After the Storm

[Obelisk]

It hadn't taken Quinn long to fall asleep; Taxi's body pressed against his and the scent of that golden head of hair made for the perfect lullaby. The storm had waged outside and eventually wore itself out but Quinn wouldn't be aware of it's passing until dusk. It was then he awoke groggily, green eyes fluttering open to be greeted with the familiar sight of his room and the fast becoming familiar sight of Taxi. The man smiled and it grew into a grin before he leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss against the older vampire's face, atop his cheekbone. There was a look of affection on Quinn's face that he'd never let anyone see, not even Taxi. It was too telling, too.... embarrassing. His smile faded slightly as the insistent pangs of hunger ricocheted through his body.

That's right, it was about time he fed. Not wishing to wake the other, Quinn slipped out of the bed carefully and re-dressed himself into clean clothes. He left the room but not before throwing a look over his shoulder, green eyes lingering on the sleeping form of his lover. He smiled a secretive sort of smile -- enigmatic, cryptic, the meaning only clear to the owner of the gesture -- then left to find himself a meal.

It hadn't taken long, especially since Quinn wasn't the most choosey of diners. The dark-haired vampire had chosen to roost in the seedier part of the city, which meant there were plenty of society's unwanted to select from. In the end Quinn had chosen a thug who'd bumped into him and called him several not-so-nice names. The vampire dragged the guy into an alleyway, slaked his need for sustenance, then let the body fall limp to the wet asphalt. He licked at his bloodied lips before turning around and nonchalantly strolling away from the corpse and out into the streets.

Taxi was probably awake by then so the man decided to make a beeline for home, or whatever it was that he called the room above the theatre. A place to sleep and throw his shit. Whatever.

Quinn walked at a leisurely pace, hands tucked into his pants pockets as he meandered down the sidewalk. His thoughts were light and drifted from one thing to the next, never really settling on anything. In the wake of the storm and their conversation, Quinn was left feeling lighter, as if some unknown burden had been lifted from his shoulders. Whatever it was, he liked it. It made him.... content. He now had someone to confide in should his memories rear their collective ugly heads. After last night, Quinn felt that they wouldn't bother him for some time.

His head was lost in the clouds and he was almost surprised when he had arrived at the old theatre. It hadn't taken as long as he thought. He shook his head, messy brown locks swaying with the movement, and let out a small huff of laughter. He really should start paying closer attention to his surroundings.

Satiated and eager to see Taxi, Quinn made his way upstairs, the wood creaking beneath his feet, and opened the door to the room, eyes instantly searching for the German.

[KOCHI-KOCHI]

"For fucks sake, Fischer. Why are we still here." The lit cigarette bounced off the windows of the building before eventually landing in a puddle. It sizzled out, but the man didn't care. He had been the one to kick it off the five story building, afterall. An elbow casually rested on the butt of his rifle, leaning on it rather comfortably.

::Sighted possible target 10:11.::

"Come on, you stupid fuck, answer me." It was a joking voice, followed by an amused laugh. Afterall, they had been moving around his city for atleast twenty four hours. The men tended to get bored. It was all they could do to amuse themselves to have meaningly banter.


Yee-up. Taxi was a late riser. He always was, and always will be. So it wasn't any surprise for him to just be rolling out of the uncomfortable bed and sitting up cross legged, rubbing at his false eyes. Head lazily fell to the side, looking at where Quinn was- Had been. Whatever. It was the guys house, so, it wasn't as though he was avoiding him or running off again. And even if he did? His shit was here. Which Taxi would delight in rummaging through like the little snoop he was. No. Better not. Save that for later. Just relax for now. Enjoy the nice well rested feeling. Run your fingers through your messy hair, adjust your clothes wrinkled by the night.

::Alerted "The Boss" 10:16::

Fischer didn't respond. He couldn't stomach this. This moving from roof to roof, trying to find the son of their boss. This job was slowly killing him. It had only been two years of trailing this kid non-stop, but he already knew too much. It didn't seem to bother Köhler. But every day seemed to take a year off of his life.

