A peek into the past [tw/cw]

Margot couldn't help but crack a small smile at his comment about cockroaches. "You'd think they'd be good for something," she chuckled in a small scoff, shaking her head a little.
As he handed her the coins she frowned a little, mostly because it felt a little strange to carry cash once more, but she felt like she had reached a point of no return. He was providing her with a room, and even though it was just for the night, she felt like the gesture was already too much. She stuffed the coins in to her tote bag, making sure that it wouldn't sound too crazy when she started walking towards some vending machines outside the motel. Biting her lower lip, she decided to treat herself, buying some nuts and a couple of bottles of water. Once she returned she came back, he seemed to have figured everything out, and as she got handed the door key, she looked almost in awe at the small piece of plastic. His words made her turn her gaze back to the daemon, listening to what he said, and as he handed her the slip of paper with a number on it, she already knew what it meant before he said it. He turned around to leave and she looked down before speaking up. "You know I'll pay you back tenfolds," she yelled after him, gritting her teeth a little as she was going to make sure he could never hold something like that over her head. Why did she care? He was a practical stranger, and meeting him again in a city this large would be very unlikely.
She walked towards her room number, unlocking the door and stepping in to the decent sized room. Dropping her tote bag on one of the chairs, she locked the door before she started stripping down, tossing her clothes on the floor before going out to have a shower. The water felt good, and that was when she started to cry, letting all of her emotions out at once as she had been both scared and grateful for whatever the daemon had done for her tonight. She scrubbed herself clean with the shampoo provided by the motel, but it didn't matter, it was soap and she was finally feeling clean. Exiting the shower, she wrapped a towel around herself, walking out in to the room where she sat down on the bed, staring blankly in to the room. She had at least stopped crying now, but her eyes were still rather wet.
The next day she had managed to clean her clothes, having them dry overnight, and she felt relaxed. The only problem was the worry of having to go out of the room. It had been one night, and one night only, and while she knew this was the end of a good and safe night's sleep for a while, she also knew she couldn't stay. She had only a few coins left from what Ace had handed her, and she was sure that the receptionist wouldn't approve of those loose change. Once she had packed everything up, she went down to turn in her card key, feeling herself sulk a bit. Was she being ungrateful? However as the receptionist told her that a breakfast had been established with the diner across the road she nodded, but it was hard to hide how surprised she was. Dinner, a shower, a bed and now breakfast. She was being treated humanely, like she had a value, and it made her wonder.
Her weeks went on, sleeping on park benches and whenever she could, she would try and get in to the local shelters. However soon enough the rain started pouring, and after two nights of sleeping on the ground in the rain, she felt helpless. Walking to a payphone, she popped in some coins before pressing the number on the slip of paper she had been handed that day. "Hey it's Margot," she said, her teeth chattering from how cold she was. She probably looked like a drowned rat, but she just wanted to hear some encouraging words. "I haven't come across a goldmine yet, but I never really got to thank you for what you did," she said, knowing it wasn't really a thank you either. Breathing out, she shivered a bit. "And perhaps I'm stupid and desperate, but I kinda need to feel human again ... This time I'm willing to do whatever you want," she admitted, looking down as she felt ashamed of admitting it.

"I'll fucking count on it then," he said with a bright smile, mostly to sound encouraging rather than dismiss her. If she could find a way to pay him back, he wasnt going to discourage it. Unless it was prostitution, but he couldnt really tell a stranger what to do, even if he had bought her a meal and a place to sleep for the night. He hoped that she would keep the slip of paper, but he wasnt counting on it. With her package, he was wondering if she would even stay in the city or move on to someplace else.
He walked home where he sat down on his couch with a deep sigh. He was supposed to feel some sort of happy feeling, helping someone else like that was supposed to feel good right? But he didnt feel like he had done enough, he had given her a meal or two, but what would her future be like? Before he knew it, his mind had gotten stuck on a tangent as it ran through a list of different things that he could have done. But at the same time, when had he really cared for someone else like that? He was sure he would forget her in a day or two. It was only that he didnt.
Next day, going to the same bar with his friends once again, it was like he was just there to wait for her to suddenly appear through the door. But she didnt. And that was a different feeling, a sucky one that wouldnt just leave. He thought about it everyday. If she was well, when the rain came, he hoped she was inside. He should have only known what she was going through. When he got her call, he frowned a little suspiously at the private number. He was used to getting those from contacts and anything work related, but he wasnt expecting a call at this time. He picked it up, only to be pleasantly surprised for just a second, then to worried as he could hear her clattering teeth.
He listened and let her speak before he made a deep sigh and rubbed his nosebridge for just a second. Then he got up and grabbed a blanket that hung on the back of his couch and his jacket on the way out. "Where are you? I'll come get you," he said as he closed his door with his foot, looking back as he made sure that it closed completely. He found his car and got in. When he got the address, he told her to sit tight, but also took a moment to realize that she probably hadnt done much else than that and now he felt dumb. He drove to her location and parked at the sidewalk before he got out of the car, letting the engine run. He nodded her over, before he went to the back to let her drop her stuff, "It's fine, I swear" he said in case she wondered if he disliked having her wet things in his trunk. He made sure she got in before he went back to the drivers seat, taking off his jacket to place on her. "When did you last eat?" he asked as he turned to observe the back as he reversed out into the lane again.

