[Oba] Be Quiet [Novali/Zhen]

[Heras Box]

Novali had been watching his mark for some time now and he figured out a relative pattern of behavior. He didn't like that there were few opportunities in which to do his job but it was better than nothing. During the day, if he did not cover up, he stood out as just another oddity for people to stare at. He had the shifter skin with the matori pattern and it did catch a few eyes.

In between keeping an eye on his mark Novali was getting himself familiar with the streets of the city. Oba was far different from the jungles of jauhar and he didn't want to be taken by surprise. It would be just his luck to find that one dead end street with no exits. Not a good thing in his line of work. Which led him to his next thought. His mark was not picked for death, which was a kindness to them, but they were meant to be quieted. Someone had paid generously to make sure that they disappeared and Novali was going to get the job done. He had left instructions on where to send the funds and he would later acquire them.
 

[Bronze Coffee]

Zhen had been trying his luck lately, preaching in spots he knew there were people who hated him. He was simply trying to persuade people to think a different way than they were. To better the Oban future. The boy with the crystals on his forehead often found himself with fruit thrown at him, or dodging pints of beer if he were so unlucky.

Today the boy's hair was piled high on his head, and he wore his typical garbs. The determined look in his eye was definitely still there, but it wasn't as bright as before.

It was one of his off days from talking publicly. Instead he chose this day to eat, drink, and just rest himself and stay out of the public. He did this two or three times a week, depending on people's tempers. It was always worse the hotter it was. No one liked to really think while the heat was so sweltering one could swear they felt their eyeballs dehydrating.

He had just stepped out of a cafe with a baggie in hand. Time to go back to the hotel and fan himself down until tonight. Then he'd take himself a nice bath.

So down the street he went, passing up alleyways he paid no attention to.

Heras Box

 

[Heras Box]

Peppermint Coffee

Since he was actually wearing something to cover most of his skin he didn't draw as many eyes. He was grey and black and easy to simply miss. As his mark started down the street so did he, of course no one could know if he was following, leading, or simply lost.

Once he was upon the male he was meant to take he grabbed the boy by the hand and tugged him down an alley. So long as he made no protests then it would be easy to accomplish, if he did make any noise then he was prepared to use any means to get him to shut up. Novali's overall goal was simply to get his mark into the darker parts of the alley and then go from there.
 

[Bronze Coffee]

Nothing out of the ordinary stood out to the Oban boy as he meandered his way toward his home for the week. Soon he'd be going back to his village where he could actually rest and enjoy himself without having to fear if he was going to have to wash beer out of his hair or not.

However, someone seemed to have had a different idea for him. Zhen's hand was suddenly grabbed, alarming the boy enough to jump. He was mercilessly tugged down an alley he was passing, Zhen twisting his arm in an automatic response. The man had a grip on his wrist that was painful, and tugging it only seemed to hurt his wrist more, but what else was he supposed to do?! No one taught him what to do if someone grabbed him like this.

"H-hey!" He called out to the figure who was grabbing him. His tugging got more frantic.

"Hey, let me go!" Panic was clear in his voice, but he was praying that this figure made a mistake and grabbed the wrong person.

Heras Box

 

[Heras Box]

Peppermint Coffee

Pulling a weapon now would alarm others since they were not quite obscured enough into the darkness of the alley. So instead Novali did something else entirely, he grabbed Zhen by the shoulders and pushed him against the wall of the building. "Oh honey, stop being so dramatic!" He used his sweetest voice before placing his lips against the other male's. It was nothing to Novali since he was working and currently disconnected from feeling anything.

If anyone happened to look their way it would be two lovers in the alley. One apparently more shy than the other.

If Zhen stayed shocked from the kiss then Nova would simply push him along down the way and out of sight of others. If not then he'd have to be a little more creative.
 

[Bronze Coffee]

Oh no. Oh, no!

He froze, deer in headlights, being jerked along this alley and then shoved against a wall of a building. Zhen tried to curl in on himself, but the grip on his shoulders made it impossible for him to hunch. Instead he put his fisted hands on the other's chest, trying to shove him away.

....Then lips were on his. His first kiss stolen by some vagabond or something. The shame washed over him instantly, followed by a hard flush of his cheeks and a whimper escaping. Oddly enough tears sprang to his eyes, but he was determined to not cry for some reason. Something inside the Oban boy didn't want him to cry in front of this person.

As soon as those lips were off of his, though, Zhen's fingers twitched and he remembered where they were resting.

The boy let out a help as he pulled both arms back to slam fists into the man's chest. They weren't coordinated well, they weren't strong. But he hoped it'd be enough to take off down the alley way.

Heras Box

 

[Heras Box]

Peppermint Coffee

The kiss worked for a second but as soon as Nova pulled away the male seemed to remember how to function. A sigh left him just as he was punched in the chest. It stung a little but he had trained for such resistance. He narrowed his eyes at his mark and shook his head. "You will stop that and shut up right now or I will have to use other means to MAKE you." To emphasize on his threat he pulled out a dagger then shoved Zhen farther back into the shadows.

He didn't have time for this little upstart to get any ideas in his head. Novali wanted the money that was promised him for removing this person from Oba. There was no way he was going to be denied that.