::Possible Target Confirmed 10:18::

"Fine, don't talk to me. I can talk to myself." Köhler mumbled, lighting up another cigarette. "It wasn't me who lost track on the kid." The man scoffed, walking to the edge of the roof and letting his toes hang just over the edge.

::Following Target 10:20::

"Shut up, just, shut up. I had no choice." They were on the move now, moving from building to building, silent as an owl. This was what their training was for. All the regretted was what it was used for. Hunting down this child, who wasn't actually a child at all.

::"Boss" Enroute 10:21::

"What'd he say, then? What'd the blonde brat say that made you turn tail, Fischer?" Köhler hadn't been on duty when he went missing the second time. The first time, the Boss hadn't found out. Things were different now.

Too bad he didn't have any time. The sound of Quinns footsteps coming up already had him excited. He probably just went out for a snack, but, he could have come back with a present or flowers. Or just himself, really. Anything was good. Taxi decided to strech himself out like a cat till then, pulling his arms away from his body and kicking his legs out till he was nicely woken up.

::Target arriving at Destination 10:25::

"It doesn't matter what he said to us. What matters now is finding him and making sure this situation never happens again." Because Köhler didn't know, he was new to the job. Fischer had seen it happen before, though. Too many times.

"Why, what'll happen?"

One mercenary gave the other a long look. Then the customary black helmet was placed over his head, the hard gaze broken by strong dark plastic. "Do you even have to ask?"



Nothing could really wake you up enough for what was coming, though.

::"Boss" arrived at Destination 10:27::



Just as Taxi finally got to see his lover reenter what had become more of a home to him then anywhere he had been in a long time, there was another set of footsteps. But not just one set of a footsteps. It sounded like a fucking army was crashing through the building. It was worse then that though, because they weren't just in the staircase. Before Taxi could even think, Oh shit, there were feet coming through the boarded up window.

The people were familiar. Horribly familiar. They were the mercenaries who were supposed to protect him. Except, he had of course shaken them off, and now, they were-






"Where's my Sohn."

The fathers accent was lighter than his sons, but it was strong nevertheless. Words did not only bite, but they tore up whoever heard them and spat them back out. The single sentence could have brought grown men to their knees quaking in fear with the power that came from those vocal chords, or the way the letter S was slightly drawn out. One did not want to be on the recieving end of this question.

But it was worse then the vengeance of his bodygaurds. They had been equipped in heavy gear and flooded the room with masterful precision. The men in black with vests, helmets, with padding and guns seemed to flood the room as the building, an unstoppable wave of force but seeming to touch nothing around them.

Something was far more frightening though. He stood in the doorway. An incredibly high class black suit and tie, charcoal hair slicked back wet. Eyes far less emerald than Quinns stared at him, though it was as though somebody had taken a blade and cut through the iris to reveal the darkness that lay behind. High eyebrows and cheekbones, and thin and long nose and lips were planted on a white as his teeth skin. A little red tongue, tipped in red and yellow flicked out of the not smiling mouth of Kefka Blackblood. He was not a happy man.

The son in question was frozen on the floor, eyes locked not on his father, but on the body of his lover. Two masked men were simply standing behind him. There were atleast six others in the room, a pair flanking Kefka, and another four poised to take Quinn down in a moments notice. There was only so much a vampire could do against brute strength.

One would hope it wouldn't come to violence, though, as it didn't seem as though it would end well. Not with Taxi only managing to quickly whisper out an apologetic, "I'm sorry-" to Quinn and the aura of utter scorn and danger that was seeping from every pore of Kefka.

[Obelisk]

He had thought that the night would go well. He had though that he'd return home to find Taxi happy to see him. He had thought that they'd spend the night together. He had thought that Taxi would make good on his promise of that "rain-check."

Things never went as planned, did they?