"I'm on the corner of fifth and sixth, the little gas station there," she explained, however she didn't know if he even knew where that was. She was still actively shaking, but mostly because the rain was dripping down her. Her clothes were soaked, and whatever she had in her tote bag was probably ruined by now. He told her to sit tight, and she felt a rush of emotions. Was he really coming to get her? And on the other hand, what would he demand in return? She didn't think about it, at least not too much and as the coins ran out she was left with the emptiness of the dial tone. She hung up the phone, trying to stand close to the wall as to not get rained on too heavily. Several cars drove by, some even stopped to hear if she was offering services, but she just shook her head and the car drove on. That was when she saw a car stop across the road, a guy getting out and letting the engine run. For a second she thought it was just some guy needing to run in for a pack of cigarettes, but as he nodded her over, she recognized the large figure. It was Ace. She hurried over to him, following him to the back of the car where she with a bit of hesitation dumped her tote bag. She then ran around to the side of the car, getting in at the front passenger's seat. The heat inside the car made her sigh, but what she hadn't expected was getting his jacket on her. It was warm, warmer than anything she had felt for days, and a faint smile crept upon her lips. His question made her look down. "Yesterday morning, so I'm fine, I just want to feel dry," she said. She wasn't going to be a bother, not take up too much of his time and money, but on the other hand, she was feeling her body slowly getting to react to its needs. She was hungry, tired and awfully wet, and truth be told she didn't know where to begin getting back to normal.
As the car started driving off, she leaned back in the seat, hugging his jacket closer around her as she closed her eyes, trying not to shiver too much. She sat in silence for a while, mostly because she didn't know what to say or do. She wanted to thank him, say how much this meant to her, but on the other hand she felt weak. She had asked for help from someone who really didn't need to be there for her. "Just one night," she mumbled to herself, reminding her that the favor of a stranger could cost her more than she was willing to give.

Margot didn't know how to take his words; Were they a scolding or were they just him trying to reason with himself? It wasn't like she had the money for much food anyways. Yesterday she had just been lucky to get an apple, and it had been something she savored. Fresh food was not an easy commodity to come by when you had no real money, and canned foods were the norm for her most days, if not she was dumpster diving. He showed her where to turn on the heating and she sighed as she felt her back and rear be heated up from underneath. At least it helped a lot with her not shaking as much. The rain outside seemed to be picking up, and she could feel the electricity in the air, making her know that it was going to thunder not long from now. Margot didn't mind the rain, but she was terrified of lightning and thunder, perhaps childish, but she hadn't had a caring parent teach her that it wasn't scary.
As they arrived at his place, she felt herself hesitate to get out, mostly because she was a little scared. She had never gone to anyone's place like this before, never really been invited in to another's home. Taking a deep breath she got out and followed him in silence, keeping her head down as to protect herself a little. Inside the place she looked around, and for others it might've seemed simple, but to her it looked like a kingdom. Did he really have money to pay for all of this and live alone? It baffled her, especially because she could remember the house she grew up in, no bigger than a shoebox and all of her family was crammed in to it. As he left her alone, she took off his jacket, walking over to one of the heaters to hang it up and dry it. She stood there for a while, closing her eyes as she felt the heat on her body, but she still needed to get rid of this soaked outfit. Taking a deep breath she pulled the oversized hoodie over her body, revealing an old and washed out white t-shirt underneath. She placed the hoodie over the heater as well as she got to taking off her pants. She was skinny, and clearly malnourished, but if you looked careful, you could see the beauty hiding underneath. Shivering she leaned down, removing her wet socks as well before sitting down on the carpet in front of the heater. Just closing her eyes and sitting there for a while as she listened to the rain outside. Her hair was still wet, and clearly a mess, but she couldn't care about that right now.
When Ace returned, she felt awfully aware of where he was in the room according to her own placement. Biting her lower lip, she felt hesitant to ask for more, but she really wanted to feel like herself again. "Do you have a pair of scissors I could borrow? I really need a hair cut, and this long hair is too much of a hassle," she asked, looking at him with curious eyes. Her arms were bruised, legs having a few cuts here and there, but nothing she couldn't handle. She got up, swallowing some spit as she felt a droplet of water run down her forehead. "I promise not to murder you?" she said in a lighter tone, trying to lighten the mood and maybe make him crack a smile. It was weird. She had missed him in a way, that stern face and broad shoulders did something to make her feel safe even if she should be scared.

