I am the Moon

[Cloud]

(-cont)

Grawh!
Such gentle words to a monster like he.
He couldn't destroy such a pretty little thing.

I must, he sighed inwardly, Or the General would have my rank removed and my weapons, my pride, crushed.

"No, I will do you no harm until you give me reason to do so," he muttured, keeping his gaze locked onto her as she took a step back. "If you do - well, I will not hesitate in my actions," he warned sternely, crossing his arms over his chest; one covered by a black sleeve, and, one bare.

Of course, it remained covered for a reason. His left arm was deeply scared from his encounter with a High Demon - the skin charred a sickly grey-ish colour in patterns, from his palm up to his shoulder. And that mark was spreading quickly as the Hunter's blood was poisoned.

Lowering his head with a coy, almost attractive smirk, Cloud chuckled lightly at her words. "Then you a not a human," he noted with an eyebrow raised - feeling his heart pound more forcefully against his ribcage. "Surely, but you are not something I have encountered before. I-," he hesitated, knowing it was foolish for someone of his expertise in the field to be left in the fog, "I do not know what you are."

Removing his glasses, as if to get a better look at her, the omnious green light shone almost dangerously around the pupil of his calm blue eyes. Thinking for a moment, he uncrossed his arms - laying down his various weapons with a reluctant expression. He didn't know what he was faced with, they were there for his own protection.

He then bowed his head lightly, turning both hands over for her to see - even if his left was still gloved.

"You confuse me," he whispered, frowning slightly as he touched a gentle hand to her neck - careful not to hurt her as he stroked her skin with her thumb - feeling for a pulse.

[Astrid Cersei]

Watching closely as weapons were laid down, Astrid felt strangely calm as he took a step toward her. Her heart was racing as fast as the falcon and hawk hearts that she also called her own. She was terrified, but not at the same time. When the man reached out his hand to brush her face, Astrid flinched. Memories of her past flooded her mind...

But this hand was gentle, curious, and smooth... every other man's hand that touched her face was harsh and abusive. A shaky breath slowed her heart just slightly, but she could still feel it pounding against her rib cage. "What do you want from me?" she asked, her voice not as strong as she would have liked.

Even in over eight-hundred years of life, Astrid still never trusted men, thanks to her awful father. But this one was just curious. Defensive, yes, but he also seemed confused by her and taken aback by the fact that he didn't know what she was. Was he someone that encountered beings often, but had really never met a Shape Shifter? No, that couldn't be right. But she wasn't about to just tell him what she was... it would feel to her like exposing herself, something she didn't want to do.

[Cloud]

Brows furrowed in a small confusion as he felt her flinch, Cloud remained silent as he took her pulse. As expected it was far exceeding that of a human. She was no demon, he could tell that much. There was no darkness in her that he could find easily, and because of that, he had no reason to hurt her.

Smiling slightly at her words, the Hunter shook his head - running gently, kind, fingers over her cheek. "My job is to know what you are," the blonde sighed softly, "And yet, I am lost..." He shifted slightly, resting his hands on either side of her face as he stared into her eyes - studying with his confusion. "Why do I not know what you are?" he whispered, more to himself than her.

Perhaps she would give him a hint if he showed her who he was.

With a calm gaze, he locked his gaze hers - poisoned eyes holding hers pretty orbs in a soft stare. "You can trust me... I promise, I will not hurt you," he muttured in a smooth tone.

[Astrid Cersei]

Even as he spoke of trust, Astrid began to shake a little more. His hands were gentle, but she didn't trust people so easily and his proximity wasn't helping her nerves. His eyes looked deep into hers, but she still felt her fear making her pulse race. He truly didn't know what she was, and she found that fascinating.

He was some type of hunter, but she thought they knew about all the races besides humans. Perhaps she had thought wrong all these years. As he studied her face-- hands still rested there-- Astrid stayed perfectly still (besides the shaking) so as to reduce any chance of him getting spooked and hurting her.