Quinn hadn't even been savvy to the fact he was being shadowed and now he was just flummoxed by the arrival of Kefka's army. There were too many of them, each dangerous and each, Quinn wagered, very practiced in the art of killing. Quinn was pissed but he wasn't stupid. There was nothing he could do without risking death and that just served to add fuel to the fire burning in his gut.

He looked to Taxi and wanted nothing more to go to his lover's side but he was all too aware of the four thugs waiting for the chance to bring him down. Goddamn it all. What the hell was going on?

It was the suit-clad man that gave answer to that burning question.

Son?

Quinn's eyes flicked to Kekfa and the realization hit. It was the man in the photo, the homophobic fuck of a father. The young vampire sneered, too enraged to be intimidated. He'd dealt with brain-washed nazi's before. Kefka may have been a scary, frightful bastard and his aura may have screamed power and danger -- but Quinn was not one easily shaken. He stared at the menacing dark figure, emerald green eyes alight with obvious anger.

What he wouldn't give to wring that man's neck, to tear out that serpent tongue. But, as said before, Quinn wasn't stupid.

Or maybe he was.

His streak of stubbornness reared its head and Quinn kept his eyes on Kefka, lips pulling back into an animalistic sneer.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" It was an empty threat -- there was nothing Quinn could do against such a large force but hell, he could at least make the bastard aware of just how he felt about the situation.

[KOCHI-KOCHI]

"I'm an incredibly fair man, Quinn." A thin brow arched on a perfectly smooth face. No expression was shown other than that single motion, which quickly fell down to its stoic normality. There was a complete lack of being able to tell what the man was thinking. This was probably for the best. A hand was waved towards Taxi, cold eyes never once moving from Quinn.

"Nehmen Sie ihn Heim. Verlassen Sie dann."

All at once the men moved, as it would seem they were all too happy to be out of there. It was actually rather spectacular if you took the time to appreciate it, they behaved as flock of birds flying in position or synchronized swimmers. These birds were hawks, though. And they swooped down to dig their claws into the blonde. Or rather, in a flurry of movement the blonde was thrown over one of the mens shoulders before being carried out. It was a stampede of feet and the sound of weaponry and armor smashing up against eachother nearly rivaled the sound of the storm from the night before. Even if Taxi did say anything, it would be lost in the action. And within seconds, the building was empty. Empty except for two, that was.

"I know you'd like to kill me." The business man spoke in a rather casual tone, as though this was an every day occurance. "Probably more then i'd like to even so much as hurt you." Only now did he so much as look around the room, eyes narrowing as he did. One couldn't be certain, but you could surely guess this was what disgust looked like on him.

Head slowly turned to return to the other, arms folding across his chest. And even with the vile words he spoke, his expression never changed, it stayed utterly flat, careless, completely apathetic.

"All is fair now, so come on, hit me, prove you're a man, you fairy fuck."

[Obelisk]

Anger boiled over into sheer, unadulterated rage as Taxi was stolen away from the building and from him. He felt belittled and pathetic due to the fact that there was nothing he could do. But what really pissed him off and I mean boiled his blood and twisted at his gut was the fact Kefka treated his son --Taxi-- like a fucking runaway dog -- a possession that had no rights or mind of his own.

Fuck that.

Kefka's calm, cool exterior was a direct opposite of Quinn's shaking with anger, grit teeth, and flashing green eyes. Oh it was very much possible that Quinn wanted to harm the other a vast more amount than Kefka could ever return. The dark-haired man had always had a horrible temper but there were only a handful of things that could really turn his anger into something dangerous.

One of them, the most prominent, was harming his family. And... in the light that his family had long since gone on to the next life, Taxi was all he had. And this bastard-fuck was trying to take that away from Quinn. There were no words to describe just how wronged the man truly felt-- and not only for his sake, but for Taxi's.

For a long while it appeared that Quinn was preparing to do just as Kefka had suggested, to throw himself at the other, ready to fight. But instead that sneer of his turned into a disgusted little smirk. Kefka may have found Quinn's living quarters gross but it was Kefka himself that sickened the younger man. Judgmental. Cruel. Controlling. Three things Quinn could not stomach.