He got back into a dry shirt, a black regular tee that was rather new so it did feel a little tight around his arms. He ran a hand through his hair and felt quite thankful that it hadnt gotten too wet, because that meant it would be a mess in a few minutes. He was awfully aware of how he looked most of the time. He returned to her and felt a little unsure where to place himself for a second, before he just sat down on the couch with a large thump. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes for a moment, drawing in a deep breath as he just kept thinking and thinking. It was moment like these were he wished that he wasnt as dumb as he believed himself to be.
Her question made him open his eyes as he looked at her, eyeing the bruises on her arms for just a second as he thought it through. "You wouldnt stand a chance," he chuckled. He could believe that she could do some serious damage with a scissor, but he was doubtful that he would let her kill him. He pushed himself up from the couch and went to fetch a scissor in the kitchen, looking at it before deciding that it might be too dull to cut hair. He opened a cabinet and pulled out a brand new pair of scissors, ripping the package apart before he turned around. "I dont have anything specifically for hair," he said before he went to the doorframe and leaned against it. He held out the scissors for her to come and take. "Dont leave hair all over the place, I swear I'll make you clean it right back up" he teased her lightly with a faint smile over his lips to soften up the otherwise stern and concerned expression he had had since he picked her up. "And dont expect me to be any use if you need help. I dont even fuck with my own hair," he added, shaking his head. If he had cut his own hair, he definitely thought less people would find him attractive.

Margot tried to subdue it, but a small chuckle escaped her lips as he said she wouldn't stand a chance. She knew that to be true, as most daemons had incredible strength, but she at least wanted to let him know that she hadn't called him to hurt him. As he went towards the kitchen, she stood for a bit, staring at the lightly decorated apartment. Or well, decorated was perhaps too much to call it as it was mostly just furniture that had actual use. She liked it though, it was simple and a lot of decoration might be a distraction from that simplicity. He came back, standing in the doorframe and handing her a scissor, shaking her head to let him know she wasn't expecting something fancy. It had been ages since she cut her hair, and it had gotten quite long. She took the scissor, looking at it for a while before looking at him. His words about not even touching his own hair made her chuckle. "I think it would look great with purple streaks in it," she added, mostly because it was one of the rare colors she saw. It was the color of safety, of love, at least to her. She sent him a brief smile before asking for directions for the bathroom, and as she got in, she closed the door after her. It took her a minute to decide what to do, but her thought was that the shorter she cut it, the longer she could wait with another haircut; so she got to chopping. It started out fairly uneven, but as she got a hang of it, it actually turned out pretty decent. Her dark hair reaching about the end of her earlobe, and still rather messy. However it was manageable if it was this short, and she wouldn't have to worry about someone grabbing her hair. Once she was done she gathered all the loose hair, throwing it in the trash can before cleaning off the scissor. She took one last glance in the mirror before exiting and reentering the living room. "Thanks, I really needed that," she said, sending him a more genuine smile. However now she was a little lost once more, because what was he actually thinking right now? Going out to the kitchen she placed the scissor by the sink before walking back. Her eyes fixated on an old guitar in the corner of the apartment, but she tried not to show it too much. "Do you play?" she asked, gesturing towards the guitar before sitting down in one of his chairs so she could face him.

His apartment wasnt really all that much to brag about. He wasnt really that keen on decorating so he had just picked something that he had seen from a magazine and let the people with the actual knowledge turn his home into something that looked like a home. He felt quite detached to it and thus didnt really spent a lot of time at home, which was probably wasnt that visible beside the fact that if you looked closer at some of the things on the shelves, it was all something that seemed either like it had been cleaned thoroughly or simply never used.
The comment about his hair made him hum as he thought about it. A little colour didnt seem too bad. He was frankly sick of how it was just always black on black, his hair and clothes. But at the same time, once he went out to try and find something that would lighten up and add some colour, he never knew what to pick. He showed her to the bathroom, leaving her once more to have her privacy as he went back to the livingroom. He felt her clothes that she had placed on the heater, frowning a little when he realized that it wouldnt just dry right away. She had really been out for that long in the rain? He turned up the heat just a little and then he returned to his place on the couch, pulling out his phone to read some work related messages.
He was still reading as she returned, turning his head a little with his eyes slow to follow. He looked up at her and raised his eyebrows a little at how short her hair suddenly was. "Wow," he said to voice his surprise, but it wasnt because he thought it was ugly, it was actually more the opposite. Her long hair could have been rather pretty if she hadnt been living on the streets. A compliment felt a little odd so he just gave her an approving nod. He had to finish reading the message so he looked back at his phone and leaned his head into his hand as his arm rested on the armrest. Her question made him lift his eyes and look at the guitar. "Not at all. Some lady said that it would make me look intellectual to have one, so I was like fuck it, just put it there," he answered before he made a pointing gesture in the direction of the guitar. "If you want, you can sit down and have a go at it. I have books and shit like videos that can teach you," he then said, looking at his phone once again to read where he left off.