She didn't want to be injured, but she didn't want him to be so close either. It was an uncomfortable place for her to be. "Wh-what is your name?" she stammered, trying to get his attention away from figuring out what she was. Her eyes begged silently, please don't hurt me, but they were words she wouldn't say out loud. In the past, she had said them many times and they never amounted to anything, so she saw no reason to say them now.

The desire to spread wings and fly away was creeping into her mind, but she wouldn't because she knew he could attack her from a distance with the amount of weapons he had. Perhaps he would be kind enough to at least give her space... although she didn't see that as highly likely. You can trust me... I promise, I will not harm you...

His words hit her ears, but became dead once they registered. They meant nothing to her, for she couldn't trust him and saw no possibility of believing his words.

[Cloud]

"You really are scared of me, aren't you?" he whispered, shaking his head slightly and lowering his hands. He rose an eyebrow, reaching up to pull his glasses back over his eyes. The moonlight was hurting him, knowing that the time was best for his attacker to strike once more.

Moving back to his weapons, he crouched down, keeping a mental eye on the girl's whereabouts as he began re-adjusting and re-attaching his weapons. The swords, the knifes and the guns, everything needed to be perfect. Just on the off chance of getting himself attacked again.

"My name's Cloud," he responded, glancing up for a moment as he slung the largest of his swords over his shoulder and straightened up. "I don't ask for you to be scared of me. I ask for you to trust me. I do not work as my subordinate's do - I earned my rank for how I react, not for how many creatures I kill," he spoke sternly, thumbing in his pocket for a phone-like object.

He pressed his thumb to an orange button, listening to the small tone of confirmation with a smile. "My General requests to know when I work at dusk," he muttured quietly, a bitter tone in his voice, "Demons' tend to arrive around about now."

Glancing down the street, he focused his attention on the dark spot at the corner, "I would rather you trust me than hate me. I am not as human as you think, as I like to believe."

[Astrid Cersei]

Astrid listened to his words, but couldn't help but shake her head. "You don't know my life," she replied softly. "I am not one to trust." The words were sad, but a sort of longing was in them; she wished she could trust, but her mind and heart wouldn't let her do so.

"Well Cloud... it's nice to meet you," she said after a moment, realizing she'd skipped over his name when she had first responded. Her manners required her to be kind, but it was difficult to pay attention to anything but the massive weapons he carried. He was a hunter, just as she had suspected... she just didn't feel safe. She had been hunted before and, though she won, she didn't like the thought of being the hunted.

The demons had never bothered Astrid before-- perhaps it was her Faeire blood that kept them at bay, for there was a certain light to it that they shied away from most of the time-- but the thought still made her shudder. "How are you not human?" she asked, not bothering to glance around; her senses would keep her safe. "You seem mostly human... but there is something... missing, perhaps, is the word. Please tell me, what is different about you?"

Astrid knew that, in asking, she would most likely have to reply with what she was. Of course, unless he probed further, she could just stick with the answer of her being a Shape Shifter. He didn't have to know she was a skilled Shifter or that she had Faerie blood, for that was information that no one living knew.

[Cloud]

Cloud shook his head, chuckling lightly. "No, you're right, I do not know your life nor why you simply cannot trust me," he responded in a soft tone, "But you would do well to learn how to. Maybe in time, you will... but you seem almost disappointed that you do not."

Raising an eyebrow and turning his head to watch her, the Hunter groaned slightly as he racked his brains. It really was driving him insane. In the back of his mind, he knew he should be able to tell what she was - but she gave him a mixture of emotion, he just couldn't place why there were so many different signals. "Eh, you know you' rather not be here with me," he shrugged with a small smile.

Tensing slightly at the questions asked, the man ran an almost-stressed hand through his blonde spikes. "How am I not human?" he repeated, "How to explain..."

Moving close to her again, Cloud sighed apologetically - understanding by now that she did not want him so close. "When you look into my eyes, what else do you see?" he asked quietly, uncertain on how to show her what he was. "You sense something different, as do I about you," he whispered.

"We're not so different..."