" Trust me. I'd like -nothing- more than to beat your face in," Quinn began, words dripping with venom. " But you want that, don't you?" He questioned, eyes narrowing, and voice taking on a strange quality of calmness. " You want to get a rise out of me. That's how you get off, isn't it? Messing with people -- controlling them." The anger was back in his next words. " Ain't gonna fucking happen." Quinn spat out.

" I'll find him. I swear to god I will. And there's nothing you can do to stop me." There was a note of finality to Quinn's words and the man stood tall, looking like the soldier he once was some eighty odd years ago.

" Now get the fuck out of my way."

He looked Kefka directly in the eye and within Quinn's green gaze was defiance and the shadow of a challenge. If Kefka wanted to start a fight, so be it. Quinn would show him who was the better man.

[KOCHI-KOCHI]

The tiniest hint of a condemning smile broke its away into his facial features, just the most minute glimpse of teeth. The quietest little laugh, minor movement of the shoulders up and down. Everything was just so damned hidden, as though it wasn't even there. Lids closed in his amusement. This only lasted mere moments before that smile faded yet his eyes remained shut.

"You misunderstand me." A slight shrug. "I can't let you do that. He is a six hundred year old investment, and if I let him run around with ruffians that boy could end up dead." One blind step forward, the sound of his shoe hitting the floor was oddly loud. "It's not his fault. It's just... Good business."

Within that second, too rapid for Quinn to have any hope of stopping, he'd be knocked back by an elbow to the chest as reptilian eyes opened. It wasn't apparent on his son, but, with age came enormous strength, and even if the man who was trying to steal his son wouldn't land the first blow, Kefka had no intention of giving the same treatment. "I won't let you get your filthy fucking hands all over that boy and ruin him-" Another blow. A ridiculously powerful left fist, this one to the jaw. It was painfully obvious by just these two 'gentle taps' that the suited man could have obliterated Quinn with a single touch but chose instead not to.

"Besides, even if you did, even if I did give him to you, you couldn't keep him." Still his expression was utterly unchanged, unaffected. "Not only would he become horribly bored with you in mere days," An actual laugh now, a cruel little thing born of bitterness. "But you'd never be able to provide for him with your revolting little dwelling."


Quinn was more then correct as far as his speculations to the mans mind. Kefka was enjoying himself. "It's for the best, really."

[Obelisk]

Pain was something Quinn knew well. But this... this was more than he had experienced in a long time. He'd been wise enough to stay away anyone stronger, anyone who could do him harm for the better part of his life. Taxi, or the association with him, had brought the serpent-tongued bastard into his life -- had brought this hellish amount of power onto him.

Quinn didn't give a fuck.

He was on the ground now, clutching at his chest. Bones were broken, he knew that the instant he tried to move. And those lungs that he didn't need were pierced and bruised by the sheer force behind Kefka's elbow. Something wet rose up his through his throat and dribbled down the corner of his mouth. Blood. Some of it his, some of it from the meal he had stolen only moments earlier. One hit. One hit was enough to send him to the ground, crippled and broken.

That was nothing.

Quinn's face had been angled towards the ground, face obscured by his mess of hair as he crouched there, grasping at his the cloth that covered his chest. Kefka's harsh words burned in his ears and caused something to twist and knot inside Quinn. Kefka was probably right. Taxi was older and the man could have whatever or whoever he wanted. Despite what Quinn thought they had, the blonde could leave him once things no longer amused him or interested him.

He shifted, redistributing his weight, and those emerald green eyes of his flicked up to meet Kefka's through a curtain of bangs. Quinn's lips curled back into a snarl and his nose wrinkled, eyes narrowing.

" Like that fucking matters." With that raspy spoken statement, Quinn launched himself forward, fist pulled back and ready to strike at Kefka's face. He was likely to miss, he was likely to get his ass handed to him, but Quinn really didn't give a shit. Kefka had called him out. He wouldn't stop until he was forced to.