Margot nodded at his words, sending him a brief smile before getting allowed to actually play it. She got up, moving over to the guitar, shaking her head a little at his suggestion. "I kinda know how to play," she admitted, touching the head of it lightly. It was a classical one, nylon strings it seemed and as she reached forward to grab it she simply sat down on the floor. Strumming it, she winced a little, mostly because it was out of tune. She could remember the notes in her head, and she managed to get it to sound decent once more. Playing around a bit she seemed to be stuck on a few set of notes, stringing together a calm melody.
As she started to play around a bit more she started to hum along, figuring out some words as she just went along. "Hold my head a little higher ... Can't you tell I love a liar? she song, her voice a little timid and worn from the cold weather she had been sleeping in, however it was clear she knew how to sing. She kept playing the guitar. I know what I look like to you ... I would say it's excessive or maybe damn impressive - I'll admit I'm confused," she sang, closing her eyes as she thought about her choices of words. "I've gotta remember, that I'm just a toy - 'Til you got my hopes up and now I'm annoyed," she sang, frowning at herself because she could feel like she was finally expressing some of her frustrations. "You thought you could charm me, and, damn it, you're right - So watch me fall for every damn stereotype," she sang, breathing out as she stopped playing.
Scoffing at herself she just held the guitar for a while, shaking her head at how she was acting. "You can't help it, this is just how we were taught to love," she sang silently, only stringing a couple of notes on the guitar. "Oh, there's a name for boys like you, and yet I feel lucky to hear all your lines - I hate that they shake me up every time," she sang before finally placing the guitar down. It was stupid. Why was she singing this shit? Was she really so stupid?

Maybe he had judged her too fast to assume that she wouldnt know how to play. He watched her go in the corner of his eye as he kept reading, frowning a little at her first strum. He knew nothing about guitars but he could tell that it wasnt supposed to sound like that. He kept reading his message while she did her thing. He would say that he was pretty hard to disturb once he got into his work mind but that was all about to be tested. She started playing and he realized he wasnt really reading anymore once she started singing. He kept looking at the screen but he was focused on her singing.
He didnt know if she was making it up or it was some song she had heard. He hadnt heard anything like it before, so it had to be something she was making up on her own. He dropped his phone quietly onto his lap and looked at her as she sang her song. He tilted his head a little and observed her. How she immersed herself in her own song, it was admirable to say the least. Her voice was also unique and quite pleasant to hear. It made him think all of a sudden; Why the fuck is she not profiting of it? He shook his head as she put the guitar down. "Wow, so.... You clearly know what the fuck you're doing. Why arent you singing at bars and other places for that kind of shit?" he asked a quite seriously in his tone. "You could be making some serious coin if you just went out and sang," he then added.

She felt a little frustrated, mostly because she felt so out of practice. But when Ace spoke, she was a little startled, mostly because she thought he had been deep in his phone, and as he started complimenting her she just shrugged. "Who would want an unkept homeless girl singing in their bar?" she said, swallowing as she looked down to pick at the skin around her thumb. Shaking her head she turned to look at him with a sad smile. "I could be bustling, but I have no papers that would allow it, and getting a fine would just make it harder for me to survive," she said, looking at the guitar. Her fingers were already itching to touch it once more, play it's soft nylon strings and finish whatever song she had started, but it felt like the world was against her. "And even if I got a job doing any of that, I have no experience, I have no instruments - Not even a single Unit to my name," she said, frowning as she looked at the guitar. She was independent, she had been that her whole life, but she was also a realist. She didn't believe she could strive for something better when the world around her would barely give her a break.
"Stripper or maybe some other sex work could be my way out," she said, getting up from the floor, placing the guitar back in its place, giving it one last look before turning to look at Ace. Her lower lip was shaking a little, but it was mostly because she reminded herself of what she had told him over the phone. "I," she said, trying to muster up some courage. "I meant what I said on the phone ... I'll do whatever you want," she said, clearly a little scared, but it didn't mean she would back down. Getting closer, she sat down next to Ace, her hand shaking a little as she placed it on his thigh. "I haven't been with a daemon before, but I can handle quite a lot," she said.