[Astrid Cersei]

Again he took a step towards her, but she stayed where she was, challenging herself to do something different for once. His eyes... they seemed darkened somehow, but it was inexplicable. Astrid began to wonder what difference Cloud was able to detect if she could not detect his... what an odd situation!

"Your eyes are darkened. Human, but lost in some... blackness, as if it is there, hiding," she said tentatively, not really sure if he'd wanted her to answer or not. "Trying to get out, but not winning..." Astrid's voice trailed off because she didn't want to say "right now," since that would imply that she expected whatever it was to take over, when she didn't even know if she was right in the first place.

Thinking on his words, Astrid took a shaky breath and decided to reply with a little information. "My name..." her voice shook slightly as she spoke, but it was fair to give out the information, she thought. "I am... Lady Astrid Cersei. And you are right, I do wish to trust, but my heart does not allow me to... or perhaps it is my head." With a shrug, her speech was finished, no matter how short it was.

For Astrid, it was a great long speech and one she hadn't given in a great many years, especially to a man. She prayed to the sky and earth that her words did not backfire somehow and bring harm to her. All she wanted to do was live... maybe be happy someday. A sigh of longing escaped her lips and Astrid looked away; happiness was a dream.

[Cloud]

Listening to her explanation, the Hunter smiled slightly, nodding sadly. "Trying to take over," he corrected quietly. He sighed under his breath, deciding he should explain if he wanted any straight answers from her.

"Poisoned by the darkness... A little present from an old friend," he sneered quietly, glancing over towards the shadows once more. "And my reason to be all the more alert when it comes to my work," he muttered.

Removing the glove from hisi left hand, he held it out to her - palm down - highlighting the greyish burns and patterns over his pale skin. "A month ago, perhaps, I encountered a member of the Demon Court. Despite my best attempts, I failed to forfill my duty and ended up getting myself into deeper waters. This poison, it intoxicates my blood as we speak," he explained, his voice shaking slightly in annoyance at the memory.

"If I allow it to take over my body... I'll either become a member of darkness myself," he said quietly, bitterness to the idea, "Or... I'll fade."

A wide grin spread across his face as she spoke her name, Cloud rested his forehead gently against hers. "Well, Lady Cersei... You may trust me as much as you feel comfortable. But you know I trust you with this, and I still wonder what you are," he whispered softly - gazing down into her eyes with curiousity.

[Astrid Cersei]

Drawing another shaky breath, Astrid focused on keeping herself together. Never had anyone been so close to her without harming her. She was still shaking, something she couldn't stop at this point. Her heart would continue to race and she would keep shaking until she could calm down and actually breath.

The poison in Cloud made Astrid gasp and she nearly reached up her hand to touch it, but stopped herself. The darkness... he had been touched by a Demon and lived... he was stronger than he knew. There were very few who could fight that evil for as long as he had.

As his forehead rested against hers, Astrid's body tensed, but she stayed there and breathed. Her eyes closed for a couple excruciating moments, listening only to Cloud's questioning voice. Finally ready, Astrid looked up and tried to answer, finding her breath caught in her throat by meeting Cloud's gaze.

"I--I am..." Another breath to calm her. "A... Shape Shifter." There. That was most of what she was, so did he need to know everything? It was too difficult at the moment... even though Cloud had revealed himself to her, Astrid didn't go about flaunting the Faerie blood that made her a stronger Shape Shifter than most.

[Cloud]

Watching as she tried to meet his gaze, he dared not move away - eenchanted by the shine to her eyes. The light was so... so appealing, so beautiful. But it hurt; he felt dirty, cold, unwanted compared to the heart within her.

Maybe he really was turning into a monster.

"Shapeshifter?" he whispered softly, raising both eyebrows with a kind smile. "Perhaps, but there is something else..." he trailed off, distracted once again by her pretty orbs.

Cloud's breath shook slightly as he stared at her, dismissing his hunter gene almost immediately. What could he possibly do to a pretty thing such as this. "Lady Cersei, you seem so... so full of light... so entrancing..." he muttered, hardly stopping himself as he leant down to touch his lips against hers.

Such a beautiful cure to the darkness.

