching the kittens slowly move their fragile bodies around, yelping. "How would I feed them? Don't they need milk?"

She looked up again, uncertainty coloring her features. "Wouldn't the animal shelter be a better option?"

[Cole Ballard]

Cole immediately shrugged. On a base level, he had no information on how to deal with little animals. He'd never tried; never had a chance, and never tried for one at all. He would have preferred the ability to help, but surely there were better people to discuss life with than himself.

"Never had pets." He replied honestly. Was that weird? He didn't think it was so weird.

That didn't totally have to matter either. He raised a hand idly, fingertips brushing the open line of the box in her arms. And he leaned in a fraction like he was daring to peer inside. "I mean I guess you could, though. Are they still open?" It was late. Ish. He didn't wait for her to answer; "But doesn't google like, tell you everything you need to know about helping little fella's like that out?"

[Luxanna Viera]

She felt the hopelessness tug at her once more. He probably had as little clue as she did. Then, why would he claim that they were easy to raise? She looked at him then, trying to study his expression but he gave nothing away.

"I don't know," she replied truthfully. In fact, she was probably a lot more clueless than what she gave herself out to be. All she really knew was that she couldn't possibly leave these poor creatures here alone. Then her brows furrowed as she looked up at him once more, green eyes laced with confusion. "Google?" she asked, then a small tint of humor glinted in her eyes and she smiled.

Of all the days she could have found the kittens, it had to be on the one day she hadn't brought her phone with her. "You tell me," she attempted, though regretted putting him in that position. It was selfish of her to expect that he wanted to help.

[Cole Ballard]

There probably were places that would take the little kittens in as refuge this late at night. Unfortunately for her - and perhaps both of them, really - Cole had no idea if that was a thing or not. He had no idea if it was an option at all. He really doubted it was.

"Ain't it the answer for everything?" He asked with a laugh. Had he the real thought to reach for his phone, he probably would have. But clever enough banter between strangers held his attention perfectly on its own.

"Tell you what," He started, shifting a hand to rest it at the base of the box instead. She seemed so intent on holding onto it, so now wasn't the time to fight her, "I don't live that far from here. I'll take 'em off your hands and have a red hot crack at looking after them myself."

[Luxanna Viera]

"Depends on how you look at it," she replied in turn. She wasn't going to go on a ramble, telling him that it was quite the evasive answer. She figured he already knew and saw little point in reminding him.

Then there was a change in the air. He changed. Shifting form right in front of her eyes. At least, to Lux that was what was happening. From being a complete stranger, he seemingly saved the day with a short sentence and she suddenly felt a lot calmer than what she'd done before. "Really?" she stuttered in surprise.

She felt her hold on the box lighten. She could feel his weight underneath it, testing it to make sure the box wouldn't drop. Then she nodded. "O-okay," she beamed.

[Cole Ballard]

There was a sudden sense of calmness that seemed to overwash this girl. She sounded surprised. She practically fell over that little word, and to it Cole offered her a shrug of his shoulders and a raise of his eyebrows. In the end, really, why not?

Her hands were lighter around the box she held, and he took it as his cue to hold on a little harder. Both hands now, too; he could briefly forgo smoking the cigarette tucked behind his ear. He couldn't stop the way he smiled in her direction as she beamed towards him; for once, it was less snarky and sarcastic and more genuine. But she had no idea what tendencies he chose to carry. At least he looked genuine.

"You can always visit, if you want." He added then, hit voice carrying an equal sense of a nonchalant stance. She seemed to care a great deal for the lives she had just handed over, so it seemed only fair to offer her such a courtesy, "I reckon they'll be alright; I've got Google." And the rest he could surely figure out on his own.

[Luxanna Viera]

And then, at last, once she figured the boy had a good grasp on the box, the brunette let go. Perhaps it was naive of her to trust the lives of these kittens in the hands of a boy she'd only just met, but then again, what kind of people offered their help if they weren't going to go through with it?

"Really?" she asked, surprised. Perhaps that was proof enough. At least, that was what she decided it to be. He really did want to take care of these kittens. His next words though, washed all remains of sadness away from her face and it was replaced by a toothy grin and a chuckle pressing its way through her lips. "Thank goodness for that," she replied in turn.

"Are you sure though?" she asked abruptly. "I mean, I don't want you to feel forced," she continued, gesturing towards the box. She didn't want to burden him, nor trick him into doing something out of pity. "It's a lot to ask of a person I've only just met." She offered him an apologetic smile.

[Cole Ballard]

Cole wondered how hard it was for her to let that go. For someone so attached, it couldn't have been easy. She had seemed so upset and so distressed by the obvious course of events. Now, he was literally taking that off her hands.

Then she didn't look sad. And that was a good thing. Really, it was the only thing he could look forward to. As he glanced towards her, he couldn't help the smile on his face. She made things a little bit brighter just by looking a little bit brighter.

"I don't do much else with my days." He admitted honestly, but there was no ill feelings about the fact at all. It was simply that, a fact, and he lived with it however he could. There was no reason to wear any remorse for such a course of life. "Might as well father a couple'a kittens till someone's got the chance to look after them for good."

[Luxanna Viera]

In a way, it was refreshing to meet someone with such a, perhaps not bright, but a little more upbeat view on things. Lux was far too used to Jack's dramatic ways on, well, everything. It was a welcome change, it nothing else.

Peeking into the box then, the brunette scratched the head of one of the kittens. "Maybe you'll find yourself enjoying it," she suggested with a smile, green eyes watching the small animals. Well, what little she could see in the dim light, anyways. "It's very honorable of you." She felt that was important to mention. Even as silly as it made her feel for saying it, it was still true nonetheless.

"Here," she said, reaching her hand down her pocket to fish up her phone. "Let me give you my number." She opened her text messages and patiently (and hopefully) waiting for him to give her his number so that she could send him a text to give him hers.

[Cole Ballard]

Cole exhaled a laugh at the idea that he might actually find great enjoyment in the company of so many minors. Animals, at that. And when she continued, she offered something he'd honestly never been associated with. He stared at her for a brief moment in silence to ensure he got the word right. Did she mean that? She had no idea.

"So noble, innit. I'm noble." He chided, the corner of his mouth threatening further amusement in the nature of his own grin.

When he glanced away from her face finally, he caught sight of the phone she held. She looked at him expectantly. Waiting for a series of numbers to pass between them. Instead, he balanced the box very delicately in one hand and took the technology from her palms. A few easy presses to a touch screen and it was sealed away.

"Tell you what," He continued on, flipping the device around and catching a very overexposed shot of himself on her phone. Closed eyes. Smile wide. He attached it to the number already placed down; "You call me one day instead. It's Cole."

[Luxanna Viera]

She caught the smile that seemed to color his face. For a moment, she felt confused until she finally gave into the same smile he now carried. "That you are," she mused.

However, the surprise was hers to claim when the phone was taken out of her hands and he started moving it around, then... Taking a picture of himself? Once again, her green eyes were colored with confusion. Never had she met someone quite so bold. It was...

Nice.

"O-okay," she blinked. She was intrigued now too. For how lucky she was, to have met someone with the ability to surprise her so. "I'll... Do that."