"You're pretty. They would only get more customers if you sang for them," he arged, but then she spoke of the papers and he could understand that a pretty face wouldnt get them handed to her just like that. She would have to have an address to even apply for the papers of allowance and even then, she would need a bank account and a bunch of other things. "You dont need experience to begin with. Just go out and sing," he then said, but there would have measures to be met before she could sing for money.
He watched her place the guitar back and didnt really comment on her words. But then she seemed to change and mentioned how she initially had asked for his help. He frowned and wasnt too happy about it, because he could see that she was pushing herself. He looked at her hand and then she spoke of being with him, which just made him shake his head as he grabbed her hand and pulled it off his thigh.
"Fuck no, not like this" he said in a calm manner before he got up and created a bit of a distance to her. He instead went to the windowsill and sat down on it, crossing his arms as he looked at her. "That's not why I took you in. I'm not going to fucking take advantage of a homeless girl who's got nothing else to give than her body. That's just fucked up," he then said with a disgusted expression on his face. It wasnt that he wouldnt have minded being with her because she was rather attractive. Just not like this.
He lifted his hands and rubbed his eyes, wondering if she had been thinking that he was just some pervert who was going to use her like that. "I want you to.... not do that again, it's just weird. I could feel you push yourself and I'm not into that," he clarified, when he looked a little concerned. Clearly he thought that she had tried something like this before, she had to if she was pushing herself like that.

She had expected him to just lean on to her, take her then and there, but as he removed her hand, she felt her heart stop beating for a good few seconds. Had she misread what he had been going for? She felt embarrassed, looking down as he went to the windowsill. It felt like being scolded, and who was he to judge what she did with her body? She had said what she was willing to do, and just because she was nervous didn't mean she was going to back down on her promise. Margot stood up, shaking her head as she started to pace a little. "I'm just nervous, alright, no-one has ever shown me kindness without wanting something in return, is it really so bad that I thought you were any different?" she asked, looking at him with a sad look in her eyes. She hadn't wanted to put him in a box, mostly because she had really enjoyed their interaction last time. But had she ruined it now? Would he kick her out for disregarding what his intentions had or hadn't been? Life had not been kind to her, she hadn't been dealt good things in her life, but she also knew that being a woman gave her an advantage. She folded her arms in front of herself, looking at him as her jaw tensed. "I've never done anything like this before, alright, I'm not a whore, I just ... Fuck I don't know how to thank you, I just wanted to do something that you might like ... Fuck I'm so stupid," she said, hissing the last part of her sentence to herself. Why was it so hard to just do the good and right thing in this world?
She started pacing again, shaking a little from her anger, but why was she even angry? Perhaps because it felt like he was rejecting her, looking down at her for doing what she had to do to survive. The only reason she had said what she had was because she didn't know how else to thank him. She didn't know the right way, because she had never been taught how. "If it's because of how I look, I get it, nobody wants to be having sex with a skeleton," she mumbled. Why was she turning it back on herself once more? Margot knew why. She felt inadequate, and if for some reason he had given in, made her feel something other than being scared or cold, she might find herself liking it. She was hungry for love, even if it was fake, and if she was truly going to start selling her body, she wanted the first costumer to be one she actually liked. "What can I do then? What do you want from me? Nobody just helps a stranger on the street and expects nothing in return," she argued, feeling her cheeks get hot from rage.

"Yes!" he answered her question rather aggressively with a shake of his head and his eyes narrowed a little. "Just because the rest of the world is filled with assholes and dickheads, doesnt mean that's what I want," he said, but maybe he was taking it a little too close to heart. He made a deep sigh and shook his head. He wanted to apologize, say that he was in the wrong for thinking that she would suddenly know who he was and what he wanted. Only that he wasnt really that good with apologies.
He watched her pace around, his stone cold expression mixing with something that might have been a little sad, but yet too proud to let more than just a pinch of his emotions show like that. He listened to her, and he believed her. "A simple thank you would suffice," he just said with a shrug. Was it hard to believe that he was simply enjoying her company and giving her something in return for that? Probably. Thinking of it, he did feel like most men would give him a bad look and shake their head at him.
She was pacing again and he didnt know if she was going to yell at him or cry. It seemed like he had been in the wrong to reject her and as she mumbled, he frowned a little. He couldnt tell what she wanted from him. Obviously she didnt want to be in debt to him, she wanted to be independent and not owe anyone anything. Had he ruined that for her? "Why cant I just be helping you because I like your laugh? Or the way you talk? Why does it always have to be give or be given something?" he asked, getting up from the windowsill before he moved closer to her. He towered over her, looking down at her. "Do you want me to be like the rest of them? To just take you and use you, and then throw you away like you're nothing?" he asked, grabbing her arm before he got a serious expression on his face. "Is that what you want?" he asked in all seriousness, demanding an answer. He shook his head when he realized that it wouldnt matter if she had said yes and let go of her, feeling angry at himself for being that way towards her. "I cant. I fucking cant, I dont do that kind of shit," he just said, rubbing his face with his hands. "If you want to fuck me, then become my girlfriend," he mumbled into his hands but as jokingly as it may have sounded, he was serious.