"Do you understand me?" Novali dropped his tone into a dangerous level as he stared the male down.  

[Bronze Coffee]

The tears from earlier, that he'd fought back, were here with a vengeance as the blade was pulled and he was pushed further into the shadows, away from the public.

Screaming now meant he'd be killed, wouldn't it? Frantic red eyes looked around for anyone at all who could possibly see this. There was no one, and the realization that the only way out of this alive was to do what the man in front of him said. This hybrid man, now that he'd gotten a good look at him. Zhen's slight frame was shaking already and he whimpered one more time.

All he could do was nod to the question as his hands dug into the fabric around his waist. Why didn't he ever carry a dagger around with him?

"Y...." did he dare talk? He bit the word back and just nodded even harder now, the panic gripping him.

Heras Box

 

[Heras Box]

Peppermint Coffee

Novali saw the tears but showed no signs that he was sympathetic to the male's plight. Instead he gave a nod of his head and a flick of the wrist to tell him to get moving back farther into the shadows. "That's better. Fighting is a messy business and since I wasn't sent to kill you I would hate to have to use that way to shut you up." He kept his dagger out and stepped up beside Zhen to grab him by the upper arm and lead him down the alley way to a door.

"Do not take that as a weakness either. I will kill you then charge my customer extra for the trouble." After those words were uttered he tapped on the door twice and waited only a second before it was opened. When Novali gave them nod of his head they opened it even farther and Nova shoved Zhen through.
 

[Bronze Coffee]

The dagger was put to the side, but the fear coiling in his stomach seemed to get worse now that Zhen couldn't see it. It could come from anywhere now. The boy just followed along silently, his head hung low.

Could he make a break for it soon? The guy couldn't have a dagger the entire time, could he?

His thoughts were interrupted when he was shoved through that door and he yelped again.

"Wh...Who sent you...?" Zhen's voice was cracking like he was going through puberty again and it made his humiliation all the worse. Nothing happened with his punches, he didn't even try to run... He was an utter failure at life in general.

He was hesitant to walk forward, not knowing what laid beyond.

Heras Box

 

[Heras Box]

Peppermint Coffee

After slipping a coin to the person that let them in Novali once more took hold of Zhen's arm and led him. The male would go willingly or be dragged, either way he was going. "Telling you that would make me a poor businessman now wouldn't it." He glanced over at Zhen then went back to looking forward.

Nova led his mark down the steps and into the belly of the building before taking him through another door. When that one was closed behind them Novali let go of Zhen. There was no other way out so he didn't worry so much about the male. Instead he leaned his back against it and stared at him.

"Did you want to do this the easy way where I don't use any weapons or the hard way where I can't promise you will be alive later?" He figured he might as well get a feel for how this guy was going to react to the whole situation.
 

[Bronze Coffee]

When he was finally relased, Zhen looked around the building they were in and pulled his hands in front of him. He then went to just sort of hug himself for any kind of comfort and turned back to look at his captor.

"B...Businessman?" So someone really did send him. It was a wild swing in the dark, and apparently Zhen hit the mark. He swallowed again and let more tears spill out of his eyes and down his cheeks. All at once he seemed to crumple in on himself, hugging his knees to his chest, letting out a broken sob.

Then the ultimatum was issued and Zhen coughed as he curled in tighter on himself. He didn't want to go anywhere! But he didn't want to die.

"I d-don't want to die! I don't want to die, please!" He was frantic, walking over on his knees, clinging to his captor's legs. It was a pathetic sight to behold, truly.

Heras Box

 

[Heras Box]

Peppermint Coffee

He stayed as he was and watched the male collapse in on himself. The hugging the knees to his chest and sob had no effect on Novali as he watched. Nothing changed in his facial features or even the way he stood. He was immovable.

As Zhen got closer and then went to cling to his knees he still did nothing. Until the mention of not wanting to die. To which he responded by leaning over and placing the edge of his blade against Zhen's neck lightly "Then do as you're told and get off me."

"I was paid to make you disappear. The means of said disappearance are up to me. Since you don't want to die then we will be leaving the city tonight." There would be no getting of things or saying goodbye. It would be an up front gone with the wind type of thing.
 

[Bronze Coffee]

A scream cut off as soon as the blade touched his throat. The Oban backed off immediately and just pressed his face into the floor now.

He'd be ripped away from everyone, from everything he'd known. Why? Why was this happening to him? Because of the words he spoke? Did he pose a threat to someone's plans or something? He was just a teenager trying to get people to think in a better way, that's all! Now he was someone's captor. He had to leave this city. Who was to say this man was going to stop at just the city?

The sobs were heart wrenching if you cared. Scared for his life, cowering on the floor, Zhen was literally at this man's mercy.

"P-please... I-I can leave! I'll leave... I'll g-go home.."

Heras Box

 

[Heras Box]

Peppermint Coffee

Novali rolled his eyes at the theatrics. In his mind there was no need for it. As the male started to say that he would go home on his own Nova shook his head, not that it was seen. "That is not what I am getting paid for."

He heaved a sigh and shifted so that he could tap Zhen with his boot. "Get up and go lay on the bed. You'll need your rest for the trip." The grey skinned hand with the knife pointed toward the bed in the corner. It looked freshly made though it wasn't luxurious.