[KOCHI-KOCHI]

Kefka didn't move. The fist connected with his face. His expression didn't change. If one was listening, they could hear it, though. It was the sound of his nose cracking. Thick black coagulated blood leaked out slowly. He never took the time to wipe it away. Instead he utilized these seconds to grab Quinn by the throat, wrapping his fingers around. The digits were straining, holding themselves back from using crushing force.

"Was machst Du da für Scheiße? I'm bleeding."

Quinn was then hurled against the wall, Kefka taking the weight of his body and using it to throw the man with one arm. A white hand wiped the blood away, but there was still a smear of black on his hand. It would seem this tarnish to his skin brought emotion onto his face, and it was a none too happy snarl. He grabbed the fallen man by the ankle, dragging him out of the rubble that had become of the wall.

"I'm BLEEDING."

He stood with a foot placed squarely on his victims chest, staring out the window, as though he were deep in thought. Hands found themselves with fingers tapping along the other, arms crossed across his chest. A tongue snaked out of his maw, only causing him to scowl more.

"You know what disgusts me the most?" Didn't even bother to look at him. Too angry. But unable to express the emotion through his face well enough. "I can smell him on you. I can taste him on you." The foot pressed down on the already broken chest, digging his nails into his arm all the while.

In one concise motion he sat himself down on Quinns chest, feet placed on either side. He'd thwart any attempts to touch him with a punch to the jaw if it came to it, because he had something rather important to say. And the way he said it was with such revolt it sounded as though he was going to vomit any second. "And the worst of it is is that I can see him in your eyes. And I know, I just fucking know, when I go back and speak to him, he'll be the exact same. The little idiot will smell, taste, and be thinking of you." Teeth gritted and his tongue flicked in the air, looking down. It pained him to say this. It hurt him more than Quinns fists ever could.

"And I couldn't stand to have that near me." A hand swept through his hair, clutching at his scalp as he tried to chew through what he had to say. It was like walking on a bed of nails. "Take him. Take him for however long it takes for him to become bored, leave you, and forget about you, but I promise you, he will." Taxi's father stood, blood dripping from his hand.

Kefka stepped towards the door, back to Quinn. He did say one last thing though, which would crackle through the air. It was spoken without hate, or without any loathesome emotion to it. The man was speaking from whatever black little heart he had.

"I pity you. He can't love you. And he never will."

[Obelisk]

A wickedly pleased smile died on Quinn's lips when his throat was encircled within a vice-like grip. He was fortunate that he had no need to breath but despite that, Kefka's grip still hurt like hell. It was enough to tear out a muffled grunt from the younger vampire but the noise was stifled as Quinn was thrown into the wall. There was a thud then crack as his back met with the wall, and Quinn wasn't sure if the crack was made by his bones or the wall studs. Probably both.

He had no time to gather himself. Kefka was dragging him like a limp doll out from the wreckage. The pieces of shrapnel (sharp, angular pieces of wood) that dug into the flesh of Quinn's back scraped across the surface of the floor as he was dragged. He couldn't register anything but the pain -- which was tripled when Kefka sat on his broken chest-- for long moments.

Then Kefka's words clicked in his mind and Quinn did the only thing he could. He laughed. And the sound was choked, shattered, dark, and twisted. His laughter garbled as blood filled at the back of his throat, causing the younger man to sputter and cough. Red splattered and misted everywhere.

" You think you know your son so fucking well... You don't know anything." Quinn managed but his words were garbled and almost lost as he retched, blood trailing from his mouth and nostrils in small streams. Kefka was at the door but it still felt like he was perched atop his battered form.

Quinn had spoken the words but they had lacked something -- belief, perhaps. Kefka's words stung deep into the younger man and tainted his views of Taxi, extinguished his ridiculous hopes. The serpent had given his word, though, and Taxi would be his... at least for a while. That would have to be enough.