As he walked towards her, it was like she saw past the towering daemon, she didn't view him as worth more than her, but as he grabbed her she felt her heart stopping for a while once more. Did she really want him to be like the rest she had met? Did she actually want him to just take her and then leave her? Her lips separated as she wanted to reply to him, however her mind was busy looking in to his dark brown eyes. He let go of her, but she felt like she wanted him to grab her again. Hold her, touch her, make her feel like she wasn't just some lost girl. Standing for a while she watched him struggle with himself, seeing him rub his face as he was clearly distraught. One thing that stood out was his words about her becoming his girlfriend. Where did that come from? She looked at him, feeling speechless for a while before walking closer to him, grabbing his wrist to make him stop rubbing his face. "Hey ... Hey, I'm sorry, alright," she said softly, her eyes apologetic as she searched his. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she looked down to his chest. "All my life I've been on my own, I've never let anyone treat me with kindness because it would mean I would be in debt to that person," she said. Maybe explaining would make him see. But slowly she realized that words weren't working for her. She still held on to his wrist, not wanting to let go. In many ways she was much like a child, craving attention and affirmation, but she was also a grown woman with needs and a mind of her own.
"You wouldn't like me as a girlfriend," she finally said, looking back to his brown eyes if he was looking at her. "I'm unreliable, I tend to run away - Hell I'm terrible with my emotions, and if you want a decent conversation you're better off with talking to a wall," she scoffed, hating to describe herself that way, but to her it was true. She wasn't full of knowledge about history or politics. She didn't even know what people spoke about when they were sitting at the expensive cafes in Central. Her hand loosened a bit around his wrist, still not wanting to let go fully. Perhaps she was in denial, she couldn't see why anyone would want someone like her with the baggage she had.

It was quite upsetting to him and he wasnt sure why he wasnt able to keep his calm. Well he was a hothead, that was for sure, but this was just something different. He couldnt just yell at her for doing what she felt she needed to survive. He felt her grip around his wrists and he looked at her as he listened to her soft words. He listened to her explanation and he understood, being in debt for her was clearly a bigger deal than it was to him. He did notice how she was still holding onto his wrists, but he didnt really mind. After all it had been him mumbling shit about her being his girlfriend.
He was looking at her alright, listening to her list reasons why she wouldnt be good for him. He chuckled and shook his head. "It's alright. I was just saying, that that is what I would want if I wanted that from you," he said. He was sure that she was lying about herself anyway, she most definitely had some sort of opinion on all sorts of things.
He felt her loosen her grip and looked down at her hand before he looked up at her. "Do you want to hold hands?" he asked, tilting his head a little. He would do it if she wanted him to, maybe it would be a better start than what she had suggested on the couch.

She breathed out, feeling silly as he said it was just something he had slung out if he had wanted her. She felt herself stupid again, looking again at his chest and not really saying anything. Perhaps that was why she wanted to let go of him, then she could just get on with whatever stupid plans life had for her, but another part of her didn't want to. She had never been shown kindness like this before not even from her parents. Her jaw tensed as he asked if she wanted to hold his hand, opening her mouth to reply, but just then a lightning appeared outside the window and she ducked down, covering her ears as she closed her eyes tightly. The thunder roared outside, making her shake more violently than she had when she had been soaked. God she hated feeling like this; Showing her weakness off as if it was nothing, but truth was she couldn't hide it. She had managed to kneel down, still covering her ears as she tried to calm herself, but it seemed like the more she tried to relax, the more tense her body got. She started singing an old children song to herself, "Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree - Merry, merry king of the bush is he," she mumbled, not really singing, more just reciting to calm herself. "Laugh, Kookaburra! Laugh, Kookaburra! Gay your life must be," she mumbled as another lighting hit and thunder followed soon after. She started whimpering, shaking as she could feel the electricity come in from the outside. Margot truly felt like weak now, she had hoped that the thunder would've waited until they had gone to bed so he didn't have to see her like this. She was pathetic, crying now as she continued her song, but it just came out silently through her sobbing. "Cry, Kookaburra! Cry, kookaburra! Oh how life can be," she whimpered, pressing her palms against her ears to shield herself.