[Astrid Cersei]

He knew there was something more, which Astrid suddenly felt ready to tell him... but then he did what she feared he would do.

Without even thinking, Astrid's very molecules Shifted and she became a king cobra, coiled up in fear. Another second and her body was that of a beautiful golden hawk, her wings out in defense. Nothing like that ever happened to her before! It had been many years since fear took her over, but Astrid never thought her body would Shift without her will.

Shifting quickly back to her human form, Astrid Cersei looked up at Cloud from where she cowered on the ground, her eyes wide and terrified. Her lips were hot as they remembered the moment of the kiss before... well... the confusing seconds that had just passed.

"I... don't know what happened," she said, her voice shaking as tears filled her eyes. Flashes of her past shot before her eyes; her cruel father and his close friends, doing what they wanted with her; the cage she was kept in; the fear and hatred that simmered for many years... they were all quick flashes, but ones she didn't want to relive. It was disorienting, to say the least, but Astrid's eyes stayed locked on Cloud's as her past was lived again before her; for those moments, Cloud was her anchor to the world, but he was also the cause of the chaos laid out before her.

Tears streamed from her eyes, unbeknownst to her, as her eyes stared into Clouds, begging for help but also begging for space... an impossible contradiction.

[Cloud]

Yelling out in surprise as Astrid's form changed suddenly, Cloud jumped back - his hand reaching instinctively for the vicious sword at his back. That had been... unexpected to say the least. His breathing became heavy with apprehension and the expectation of being attacked as he gripped his blade tight.

And still, as he watched her cower on the ground, he couldn't bring himself to hurt her.

Swallowing slightly as he felt her gaze stare into his, the Hunter extended a hand slowly towards her. He wouldn't put her through that again, as much as he was drawn to her beauty. "I'm sorry.... the light," he whispered, holding his hand as steady as he could before her.

And he'd just told her to trust him.

[Astrid Cersei]

Lips still hot, Astrid tentatively took Cloud's hand. His excuse seemed somewhat fair, as she knew the same light had been in her mother's eyes before her. "Faerie blood..." she whispered, so soft she wasn't sure if she'd even said it audibly.

With her eyes still locked on Cloud, Astrid Cersei held tightly to his hand, clasping it as if it were her last thread to the world. The sword he had drawn had made everything that much more terrifying, but Astrid felt sure that he wouldn't use it on her. An inkling of trust, even after that terror?

The light in her eyes was intensified by her tears, but she didn't realize that. In fact, Astrid was focusing on Cloud's eyes, trying to find the evil in there she expected to see. Was it really just a... regular kiss? She bit her lip from apprehension, not sure what to say. Her affect had never been like that on anyone; why did he have to kiss her?

In some ways, Astrid would have much preferred him to stab her through the stomach... but no, she didn't want that really. Her shaking was the same as before, but Astrid's skin was now warmer, more like the heat of a bird rather than a human. Through all of this, she never let go of Cloud's hand.

[Cloud]

Meeting her gaze for a split second as she grasped his hand, the hunter turned his head away in shame - helping her to her feet but intending on letting her leave as soon as she could. It was obvious that she hadn't wanted him to touch her, any reaction bordering what she had just been through was a transparent enough sign for any fool.

But he hadn't been able to help himself. For that short amount of time, it hadn't mattered to him if she was his game, his prey for the night. It hadn't mattered that she would be means for payment once her body lay still on the sidewalk. All Cloud had seen was the beauty of the peace within her, something he desired deeply and knew he would never have.

There was some meaning behind her actions, though, he could tell. He, at least knew, with no self-headedness, that he wasn't that much of a mood killer. For now, she shook so much more than before, tears welled in her bright eyes, and the blond felt his heart sink with guilt of putting her in this state. Why hadn't he just been able to shoot her down, as was ordered? Why did he have to make things so much more difficult?

Lowering the sword slowly, Cloud sighed, offering her a small apologetic smile. "Forgive me, Lady... I have never seen such a warmth before, not of humanity," he whispered, staring down at their linked hands with a small almost confused frown. "I couldn't help but think it such a cure to this pain..."