Though it sent a sharp pain ricocheting through his skull, Quinn turned his head towards the door. Through his blurred vision all he could make out was a black shape -- that of Taxi's father. A blackness that obscured any traces of light from the hallway. And that's what Kefka was. A shadow. A wraith.

" Bastard."

That too.

Quinn grimaced before slipping into unconsciousness. It was a fickle state, however, and he popped in and out of it as his body and mind fought for control.

[KOCHI-KOCHI]

Quinn would hear the roaring laughter of an intelligent madman as he fell out of consiousness. It was the sound of Kefka being incredibly pleased with himself. Why?

The older man was no fool. If you broke two people apart, they would just fight to be together. It had been his intention all along to give his son over to his lover, to force them together untill they couldn't stand the sight of one another. Throw in some seeds of ditrust to ensure success, or, failure, really. Taxi may have been a horrible actor, but Kefka, Kefka was marvelous at hiding any emotion and only revealing what he wanted to.

And this had gone wonderfully. He could hear it in Quinns voice, that wavering. That doubt. And the only thing he had to pay for all of this wonderful entertainment? A bloody nose. Oh, old boy, you've done it again. This control over people and being able to fuck with their feeble minds never stopped being fun. This called for celebration. Maybe he'd kill someone tonight. No, no, torture them. No, not just someone, someone young. Mm. That would hit the spot.

~~~

When Quinn eventually came to, he would find himself being shaken by a blonde rather violently and hear his name being shouted by a distraught man.

He had no idea what had happened. On the way back home, he was suddenly just, dropped. They evaporated back into the night too quickly for him to question one. So he ran back to Quinns, just as he had the night before, terrified out of his mind. He knew what his father did to people he didn't like. And it was his fault, it was always his fault, if he hadn't have gotten so attached Kefka wouldn't have cared.

So when he stumbled back into the room and saw Quinn laying there on the floor, covered in blood, only one thought was on his mind. He was dead. Dead for good. Kefka had somehow killed him. Wasn't breathing. There was no heartbeat. Not that there usually was, but, that thought didn't cross his mind at the moment. Quinn was fucking dead and it was all his fault. They always died. He hadn't even got to tell him.

[Obelisk]

Kefka's plan had worked and devastatingly well. The bonds that Taxi and Quinn had formed the earlier night had been tainted by the serpent's touch, at least on Quinn's part. The hope that had been kindled within Quinn, the one that whispered of love and something greater, now flickered, straining to survive. His semi-awake state had been haunted by that sinister laughter, though Quinn would never know where it had originated from.

It was the pain that came first. And it was the pain that forced him awake. He was moving. Why was he moving? Someone was shaking him. Who? A sudden jolt racketed through his body, fear that Kefka was back to finish the job. Out of sheer instinct, Quinn moved despite the aches and sharp pains that plagued his body.

Green eyes flew open and he threw a punch wildly, one that would connect with Taxi should the vampire not move away in time. It was only after his initial reaction that Quinn's hazed mind began to clear. The image of Kefka blurred and dissipated, and in its wake was Taxi.

Quinn blinked and swallowed, mind still scrambling to get a handle on everything.

Then, spoken tentatively, smooth voice heart-jerkingly, dry, hoarse and raspy --

"Taxi?"

[KOCHI-KOCHI]

Surprise wasn't the main expression on his face so much as confusion when he found himself recoiling in pain, looking down at his stomach. Huh? Dead men can't-

"Taxi?"

"QUINN!"

The hysterical blonde stared at Quinn, incredibly flustered, before irrationally hugging him and sobbing out a, "I thought you were dead, how are you alive, you were dead, and, he killed you, and, they just dropped me, and you were dead-" and then he felt something wet and sticky on his hands. Taxi pulled back, stumbling back as he saw the blood covering his white skin.

Dull green eyes moved from his hands to Quinn and back. They had fought, and Quinn WASN'T dead? Wasn't ripped limb from limb and left to die in the sun, or some other equally absurd thing? This wasn't right, what, what happened?