As the lightning struck, he didnt even flinch. He had never been scared of it, not even as a kid. In fact he had always been that weird kid that wanted to chase the lightning, running after it as if he would ever be able to catch it. So seeing her cower and duck, he looked down at her with a confused expression before he realized that she was scared. He swallowed hard, looking out the window as she started to recite what seemed to be a song. He felt a little awkward just standing there, so as she whimpered the last parts of her song, he lifted her up into his arms and held her close. "It's alright Margot. You're safe," he said calmly as he looked around for a bit before he went to the bedroom to place her in it. He grabbed his blanket and starting wrapping her up like a burrito, hoping that would help her. "It's just a little bit of thunder, it'll pass... It'll pass," he said, sitting by her side as he wasnt sure what he was supposed to do to comfort her.

He lifted her up, but she was much too scared to even feel any comfort in that. She was shaking as he placed her on the bed, the blanket being wrapped around her helped a little, but as he sat down beside her she just leaned against him. Closing her eyes she just sat there, leaning against him as she was still crying softly at the thunder still roaring outside. She hated thunder, she hated lightning, and the times she had been outside during this sort of weather she had felt like dying. "Hold me," she pleaded in a weak voice, hiding her face away in his chest as she started to lay down on the bed with him. She just laid there, shaking, her eyes closed as she waited for the storm to pass. Tyler had once been with her during a thunderstorm, and he had managed to keep her relatively calm just by holding her close, so she hoped it worked with Ace as well. If he did wrap his arms around her, she could feel herself relax more, however, she could not stop the tears from falling.
Of course Ace had been right, the thunderstorm passed soon enough, and as it stopped, she felt her body relax like before. But what she hadn't expected was how she had managed to wrap her arm around him, holding herself closer to him just to feel that he was actually there. Margot couldn't move, she didn't want to move. He had made her feel safe once more, and she felt like the more she tried to relieve herself from the debt she felt she was in, the more she started to owe him. "Thank you," she mumbled against his chest, frowning at herself. How pathetic didn't she look now in his eyes? She was homeless, willing to give her body away for a warm meal and now she had shown her worst fear. Part of her wanted to get up, run out of the apartment and never look back, but she also felt so comfortable right now. His embrace was so warm and protecting, his heart sounded so calming to her.
After laying there for a while, she pulled her face away from his chest, looking at him with her face filled with dried tears; or at least what remained on her face that wasn't rubbed off in his shirt. Looking at him, she found herself frowning, mostly because she needed to thank him more. Her hand moved from being wrapped around his torso, to touch his cheek gently. Her face moved carefully, her lips soft as she reached his. Holding her breath, she pressed their lips together, breathing out as she had kissed him. Still having her eyes closed from the kiss, she sighed softly. "Sorry," she said in a more timid voice.

It was good that she could direct him and tell him what she needed him to do, otherwise he would have just stayed by her side and not know what to do or how to react. He pulled her as close as she could get without him crushing her. The thunder was loud outside and he worried that it wouldnt pass anytime soon. But worrying wouldnt help anything in the moment, so as the blinks of light came and went, he warned her of the sounds and pressed her a little closer when the thundering sound made everything seem like it would shake.
Her mumble made him shake his head, running his hand down her back on the blanket. He didnt think she was pathetic, far from it. He was just worried that another lightening strike would come and make her cry again. Seeing her cry and whimper like this was making his heart hurt. He just ran his hand up and down her back in calm motions. When she looked at him, he looked down at her, lifting a hand to remove some of the wet stains from her cheeks. He made a deep sigh and felt her hand on his cheek. But he hadnt thought she would lean closer to him, and soon he felt her lips on his.
He was a little surprised at first but then he leaned a little into it as well before it ended. He opened his eyes and swallowed hard. "Dont apologize," he mumbled, a little flustered because he felt his heart in his throat. Was that weird? Was it even weirder that he liked it? Or wanted to lean in again?

The fact that he leaned in to the kiss made her heart flutter, and it made her want to prolong the kiss. However she also felt surprised by her own actions. She had never been the lovey-dovey type, and when it came to any sort of affection, she didn't want it. However his lips had felt like nothing she had ever tried before. Opening her eyes as he told her not to apologize, she shook her head. She shouldn't have kissed him, she knew that, but she had just wanted to do something to show that what he did hadn't gone unnoticed. "I shouldn't have," she argued, however she leaned in once more, pressing herself closer to him as she kissed his perfect lips once more. Her heart was beating out of her chest, but she needed to stay in this fantasy for a little longer. This was completely opposite from how she had acted in the living room. She was relaxed now, she felt safe and with it came how tender her kisses could truly be. Margot didn't know what love was, but she knew what lust was. She knew what attraction could do to people, and for now she told herself that this was just her body trying to make sense of being scared to now being safe. "I should stop," she mumbled against his lips, her breath hasty as she felt how she was starting to feel the need arise. It had been ages since she had done anything with a guy, but her body surely knew how to awaken what she knew from experience. "But I don't want to ... I'm sorry ... I just need you," she mumbled, kissing him once more. This was risky, but part of her also knew that Ace had meant what he had said in the living room about sex. She didn't know if a relationship could work out between a human and a daemon, and why was she even thinking in those lanes? Margot just wanted to be close to him, and if it didn't evolve going further than kissing, it would be fine as well. She just couldn't keep her lips off of him, her kisses moving down to his neck, suckling a bit at the soft spot where his pulse were.

Margot rarely got a moment to feel like a human with real emotions and needs, but right now she could help herself. His beg made her nod, continuing down to his neck as she sucked lightly on his skin. She wondered if it would leave a mark, or if it took more pressure to leave small bruises like that on daemon skin. To be honest, she also felt rather scared. Daemon or not, it was always scary to let people in, but she had to trust her instincts on this one. His reminding words made her smile against his neck, however she continued kissing it all over, making sure not to leave a spot uncared for. When he explained his limits she pulled away, looking at his face turned away. She couldn't accept that, so she placed a hand on his cheek, turning his face back to her. "You still think this is about paying off my debt, huh?" She asked point blank, mostly because there was no way in beating around the bush.
She sat up, removing the blanket from around her and taking his hand, guiding it to her slender frame. "It's alright if you think like that, but I don't, " she admitted, feeling his big hand on her hip. By the gods she felt so warm by his touch.
She rolled over, sitting on top of him with her knees beside his hips, looking down on him. "You don't have to love me ... You don't even have to see me after this ... But I can't explain in words how much I want to be with you right this moment," she said, moving her hands to grab her shirt and remove it. Her body was covered in scars and bruises, but none of that mattered right now. This was something primal in her, a need to feel loved and cared for, even if it wasn't real. "I know you can push me off if you don't want this ... But I'm not blind to attraction," she argued, leaning down to kiss his lips once more. Sighing softly against his lips, she just wanted him to be sure. She knew he meant what he had said, so why couldn't he just accept it. His words had been clear, and if he was willing to keep his promise, she would uphold her part of the bargain.

The eagerness spread as if it was traveling freely between them, and her breath haltered at the way her heart was beating so fast. His beg made her look in to his eyes, sadness rolling over hers shortly. "I can't promise you that," she whispered softly, mostly because she wouldn't know how she would react after they were done. She cupped his face, looking in to his eyes, searching for answers that were nowhere to be found. "But I'll try not to," she whispered, kissing his lips tenderly, this time with more meaning to it.
Sitting on top of him, she could feel her body react on its own, her hips moving softly against his groin, sighing against his lips as the feeling gave her so much relief. Her hands moved carefully, down over his chest until she reached the edge of his shirt. She herself was sitting in only her underwear and bra, so she felt it only fair to strip him down as well. Removing his shirt she saw the many tattoos he had, a few finders touching them carefully as she wondered if it hurt. However she felt a little too embarrassed to ask that, so instead she leaned down, placing a longing trail of kisses across his chest. "Do you have condoms?" she asked, looking up at him as she continued kissing his chest. She had no intentions of becoming pregnant, and she sure as hell was not spending money on birth control. Moving down, she kissing him along his sternum, down his stomach until she reached his stall damp jeans. Her eyes locked with his, wanting consent before she removed his pants, and if she did she would slowly unbutton them. Lining down the zipper, she could see what awaited her, a bulge with a small wet spot on the underwear, no doubt from where his precut had leaked. She bit her lower lips, mostly because she felt a little proud that she had managed to turn him on. Removing his pants completely, she just dropped them to the floor, watching his body in its entirety. He was build like a greek god, his thighs as muscly as the rest of him, and for a second she thought of her becoming strong as well. Her eyes looked towards him, a tenderness behind the brown before she placed a careful kiss on his thigh. She kept her eye contact with him, stopping if she did something he didn't like. She reached his underwear, she placed a kiss over the bulge, closing her eyes as she took in his scent. "Do you want me?" she asked softly, kissing his bulge again, but not being vulgar; Rather she seemed gentle and loving in the way she kissed him. Sure there was some eagerness to it, but it was more because he had seemed to flip a switch inside of her.