It didn't matter. This blood was on his hands, metaphorically and literally speaking. Quinn was hurt. He scrambled over, heart aching in empathy. Jesus christ, the man was all torn up. His back was utterly obliterated, and his chest was bruised to hell and he could tell nothing was where it should be.

Taxi was just glad he wasn't dead.

[Obelisk]

Taxi's frantic reaction jolted Quinn, causing the man to more quickly regain his wits. He had let Taxi hug him and winced at the gesture. His back hurt. Hell, everything hurt. Green eyes moved to watch the blonde. Taxi was returned to him just like Kefka had promised. Quinn released a shaky sigh and reached out to Taxi, weakly pulling him back into a loose hug.

At least... at least he had this.

There was so much going on within his mind at that moment. Kefka's words waged a war against Quinn's better senses and were winning. Taxi was here, but for how long? The earlier thoughts he had about Taxi's past lovers returned in full force. How many had there been? How many had Taxi left? How many had Kefka killed. Soon enough Quinn would be part of their ranks, forgotten and dismissed. He should be angry but he couldn't bring himself to. There was too much bittersweet relief now that Taxi was back in his arms.

His cheek came to rest on the German's shoulder and he breathed out again. His vision blurred. His grip fisted at the cloth at Taxi's back. Something hot and wet coursed down his face.

What?

He was crying. Why? Why was he crying? It wasn't the relief... then what? Quinn didn't understand but he couldn't stop them, the tears. He grit his teeth, jaw tightening.

" You're okay."

A pause.

" I'm okay."

But nothing really was "okay."

[KOCHI-KOCHI]

It was too much. Despite being frantic, he hadn't cried, as he had been too busy panicking. But when he was pulled back into the hug and felt the tug on his back, and then saw Quinn, Quinn who was an emotional rock. The man who he had only seen really express anger and lust. This man, who he had become unhealthily fond of, was crying. This was just wrong, wrong, so wrong, he wasn't supposed to do that, whatever his father had done to him had been more then just physical.

One couldn't tell exactly why the german was crying, but you could guess it was from the sorrow of seeing his lover in this state. A hand laid on Quinns head, stroking his hair while the other placed itself gently on his shoulder.

" You're okay."


" I'm okay."

Taxi pulled back once more, voice quaking. He took the others face in his hands, wiping away the tears hurriedly, "N-no, Quinn, you're not ok, you big lug," A wholehearted smile, brushing some hair away, "You're all bloody, and, and-" but he wasn't able to keep up the smile for more then a moment before breaking down to a pitiful expression. This, this all felt so human, this rampant emotion. This sorrow and this sympathy, god, he just wanted to hold Quinn and never let him go. There was no way Taxi was going to ask him to tell him what happened though, if he wanted to talk about it, he would.

"J-Just let, me help you, ok?" The words were mumbled by tears of concern. What help you meant probably meant to clean him up, but, one could never be too sure what other implications it had.

[Obelisk]

It wasn't as if he was sobbing, no. Quinn made no sounds and his body didn't shake with sobs. The only indication was the tears, ones that steadily fell from his open gaze, one that didn't blink, not even to banish them away. Later Quinn would hate himself. He'd consider this breakdown as pathetic and disgusting. For now though, he had only the presence of mind to hold onto Taxi.

Quinn's half-lidded gaze was far gone, the brilliant green of his irises now somehow mute. He gave the other no recognition and stared blankly through him as Taxi cradled his face. Those touches, no matter how soft and kind, burned rather than soothed.

Were these just empty gestures?

Why, yes, of course. What did you expect? Said a voice within his head that sounded disturbingly like Kefka.

Taxi's question drew a flicker of recognition out from within the vapid depths of Quinn's eyes. He shivered lightly and brows knitting as he clenched his eyes shut. The tears stopped as simple as that.

"Okay." Quinn stated simply, opening his eyes to regard Taxi with that one-thousand-mile-long stare. " Whatever you want." He offered a weak smile. "Right, Taxi?" His mind wasn't in the right place and probably wouldn't be for quite some time, not until he began to heal.